ROMSEY and District
Low-down in the Lockdown Bulletin No.17 - 24 March 2021
Nuthatch by Mike Driscoll
SPRING is here! Have you been waking up with the birds singing; marvelling at glorious sunrises and sunsets; enjoying a walk — maybe meeting up with a friend too? The clocks spring forward this weekend with more daylight to enjoy the outdoors: marvel as the buds start to open, turning the trees that glorious spring green. Happy Easter to you all but do keep to our mantra: Stay Safe, Keep Active & Keep Well.
ARE YOU READY? What will the promised freedom mean for our u3a? We don’t know yet but we’ve started to plan for meeting again in Crosfield Hall and other venues in and around Romsey. If we restart our popular monthly meetings in September, do you think you will be confident, after lockdown, to meet in the hall?
Please let us know your current thinking by answering two questions here.
BOOKWORMS
GOOD DEEDS!
Recommended holiday reading from the group:
It has just come to our notice that, a few weeks before Christmas, when Romsey foodbank was asking for donations of sweets-n-treats as Christmas gifts for children, one of our activity groups sprung into action. They had not been ‘paying to play’, so collected money and prepared 90 ribbon-tied gift bags of goodies for the foodbank.
Remarkable Creatures by Tracey Chevalier A 19th century historical novel set in Lyme Regis. Mary Anning has a talent for finding fossils; her discovery of the complete skeletons of two dinosaurs rocks the scientific world. The Goldfinch by Donna Tartt Thirteen year old Theo's mother is killed in a bombing that rocks Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York. Unharmed he escapes with a valuable painting called the Goldfinch. Read on… 771 pages! Fools and Mortals by Bernard Cornwell An historical novel tells the story of William Shakespeare's initial production of a Midsummers Nights Dream as recounted by his younger brother Richard. "A well plotted, richly written romp through Shakespeare's time." Kaye Hannah
HAPPINESS IS GOOD FOR YOUR HEART Notice 5 beautiful things in the world outside. Happier : Kinder : Together ACTION FOR HAPPINESS
More recently, against a list of required items from the foodbank website, similar action was taken with a car boot selection as pictured. A big thank you goes to Ashley and Milly, two of the young management staff at Aldi for their help and support. Remember: SHOP LOCAL
WE
STILL NEED TO HEAR FROM YOU IF YOU WOULD
LIKE TO HELP RUN OUR U3A.
GIVE IT A GO!
Why not contact Dave Lovell (vice chair) for a chat? W ORTH THINKING ABOUT: If you switch off your video during Zoom meetings, the carbon footprint of the whole event will be greatly reduced as the internet servers will use less power. You may also notice that your internet connection is improved. Great result!
HEDGEHOGS Living in a retirement block, I was delighted to discover we have hedgehog visitors at night. I’ve been putting food out every evening and have seen four of them together, including a large, easily identifiable one, which almost appears to have racing stripes. They seem pleased with the food, leaving small, black, ‘thank you’ messages! Over the past few winter months the food continued to disappear but with dark, cold, wet weather it was difficult for me to see them; I was concerned that cats or rats might be eating the food. However, this week I was loaned a camera trap / trail cam which you will have seen on nature programmes. After completing my degree in Setting Up a Camera Trap, I strapped it to the bird bath – and there they were, at least three, possibly four hedgehogs. I moved the camera for a clearer view and am thrilled, as hedgehogs are becoming quite scarce. The two wooden ‘houses’ I put out are obviously not up to standard because no residents so far. So, back to Mole to buy more own-brand cat food (which oddly looks like a bag of washers) as that is obviously acceptable – plenty of ‘thank you’ messages all over the lawn! JM You can see some of the footage on YouTube, through a link on our R&D Welcome page. Page 1 of 2
HAT QUIZ 1
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Can you identify these famous people from their headgear!
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Answers next time
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Thanks to Kay Lovell
E is for: Earth Optimism : Easter : Eggs : Environment : Exercise EARTH OPTIMISM
27 March — 4 April
Have a look at the programme from some of the world’s greatest thinkers, celebrating the victories being won and alliances being formed in protecting the future of our planet. There is hope. 4 April 2pm Hope for our Planet - Liz Bonnin in conversation with Sir David Attenborough (register here)
Chocolate comes from cocoa, which is a tree. That makes it a plant. Therefore, chocolate is salad. Happy Easter!
A closely guarded secret A pair of Peregrine Falcons has taken up residence high up on Romsey Abbey. You heard it first from R&D u3a.
FABERGE EGGS Learn about a special item from the Royal Collection Trust. A Faberge Surprise
If the person who named Walkie Talkies named everything Stamps – Lickie Stickie Defibrillators – Hearty Starty Bumble Bees – Fuzzy Buzzy Pregnancy Test – Maybe Baby Bra – Breastie Nestie Fork – Stabby Grabby Socks – Feetie Heatie
Hippo – Floatie Bloatie Nightmare – Screamy Dreamy
Why not send us your suggestions!
‘HOW TO AGE WELL’ Did you see Tonight on 11 March, where the u3a was featured 12 minutes into the programme? You will need to sign in to the ITV Hub to watch it.
Some ACTIVITY groups are looking to start from April. The Walking group has seven routes planned. Pickleball will start off playing outside, before returning to its indoor venue in May. The Bird Watchers and Garden Visits hope to meet up in small groups. Fingers crossed that everything goes to plan!
Ten Point Manifesto for Climate Change from Andy Lester, who gave us a talk on the wildlife of Costa Rica in September. Every new build to create new habitats for nature (as part of ‘net gain’) Every new home to have a bird or bat box Every new home to have a garden or raised bed area Every new community to have a wild space for nature and meditation Every conservation organisation to focus efforts of re-wilding of neglected areas Every park to have a wild space for nature by 2025 Every council to have a wild flower budget for urban road sides Every town to focus on a 10% increase in tree cover 2021 – 2030 Every city to have an Urban Nature Ambassador Every town to increase pond and wetlands by 10% to 2030
Do you have a tip for reducing our negative impact on the environment that you can share with others? Please contact us!
Bulletin 18 is due out on 14 April. We’d love to hear from you! Contact Dave Lovell 01794 515316 news.copy@romseyu3a.org.uk This Bulletin will also be on our website: romseyu3a.org.uk ‘Low-down in the Lockdown’: Glenda Taylor, Janet Moody, Margaret Marchbank & Dave Lovell. Page 2 of 2