This page of our website gives an indication of what each of our interest groups is doing, and how they go about meeting and exploring their interests.
NEW GROUPS (IN FORMATION NOW)
Contract Bridge
We are starting two Contract Bridge classes, one for Beginners who have no or limited experience of the game, and one for Improvers who have some playing experience but are wanting to improve their skills. The sessions are to be held on first and third Monday mornings for Beginners and second and third Monday mornings for Improvers. Sessions will start in earnest on 13 January 2025.
Cryptic Crosswords
We are starting a cryptic crosswords group which will meet at 2pm on the second Wednesday of each month. This group offers people who already enjoy cracking cryptic crosswords the opportunity to get together with others to solve crosswords individually and collectively, sharing the learning and enjoyment. Members will all be working on copies of the same puzzles taken from publications like the Times, Telegraph and Daily Mail, first individually and then together. No tuition is given but ideas, hints and answers are pooled, and we can support each other to work out answers and develop our skills. The first meeting will take place on Wednesday 13 November in the Northwick Room, in the Masonic Centre. If you are interested, please contact Liz Manches, who has kindly offered to lead the group (details in the diary).
ESTABLISHED GROUPS
Art History
Jennifer Mills’ much-awaited course on Women Artists pre 1800. will commence on Friday 18 October at 10am in the Harrow Room, then on alternate Fridays to 13 December. In the first session we will start in the classical world and move swiftly through the medieval period. Thereafter we will be looking at female artists working in various media and genres during the period 1500-1800. Most will come from Italy, the Netherlands and England, but there will also be artists from Spain, Portugal, France and Germany. As well as the famous ones, such as Artemisia Gentileschi, Judith Lyster and Angelika Kauffman, we will also discover many who are less well known, and we shall meet some truly remarkable women. In the final week of the course Jennifer wants willing participants to introduce a post 1800 female artist of their choice.
Book Club
Members of the book group agree an author and then are each free to read any work or works written by that author. Recent choices have ranged from EM Forster to Barbara Vine. At our meetings one of us tells us something about the author. We then take it in turn to share with others a summary of the book we have read and why we enjoyed it (or did not!). We have a stimulating and relaxed time sharing our analysis and opinions, often picking out common themes, language and structure used by the author. We meet every two months on a Thursday afternoon.
Classical Music Appreciation
At each session Herbie tells members about the life and works of that month’s composer, sometimes on a theme that may continue for a few sessions. That might mean looking at a series of composers from a particular country (e.g. Russia). Or it might be the theme of music (eg connected with Revolution, War and Politics). As well as some famous names, he also introduces us to forgotten composers. To accompany his talks, he plays plenty of music written by the composer, pointing out features to note. The group meets once a month on Thursday afternoons.
Cookery
The friendly Cookery Group meets twice a month on Thursdays and is for those who need some inspiration. Each time participants gather in Viv’s house, for a 10.30 start. Tea and coffee is served and the friendly gossip starts! Viv shows how to prepare delicious savoury and sweet dishes on that session’s theme and the morning concludes with lunch which consists of the two courses Viv has demonstrated. We usually conclude about 1pm. A nominal charge is made to cover costs.
Creative Writing
This is a supportive group where members bring along material they have prepared at home to share with the class, all writing something on an agreed theme. You can choose any medium you like – the way you express yourself is up to you: personal reminiscences, poetry, short stories or serialised longer stories. It doesn’t matter what it is and you can write as much or as little as you want. We meet on Wednesday mornings twice a month.
Current Affairs
Current Affairs is a popular group that meets each Monday morning, apart from public holidays. Topics are prepared and led by a different member each week which gives an interesting and varied aspect to each session. Everyone is encouraged to contribute to the discussion, although some just come along and listen. The opinions expressed are many and varied and the ensuing discussions are often lively, though good humoured.
English Literature
David’s stimulating sessions usually take place on Tuesday mornings , with bursts of frequent meetings followed by a break of some weeks. He guides participants through a whole range of literature in the English language including poetry, novels and plays. Having spent some weeks reading the medieval tale of “Sir Gawain and the Green Knight”, we’ll be having a break and reconvening in January 2025 when we’ll be reading Geoffrey Chaucer’s Canterbury Tales.
Exploring London
Private group visits and tours to a whole range of interesting places in London are arranged each month, varying from livery halls in the City of London to religious buildings across all faiths, small museums and quirky places not generally open to the public except as part of a group visit. We travel by public transport, keeping costs to a minimum.
Family History
Studying family histories is a great way to learn more about your family’s past. It can involve researching records, stories, and documents to learn about your family’s history and the people who lived it. It can be a fun and interesting way to learn more about your roots. The group leader, Sylvia, guides us through various aspects of researching our ancestors and dealing with any ‘brick walls’, helping members to prepare their family tree. Members bring their own laptop or tablet and use basic computer skills and the Masonic Centre’s Wi-Fi to access the free research sites we make use of. We meet twice a month on Friday afternoons.
Film Review Club
Every month on a Thursday afternoon the Film Review group watches a film from a variety of genres old and new in the Masonic Centre’s large Harrow Room with its huge screen, great acoustics and blackout blinds. As well as watching the film in the company of others, there is also the chance to share your thoughts with others at the end when there is a chat to share views on what we’ve watched.
French Conversation
French Conversation, led by Brigitte Levin who is herself French, meets on the first Thursday afternoon of the month, Members bring a short piece (maximum of 250 words) to the meeting which they read in French and translate. After a break for refreshments, we have time to chat in French or discuss in more detail one of the topics read earlier. We do our best to accommodate those who are proficient in French as well as those who are less so.
Gardening Club
Gardening discussion groups on a Wednesday afternoon are a great way to share tips and advice about gardening, discuss new gardening trends, and get help with any gardening challenges we may be facing. As the weather improves, we go on outings to visit gardens and also meet for a sociable afternoon in members’ own gardens.
German Conversation
The German Conversation group meets each month on a Friday afternoon in a member’s home with a native speaker leading us. We each give a short talk on an agreed theme and that often gives rise to questions or comments from others or triggers memories that lead to further contributions. It is fun to dig out the correct terms ourselves or get help from each other.
Healthy Living
The Healthy Living Group is led by Sonia, a retired GP, and looks at a different health topic each time, for example covering common ailments and diseases, nutrition, exercise, mental and emotional health and lifestyle choices. Although there is plenty of medical input, there is also a lot of sharing of knowledge and experience which members of this supportive and friendly group appreciate. We meet once a month on a Tuesday morning.
Jazz Appreciation
Once a month on a Tuesday afternoon we look at jazz from the 1900s to the 1960s. Sessions encompass the different styles of jazz, focusing on Trad Jazz, blues, Boogie Woogie and swing. Future sessions will feature the jazz centres in the US as well other jazz activities throughout the world. All are presented with copious musical examples, the accent being on the music. Members are encouraged to suggest other types of jazz, to present their own choices on an occasional basis or create their own “top ten” for Ken to present.
Knitting Group
Francine has organised this as a companionable class, open to any Kenton u3a member interested in knitting, whether experienced, very rusty or a complete beginner. The group knits and chats together in an informal environment, with Francine on hand to share knowledge, problem solve and help develop skills.Depending on the preferences of members of the group, the sessions could be used to knit individual items,, but also occasionally to work on some shared projects within the class.
Magic of the Musicals
Mike’s sessions cover all aspects of musical theatre and can encompass just about anything that is played before an audience. The aim is to bring a deeper knowledge and understanding of this major area of entertainment. The main themes are 20th & 21st century Broadway, West End and Hollywood productions but music hall, folk, opera et al are also considered when relevant. Programmes normally include around 30 clips generally supporting, or in stark contrast with, the theme set for that lecture. For example, a recent focus was Oscar-nominated songs from 1934 to the present. Sometimes Mike concentrates on a composer or team – from Gilbert and Sullivan to Leonard Bernstein and Andrew Lloyd Webber. Mike welcomes requests for works we love or perhaps have not seen for many years. We meet twice a month from September to April on a Thursday morning.
Monthly Meeting
Our monthly meetings are held on a Wednesday morning and are an opportunity for members to come together and listen to a guest speaker on a wide range of interesting and enjoyable topics. An important feature is the opportunity to ask questions, raise points and get more information on the topic, either from the speaker, or in subsequent discussions over our refreshments. John welcomes recommendations for speakers heard elsewhere and also if a member is willing to deliver a talk.
Monthly Rambles
We have started a new monthly rambling group to complement Kevin’s monthly walk group (see below). These walks are more energetic, mostly taking place in the countryside (e.g. the outer reaches of the Metropolitan Line), often involve hills and footpaths that are muddy in places, with stout footwear essential and reasonable fitness assumed. Public transport is used to get to and from the walks. The idea is that various willing members volunteer to lead a ramble of their choice. Walks can be of any length between about 4 and 8 miles. They also take place on different weekdays depending on the walk leader’s preference, rather than being on a set day.
Monthly Walks
Walking is a great way to explore the outdoors and enjoy nature in and around our city while having the chance to chat and interact with other members. Kevin’s walks take place once a month on Sundays and use public transport to get to our destination and home again. The walks are 3-4 miles, and we go at a leisurely pace, stopping to appreciate interesting features as we go and for refreshments.
Morality Matters
This group discusses different aspects of “what is moral?” One person volunteers to lead the discussion on a topic of their choice and members informally debate the moral issues around it. Everyone is welcome to come along and take part. We meet on the first Wednesday afternoon of the month. Recent discussions have included assisted dying, medical treatment being given to young children without parental consent and gambling.
MOTO (Members On Their Own)
This group is for people living on their own who would like to meet up informally with other members who are also on their own, especially at weekends when things are quieter. MOTO has 29 dedicated WhatsApp Group. Members typically offer to host a tea or coffee session in their homes or organise a meal out or an outing to the cinema or theatre and others are then invited to join via WhatsApp.
Opera Lovers Group
This new group is about sharing a love of opera and the chance to learn from each other. We met for the first time in September and watched/listened to Donizetti’s Don Pasquale, regarded as a cornerstone of Italian comic opera. Our experience was enriched by the quality of the sound and the size of the screen of the Harrow Room, as well as enjoying watching it in company. We meet on alternate fourth Thursday afternoons, from 1pm to 4pm – as many operas are run for more than two hours. The next opera viewing will be Donizetti’s Lucia di Lammamoor.
Play Reading
In this group, members are given the script of a play and read through it together, with participants each taking on a character. Viv chooses a range of plays, but we particularly enjoy comedies and whodunits. We meet once a month on Monday afternoons.
Quiz Mornings
With Ken Sinclair as our quiz master, our quiz mornings in the bar lounge are proving to be competitive and fun. They are held on the third Friday of every other month. The next one will be on Friday 22 November at 10.30am. We are split into 5 or 6 teams of 4-6 people, depending on how many sign up to come along. Ken asks a bunch of easy and not so easy questions and the winners are presented with the usual priceless plastic cup.
Rummikub and Scrabble
The sociable Rummikub and Scrabble Group play both games on various Tuesdays and Wednesdays of the month. Players of all standards – of either game – are very welcome to join us on a regular or occasional basis.
Scrabble
The Scrabble group meets in Priscilla’s home, usually on the first Monday afternoon in the month. The group has reached capacity, but members can attend the Rummikub and Scrabble group in the Masonic Centre.
Sign Suppported English
Having held a course of Sign Supported English classes to learn something about how to communicate with a deaf person, we now hold informal get togethers to keep our skills up. Our progress is very slow – too much mouth-speak not enough hand-speak! If you think it’s too late to join, or return, think again as we’re always ready to revise from the beginning. We meet some Friday mornings at 10am.
Singing For Pleasure
Led by Pauline on the piano, we have fun singing well known tunes from musicals, songs from our youth (!) and other popular tunes. This is not a choir; you just need to enjoy singing. There are many proven health benefits, too. There’s no audition, so why not come and join in? Sessions are on the second Monday afternoon each month at 2pm in the Wembley Room.
Table Tennis
Table tennis is enormous fun and great exercise. We play singles and doubles. The group is not aimed at beginners, although if you are physically fit enough, once enjoyed playing and want the chance to improve your strokes, you’re very welcome. The group is now meeting from 2pm– to 4pm on the 1st and 3rd Wednesday afternoons of the month in the sports hall at the Maccabi Centre next door to Uxendon Manor school in Kenton. A charge is made to players to cover the cost of hiring these premises.
Watercolour Art
This small group is just the right place to explore and advance our techniques. Its friendly atmosphere encourages and challenges us to bring out the best in our hobby. Members work individually on an agreed topic. It is not a taught class, but there are people within the class who willingly give help and advice to anyone in need.
What Are Your Memories?
This chatty group revisits memories, starting from an agreed theme to spark discussion but inevitably veering off topic into interesting byways. New and occasional members are very welcome to come along.
PLEASE NOTE: Some groups have limited capacity, caused by physical resources or space or time. This means that there may be a delay in joining a group until a solution to the limited capacity is found. Kenton & District u3a welcomes all its new members, and where there is a delay in joining a group, we work tirelessly to overcome the limitations, so that everyone who wants to can join in.
