Lockdown Quiz
The latest quiz from Julie Clarke (number 55) has been loaded to the website as well as the answers to number 54. Go to the quiz page where you’ll also find this week’s music quiz (number 54) and the answers to music quiz number 53. Our quiz page lists all the quizzes that have been set previously.
Julie writes – “I am sorry to report that there was an error on last week’s General Knowledge Quiz No 54. Question 8 should have read: What is the only city in the world which straddles two continents? Not ‘Capital’ City as stated in the question. I have amended the question on the answer sheet”
Group News
Groups Co-ordinator update
We’re delighted to announce that the following groups have either restarted or will be resuming activities in the next few weeks:
Bowls 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 & 8, Fitness Exercise with Football Drills & Skills, Golf, Walking Cricket, Walking Football, Walking – Long Walks, Walking with Dogs.
Unfortunately, Bowls 6 and Walking – Intermediate are without a Group Leader at the moment so they’ve been temporarily suspended until we can find replacements.
The start dates for Indoor Exercise groups will vary depending on venue and tutor availability.
Government guidelines are key to restarting and risk assessments are in place for all groups and venues. Please check the website for information about specific groups – https://u3a.simplemembership.co.uk/Sandbach/groups
Member meetings
In a previous Update we mentioned that we will be holding some informal coffee mornings for members. The purpose is to help members get back to socialising again and meeting people in public places, after many months when that hasn’t been possible.
The first of these informal coffee mornings will be held at Sandbach Rugby Club on Bradwall Road, CW11 1RA, from 10.30 – 12.00 on Monday 17th May.
This will be a simple drop in session. You don’t need to book in advance – just turn up at the Rugby Club. Coffee and biscuits are free and your Committee will be there to welcome you. The Rugby Club has a very large covered marquee and lots of outdoor tables where it is possible to meet safely in groups of six and stay within current government guidelines.
If you haven’t met anybody socially outside yet, why don’t you use this opportunity to take the first steps towards meeting others again? And if you are already meeting friends outdoors, please add this to your busy social calendar!
Sandbach u3a website
Our website is currently being reconstructed thanks to our IT Systems lead, Alan Casey so please accept our apologies for any inconvenience during the reconstruction.
Our hope is that the website will be easier to use for both members and would-be members. For instance, logging in now takes place on the page where you need it e.g. the login for checking your groups is under Groups:
Local News
Vaccination Update from Cheshire CCG
Everyone in the top nine priority groups is now eligible to book their first dose of the COVID-19 vaccination – this means everyone aged 50+, all frontline health and care workers, unpaid carers and anyone aged 16-64 with an underlying health condition which places them at higher risk.
Despite media coverage outlining a national supply issue in April 2021, Cheshire remains on track to meet the national commitment in phase 1 of offering a vaccine to everyone aged 50+ by April 15th 2021.
Looking ahead
The COVID Vaccination Programme will move into its second phase when people aged 18-49 will be offered their first dose. During Phase 2 there may be some changes to the locations of vaccination services and the way that the vaccine is delivered.
National News
Barclays Digital Eagles
The Third Age Trust have teamed up with Barclays Digital Eagles to provide a week of online training for u3a members, beginning on 19 April.
See below for the title and dates of each session or follow this link for more detail – https://www.u3a.org.uk/events/online-events/barclays-digital-eagles
- u3a Digital Safety – Tuesday 20 April, 10am-11.30 or Tuesday 20 April, 1.30pm-3.30
- u3a Online Entertainment – Wednesday 21 April 20, 10am-11.30
- u3a Alternative Ways to Bank – Thursday 22 April 10:00-11.30 or Thursday 22 April 1.30pm-3.30
- An Introduction to Digital Wings – Friday, 23 April 10:00-11.30
On a lighter note – not a lot of people know this!
1 In the 1400s a law was set forth in England that a man was allowed to beat his wife with a stick no thicker than his thumb. Hence, we have the rule of thumb.
2. Many years ago in Scotland, a new game was invented. It was ruled ‘Gentlemen Only… Ladies Forbidden’ and thus the word GOLF entered into the English language.
3. Each king in a deck of playing cards represents a great king from history: Spades – King David Hearts – Charlemagne – Diamonds – Julius Caesar Clubs -Alexander the Great,
4. In Shakespeare’s time, mattresses were secured on bed frames by ropes. When you pulled on the ropes the mattress tightened, making the bed firmer to sleep on. Hence the phrase, goodnight, sleep tight.
5. It was the accepted practice in Babylon 4,000 years ago that for a month after the wedding, the bride’s father would supply his son-in-law with all the mead he could drink. Mead is a honey beer and because their calendar was lunar based, this period was called the honey month, which we know today as the honeymoon.
6. In English pubs, ale is ordered by pints and quarts. So in old England, when customers got unruly, the bartender would yell at them ‘Mind your pints and quarts,’ and settle down. It is where we get the prase mind your P’s and Q’s
7. In an English pub, frequenters had a whistle baked into the rim or handle of their ceramic cups. When they needed a refill, they used the whistle to get some service. Wet your whistle is the phrase inspired by this practice.
8. In 1696, William III of England introduced a property tax that required those living in houses with more than six windows to pay a levy. In order to avoid the tax, houseowners would brick up all windows except six. (The Window Tax lasted until 1851, and older houses with bricked-up windows are still a common sight in the U.K.) As the bricked-up windows prevented some rooms from receiving any sunlight, the tax was referred to as “daylight robbery”!
Facts supplied by Elaine Dyke of Radlett u3a