MESSAGE FROM THE CHAIRMAN –
Inga Martin
I
would like to start my first message as Chairman with a couple of ‘thank-yous’.
Firstly to my predecessor, Beverley Birmingham, who stood down from the post at
the AGM in June, after three years’ unbroken service – the legal maximum
permitted by our constitution. I have
found Beverley very supportive; she is level-headed and practical, friendly and
caring. Beverley remains a branch member and she will still lead the Lunch Group.
Elizabeth
Stevens has also stood down after many years’ service, as Secretary and, latterly,
Newsletter editor. We have all benefited from Elizabeth’s organisational skills
and methodical approach. We are so pleased that she will still be part of our
‘Meet & Greet Duo’.
At the AGM
three new Committee members were elected –
Voirrey Carr, Pauline Simpson and Alex Brown. The remaining members – Lis
Froggatt, Russell Ansell, Liz Jones and Ruth Finar – were re-elected. The
meeting agreed that
the annual subscription rate would remain at £20 for the year commencing September.
I look forward to working with the new Committee. Careful
resource management will remain one of our guiding principles and we will always
work hard to maintain good communications with our members.
Inga
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MONDAY TALKS IN DEAN COURT COMMUNITY CENTRE,
PINNOCKS WAY, BOTLEY Meetings are normally
held on the 2nd and 4th Monday of each month, starting at
2.15 pm. The talks last around
an hour and then we serve tea and biscuits. This provides an opportunity for
members to chat with old friends and meet new ones. All are welcome, and we
extend an open invitation to any visitors who would like to come along. They
are asked to make a small contribution of £3.
We now have a full diary of talks for this
season, September 2025 - June 2026, which we hope members
will find interesting and enjoyable. These are detailed in the 'Talks' section
of this website and the talks for September, October and November 2025 are covered in more detail here.
08 September: Ann and
John Ford – “Morris Minors in the Media” Mr and Mrs Ford
describe their talk as “a light-hearted and often amusing professional
presentation spanning the period 1990-2015 of providing Morris Minors and other
classic cars to the Film, TV and Publishing industries.” They also supplied
cars for some unusual weddings and for charity events with MPs and pop stars.
 22 September: Dr
David T Jones - “How Tropical Rainforests Work”
Dr
David T Jones is a research biologist at the Natural History Museum in London,
and lectures at Imperial College. He is an entomologist specialising in
rainforest insects and soil ecology. David has done fieldwork in 18 countries,
including Indonesia, Papua New Guinea and Madagascar, and he has published more
than 50 research articles in scientific books and journals. He is an
award-winning public speaker.
Tropical rainforests are the most biologically diverse
and complex habitats on the planet. In this talk, David will outline the main
ecological processes that keep the forests functioning, and he will describe
the current threats that surround their long-term survival.
13 October: Christine
Green – “Working for Auntie: 13 Years as a BBC Graphic Designer”
Christine
Green is an experienced designer who practices and teaches various crafts,
including paper cutting, patchwork and
creative textiles.
In this
talk she will tell us about her extensive career with the BBC.
Christine
writes:
“I was a graphic designer at the BBC for 13 years
creating opening titles sequences for shows as diverse as the Queen's Christmas
Speech, ‘Our Friends in the North’, ‘Island Race' and, once I'd gone freelance,
'Foyles War'. I have numerous show reels, story boards and art-work to show. I
received several international awards for my work, including a BAFTA nomination
for my work on 'Cambridge Spies’"
One of Christine’s paper-cutting designs
27 October: Age
Concern – “Avoiding Scams” Being scammed can be
very distressing, and the impact is often emotional as well as financial. A
representative from Age Concern will talk to us about protecting ourselves from
all types of scams whether on your doorstep, by post or phone, or on the internet.
There will be opportunity for the audience to ask our speaker about specific
scams they have experienced or are currently experiencing.
10 November: Colin
Wade – “The Joys and Perils of being an Author”
In
2016, Colin Wade decided to leave his full-time career, to give him time to
start writing, alongside a part time job at a local school. He published his
first book three years later and has since written a novel every year. He
became a full time author in 2023, and his sixth novel, ‘Murder at the Manor’, came
out the following year.
In this talk Colin will give an insight into his
writing career, his influences. and some of the things he was not expecting
when it came to publishing and selling a book.
24 November: Gillian
Cane – “Coleshill: The British Resistance” Gillian had a career
as an Army Officer in the Royal Green Jackets and was subsequently director of
the Army and Navy Club in London. She currently works at Oxford University. She
will recount the fascinating story of the planning and training of a secret
resistance army during WW2 at nearby Coleshill.
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DETAILS OF SPECIAL INTEREST GROUPS (SIG)
MEETINGS
Whereas we take a
break from our Monday meetings in July and August, the SIGs continue their
meetings and events according to their own timetables. More information about
the SIGs, including recent activities and photographs, is available in the
'Groups' section on this website.
BRIDGE
Contact: Liz Jones (01865 202227)
U3A Bridge Group looks after itself. It has 8-9
regular players of Intermediate level, meeting on 2nd and 4th Wednesdays of
each month at the invitation of whoever will be hosting in their home. Players
respond directly and make up tables at each session. We are a social, learning
group - exploring elements of bidding and play each time we meet and having tea
together. Bridge players interested in meeting us for an
introductory session or two should please enquire, initially, of Liz
Jones, membership@westoxfordu3a.org.uk, who will put you in touch with the next host for an invitation to
join us for a trial visit or two. We would be very pleased to meet you. CHURCHES
AND PUBS
Contact Lis Froggatt (01865 249828)
The Group meets on the
first Friday of the month to visit a church and then lunch together. Members
arrange the visits, for which help is always available. Why not give it a try?
CINEMA
GROUP
Contact:
Mary Chait (07342964870)
We meet every 2nd Tuesday of the month at
Tumbling Bay Café, at 12.00 noon. At the
moment we decide what topic we would like to watch e.g. favourite male actor or
favourite female actress. Recent topics have included Films starring Gene
Hackman, and Films featuring real animals.
We chat about the movies we have seen over a lovely lunch. If you would like to join us, please contact
me.
DISCOVERING
MUSIC (7 members – new members welcome) Contact: John Grimshaw (01865
861949)
This
friendly and sociable group meets in members’ homes during the third
week of each month at 2.15pm. The host introduces and plays
recordings of their own choice, of broadly classical music, usually on
CD or DVD. Thus, we have made many delightful musical
discoveries, have learnt much, and we freely express our
reactions. We often finish with something of lighter mood. There are currently
seven of us, and we would welcome new members.
GARDENING GROUP
New Members always
welcome Contact:
Mary Gregory (01865 865887)
The Gardening
Group has had a busy summer of visits. The first was to The Old Rectory at
Albury, near Thame, where the Lady of the Manor accompanied us on an extensive
tour of the gardens and grounds, including a sizeable lake. Afterwards we were
treated to tea and delicious home-baked cakes on the lawn. One of the dogs in
the household took a great interest in some of the visitors.
On 22nd July we were off to Heythrop, where we had a
private visit to Chivel Farm. We
received a very warm welcome from the owners, Mr and Mrs Sword; were taken on a
guided tour of the gardens which are, quite simply, stunning; and were served
tea and chocolate biscuits before heading home. A lovely afternoon.
mary@nandmg.me.uk
LUNCH
CLUB
Contact:
Beverley Birmingham 07799 413110
We meet on the first
Monday of the month unless that clashes with a bank holiday The meeting time is
12.30 pm. We meet all year round except January, August and December. Outings
are decided about a month in advance, so plenty of warning is given, and we pay
for our own lunch so there are no hidden costs. Car sharing is recommended, if
possible, as we seem to be a growing band of regulars and parking is sometimes
limited.
READING
GROUP
Contact:
Lis Froggatt (01865 249828) We meet in the Botley
Library at 2 pm on the 3rd Monday of each month to discuss a book from the
library’s list of multiple copies available. (Which member has chosen a
particular book is not known). There is
no criticism if a book is not read, no questions to answer, just a mutual
delight in reading.
SCRABBLE
Contact:
Margery
Dent (01865 862534)
We continue to meet on the 3rd Monday of the month from
2.00-5.00 pm.
WALKING
GROUP
Contact: Mary Chait (07342964870)
The Group kept on
walking, irrespective of the weather conditions (well, within reason). They had
blustery treks by the reservoir and sunny interludes in lovely summer meadows.
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Thames Valley Network
Contact:
Alex Brown (07581 538518)
Alex
writes: ”Since joining the committee I have taken over from Beverley as the
Thames Valley Network representative. TVN brings together reps from
about 50 local u3as around the area, which stretches from Milton Keynes to
Swindon and across to Windsor, to discuss common issues and feed into the
national u3a organisation's work. I joined Beverley at the last TVN Reps
meeting to learn the ropes and meet the reps from Headington u3a and Oxford u3a.
TVN also organises some meetings, mainly online, that
are open to any local u3a members. There are no talks arranged for
the next few months but there are quizzes planned for September and
December, both online. If you are interested in taking part, do look out
for the notices displayed at the back of the hall at each of our West Oxford u3a
meetings.”
Please
keep a look out for these on the notice board and on the tvn website.
The TVN website is www.u3atvnetwork.org.uk which will open here in a new window. It can also be accessed through ’links’ on our own
website.
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OUTINGS
In addition to our bi-monthly
meetings and involvement in our busy SIGs, members like to go on visits. Recent
outings have been to the BMW plant in Cowley and the Hinksey Heights Nature
Reserve, both very interesting in their different ways. 
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OUR NEXT NEWSLETTER
The
next edition will be published in January 2026, and cover the period January to
March. Please send all contributions, notices etc, by the end of November, to newsletter@westoxfordu3a.org.uk
This Newsletter is posted on our website
simultaneously with the printing. If any material relating to any individual
should not be so posted, please contact newsletter@westoxfordu3a.org.uk
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