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Ravenshead Newsletter 03/2022 - 5

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Since I last wrote we have held two monthly meetings. Because of the infection rate of the Omicron virus we decided to hold a virtual
meeting in January. Our speaker was Brenda Ainsley, a trained Climate Reality Leader and Community Lead for Plastic Free
Cotgrave, whose talk entitled “Climate Matters” drew our attention to climate change and global warming.
The images Brenda used helped us understand the
greenhouse effect. She illustrated with the specific examples
of the indigenous peoples of Canada and the penguins in
Antarctica how thawing permafrost affects both populations
and animals. She explained how the largest source of global
warming has been the huge rise in the last 200 years of
fossil fuel burning. Brenda raised many issues and posed
many questions for us to think about. It was good also to
hear about some of the solutions and in particular the little
things that each one of us can do to help ease the crisis.
For our February meeting we were back in church, our usual
venue, where we had a tremendous turnout of over 80
members. A few joined us virtually, as the meeting was also
relayed via Zoom. Our speaker was Andy Smart who gave
us a wonderful presentation about Nottingham Theatre
History.

Before he retired Andy worked as a journalist and used to
review shows, especially musicals, for the Nottingham
Evening Post. Andy took us through the history of theatres
in Nottingham over the last 150 years, The Grand Theatre
on Radford Road, Hyson Green, the Little Theatre (originally
the Picture Palace but in the 1940s used as a repertory
theatre), the Playhouse which opened in 1948 in Goldsmith
Street (in 1963 re-located to its present site) and the Theatre
Royal which originally stood on St Mary's Gate.
Andy seemed not to pause for breath and the audience was
spellbound listening to his stories about famous actors who
had appeared in the Nottingham theatres, Sir Sean Connery,
Dame Judi Dench, Sir Ian McKellen, Robert Lindsay, Sir Alec
Guinness, to name just a few.
Our speaker for March will be William French who will
recount his memories of his time as butler to the royal family
and film stars.
If you are interested in learning about the Ravenshead u3a and
the wider u3a movement why don't you join us at our next
meeting which will take place on Tuesday 8 March at 10 a.m. at St Peter's Church on Sheepwalk Lane? Remember, you don't have to
be retired to join us. In addition to our monthly speaker meetings, we have nearly 40 active and varied interest groups which meet
regularly. There is bound to be at least one which would suit you! Our membership secretary, Andy Bebbington, will be pleased to
talk to you about our u3a and you can contact him on 01623 405 526.

Maria Gabrielczyk - Chairman Ravenshead u3a, charity registration 154123

Byron Probus Club Ravenshead

We started the New Year with a Social Meeting and an excellent three course lunch at our usual venue, Portland
th
th
College, on 13 January. The Speaker Meeting on the 27 was well attended and was treated to a professional
presentation by Ron Buckley. Ron chose as his subject a visit he had made to the Northern part of the USA some
years ago. It consisted of photographs he had taken put together with a commentary and music. It was shown
very effectively on the large screen which is available at Portland. He took us on a fascinating journey from Mount Rushmore
to Yellowstone National Park with pictures of the amazing wildlife he saw on the way.
Planning is well underway for a number of visits and trips out during the year, but more on those as they take place.
If you are a professional or business man who has fully or partially retired and would like to join the Club, or simply sample
one of our meetings, please speak to the President, Alan Hutchinson, on 07803 148587, who will be happy to let you have
details.
AWM