Tributes to past members
Two of our past members have passed away this year, 2017, therefore by way of a tribute to them both, I include John Morris’s words about Gwyneth Watson Jones and a transcript of an interview broadcast on BBC Radio Wales between Frank Hennesy and Marion Lyons while she was chairman, though I don’t know the exact date.
Gwyneth Watson Jones.
Before the start of business I would like to say a few words in tribute to one of our oldest members. Sadly Gwyneth Watson Jones passed away on 17 March this year, one day before her 92nd birthday. She passed away peacefully in her sleep in Hospis Dewi Sant, Llandudno. A group of her friends attended her funeral.
It is a while since Gwyneth was able to attend these monthly meetings and she may not be known to some of you. She had been a member for many years and was at one time, now in the distant past, Treasurer. When there was a Spanish group she would entertain them at her house in Penmaenmawr. Until fairly recently she was a regular at the music appreciation group where she introduced us to some new voices including Katie Melua. She also enjoyed the Poetry and lunch groups, especially the latter. She also gave a talk to this group on Astronomy.
In her later years her niece Pamela was a great comfort to her. Together they would set off on their travels to far flung places including the Panama Canal. She always enjoyed her at least annual trip on the Queen Mary.
Gwyneth was a gentle lady with a lovely sense of humour and a twinkle in her eye. She will be missed by all who knew her,
John Morris
The following transcript was sent to me in the form of a CD RoM by Marion during 2016 to be included in our U3A archives.
Marion Lyons and Frank Hennesy
You can’t have failed to have missed the second chance campaign and over the past week here on Radio Wales and on this programme in particular, where we encouraged adults to go into further education and there is certainly no age limit to returning to study and one group in particular know that only too well are the members of the University of the Third Age.
Marion Lyons is the chairman of the Abergele branch and she is in our Bangor studios to tell us more about the college that offers education and leisure for the over 50s.
FH Good afternoon to you Marion
ML Good afternoon Frank
FH Now why is it called the third age?
ML Well the first age is said to be the age of your childhood and school, the second age, the age of work, career, family and social responsibilities, the third age is the age of retirement and to use my words ‘freedom to choose’. In the country today a fifth of the population belong to the third age and this phase of life can last for over thirty years.
FH And that’s changed a lot, I mean life expectancy has gone up even in the last ten years, we all expect to live a little bit longer and that’s important.
ML Yes
FH Now, is it actually a university?
ML Well certainly not as you and I would interpret the word university, there is no building of higher learning. I would interpret the word university in the third age context as a universal pleasure of learning.
FH And where did it all begin?
ML It began in France in 1972 and the first branch of the U3A was established in 1982 in Cambridge and we are fortunate in having a founder member of the Cambridge group in the Abergele branch of the U3A.
FH So you are very well positioned for the future. Now you are the chairman of the Abergele branch. How does it work? Explain how the whole system works then.
ML Well, it is an organisation for retired people run by retired people and the U3A members organise their own activities and offer their own skills and knowledge and experience to their fellow members.
FH So are their lectures as such if you want to take them?
ML Yes, in Abergele we offer Italian, philosophy, English literature, needlework and a very successful art workshop and on the recreation side we have short mat bowls and swimming. These are the subjects that the members have requested but all our tutors are volunteers, they are members of the U3A themselves and they are unpaid.
FH And I would imagine a lot of them are retired themselves of course and what, would have been teachers, headmasters, lecturers, that kind of thing?
ML Yes, Yes.
FH Oh, I see. Now where do you have the classes? Do you go to a classroom as such?
ML Well, no, we hire a room wherever possible. We meet in the community centre in Abergele, in the village hall in Llanddulas, in the friendship club in Colwyn Bay and where the numbers in the class don’t merit hiring a room, we meet in one of the member’s homes.
FH A very good idea, nice and relaxed. Is there a certificate? I mean, what do they use in the old academic parlance, will it lead to a degree?
ML No, no qualifications are needed to become a member of the U3A and no qualifications are given. I fact one of the values of the U3A is that members come from a rich diversity of backgrounds and offers opportunities to people who haven’t had one previously.
FH So there is no need to be afraid that you are going to fail your exams or anything like that.
ML No and there is no pressure at all.
FH It sounds to me as if it is as much a social group as much as a study group, a combination of the both.
ML Yes. We have a luncheon group where members, if they choose, lunch together once a month, usually near a place of interest. Everyone gets together, we’ve visited the reconstructed Albert Dock in Liverpool and the Anglican and Catholic cathedrals in Liverpool. We also have a travel group where a number of members will go to Germany in June. But I cannot explain it to you Frank, but in the Abergele branch and I think this must apply to every other branch, there is a unique bond of friendship between the members.
FH Is this what makes it different from, say, joining evening classes?
ML Well partly that. I think I would say the cost. In our branch we have an annual subscription of £5 plus 50p for each class that you attend and all our tutors are of course volunteers and are unpaid. The U3A has a lower age limit of fifty years, our study groups run throughout the year and I think most of all, there is an informality which allows very open discussion.
FH It sounds a lot of fun and something very worthwhile if you have the time and of course many people have now if you are over fifty years of age. I understand you are hoping more groups will be set up in Wales. Is that right?
ML Oh yes, very much so. Our members come to Abergele from as far afield as Penmaenmawr, Prestatyn and Ruthin and I would hope that groups would be formed in these areas and we would be willing to help other areas to organise their own group.
FH Well, if people listening now are intrigued and are interested in what you have said and would like to start their own group, how can the Abergele University branch of the third age, how can they help. Do you have a contact number?
ML Could I give you my telephone number, I would be most willing to help anyone. (Marion gives her phone number).
FH (Frank Hennesy repeats the number). The conversation continues...and you are more than happy to spend five minutes chatting to people telling them how they can set their own group up.
ML Yes, and giving them literature and any help that I can give them.
FH Marion, it has been a great pleasure talking to you, enjoy your learning in the years to come. I’m sure many other people will benefit as well. Bye bye.
ML Goodbye Frank.
FH That was Marion Lyons and she’s the chairman of the Abergele section of the University of the Third Age.