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Newsletters

Newsletters

Our newsletter is published quarterly and  is available here to either view on-line or for download to your PC for viewing from there or printing in total or in part. A limited number of printed copies will be available at meetings for members with no internet access.
If you have information or an article for the newsletter please contact the Team

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Poets’ Corner

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A collection of poems penned by members.


Celebrating U3A – Stacy Alice Brown
Electronic Ignorance – Sheila Calver
Ode to a Shopper – RJ
Rejuvenation – Anon
If I Could Live My Life Again – Anon
The Full Day Walk – Jean Ashton




Celebrating U3A

 by Stacy Alice Brown

This poem was especially written for our 20th Anniversary Celebrations by Stacey Alice Brown one of the twin Grand daughters of U3A member Beatrice Grant and was read out  as part of the entertainment after the Green Park lunch.

Talent is like fine wine
It matures with age

Talent is unique for us all
And never stays the same

Talent is like a seed
It starts out plain

But when nurtured,
It grows

And its true
Beauty shows

So let’s all raise
Our glasses

To U3A

 For 20 years
Of guiding

The talents
of

Third Age

 

Electronic Ignorance

by Sheila Calver

Is there anyone there, says the caller?
Using his mobile phone.
Although I keep ringing your number
I just get a dialling tone.

If I only knew how to send Emails
I could send you a message instead.
You would tell me if you are still living
Or whether you’ve gone back to bed.

Surfing the web is a pastime
That used to be just for the spider.
Now it’s a source of all the world’s ills
And is even a virus provider!

So how can we cope with computers
In this the mod-conical age?
We go back to the days of the pigeon post
And write all our notes on a page.

 

Ode to a Shopper

by RJ

While loitering in a supermarket doorway, one of our members recalled that it was ‘National Poetry Week’ and was moved to pen the following missive …

Idling in Tesco’s doorway,
Watching the trolleys go through,
Piles high with twelve pack lager.
Polythene bags with offers new.

Like Prairie Schooners on a westward drive,
Through the car park they tottered and swayed.
If painted Redskins had arrived,
A wagon like circle they would have made!

Looking back on shopping ways,
Compared with seventy years ago –
Back in time to my Mother’s days
When things were calm and slow.

No car, no boot ‘no shelf stacking.
To her Poly thene was a girl’s name-
No checkout or panic packing
Or shrink wrap to drive her insane.

Baker and milkman came to her door,
Errand boys with heavy items!
A wicker basket was her pride
With long gone products placed inside.

Slices of Span in greaseproof paper,
Boxes of Oxydal yellow and blue.
Corned beef cut as thin as a wafer,
Dried egg with scraps for a weekday stew.

No canned music plagued her ears,
But the sighing hum of Co-op wires,
Tiny polished cable cars on high,
Winging small change from cashier to shopper.

When they graced the stores in days gone by!


Rejuvenation

by Anon

I’m looking rather dowdy, my figure’s not quite trim
Perhaps its time to pop along to workout in the gym!
Then I could get my hair done, change the colour, have a perm
I really must believe it this worm is gonna turn

Next on the agenda, (the old man will have a fit)
I think I’ll have some botox, along with a face lift.
Now if I had the money a health farm would be ideal,
I might come home revitalised and full of sex appeal!

I’ll get Trinny and Susannah my wardrobe to update,
It’s time I had some new clothes, even tho I’m 98..
Now something I have never had, tho now I think I might,
Is a manicure and pedicure with nails of red so bright.

The thought of all this bother to effect rejuvenation
Is really much too much for me, I need resuscitation.


If I Could Live My Life Again 

by Anon

If I could live my life again
I’d like to think that I would gain
From experience I’ve already had,
Thereby avoiding all things bad

I’d grumble less and laugh lots more
I’d treat work as fun and not a chore,
Id be patient and forgiving.
I’d make a plan for joyful living.

To traffic wardens I’d be polite
Remember them in my prayers at night.
I wouldn’t swear or be rude.
I’d never have a nasty mood!

Do I want to live my life again?
Be always helpful – not in pain.
With all those changes I’d be a saint
And that’s one thing I surely aint!

 

THE FULL DAY WALK
Jean Ashton

or Chorleywood at last …

July has come round once again
     it’s time to gird our loins,
The Walking Group is stepping out
     on the Full Day Walk.

9:20 is the time to meet,
     Stoke Mandeville the station,
With tickets bought we board the train
     for the Full Day Walk.

At Rickmansworth we disembark
     and meet up with our leaders
And the Johnsons and their dog,
     it’s the Full Day Walk.

Our number totals twenty one,
     our fitness varies greatly.
The weather’s hot, the rests are few
     on the Full Day Walk.

The fittest ones are out in front,
     the weak ones lag behind,
At last the pub comes into view
     on the Full Day Walk.

And so refreshed with food and drink
     and time spent in the shade,
The fine Chess valley beckons us
     on the Full Day Walk.

The final hill has now been climbed,
     it’s Chorleywood at last.
What a splendid time we’ve had
     on the Full Day Walk.


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Social

Social Activities

Our Social Calendar

New members to Aylesbury Vale U3A often comment on how friendly we are and our social activities programme tries to justify that claim. While we take the learning aspects seriously, we certainly do not neglect the social side.

Recently it has been decided that, rather than have all the responsibility of organising these, and we hope in time other activities,  on a single person the role might be undertaken by a small group of members sharing out the tasks.   If you might be prepared to help or would like to know more please use the contact button below.

Scheduled Events

Scheduled events are noted in the seasonal newsletter and shown in detail on the Diary page and link from there.

Regular Events

Coffee mornings

One of our regular activities is a coffee morning where we especially welcome new members. We feel that this is an ideal opportunity for them to meet members of the committee and also have a relaxed and friendly introduction to some of our longer standing members.

Fun Quiz and Supper

We usually hold this in the autumn and the emphasis is on the fun, although the general knowledge of our members never ceases to surprise. Places for this are filled very quickly.

Chinese Meal

In the Spring we often go to the China Brasserie in Fairford Leys for a set Chinese meal.

Christmas Celebrations

Christmas is certainly not neglected. We serve traditional mince pies at our December general meeting and our Christmas Lunch, held at a local venue, has become a great favourite.

Coach Outings

Coach outings are also arranged throughout the year – dates are shown on the Coach Outings page.

Next Activities

Monthly MeetingCoffee MorningsRock'n'Roll PartiesOutingsMeals
Carry On Films 13th NovCoffee Morning 28th OctChristma Party 19th DecProgramme in New YearChristmas Lunch 4th Dec

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Membership

Membership

If you are no longer in full-time employment and looking for interesting and stimulating daytime activities in the company of others then you would be most welcome to join Aylesbury Vale u3a. We now have over 400 members  who can join  monthly meetings and participate in over 30 different interest groups

Our constitution describes how you may qualify for membership.

 The U3A offers Individual and Joint Membership for couples.  

The membership year is from 1st August to 31st July. The membership fee from 1st August 2024 to 31st July 2025 is £15 per member. If you renew or join after 1st May, your membership is valid until 31st July the following year.

Please use these forms to either apply for new membership or renew your existing membership

It is a great help to us if as many people as possible use BACS (online bank transfer)

 

 

Important – Gift Aid

If you are a UK tax payer, you may wish to Gift Aid your U3A subscriptions. This will enable Aylesbury Vale U3A to claim back tax which, otherwise, would go to HMRC, at no extra cost to you. We can then use these monies to keep subscriptions to the minimum required and to improve our programme.

Welcome

Welcome to Aylesbury Vale u3a

Welcome to Aylesbury Vale U3A website. U3As are self-help organisations for people no longer in full time employment . They provide educational, creative and leisure opportunities in a friendly environment and are open to all, regardless of educational background. All U3As are charities in their own right and run entirely by volunteers with the backing of a national organisation, Here you will find the latest news about our membership, regular meetings and the groups that are run from our U3A. We have a regular monthly meeting on the 2nd Wednesday of each month  10.30 am to 12.30 pm (doors open at 10.00 am) at Roman Park Hall, Berryfields HP18 0YT where you can find out what’s going on in the various groups, meet up with friends, as well as hear informative and entertaining talks by a variety of speakers. Periodically we have a coffee morning  where we can get together in a more informal way and chat over cups of tea or coffee. We pride ourselves on being a very friendly group of people who like to come together to learn something new whilst making new friends and learning new skills. U3As are self-help organisations for people no longer in full time employment or bringing up a family. They provide educational, creative and leisure opportunities in a friendly environment and are open to all, regardless of educational background. There are local U3As all over the UK, all charities in their own right and all run entirely by volunteers with the backing of a national organisation, So if this sounds like you – do get in touch. 

 

On-line Talks

On-line Talks

The Third Age Trust & Thames Valley Network provide a wide variety of talks on-line via Zoom. 
You can find out about the current offerings using the links below
Below are a selection of talks available – there are more – for complete list use the links above

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