The Far Away Days outing to  Waterperry Gardens (see picture left) and Abingdon on June 9 still has available places.  Please note that these trips are open to all members but they must be booked and paid for in advance. Booking will close on May 29. No places will be allocated until the closing dates when all applicants will have equal chances of gaining places. For more details see the group website page here.

Thursday, 30 May at 10am. A meeting at the Angel to discuss the setting up of an Islington U3A. (N.B. there is no barrier to being a member of more than one U3A.) Speakers from other U3As and from London Region. Why not volunteer for the Steering Committee to help set it up? No further commitment required. At National Children’s Bureau, 8 Wakley St. EC1V 7QE.  Enquiries telephone: 07966 160336. Map and further details here.

The deadline for ensuring any news, information, reports and  announcements are in the next UPDATE is 25 May. Copy to Barry Davies please,  julibar@blueyonder.co.uk
Past editions of Update and the Newsletter can be read here on the website.

The Computer Buddy Scheme began well but has ground to a halt. Everyone thought it was a good idea but we simply lack the effort to organise it efficiently. IT DOES NOT NEED ADVANCED COMPUTER SKILLS. It simply involves putting computer learners in touch with more experienced computer users and then keeping track of their progress. Just like a (very small and very elite) dating agency! This job might suit two friends sharing. See details here.

In 2013, for the first time, London Region (the umbrella organisation of all U3As in the London area) will finally  have its own Summer School. The dates will be 30 & 31 July and 1 August 2013. The venue will be the St Bride Foundation, Bride Lane, Fleet Street. The theme will be ‘London through Art, History, Literature, Music and Science’. This will be a non-residential three-day event. A pamphlet with further details and an application form can now be downloaded here.

The organiser to contact with any queries is Gwen Wright. Her email is gwen.wright@virgin.net. Her telephone is 8864 9019. By a quirk in the computer program her telephone number is overprinted with a Skype number in the linked documents.

The Newsletter for April (our 52nd issue) can now be read or downloaded from the Newsletters page here. Copies of the Newsletters and Updates for the past year can be found on the same page. This edition includes responses to Eric Midwinter’s education proposals, articles on recent meetings and Shared Learning Projects, letters from members and various news items and notices.

A conservation project to survey plant and insect life in this reserve in the Lee Valley, north-east London. The group will meet until the end of August. Applications close on May 17.  Apologies that the general email did not correctly link to this project. For further details please go here. And here for an application form.

Monday 13 May. 10am for 10.45 start.
In 1859 Thomas Smethurst was sentenced to death for the murder of his pregnant wife. The medical evidence was flawed, the judge was biased against the prisoner and misdirected the jury. Smethurst was reprieved but immediately charged with bigamy. Having served a prison sentence for the bigamy charge, he proceeded to claim probate of the murder victim.. Peter Maggs gives us an account of his recent research into the case. More details of venue and meetings here.