All the groups are open to new members. The group leaders are happy to provide further information and suggestions for new groups are welcome.
Most groups meet monthly. Extra costs beyond the general membership fee (which you have paid) are indicated - apart from a contribution of 25p towards any refreshments provided and a contribution towards costs when car sharing. It is helpful, particularly for groups held in members' homes, if you inform the group leader in advance that you hope to attend a meeting.
Ambling
Group Leaders Jo Griffin, 01769 573368, Rod Ives, 01769 57332
This group meets on the fourth Wednesday of every month (weather permitting) at 10 am in the South Molton car park. We enjoy less energetic walks than those undertaken by the Ramblers.
Art History
Group Leader Jonathan Edmunds, 01769 573968
The Art History Group meets at the Methodist Church halls in South Molton at 10.30 a.m. on the first Wednesday of every month. We are currently pursuing two courses - in one month masters of the Renaissance and in the next a choice by a member of the group. We use computer generated slide presentations enabling us to access material from all over the world. Members pay £1 per session towards the cost of hiring the hall.
Bird Watching and Natural History
Group Leader Sheila Farrant, 01769 572553
The group meets on the third Tuesday of each month usually at 9.45 am at South Molton central car park where car sharing is arranged to the chosen site. Studies include flora, butterflies and other insects. Habitat includes estuary and dunes as well as moors and woodland. There is generally an optional pub lunch. If the weather is inclement we meet in my house, and watch birdsong videos or a DVD. New members are very welcome.
Book Group
Group Leader Marjorie Parry, 01769 572745
We meet on the first Monday of the month from 2.30 to 5 p.m. In our discussions we consider the social, cultural and economic background of the period in which the novel is set, as well as the characters and their influence on the narrative. The group is limited by the space available at Marjorie’s house and by the number of books available from the library in sufficient quantity. However with fewer members the discussion is more coherent than it would be with a larger number.
Bridge
Group Leader Stewart Safford, 01769 581311
The group meets on Tuesday afternoons at 2.30 p.m. at Chulmleigh Golf Club and caters for beginners and experienced players. We are a small new group and looking forward to increasing our number of players.
Croquet
Group Leaders Kathleen Hasler, 01769 550296;Val Tucker 01769 550492
We meet on Friday afternoons indoors in winter, outside in the summer, 2 p.m. at Ann and David White's house, the Old Rectory, North Road, South Molton where David has developed a new croquet lawn. We each pay £2 per session. We play Golf Croquet, a game of fun mixed with skill. Beginners are welcome.
DVD Divas
Group Leaders: Claire Parkinson, 01769 572160;Sheila Farrant 01769 572553
This group meets on the fourth Monday of each month at 2.30 p.m. at Bray Mill Cottage, Chittlehampton to watch films chosen by the group.
Faze Days
Group Leader Fay Overton, 01769 579904
There will be a variety of excursions throughout the year. See newsletter for details.
French Conversation
Group Leader Margaret Ramsden, 01769 573572
This group meets on the second and fourth Thursdays of the month at 2.30 pm at Oaktree Cottage, East Street, South Molton. We welcome everyone with some knowledge of French, however rusty. We try to talk as much as possible in French, but in order to increase confidence and familiarity we read and listen to French writers and speakers, revise grammar, and try to learn more about France and the French way of life.
Garden Visits
Group Leader Val Widgery, 01884 860170
A programme of garden visits for the season is produced for the April meeting with details of dates, times and meeting places clearly marked. In the height of the season we generally meet twice a month on varying days and mostly for half-day trips.
History
Group Leader Derrica Hodgson, 01769 573228
Meetings are held on the third Monday of the month at 2.30pm, starting in October at Mayfield, Gunswell Lane, South Molton. We will be studying George II's reign in which our modern constitutional monarchy and the power of parliament developed. New members are very welcome.
IT Support Group
Group Leader Elizabeth Mount, 01769 579369
A small group, who have some experience of using computers for word-processing, spreadsheets, databases, power point, using the Internet etc., are getting together to share and support one another. We would welcome others to join us and if you have a query we cannot resolve between us we will try to find someone who can. We meet monthly, usually the second Thursday of the month, at 2.00 p.m. at 1 Paradise Lawn, South Molton. If you wish to join or you have expertise that would be useful please contact either Elizabeth Mount on 01769 579369, Ian Binding on 01769 572161 or Kathleen Hasler on 01769 550196.
Kings & Queens
Group Leader Jonathan Edmunds, 01769 573968
This group meets on the first Thursday of each month at 2.30 p.m. at the Methodist Church halls, South Molton. We are not looking for a chronological coverage but base the sessions on the life and events of a monarch. Plenty of use of DVD and slide material is made. Members contribute £1 per session to the cost of hiring the hall.
Local History
Group Leader Derrica Hodgson, 01769 573228
There are about thirty members and we meet on the second Wednesday of the month. In winter months (October to April) we meet at the Methodist Hall at 10.00 - 10.30 am. for coffee, followed by a talk or slide show on various interesting local topics. For these six meetings members pay a subscription to cover the cost of the room hire and the speakers' charges. Because of increased costs we have agreed to pay £5 per annum. In addition we pay 50p per meeting for coffee. Non-members who come infrequently can pay £1 per meeting. During the summer months we have six outings to places of interest, generally travelling by car. We sometimes have communal coffee or lunch on these occasions. We are pleased to welcome new members at any time and have a varied and interesting programme.
Lunch/Discussion
Group Leader Eva Hamilton, 01237 422734
Meetings are held on the fourth Monday of the month at The Coaching Inn, South Molton at 11.30 am. for a discussion on current affairs and related subjects of moral and political nature. The group is small and everyone has a chance to bring a subject they would like to discuss with the rest of the group. People stay for lunch if they want to.
Music Appreciation
Group Leader Jonathan Edmunds, 01769 573968
The group meets on the third Thursday of the month at 2 p.m., at the home of Margaret and John Ramsden - Oaktree Cottage, East Street, South Molton, (for further details please contact the organiser). We are currently alternating opera and a look at the work of an individual composer. DVD material is an important part of the course.
Patchwork and Quilting
Group Leader Chris Winsor, 01769 572381
We meet under the professional guidance of Julia and Ann of Step by Step Patchwork Centre. We meet on alternate Wednesday afternoons at 2 pm. Please come and join us.
Poetry and Play-Reading
Group Leader Jo Griffin, 01769 573368
This group meets at Coleford House, South Molton on the third Thursday at 2.30 pm. We read poetry of the member's choice one month, alternating with popular plays the other.
Rambling
Group Leader Rod Ives, 01769 573332
The group meets on the first Tuesday of every month (weather permitting) at 9.45 am in the South Molton car park. Walks vary from 4 ½ to 7 miles and we take a packed lunch. It is hoped that some extra walks can be included; all details are in the newsletters. There is also an Ambling group for the less athletic.
Scrabble
Group Leader Sue Hicks, 01769 573749
The Scrabble group meets on the third Tuesday of each month at the home of Sue Hicks, 14 Raleigh Close South Molton from 2 to 5 pm. We have 12 members with an average of 10 attending. We are a happy group; we have some knowledgeable players. Games are enjoyed by all and many new words are used. It is a popular group, so it is advisable to ring Sue if you wish to attend are not a "regular".
Singing Group
Group Leader Jonathan Edmunds, 01769 573968
We meet on the first and last Monday afternoons of each month at 2.30 p.m. at the house of Doreen Jones in Bishop's Nympton. The aim is to improve our choral singing while enjoying good company. We do not aim to perform more than very occasionally. We sing all our pieces unaccompanied and in three or four parts. All music is supplied.
Skittles
Group Leader June Smith, 01769 573059
Meets every Friday at 2.00 p.m. during the winter months and 2.30 p.m. on Thursday during the summer at the skittle alley in the Town Arms, South Molton.
Sunday Lunch
Group Leader Margaret Ramsdon, 01769 573572
Meets every third Sunday of the month. See newsletter for venue etc. The third Sunday usually falls after the monthly Tuesday meeting, but occasionally it is a week later. It is a friendly occasion and gives a lift to those who normally eat alone and we offer a warm welcome to anyone wishing to join our little band.
Table Tennis
Group Leader Jean Nichol, 01769 572527
The group meets every Wednesday at 4 pm at South Molton Community College Gymnasium. Please bring your own bats and appropriate footwear. Please do not refer to it as Ping Pong!
Theatre
Group Leader Jean Bridge, 01271 324518
We combine with Barnstaple U3A and North Devon Coast U3A theatre groups to organise theatre visits to Barnstaple, Exeter, Plymouth, Taunton and Bristol. In the past year we have been to several performances of ballet, opera, musicals and plays, from Shakespeare to contemporary plays. We always welcome suggestions from our supporters.
The range of groups is wide. We trust that you will find at least one or more to enjoy and find interesting.