Other Interests Groups

Liz Barham
The group leader details are only available to logged in members
When do we meet?
Last Wednesday of the month at 1pm at the venue.
See schedule for the venue each month:
What do we do?
This is a re-start of a group that started existence just prior to the pandemic!
Previous and new members welcome!
It will restart as a visit only group (no talks or meetings) as this is an easy way to get started, and an easy way to run a group!
The format is to visit a series of local antique emporiums or markets in the Suffolk area, with the occasional foray across the county line.
We will make our own way to the venue (hopefully car-sharing will come into being as we get to know each other) for a 1pm start – then it’s a hour wandering around the venue, coming together at 2pmish for a coffee and discussion about what we have seen (and possibly purchased).
It is an informal group context, with no one teaching others, we all learn from each other.
Meetings will be the last Wednesday afternoon of the month meeting at 1pm at the venue.
If the group decides it wants to take on additional activities such as arranging speakers this will be up to the group members.
2022/3 Provisional Programme:
- Sept 28: Long Melford Antiques Interiors and Lifestyles
- Oct 26: Baythorne Hall Antiques + Lilly Rose Vintages, Horseheath
- Nov: 30 Risby Barns, Risby
- Dec – no trip (holiday season)
- Jan 25 Clare Antiques and Interiors
- Feb 22 Lavenham: Timbers Antiques & Collectables (café: Lavenham Blue Vintage Tea Rooms)
- Mar 29. Bury St Edmunds : Smoking Monkey and Ellie Boo – tea at Procupios
- April 26. Ely??
- May 31. Yoxford Antique Centre
- June 28th TBA
- July 26th

John Child
The group leader details are only available to logged in members
or
Martin Saul
When do we meet?
See under what we do.
What do we do?
Starting in September 2022 we are stopping the weekly clinic and instead, running a monthly 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.
Our next workshop will be Monday 26th September starting at 10 am in the Thomas Clarkson Centre, Hospital Road.
If you wish to attend please email John Child (jc@johnchild.co.uk} or Martin Saul (martins@cix.co.uk). There are only a couple of places left for this date so first come, first served. If they prove to be successful we will endeavour to run a workshop each month.
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.

Steve Smith
The group leader 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.

David Dawson
The group leader 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 as we did during lockdown.
We have maintained a continuing debate by email on Covid 19 and its aftermath during the lockdown and look forward to meeting new members.

Frances Lewis
The group leader 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
Next meeting September 5th
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 leader 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 leader details are only available to logged in members
When do we meet?
We propose to meet monthly on the third Wednesday from 4:00 to 6:00pm.
United Reform Church, Whiting Street.
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 £12 per head covering the cost of wines, room hire and parking charge.