Liverpool, location of the next West Wolds U3A cultural expedition in September 2014
EDITOR’S CHAT As I sit at my desk writing this on St David’s Day, the sun is shining in through the window. Today is the first day of Spring and hopefully we are leaving the wet, grey days of this horrible winter behind. Living in the East of England we can count ourselves fortunate because we have managed to keep our feet reasonably dry! I think that we are doubly fortunate because we belong to West Wolds U3A. There are many dedicated souls who help to run this organisation. Think of the group leaders who give so generously of their knowledge and skills. They spend a lot of their time preparing plans so that members get the best out of the sessions. We owe a huge debt of gratitude to them. Without their efforts there would not be a West Wolds U3A. And there is the committee whose members do a lot of work behind the scenes and give up fixed time each month for a business and planning meeting. We are always looking for fresh ideas for group activities, so if you have any thoughts about the things you think would be educational or enjoyable, let us know, perhaps you might start a new project that will add a new challenge for our members and keep the little grey cells buzzing. COPY DATE FOR THE JUNE 2014 ISSUE Articles for the next edition should reach me no later than 30 May 2014 Send it to gcg@sunny-side.ws or phone me on 01673 842 287
BEGINNERS’ COMPUTER GROUP NEWS As Gail has mentioned in her Chairman’s Chat, we now have the funding for four laptop computers and a wireless printer. Lyn Henry, who will be running that group is very excited and plans to get started after Easter, provide she is fit and well. She is well on the road to recovery after her knee operation and can’t wait to get started. So keep in touch with her for an update on her plans. Page 2
CHAIRMAN’S CHAT I have enjoyed meeting so many new people and making some good friends since I joined U3A, over three years ago now. I hope this is how all our members feel about our West Wolds U3A. We are lucky to have such an organization to be a member of and to have so many varied activities to take part in. It is very much a self help organization and I would like to thank all the people who work so hard to make it all happen each week and month. We are very pleased to announce that due to much form filling etc. we have been given two grants to purchase computers for the Beginners Computing course. Well done to all involved. There are some other new groups to join and we rely on members to think of new ideas and actually set up groups. At the last count there were twenty six people leading about thirty five groups so there is plenty of scope for some of the other one hundred and eighty members to come up with an idea and help lead a group. We could try some short “courses” if you think that would help both in terms of commitment and subject matter. Give it some thought . Best wishes from Gail
BEGINNERS’ FRENCH GROUP NEWS This was suggested as a group activity and I was asked to run it. A member kindly offered her home as the venue and has ended up helping me with the group. There are few beginners and many who did French at school but have not used it much since. We started with greetings and signs on doors that you would find useful. We have explored ordering food in a café, positional language and directions. Next we will revise numbers and telling the time. We meet once a month, not ideal for language learning, but all we could fit in without conflicting with other activities on the programme. Members are taking an active part researching words, providing some photocopied sheets and amusing picture cards. This really is a self help group. Gail Dennis Page 3
Telling Our Stories Our group has been meeting once a month for just over two years. Usually for each meeting two or three of us write a 'story' from our own lives which we then read at the meeting. The rest listen and respond to what we hear. We have heard some fascinating stories and enjoy the opportunity to share our stories with each other. The following is an example of one of our shorter pieces. At the moment we have room for two or three more people in the group. If you would like to join us, let me know, David Atkinson
01673 849979
and it makes one feel very small. When it is calm it is so peaceful by Marion Blackstock but another day when you go to I have always loved the sea and a rocky shore the power of the seashore, not sailing on it but waves is amazing. being beside it. As a child we Having spent enough time lived near enough the coast to watching and thinking, then I cycle there often, there were no shops or ice cream vans etc. and can go looking for shells and no travelling expenses, so for my stones. The shapes of some of our shells are so perfect and parents this would be an some of the colours of the stones inexpensive day out, hence our washed and polished by the tide frequent trips and from these days out my fascination with the are another wonder. I have a collection of stones and shells, I sea developed. can never resist bringing one or I can wander along the beach, two back home. just watching the waves break There are usually a few birds to on the sand and wonder at the see. They plod along the sand thousands of years that this has been happening without a break digging non stop. Do they know where the worms and grubs are
I Love the Sea
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St John's Cliffs, Hoy buried or is it trial and error? Then perhaps a whole flock will wheel in and land as if a signal has been given, sometimes they are quite noisy but not always. I was lucky enough to be at Blackpool one autumn when the starlings came in to roost on the pier. A small flock at first and then after a few minutes they all rose and went to meet the next group. They did their aerial ballet (called a murmuring) before landing again, soon after they went off again and joined a third group which had just arrived and gave another display, this
happened about five or six times until there were thousands of birds swooping around in the air and eventually they all landed on the pier which was black with starlings. I have seen this on TV but to see it for real was amazing. My friend Sandra left me after a short time, saying she would see me back at the hotel. It takes all kinds to make a world. To see another of nature’s incredible sights stand above Bempton Cliffs and watch the gannets dive into the sea to feed. They fold their wings and go like a rocket hitting the water at a tremendous Continued on page 14
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General Meetings 2014 10 April
Hazel Burnham – Fused Glass
8 May
Rev. George Munn – My time in the Merchant Navy
12 June
Becky Bewick – Behind the Scenes in Historic Palaces
.
Local History Programme Tuesday 8th April Stuart Sizer will give a talk on the history of Horncastle, followed by Tuesday 13th May A coach trip to and a guided walk around Horncastle followed by a tour of surrounding villages Tuesday 10th June A visit to Grimsby Town Hall, possibly the Fishing Museum too, own transport, organised by Brian Ward
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THE WEST WOLDS QUARTERLY DIARY INSERT Remove this insert from your magazine, fold along the lines indicated
COMMITTEE & MANAGEMENT RESPONSIBILITIES Chairman Gail Dennis Tel: 01673 843575 galedennis@btinternet.com FOLD
General Meeting Reception Lyn Henry Tel: 01673-843851 lynhenry@btinternet.com Marion Blackstock 01673 849208
Treasurer & Membership Secretary Barry Dukes Tel: 01472-852454 lindumwold@btinternet com
Website, Magazine & Printing Geoff Goddard Tel: 01673-842287 gcg@sunny-side.ws with assistance from Ken Reid Tel: 01673-849490 ken@kmreid.free-online.co.uk
Secretary & Third Age Trust Contact Sheila Nash Tel: 01673-866569 thenashes60@hotmail.com U3A Network Contact Mandy Murphy Tel: 01673-860893 mandy1390@yahoo.co.uk Groups Coordinator Ken Howitt Tel: 01652-678490 kenhowitt@btinternet.com FOLD
General Meeting Catering Margaret Cromack 07711-112171 margaret.cromack@btinternet.com
Equipment Custodian & General Meeting Hall Arrangements Ken Reid (co-opted) Tel: 01673-849490 ken@kmreid.free-online.co.uk Visits and Speaker Finder Brian Ward 01472 852273 briandgill@btinternet.com Publicity David Oliver Tel:01673 880188 david.g.oliver@btinternet.com
Archivist and Greeter Paul Davison 07746-626482
Why not visit our website at http://community.lincolnshire.gov.uk/westwoldsu3a Page 7
INTEREST GROUPS WEEK
Monday
Tuesday
10:00 German
10:00 Bead & Wire Jewellery
14:00 Bridge 14:00 Recorders
14:00 Film 14:30 Spanish
10:00 German
10:00 Local History
13.30 Craft 14:00 Bridge
14:00 Art Oils 14:30 Spanish
10:00 German
10:00 Country Walks 10:00 Wanderers 10:30 Strollers
1st
2nd
3rd
14:00 Bridge 14:00 Recorders
14:30 Spanish 19:00 Film
10:00 German
10:00 Music Appreciation
14:00 Bridge
14:00 Art Oils 14:30 Spanish
4th
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MONTHLY TIMETABLE Wednesday
Thursday
10:00 Country Walks 10:00 Wanderers 10:30 Strollers
10:00 French 10:00 Patchwork * 10:00 Keep Fit
12:00 Luncheon Group
14:00 Drama 14:00 Patchwork *
Friday
10:00 Beginners Family History 10:00 Latin
14:00 Scrabble 9:15
De Aston Ladies Gym
10:00 Embroidery
09.45 GENERAL MEETING Festival Hall Market Rasen
10:00 Family History 10:00 Latin
Everyone Welcome Tea, Coffee, Event Notices Guest Speaker
14:00 Poetry
10:00
Telling our Stories
14:00 Readers
9:15
14:00 Drama
10:00 French 10:00 Keep Fit 10:00 Patchwork *
10:00 Latin
14:00 Drama 14:00 Patchwork *
14:00 Scrabble* (* And 5th Friday of the month, if there is one)
De Aston Ladies Gym
10:00 Embroidery * (*Last Wednesday of month)
10:00 Cross Stitch 10:00 Keep Fit* (* And 5th Thursday of the month, if there is one)
14:00 Beginner’s French 14:00 Knitting and Crochet (Oct—April)
14:00 Drama
10:00 COFFEE MORNING Jossals, Market Rasen All welcome 10:00 Latin 14:00 Mah Jong 18:45 Jazz & Swing Enjoyment (Last Friday of month)
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INTEREST GROUP CO-ORDINATORS ABSOLUTE BEGINNERS COMPUTING Lynn Henry 01673 843851. ARMCHAIR TRAVEL Cynthia Bunch 01673 844661 ART-OILS Gillian Anderton 01673 844382 BALLROOM DANCING To be arranged. BEADING AND WIRE JEWELLRY Jacqueline Reid 01673 849490 BRIDGE Bryan Storey 01673 849625 CHOIR To be arranged. CRAFT Cynthia Burke 01673 849506 CROSS STITCH Ann Field 01673 857529 DRAMA Gail Dennis 01673 843575 EMBROIDERY Pat Hage 01673 849447 FAMILY HISTORY Jacqueline Reid 01673 849490 FAMILY HISTORY – BEGINNERS Jacqueline Reid 01673 849490 FILM GROUP John Bartlett 01673 857480 FRENCH Pat Spolton 01673 828568 FRENCH (BEGINNERS) Gail Dennis 843575 GERMAN Jo Howard 01673 862015 JAZZ AND SWING ENJOYMENT Brian Ward 01472 852273
KEEP FIT Dawn Stopper 01472 851133 KNITTING AND CROCHET Sue Jacobs 01673 828898 LATIN Gwen Parsons 01673 885438 LOCAL HISTORY Jean Childs 01472 859347 LUNCHEON GROUP Pam John 01673 844260 MAH JONG Reid 01673 849490 MUSIC APPRECIATION Ron Jones 01673 843438 PATCHWORK Lyn Henry 01673 843851 POETRY Eva Smith 01673 842218 READERS GROUP Audrey Storey 01673 849625 RECORDER GROUP Geoff Goddard 01673 842287 SCRABBLE Audrey Storey 01673 849625 SPANISH Alison Atkinson 01673 849979 THE 9-MILE HIKERS Helen Wilson 01673 828315 COUNTRY WALKS Ken Howitt 01652 678490 THE STROLLERS Cynthia Burke 01673 849506 TELLING OUR STORIES David Atkinson 01673 849979 VISITS Brian Ward 01472 852273
THE GROUPS CO-ORDINATOR IS:KEN HOWITT 01652 678490 kenhowitt@btinternet.com LIFTS: If you do not have transport it is usually possible to arrange lifts to the various venues. A contribution to the cost of fuel is also welcome. Page 10
Edwardian Nostalgia on the Great Central Railway According to our hand-out the line we were to visit was intended, when new, as a new link between Manchester and London Marylebone joining up with a tunnel under the Channel !
for the loo? For most people the call of nature was the stronger. Despite a temperamental coffee machine, our needs were met in time to take the short walk to the station, noting on the way the superbly restored “travelling
After a trouble-free journey, thanks to the new A46, we reached Quorn Station (no, it is not a meat substitute!) What a delightful introduction to the line! What to do first? – go to the new “Butler-Henderson” café and queue for a coffee or queue
post office” – devotees of Hornby Dublo will remember these well. The station precincts brimmed with memorabilia of a bygone age: tinplate wall signs, a trolley laden with milk churns, a doll in a Silver Cross pram and wearing a gas mask, an air raid shelter and, by the side of the track, a
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tiny vegetable plot sporting a banner urging us to “Dig for Victory!”. Another “gem” by the trackside was the signal box originally sited in Market Rasen. At Quorn we had the option of continuing by coach to Loughborough or taking the diesel-hauled 11.09 train to the
headed for the loco shed and workshops. Being careful not to fall into the numerous ash and inspection pits, we were able to get “up close and personal” with a whole range of delightful steam and diesel locomotives in various stages of restoration or repair. Returning to the station we had time to visit the small museum, period bar/cafeteria or the grandly named “emporium” – a shop for used railway books and memorabilia.
terminus at Leicester and then returning along the full length of the line to Loughborough. Most of us chose the latter. The locomotive used was a class 44/45 “Peak” class built in 1961 At 1.15 it was time to set off on to haul express trains on the our train for lunch. This time we main line. So it made light work were hauled by a relatively of our modest rake of coaches. modern steam loco – a class 4 On reaching Loughborough we standard built in the 1950s. We enjoyed an excellent lunch had about an hour before our starting with carrot and luncheon train was to leave. coriander soup (a “thin” soup Many of the men – and at least might have been a bit of a one lady member who readily challenge to transport along the confessed to having collected train as well as from dish to lips.) loco numbers in her youth -
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The main course was roast chicken or shepherd`s pie. Our esteemed organiser- otherwise known as Brian Ward – had thoughtfully supplied us with a note of what we had ordered ,as gentlefolk of our advancing years are frequently challenged by such a task. Dessert was poached pears and the meal was rounded off with coffee or tea and mints (yes, two actually) The dining car we were meant to have used had , unfortunately, been vandalised recently and we were offered a complimentary/ compensatory liqueur to complete our enjoyment.
could watch ducks, herons etc. going about their business. Returning to Loughborough just before 3.00 we were able to finish our drinks, make any last minute
purchases or meet the splendidly attired station master – a friend of our very own Brian Ward and a former denizen of Market Rasen ! Judging by the numerous strings of dilapidated carriages, locos and wagons lining much of the track, the stalwart volunteers of the GCR have many years of hard work ahead of them. We have to be grateful to all the staff who willingly give up their time to provide us with a memorable glimpse into an age gone by, but not forgotten.
Needless to say, most of us accepted this gesture ! To enable us – and the very efficient serving Nice one Brian! Do it again staff – to cope with the meal in some time. comfort, our train halted for a while on a bridge overlooking Ken Howitt Swithland Reservoir where we
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Continued from page 5 speed and disappear, they do not Of course for photography the need rocket fuel, just nature at its sea and shore are always best. changing, I have often rushed back to get my camera before the In Orkney I sat on a rock watching the seals playing, close sun sinks in the evening and enough to hear them and watch have taken my camera with me them sunning themselves on the on early morning walks to get the sunrise. I have so many rocks, they must have known I was there but they did not seem photographs of wet sand, sea weed, reflections, waves etc I to mind my intrusion. Just one could bore someone for hours if more way to happily pass time. only they would be interested. I Caves are not always on the often find I am left on my own to shore but most of the ones I dip in rock pools or look for know are. The Piper’s Cave at fossils depending on where we Sandy Hills is one which I have are. I very seldom lie on the been in and found interesting. beach and sunbathe. These Solway caves were used by Marion Blackstock smugglers and there are many stories told about them.
GERMAN GROUP Members of the German group sometimes come across poems or other items of interest which they bring along to our Monday morning meetings. Recently, one of our ladies received this prayer by Albert Schweitzer from a German friend. We took turns reading the words in German, before translating it into English. With some difficulty, some differences of opinion and a great deal of discussion about the correct meaning and phraseology in English we finally agreed on the translation given below. What we all agreed upon was that it was entirely appropriate for the enthusiasm and enjoyment of life and learning experienced by the people belonging to the U3A, and as far as we were concerned, our wings were certainly not yet hanging down, and we were not yet truly old! Page 14
Ein Gebet von Albert Schweitzer Niemand wird alt, weil er eine Anzahl Jahre hinter sich gebracht hat. Man wird nur alt, wenn man seinen Idealen Lebewohl sagt. Mit den Jahren runzelt die Haut, mit dem Verzicht auf Begeisterung runzelt die Seele. Sorgen, Zweifel, Mangel an Selbstvertrauen, Angst und Hoffnungslosigkeit, das sind die langen, langen Jahre die das Haupt zur Erde ziehen und den aufrechten Geist in den Staub beugen. Du bist so jung wie deine Zuversicht, so alt wie deine Zweifel, so jung wie deine Hoffnung, so alt wie deine Verzagtheit. Solange die Botschaft der Schönheit, Freude, Kühnheit, Grösse, Macht von der Erde, den Menschen und dem Unendlichen dein Herz erreichen, so lange bist du jung. Erst wenn deine Flügel nach unten hangen und das Innere deines Herzens vom Schnee des Pessimismus und vom Eis des Zynismus bedeckt sind, dann erst bist du wahrhaftig alt geworden.
A Prayer by Albert Schweitzer No-one grows old because of the number of years they have behind them. One only grows old when one says farewell to one's ideals. With the years the skin wrinkles, with the surrender of enthusiasm the soul wrinkles. Cares, doubts, lack of self-confidence, anxiety and hopelessness, those are the long, long years that draw the head towards the earth and bow the upright spirit into the dust. You are as young as your confidence, as old as your doubts, as young as your hopes as old as your loss of heart. As long as the message of the infinite beauty, joy, boldness, largesse, strength from the earth and from the people reaches your heart, for so long you are young. Only if your wings are hanging down and the core of your heart is covered with the snow of pessimism, and the ice of cynicism, only then have you become truly old.
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Gillian Anderton
The Keep Fit Class is still going strong, We’re all a very happy throng, We stretch and strengthen, tone and flex, For our health's sake (either sex). No longer are we the faint hearted, Because we are fitter than when we started, We meet and greet each Thursday morn, The an hour of exercise with Dawn. Sometimes on a mat (but don’t despair), Other times we’re seated on a chair. Afterwards a well earned coffee break (but only occasionally with scone or cake!). Dawn Stoppard Page 16