May 2022 Newsletter

May 2022 Volume 24 Issue 3 Learn Laugh Live Crewe & Nantwich u3a Newsletter Contents Page 1 Chair’s Message Page 12 GEN2 Page 2 Group News Page 14 MOTO Page 7 May Quiz Page 17 Profiles Page 8 Events Page 19 Quiz Answers Page 10 EWC Page 20 Committee Message from the Chair I hope you enjoy the latest edition of the newsletter. Thanks to the very professional efforts of our Editor, Adrian Finney, the newsletter goes from strength to strength, as the literary, photographic and comedic tal- ents of our members are increasingly displayed. The mood of the moment seems to be that of resilience. This is demon- strated by the return of U3A members to their group activities, despite the continuing presence of the persistent (albeit weakening) corona vi- rus. Third Agers have taken a very pragmatic stance in balancing the risks of the pandemic against the loss of companionship and activities, that are so important to our quality of life. Our resilience in Crewe and Nantwich is, of course, trivial compared to that of Ukrainian citizens, who are facing the wicked onslaught on their country and their freedoms with a courage and strength that is astound- ing. This is the first European war that most of us have witnessed; the take-overs of Hungary and Czechoslovakia were nothing compared to the fate of Ukraine. We live in worrying times. On a happier note, the Jubilee celebrations in the coming month mark the resilience and steadfastness of HM The Queen. Whether monarchist or a republican, we can only celebrate the contribution that this superla- tive Third Ager has made to our peaceful and stable lives during the last 70 years. Best wishes to you all, Judith Ross

2 Group news: ‘Thank you to all group leaders who responded to my email and sent in de- tails of your groups.’ - Sue Steele (Details of all groups can be found on the website, along with group leaders’ contact information.) Choirs: Choirs have met regularly at Wistaston and Willaston and held their first joint concert in Crewe market hall on 14 th April at 2 pm. It has been a pleasure to meet with the members and develop their singing skills through an interesting repertoire. Despite the difficulties of the times they have brought a sense of normality to our meetings. And have worked so hard to achieve what was a lovely occasion on the 14 th. New members are always welcome!! Please check the website for dates or contact Liz Barfield through the website. Philosophy and Anthropology: The group thrives on Zoom (alternate Monday mornings). Zoom lends itself to this type of discussion group although the members feel though one or two have dropped out because they like to meet face to face. An example of one of our recent topics is: ART IS SCIENCE. New members are welcome to give it a try. With the virus still flying around we shall continue on zoom for the foreseea- ble future. Liz Barfield (cont)

3 Today’s World: (Monday afternoons, once a month, St Luke’s Willaston.) Basically, the To- day's World Group is a Science/Technology Group which looks at Issues which can affect the way we live. I mainly do the Talks, but sometimes a member of the Group might offer a talk. We try to keep the Talks at a level which the majority of the members can understand. Currently I have been talking about the Origins of the Earth and how it has evolved mainly through sea creatures coming onto Land The next part of the Series in September looks at evolution of Humans and their effect on the Earth and Environment In the past I have covered UK Budgets, Evolution of Technology, How things work (or don't in some cases!) and many other diverse topics Bryan Roe Spanish Improvers: Spanish Improvers has been in existence for many years. We meet on Thursday mornings at the Brittles, Wistaston. Up until recently the class has been full with a waiting list. However, some folks failed to return after Covid so we find ourselves with a few spaces. If you would like to improve your Spanish language and speaking skills please give me a call on 07803 764274. We usually spend part of each lesson on grammar or by reading and translating a learning novel together then watch a video or break into groups for a chat, in Spanish of course. We also manage to have a few laughs along the way. Unfortunately, we don't have a tutor but we are at dif- ferent stages of learning and are able to help each other out. So if you are beyond \"dos cervezas y un café con leche por favor\" why not give us a try? Marian Simmons (cont)

4 Walking groups: Re STP WALKING PACERS. At long last some members have reverted to car sharing to get to and from starting points thus reducing the carbon footprint. Walks continued through- out the pandemic and we are now getting good attendances. Phil Everall Persian Cookery: The last Persian cookery in 19/20 was attended with overwhelming participa- tion of members who were all enthusiastic and appreciative of unknown fla- vours and tastes of Persian cuisine. Unfortunately, due to the pandemic, we had to stop the class. The good news is that I’m looking forward to starting the next one in the Au- tumn term, in Early September. I will be communicating with each one of the Persian Cookery participants in August. Thank you and regards, Mabs Bahrani (Note: there is a waiting list in operation for this group.) PICKLEBALL: Pickleball is a racket sport for two or four people – easier than badminton or tennis. It is normally played on a badminton court but with a lower 3 feet high net. It has become very popular with over 50s in the USA. A demonstration is being arranged shortly to assess the interest in forming a new group. To ex- press your interest and for more information click on “join this group” in our website or email Neil Smith [email protected] Link to Pickleball England website https://www.pickleballengland.org/ Neil Smith NOTE FOR PICKLEBALL REGISTRATION GROUP ON WEBSITE - please join the registration group if you want to attend the demonstration. (Cont)

5 Poetry: I kept the group ticking over on Zoom during lockdown, which worked quite well. However, once we returned to face to face meetings we have lost a number of members and others are not “lost” but simply don’t attend meet- ings. We have averaged 5 members per session during the last term. If num- bers don’t pick up next term the group will close. This is a shame as those that do attend get a lot out of it. We decide on a programme between ourselves and either search out poems on a topic e.g. journeys, choice, freedom or we research poems by a particular poet. It is a small, friendly group and poems often give rise to discussion about a wide range of topics. A new member has recently joined the group. She is a friend from the now closed Literature group. It would be lovely if other ex Literature group mem- bers could join us. We meet once every 2 weeks on a Monday afternoon at St Luke’s, Willaston at 2pm and we’d welcome any new members. Dates on the website. Helen Bellis TEAM QUIZ: The Team Quiz group has been running successfully for many years. It's a general knowledge quiz - just for fun! with random teams of four selected pri- or to the start of each quiz by drawing table numbers from a bag. We have eight rounds of ten questions with a break for tea/coffee and biscuits at half time. At the moment the ladies outnumber the men almost exactly 2:1 so whilst we welcome anyone to the group it would be nice to have a few more men joining us to even out the numbers! One of our group members volunteers in advance to set the questions for a particular month and acts as question master. As a result every quiz is differ- ent with a variety of questions and categories, some easy, some more diffi- cult. It is the question master's choice. Whatever the questions it's always enjoyable, whether you're on the winning team or not! There are no prizes, just an enjoyable afternoon. Ann-Marie and Barrie Lloyd

6 Book Chat online: We meet online on the 2nd Monday of the month between 7 -8.30pm. At pre- sent, there are 10 of us in the group, however as we rarely all attend on the same evening, we could accept a couple more members. We read to a theme, for example April’s theme was ‘Thrillers and Suspense’, which led to discussions of books by Michael Crichton, Ian Rankin, Nicci French, Rob Sin- clair, Elly Griffiths, Ann Meredith and Belinda Bauer. Most of us love thrillers and crime novels, but we make ourselves read outside of our comfort zone - past topics have included American fiction, Children’s fiction, Nature writing, non-fiction. The theme for May’s meeting is European fiction (in English - and it doesn’t have to be a giant and worthy tome like Proust!); June’s theme is Historical - deliberately left open, so members can bring fiction or non-fiction. We sometimes meet up in person outside of ‘Book Chat’ time because we are a lovely group of people and we enjoy each other’s company! Come and join us! Sue Steele PROPOSED NEW GROUPS: Women in History: I would like to start a new group in my home in Nantwich. The subject being Women in History. The time will be on a Wednesday morning 10.30 to 12.30, once fortnightly. The aim is that we learn about women who inspired us and that people enjoy the group and make friends. I would like to start after Easter for the summer term as a trial run. I can ac- commodate 8 people. Email me through the website for more details and to express an interest. Phyllis Ross Gilbert and Sullivan group: I am interested in re-running a group on 'Gilbert and Sullivan' if there is any interest from members. We ran this group a number of years ago but it is self limiting due to the number of operettas. Ideally it would run for a year and a term and I would think of starting in September, day to be decided, but during an afternoon. Please contact Pat Harborth through the website to express your interest.

Summer Quiz (Answers on Page 19) 7 1. In the second world war, who was known as the woman with the million dollar legs? 2. Which three letters preceded Titanic? 3. In which Shakespeare play would you find the mischievous spirit ‘Arial’? 4. Who composed ‘Finlandia’? 5. What is the Italian desert ‘Tartufo’ made with? 6. Which European country has the highest tax rate? 7. What type of art form is ‘haiku’? 8. Which of these Oceans is the largest by surface area Atlantic, Southern, or Arctic? 9. Which sea creature can regenerate itself even after being cut into 1000 pieces? 10. The condition Kinetosis is better known as what? 11. Which fruit has the most calories per gram? 12. Which sport, originating in India, was originally called Poona? 13. What colour is the letter ‘E’ in the Google logo? 14. In which country can one find the River Kwai? 15. What did explorer David Livingstone die of? 16. Histology is the study of what? Barrie & Anne Lloyd C&N u3a Quiz Group Leaders A lorry driver was driving along on the motorway. A sign comes up that read \"low bridge ahead.\" Before he knows it, the bridge is right ahead of him, and he gets stuck under the bridge. Cars are backed up for miles. Finally, a police car comes up. The cop gets out of his car and walks around to the lorry driv- er, puts his hands on his hips and says, \"Got stuck, huh?\" The truck driver says, \"No, I was delivering this bridge and ran out of diesel\" George Jones

Events 8 Coming to your U3A soon a veritable cornucopia of cosmopolitan comesti- bles, celebrations and contentments; an extravaganza of entertainments and events. But how is this going to happen? I am forming a group which will devise and deliver a series of entertaining events based on the expertise found in our diverse range of special interest groups. While I plan to organise and lead this group I am looking to recruit like – minded members to participate in de- vising and delivering these events. Let me offer you a flavour of what I have in mind. Let us take a country. the language groups could offer an insight into the language, its literature and its culture. The music group could contribute examples of its national music and dance group can offer an insight into its interpolation. The wine group will oil the wheels with examples of the local beverages. The IT guys and photogra- phers could facilitate an audio and visual presentation of the country. We can sustain the evening’s entertainment with samples of the local cuisine pre- pared where possible by talented group members, All of this entertainment, education and enlightenment will be offered for substantially less than the TV licence fee or a Sky subscription. But if this doesn’t grab you how about “Cowboy night“ with outside barbecue, line dancing and country and western music? No, then lets try Victorian ball with diner, local history and costumes. Who is behind these outrageous suggestions? I am Nigel Bahrani, I was born in Leeds the same day Stalin died. You can decide whether or not that was a good swap for humanity but at least it ensures I am old enough to join the U3A. I have a multi-culture background, an Arabic father, Geordie mother, Persian wife and have spent a major part of my professional life working abroad. These have fostered my interest in people their cultures and social interac- tions. In my student days I was entertainments Officer for the Teeside University student union,where I organised discos and parties. My enthusiasm for stag- ing social events and bringing people together to enjoy each others company continues to this day. (cont)

9 The interest groups in our U3A do an excellent job of providing what it says on the tin. My group will bring different groups together still offering specialist knowledge but in a social, fun and diverse way, Universities are about bring- ing people together to share knowledge. My vision is to bring the flavour of the campus experience to the U3A. I would be delighted to hear from anyone who would like to be involved in organising such events. Equally I welcome input on the nature, style or theme of the future events. I have placed an advertisement for the two roles (below)I envisaged that this group needs to get of the ground. Request for two joint leader volunteers to help make our events group successful the aim would be to organise 3 to 4 events a year for up to 3 years. The first joint leader to have had some experience in organising events and instigating a plan of action, following it through to its implementation. Coordinating with the various U3A groups and how their activities can con- tribute to the occasion by selecting, with the team, the best options for the event. Instigating purchasing of goods and services to make the event happen, try and identify any issues that may arise before the event and assist in finding solutions. The second joint leader to have experience in selling and marketing with the main aim that each event has maximum participation via ticket sales. Ensuring venues and catering meet the standards our members deserve, and that health and tastes are clearly communicated well in advance. Managing internal advertising by mail, web site, Facebook and printed mat- ter. Ensure that the most senior members get the care and attention to partici- pate in the events such as Access, transport and Service. For any member of the U3A who has the time to dedicate for the enjoyment of others please call Nigel on 0779 6510502 or email at [email protected] Thank you all

Environment and Wildlife Conservation Group (EWC) 10 Our inaugural meeting of EWC group took place on the 24th February. About 45 people attended. The meeting started with a very interesting talk by Jeremy Herbert from Sustainable Nantwich, who informed us all of some of his conservation work locally, including some of the pro- jects he is involved in. The second part of the meeting, we had discussions in small groups about our aims for the group and what topics we want to cover. The groups came up with some really good ideas. We hope to cover many of the topics over the next few months, and years. Our second meeting on the 24th March was another a very interesting talk by Sue Foy from Chester U3A ‘A Life less Plastic.’ Sue outlined her journey from normal plastic use in her own life to zero usage. The change happened gradually over a number of years. She covered recycling plastic and the damage that plastic is having on our wildlife and environment. She has run a few project-based activities in her U3A group in Chester, addressing the damage that plastic is doing to their local environment. The second half of the meeting Gill did a Powerpoint presentation covering the collated information from the group’s discussions the previous month on the topics on which we would like to educate ourselves. Gill asked the group if anybody could run a group meeting from the ideas individuals came up with. We have already had some feedback from this, but would welcome more help. A small sample of some of the ideas the group want to see: recycling, environment, energy and wildlife. Our next three meetings are: 28th April - Richard Ortyl – Cheshire Wildlife Trust – Making our gardens and outside spaces more wildlife friendly. 26th May - Ben Wye – Local town councillor – active travel, social prescrip- tion, and the environmental impact. 23rd June - Mark Thompson – alternative heating in our homes. In the Autumn we hope to have a more wildlife theme. There are a small number of places available if anyone is interested. Carole Ross Gill Weston Rosemary Betteley

CMP - Digital Devices and IT Help 11 You may be about to dismiss the following information as too technical or boring based on your understanding of the title. However what comes next could be of enormous help in developing your ability to unlock the features of your recently acquired mobile phone, tablet or laptop. For instance have you thought about how to create a text message which you then send to your children or grandchildren who may live in far flung places? Wouldn’t it be better if a photo of your recent adventure is sent with it? Perhaps you need to create a document that requires sending via email to an organisation. With appropriate guidance you could even open your own website! Special software can transform your device into a photo edit- ing platform or an artist’s canvas to create a David Hockney masterpiece! This is where the mixed team of CMP volunteers, who have many years of IT experience, can assist you in getting the best use of your device. We aim to put you at your ease and no question is too basic.This help can apply to not only hardware devices but also to the software (operating system) that makes the device function. Grappling with the various functions these oper- ating systems present can be daunting at first, generating trepidation in the user that they may make a fatal error when pressing input keys. By spend- ing some time explaining the user problems/requirements with an experi- enced team member your knowledge and expertise can be developed. Typical problems can revolve around “housekeeping” I.e. deleting unwanted files, photos etc. which if left can slow down the device. Other problems can be moving information (files) from the old to the newly acquired device par- ticularly if it involves different operating systems. These are just a few ex- amples that you may recognise. Hence if you think that the “U3A digital champions” can help YOU then please come along to Wistaston Memorial Hall on a Friday morn- ing - 9:30 to 11:30. We have helped numerous members to date but we are always looking for new challenges. N.B. There is a small session charge but this represents very good val- ue given the knowledge that can be gained. Mike Wilson What did the bald man exclaim when he received a comb for a present? Thanks— I’ll never part with it! (ed) What do you call an apology written in dots and dashes? Re-Morse code. (ed)

U3A Genealogy group. (GEN2) 12 Meeting every other Wednesday during term time from 10am to 12pm. Group Description : A self-help group where members research their family history in a friendly and very supportive atmosphere. Members bring and use their own computers at the venue which has good wifi connection. There are no formal lessons but occasionally a member will spend time ex- plaining to the group a research tool or other system that others may not be familiar with. I will describe just a short selection of cases that I and other members have been studying to highlight how intriguing this work is. CASE #1 There have been many revelations had by most of our members whilst re- searching their family tree. One such revelation was a member who’s wife’s recent ancestor had died whilst serving in WW1. Not so! After a long search of old records, it was found that he had changed his name on signing up in 1914. He was wounded 1917, and survived, but died of his injuries sus- tained in 1917 in London in 1922. There were no family records but one of his war medals was later found on ebay and the family were able to buy it back. After much research his grave was found in London and the family intend to visit to honour the 100th anniversary of his death. CASE #2 Another member found information regarding her husbands great grandfa- ther who, she discovered, was listed on the 1841 census as a 6yr old living in the Staffordshire Union Workhouse and later in his life really made some- thing of himself despite humble beginnings. Edward Walters was a Boot maker with premises at 23 Horsley Fields, Wol- verhampton and was listed in the 1879 Steven’s Trade Directory of Wolver- hampton. His wife, Emily, helped him as a Boot Fitter. Edward had a difficult start in life. He was born in Seighford, Staffordshire, the illegitimate son of Sarah Walters and Christened in St Chad’s Church on 14th September 1834. In 1851, aged 15, he is a Servant at the home of Thomas Heath, a Cordwainer (a shoemaker who makes new shoes from new leather, as opposed to a cobbler who repairs used shoes), in Red Lion Street, Stafford, where he probably learned his trade as a boot maker. Edward married Emily Ward at St Mary’s Church, Stafford on 1st April 1861 and lived at 75 Culwell Street, Springfield, Wolverhampton. They had four children. (cont)

13 CASE #3 My family history journey started in about 2000 when I applied for and re- ceived my grandfathers military records. He’d been a Coldstream guardsman throughout WW1 which is what triggered my interest and I have been study- ing my history ever since. One of my discoveries was regarding my great grandmother. The family had been told that she had died in the late 1890’s leaving my grandfather to be brought up by his father and an aunt. Not so, it turns out that she left the fam- ily at that time, went to live in a Bolton workhouse after her husband left her (apparently with my grandfather and his brother whom we knew of). Then, whilst in the workhouse in 1900 she had another son. A brother my grandfa- ther never mentioned and, as far as I know, no one was ever aware of. Following years of study I eventually learned that during those times she re- ceived a couple of minor criminal convictions one being a six month jail sen- tence in Strangeways, Manchester for attempting to commit suicide which remained a criminal offence until the early 1960’s. She died in 1934 although her existence in the family was never known about or was carefully con- cealed until about 2010. For those interested in understanding where they have come from, where they may have inherited an artistic ability or religious leanings or their interest in becoming a member of the military then family history study can help. Try and arrange to come along to one of our meetings if you like and we can give you a taster of what information is available and how you could go about researching your own history. This is what our meetings look like in 2022. Unlike in 2019 when we were meeting in a room only half this size. We are now ensconced at Wells Green church near Wistaston with far more room and with decent Wi-Fi, essential for our stud- ies. Pete Benningwood

MOTO Group Activities 14 Back in September, I suggested that we set up a MOTO group (Members on their Own) for members who, for whatever reason, attend u3a activities alone. Once it had been agreed by the committee, I sent out a bulk email to announce the group and within a very short time, we had over 40 members, with Judith Ross and myself at the helm. Judith was a very early attender at the activities and she managed to persuade Carol Campbell and Gill Bar- nard to step in as group leaders - and they are performing this role magnifi- cently. At the last count, the group had 59 members and activities have in- cluded a lovely Christmas meal at The Fox, Haslington, various Sunday lunches out, trips to the cinema, theatre (Nantwich Players is fast becoming a favourite venue), a guided walk courtesy of Nantwich Museum, followed by lunch at the Cafe de Paris. Recently, suggestions have been a little more adventurous and included a day trip to Skipton, which despite the awful weather, seems to have been a huge success. Members are encouraged to suggest activities themselves - all group mem- bers can send an email to the whole group through the website. That way, we ensure that there is a mix of activities and hopefully all members will find something they’d like to attend. The most popular events book up very quickly - I dithered for 24 hours over whether to attend the Saturday lunchtime get-together at Pillory House, and just managed to bag the last place! And, a lovely few hours we spent there too. I’d like to say thank you to the ladies around me for the chat and laughs and the ‘other table’ seemed to be having just as much fun! Upcoming events include a walk around Nantwich waterways, followed by a (non-compulsory) lunch, a trip to see NT live at the cinema and more theatre events. We’re also thinking about those more spontaneous arrangements, for exam- ple, seizing the gift of a warm summer evening and deciding to meet at a beer garden or a brief jaunt out to Audlem canal for a walk. To this end, a WhatsApp group has been created. Membership is not obligatory, but we feel this is a way to be able to move quickly on things like nice weather! It will not replace the email system for events that have a ‘notice ‘ period, but the WhatApp group has a very specific function. If you find yourself at a loose end, particularly at the weekend, why not join the group? Not all events take place at the weekend, but we are learning that this is one of the times when MOTO can be most valuable. (cont)

15 Don’t sit there, wondering what to do…come and meet us; we’ll make you very welcome! Sue Steele Activities for Bored Pensioners to Stay Amused. 1. Sit in your parked Car at the roadside wearing a Yellow Hi-Viz Vest or coat in your parked car with sunglasses on, and point a hair dryer at passing cars. See if they slow down. 2. Every time someone asks you to do something, ask if they want fries with that. 3. When paying a Bill at the Bank write in the stub of all your cheque book, write for marijuana. 4. Skip down the street rather than walk and see how many strange looks you get. Be careful of out of control cars! 5. When out having a meal or at a pub meal Order a diet water with a seri- ous face. 6. If you are out shopping or in a public place and you have an inclination to sing, Sing Opera! 7. Five days in advance, tell your friends you can't attend their party be- cause you have a headache. 8. When the money comes out the ATM, scream 'I Won, I Won, I Won!' at the top of your voice. 9.. When leaving the zoo, start running towards the car park shouting 'Run for your lives! They're Loose!' 10. Pick up a box of condoms at the chemist, go to the counter and ask where the fitting room is! Advice for The Day. Be nice to your kids. They will choose your nursing home one day. And finally : If you have a lot of tension and you get a headache, do what it says on the paracetamol box; Take Two, and Keep Away from Children! George Jones

16 I know I am Getting Old when entering personal details on the Internet I have to click a total of three/four times on the drop-down box titled ‘year of birth’, Which prompts the question why do the databases not start at 1920 and let the Kids do all the clicking they seem to enjoy so much? George Jones \"Will I Live To 80?\" - I recently a new doctor at Rope Medical Centre. After two visits and exhaustive lab tests, he said I was doing \"fairly well\" for my age. A little concerned about that comment, I couldn't resist asking him,\" Do you think I'll live to be 80?\" He asked, \"Do you smoke tobacco or drink beer or wine?\" \"Oh no,\" I replied. \"I'm not doing drugs, either.\" Then he asked, \"Do you eat rib-eye steaks and barbecued ribs?\" I said, \"No, my other Doctor said that all red meat is very unhealthy.\" \"Do you spend a lot of time in the sun, like playing golf, sailing, hiking, or bicycling?\" \"No, I don't,\" I said. He asked, \"Do you gamble, drive fast cars, or have a lot of sex?\" \"No,\" I said. \"I don't do any of those things.\" He looked at me and said, \"Then why do you want to live to 80.\" (ed) In a crazy kind of way... this makes a little sense!! Let's put the seniors in jail and the criminals in a nursing home. This way the seniors would have access to showers, hobbies, and walks. They'd receive unlimited free prescriptions, dental and medical treatment, wheel chairs etc. and they'd receive money in- stead of paying it out. They would have constant video monitoring, so they could be helped instantly if they fell, or needed assistance. Bedding would be washed twice a week and all clothing would be ironed and returned to them. A guard would check on them every 20 minutes and bring their meals and snacks to their cell. They would have family visits in a suite built for that pur- pose. They would have access to a library, weight room, spiritual counselling, pool, and education. Simple clothing, shoes, slippers, P.J.'s and legal aid would be free, on request. Private, secure rooms for all, plus an exercise out- door yard with gardens. Each senior could have a P.C., a T.V., radio, and daily phone calls. There would be a board of directors, to hear complaints, and the guards would have a code of conduct that would be strictly adhered to. Since they're older people in the rooms, fewer guards would be required thus - sav- ing the taxpayers millions. The \"criminals\" would get cold food, be left all alone, and unsupervised. Lights off at 8pm, and showers once a week. Live in a tiny room, pay £4000.00 per month and have no hope of ever getting out. (ed)

17 Profile-Sandra Booth Hello I am Sandra Booth one of your 4 newly elected committee members. Many of you will already know me as I am a local “lady” having lived all my life in the Crewe, Wistaston and the Willaston area. I started my working life at Lloyds Bank on Chester bridge and later moved to the corporate banking sector in Manchester before I became mum to my 2 daughters. I spent the last 20+ years of my working life with the Stroke Asso- ciation supporting the stroke affected and their families and carers based at Leighton Hospital before moving to Stafford and then North Staffordshire. I was also involved in training care home and nursing home staff in the under- standing and support of the stroke affected. I have been a member of the Tuesday morning table tennis group for about 3½ years and what a pleasure it is to be part of such a fantastic group. During Covid I have volunteered to help with the roll out of the vaccine programme in Crewe and Chester. Now after a fairly quiet 2 years I am ready to become more involved with the C&N u3a I like to think that I am a kind and caring person and I hope my skills will be useful in supporting our existing committee members to sustain and develop our or- ganisation. Profile - Marian Simmons Hi. I’m Marian Simmons. I was born in Cwmbran, South Wales but haven’t lived ‘at home’ since the 70’s. My husband and I moved to the Gower Coast in the 80’s then onto Leicester in the 90’s. We came to Nantwich in 2000 when we bought a village shop and post office and changed our careers. Most of my working life before then was spent in sales and mar- keting in the motor vehicle parts industry. I promised myself that when I retired I would learn a foreign lan- guage which is how I came upon U3A in 2015. Unfor- tunately, as I joined the Spanish SPN1 class in Janu- ary 2015, I discovered that the tutor had retired the end of the previous term. (cont)

18 The class has carried on without a fluent Spanish speaker since then. I am now privileged to lead the group. I’ve also joined other groups like Flower Arranging and, more recently, the Tuesday singing group which is great fun. A conversation with one of Committee Members brought me onto the Com- mittee myself when she told me that we were struggling to get people to commit and that without a full committee there would be no U3A. I hope that I can do justice to the role but will need all the help I can get! Marian Simmons Profile - Nigel Bahrani Born in Leeds 1953 an Arabic Father,Geordie Mother. Lived and worked as an expat in Middle East for almost 38 years,bilingual Arabic /English Married with two children Qualified to degree level in engineering and was entertainments officer for the student union at what I now Teesside University. Worked for Air Products PLC and retired in 2014 but keeping active own and run a small holding- a fish and Vegetable farm in Whixall Shropshire Joined the U3A over four years ago participated in the painting and the bridge groups. Enjoy social activities and always ready for a party. Joined the committee with the aim of organising light hearted fun events to as many members as possible. I Have Never Understood why women love cats. Cats are independent, they don't listen, they don't come in when you call, they like to stay out all night, and when they're home they like to be left alone and sleep. In other words, every quality that women hate in a man, they love in a cat. George Jones

May Quiz Answers 19 1. Betty Grable 9. A Sponge 2. RMS 10. Motion sickness 3. The Tempest 11. Avocado 4. Jean Sibelius 12. Badminton 5. Gelato (Ice Cream) 13. Red 6. Denmark 14. Thailand 7. Poetry 15. Malaria 8. Atlantic 16. Tissues The Beauty of A-Level Maths (BALM!) This course starts on Tuesday May 10th and lasts seven weeks. Each week we cover a stand alone topic including series, curve sketching, matrices, the remainder theorem, logarithms and calculus. This course will be repeated and perhaps extended when the new term starts in September. There is currently a limit of 6 places on this course. We meet on Tuesdays at 2 p.m. All you need is paper, pen and a happy attitude to GCSE algebra! Mary Griffiths 07855485603 marygriffi[email protected] Why don’t Calculus majors throw house parties? Because you should never drink and derive. (Ed)

Committee Roles & Contacts 20 Judith Ross [email protected] Bryan Roe [email protected] Marian Simmons [email protected] Peter Brooke [email protected] Lynne Jones [email protected] Christine Maughan [email protected] Neil Crossley [email protected] Irene Dixon [email protected] Ann-Marie Lloyd [email protected] Susan Steele [email protected] Sandra Booth [email protected] Adrian Finney [email protected] Nigel Bharani [email protected] Pauline Minshull ([email protected]) is currently without portfo- lio. Notices Summer Term : Start 11th June 2022 Ends 19th August Autumn Term : Starts 5th September Ends 16th December At the time of going to press profiles from Irene and Pauline have not ar- rived. I’m sure they will arrive in time for the August Newsletter. (ed) Visit our Website— http://www.candnu3a.org.uk u3a National Website – www.u3a.org.uk August Newsletter Deadline: Articles to [email protected] by 22nd July 2022, please do not send pdf files as I cannot easily reformat them.