Other Interests

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. In January, this will be 31 January at 1pm at the Yoxford Antiques Centre (Askers Hill, Yoxford, IP17 3JW).

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!

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.

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 .

What do we do?

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 John Child jc@johnchild.co.uk or Martin Saul martins@cix.co.uk

Separate to the workshops, members who wish to discuss a particular problem with their device, please email John or Martin (or both), giving a brief description of your problem and we will try to help you by email.

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.

CAN YOU HELP THE TRAVEL STUDY GROUP?

The Travel Study Group meets on the first Monday of each month and usually has a talk from a Speaker. Sometimes this is a u3a member, and sometimes a visitor. But this needs someone to organise the Speakers, and, at the moment, there is no-one in the Group who is able to do this.

Could you help by taking on the work of Speaker Secretary for the Travel Study Group? There will be help and advice for this and you will be very welcome in the Group.

Please contact the Travel Study Group Convenor: Frances Lewis, frances_lewis11@hotmail.com

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.

Read about our latest tasting and evaluation session here

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.