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CHAIR’S CORNER
(COPIED FROM THE FEBRUARY 2026 NEWSLETTER)

Hello again!

Well, we experienced a smattering of snow in January – let’s hope that’s the coldest of the weather past and we move on to spring as quickly as possible – I already have the odd narcissus trying to break out into flower!

Next week at the Spotlight on Monday 9th February we have comedian and writer Mel Byron who will be coming to tell us “How Old Movies Changed My Life” where she discusses how her lifelong passion for classic films from the 1930 and 40s has influenced her. Growing up in a small town, Mel learned about life, glamour, love and frocks from the stars of the silver screen, such as Bette Davis. The show is a witty and personal journey that uses the "prism" of classic cinema to look at her own life experiences. Whilst her schoolmates snuck off to night clubs, Mel dreamt of drinking champagne on a luxury liner with Cary Grant. If, like me you are a fan of old black and white film classics I am sure you will love Mel’s affectionate look at the films that shaped generations to come.

Our Interest Afternoon this month will take place on Friday 27th February. As I told our members last month, sadly both our January and February speakers have been taken ill and so unable to speak. I was able to quickly finish and deliver a talk in January (Sex & Death & Nursery Rhymes) which seemed to go down well.

We had been due to have a speaker in February telling us about a Famous Woman in History and I have been able to move Nick Dobson forward several months. He will be telling us about different women in history, "Florence Nightingale and Mary Seacole - Two extraordinary Victorian ladies".

As usual. It will be at the Barclay Hall, Hoddesdon starting with drinks and cakes and the chance to have a chat with fellow members from 1.30pm. Tickets are available on the door priced £3 – do come along.

I hope to see as many of you as possible at our Main meeting on Monday 9th Feb and/or at our Interest Afternoon on Friday 27th Feb.
Glynis Evans, Chair

Glynis Evans
Chair

Learn                 Laugh                 Live
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FORTHCOMING EVENTS (SEE NEWSLETTER FOR MORE DETAILS)

Friday 29th February,  Interest Afternoon - Barclay Hall, Hoddesdon, 1:30 for 2pm. Tickets £3 on the door, including refreshments. Nick Dobson; "Florence Nightingale and Mary Seacole - Two extraordinary Victorian ladies"

Monday 16th March,  Main Meeting - PLEASE NOTE THE MEETING IS ON THE THIRD MONDAY THIS MONTH; THE SPOTLIGHT HAD A PRIOR BOOKING. Speaker Patrick Thompson - "The Good, The Bad, and The Downright Painful" -  The history of underwear.

Friday 27th March,  Interest Afternoon - Barclay Hall, Hoddesdon, 1:30 for 2pm. Tickets £3 on the door, including refreshments. ”The History of the Ukelele" . Lloyd Crowley

Monday 13th April,  Main Meeting - Speaker Lindsey Barrell (aka Ms Cherry Bombe) - "Burlesque, me and the WI" 

Monday 27th April, Fun Quiz  - At The Parish Centre, St Augustine's, Broxbourne (so no Friday Interest Afternoon this month) .

Monday 11th May,  Main Meeting - Speaker Martin Orkin - "The Beatles - Part 1 , Beatlemania" 

Friday 22nd May,  Interest Afternoon - Barclay Hall, Hoddesdon, 1:30 for 2pm. Tickets £3 on the door, including refreshments. Nan Millette "Hand-hooked Rug Making; we are not doormats"

Monday 8th June,  Main Meeting - Speaker  - Dr Steven Dowiggin -  Capel Manor

Friday 26th June,  Interest Afternoon - Barclay Hall, Hoddesdon, 1:30 for 2pm. Tickets £3 on the door, including refreshments. Glynis Evans - "A u3a Whodunnit Mystery"

Monday 13th July,  Main Meeting - Speaker  - Tony Harris -  Henry VIII.

Friday 24th July,  Interest Afternoon - Barclay Hall, Hoddesdon, 1:30 for 2pm. Tickets £3 on the door, including refreshments. Derek Prior - "The Royal British Legion - The First 100 Years"

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LVU3A FUN QUIZ - MONDAY 27th APRIL 2026, STARTING AT 1:30PM SHARP

Our 22nd twice-yearly quiz will take place on the above date at the usual venue (St Augustine's Parish Centre, Churchfields, Broxbourne). Tickets went on sale at our January main meeting, and will be on sale at each meeting up to and including April.
Ticket prices are £2 for LVu3a members and £3 for non-members, which includes tea/coffee and a cake.
Tickets must be purchased (or reserved) inb advance, they cannot be purchased at the door. This is so we can cater appropriately and set up the hall.

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u3a Survey

The u3a East of England team would like to invite us to take part in a national u3a survey that explores what u3a means to us and how being part of u3a has impacted our lives.
This survey is open to all members so please take a moment to fill it out. It is a great opportunity for members to share their experiences and support the u3a to thrive into the future. The feedback will be used to grow membership, demonstrate the impact of u3a and raise our profile.

We hope you will take part in the survey.  To do so please go to: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/u3a-me

As a thank you we will be entered in a John Lewis £100 prize draw. The survey closes on 31 March.

The East of England team thank us for our support.

The survey results will:

•    help u3as attract new members and volunteers by better articulating the value of u3a participation, and identifying the barriers and enablers to getting involved
•    raise the profile of u3a as a charity by demonstrating its impact on members’ lives
•    provide strong evidence to support future communications, campaigns, and partnerships.

Let’s help ensure that the member voice sits at the heart of what we do.

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GOLF GROUP SUGGESTION

We were recently contacted by Nine Iron Golf, based at the Springtime Nurseries site in Crews Hill and, subsequently, paid a visit. It is an indoor golf simulator set-up which allows you to effectively play at a huge number of worldwide courses. There are levels of membership but a casual round (for a group of up to 4) for an hour is priced at £30pp  off peak (12pm to 4pm). The ex-professional golfer running it (Craig Kearney) will be doing breakfast sessions too, working with the next door café. Personal coaching sessions are also available. Monthly membership at £99 buys you 5 hours of play per month on the simulators. Clubs are also available to hire. Whilst this is a good idea for autumn/winter months, it might be an idea to combine it with outdoor play in better weather conditions (using Wormley Par 3 course perhaps or Cheshunt Golf Course) . Please contact me if you are interested in this proposal for a, not very serious golfing group, which can be tailored to people’s diaries and is therefore not at a fixed date and time. Tim Robinson: 07928 457028 or lvu3atre@outlook.com Their website address is https://www.nineirongolf.co.uk/

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u3a Festival 26

Booking is now open for the 2026 u3a Festival!

u3a Festival is back – the biggest celebration of the curiosity, creativity and community spirit that makes u3a so special.

Join members of other u3a groups at the Festival, for three days of hands-on workshops, musical performances, sports tournaments, fascinating talks and many more surprises. 

Tickets are limited - so book now and avoid disappointment!

Dates: 1-3 July 2026
Location: University of York
Cost: Tickets cost £18 for a day, or £50 for all three days
Link to book:  Book your festival ticket and accommodation on the u3a website

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ART APPRECIATION GROUP ENJOY AN HISTORIC DAY OUT

In January members of the Art Appreciation Group enjoyed an extremely interesting and informative day on the guided Heritage Tour of the historic St Bartholomew’s Hospital North Administrative Wing, which was completed in 1734 and, along with the rest of the Hospital, celebrated its 900th anniversary in 2023.

The spectacular Great Hall with the William Hogarth monumental staircase with paintings was amazing as were many other fantastic features, including a beautifully restored 17th century stained glass window in the Great Hall depicting Henry VIII presenting the charter to the Lord Mayor of London, Thomas Vicary.

The last stop on our tour was St Bartholomew’s Great Church which was built in 1123!  It has been used in several films including 4 Weddings & a Funeral, Sherlock Holmes 2009 & The Other Boleyn Girl.

We all agreed that this had been a brilliant day out.  Many thanks to Dennis for arranging.

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FESTIVE LUNCH FOR THE SOLOS ADVENTURE CLUB

Solos Adventure Club held their second event.  They met at The Galley Hall Pub, to enjoy a delicious festive Sunday lunch whilst chatting and laughing with existing friends and making new friendships.   Why not become a member of Solos Adventure Club?  We welcome new members. See the newsletter for contact details.

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LEA VALLEY U3A CELEBRATES CHRISTMAS 2025

Over 180 members donned their festive attire for our Christmas Celebration at the Spotlight.  Instead of the usual theatre style seating we’re used to for our main meetings, the auditorium was transformed into banquet style with 25 tables at which members could get together with friends or to chat to someone new. Whilst enjoying a delicious buffet lunch, we were entertained by the delightful piano playing of Barbara Manning followed by some beautiful carolling from the Lynmore Singers giving everyone an opportunity to join in with some well-known Christmas songs.

Glynis gave a talk on the historic and non-religious background to the seasonal story, with some surprising facts.  Glynis had also arranged for some table games and quizzes to get everyone in the festive spirit.

Broxbourne MP, Lewis Cocking attended as a guest and several members took the opportunity to talk to him on local matters and he advised us of some of the issues he is currently dealing with in the Borough of Broxbourne. 

As the Lea Valley u3a’s last event of the calendar year, this Christmas event was enjoyed by all.

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READING GROUP 2

Seven members of LVu3a’s Reading group 2 spent a very enjoyable morning at The Glass House, Hoddesdon enjoying a pre-Christmas chat, coffee & cake. A great place for a visit, pleasant surroundings and welcoming helpful staff.

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EXPLORING LONDON 6 VISITS SOMERSET HOUSE

On 2nd December EL6 had a very interesting visit to Somerset House. On arrival we enjoyed the festive vibes at the ice-skating rink before entering the South Wing for our very informative Historical Highlights guided tour. The intriguing and very varied history of Somerset House since 1549, when it was a Tudor Palace, is fascinating and we all learnt something new.  It is now mainly used for exhibitions, events & filming.   Following our tour, we enjoyed a drink in the café before some of us set off to see the London Christmas lights!   Many thanks to Dennis for organising such an interesting outing.

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PUB LUNCH FOR CREATIVE SCRIBES

The Creative Writing Group met for lunch at the The Bull in Broxbourne for their pre-Christmas get together.  Each member had penned a short Christmas themed poem or prose which was read to the group ahead of lunch.   With a light-hearted take on the Nativity as well as a Christmas poem about bats, the group enjoyed plenty of laughter and chat. If you’d like to join this joint group with Broxbourne u3a, please get in touch with Lesley Robinson

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NEW GROUP 1 – COUNTRY DANCING

 
Members of Lea Valley u3a have been invited to join a Country Dancing Group which is held on the 1st & 3rd Thursdays of the month in the large room at Bollescroft from 2- 4 p.m.  An enjoyable way to exercise to good music.  First meeting is free then it’s £4 per meeting. Please remember your u3a Membership Card!

Please see the Group Listings in August's Newsletter for further details. Contacts are Val Foster and June Brown

No Meetings in August. Next Meetings: Thursday 4th September, Thursday 18th September. 

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NEW GROUP 2 – ITALIAN

 
Lea Nunzia Cusumano runs an Italian group to which members of all u3as are welcome and she would be delighted to invite members from the Lea Valley u3a.

The group meet every Tuesday from 2:00 p.m. to 3:00 p.m. at Nunzia’s home in Hoddesdon for a beginner-level course. Nunzia assesses each individual’s proficiency to ensure they are placed at the appropriate level.

Each lesson is £5, with payment taken in advance on a monthly basis. The first lesson is complimentary so that students can experience the structure and content of the course before committing.

If you are interested or have further questions, please contact Nunzia on her mobile 07359 737687 or by email at nancycusumano1@gmail.com

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LINE DANCING

Sarah Hill would love to see Lea Valley u3a members at her brand new absolute beginners class starting on Monday 21st July 2025.    Please give Sarah a call to let her know you're going, on 07899 076843   £8 per session. Cash only please & please arrive by 5.45 p.m. for 6pm start. Venue: The Hunt Room, St Paul's Church, Hoddesdon EN11 8TR.

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ONLINE LEARNING EVENTS WITH THE u3a

There are always plenty of online learning events to book. The website to look at is:

www.u3a.org.uk/events/educational-events

There are new events each month.

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FACEBOOK

Our Lea Valley u3a Facebook page has been updated and is now up and running. We are hoping to reach the wider public in our area who may be viewing our page.  Anyone can view the page but only the Administrator can add posts. 

However, if you are a Facebook user you can ‘like’ the posts and comment on them! We would encourage positive comments to our posts to enhance our profile on Facebook.  Posts will be added regularly but please do let Lesley Robinson know by email at secretarylvu3a@outlook.com with any posts you would like added.
Particularly, Group Leaders with information on events etc or a post following an event which will help to advertise and promote our u3a. Names or personal information will not be adde, to ensure privacy. Click on the link to go to our page:-

https://www.facebook.com/LeaValleyu3a/

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Newsletter & Social Media

If your LVU3A Group has enjoyed a good meeting or outing, please send a report (& photo if possible) for the Newsletter to Alan at mail@alanjc.plus.com and to Lesley for social media at secretarylvu3a@outlook.com

Please make sure you have permission to do so from members appearing in photographs.

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.
We are delighted to announce a new range of services to those who sign-up to receive the u3a Friends newsletter.

u3a Friends Extra is a benefits website developed exclusively for members of the u3a Friends newsletter community. The website provides access to a wide range of offers, discounts and additional services. Friends Extra is completely free to access. Anyone signed up to the u3a Friends newsletter can now also make savings on well-known brands, shopping, travel, days out and more. Offers and services on Friends Extra include:
✓ Health and wellbeing 
✓ Shopping savings on major brands and retail discounts 
✓ Travel and holidays
✓ Leisure offers, like family days out, trips to the cinema and theatre
✓ Insurance offers on car, travel and medical insurance 
✓ Access to financial advice and a legal helpline.

It also currently offers a 25% off the price of English Hertitage membership:-

To become a ‘Friend’, simply sign up to receive the Friends Newsletter on the u3a website via the link below.

Each issue of the Friends Newsletter will include a link to the Friends Extra benefits website and highlight one of the offers. This is just one element of the u3a Friends newsletter, which brings together stories from local u3a groups, learning opportunities and news of upcoming events to highlight the fun and learning within the u3a community.

u3a Friends Newsletter shares news from u3as, national learning opportunities and access to u3a Friends Extra, a wide range of offers, discounts and services.

Go to the u3a website, and sign up via the "Get Involved" tab
www.u3a.org.uk

KEEP UP WITH OUR NEWS

Our Knit & Natter group, which opened early in 2023, has been very successful. We have all made lots of new friends, had lots of tea, coffee and biscuits and lots of laughs! We have all learnt new skills and shared our tips with everyone. We have recently made knitted and crochet squares which have been sewn together to make blankets which have gone to the hospice department at Princes Alexandra Hospital, Harlow. These were done with the Dobbs Weir Crafty Cuppa group who also meet at the hall and knit and natter too! Gill Fowke

	NEEDLE FELTING On another crafty note, one of our members would be interested in starting a Needle Felting group. Needle felting is a creative craft that involves sculpting shapes and figures using wool and special felting needles. If you are interested please contact Glynis Evans (Chair) Click on heading to see more ideas.
	SECRETARY'S TABLE It’s always good to chat with you when stopping to read our notice boards in the foyer of the Spotlight at our main monthly meetings.  The boards are updated each month so it’s always worth having a read to keep abreast of dates and events.  We look forward to seeing you at our next meeting.

BArts offers activities and events which are not usually provided by the Borough of Broxbourne's Leisure and Entertainments programme.