EDITOR’S CHAT We’ve been fortunate this winter. It’s the warmest one since records were kept from 1910 onwards. In this part of the world we have not had a great amount of rain so the woods and fields are, by and large, fairly dry and easily walkable. One of my favourite walks is in Walesby woods just off the A46 towards Caistor. It’s a pleasure to walk the dog there. I get to meet other people (and dogs). I can enjoy each time I visit as the landscape changes as the year progresses. Your new committee has settled in since the AGM and it continues to do its best to ensure that you have many interesting and stimulating activities to enjoy. But not everything is down to the committee. We should thank our Group Co-ordinators who put in many extra hours planning their meetings to make sure that you can Live, Laugh and Learn as part of this great organisation. But it is not completely down to the leaders; every group member makes a contribution to a successful session by bringing their bits of knowledge and experience as well as a willingness to try new things. This contribution from the whole of West Wolds U3A reminds me that I’m always looking for topical and interesting items for the magazine. Without your input I have a hard time filling these pages. So I’m asking desperately for your help in making future quarterly publications ones with something fresh in them for everyone. Best wishes from Geoff
COPY DATE FOR THE JUNE ISSUE Articles for the next edition should reach the editor no later than 21 May 2016 Send it to gcg@sunny-side.ws or phone me on 01673 842 287 Page 2
CHAIRMAN’S REPORT We are again holding a New Member's welcome gathering at my home on Saturday March 19th at 2pm. New members who missed the last one and would like to come to this one are most welcome. Please contact me for directions etc. Since September we have another 27 new members on the books and several people came for the first time to the February meeting so if you did not get an invitation letter please contact me. A reminder to existing members is that we have a sunflower badge available to people who attend for the first time so that you can see they are new and would appreciate being spoken to. The room can be very daunting with all the hubbub of sometimes nearly 200 people. Our Greeters do just that before the next new person needs our attention so please help new members by introducing yourself. On a similar theme there is an increasing number of members who need extra help to do things they used to be very capable of doing on their own and now need help with. Please let me know if you would appreciate someone collecting your drink for you for instance or if you would appreciate someone talking to your partner whilst you do something else. People will help if they realise help is needed at the Monthly Meetings. Some may need to be asked because they would not like to offend by offering unwanted help. Friendship and self help within U3A are guiding principles and ones I feel are very evident in every group I belong to. Best wishes from Gail
Cover Picture A lovely sunny January day in Walesby Woods Page 3
What’s in a Name? The Social Media and Web Design Group is changing from now on it will be called “IT Workshops”. As you would expect a technology group wouldn’t stay the same for long. In future there will be a series of workshops covering topics such as Web Design, Social Media, Getting the most from a tablet, Apps for Smart phones, free software such as Libre Office to replace Microsoft and general discussions on technology. Each workshop will be limited to 5 people. The choice of these workshops will depend on you and what you want so if you’re interested in any of the above subjects or would like to cover something else then please let me know using the contact form on the West Wolds U3A website http://westwoldsu3a.org/?page_id=176. You can call me on 07540 302603 or Text or WhatsApp me on the same number. If you don’t know what WhatsApp is then maybe you might like to sign up for one of the workshops. From March all workshops will be on Tuesday mornings 10:00 – 12:00 (2nd and 4th Tuesday of the month). Steve McCarthy Page 4
The Festival Hall The Festival Hall, Market Rasen is holding an Open Day on Saturday 23rd April between 11am and 3pm. The idea is to showcase the hall and all the groups which use it. Refreshments will be on sale. It is hoped that local groups which perform will have short slots on the stage to show what they do. Local theatre groups may do excerpts from their forthcoming shows and singing and dancing groups may perform. It is also hoped to have various other activities on show in the body of the hall. This is all to encourage people to see what is on offer and also to show what else the hall could be used for. The U3A uses the hall for our monthly meetings and a group so we have a vested interest in its future. I hope we can advertise U3A at the Open Day. Gail Dennis
Telling Our Stories I have some copies left of our booklet that was featured in the last magazine. Cost ÂŁ2, available from me . David Atkinson. 01673 849979
Latin Group The Latin Group meets almost every Friday. The exceptions are usually when our lovely leader Gwen takes another holiday in the sun! After a few years of study we are still enjoying our learning and have moved on from the Cambridge Latin Course to the Oxford one. Both courses cover the language but they each have a different approach to the background of Roman history, beliefs and life. Geoff Goddard Page 5
General Meetings 2016 April 14th Derek Harris —Up the Cut, a history of canals in words and song May 12th
Steve Short —Morecambe & Wise talk with magic thrown in
June 9th
Heather Rosser—Families in the First World War
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Local History Programme April 12th
Stuart Sizer — Louth Navigation
May 10th
Caroline Foster — Guided Walk around Market Rasen
June 14th
Paul Howitt-Cowan — Guided Walk around Gainsborough
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THE WEST WOLDS QUARTERLY DIARY INSERT Remove this insert from your magazine, fold along the lines indicated
COMMITTEE & MANAGEMENT RESPONSIBILITIES 2016
FOLD
Chairman Gail Dennis Tel: 01673 843575 galedennis@btinternet.com
Press Liaison Brian Ward Tel: 01472 852273 briandgill@btinternet.com
Business Secretary David Oliver Tel: 01673 880188 david.g.oliver@btinternet.com
Visits Organiser Brian Ward Tel: 01472 852273 briandgill@btinternet.com
Treasurer Eunice Hughes Tel: 07794 683096 1949@eunicehughes.plus.com
Webmaster Steve McCarthy Tel: 01673-308364 steve@pigyard.com
Membership Secretary Lyn Henry Tel:Tel: 01673-843851 lynhenry@btinternet.com
Magazine Editor Geoff Goddard Tel: 01673 842287 gcg@sunny-side.ws
Groups Co-ordinator Ken Howitt Tel: 01652-678490 kenhowitt@btinternet.com
Speaker Finder Mandy Murphy Tel: 01673 565295 mandy.murphy1396@gmail.com with assistance from Heather Barratt Tel: 01673 849393 bruin10@spitfire24.plus.com and Sheila Nash Tel: 01673 866569 thenashes60@hotmail.com
Archivist Paul Davison Tel: 07746-626482 davison216@btinternet.com FOLD
Neighbourhood Representative David Oliver Tel: Tel: 01673 880188 david.g.oliver@btinternet.com Charity Commission Liaison David Oliver Tel: Tel: 01673 880188 david.g.oliver@btinternet.com
Catering Co-ordinator Margaret Cromack Tel: 01673 876242 margaret.cromack@btinternet.com
Why not visit our website at
www.westwoldsu3a.org Page 7
INTEREST GROUPS WEEK
Monday
Tuesday
10:00 German
1st
14:00 Bridge 14:00 Digital Photography
09:30 Paper Engineering 10:00 German
2nd
14:00 Film 14:30 Spanish
10:00 Local History 10:00 IT Workshops
13.30 Card Craft 14:00 Bridge 14:00 Belly Dancing 14:30 Spanish
10:00 German
3rd
14:00 Bridge 14:00 Digital Photography
09:30 Paper Engineering 10:00 German
4th
14:00 Bridge 14:00 Belly Dancing
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10:00 Country Walks 10:30 Strollers 14:30 Spanish 19:00 Film
10:00 IT Workshops 10:00 Music Appreciation * (*Last Tuesday of month)
14:30 Spanish
MONTHLY TIMETABLE Wednesday
10:00 Country Walks 10:30 Strollers
10:00 Embroidery 10:00 4 Mile Walkers 12:00 Luncheon Group
Thursday
Friday
10:00 French 10:00 Patchwork * 10:00 Keep Fit
10:00 Beginners Family History 10:00 Latin 10:00 Line Dancing
14:00 Drama 14:00 Patchwork *
14:00 Scrabble 14:00 Biblical Hebrew
09.45 GENERAL MEETING Festival Hall Market Rasen Everyone Welcome Tea, Coffee, Event Notices Guest Speaker
10:00 Family History 10:00 Latin 10:00 Line Dancing 14:00 Biblical Hebrew
14:00 Poetry 14:00 Drama
10:00
Telling our Stories
14:00 Readers Group 1
10:00 Embroidery * (*Last Wednesday of month)
14:00 Readers Group 2 14:00 Knitting and Crochet (Oct—April)
10:00 French 10:00 Keep Fit 10:00 Patchwork * 14:00 Drama 14:00 Patchwork *
10:00 Cross Stitch 10:00 Keep Fit* (* And 5th Thursday, if there is one) 14:00 Drama
10:00 Latin 10:00 Cycling 10:00 Line Dancing 14:00 Biblical Hebrew 14:00 Scrabble* (* And 5th Friday of the month, if there is one) 10:00 COFFEE MORNING Jossals, Market Rasen 10:00 Latin 10:00 Line Dancing* (* + 5th Friday, if there is one) 14:00 Mah Jong 14:00 Biblical Hebrew
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INTEREST GROUP CO-ORDINATORS ABSOLUTE BEGINNERS COMPUTING Lyn Henry 01673 843851 ART APPRECIATION Linda Coveley 01673 857153 BELLY DANCING Gillian Anderton 01673 844382 BIBLICAL HEBREW Alison Atkinson 01673 849979 BRIDGE Bryan Storey 01673 849625 CANASTA Jan Watkins 01673 308791 CARD CRAFT Cynthia Burke 01673 849506 CROSS STITCH Cynthia Burke 01673 849506 CYCLING Heather Barratt 01673 849393 DIGITAL PHOTOGRAPHY Pat Hage 01673 849447 DRAMA Gail Dennis 01673 843575 EMBROIDERY Pat Hage 01673 849447 FAMILY HISTORY Steve Field 01673 857519 FAMILY HISTORY – BEGINNERS Jacqueline Reid 01673 849490 FILM GROUP John Bartlett 01673 857480 FRENCH Pat Spolton 01673 828568 GERMAN Jo Howard 01673 862015 IT WORKSHOPS Steve McCarthy 01673 308364 KEEP FIT Dawn Stopper 01472 851133 KNITTING AND CROCHET Sue Jacobs 01673 828898 LATIN Gwen Parsons 07749 044413
LINE DANCING Margaret White 01673 849274 LOCAL HISTORY Jean Childs 01472 859347 LUNCHEON GROUP Pam John 01673 844260 MAH JONG Jacqueline Reid 01673 849490 MUSIC APPRECIATION Ron Jones 01673 843438 PAPER ENGINEERING Lyn Henry 01673 843851 PATCHWORK Lyn Henry 01673 843851 POETRY Eva Smith 01673 842218 READERS GROUP 1 Audrey Storey 01673 849625 READERS GROUP 2 Lyn Henry 01673 843851 RECORDER GROUP Geoff Goddard 01673 842287 SCRABBLE Audrey Storey 01673 849625 SINGING TOGETHER Heather Barratt 01673 849393 SPANISH Alison Atkinson 01673 849979 TELLING OUR STORIES David Atkinson 01673 849979 THE 4-MILERS Mary Ellis 01673 842584 THE 9-MILE HIKERS Helen Wilson 01673 828315 THE COUNTRY WALKERS Ken Howitt 01652 678490 THE STROLLERS Cynthia Burke 01673 849506 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
Interest Groups — Update Belly Dancing This group is now up-and-running/gyrating. So de-fluff your navel and ring Gillian. Co-ordinator: Gillian Anderton 01673 844382.
Singing Together Heather is re-launching this group.. Co-ordinator: Heather Barratt 01673 849393.
Art Appreciation One of our newer members is hoping to find others to join with her in setting up this group. It may even be running by the time you read this! Please contact Linda Coveley 01673 857153.
IT Workshops This will replace the current Web Design & Social Media group, widening its scope to include the use of apps etc for Smart phones, free software etc. For more details contact Steve. Steve McCarthy 07540 302603
Local History and the Walking Groups Information on coming talks and walks is now available on our U3A website
Other new groups If you have ANY suggestions for a new group, however obscure, pleasure contact me and I will publish a sheet for our next General Meeting . You may be surprised to find that others share your interest in native American rain dances or blindfolded Sudoku!
Groups no longer running Art, Armchair Travel, Beginners French, Golf, Jazz & Swing Enjoyment have been discontinued.
New Members Please note that you do not have to permanently “join” groups like Local History and the walking groups. If a particular walk or talk Page 11
appeals to you, then sign the appropriate sheet for that activity. But please remember that , if you are unable to attend, we expect you to cancel by contacting the co-ordinator or walk leader before the event. Members transferring from other U3A`s may not be aware of our charging system. Basically, if we have to hire a room, a speaker or incur any other costs, then those are met by the members attending and are not borne by the WWU3A as a whole. Groups can, however, apply to the Committee for financial assistance e.g. as a “start-up” grant. Ken Howitt Groups Co-ordinator : Feb 2016
Winter Jazz in Devon
A small but perfectly formed group of our members set off from Market Rasen station one morning at the end of January, to travel to Paignton for a weekend of jazz and socialising. Checking in to our hotel on a wet Friday evening, we were re-vitalised by the first of the weekend’s excellent dinners, followed by the first of the weekend’s excellent sessions of lively music. The whole event was well worth the travel involved, which went smoothly throughout, helped by the ‘assistance’ organised to move us and our bags between trains Page 12
wherever we had to change. The weather the following days was fine enough to allow us to explore the town – two of our ladies even used their bus passes to reach Torquay – and we were all able to walk off the generous meals. All in all, an enjoyable time, with good company, good food, good music and a change from your average weekend at home! Brian Ward
Amusing Observations on Growing Older Your kids are becoming you...and you don't like them ...but your grandchildren are perfect. Going out is good. Coming home is better. When people say you look "Great"... they add "for your age". When you needed the discount, you paid full price. Now you get discounts on everything ... movies, hotels, flights, but you're too tired to use them. You forget names ... but it's OK because other people forgot they even knew you! The 5 pounds you wanted to lose is now 15 and you have a better chance of losing your keys than the 15 pounds. You realise you're never going to be really good at anything ... especially golf. Your partner is counting on you to remember things you don't remember. Page 13
Recorder Group The Recorder Group has been going for three years. Numbers of players have hardly changed in that time with only a slight increase to 6 regular members of the group. Meeting in each other’s homes we practice pieces that we are familiar with and work on new material as well. We are very fortunate that one of our members, Jennifer Jones, is an able teacher, so the group has made good progress. About a year ago we put on a performance for the Music Appreciation Group run by Ron Jones. At this demonstration we tried to give an introduction to the development of the recorder and its music from early times to the present day. We were able to introduce some modern designs of recorder. In the picture you can see several models made by a German company that are built in plywood. The tallest one which belongs to me is called a Contra Bass and stands approximately five feet tall and is effectively an 8 foot instrument. The next size down is a Great Bass and the other two are ordinary Basses. Those three recorders are owned by players from the Louth Recorder Group. In the last three summers we have had a playing day with Retford and Newark U3A recorder groups and have had really enjoyable times with them. Learning to play a musical instrument is said to use practically the whole of ones brain. It’s a great way to keep the mind active and brings a lot of pleasure. Making music with other people is fun! Geoff Goddard Page 14
Paper Engineering Many of our members must wonder what is meant by Paper Engineering. Making working models out of paper and card needs imagination and dexterity, skills that help to hold off the effects of aging! Brian Ward spent some time with the ‘engineers’ and has supplied these photographs to illustrate the group’s activities
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This Cartoon was drawn for the Cycling Group by Jane McCarthy Page 16