BOWLS
Time: 2p.m. to 4p.m. every Tuesday
Venue: Durham Indoor Bowling Club |
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Beginners and those with expertise are welcome
to join us for a fun afternoon.
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CREATIVE WRITING
Time: 2pm to 4pm on the first Thursday of each month
Venue: Small meeting room, Clayport Library, Durham. |
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We choose a fresh topic each month. Some members write verse, some write stories.
It is very informal - we are a small group and would welcome new members.
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DISCUSSION GROUP
Time: 10.00 am - 12 noon on the first Tuesday of the month
Venue: Newton Hall Community centre |
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The Durham U3A members of this group meet
every month throughout the year except January and December.
They discuss interesting, thought provoking current topics.
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FRENCH
Time: 10.00 am - noon on Thursdays, except 3rd Thursday of each month
Venue: Homes of several members who host the session, and provide coffee/tea. |
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The session would usually include:-
Reading of French texts - novels/ short stories/ newspaper/ magazine articles.
Listening to tape/ cassette.
Conversation.
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GERMAN CONVERSATION
Time: Mondays at 10.15am for one and a half hours.
Venue: Members take it in turn to host meetings
and to provide coffee/tea and biscuits. |
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From "Guten Morgen" to "Aufwiedersehen"
it's German all the way for one and a half hours on a
Monday morning. The host for the meeting serves Kaffee
und Kuchen (or bought biscuits) as the meeting begins.
New members are always welcome. Helped by those who have
lived in Germany, the less fluent of us are encouraged
to communicate.
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LITERATURE
Time: Fortnightly on Tuesdays from 2.30pm to 4.00pm followed
by tea.
Venue: Members take turns to host meetings and
provide tea. |
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This is a group for people who feel they would like to read (or re-read) War and Peace or Jane Austen in the company of others so that they can get more out of their reading. It is for people who feel that they would like to look at some highly regarded modern American novelists, or read Larkin or T.S.Eliot, and feel that they would get more from their reading with the encouragement of company.
We have visited all these authors and areas of literature, and will revisit them. Over the past months, we have read Greek classical plays, Bleak House, Portrait of a Lady, Nadine Gorimer and are going on to Dylan Thomas, Tom Stoppard, and Slaughterhouse 5. We choose texts, old and new, which promise to be good nutritious fare and will lead to interesting discussion.
One member of the group introduces a text, and discussion follows, usually for about an hour. After this we have tea and gossip. The choice of texts is varied to allow time for preparatory reading, and once in a while we show a video of an adaption of a novel, or read plays. It all sounds rather high-minded stuff; but it is true to say that it has given a lot of people lasting pleasure and satisfaction over the years.
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LOCAL HISTORY
Time: The 3rd Friday
each month at 10.30am.
Venue: Cooper Hall, Witton Gilbert, or the venues of
visits. |
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During the winter months, talks are arranged.
The group also visits various churches and museums in the county
and get people to show them round where possible.
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MUSIC
Time: Last Saturday of the month from 2pm to 4pm
Venue: At Carrville Methodist Church. |
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This is a friendly group of like-minded people. The programme is largely of
classical orchestral music, but also included is choral music, opera, jazz and music
from the shows - plus any special requests.
We aim to have themed sessions, examples being Romantic composers, English composers,
on tape, disc or video. We discuss and pass on information regarding the music, composers
and artists to facilitate the shared learning experience.
Time is allowed for tea, biscuits, and of course chat during the session.
We hope to arrange occasional outings to musical events.
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POETRY READING
Time: Fortnightly from 2pm to 4pm on Mondays
Venue: Carrville Methodist Church. |
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This is a well-established group for poetry lovers in Durham U3A.
During the afternoon, each member reads aloud to the group, two to four poems of their choice, based on the theme for that particular session.
Themes have included weather, spring, autumn, sea, senses, love, art and many more - the list is endless. We are allowed some flexibility in
how we interpret the subject (Poetic licence!). Some interesting discussion may ensue between the readings.
We sometimes choose a poet as a theme - for example, the war poets, or John Masefield, Roger McGough. We even have our own poets!
It is an informal afternoon, which ends with tea and biscuits, plus chat of course.
We usually have an organised outing each year linked to poetry.
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CHINESE CIVILISATION
Time: Monthly, on the 3rd Wednesday of the month at 10.30am
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Venue: Belmont Community Centre. |
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Our monthly talks range across many aspects of traditional China and its culture, and try to cast
light on contemporary Chinese viewpoints at the same time. Where appropriate, they are illustrated with
slides, literary extracts, etc. We also keep an eye on current exhibitions at the Oriental Museum, and on
books that can be specially recommended.
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PUB LUNCHES
Time: Monthly, on the last Wednesday of the month at 12 noon
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Venue: Various pubs throughout County Durham |
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WALKING
Time: Alternate Wednesdays
Venue: Meeting places are usually near Durham City. |
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After a circular walk of four to five miles, lunch is taken at a local pub. A programme of walks is available in advance.
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