20th March. Rob Brewer will talk about becoming a film and tv extra and how to become one. Rob has been a TV/film extra for 6 years and has been involved in over 40 different features – from Hollywood Blockbusters (Batman, Bond, Wonder Woman), low budget films and TV dramas, soaps and comedies, and even advertisements.
17th April – Ben White “A talk on Blues music”
An examination on the societal background which led to the creation of Blues music in the American South, from the slave trade to the Church. Our journey will take a look and listen to the Blues Queens of the 1920s and 30s to increasing crossover popularity from Leroy Carr and B.B King, ending up with a consideration of the effect this wonderful music had on the British Invasion of the 1960s. What else can we learn from this music in our modern lives too, in this time of increasing division? What lessons can we learn from such tender-hearted musicians like Mississippi John Hurt? The more we listen, the more we learn.
15th May – Jo Laurie “Air Miss” A talk about being in the WRAF
An illustrated talk with photos and her own cartoons of her career in the WRAF – not quite ‘Private Benjamin’ – but close!
19th June – A Talk by Giles Oakley from Two Spoon Tea. “From Bush to Cup”
What makes a good cup of tea? Taste? Ingredients? Good company?
Science tells us it takes two to five minutes to brew the perfect cup of tea. But the experience and flavours we associate with this drink go back a long way and are steeped in traditions shaped over centuries. Legend has it that Chinese Emperor Shennong made the first cup of tea when a leaf from a nearby tree landed in a pot of boiling water back in 2737 BCE.
Giles has got 25 years worth of experience within the tea trade doing various roles, primarily as a buyer and blender. More at the meeting!
17th July- Richard Brewster – Financial Planning
Richard is from Goodwill & Estate Planning and will talk about Inheritance and Financial Planning.
21st August -Richard Paver – “My father Harry Paver – one man’s war”
His service during world war two fighting in the western desert, his capture by the Germans during the siege of Tobruk in 1942 and subsequent imprisonment in a POW camp. My talk will include excerpts from diary describing life as a prisoner during WW2.
18th September – Leslie Brown REMAP – Making things possible for disabled people
REMAP’s mission is to improve the quality of life for people who experience short or long-term disablility. They do this by making and adapting equipment to meet the unique needs of individuals at no cost to them.
16th October – Roger King – Aylesbury’s Past and Present
Roger will give us another historical talk on Aylesbury, following on from his very interesting talk last year.
u3a TVN Events
Tuesday 11th March at 10.30am on Zoom – Ruth Nobbs will give a talk about Keystone Species and Rewilding
This talk was first developed for Wokingham u3a’s Natural History Group in 2020. Intended as a brief talk on “Rewilding”, Ruth became so interested in the separate but related topic of Keystone Species that it grew into a combined talk. Rewilding has become quite a divisive topic in recent years and Ruth hopes to be able to present something of both sides of the argument.
Fee for this event is £2. For more information and booking, click on the words below.
Closing date for applications is Saturday 8th March 2025.