Baddow & Galleywood

Autumn/Winter 2018 Newsletter

Baddow & Galleywood U3A

Newsletter

Autumn / Winter 2018

Autumn Newsletter

The Thoughts of Chairman Mo

Who could fail to be pleased with a grand new job title and a salary increase of 100% - certainly not me! So here we go with the first of a series of articles that hope to chart the continuing RISE of our U3A during 2019. The series will be published exclusively in this Newsletter, so don’t forget to read it online or pick up a printed copy at the November General Meeting.

On page 2 of the Newsletter you will find the list of names of the new committee. No doubt a number of them (including mine) will be unfamiliar to many of you. For those who attend our monthly General meetings, I’m the chap who used to sit at the signing in desk, tried to say Hello to you all and prevented riotous intruders. This role of Chief Bouncer has now passed to our new Vice-Chairman, Alan Cullen. Other new Committee Members include Chris Boden (Treasurer), Debbie Collins (Business Secretary and Minutes Secretary), Sue Wells (Social Events Secretary and Welfare Secretary). We also have the experience and expertise of Hugh Armstrong, Pauline Hollingsworth and Tony Hollingsworth to call on as we take our first Bambi-like steps.

If you weren’t able to attend our October general meeting, you won’t have had the opportunity to meet the new committee and find out what we actually do. All of this information is also on the website if you’d like to delve deeper into what the various roles involve. In particular, have a look at the Speaker Secretary position. If it interests you, then please get in touch, because it could be you!

Hopefully, by the end of our term you will know many of us better. Simply start by saying hello and let’s take it from there. If you don’t already stay behind for tea and biscuits after our Monthly meetings (or you’ve just joined our U3A), we’d love you join us and remember - it’s free. If you don’t know anyone else in the room, just look for someone wearing a lanyard and let them know who you are.

If you did miss the October meeting, you’ll probably have heard from those who did attend (and there was an excellent turnout) that we had a wonderfully humorous talk from Keith Baldwin about his time in the Guards. We had so many requests to ask Keith back, that our new Speaker Secretary (remember – it could be you!) will be hoping to book him for our 2020 session

If you’re starting to flag, don’t despair – I’ve nearly finished. One theme that the committee will be considering during our future meetings will be the “Learning not Lonely” report from the Third Age Trust. Published in October, the report looks at the positive impact that U3A membership can have on loneliness, well-being and self-esteem. If you’d like to read the report, just google 'learningnotlonely.'

And finally… we have recently created a closed group Facebook page for our U3A. This will offer a communication channel to those who are unable to attend our General meetings and / or Interest Group meetings. I know it won’t be everyone’s cup of tea, but then neither is Earl Grey. Joining in is simple if you’re already on Facebook (just type baddow U3A into the search box and ask to join). If not, you will need to sign up. If you’re worried about potential theft of your personal details, just use your own day and month of birth, but invent the year – Facebook will never know and you’ll still be able to get birthday greetings from other participants.

I’m looking forward to having a chance to chat with you at future general meetings – do come along and join us.

Maurice Crockard

IMPORTANT INFORMATION FOR ALL MEMBERS

2019 Subscription

The subscription for next year will be £9. For Associates it will be £6.

Please change your Standing Order accordingly or ask your bank to. You can do this by writing to the bank or going to a branch or by internet banking. The Committee has held costs down and we have built up a surplus which should enable us to keep the new lower rate for the next 3 years. Of course that assumes no major unforeseen events happen. The change will take the subscription rate lower than it was 12 years ago

Hugh Armstrong

Update from the Membership Secretary

I will have renewal membership forms available from early November both on the Baddow & Galleywood U3A website and from the Wednesday monthly meetings. They can also be made available via your group co-ordinator. Please ask him/her for a form. Membership cards will be available from January.

As with this year, payment can be made by standing order (preferable), BACS or cheque. Cash will not be accepted.
The membership fee for 2019 has been reduced to £9 with the Associate fee reduced to £6 and we hope to keep it at this rate for at least three years. For some of you this will mean changing your standing order with your bank. You can do this any time before mid- December to give the bank time to alter your details.

If you do not do Internet banking, you can visit your bank to change the details or post a letter giving details to your bank. There is a form online, on the B & G U3A website, Links page, which you can use, or some will be available at the Wednesday meetings.

If you would like to create a new standing order these are the details you need:
Baddow & Galleywood U3A - xxxx
Account number: xxxxx

Under Reference give your details in the form: Membership no. – Surname eg. 999-Smith A.
Payment (£9), after the first one, should be made on 2nd January of each year.
If you have any queries please contact me,

Loretta Riddel – Membership Secretary

A Note from the Social and Welfare Secretary

Hello everyone,

My name is Sue Wells and anyone who attended the recent A.G.M. will be aware that I am one of the six lambs who have been brave / daft enough to step up and put their names forward to help on your committee.

We have had two committee meetings so far to see what is what, and jobs have been issued/ / allocated / chosen!

I will be wearing the hat of Welfare Secretary. To enable me to do this, I ask you to get in touch with me if you know of a U3A member who is poorly, so we could do something to help or to cheer them up. We would like them to know that they are not being forgotten.

Hat number two is Social Secretary. I would like you to be involved with ideas for next year, so I will leave some paper for you to jot some things down and a box to pop the notes in on the signing in table. Thank you.

Now last but not least... hat number three: I will still be looking after you with teas : I hope you have enjoyed the tea table themes. I would like to thank all who have volunteered to step up to the plate [well cups actually!] during my first year. I will be asking for help with the next year’s tea rota. It will only take about half an hour of your time. I will not complain if I get knocked over in the rush with offers!!

The rest of the committee and I will endeavour to do our best for you all and let us look forward to a good year.

Sue Wells.

Why get the flu vaccination?

The flu vaccine, is your best defence this winter. Influenza more commonly known as Flu is a serious disease that can cause severe illness and sometimes even death.

Millions of people get flu every year. Last year in England, a total of 3175 people were admitted to intensive care/high dependence units, due to influenza; with 320 resulting in death.1

Flu can affect people differently; even if you are healthy and think you can cope with it, you may pass it onto someone close to you who may be at a greater risk of complications due to medical conditions such as heart disease or diabetes etc. The best way to reduce your risk of getting sick with seasonal flu and passing it to other people is to have the flu vaccination, which is free to many.

If you are unsure of your eligibility for the flu vaccine, contact your GP or pharmacy. The more people who have the vaccination this winter, the less the Flu virus can spread, helping to protect those vulnerable children and adults within our community.

If you are unsure of your eligibility for the flu vaccine, contact your GP or pharmacy. The more people who have the vaccination this winter, the less the Flu virus can spread, helping to protect those vulnerable children and adults within our community.

The more people who have the vaccination this winter, the less the Flu virus can spread, helping to protect those vulnerable children and adults within our community.

A note from the Editor:

Welcome to the Autumn /Winter issue. (Combined this year because of the change of date for our AGM and due also to too few articles for an earlier Newsletter!)

Welcome to our new Chairman and Committee; you’ll find their contact numbers on page 2 as well as their roles and responsibilities.

Thank you to all contributors and to everyone who sent photographs. Important information for members about renewal and fees is on p 4 – please make sure you alter your annual standing order, as requested. On p 6 is an interesting article from Norma about her trip with Ron to Iceland & Greenland, which includes a fabulous photo of an iceberg. As we mark the centenary of the end of WW1 on 11th November this year, Linda has written an article on p 9 about local war graves – see also p 5 about how Chelmsford will be commemorating this date.

The next issue will be in the Spring, and as always, I would be pleased to receive contributions from any B&G member who has an idea which may interest our readers; the date for sending articles to me is on p 15. Let’s make it a bumper issue – we have so many groups now and we’d like to hear about their thoughts/ activities / outings, especially new members who might like to join a group.

A Happy Christmas to all our readers.

Maggie - margaret.nutt@btinternet.com

AN UNUSUAL PLACE TO ATTEND A U3A MEEETING

We are aware that there are many U3A groups meeting all over the UK and elsewhere and that a lot of U3A members are well travelled, but Ron and I recently attended a U3A meeting on board a ship sailing in the Atlantic Ocean just west of Iceland.

One of the dance hosts employed by Fred Olsen Cruises, who is also a U3A member, convened the meeting. It was interesting to meet other members of various U3A committees throughout the country and to hear how they manage their U3As and what groups they have. It seems that most of them had similar problems to B&G U3A. They were also concerned, as we are, about the responsibilities of Trustees in ensuring that interest groups report their activities and costs involved to their main committee. At the meeting, there were representatives from U3As in Kent, Sussex, the Midlands and Lancashire.

Being a small ship we often bumped into some of our fellow U3A members for a chat and it made me think that a cruise on a small ship, like Fred Olsen’s Boudicca, would be ideal for singles or for a group holiday. Fred Olsen is particularly good at looking after their single passengers ensuring that they can dine together and go ashore together if they so wish.

We sailed on the Boudicca from Dover up to Iceland and on to Greenland, returning via John O’Groats. It was a wonderful cruise through stunning scenery and we undertook a fantastic trip in a speedboat in and out of icebergs floating in a fjord in Greenland.

We have travelled with Fred Olsen before, as well as Princess and P&O Cruises but we think Fred Olsen has the best guest speakers by far. Apart from the port lectures, we had talks from Penny Goodman who is an Institute Research Associate with the Scott Polar Research Institute at the University of Cambridge, who talked to us about the geology of Greenland and about her expeditions on the polar ice cap. Penny also gave an insight in to the way of life of the Inuit people of Greenland as well as life as a Viking.
Greenland
We had several talks from David Boag, a well-known wildlife photographer, who talked to us about puffins and other birds that we might see on our trip. He was a very entertaining speaker who also gave us tips on improving our photography. He also talked about his exploits when filming and how he got some of his award winning shots. We also learnt a lot about Russia and the KGB during the 1980s from a British diplomat who was based in the Russian Embassy in Moscow. These lectures would certainly come under the U3A heading of educational, apart from the knowledge and experience gained by visiting remote places.

If you want to know more, then there is a Fred Olsen Cruise Lines leaflet in the autumn edition of Third Age News.

Norma Henty

Travel Group
Travel
On 2nd July a small but intrepid party from our travel group, with the addition of two others from the SWF group, climbed aboard a Lochs & Glens coach to Inversnaid on the shores of Loch Lomond. As Scotland has a reputation for being a bit chilly and damp we were all prepared but we were treated to the hottest summer Scotland has had for decades. The midges didn’t like the hot weather so we managed to avoid getting bitten until the last day when it got cooler and the mist and cloud came rolling in from the Loch. Inversnaid hotel is a lovely hotel built in 1903 (some modern additions) at the end of a 16 mile long single track road with a few passing places – this part of the journey alone took 45 minutes.

Travel 2 Our daily outings from then on started and finished with a ferry crossing of Loch Lomond to the far shore to board our coach. Apart from the wonderful scenery, in the true spirit of the U3A, we learnt a lot about Scottish history, literature, traditions and even hydraulic engineering. We visited Oban and had the most delicious seafood I have ever tasted. The following day it was Inveraray a delightful little town with an intriguing castle – seat of the Duke of Argyle. This was of particular interest to me as my Great Grandmother was in service to the 9th Duchess at the castle back in the 1890s, and I did manage to have a long talk with the Archivist – who incidentally hails from Chelmsford. Glasgow was a very exciting day as we visited the Riverside Transport Museum – winner of the 2013 European Museum of the Year Award – and the Kelvingrove Art Gallery & Museum, a wonderful building in its own right made more spectacular by the 2003 refurbishment paid for in part by public donation. Every donor is listed in brass plaques on every pillar around the central atrium. On our visit this atrium was a venue for a brass band and we were treated to a concert from them and the magnificent pipe organ on the upper gallery. Two members of our group were particularly pleased with this as they are mad about organ music. Our final day trip was to the Falkirk Wheel the world’s only rotating boat lift – hence the lecture on Hydraulic engineering – and The Kelpies (see photo). The next day was our drive home via Moffat where we stopped for lunch and found a full size replica of a Spitfire in a local front garden. We finally arrived back in Great Baddow at around 7pm. A memorable holiday indeed, the only shame was that we would Travel 3 have liked to say longer at each venue.

Pauline Hollingsworth

Art Appreciation

For our September meeting we chose paintings on the theme of happiness. It proved surprisingly difficult!

We all agreed that Picasso’s (1881-1973) “The Race” portrayed pure happiness, with its two women running along a beach, their hair streaming behind, enjoying freedom and fresh air. Similarly Leonid Alfremov’s (1955….) painting of a leaping ballet dancer encapsulated elation. Other paintings summed up a more gentle mood, whether a young mother quietly contemplating her baby in a cradle (Berthe Morisot 1841- 1895), a contented family grouped around a table(Julius Weyde 1822-1860) or the artist’s three daughters playing chess. (Sofonisba Anguissola 1532-1625).
Matisse (1869-1954) painted “Le Bonheur de vivre” in happy bright colours, showing people on a beach, absorbed in their own world, dancing, playing music or sleeping. Picasso’s “La Joie de vivre” was said to be a humorous take on Matisse’s painting.

People dancing and drinking are depicted in Renoir’s (1841-1919) “Le Moulin de la Galette”, whilst a monk enjoys a drink in Von Gruntzer’s (1846-1925) work.

The last group of paintings, however, evoked feelings of dislike, even revulsion in us – “The club foot” by Jose de Ribera, Giuseppe Arcimboldo’s (15261593) grotesque face made of fruit and vegetables and, above all, Hieronymus Bosch’s (1450-1516) “Garden of earthly delights” with its horrifying, nightmarish people and animals. Not much happiness there!

Ann Whalley

Strollers.

On a very, very hot day twelve strollers met to have a walk around Lake Meadows, but due to the soaring temperature thought better of it and settled down for a pleasant lunch at our house and a chat instead.
By the time Allen had taken the photograph, lunch was over and the table was bare but we had tucked in to nibbles, salad and strawberries and meringue, well, why not at our age?

We all enjoyed chatting about our families, current affairs, as well our U3A, its past and its future. The get-together showed what the U3A movement can create: genuine fun and contentment for those of us past the age for more academic or hedonistic pastimes.

Isobel Greenshields.

Music Performing

VARIETY IS THE SPICE

Music from the 17th century to the 21st! Instruments from flute to bass clarinet! Singers, guitarists, strings, woodwind and pianists! Every item in the Autumn U3A music performance group provided complete contrast with what had gone before.

The musical genres included baroque, classical, romantic, tango, modern and jazz. The nationalities of the composers included German, Argentinian, U.S, Spanish and English (one of whom, Eric Withams, was present for a performance of his beautiful "Irregularities" for cello and piano!)

A huge amount of time went into practising and rehearsals, every minute having been worthwhile! We now change (musical) partners, and start work on the Christmas "get together."
As always, thanks to Pam for organising the whole thing. It's much appreciated!

Ken Hay

History Group 2

History2 On a beautiful autumn day we went by train to Harwich. Our guide met us at the railway station and the town crier greeted us at the church of St Nicholas where we had coffee before our tour began.

The guided walk was very interesting, visiting The Guild Hall, The High Lighthouse, The Electric Palace Cinema and The Treadwheel Crane. The cinema, dating back to 1911, is still used today. The crane was used from1667 to 1927.

After a lunch break, we met our new guide at The Redoubt; this was built in 1808 to protect the harbour from a possible invasion by Napoleon.

There is much more to see in and around Harwich... many of us thought that we would like to return.

Janet Clark

Family History

In July the Family History Group welcomed Graeme Cooper back. He is a guide who takes groups to visit the war graves, so is very knowledgeable and provided us with some interesting facts :-
• The intention was that the cemeteries should be like English country gardens.
• Every third grave has a rose growing on it.
• It was very important that no-one was forgotten, so the missing were included on the memorials, and now, when remains of soldiers are found and identified, the names are removed from the memorial, the remains are buried with ceremony and the soldiers are given headstones.
• There is one cemetery where the Sergeant-Major insisted that they should be buried as they went into battle with the officers at the front. Usually ‘rank had no privilege’ and an officer can be buried next to a private soldier.
• Until 1916 soldiers had cardboard dog-tags, but it was realised that the metal ‘Australia’ survived on the bodies on the battlefields, whereas cardboard rotted.
• Pilots would put hot potatoes in their pockets so that they could keep their hands warm enough to work the controls.
• Canadian cemeteries are called Adanac [look carefully at the name].

If you want to visit war graves you do not have to go far!

There are three WW1 war graves in the churchyard of St Mary’s Great Baddow and Clive has sent more information about them –

Family History Frederick Albert Devonish was a Lance Corporal in C Company, 2nd Battalion of the Essex Regiment. He died on 3rd May 1916 aged 29. He was the son of Frederick and Alice Devonish and was born in Sandon. The inscription on his gravestone read:-

TRAVELLER, PAUSE AND THINK HE DIED THAT YOU MAY LIVE, WASTE NOT HIS SACRIFICE NOR YOUR OWN SHORT SPAN.

Driver F Hooker of 1205th Battery 12th Brigade of the Royal Field Artillery (163476) died of influenza on 2nd November 1918 aged 42. He was the husband of Mary Ann Hooker, 46 Baddow Road.

Driver R. Moore of No. 1 Company (Southport) of the Army Service Corps (T4/092609) died of wounds on 2nd April 1917 aged 29. He was born in Great Baddow, the son of Robert Moore and was the husband of Gertrude Moore of Mill Cottage, Hazeleigh, Maldon, Essex.

Two soldiers are remembered on their parents’ headstone - Alfred Harry Hymas, a Private in the 2nd/4th Battalion of the Ox and Bucks Light Infantry (203484) and John Hymas, a Rifleman in the 7th Battalion of the King’s Royal Rifle Corps (R/20764). Both are also remembered on the Thiepval Memorial to the Missing of the Somme. John died on 25th August 1916 and Alfred died on the 28th April 1917. They were the sons of Mrs Emma Hymas of 1, New Cottages, Maldon Road, Great Baddow. The gravestone to his father who died on 20th July 1920 aged 69 and his mother who died on 2nd March 1944 aged 87 is also to be found in the churchyard. (The lettering is worn and the date of Alfred’s death appears to have been entered incorrectly.)

Every Remembrance Sunday after the morning service, members of the Royal British Legion go to churchyard where the Last Post is sounded over each grave.

If you go to Widford churchyard, there are two war graves of soldiers who died in Hylands Military Hospital - an Australian and a Canadian.

Writtle churchyard has a very unusual war grave of Isaac Everard [and his wife] – they both died of flu, which Isaac brought back from the front when he came home on leave. It is not a traditional war grave.

Linda Knock

Art Appreciation

Under normal circumstance members of the group choose beautiful paintings or sculptures created by old masters (or even new masters), provoking admiring comments concerning the skill of Michelangelo, Titian, Turner, Constable or Van Gogh. In May coordinator Pam included a work called ‘Le Grand Dejeuner’ (The Big Lunch) by a cubist painter called Leger. It was regarded as his best work and a classic of the 20th century. We did not pretend to understand the work; it just caused us lots of amusement. It purports to represent classical cubism, whereby disembodied parts of the human body are reassembled by machine. This machine certainly got a few things out of place. Also there was not much on the menu, apart from 3 apples in a dish on the table.Art Appreciation

We tried to reassemble the bits, to fit the right hands to arms, legs to bodies. The woman at bottom left seems to be sitting in a bucket. Are the round objects knees or breasts? Her right hand is playing with a gadget like an elevator indicator. We thought at first that the upper arm belonging to lady at top left was like an ear trumpet. Her hand cradles a blue urn. Does it have someone’s ashes in it? The large lady at the right has only one breast; is this significant? She only has 4 toes on each foot and this worried us too. The centre ground seems to contain 2 sets of buttocks, but why? To whom do they belong?

According to one website Le Grand Dejeuner is intended to be ‘a truly humanistic work - an ideal, symbolic image of universal peace, harmony and beauty, expressing Leger's hopes for the betterment of mankind and belief in the civilising mission of art’.

What do you think?

Allen Buckroyd

Strollers

Most of us will remember this summer, the sunny days never seemed to end, gardeners often wished that they would. I shall remember a wonderful trip to Avignon and glorious days in Suffolk, swimming at Southwold.
I will also remember happy times such as the birthday cream tea and with strollers, at Heybridge and a relaxed party in our garden, full of chatter and friendship.

We rounded off this glorious season at Paper Mill Lock. Only four of us walked to the bridge but even in the wind we enjoyed ourselves, exercising our tongues along with our legs.

Meeting up with Ann, our joint founder, at the General’s Arms made it special. We were able to swap news of our latest health issues, our holidays, and most importantly we decided that one way or another we must keep meeting, and strolling.

Next month we meet at Goldhanger, and even those unable to do the circular walk can stroll to the recreation ground or explore the church and graveyard next to the Chequers where we will eat.

In November Pat Pitwood is leading a walk around Bicnacre Priory, and in December on the 19th, I have booked the Chimes once again for our annual dinner and unofficial A.G.M.

Please let me know if you will be coming. Whatever, enjoy the Autumn, it looks to be full of mellow fruitfulness but I dare say there will be a few mists as well.

Isobel Greenshields

Photography

Photography1 The summer had its challenges with the hot weather disrupting our planned photo-shoots but despite this we’ve managed to maintain interest for our members encouraging them to capture those hidden & not so obvious subjects at our various photo-shoots, but also providing some humour with their images or in post processing to provide additional interest & fun for the viewers.

When it came to review members images at our regular monthly meetings, they did not disappoint & showed significant improvements in their work.

We continue to attract new members & look forward to our Autumn visits & helping our photography friends enjoy all aspects of taking interesting photos.

Photograph2 In June members enjoyed a photo-shoot at Tilbury Fort. It was a gloriously sunny day and perfect for taking pictures. Tilbury Fort is on the Thames estuary and was built to protect London’s seaward approach and did so from the 16th century through to the Second World War. This fort is a good example of its type in England, with its circuit of moats and brick outworks.

It was good to explore the magazine houses which used to store great quantities of gunpowder and enter the bastion magazine passages and feel what it was like for the soldiers who lived there.
Outside the fort walls were extensive moats, marshes and earthworks which form part of the original defences. These are a haven for wildlife which, however, eluded me on the day! However, walking along the walls there were lovely photos to be taken of the overall estuary scene and the many cannons which were on display.

While taking my photos I got chatting to a lady on a day trip from Dorset who used to live in Essex many years ago. The estuaries, she said, were what she really missed about Essex even though she now lives within a stones throw of the Jurassic Coast.

After our photo-shoot we exchanged good conversation and had a tasty lunch in the Worlds End pub before we made our way home.

Margaret Jones

The Sudbury photo-shoot in August was drizzly at the start & made us run for cover to Churches, but particularly the Thomas Gainsborough museum, house & Garden.

Thomas Gainsborough lived in Sudbury in 1727. His love of landscape paintings developed into a passion that became an abiding feature of the artist’s career.

The weather eventually cleared & we were able to explore the town more fully which was bustling as it was market day; this provided added interest with people shopping at the stalls, the shops, and included back streets & generally admiring the town’s architecture.

Mike Bacon

Recent speakers at the U3A main meetings

In July The Air Ambulance Service came to tell us about all the amazing work they do in Essex and Hertfordshire; the speaker was Lesley Morrisey, a local volunteer, who was inspired to join the group whilst working at Ford Motor Company.

In August, Tom Cole from Essex University Writtle College gave a very informative talk on looking after our gardens, especially in the hot weather we have had this year.
The September meeting was our AGM and after reports by our acting chairman and treasurer, various proposals were discussed and voted on. Some committee members have retired after valuable work over the past few years, and the new members nominated were welcomed to the committee.

Sheila Dearns then gave us a very interesting talk on her work with hedgehog conservation. She asked us to check out bonfires in November before they are lit, as the hedgehogs often hibernate in these.
Di Angel

Gardeners

DRAGONS

It was a lovely warm September afternoon when about 16 members of the gardeners group wandered round and admired "Dragons" - Margot's garden and her pride and joy in Roxwell.

The group had no plan for its September meeting, so Margot kindly opened her colour themed, wildlife friendly garden on the proviso that some of us took cake...and there was plenty of it. After our relaxing meandering, exploring the garden's wide range of species from tiny alpines to very large trees, we remained outside to eat and drink peacefully amongst the beautiful plants, enjoying every moment.

Aside from ad hoc visits, Margot opens her garden to the public several times a year on behalf of the National Garden Scheme to raise funds for nominated charities. There's always something different to see of course as the garden changes with the seasons. View www.ngs.org.uk later this year for 2019 event details.

We were all grateful to Margot for her hospitality and for giving us the opportunity to pick up more plant and soil hints and tips. Everyone left having had a very enjoyable visit - thanks Margot.

Sue McClellan

Music Performing

"I really enjoyed the rehearsals!" is a frequently heard quote from people in our music performance group. Indeed, the opportunity to practise small ensemble music in each other’s houses, punctuated by a cuppa (or two) is irresistible. We also "change partners" for each concert, making the groups as diverse as the music (eg following a Marcello 'cello sonata, we had “Catch a falling star".)

This afternoon, two violins, a flute and a piano came together for a robust rendition of an alpine style waltz, while a trio of two clarinets and piano gave a lively and heart - warming rendition of a Mendelssohn concert piece. And what a sound a soprano saxophone and (classical) guitar can make!

Our experience and ability are varied, but we all support each other, and often encourage one another to embark on completely new musical experiences, even learning to play new instruments.
Our vocal ensemble sing a wide variety of part songs, under the sympathetic guidance of our indefatigable conductor and overall leader, Pam.

All in all, for all of us who participate: performances, and especially rehearsals are time really well spent, and keep us young!

Ken

Weekenders {A trip to Saffron Walden}

Weekenders1 Only three members of the Weekenders met up at Chelmsford Bus Station to catch the X30 bus to Stansted, in October.
It was misty when we left Chelmsford but during the morning the sun came out and the temperature rose, so by the time we reached Stansted if felt like summer again. We then caught the No 6 Stevenson’s country bus which took us through lovely villages to Thaxted, where we passed the windmill and then drove on to Saffron Walden, arriving at midday. We realised why small buses are used, and the female drivers were very careful along the narrow country lanes, especially when large vehicles appeared from the opposite direction.

Once we alighted from the bus we made our way to the Tourist Information to get our Saffron Walden Town Trail Weekenders2 pamphlets. One of the helpers in the centre took a photo of us, Sara Craig, Joan Richards and Di Angel, in front of one of the Victorian buildings in the Market Square.

We walked up to the Museum and Castle ruins, which were completed in 1835, to find it only cost £1.25 for seniors and there were two floors packed with archaeological objects found in local excavations, and many artifacts acquired from local people and villages over the centuries.

We then walked down Castle Street where most of the timber framed buildings date from around 1500 and are Grade II listed. Continuing our walk, we passed the Fry art gallery, until we reached the Parish church of St. Mary, which was rebuilt between 1470 and 1525 and is the largest parish church in Essex. This reflects the wealth of the town at the height of the saffron trade. Among the monuments is a memorial plaque for R.A.Butler, whose grave is at the east end of the churchyard.

We soon found ourselves back in the Market Square where we were able to have a much needed late lunch, before asking for help from the locals to find the bus stop for the No 6 bus back to Stansted. As this was about 4pm, the bus had many school children returning home and it was interesting to see that the bus driver stopped outside their houses, which were often quite remote on the outskirts of the villages.
We then caught the bus from Stansted back to Chelmsford after a wonderful outing with superb weather.

Sara, Joan and Di

Weekenders

Our group continues to hold two coffee mornings and a Sunday lunch every month, as well as the occasional outing.
Our October Sunday lunch was attended by 14 of us and all agreed it was a great meal in at an attractive venue and good value for money. In November we have chosen to dine at White Elms Garden Centre.

Because of the numbers attending our coffee mornings we must choose venues where we can push tables together. We use places like Lathcoats, The Co-op in Chelmsford, Hyde Hall and various garden centres.

Each Spring we have a short break away: in March next year, 17 of us are having a 5-day trip to Eastbourne.

If you would like to become a member of Weekenders, please contact me.

Denis Ketley (Co-ordinator)

Reading 2

Our group of seven keen (!) readers has met 147 times so far, and we still enjoy hearing what each of us thinks of our recent novel.

Some of the books we have enjoyed this year include Exit West by Moshim Hamid, a parable for our times about a young couple escaping as refugees from a war-torn country. Our classic this year was Catcher in the Rye – JD Salinger, which some of us had read as teenagers. A book we all enjoyed was The Gustav Sonata, a moving but uplifting novel by Maggie O’Farrell, one of our favourite female authors, and most of us liked Mark Haddon’s book of short stories called The Pier Falls – his language and description is so sharply accurate. We also read Pat Barker’s Noonday, a dramatic novel of life in Britain and its people during WW2 – another ‘good read!’

Maggie

Family History {Our Visit to the Museum of London }

Family History1 On the day of the second royal wedding of the year we set off to visit the Museum of London to ‘discover London through history’. This was a new experience for many of us. It is part of the Barbican and not far from Postman’s Park - http://www.postmanspark.org.uk/ [Three of us visited this on the same day as we saw ‘War Horse’ several years ago!]

The permanent galleries have exhibits from ‘prehistory’ through the years to my favourite - the Cauldron designed by Thomas Heatherwick for the 2012 Olympics. It was worth the visit to be close to that! Of course, being a modern museum it has the latest digital technology as well as more traditional items in cases. The Victorian Walk was very well done with shops, etc. of the time and there were many short films in different areas. There were also temporary exhibitions and displays – so much to see! Gill and I remembered seeing the Lord Mayor’s Coach many years ago, but hadn’t seen it, so Gill asked and discovered that it is being restored at the moment but will be back after the Lord Mayor’s Show. If you search on YouTube you can see how they get the coach out of the Museum.
All in all it was a very good day with two very good journeys.

Linda Knock

We shall remember them – a hundred years since Armistice day
1914 - 1918

Armistice1
Armistice3
This year marks a century since the end of the First World War, which affected millions across the globe and shaped the world we live in today. More than 130,000 servicemen and women of the war are buried or commemorated in the UK. The country has the third highest number of known and marked Commonwealth war graves in the world.
There are 90,000 war graves dating from the conflict, the third highest number of known and marked Commonwealth war graves in the world, behind only France and Belgium. Others are named on memorials erected after the war's end to commemorate those with no known grave such as the Naval Memorials at Portsmouth, Plymouth, Chatham, and Tower Hill.
In Chelmsford alone, 411 soldiers in our district who went to the front never came home. Chelmsford City Council has collaborated with more than 20 partners to coordinate a programme of events to mark this centenary.
For more information, visit www.visitchelmsford.co.uk/armistice2018

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