u3a

Stockton-on-Tees

Pardon My French

Status:Active, open to new members
Contact:
When: Weekly on Monday mornings 10:00-12:00
Venue: Newtown Community Resource Centre
Cost: A small charge will be made to cover the extra room hire costs of meeting weekly

January 2024, saw the advent of our new beginners' group, intent on cracking the code of the French language. Many of the members have school-day French at the back of their minds and want to revive long forgotten knowledge. Others are completely new to the language and are truly starting from scratch. We aim to take things at a gentle pace and we'll be guided by a course textbook: 'Façon de Parler' Book 1 (6th edition) (published by John Murray Learning).

As at September 2024, we are still in the early stages of our book, so there's still time for absolute beginners to enter into the fun. So, if you're tired of popping queries into 'Google Translate' then, perhaps, you might consider joining us. We're a friendly bunch who would like to have a chin-wag (one day soon, hopefully) in passable French. If you fancy a bit of 'oh-la-la-ing', the group leader, Michael, would love to hear from you.

À bientôt!

See below for a list of all groups

Groups listed alphabetically

  • Architecture
    Status: Active
    On Thursday afternoons 13:30-15:30
    Weeks 1 and 3
  • Art Appreciation
    Status: Active
    On Friday afternoons 13:30-15:30
    Weeks 1 and 3
  • Bridge
    Status: Active
    Weekly on Monday afternoons 14:00-16:00
  • Canasta
    Status: Active
    Weekly on Monday afternoons 14:00
  • Classical Music Appreciation
    Status: Active
    On Monday afternoons 13:30-15:30
    Weeks 1 and 3
  • Creative Writing - Scribes
    Status: Active
    Fortnightly on Wednesday afternoons 13:30-16:00
    Weeks 1 & 3 until at least July 2025 but not locked to Stockton's 4-week cycle
  • Current Affairs
    Status: Active
    On Wednesday afternoons 14:00-15:30
    Weeks 2 and 4
  • Family History
    Status: Active
    On Tuesday afternoons 14:00-16:00
    Week 4
  • Fiddle Group
    Status: Active
    Weekly on Tuesday mornings 10:00-12:00
  • Film
    Status: Active
    On Tuesday mornings 10:00-12:30
    Week 4, session length may vary depending on the film
  • French
    Status: Active
    Weekly on Tuesday mornings 10:00-12:00
  • Gardening
    Status: Active
    On Friday mornings 10:00-12:00
    Week 4
  • History with a twist
    Status: Active
    On Tuesday afternoons 13:00-15:00
    Week 3
  • Italian
    Status: Active
    Weekly on Monday mornings 10:00-11:30
  • Italian for Beginners (Parliamo Italiano)
    Status: Active
    Weekly on Tuesday mornings 10:00-12:00
    This is a new group, starting 6th January 2026
  • Latin
    Status: Active
    Weekly on Wednesday afternoons 13:30-15:30
  • Local History 1 and 2
    Status: Active
    Mornings 10:00-12:00
    Week 3, group 1 on Monday, group 2 on Tuesday
  • Lunch Group
    Status: Active
    On Friday afternoons
    Week 4, start time may vary
  • Movement to Music
    Status: Active
    Weekly on Monday mornings 09:30-10:30
    Meets weekly
  • Needlework
    Status: Active
    On Thursday mornings 10:00-12:00
    Weeks 2 and 4
  • Pardon My French
    Status: Active
    Weekly on Monday mornings 10:00-12:00
  • Pasos a Pasos
    Status: Active
    Weekly on Tuesday afternoons 13:30-15:30
    This is a new group that had its first meeting in January 2025
  • Philosophy
    Status: Active
    On Friday mornings 10:00-12:00
    Weeks 2 and 4
  • Poetry
    Status: Active
    On Monday afternoons 13:45-15:45
    Week 4, from 26th January 2026
  • Quiz
    Status: Active
    On Thursday afternoons 14:00-16:00
    Week 1
  • Reading Group
    Status: Active
    On Tuesday mornings 10:00-12:00
    Weeks 1 and 3
  • Science in Our World
    Status: Active
    On Tuesday mornings 10:00-12:00
    Week 2
  • Shakespeare
    Status: Active
    On Tuesday afternoons 13:30-15:30
    Weeks 2 & 4
  • Social Coffee Morning
    Status: Active
    On Friday mornings 10:00-11:30
    Week 3
  • Spanish
    Status: Active
    Weekly on Friday mornings 10:00-12:00
    Note there is also a beginners' Spanish group, see Pasos a Pasos
  • Ten Pin Bowling
    Status: Active
    Monthly on Friday afternoons 14:00
    2nd Friday afternoon of each calendar month
  • Ukulele
    Status: Active
    Weekly on Thursday afternoons 13:30-15:30
  • Walking 1
    Status: Active
    Weekly on Wednesday all day 10:00
  • Walking 2
    Status: Active
    Weekly on Wednesday mornings 10:00
  • Walking 3
    Status: Active
    Weekly on Wednesday mornings 10:00