Not So Grumpy Old Men

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In early October seventeen Not So Grumpy Old Men visited the Newark Air Museum, probably the most impressive private aviation museum in the UK.

The static display outside includes the iconic Vulcan bomber, the Hastings transport aircraft, crucial to the Berlin airlift and the maritime reconnaissance giant, the Shackleton – shown in the picture. There are two indoor exhibition halls, containing a variety of jet and piston engined airframes, with a special emphasis on RAF training types over the years, used to train fast jet and multi engined pilots, navigators, bomb aimers et al. In addition there are numerous airframes from the US, French, Polish and Swedish air forces.

By special dispensation Grumpies had the opportunity to get in the cockpits of numerous aircraft types, both large and small (I’m talking airframes not Grumpies!)

The museum is open all year and has a plethora of aviation related material, both historical and contemporary. If you haven’t visited, it’s well worth considering making the effort. I’m sure you will not be disappointed.

Bob McEwen

Water Colours

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A number of paintings by the Watercolour group have been put on display at Hucknall Library during November, the paintings show how skilled our artists are in the group.

Thank you to Brenda Wheat of the group who organised the display and to the Library.

Maggie Huckerby

Christmas Film Event

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Christmas Film Update

On Wednesday 17th December we are showing ‘A Christmas Story’ feature film and an exciting addition from the ‘Kept Woman’ film studio directed by Christine and David Vincent.

I feel lucky to have received an invitation to the preview, joining other distinguished critics. You may recognise some well-known local character actors in this film.

It is a story of a retiree Bob who longing for some excitement keeps disappearing from home. Not dramatically — just quietly. A coat missing from the rack. His phone left charging. No note. He’d return hours later with no explanation.

Concerned, his wife Maureen hired a private detective named Vince — a man with a dodgy moustache and a trench coat that hadn’t seen soap since the Millenium.

Vince takes the job with relish. “Retirees don’t just vanish, love. They drift. And I’m good at catching drifters.”

After a week of surveillance, Vince and his partner returned with a grainy photo and a single word scribbled on a napkin: Hucknallu3a

Curious and slightly baffled they followed him one morning. He walked past a chip shop and the marketplace before entering a building called the John Godber Centre.

Inside, they found a room full of retirees — Bob was grinning like a schoolboy.

“Hucknall u3a,” he explained, “is the University of the Third Age. It’s where we go to keep learning. To stay curious. To not fade away.”

David Rose

Litter Picking

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16 Bags of litter have been collected by the group in October. On one particular day 2 members of the group had a successful but very disheartening time collecting 9 bags of rubbish, 7 of which were from the field at the bottom of Nabbs Lane. One passer-by said they shouldn’t bother as it would be just as bad the following day and another lady said she was on the field earlier when there was a football match and saw people finishing their bottled drinks and just throwing them down. What absolutely shameful behaviour! Our litter pickers said that it looked as though a lorry had scattered a full load all around the area. 

They would have collected more but didn’t take enough bags with them. They shouldn’t have to! Litter louts should be responsible for their own actions and dispose of their litter in a responsible manner but – non multum spei.

 Val (Gant)

National Trust

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Visit to Nostell near Wakefield on Thursday 30th October

Sixty five members of the National Trust group set out on two coaches to visit Nostell.

The journey up the A1 was uneventful and with roads generally quiet we reached Nostell in under an hour and a half. By now the sun was shining and most members took advantage to walk one or more of the beautiful grounds.  Others started the day with a hot drink and cake in the restaurant.

The gardens also proved popular during the sunny weather.

The House then proved a good place to visit in the afternoon as skies clouded over. The House was very expansive and featured many interesting offerings.

Visits to the gift shop, plant shop and for many a last hot drink completed a lovely day at a super venue.

 Barrie