Swaffham Newsletter

Wissey U3A
On the 2nd May there was a Special General Meeting
(SGM) which was a precursor to the Annual General
Meeting (AGM) on 4th July. The SGM, which was well
attended, enabled members to question, discuss
and debate the work done by members on the
Committee. A presentation by a representative of
the Nat West Bank entitled ‘Friends against Scams’
will be on 6th June. This presentation, which is in
conjunction with Norfolk Trading Standards and the
Police, is sure to be very popular with U3A members.
There was a visit to the Museum of Gas and Local
History in Fakenham on 16th May which will be
followed by another visit on 20th June.
The U3A is an international movement whose
aims are the education of retired members of the
Community or those in their ‘Third Age' of life.
U3A membership is open to any individual who by
definition is not in full-time gainful employment,
so anyone working ‘part-time’ can also apply for
membership. By definition, the U3A is non-political
and non-religious. Wissey U3A meetings are held at
Holme Hale’s Pavilion on the first Thursday of the
month from 09.45 until 12.00 mid-day.
Membership of the Wissey U3A can help those
who may be living alone and feeling isolated or for
anyone who has recently moved to the local area
and would like to make new friends. As one member
said, ‘The U3A has enhanced my social life, allowed
me to form valued new friendships and provided me
with knowledge and entertainment.' Another spoke
of an immediate introduction to a community and
realising that it’s never too late to learn something
new. Members of the Wissey U3A can take part in a
wide variety of activities. Currently, some activities
do have waiting lists however members can ask to
join groups such as ‘Family History’, Rambling, Tenpin
Bowling and Walking. There are currently over
30 interesting activity groups. If you have a hobby or
pastime which you would like to share with others
why not make enquires about joining the Wissey
U3A. Group leaders only need an interest in a subject
and to be prepared to share their knowledge with
other like-minded members.
For more information about the U3A movement, go
to www.u3a.org.uk or visit the Wissey Homepage at
www.u3asites.org.uk/wissey. Annual membership of
the Wissey U3A is currently £10.
Daredevil pilots celebrated in new show!
This year is the centenary of one of the greatest
moments of aviation history and a truly British first
– the first ever non-stop flight across the Atlantic,
completed by British aviators Capt John Alcock and
navigator Lt. Arthur Brown. To mark the occasion
the nail-biting, side-splitting true story of this
daredevil flight has been turned into a rip roaring
play and is set to tour Breckland rural venues as
part of Breckland Council’s Silver Social project.
‘Those Magnificent Men’, by acclaimed writing duo
Mitchell & Nixon, tells the story of the intrepid
duo who made the first non-stop transatlantic
flight in a modified First World War Vickers Vimy
bomber, flying not only through dense fog, sleet,
snow and hail – sometimes upside down – from
Canada to Ireland. Starring Radio 4 regular David
Mounfield (‘Count Arthur Strong’s Radio Show’)
and writer/performer Brian Mitchell (‘The Ministry
of Biscuits’), they will endeavour to tell the epic
tale with just cardboard, two stools and some leftover
props!
The Silver Social project is an ambitious programme
of daytime events aimed at older people, in
community venues across Breckland. The project
uses a range of art forms, delivered by professional
artists, to promote participation and independent
living in our communities. The Silver Social holds
events in libraries, village halls and other familiar
community spaces, in target areas across Breckland
including Dereham, Swaffham, Attleborough,
Watton, Thetford, Ashill, Necton, Shipdham and
Harling. The scheme is funded by the Arts Council
England, Breckland Council and Norfolk County
Council. Transport can be arranged for participants
with travel issues.
The show will be
touring between
3rd June to 7th June
at Ashill Community
Centre, Harling Old
School Village Hall,
Attleborough Town
Hall, Shipdham All
Saints Church and
Necton Community
Centre. The show
runs from 2 p.m. to
3.30pm with tickets
just £5, which includes refreshments. For more
information on Silver Social events, including how
to purchase ‘Those Magnificent Men’ tickets visit
www.thesilversocial.com, call 01362 656870 or
email community@breckland.gov.uk.
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