Category: Uncategorized
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Three Operas for the Price of One!
Our Opera Lovers Group met on Thursday 22 January 2026 for the three operas in Il Trittico composed by Giaccomo Puccini and which received their first performance in 1918. Puccini is believed to have started work on the set of three in 1904. The performance dates from 2012 and was staged by the Royal Opera…
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Cars and Ghosts in Creative Writing
Our Creative Writing Group met on Wednesday 21 January 2026 to continue with their previous themes of Dicing With Death, Looking Forward to a New Year and Strange Things Left in a Hotel Room. We started with some poems describing waking to a snowy morning and the progression of generations of all growing things. We…
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More of the Golden Age of Spanish Art
On Friday 09 January 2026, our course on the Golden Age of Spanish Art with Jennifer continued with an examination of the sculptors and the polychromers who painted the statues. This session concentrated on the works of Francisco Pacheco, a polychromer who was not particularly famous but was widely respected in the world of art.…
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Creative Writers Turn to Sinister
Our Creative Writing Group met on Wednesday 07 January 2026 to hear a series of stories dealing with what can happen when one’s imagination is given full rein. We had an exciting tale about a gambler needing money for a medical treatment only available in the USA, but not having sufficient funds. He decides to…
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Film of The Long Road to World War 1
On Monday 05 January 2026, we concluded our History Group’s examination of the causes leading up to the outbreak of World War 1, declared in August 1914. Ian showed us the Serbian analysis of the causes of the war in a film of Miloš Škundrič, produced by Paradox Film and published by Netflix. To say…
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Another Wonderful Winter Social Hit!
On Wednesday 17 December 2025 we had another Wonderful Winter Social. The event was somewhat over-subscribed for the allowed capacity, but all those managing to get tickets seemed to have a most enjoyable time. We started with a Prosecco, but for those driving there was a selection of juices. We then had a wonderful selection…
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The Golden Age of Velazquez Part 2
On Friday 05 December 2025, we had the second instalment of our investigation into the life and work of Diego Velazquez with Jennifer, Velazquez had travelled around Europe visiting various royal houses, but was still seeking some form of ennoblement, especially after his meetings with Peter Paul Rubens in Spain. We started with an analysis…
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Current Affairs at a Turning Point
Our Current Affairs Group met on Monday 10 November 2025 to discuss the current situation in the United Kingdom and beyond. Despite careful preparation for the session, the news of resignations in the BBC the previous evening meant that all the preparation had to be set aside. Turning on a point, members in the group…
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Visiting the Folk Music of our Past
On Tuesday 07 October 2025, our member Peter took us on a folk music tour of his past, including some of the artists he had met over the years. He started with Lead Belly (Huddie Ledbetter) and described the effect his music had had on a young Pete Seeger and a young Woodie Guthrie. Pete…
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Lavateria: Luscious Display with Tea
Our Gardening Group met on Wednesday 09 July 2025 for afternoon tea in the garden of Greg and Kathy. The garden features a central lawn with a wonderful display of Lavateria being used as a backdrop to the borders and also as camouflage for the fencing behind the borders. The detailing continues with a wide…