Tuesday 25 February at 1 pm – Film Group screening will be Double Indemnity
Tuesday 25 February at 4.30 pm – Norah Boyce Science Lecture – Organ Donations from the Front Line by Dr Lorna Williamson OBE & Dr Tony Brown. Please note this lecture was arranged after the publication of the December Newsletter; full details can be found on the website.
Click HERE for the link or open Zoom and enter Meeting ID: 858 2045 1017 Passcode: 092130
Wednesday 26 February at 2.15 pm – Wednesday Lecture – The World’s First Superstar: Sarah Bernhardt by Frank Nicholson. See below for amended information.
Booking is now open to attend in person in the Pink room – please email the Office.
A trip has been arranged to Bletchley Park, near Milton Keynes, on Thursday 1 May 2025. Cost £57.
Bletchley Park, one of the birthplaces of modern computing, was once the top-secret home of the World War Two Codebreakers. It is now a vibrant heritage attraction and museum, displaying the extraordinary achievements of the men and women who worked there.
Application forms are now available from the Office and on the Trips and Visits page of the website. Places will be allocated on a first come, first served basis. Closing date for applications is Thursday 20 March.
Electric bikes – my experiences
Speaker: Juliet van der Welden
Date and time: Tuesday 18 March,1.30 – 2.30pm
Venue: Zoom
Places: 30
In this talk I will reflect on my experiences of riding electric bikes and will share all the advantages I have discovered, as well as addressing common concerns such as security and the weight of the bike, and looking at practicalities such as price and battery range. I expect to talk for around 30 minutes and then there will be a further 30 minutes for questions and discussion.
About me: I have been a cyclist for many years, using the bike mainly as a means of transport. A few years ago I bought an electric bike to make cycling easier, and unexpectedly discovered the joys of going on longer rides. About a year later I replaced it with a more compact e-bike to make it easier to take on the train, and a few months ago I bought a folding e-bike for taking on the ferry.
There is currently a lovely exhibition of work by members of ART 01 on display on both floors of the U3AC premises. They have been working on a variety of topics including: Sgraffito and Scumbling, Asemic Art, Overpainting photographs and Overpainting maps. The group enjoy experimenting with a wide variety of techniques and approaches to abstract art and hope you enjoy looking a small selection of that which has been created this year.
The work will be on display until the end of term.
Cases of winter flu and colds are rising and as U3AC members are a high-risk demographic group we politely request you to consider your fellow U3AC members and if you feel unwell, particularly if you have a temperature and display symptoms of a respiratory infection, please do not attend your courses or enter the Bridge Street premises or any of our external venues used for courses and activities.
The lecture scheduled for 26 February has unavoidably been changed and will now be:
The World’s First Superstar: Sarah Bernhardt
This is the story of the most famous French actress of late 19th and early 20th centuries. Dismissed by the Comédie-Française at the start of her career, Bernhardt went on to attract huge audiences in cities around the world (including Canada and the U.K.) for sixty years, while opening her own theatre in Paris and, toward the end, appearing in silent movies. Contributing to her fame along with her beautiful voice and enchanting portrayals were her scandalous love life, exotic pets and sleeping in a coffin!
Speaker: Frank Nicholson U3AC member and tutor. PhD in History and a long-time interest in France and its modern history.
Please note: this lecture is via Zoom only.
The past, present, and future of work: a critical introduction to employment law
Speaker: Paul Ratcliffe
Date and time: Friday 14 March, 11:20 – 12:20
Venue: U3AC, Pink room
Places: 30
Far beyond the domain of HR management, employment law’s evolutionary development has a long, multi-disciplinary history, encompassing economics, social justice, technology, ethics, and most aspects of all our lives. This presentation opens a wide-ranging analysis of a subject full of surprises and important issues that existentially affect us all. From serfdom, slavery, and the Black Death, to the Guilds, Poor Laws, child labour, two world wars, the Welfare State, gig economy and AI.
About Me: I am a researcher at the University of Surrey, with a background in education, publishing, software localisation, languages, and in HR, having also lectured on business management and project management. My PhD thesis is on the subject of the performance of work in the employment law context. I am a published translator and author.
….for anyone interested in proposing a U3AC activity or course.
You might like to see a short video about tutoring here: HERE. You will need to log in to view this.
Have you an interest or hobby that you would like to share with your fellow U3AC members? Or specialist knowledge that you would like to pass on or discuss?
If you would like to talk through your ideas or find out a bit more, please come along to the Pink room on Friday 28 February between 11.15 am – 12.45 pm.
Members of the Courses Committee and U3AC staff will be there to chat to you about the ‘ins and outs’.
This is an informal drop-in session and won’t involve any commitment, or any obligation and there is no need to book – please just pop in!
For further details please click HERE
An exceptional venue has been planned, by the U3AC Lunch Club Organiser, Marie-Joelle Galvez at Trinity Hall on 22 July 2025.
The event is offered to all U3AC members as well as friends and family on a first come first served basis. The minimum places in the historic dining hall are 70 people.
Trinity Hall’s stunning historic architecture, spectacular setting and riverside grounds is one of the oldest and most beautiful of the Cambridge Colleges.
Lunch will be celebrated in the Dining hall. It will be preceded with drinks in Latham Lawn, beautifully manicured gardens and the river terrace overlooking the river cam which are used to host many prestigious outdoor events.
There will be a set menu as well a vegetarian/Vegan option menu which will be issued nearer the time by Trinity Hall’s award-winning chefs who create innovative seasonal dishes with artistic flair.
White tablecloths, silver service will set the scene in the dining hall which is housed in its original building dating from 1350 and still has features dating from its medieval beginnings such as the stained glass crests and its minstrel’s gallery.
A friend of Marie-Joelle has generously as an alumni, offered the waiver of the private dining room hire cost and a discount on the meal.
The 2 set menus (standard and Vegetarian/vegan) where all guests will enjoy the same starter, main, dessert will be issued on 1 April 2025.
The price per person is £62.00 – 3 course meal including coffee
Pre-dinner drinks and wine with the lunch are charged on consumption.
Payment is to be made to U3AC bank account which is as follows:
U3AC NO 2 ACCOUNT
SORT CODE: 08-92-99
ACCOUNT NUMBER: 65863363
REFERENCE: TRI+SURNAME
The deadline for application is 1 June 2025.
If the maximum places of 134 has been reached the applications will be automatically closed.
Please contact Marie-Joelle Galvez – email: mjagalvez15@gmail.com – to register interest.
This visit is now full, we are taking names for a waiting list in case anyone cancels their place.
A visit to Matthew Bourne’s Swan Lake at Norwich Theatre Royal has been arranged for Thursday 20 March 2025. Cost £68. Application forms are now available on the Trips and Visits page of the website or in person from the Office.
** We have had limited response to this request, please consider if you could submit some photos **
We’re excited to announce a fantastic opportunity for you to be part of the design of our upcoming U3AC Programme.
To make our new programme cover truly reflective of our vibrant community, we’re inviting all members to submit photos capturing the essence of your U3AC experience.
What kind of photos are we looking for?
How to submit your photos:
Important Notes:
We look forward to receiving your wonderful photos and hope to showcase the vibrant life of our U3AC community on the cover of our new programme.
U3AC supports other local organisations by listing their activities on the Other organisations page of our website https://www.u3ac.org.uk/news/other-organisations/
Remember to check out our Facebook page to see the latest photos – shared with permission – of U3AC courses, activities and events. Facebook does not replace our Weekly Bulletin and will not be used for communicating directly with members about courses or cancellations. Please follow, like and share U3AC’s Facebook page if you have a Facebook account.
The Geldart, one of Cambridge’s quirkiest pubs, is currently showing the work of U3AC members Maggie Balshaw, Simon Draper, Marilyn Hampton and Colin Whitworth. The exhibition will run for all this month until 27 February.