North Cotswold U3A

The North

Cotswold University of the Third Age started in September 1996 in the Gloucestershire village of Willersey, near Broadway. At that time, a group of like minded people met to discuss the opportunities that were available for retired people in the area. During the discussion, it was agreed that self help groups might solve the problem of providing learning and social opportunities for adults in a social environment rather than the formal atmosphere of a lecture room. From this the North Cotswol U3A began.

Now with over 300 members drawn from towns and villages as far apart as Stratford upon Avon, Winchcombe, Evesham and Stow-in-the-Wold, the North Cotswold U3A boasts more than 30 different interest groups covering subjects as varied as Art Appreciation and Scottish Dancing, to Nature rambles,walking,curling photography and Opera.

Once or twice a month, members in village halls and members houses in the area under the guidance of a Group Leader or Co-ordinator and with occasional input from an expert in their subject. Shared self-help learning is the guiding principle of the University of the Third Age and its major resource is the knowledge, skill and expertise of its members.

All are welcome to join the NCU3A whether you are retired or still working..Please contact the secretary for

NORTH COTSWOLD

NEWS

www.northcotswoldu3a.org.uk January 2012 No.59

DATES FOR YOUR DIARIES!

Thursday 12^th January at 2.00pm

Open Meeting at Willersey Village Hall

Bletchley Park

Robert Skelt will be talking to us about Bletchley Park. The work done at Bletchley in the last war was vital to our success in winning the war and the Bletchley Park Trust is ensuring that Bletchley is kept in good condition so that we can all visit and see what happened there.

Wednesday 1^st February at 1.00pm

Group Leaders Meeting at Willersey Village Hall

Lunch followed by the Meeting

Thursday 9^th February at 2.00pm

Open Meeting at Willersey Village Hall

Metal Sculptures.

Our speaker will be Rachel Higgins who has been highly recommended by one of our members. Rachel makes metal sculptures and will talk about her work.

Thursday 8^th March at 2.00pm

The Everyman Theatre

The Chief Executive of the Everyman Theatre has kindly agreed to come and talk to us about this long established place of entertainment and plans for the future, following its recent restoration.

Thursday April 12^th at 2.00pm

The Suffragette Movement

talk by Muriel Pilkington

Thursday May 10^th at 2.00pm

Darjeeling Himalayan Railway

Talk by David Mead

Admission is open to Members and Non-Members at a cost of £2.00

Payable on the door.

Chairman’s Report

U3A as ‘Big Society.’

Small, voluntary groups are what – nowadays – create community. Such groups cluster together under the banner of U3A. In some of the villages where we live, people speak of them having a real community feel. Others do not. Yet, there remains a romantic ideal of living in a country village – nowhere more so than in the Cotswolds.

But even in community-minded villages things are very different from what they were in former times. It is no longer the church, the chapel, the pub, or chatting over the garden fence that lies at the heart of what most of us do. Increasingly, our friends and activities are based on the mobility that the motorcar provides: we are free to choose where we will go and how we will spend our time. Because we live less closely with our immediate neighbours, we can remain much more private in our lives and our affairs, despite being very active.

U3A groups fill these criteria – based on mobility, choice, and yet privacy. Probably that is why the Organisation and its many groups are strong and growing. They are networks of people who find interest, fulfilment, creativity, and companionship in sharing and learning together. Who knows – we may be part of ‘the Big Society?’

So, I hope we can confidently recommend our ‘University of the 3^rd Age’, asking and inviting others to participate in our various activities. As more U3A groups are formed in the surrounding area, the Committee has decided to welcome members who belong to other U3As on the basis of a reduced subscription. Hopefully, 2012 – for which I send you wishes for all that is good – will be another year of development and growth in North Cotswold.

John Thompstone.

THE BURFORD MUTINY

The meeting on November 10th was very well attended - 66 people were there - and Muriel Pilkington gave an excellent talk on ‘The Burford Mutiny.’ Her talk covered the feelings of the people at the time of the Civil Wars, of which there were three. The majority of citizens had many grievances and finally these erupted into riots. However, many of the changes that were being sought are still in place today, for example general elections are held every five years and torture is not tolerated. Burford still has celebrations of Levellers Day in May each year in remembrance of the Burford Mutiny.

Muriel Pilkington is currently researching and writing a new talk on the Suffragette Movement.

Christmas – Magic or Humbug

On December 8th David Howe gave an excellent talk on ‘Christmas - Magic or Humbug’. David is a popular raconteur with an easy manner, and speaks without notes. Following David's talk the group had to ponder on whether Christmas is truly magic, or is humbug more appropriate.

As is traditional, a wonderful Christmas tea followed the talk. This is an annual event and everyone had a splendid time and enjoyed getting to talk to members they had not met before.

Our thanks go to the ladies in the kitchen for organising the Christmas tea.

Sonia Woolven

Programme Secretary

GEOLOGY, ASTRONOMY AND PALAEONTOLOGY GROUP

Since January this year the Group had been ‘under new management’ as Frank Benham retired as Group Leader in December 2010 after several years as Group Leader. Many thanks, Frank, for all you did for the group.

This year we have had meetings covering a wide range of topics. These include two talks from outside speakers – Using Fossils to Study Climate Changes, in various geological periods and Using Geology to Tackle Climate Change, in the present.

Several members have made regular contributions on various aspects of astronomy, such as monthly updates on which stars to look at; the activity of the sun, and recent research on many other fields of astronomy. In addition we have had a demonstration of different types of telescopes and how to use them. Other members have given talks on the Geology of Iceland and the Mammalian fauna of Europe in the Eocene.

In addition to indoor meetings we have enjoyed a field trip to study the geology of the Soudley Valley in the Forest of Dean; a walk around Gloucester looking at the different types of stones used in the buildings there, and a Star Gazing Party on a fine, clear and not too cold night.

Thanks to everyone who has made a contribution to a very lively and active group.

We meet on the 3^rd Friday of the month at Wickhamford Village Hall, from 10 am to 12 noon. Visitors and new members will always find a warm welcome.

Hazel Bartlett Tel: 01386 852244

Colin Sagar Tel: 01386 849168

Gardens and Gardening – Winter Meetings

We meet on the second Friday of the month at Willersey Village Hall at 10am for coffee in time for our illustrated talk to begin at 10.30.

In October we enjoyed a talk by Frank Hardy on “All Our Yesterdays” which covered the changing fashionable plants during our lifetime, then in November an excellent illustrated talk by Julie Ritchie of Hoo House Nursery about easy alpines and low growing perennials, with the bonus of flowering plants for sale!

Shirley Sagar

Tel:01386 849168

Curling

Following a good turn out for our ‘trial sessions’, we shall be starting a new group for Curling at

Weston Sub Edge Village Hall

10 AM-12AM

January 23rd

February 27th

March 26th

April 23rd

May 28th (this is a Bank Holiday so will be depending on numbers)

June 25th

July 23rd.

Everyone is welcome!

Freda Cannan

Tel: 01386 701539

Group

SUMMER SCHOOLS

Please note that the information regarding the Summer Schools is now available from the U3A website, and application forms will be at our

Open Meeting in January.

U3A Explores Science at the RI

Tuesday 27^th March 2012 at

The Royal Institute of Great Britain

21 Albermarle Street

London W1

Places are limited and are by ticket only.

£18 to include refreshments.

Apply in writing to

The Third Age Trust

19 East Street

Bromley

Kent BR1 1QE

Please enclose a stamped addressed envelope and make your cheque payable to The Third Age Trust.

Did you know?

When a giraffe’s baby is born, it falls from a height of 6ft,

usually without being hurt!

What people say!

I had been driving for 40 years when I fell asleep at the wheel

and had an accident.

In An Emergency

The emergency number worldwide for Mobile is 112. If you find yourself out of the coverage area of your mobile network and there is an emergency, dial 112 and the mobile will search any existing network to establish the emergency number for you.

This number 112 can be dialled even if your keypad is locked.

Also another useful one is the Hidden Battery Power - imagine your mobile battery is very low; to reactivate, press the keys *3370# and your mobile will restart with this reserve and will show a 50% increase in battery. This reserve will get charged when you next recharge your mobile.

Poetry and Prose

Downhill Skier by Pam Ayres

For sale:

One goggle with elastic round the ears,

Stained with perspiration and with tears,

One photo of beginners’ class, grouped,

And one bobble hat – drooped.

Photographs of mountains and of snow,

Of people that I didn’t get to know,

Me laughing in the snow and waving mitt,

Pretending to be glad. A hypocrite.

One salopette, elasticated calf,

One cartilage in kneecap, torn in half,

One book of phrase learned for days,

And ridiculed by Frenchmen in cafes.

One lift map showing type: drag, T-bar, chair,

With length of queue anticipated there,

In agonising detail I recall,

How surely I fell screaming from them all.

One postcard showing icy mountain range,

One bruise, the shape of hotel key and change,

Tears of humiliation hotly dabbed,

And voodoo doll of ski instructor, stabbed.

For sale, one skiing jacket, hardly worn,

Suitable for up the Matterhorn,

Excellent condition, perfect fit,

Retirement sale. Owner forced to quit.