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Interest Groups Online Noticeboard

IGO February 24 News Extra


Welcome to our February edition of News Extra. We have lots of contributions from members this month and we hope you can send in stories about events you may have planned for March, our next edition.

I’m still wondering if anyone took part in the Garden Bird watch event at the end of January – if you did it would be good to hear from you and your bird sightings.

This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Helen Titherington, Trust Volunteer - IGO News Extra Editor 

At a recent meeting of the Read Write and Discuss IGO group, one of our members reported a fox had attacked and killed one of her cats, but the very next day Catherine sent in this video of a cat who saw off a fox in her garden…

Groups to Join

Do these new groups interest you? You can join any groups by following the instructions on the Interest Groups Online groups page

Tai Chi and Qigong are slow, meditative, flowing, motions which include sitting or standing meditation postures in cultivating positive physical and mental well-being through attention and awareness of the body, breath and mind.

The sessions will be  weekly on Tuesdays and Thursdays, from 1.30pm to 3.00pm (GMT). The structure of the session will start with around 20 mins of warm-up with Silk Reeling Qigong exercises, Strengthening Lung Qigong, the 8 Form Tai Chi, refreshment break followed by 16 Form Tai Chi and ShiBaShi or 18 Motions Tai Chi Qigong (rotational set 1 to 8) and finish with Sitting Qigong. The exercises are executed with accompanying music with audio instructions. 

Group leader, Alex 

image of a man doing tai chi with the words creative calm over the top in red

The purpose of this group is to encourage its members via mutual inspiration to engage in and complete art projects.

The overriding plan is that group members get together on zoom, and show their fellow members work in progress. This can be from the initial conceptual phases to completion, and, indeed, at interim stages to suit. The rationale is that, by coming together, the members will gain inspiration and motivation from their fellows. The ethos is that, as well as talking, we will be creating something.

One feature will be that members can suggest a project idea or theme; we then go away and show off our progress at a future meet. The theme can be very nebulous. The intent is to stimulate us, not to inhibit or straitjacket, and this will perhaps inspire us to do stuff outside our normal comfort zones!

Group Leader, Philip (who also did the accompanying artwork!)

artwork by group leader of someone painting

New Start-Up Groups 

Browse some new start-up groups on offer! You can join these on Beacon to show your interest. The groups will be set up and the meeting times will be decided when enough people join. 


John's Pancakes

Pancake Recipe from John, member of the Forty Question Quiz group

My recipe makes 8 thin medium sized pancakes – I use a smallish fry pan and a pallet knife to flip over the pancake rather than tossing….

Make a batter with 100gms plain flour, 2 eggs, 300ml semi skimmed milk, tablespoon of ordinary olive oil and a pinch of salt. Plus, you’ll need a mix of melted butter and olive oil for the frying – I use an old pastry brush to coat the pan.

Favourite Savoury Filling - bacon lardons sautéed with some chopped banana shallot and grated cheese. To serve hot as you cook each pancake make sure you have pre-prepared the filling.

Favourite Sweet Filling – my homemade Lemon cheese and thick natural Greek yogurt or creme fraiche or even ready-made custard as an alternative. Serve slightly warm.

a pile of thin crepes on a plate
Picture from wiki commons in the public domain – a pile of pancakes

It's renewal time!

The period has now opened for you to renew your IGO membership for the next 12 months – the standard fee all members is £12 – we now have over 1500 members. You can renew via Beacon. We hope you will renew your own membership but also bring along a friend to swell our numbers!

"I joined the 3D Printing group when it started in September 2023 and was relieved to find that half the people in the group, like me, did not yet have a printer. I quickly picked up a number of ideas and was invited to use the many You Tube videos on the subject in order to learn more and where it soon became clear which were the best reviewed 3D printers available in the UK.

I purchased a “Mini” printer ( self assembly version) for approx £400 and my initial motivation has been to support my wife’s hobby which meant printing human body parts (head and shoulders, arms and legs) for her to use, as the basis of her one-twelfth scale doll-dressing, craft hobby.

The picture shows her latest, dressed doll using my 3D printed body parts and a decorative pedestal.
(I was surprised how quickly I could produce a usable result from the printer using freely available designs from the internet). The enjoyment continues!"

Dennis, group member


Your Stories, please

Would you like to contribute to the March edition of News Extra? – why not send in a few words and a photograph you have taken on your own camera around any of the following themes: -

  • A recent group session which you enjoyed.
  • A special day in March eg, 10th clocks, 19th equinox, 17th St Patrick’s Day
  • Easter/pastas de Semana Santa, Valladolid
  • My favourites, World tennis day 6th and World piano day 29th

Send to the editor Helen at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. 

pastas de semana santa, a tray of biscuits
Photo from wiki commons in the public domain

Quiz Time...

All these events happened in February of the year indicated – I hope you can get all ten answers.

1. 1874 – What ball game, played on grass, did Walter Wingfield of Pimlico, England patent? 
2. 1917 – The exotic dancer Mata Hari was arrested as a German Spy – What Nationality was she? 
3. 1930 - The ninth planet was named but in 2006 its designation was altered to Dwarf Planet can you name it? 
4. 1931 – What original monster film did Bella Lugosi star in? 
5. 1972 – Which President of the USA was the first to visit China? 
6. 1979 – What weather phenomenon was recorded in the Sahara Desert? 
7. 1981 – Which member of the Royal family announced their engagement to who?
8. 1983 – Name the Michael Jackson album which reached number one in the charts 
9. 2004 - What social media platform did Mark Zuckerberg create? 
10. 2021 – Queen Elizabeth Celebrated which jubilee denoting how many years on the throne? 

yellow flowers in green grass
Photo from wiki commons in the public domain

How's your Russian?

We are seeking an IGO member who speaks Russian fairly well and who would be willing to help a small band of enthusiasts brush up on their language skills. If you could spare an hour once a month with us that would be splendid. Please get in touch with Catherine Wykes our group coordinator for an initial discussion This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Spasibo v ozhidanii vashego lyubeznogo sotrudnichestva

small cat on a russian stamp
Photo from wiki commons in the public domain

Poem from a member: The Ballad of Buddy and Betty

♥ Buddy and Betty ♥   ♥ a match made in heaven ♥   ♥ Buddy is ten ♥   ♥ and Betty is seven ♥   ♥ Buddy is French ♥   ♥ he is compact ♥   ♥ but hunky ♥   ♥ and Betty is buxom ♥   ♥ a big girl and chunky ♥      ♥ They meet in the park ♥   ♥ pucker up for a kiss ♥      ♥ a Pug and a Rotweiller ♥   ♥ destined for bliss ♥   Happy Valentines!

From Lynne, a member of the Find Joy and Fun in Poetry group.


Quiz answers

1. Tennis

2. Dutch

3. Pluto

4. Dracula

5. Nixon

6. Snow

7. Prince Charles and Diana Spencer

8. Thriller

9. Facebook

10. Platinum, Seventy 

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