EDITOR’S CHAT Summer at last! It’s nearly too hot to be sitting at my computer writing this editorial. What a summer we have had, BREXIT, the Olympic Games and lots of rain. Whatever the weather West Wolds U3A keeps on going strongly. It seems that every quarter I’m trying to squeeze more groups into the list on page 10. It’s really great to see members taking up the suggestion at the end of Steve's article on page 4, working to do more things for your U3A. We need still more people to get on with helping others to learn something new or to improve their knowledge and skills in a particular subject. In August I went to the U3A summer School at the Royal Agricultural University, Cirencester. What a lovely place to stay at! There was lots of good food, some excellent company and for me the chance to play recorder music with some old friends. It was a great experience. As far as I know I’m the only person from our U3A to attend a Summer School. Why don’t you give it a try?—who knows you might actually enjoy it. By the way, I’ve decided that 5 years as editor is long enough and I’ll be handing over the reins after the December issue. Best wishes from Geoff
With West Wolds U3A
LEARN LAUGH LIVE COPY DATE FOR THE DECEMBER ISSUE Articles for the next edition should reach the editor no later than 25 November 2016 Page 2
CHAIRMAN’S REPORT September sees yet another new members’ meeting taking place with over forty new members who have joined since March being invited. Each time we hold these meetings there are many new people to invite. I have been Chairman now for three years and have met many new members in that time. I hope you all continue to enjoy U3A and feel able to volunteer to carry out the many tasks necessary to ensure West Wolds U3A thrives. I hope the new committee can rely on everyone's support. I am stepping down after six years on the committee but will be around to support if needed. Best wishes from Gail
Congratulations and Thanks 1.
Congratulations to Lyn Henry and her Paper Engineers for getting WW U3A a mention in Third Age Matters (TAM).
2.
Many thanks to Steve McCarthy for designing, distributing and now collating an excellent survey about WW U3A. I am sure the committee will be anxious to address many of the comments and implement some really useful suggestions. Well done, Steve, a great job Mandy Murphy.
Cover Picture Brian Ward, the ‘Laughing Cavalier’ on the Local History trip to Newark castle Page 3
West Wolds U3A Survey Analysis The survey undertaken by the committee earlier this year has produced some interesting results and undoubtedly lessons have been learned from the way the survey was composed and the questions we asked.
that the format of the monthly meetings doesn’t require improvement.
Survey respondents were 75% female, 48% were aged 55 – 69 and one third live alone. A third of all surveys came from people who joined in the last three years. The majority of our members joined for friendship and a social life.
activities.
The interest groups also received very positive feedback with quality 92%; range of activities 100% and group venues 96%. It must be borne in mind that out Additional group suggestions of a potential 300 respondents we included Creative Writing, Theatre had 76 completed surveys. At 25% visits and Yoga but, without people coming forward to develop of the membership this is disappointing and we had hoped these ideas, it isn’t going to we would achieve a higher level of happen. We need more engagement from the engagement. It is important to membership. remember when analysing the data it only represents one quarter We had a number of suggestions of our membership and therefore for organised trips and these will any conclusions are open to be considered but of course we do debate. need volunteers to lead these
The speakers at the monthly meetings received positive feedback in the region of 87% and the Festival Hall was regarded highly by 92% of you so the loss of the hall as a venue would have a very high impact on us all. The overall organisation of the meetings got 98% positive response. The general opinion is
Finally in selecting words that best describe our U3A many of you thought we were: welcoming 87%; friendly 84%; sociable 77% and educational 66% - all very commendable however such words as dynamic 9%; progressive 12%; and upbeat 11%; indicates we are not pushing the boundaries of what we could be achieving. So what can you do to help? Get more involved, ask the question “how I can help?”. Stop asking what the U3A can do for me and start asking what you can do for it.
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Steve McCarthy
Mr Ukulele Group Our very first meeting took place in my dining room which became rather cramped but great fun. We were given tuition from Mike learning our first four chords C, G, F and G7 then attempted extremely well to strum This Old House and Bad Moon Rising. Coffee tea biscuits as we U3A do. Our practicing went well and This Old House was much improved with our last attempt. A photo session was appropriate in the garden of all fourteen of us a very good turn out for the first session. They were all sent home happy with a borrowed ukulele under their arms for practicing, ready for the next session. A big thank you to Mike for starting us off on the right foot and loan of the ukuleles. Our venue from now onwards is held at St. Thomas Church Room Market Place Market Rasen, on the second and fourth Wednesday evenings at 7 pm - 9 pm. Do come and join us, some of us had never even seen a ukulele before. It's fantastic fun. Contact Heather on 01673 84 9393
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General Meetings 2016
October 13
Janette Merilion – “Calendar Of Colour” Colours in your garden. Janette has a successful garden design business based in Lincolnshire.
November 10 AGM + U3A Group Presentations
.
Local History Programme
13th September
Talk by Ruth Andrews at Middle Rasen Church
11th October:
Stuart Sizer The Louth Navigation (canal)
8th November:
Ken Hollamby “Corrugated Iron !”
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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 TBA
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
13.30 Card Craft 14:00 Bridge 14:00 Turkish Delight Desert Dancers
10:00 German
3rd
4th
14:00 Film 14:30 Spanish
10:00 Local History 10:00 IT Workshops
14:30 Spanish
10:00 Country Walks 10:30 Strollers
14:00 Bridge 14:00 Digital Photography
14:30 Spanish 19:00 Film
09:30 Paper Engineering 10:00 German
10:00 IT Workshops 10:00 Music Appreciation * (*Last Tuesday of month)
14:00 Bridge 14:00 Turkish Delight Desert Dancers Page 8
14:30 Art Appreciation 14:30 Spanish
MONTHLY TIMETABLE Wednesday
10:00 Country Walks 10:30 Strollers
Thursday
10:00 French 10:00 Patchwork * 10:00 Keep Fit
14:00 Drama 14:00 Patchwork *
10:00 Embroidery 10:00 4 Mile Walkers
09.45 GENERAL MEETING Festival Hall Market Rasen
12:00 Luncheon Group
Everyone Welcome Tea, Coffee, Event Notices Guest Speaker
14:00 Canasta 14:00 Poetry 19:00 Mr Ukulele Group
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) 19:00 Mr Ukulele Group
Friday
10:00 Beginners Family History 10:00 Latin 10:00 Line Dancing 10:30 Cycling 14:00 Scrabble 14:00 Biblical Hebrew
10:00 10:00 10:00 10:30
Family History Latin Line Dancing Cycling
14:00 Biblical Hebrew
14:00 Drama
10:00 10:00 10:00 10:30 14:00 14:00
French Keep Fit Patchwork * Cycling Drama Patchwork *
10:00 Cross Stitch 10:00 Keep Fit* (* And 5th Thursday, if there is one) 14:00 Drama
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10:00 Latin 10:00 Line Dancing 10:30 Cycling 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* 10:30 Cycling* (* + 5th Friday, if there is one) 14:00 Singing Together 14:00 Mah Jong 14:00 Biblical Hebrew
INTEREST GROUP CO-ORDINATORS ABSOLUTE BEGINNERS COMPUTING Lyn Henry 01673 843851 ART APPRECIATION Linda Coveley 01673 857153 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 TURKISH DELIGHT DESERT DANCERS Gillian Anderton 01673 844382 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 UKULELE Heather Barratt 01673 849393 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 The following 3 groups were suggested at the last New Members Meeting and seem to be taking off. So, let`s have some more! – whether you are a new member or a member of long standing.
Gardens Already proving very popular with a very interesting programme. Co-ordinator: Mary Howes: 01673 849554.
Musical Keyboard Skills A small , “self-help” group just starting up. Co-ordinator: Terry Francis – 07840 975547
Upholstery & Furniture Restoration Again upholding the U3A principle of “self help”, pooling their experiences and skills to help one another! Co-ordinator: Gail Dennis – 01673 843575
Ukulele Group You do not need to have your own instrument to start – you can try various instruments before you decide! Co-ordinator: Heather Barratt – 01673 849393
Man Sheds It`s what you want to make of it (as long as it is legal and does not besmirch our reputation !!) Conker swapping ?, spanner juggling ?, ferret fondling? Ken Howitt , Groups` Co-ordinator
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Newark Trip Many members said they only knew Newark as somewhere they bypassed en route to the wider world. Our recent visit to the new Civil War Centre allowed them to see some of the town as well! First off we enjoyed coffee and cookies on arrival, then everyone took as much time as they wanted to explore the permanent displays
relating to the Civil War which caused Newark to be besieged, and also the current exhibition about the techniques of dealing with injuries sustained in the bloody hand to hand fighting of that age. Pretty gruesome. Then we met our guides for a tour of Newark Castle, where several intrepid climbers made their way up the 77 steps to the top of the Tower. Our guides, Floss Newman and her assistant, unlocked doors to the Undercroft (built in what had once been the river itself), and then the Debtors Dungeon – if you got thrown in there, you came out as bones ‌ It was amazing to see original graffiti from the time of the Templars.
Back a bit Ken!
The undercroft at Newark Castle
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We rounded off the day with an afternoon trip on the 1902 MV ‘Sonning,’ from Newark to Farndon (the original site of the Roman settlement which later moved to Newark). It got a bit
chilly on the return journey, but it allowed a different view of the countryside, and we saw many waterfowl, including herons patiently fishing. Brian Ward
Age is just a number Just before the funeral service, the undertaker came up to the very elderly widow and asked, “How old was your husband?” “98”, she replied. “Two years older than me.” “So you're 96,” the undertaker commented. She responded, “Hardly worth going home, is it?” A man was telling his neighbour, “I just bought a new hearing aid. It cost me four thousand pounds, but its state of the art. It's perfect.” “Really,” answered the neighbour. “What kind is it?” “Twelve thirty”, he replied. Page 13
My Favourite Walk - in Lincolnshire
pub or eatery, the walks are led in turn by members of the group. Lincolnshire isn't flat of course, but it is not mountainous, though pauses to admire the scenery or take photos may have additional Under the group leaderships of benefits. Often, a diversion into a village church, castle remains or Doreen Wallis, Mary Ellis and Ken Howitt, I have walked many battle site is made. miles - some hot, sunny, wet, windy or snowy. After the initial brief discussion, "Are we up for it?" the reply has been "Yes" except on a very few notable occasions. I joined the West Wolds U3A Walking Group in 2000, soon after I moved back, following bereavement , to live in my native county. I didn't know anyone in the Branch.
Usually around 5 miles long and followed by a meal in a nearby Page 14
My favourite has to be the circular walk beginning at the Black Horse Inn in Donington on Bain. It has everything : setting out northwards, along the waymarked Viking Way, there are, in turn, peaceful tracks through meadows beside streams and lakes with assorted wildlife - and the odd beast or two - a deserted church, gradual slopes leading to a path above a steep-sided wide valley with beautiful far-reaching views over well-tended mixed farming and Lincoln Cathedral in the far distance and probably a thousand sheep grazing on the valley sides. Then the bonus of a
long descent through woods and lanes and back to the village street and an interesting display in the shop window at the Post Office. Of course, if you are fit, you could do the walk in the opposite direction which probably makes the best of the views. The food at the Black Horse has usually been superior to most of the local pubs and is now under new management. On a recent visit our pre-ordered meal was efficiently served - and enjoyed. You don't have to walk alone!
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Jean Childs
Refreshments at the General Meetings A note from your Chairman
Recently there have been a few incidents of members not knowing the way refreshments are organised so I thought I ought to write an article for the magazine. I assumed everyone understood how it all worked but was told they did not so hence this little list. 1.
West Wolds U3A pays for all the supplies from funds but our Catering Co-ordinator buys them and submits receipts for payments due . She also brings the supplies each month and takes them away again at the end and washes the tea towels.
2.
Volunteers are needed at each General Meeting to serve the drinks and to wash up. At the moment two of each are needed.
3.
Tea is made in the kitchen and brought through in covered tea pots.
4.
An urn is plugged in to sit on the serving table so each cup of coffee can be made when needed.
5.
If more hot water is needed the second urn is trollied in and used from the trolley.
6.
Drinks are served once the water is hot enough but cease at 10.15 am so washing up can be completed by 10.30 am for our volunteers to sit down and enjoy the speaker.
7.
Members are asked to return their dirty crockery to the sink side as soon as they have finished with it.
Gail Dennis
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