Summer 2018 Newsletter
Baddow and Galleywood U3A
Newsletter – Summer 2018
STOP PRESS NEWS:
I regret to inform you that, since Roy wrote the article below, he has resigned as Chairman forthwith, due to family health problems. We wish his family well.
However, I have asked our Editor to include his ‘Wanderings’, as I am sure it reflects your Committee’s thoughts.
It is therefore even more important that the Membership as a whole finds a suitable person to manage the B&G U3A, as without a Chairman we cannot operate.
Should you be interested in any of the roles on the Committee but would like more information, then please feel free to speak to any current member of the Committee or contact me direct on 07432 708 444.
Ron Brobson - Vice Chairman
The Wandering thoughts of our Chairman
I intend to keep these wanderings short for this issue as you probably will want to be enjoying sunshine and rest over the summer months. Hasn’t the weather been great, especially holding firm for our 20th anniversary cream tea at the Galleywood Heritage Centre? I trust all who attended enjoyed themselves and were well fed and entertained. So many were involved in this event and I take this opportunity to express thanks to everyone involved in handling the multiple needs of the day. Special thanks to John Chapman who held it all together once it was decided to have an event for the anniversary celebrations. Thank you, John, and all involved.
John, as Social Secretary has held this role since the last AGM and it shows that another need of our U3A is now being met by having someone in this role. In my last wanderings I listed most if not all the current committee roles, who holds them and just an idea of what they do. Some roles seem a lot for one person and I know I think at times that I could never do this role or that role. However, some of our Committee are considering standing down at the AGM (12th September) for various reasons, so considering forming a new committee from September with members both continuing and replacing some of the current committee is what I want to centre on in these wanderings.
To this end: I make an urgent plea to everyone in Baddow and Galleywood U3A, both those who attend a lot and those that don’t. To those who attend primarily their group(s) and those who primarily come to the monthly meeting. Please, please, please, to one and all, I ask you to do one (or preferably both) of the following:
1. Consider who you believe will make a good member of the committee. They may already be serving, have served in the past or never served (yet!). You are not limited as to the number you can nominate but please ask them first. When you have persuaded them by whatever means are legal, then get a Nomination form (details on the Website), complete it and give it to the Business Secretary.
2. If you feel able to serve in any way then ask someone to nominate you. There will be many who will nominate if asked rather than be nominated themselves.The roles are discussed and decided at the first committee meeting after the AGM, but if a certain role seems close to your heart then speak to the current incumbent who may be standing down or would like to try their hand at another role. For any information on how the committee works, speak to any current committee member.
As committee members we don’t always know if we are doing a good job or not, so this is an opportunity to encourage those you feel are doing a good job to continue even if they are thinking of standing down. A nomination is both an encouragement and a decision maker.
I close these wanderings (which may be my last) with thanks to everyone who belongs to B&G U3A, from the newest member to our founding members, who make it what it is. Someone I respect once said: “Change is here to stay” and to do that we must be open to change, ready for change and participate in change. It is great that U3A continues throughout the summer and I hope for all the things you want for yourself.
Roy Brackley
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And It Came to Pass…….
Long long ago (1998 to be exact) a great multitude gathered at a place called The Olde Library in Baddowe Magna. And a (Di) Angel appeared unto them and said: “I bring you good tidings of great joy. Here is the University of the 3rd Age which I offer to you, whereby you can gather together every month to listen to great speakers. You will be able to discuss matters of great importance and put the world aright whilst you drink of the cup and eat of the biscuit”.
And so leaders were appointed to carry the burden of organisation, which were called ‘The Committee’. And the Angel volunteered to be the 1st Chairman. And the multitude formed Interest Groups so that they could exercise their god- given talents (and a coordinator whom they could praise when things went right). And they read books, they computed, they photographed, they studied history (local and family). They took long walks and short walks, followed by compulsory visits to local hostelries. They even pinged and ponged, and they learned to speak with foreign tongues. They played instruments and sang songs. They performed with needles and sometimes with pins. They communicated with letters to the Editor, who produced a Newsletter with regular glad tidings.
Outings were made throughout the County to spread the word, take the snaps, and generally disturb the local inhabitants. This showed the whole world that there still is life in the over 60’s.
Thank the Lord for the B&G U3A and God bless us all!
Allen Buckroyd
A note from the Editor:
Welcome to the Summer edition and what a summer it’s been so far! Sunshine, heat, a garden party, football(!) and in this issue some new and exciting contributions! Thank you to everyone who sent in articles, photographs and poems; readers will find lots to capture their imagination, I think. It would be really good if we always had such a bumper Newsletter, so do keep sending me your contributions with news of your group or anything you’d like to write about our U3A.
The next issue will available in November, in order to make changes needed following the AGM on Sept 12th.
Following his resignation, I send best wishes to Roy and his family.
Maggie
Interest Group Reports
Strollers.
2017 ended well with us all deciding during our Christmas lunch that we would continue to run the group, but with some changes. We all agreed fellowship, and fun if possible, were what we wanted. Ann and I also asked for some help and we have had an excellent response.
In February, Doug who has always given so much to B and G U3A, led a walk of ten Strollers in Danbury, our thanks to Doug, we do value you and are pleased to have you back.
In March Chris Morden helped to lead the walk around Great Baddow, our thanks to her for an amusing visit to the adults’ play centre and snippets of local history. An amazing fifteen people had lunch together in the White Horse. At this meeting we agreed that as our walks get shorter we should change the meeting time to 11 a.m. rather than 10.30.
It was great that Ron and Norma agreed to lead April’s walk at Blakes Wood, Diana and Allen are likely to lead June’s stroll at Hylands and Pat Pitwood will be leading the November walk at Bicnacre, one I am sorry we shall miss.
John and I will lead most of the other strolls and we look forward to welcoming the group to our garden in July.
If we can all work together it means the group will continue and no one will feel being a coordinator is a burden. Thank you, fellow strollers for your help, long may our little strolls and our lunches continue. 
Isobel Greenshields,
Coordinator.
Local History Group One
I write this as we near the end of our winter season of seven meetings. We start again in September with a talk on the history of the wool industry in Essex. Last winter we were pleased to welcome some new members. Please come along if your local history interests you. From feedback I have had, I believe the recent talks have proved interesting and informative, subjects being the CTC railway, Leigh-on-Sea, past memories of Essex, Henry Winstanley and workhouses.
However as co-ordinator I have found it the most challenging of the eighteen years I have planned these meetings. For the first time, I had three last minute changes: for the first I used my reserve DVD, the next I was able to engage another speaker at short notice and finally snow caused the cancellation of the February meeting. Thank you all for being so understanding.
Whilst I have taken the lead, planning this Group’s activities, it would not have survived without members’ involvement – from help organising the hall (opening up, chairs, blackout, IT equipment, refreshments etc), giving me ideas and achieving lively question times. Vera has capably handled attendance records and finances for a year longer than my involvement! Well done everybody and thank you.
Following my decision not to arrange any visits this summer, I understand several members are planning to do so. My programme for next winter will be available at the August monthly U3A meeting.
Brian Barker
Co-ordinator
Family History Group in March
More than 30 of us got together in March for a wonderful afternoon when Gerry Baxter, the Pearly King of Streatham, gave us a talk on ‘The Origins and Traditions of the Pearly Kings and Queens of London’.
The practice of wearing clothes decorated with mother-of-pearl buttons originated in the 19th century. The first Pearly King was Henry Croft, an orphan street sweeper, who collected money for charity. His statue, originally on his grave in Finchley cemetery, is now in the crypt of St. Martin-in-the-Fields, after being vandalised when it was in the cemetery. Croft started to wear his pearly suit to raise money for charity in the late 1870s. Henry Croft began to decorate his clothes with mother-of-pearl buttons, which were mass-produced at factories in the East End of London. He was never a costermonger but probably found many buttons when doing his job as a street sweeper. The ‘Pearlies’ have to stitch on their own buttons to decorate their outfits. Some outfits are completely covered with buttons and others have patterns – Gerry’s outfit had symbols that meant a lot to him – ice-skates, windmills, butterflies and flowers.
Gerry told us a lot about his charitable works – he gives talks and when his children were young, the whole family would attend charity events in their outfits. One of his daughter, when just a small child, insisted on carrying her own heavy collecting bucket. His son, aged 19, asked if he could become a Pearly King, and it was agreed with Westminster Council, the Westminster Pearly family and the Original Pearly Kings and Queens Association that he should have the title of Pearly King of Marylebone. Although Gerry and his wife now live in Suffolk they do return to Streatham whenever asked and are able to help. But a lot of their work is for East Anglian charities; in particular they support EACH – East Anglia’s Children’s Hospices. They go out between 1 and 4 times a week, giving talks and attending events.
Linda
Art - Painting & Sketching
We have been up and running as a GB & G U3A group since the beginning of the year, and are now pretty well established, meeting weekly on Wednesdays, in The United Reformed Church hall. We are slowly increasing in numbers and have enjoyed discovering, or re-discovering, our artistic sides.
With painting not everything turns out wonderfully well every time of course. But artists (unlike mathematicians and physicists et al) don’t make actual mistakes, they make happy accidents. That’s a convenient philosophy which we embrace warmly. And, as one artist correctly said, art does transport you to pleasant places if only in the mind. How true - we’ve been to Italy, Spain and all over, at no cost at all during this last long winter. Sort of.
Some may have caught our first art exhibition held in Baddow Library during mid-April to mid-May. If so we hope you enjoyed it.
During the summer months we plan to do outdoor sketching around Chelmsford and further afield in Essex. We cross our fingers for a warm and sunny summer.
We have space for some new members at our Wednesday meetings. Expertise is not necessary, but as the group is untutored, some basic ability in drawing or painting is helpful. Mutual support is always there. It’s a friendly and helpful group.
Ron Macdonald
Art Appreciation
There may not be a tutor at our U3A Art Appreciation group but we certainly learn a lot from each other!
To take this week as an example - we looked at a selection of paintings ranging from Hans Memling to David Hockney via Frans Hals, Cezanne, Spencer Gore and Winston Churchill to name but a few.
We heard a bit about the artists, (some of whom we had not heard of before) but mainly, as a group of around 15 we discussed what we saw, gave opinions, which varied widely, and tried to use the basic knowledge we had, to see what we thought the artist had intended us to see. Even the titles gave cause for discussion. Who would have thought that a portrait of a lady standing by a lake, looking perhaps a bit pensive, would have the title 'The Boer War'. This was painted by John Byam Liston Shaw in 1901-2 – is that artist familiar to you? Beautifully painted, and we were told that the miniscule ravens, top left in the painting, were symbolic of death or bereavement. It is all there if you know what you are looking at!
Then two paintings by Vuillard - one, an octagonal self portrait when he was young and the other the Garden at Vaucresson - two very different styles but painted by the same man
Could there be much to say about a portrait by Frans Hals of a laughing boy? We certainly found plenty – was it a young face, some thought not. Gustave Caillebotte's The Floor Scrapers also provoked varied comment.
We are certainly not afraid to criticise the style of well-known artists, or point out their weaknesses, perhaps in drawing hands, whilst greatly admiring their ability.
This was a typical week for the group and was much enjoyed by everyone.
Tina
Gardening Group.
The gardening group is thriving. We meet at 2.15pm on the first Thursday of each month. 
During the winter months we have enjoyed many good speakers, and have had an average of 30 people present .
From May, there are outings planned to gardens of interest. Many members are happy to give lifts, so that no one should be left out.
My thanks to the two lovely ladies who arrange these.
Kay T.
Music Performing
People choose which U3A groups to join for different reasons. Sometimes you might pursue a pre-existing interest, and sometimes you may embark on a new venture. In the former case you expect to relax into the group and in the latter, you will be prepared for a challenge.
Those who join the music performing group have a pre-existing interest in music either by playing an instrument or by singing, and might therefore think it would be an opportunity to relax and ‘chill out’ with friends. Don’t believe a word of it.
Chatting with people after the May meeting was illuminating. People had encountered challenge after challenge in preparing for their performance. Classically trained musicians were playing jazz, Romantic musicians played from the classical era, and personally, I had to spend hours with the metronome and listening to the experts on You Tube working out Latin rhythms.
Once you have the notes and rhythms under your belt, you have to work hard with your partner or group to transform the ‘dots’ into a piece of music. Dynamics is so important in this, and we had some fantastic examples of pianissimo singing and playing – this is one of the hardest thing for a musician to do – it is so much easier to play ‘molto blasto’ than put in the control to produce a sweet quiet tone.
Then you have to make sure that you are listening to the rest of your ensemble all the time. One tricky song bore witness to it. The vocal line and piano parts were never doing the same thing, and their styles were totally different, and yet we felt the sense of the music as a whole, and we were longing to join Count Danilo at Maxim’s with Flo-Flo and all the other dancing girls!
And by the evening after the performance, the music is gathered together and put away, the diaries are out and preparations and rehearsals are underway for new challenges for the next meeting.
Debbie
U3A Bridge Club
Being asked to write a piece about our club
I pondered for a while, but here’s the rub
I couldn’t think of anything to say
That wouldn’t seem boring unless you play.
To make a contribution, I thought I’d start
With some information I can impart
We meet each Thursday in the Reading room
Whether its summer sunshine or winter gloom
At 2 o’clock sharp we arrive, all keen to play
Gold velvet tablecloths on each table we lay
Two packs of cards (one red, one blue) and four chairs
Then sit hoping for a partner (as we play in pairs).
After the babble of arrival as each member is greeted
Finally comes the quiet, we are now all seated
Just the sound of cards shuffled as their partner deals
In the room an air of anticipation everyone feels
Our numbers vary, sometimes only 12, often more
We’re happy as long as we are divisible by four
With varied skills it sometimes gets confusing
Especially if asked what convention you’re using.
After three hours of bidding and playing each hand
We add up our points to see how we stand
We sigh if we’ve lost and are pleased if we’ve won
Don’t dwell too deeply; it was just a bad or good run.
Our brains have been exercise, our memories tested
It’s never wasted, this time we’ve invested
If you played many years ago and can’t remember
Why not come along and try, you could become a member!
Frances Maynard
The Leaning Tower of Bateman.
Last September the Photo Group visited Brightlingsea for a photoshoot (the regular plan being that we each submit our best 2 or 3 photos and they are peer reviewed at our next Group meeting two weeks later). Earlier in the year Allen Buckroyd had given a talk at one of our meetings stressing the importance of researching a location before a photoshoot to help plan the type of images that we each wanted to take.
One of the locations that appealed to me from my research was Bateman’s Tower, which had been constructed using faggots for the foundations, causing it to have, over time, developed a pronounced tilt. Most of the morning was spent around the marina, but after an enjoyable pub lunch (obligatory to fully enjoy the day out and the craic) we all headed up to the lido and surrounding areas, where the Tower stood. Here’s one of the images that I decided to submit. It even includes the aforementioned Mr Buckroyd replicating the Tower’s angle to read a notice.
So if you haven’t the time (or the inclination!) to head off to Pisa, why not take the short drive to Brightlingsea and enjoy Essex’s closest equivalent. You might also like to come and join our Group on future outings and re-discover familiar places – even if a camera phone is all you wish to bring.
Maurice Crockard
Photography
Since the last newsletter the Photographic group has continued to expand not only in members but also the range of activities that it provides monthly. These range from monthly photoshoots and separate meetings, to training, external speakers to give inspiration and embracing a facebook group that provides a virtual exhibition space.
Prior to each month's meeting the coordinator provides a complete breakdown of what to expect in the session. This in turn provides lively discussion as the previous month's images are seen and discussed. What has been evident is that as the year has progressed, those attending have become more confident in providing constructive criticism of each other's work. In addition, more members are willing to show their photographs and talk about how and why they were taken.
Perhaps one of the hardest things is to provide an interesting range of photo shoots that are popular with members and allow them to develop their own personal photographic skills. Trips in this cycle were arranged to St Mary's Church Great Baddow, Dunmow and Marks Hall Estate; more are planned.
St Mary's Church was a challenge, after a preamble by one of the church regulars and a decent cup of tea, the group got to grips with a range of lighting conditions and subjects contained both in and outside the church. Dunmow provided an interesting backdrop as those who attended were faced with demanding urban shots where distractions abound, like aerials, lamposts and the like. Lastly, the Marks Hall Arboretum near Coggeshall took us all back to nature and provided the chance to photograph plants and any wild animals that came into view. Historically, Marks Hall provided an extra interest with the World War Two air force base that was located on the estate.
So in each visit those who went had the opportunity to get to grips with the settings on their cameras, and to get inspiration from the environment they found themselves in.
Daniel Bridge as an external speaker, provided his top ten hints to one of the sessions held in the Galleywood Heritage Centre early in the year. He was invited to provide reinforcement to previous practical sessions and future planned shoots which the members would undertake during the course of the next six months. His session was inspiring and provided much food for thought for those attended. The success will be seen in the standard of the photos that are produced in that time frame.
Training in the form of practical sessions has been one of the main highlights of what we do, quite often this is outside the normal meeting cycle and it is well attended. Sessions are built around perceived needs and requests, and coming up will be more post processing work using software - watch this space.
This June sees the first of the two competitions where members submit their photos for judging, the theme is 'What I love about Essex'.
In a final development, a new virtual exhibition space has been created by one of the members and can be found on https://www.facebook.com/groups/934297666739219/ Recent bad press has meant that this project nearly didn't get started, but it was set up and now provides a place where group members can post photos, ask questions and gain additional constructive criticism.
Latest photos can be found on the following link https://u3asites.org.uk/baddow/page/9230
John Westwood
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Information Technology and Computers
I have now taken over as the group co-ordinator and we have just had our first meeting since February, discussing, amongst other things, Facebook – it’s use and implications. Other social media applications will be discussed in the coming year.
During the past year we have discussed such topics as Internet security, Mobile phone usage, Bitcoins – what are they and how do they affect us, Scams by telephone or Internet and general problem solving. We are always on the lookout for new topics to research and discuss and are therefore thinking of widening our remit to include science and technology topics.
So, if you have any suggestions for topics and/or would like to join our friendly discussion group, please contact me. We meet on the third Monday afternoon of the month in one of the group’s houses and the format consists of a presentation by one member followed by a discussion. Refreshments are also served!
Loretta Riddel
Local History 2 
On a bright sunny day 12 members of the History 2 group went to visit the 2 churches in the small village of Willingale, between Ongar and Chelmsford. They are unique in Essex in that they share the churchyard and are only about 150 feet apart, both built in a similar style, mainly of flint.
St Andrews was built in the 12th century with additions in the 15th and 19th centuries and is no longer in use as a place of worship but the ancient walls, small windows and wooden roof structure still remain.
St Christopher’s was built about 1320, as St Andrews was becoming too small for the growing community, with the 15th century addition of the square tower and South porch. Here again, the original oak roof beams and many original features remain. This church now has the main services throughout the year whereas St Andrews is only used occasionally for special services.
The 2 buildings are a beautiful and most unusual sight, standing side by side in this tiny village and I would thoroughly recommend a visit by another of our groups.
Martine
Singing for Pleasure
Just a thank you to all members who supported our ‘Valentine’s Soiree’ back in February. We thoroughly enjoyed singing our collection of love songs from across the decades and hope that everyone in the audience did too. You will be pleased to hear that we made £150 on the raffle and a donation for this amount was gratefully received at Farleigh Hospice.
There is not a great deal else to report at the moment, (except that we are always ready to welcome anyone else who would enjoy a sing.) We leave you with a clever little ditty which was supplied by Mary French in our choir, not actually an alto herself but one of our marvellous sopranos.
Mike Silk
The Alto's Lament
It's awful being an alto when you're singing in the choir
Sopranos get the twiddly bits that people all admire,
The basses boom like big trombones, the tenors shout with glee,
The alto part is on two notes, or if you're lucky, three.
And when we sing an anthem and lift our hearts in praises,
The men get all the juicy bits and telling little phrases.
Of course, the trebles sing the tune - they always come off best -
While altos only get three notes and twenty-two bars rest.
It doesn't matter what we sing, from hymnbooks or from psalter,
The choirmaster looks at us - our voices start to falter;
Too high! Too low! Too fast! Too slow! You hold that note too long!
It doesn't matter what we do, it's certain to be wrong
Oh! shed a tear for altos: they're the Martyrs and they know
In ranks of choral singers they're considered very low.
They are so very humble that a lot of folk forget 'em:
They'd love to be sopranos, but their vocal chords won't let 'em.
And when the final trumpet sounds and we are wafted higher,
Sopranos, tenors, basses, all will form the heavenly choir.
When they sing Alleluias to celestial flats and sharps,
We altos in the corner will be polishing our harps.
Mary French
Gardening group outing to Ulting Wick
On the 3rd May the Gardening group enjoyed a private outing to the NGS gardens of Ulting Wick. It’s an all-year round garden, with herbaceous borders, exotic plants and mature trees. The weather was glorious, and our timing was just right for a super display of tulips. The very knowledgeable owner Philippa Burroughs told us they have planted 10,000 tulips in her 8 acre garden bordering the River Chelmer. I spoke to the gardener who planted most of the tulips by hand, which all have to be dug up after they’ve finished blooming. She told me about the pests they have to contend with, including the usual rabbits, foxes, badgers, and moles, plus cheeky muntjac deer which eat the tops of the young plants then disappear into the local woods. After our tour we all enjoyed tea with home-made cakes in the 17th century barn. Apparently on the following day a crew were due to film the garden, to provide inspiration for participants in the Garden Rescue TV programme.
Allen Buckroyd
A child’s war – growing up in wartime Britain, 1939-45
Once again we had a great meeting with a good attendance. Mike Brown brought along a lot of childhood memorabilia from the years of WW2.
Although in Germany children were prepared for war – the Hitler Youth trained children for war; here it was a surprise to children. The first sign was in 1938 when 50 million gas masks were issued. The gas masks were ‘loaned’, but Mike was sure that the government did not want them back at the end of the war. They were to be carried everywhere. So many were ‘lost’ in London, that London Transport had a separate lost property office for gas masks. The gas masks for under-6 year olds were called ‘Mickey Mouse’ masks – they were made in bright colours so that young children would not object to wearing them; and those for babies were like miniature iron lungs. In 1939 cases for gas masks were being produced by firms that had previously made luggage – there would be no holidays in the war.
In the week before war broke out, the black-out was started. Cars had to have one headlight removed and the other fitted with a ‘filter’ – more children were killed on the road in the first 4 months of the war than in the previous 2 years, and more were killed than soldiers at the front!
ID cards were issued by the end of the first month of the war – a precursor of the ration book. The 1939 register was to provide the government with information about what age men were and for rationing. ID cards had to be produced to get ration books and were stamped so that extra ration books could not be claimed.
The must-have presents of the first Christmas of the war were miniature uniforms military for boys, Red Cross nurse [made by mum] and tin helmets.
Rationing started in January 1940 and everyone got the same rations, but in May, when a coalition government was formed, things changed and children’s rations changed – half a pint of milk a day [given to school children at school so that it was solely for the children]. One third of a pint came in after the war.
The first attack on the docks was on 8th September 1940 and from then until 24th December London was bombed every day but three. In theory 30 minutes was the longest people were expected to stay in shelters, but the worst day in London was 23 hours out of 24. Siren suits were created so that children could be zipped into the suit over their pyjamas before being taken to the shelter. As paper was rationed there were no cigarette cards to collect during the war – instead children collected shrapnel! In the shelter they would have card games and books [stories, puzzles and games].
‘Make-do-and-mend’ – clothes rationing was introduced not because there was a lack of materials, but more that the workers were needed in munitions factories. Most women knitted, often re-using the wool from an old garment. Often there wasn’t enough yarn for a new garment, so fair-isle was a useful method! Utility garments could only have three buttons with button-holes, but could have press-studs.
I942 was the best year of the war for little boys – soap was rationed!
Towards the end of the war children became involved - they collected ‘salvage’ and six George Medals were awarded to brave children [aged 12 – 16] who were ARP Messengers. There is the story of one ARP messenger here. http://www.bbc.co.uk/history/ww2peopleswar/stories/57/a7790457.shtml.
Linda
The Great War 1914-18
Summer 1918 – the end is in sight
The British Army lost a thousand artillery pieces in the retreats of 1918, but so massive was British industrial superiority that they were replaced by the summer. On 8th August the British attacked and smashed through the German front line at Amiens. Germany never recovered: the British army stormed every successive defensive line it encountered. By the end of October, with the French now revived and the Americans more than earning their spurs, the game was up.
Germany requested an armistice on 3rd November, thus averting the spectacle of an allied offensive across the German frontier. The armistice came into effect at eleven o’clock on the morning of the 11th November – ‘the eleventh hour of the eleventh day of the eleventh month.’
Lest we forget.
Spanish “Learning for Living” Holiday
Who does not dream of escaping Great Britain in February, and this year, with sub-zero temperatures in all parts of the country, it was even more than ever time to pack up your cases.
Having seen the advertisement in THIRD AGE MATTERS for a month activity-packed holiday, I was off to Chiclana de la Frontera in the charming province of Cadiz, on the less known Atlantic coast of Andalucia.
First thing in the morning, you can wake up with a session of Tai Chi. Then, after breakfast, you can join in a Spanish class. Even if you think you are not creative, why not challenge yourself with watercolour? If like me your expectations far exceed your ability leaving you frustrated, I recommend the daily class of yoga practice or that of exercises to music for some relaxation.
After lunch, make time for a walk on the splendid beach: Playa de la Barrosa with over four miles of fine sand, is undeniably inviting. Then re-joining the main road, you can partake of some refreshments in the many little cafés.
Later, you might find that you want to learn to make necklaces or cards, do Art Appreciation, Aqua Fit, Dance, Singing or Nordic Walking. Time Management, however, is not offered and you might have to accept that you cannot be in different places at the same time. Just when you thought you might relax on non-activity days, you will be tempted with excursions to Cadiz, Sevilla, Itálica, Gibraltar or the White Villages.
In the evenings, if you are not yet ready to retire, you can enjoy a Flamenco show, a quiz, a film, table tennis, chess, mahjong or bridge.
If you are to work and play hard, you need to keep body and soul together. The restaurant of Hotel Barrosa and its friendly staff play a vital role in maintaining the residents’ energy level up with a vast array of local, fresh and tasty food offered in a buffet style, enabling you to give free rein to your imagination when creating your own menus.
Many of the group had been returning year after year, a testament to its formula, which enables you to exercise mind and body in a four-star environment rather than lie on the beach or near the swimming pools, although of course you are totally free to do just that should you so wish.
Annick Jones
Bitcoin
Do you want to make a million? Avoid this. The purpose of bitcoin was to provide a coinage not subject to any government. And to allow settlement of the money in a transaction to be made quickly and cheaply. Quicker and cheaper than by usual means through banks.
It has not delivered those claimed advantages but has become a means of speculation. Had you invested at the start of last year your bitcoins would have become worth many times what you paid for them.
But the value has since dropped and is liable to change abruptly. Some of the technical features of bitcoin are going to be of long term interest. Authorities say that it isn’t a pyramid scheme, but it is best avoided unless you are a professional.
Alternatively, have you ever thought why that coin you have which cost 4p to make says it is worth £1? Perhaps there is something in bitcoin after all. There must be. It now has more than 1000 digital rivals.
Hugh Armstrong
U3A Committee News
June 2018 will be remembered for our Garden Party which this year was held on a very nice warm day, but entailed a lot of work, both before and during the day.
We should all congratulate John who, with Isobel’s help organised the day, arranged the hall and ordered all the food. John it was a first class ‘do.’
We should not forget all the helpers, both Committee members and others who got stuck in and prepared the food, did the clearing up and the washing up afterwards and that was some task.
We need also to thank the Group Coordinators who laid out a display of their work for us all to see.
Well done to everyone and thanks.
It would not be a Garden Party if it wasn’t for the Members who participated – so thanks for coming and hope that you enjoyed the day. It was especially nice to see a large group of founder Members. Please note there is a selection of photographs on our Website. (A sub-page called ‘Social Activity’ of the Committee page)
The Garden Party over, the Committee now has to consider the AGM which will be held in September. This may seem boring to some of you, but it is a very important date in the management of the B&G U3A and without your cooperation the U3A cannot function. This year we will need several new members to come onto the Committee so please put your thinking caps on and ensure that we have enough nominations.
We will produce Nomination forms which will be available at the General Meeting, also we will send one out as an email and it will also be published on our website.
Your U3A needs you
Ron – Vice Chairman
Joyce Woodham, Vice Chairman of the Essex Association of U3A’s has a scheme running whereby a U3A Member volunteers to help children with reading or maths at the local school. You don’t need to be a teacher. Could you offer some help to your local school?
February, March and April and May speakers
The theme in Spring seemed to have been on reminiscing over the last 60 years of our lives. In February, Roger Dorking, whose father was a Smithy in Witham in 50’s and 60’s, told us about his father’s life. In March Steve Scruton from BBC Essex spoke about his ‘Life in Radio’. He was pleased to meet 4 of our members who had been on the Essex Helpline with Steve in days gone by.
In April, Alan Goldsmith told us he left school at 15 years old without any qualifications, and worked on the land with other young lads. Some of them were musical and when ‘Rock n Roll’ hit England in the 1950’s, they set up their own band called The Diamonds. Alan decided his forte was to manage, and he set up the village hall dances, moving onto organising Pop Concerts, Air Shows and Stunt Shows. When he settled down with his family he bought the land on which the medieval castle originally stood. He reconstructed the wooden Mott & Bailey castle and village. This is unique as it is the only building of its type on its original site in the world. He built the Toy Museum and filled it with items he has collected.
Dr Viv Newman kept us enthralled in May, with tales of the female agents in France and Germany in WW1. Our thanks to John Chapman for arranging such a good afternoon Anniversary Party in June,
Di Angel