Seaford u3a News

The popular monthly coffee morning had an extra attraction on 18th May when a lovely cake, baked by a local baker was given to attendees in celebration of the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee. It was a large cake decorated with a rice-paper ‘badge’, which soon disappeared to the appreciative members and was quite delicious. Members and non-members are invited to attend the July coffee morning the Con Club, Crouch Lane, Seaford on Wednesday 20th July between 10am and 12 noon. As with all Seaford u3a’s monthly coffee mornings this will be completely free to all and no booking is necessary. Just come along and take part. The coffee morning is the only Seaford u3a event open to non-members and often serves as an introduction for prospective members. The u3a movement celebrates its 40th year in the UK this year and the national organisation, the Third Age Trust, encouraged members to hold a celebratory picnic on 1st June. The members’ magazine Third Age Matters, suggested some very tasty recipes and some members got together in Crouch Gardens with their picnics. Preparations are on-going to start the next u3a year in good style. Membership renewals and a programme for the year will be sent out to all members ready for the start of the membership year on 1st August. A comprehensive programme of groups is being offered on subjects including Art, Music, Science and Technology, Climate Change, table games such as Bridge and Scrabble, and several language groups. There will also be a good range of members’ interests talks taking place at the Downs. Some of the groups will be limited in size because they take place in group leader’s houses but the groups held in various halls will be able to take more members. The Downs talks have ample room for all. Outings continue to be popular – the organiser of the May trip said: ‘Our visit to the Poppy Factory was fascinating and a sombre reminder that one hundred years on from the formation of this inspirational organisation, nothing has changed. War with its death, mental and physical injury, trauma, destruction and devastation is still present in today’. In 1922, Major George Howson MC had a vision to employ injured veterans returning from The Great War, the “war to end all wars”. He founded the Poppy Factory where veterans started making the iconic poppies for the British Legion. ‘The outing continued to Kew Gardens where members saw the Grade 1 listed architectural glass houses, the Georgian Kew Palace and Queen Charlotte’s cottage. They visited the tranquil manicured Japanese garden with its raked gravel, Minka House and a resident male peacock looking rather bored. Members also walked amongst wild areas, beautifully designed planting, the beautiful Rhododendron Dell and towering redwood trees in the Grove. There was also a huge calming lake, an arboretum with 2,000 species of trees, and dotted around were temples and follies, various places to eat and a wonderful adventure playground for kids.’ For more information about Seaford u3a see the website www.u3asites.org.uk/seaford.To find out about membership email seafordu3a@gmail.com sending your postal address for a welcome pack.

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