Other Interests Groups
Caroline Humphreys
The group organiser details are only available to logged in members
When do we meet?
We meet on the last Wednesday in the month at 1pm at various antique centres across Suffolk.
We have lunch and chat about items we have seen.
What do we do?
The thrill of seeking out antiques (items over 100 years old) is the history associated with them – for example, what stories a wine glass from the 18th Century could tell!
However, items from any period have their history. Currently, the trend is towards furniture, lighting and other items from the 1950’s and 1960’s (Mid-century). A sideboard my Mother had when I was a child is now worth a good price much to her surprise! Another item “on trend” at the moment is Scandinavian jewellery, especially by Georg Jensen which is very elegant and chic. Old metal advertising signs (even with the added rust!) are also very popular.
In terms of collectables, people can collect many different things e.g. silver pin cushions, art glass, militaria (medals etc), railway memorabilia, toys from the 1950’s and 1960’s. Really, anything can be collected – it is up to the individual. I like to collect German porcelain for example, by Graff and Kaiser and am always looking out for pieces on my visits to the various Centres.
The Antiques and Collectables Interest Group will continue to meet in 2024 on the last Wednesday of the month where we shall continue to visit Antiques Centres across Suffolk.
I am also hoping to arrange visits to local Auctions for people who may not have had experience of them and wish to understand the process. We could also visit some Antiques and Collectable Fairs which also take place, where an array of interesting items can be found. A list of such Fairs can be found at the “Antiques Atlas” – http://www.antiques-atlas.com
If you would like to walk through history via the medium of Antiques and Collectables, then come and join us!
Mark Manning
The group organiser details are only available to logged in members
When do we meet?
Every fourth Thursday beginning 26th September 2024 between 10am and midday at Oaks Barn, St Andrews Street, Bury St Edmunds.
What do we do?
Through monthly discussions, we explore and debate aspects of policy and practice concerning crime and justice, but we do so with a light touch. This a really contemporary subject area attracting a range of diverse opinions informed by the group’s own interests. Some guest speakers may be introduced for more specialised areas. Topics of interest would include: Why do people commit crime; Does Prison Work; What is justice and who is entitled to it; What do the police do; Is the criminal justice system effective?
There is no payment required to attend this group, but the venue ask that we buy a coffee or a snack to cover their costs.
For more information, please call Mark on 07738089555
Steve Smith
The group organiser details are only available to logged in members
When do we meet?
Every third Monday at the Thomas Clarkson Centre, (formerly Hyndman Centre), Hospital Road from 2 pm to 4 pm.
What do we do?
Passion, argument, disagreements (politely), differences of opinion, fun and most of all laughter. These are a few of the ways we express ourselves in discussing the issues of the day when we meet for a couple of hours each month. This is democracy at its local level, agreeing to disagree, debating the topics of the day and learning from opposite points of view. As well as current news we often make time to introduce larger topics e.g., climate change, constitutional issues and world news that affects us all.
We are open to new members.
Forget-Me-Not (Dementia Carers)
Andrew Hinchley
The group organiser details are only available to logged in members
When do we meet?
We meet on the second Tuesday of each month at 11am in the meeting rooms above the Bury Free Press offices in Kings Road.
For our monthly walks at Nowton Park on the fourth Tuesday of every month, we meet at 2pm outside the Nowton Park café and choose a walk length that suits everyone attending.
What do we do?
We are a recently formed mutual support group for family carers who are looking after someone living with dementia.
We currently meet on the second Tuesday of each month. Our meetings provide information with short talks from experts and providers, as well as providing an opportunity to exchange information and provide mutual support. Costs are shared and we each pay £5 per head to cover meeting room hire and incidental expenses.
In addition, we hold a monthly walk for family carers and those they care for on the fourth Tuesday of every month at Nowton Park. No charge is made for the walks but anyone attending, both carers and cared for, needs to be u3a members to ensure that full public liability cover is in place for all attendees. Geoffrey Webb, a very experienced wellness walk leader, has offered to act as a walk leader for our initial walks.
The Nowton Park café is also a good place to get coffee or tea afterwards.
We are open to new members, and open to ideas from members on what else they would like the group to do.
We are hoping to attract new members from u3A. In addition we are in contact with the healthcare professions working in dementia care in the NHS and independent organisations such as Alzheimer’s UK. There are numbers of forms of dementia and the group exists to support any dementia carer.
David Dawson
The group organiser details are only available to logged in members
When do we meet?
Monthly on the Second Tuesday, 10.30am at Thomas Clarkson Centre, Hospital Road, Bury St Edmunds.
What do we do?
We are a lively and participative group with members offering to lead discussions on a range of issues. In recent times,
From our pre Referendum start in 2016, our lively and participative group has discussed a wide range of policy issues and the current and future Government and political implications arising.
In recent times, we have considered the future of the UK, the Green New Deal, Criminal Justice, Housing and Health Inequalities, Climate change, the NHS, Levelling up, Education, and Citizens Assemblies.
We aim to report a summary to the wider u3a membership through the newsletter and continue to circulate opinion pieces within the group .
Martin Saul
The group organiser details are only available to logged in members
When do we meet?
See under what we do.
What do we do?
We are looking for someone to take on the role of Leader/Co-ordinator of the Internet & Computer Clinic.
In the past, we have run weekly drop-in sessions and several workshops built around getting started on the internet and on-line safety, which members very much appreciated. Ideally, we need someone with an IT, telecoms or tech-related customer services background to take on this role. The future direction of the group would be in the hands of a new group leader. Website co-ordinator Martin Saul and other committee members would be able to assist and advise.
To find out more and discuss the role, contact Martin on websitecontent@u3aburystedmunds.co.uk
Starting in September 2022 we stopped the weekly clinic and instead, are running an occasional workshop for which you will need to book a place.
Initially these workshops will concentrate on members who feel they need some help in getting started on the internet.
The workshop will run for 2 hours and will cover things like:
- Browsing the web safely
- Internet banking
- Social media
- Avoiding scams
- Getting information and Googling for example.
There will be a charge to cover the cost of room hire. Providing we have 8 to 9 people, which would be maximum, attending, the cost would be around £5 per head.
If you are interested in attending the next one, please email Martin Saul (Login required)
Separate to the workshops, members who wish to discuss a particular problem with their device, please email Martin, giving a brief description of your problem and we will try to help you by email.
Marsha Hemingway
The group organiser details are only available to logged in members
When do we meet?
at member’s home in town centre location, contact Marsha for date of next meeting
What do we do?
The MOTO group is for all u3a in Bury St Edmunds members who don’t live with a partner, single, widowed or divorced, to get together to make new friends and enjoy a variety of activities in company with others.
How the group will work: All group members will be encouraged to arrange activities for the group – these could be meeting for coffee and a chat, walks, lunches or other activities.
This group currently has space for new members , please contact the co-ordinator for further information.
Frances Lewis
The group organiser details are only available to logged in members
When do we meet?
Usually first Monday, 2.15pm to 4.15pm each month at the Thomas Clarkson Centre
What do we do?
At our monthly meetings, members, and sometimes outside speakers, share their travel experiences with the rest of the Group by means of illustrated talks.
Each year we arrange a group visit, travelling together by coach, to a UK city where we stay in a hotel for a few days and explore the special places of interest nearby.
We also arrange day visits to local places of interest in the East Anglia area. Members join together for foreign travel.
This is quite a big Group but we try always to welcome new members and there are plenty of opportunities for people to take part in helping with the Group.
New members welcome.
Note: to contact the group leader, Frances, her email has an “underscore” between her first and surname: frances_lewis
If you move your mouse to hover over her email, then click, it will automatically copy and open in your email-app.
Bob Stopp
The group organiser details are only available to logged in members
When do we meet?
After a long lockdown, our Wine appreciation society welcomes the return of all of its members.
We meet on the second Thursday of every two months, at the United Reformed Church in Whiting Street at 7.00 pm and each session lasts approximately 2 hours. Limited parking is available.
Our next meeting will be on August 11th.
What do we do?
The u3a Wine Appreciation Society has now been running for 10 years.
Our objective is to take a not too serious look at the world of wine by keeping up to date with all new trends and products available on the market; discussing Grape varieties and new trends often with blind tastings.
The group now has considerable experience in buying and tasting and all members are welcome to front a session should they wish.
We normally taste and discuss 7 – 9 wines and conduct regular “blind” tastings all of which are a lot of fun.
Tasting glasses and tasting sheets are provided. A kitchen is available for the supply of water.
All costs are shared and the average “fee” will be £12 per head, this covers the cost of wines and of course the room hire and parking charge, this is presided over by our treasurer working in conjunction with the u3a in Bury.
In the past, we have organised a group visit to a local vineyard and this is something we hope to repeat.
Future plans hope to include Food, Cheese, and Wine pairings.
Membership needs to be restricted to 30. The group is at present oversubscribed and there is a waiting list. Inquiries from new members would always be welcome. Please contact me directly, Bob.
Cheryl Wilder
The group organiser details are only available to logged in members
When do we meet?
Monthly on the third Wednesday from 4:00 to 6:00pm.
Member’s home
What do we do?
Due to popular demand a second Wine Appreciation Interest Group has started.
This group is now full. Please contact the group leader if you’d like to be added to the waiting list. Plus you can complete the form on Joining a new group of the same subject, click here. Join another wine group
We have capped the group at 12-13 to allow everyone to be involved and contribute in the discussions during the tastings.
The idea for the group is to do a survey of wines from nine primary styles of wine and the 12 top wine producing countries around the world.
We sample 6-7 wines each month. We take turns to volunteer (if they want) to research and bring the wine one month and guidance on groups of wine to sample can be provided.
All costs are shared and we each pay £10 per head covering the cost of wines, room hire and parking charge.