DIDCOT & DISTRICT UNIVERSITY OF THE THIRD AGE meetings are held on the third Tuesday of each month at 2pm at Didcot Civil Hall. Visitors are welcome to come to a meeting as a taster before joining.

At our meeting on 21^st July Malcolm Nelson will talk about “40 Years of Smugglers.”

It’s never too late to expand your horizons…………..

The University of the Third Age offers the opportunity to share your knowledge, experience and talents with others and learn from them in friendly surroundings. Why not come along to the next meeting of the Didcot & District U3A and find out what we are all about. A member of our committee will be on hand to make you welcome.

Tel: 07802 237963

Email: didcotdistrictU3A@virginmedia.com

Website: http:/u3asites.org.uk/didcot

Apparently Santander customers can now take cash from their current accounts, we have been informed that there are still some teething problems with some of their cards, but most of them work! This means that 99% of you can take money out with absolutely no charge, and most of those accounts can take cash & cheque deposits too, saves a trip into town!

There are some new stamps out in July, commemorating the Battle of Waterloo, slightly better than other recent issues!

We have tickets for many village events, and have pantomime DVD’s, honey, eggs, ice cream, and we have a new dry cleaning company on board now, they collect (and return) on Mondays, Wednesdays & Fridays,

We will be closed on the August Bank Holiday Monday, allowances usually paid on that Monday, will be paid into accounts on the Friday before.

Mail to the Yeman is still suspended.

Love from Karen & Angela

First & Second class stamps go up 1p each from 30^th March, we have plenty in stock if you want to beat the price rise! These just re-value themselves, so as long as they have 1^st or 2^nd on them, it doesn’t matter what you paid for them!

The really good news is that Royal Mail are keeping the 2^nd class small parcel rate (under 2kg) at £2.80, and even better, the second class medium parcel rate (under 2kg) is actually down to £4.89, a drop of £3.11, and about time too! Of course, they haven’t told us about the first class parcel rates, or any international price rise either!

We still have a brown dotty coat, (age 12), a green chiffon scarf, a mobile phone & a ring in our lost property box!

Duck race tickets are also now on sale, also tickets for BlewTube, & the last 2 winter lectures!

Please remember we are closed on Good Friday (3^rd) and Easter Monday (6^th), allowances will be paid early, but we haven’t been told when! (Usually the previous working day, Thursday?)

Love from Karen & Angela

Blewbury Post Office

Cornerstone has activities to keep every member of the family entertained and occupied during the Easter school holidays. Why not try our family Science Day: Sun and Earth on Wednesday 1 April, which offers a fantastic hands-on science themed workshop? Let your imagination run riot on Friday 10 April in our Kool Science! workshop, and make animated short movies showing the weird and wonderful side of science. Full details of all Easter holiday activities together with booking information can be found on the website (details below).

Our Top Fun Sundays, offering great family entertainment, free activities for little ones and delicious food, continue through April with Duck In The Truck on Wednesday 8 April and Annabelle’s Skirting Board Adventure on Sunday 26 April. Perfect for families and children, these shows would make a lovely Easter holiday treat for the grandchildren.

Cornerstone’s Comedy Club, on Thursday 9 April, will have three of the hottest names on the comedy circuit as well as an expert compere. Book for a comedy curry and a beer before the show to really get yourself in the mood!

Robert Habermann: Sinatra – The Movie Years is a must for lovers of ‘Ol’ Blue Eyes’ and his film career and features some of his greatest songs. This 2pm, matinee, performance is on Thursday 16 April (group bookings available).

Winner of the Editor’s Award at the Edinburgh Fringe, 300-1 Monkey Poet brings his one-man show and brilliant poetic stand-up to Cornerstone on Friday 17 April. A schoolboy re-enacts the macho homoerotic warm film 300 in his bedroom, with Wilfred Owen as his Homeric scribe.

Would your book group like to meet somewhere different for a change? Book Group Night runs regularly on the first Tuesday of every month in our quiet and cosy Café.

Our summer season programme, running from May to August, is now booking. Full details can be found on our website at http://www.cornerstone-arts.org, where online booking is available. Alternatively call the Box Office Tuesday to Sunday on 01235 515144 to book over the phone or for more information (closed M

The weeks are racing past and, with spring just around the corner, here’s a selection of what’s coming up at Cornerstone in March. 

On Saturday 7 March Peter Knight’s Gigspanner promises an evening of superb music.  Legendary folk fiddler Peter Knight, guitarist Roger Flack and conga and djembe player Vincent Sazfaas will take you on a journey influenced by British traditional, Eastern European, French, Canjun, African and Aboriginal music.

A Cappella Day on Sunday 8 March is a one day singing workshop.  The Fifth A Cappella Spring Fest will take over the entire Cornerstone building and offers a choice of choirs and classes with inspirational leaders. Please note that pre-registration is essential.

Prepare to be funked! Top class jazz and soul from Yolanda Brown on Saturday 14 March.  Double MOBO Award Winning Saxophonist Yolanda is one of the UK’s most exciting and in-demand jazz performers.  Touching on Jazz, Soul and Reggae her music is a wonderful mix of genres.  

Life-affirming theatre production, CELL, on Saturday 21 March is humorous, heart-warming and hopeful and features puppetry, physical theatre and original music.  Suitable for ages 11 and up it tells the story of Ted who, after being diagnosed with Motor Neurone Disease, goes on the trip of a lifetime…and so does his pet fish. 

Friday 27 March sees The Poozies at Cornerstone. Sally Barker (seen last year wowing millions in BBC1’s The Voice), Mary Macmaster, Eilidh Shaw and Mairearad Green have been described as ‘Britian’s premiere Celtic roots all-woman super-group’.  They bring a powerful combination of punching acoustic guitar, Camac electric harp, dextrous fiddle and accordion plus spine-tingling songs in four-part harmony. 

Revel in the glamour and glitter of post-war America,with A Little Touch of Schmilsson In The Night on Saturday 28 March.  Peter French brings us his highly acclaimed London show, recreating Harry Nilsson’s famous album of 20th century songs – A Little Touch of Schmilsson In The Night – along with songs made famous by Frank Sinatra, Judy Garland, Nat King Cole and Doris Day. An intimate evening of swing and style, and the American Songbook at its absolute best. 

The start of April brings Easter and the school holidays and, as always, we have a fantastic selection of holiday activities to keep youngsters entertained, stimulated and informed. 

Full details of our March programme are available on the website at http://www.cornerstone-arts.org (online booking available) or from the Box Office on 01235 515144 (open Tuesday-Sunday).

Post Office News;

We still haven’t heard whether the postage rates will change, (usually the beginning of the financial year in early April), so it may be prudent to buy a few extra 1^st & 2^nd class stamps, and beat any increase, as they all re-value themselves anyway! We have plenty in stock!

We have some interesting “Scientific Discovery” stamps on release from late February, and some pretty “Bridges” out in March.

Love from Karen & Angela

We have some beautiful stamps depicting Alice in Wonderland on sale at the moment, sadly, Royal Mail in their infinite wisdom, have decided to produce two of them, (81p & £1.47) that are not of much use at all! On the other hand, they have decided to extend their “special offer on 2^nd class parcels between 1kg & 2kg” until the end of March, (£2.80 instead of £3.80), and we hope that they will not put their prices up too much in April! We have plenty of 1^st & 2^nd class stamps for those who like to beat any price rise, by buying early!

Despite our writing in the last bulletin about the last acceptance times for post, we still had quite a few late arrivals, we are actually not allowed to accept post after our “Last Acceptance Times” or LATs, these are clearly displayed in branch, 4.30pm on Monday, Tuesday, Thursday & Friday, 10am on Wednesday & Saturday, on these two half days, the postie comes to collect as late as he can, usually 11.30am, but post really needs to be in by then, to give us time to process it!

We still have a gents silver ring, and a child’s brown dotty coat, but now also have some snazzy black and red kid’s gloves! The car keys found their owner!

Love from Karen & Angela

The Taming of the Shrew – Auditions – Act now!

This year’s summer production at Orchard Dene Garden Theatre will be The Taming of the Shrew directed by Erica Harley. Performances will be on 15^th-18^th July 2015.

Auditions 7^th, 8^th and 10^th February

Please call 01235 850537 to ask more about this or to book an audition. If these dates do not suit please do call for an alternative.

Erica is looking forward to the auditions and to having a lot of fun working with you. “I have always loved the production for two reasons:  because of the farcical nature of much of the action, but mainly because of the relationship between Petruchio and Katherine. The challenge for any 21st Century production is how to meet the perceived anti feminist elements of the play. This is a play where women are bought and sold, dowries negotiated and the highest bidder wins!  Petruchio and Katherine, against all the odds, have a sexual chemistry that eventually overcomes all the obstacles. Or do they?? It is a wonderful opportunity to tackle one of Shakespeare’s earliest plays which is the least challenging in terms of verse and language. And it needs actors who are willing to explore the nature of the relationships but also to enjoy the physical requirements of Farce. It will be fun!!!

Auditonees will be able to have prior notice of speeches they can prepare for.

February sees Cornerstone’s spring season in full swing. To whet your appetite here’s a selection of what’s in store.

Cornerstone’s new Comedy Club offers a great opportunity to blast away the winter blues with a healthy dose of comedy from three of the latest hot names on the comedy circuit, plus an expert compere each month. Local lad Matt Richardson will compere on Thursday 5 February. Throw in some beer, a curry and a handful of your favourite mates and you’ve got a great night out.

Mother and daughter Chris and Kellie While are an outstanding folk music duo. Their exquisitely pure voices have that unique harmonising quality found only within close family partnerships. Self-accompanied on guitars they present a mix of self-penned material and imaginative interpretations of other singer-songwriters’ compositions on Saturday 7 February.

Get ready for a superb evening of tassels, tease, comedy and cabaret, on Saturday 14 February, with Missy Malone and Friends Burlesque Revue! This glorious theatre show, widely regarded as the best of its kind currently touring the UK, is the perfect way to spend the evening on this special day. This Valentine’s Day performance includes a special guest host and best dressed competition.

Families and children love our Top Fun Sundays. They’re the perfect Family Fun Day out, offering rib-tickling children’s shows, lots of great free activities to keep the little ones amused and delicious family food.  What more could you want?!

• Sunday 15 February brings Shoe Kangaroo and The Big Bad Boot for ages from 4+ years. Enjoy clowning, mime and beautifully crafted puppets in this fantastical journey.

• Back by popular demand Comedy Club 4 Kids pays another visit to Cornerstone on Sunday 1 March. Top Fun Sunday cracking entertainment for everyone over 6 and under 400 years old as some of the best comedians from the UK circuit do what they do best…but without the rude bits!

Barb Jungr and her trio return to the songs of Bob Dylan and Leonard Cohen with the release of her new album, Hard Rain. Often referred to as ‘the politicised chansonnier’, Barb turns to Bob Dylan’s most politically hard-hitting songs along with Leonard Cohen’s most impassioned songs of conscience. Catch her at Cornerstone on Saturday 21 February.

Steve Empson’s ‘Nature of Change’ exhibition in the Cornerstone gallery runs until 1 March (free admission). Take a walk along the coast of North East England into the hinterland of the North Yorkshire Moors through the delicate palette of Steve Empson’s work. His paintings are a closely observed record of both the forceful and gradual transformations of these natural and manmade environments.

Full details of the spring season programme can be found on the Cornerstone website at http://www.cornerstone-arts.org, where online booking is available. Or call the Box Office on 01235 515144, open from 10am to 6pm Tuesday to Saturday and from 11am to 4pm on Sunday. (Closed Monday.)

DIDCOT & DISTRICT UNIVERSITY OF THE THIRD AGE meetings are held on the third Tuesday of each month at 2pm at Didcot Civil Hall. Visitors are welcome to come to a meeting as a taster before joining.

On Tuesday 20^th January 2015 Alistair Lack will be joining us to talk about ‘Travels with Auntie’ (BBC World Service).

It’s never too late to expand your horizons…………..

The University of the Third Age offers the opportunity to share your knowledge, experience and talents with others and learn from them in friendly surroundings. Why not come along to the next meeting of the Didcot & District U3A and find out what we are all about. A member of our committee will be on hand to make you welcome.

Tel: 07804159993

Email: didcotdistrictU3A@virginmedia.com

Website: http:/u3asites.org.uk/didcot