Members on their own (MOTO)
In the spring of 2019 we started a new group for U3A members who are on their own and want to join with others for get togethers and events. U3A MOTO groups throughout the UK offer a "helping hand" to U3A members who find themselves alone.
As the name suggests this interest group is for members who are on their own, for whatever reason.
The list of activities is chosen by the group and may include outings, meals, concerts, coffee etc. More ideas are always welcome.
The group leader is Elaine Harrison who can be contacted via the Bluebird.
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Visit to Scott House, Slimbridge WWT 8th November 2019
Naturalist Sir Peter Scott – also artist, yachtsman, pilot, diver, wartime naval officer (who was mentioned in despatches 3 times), conservationist, and son of Scott of the Antarctic –discovered that a few rare lesser white-fronted geese wintered on the banks of the River Severn. This decided him to establish a reserve for research and education at Slimbridge. He himself designed the object of our visit for his family to live in.
Volunteers Barbara and Mario were our guides who showed us round and recounted anecdotes about the Scott family and their life there.
The house overlooks the ‘pond’, now known as Swan Lake, created so that Peter could observe the geese and swans that migrated to the reserve in large numbers each winter. He realised that all the Bewick’s swans had unique bill patterns, and he recorded them and named the individual birds, which still happens.
We went first into the kitchen – very 1950s – and saw the contents of the cupboards, with the personal touch of a post-it note instructing the cook what to feed the children and the dog. The next room along was the dining room with some of Peter’s paintings, and trophies that he had won for various sporting activities. The third room was the office where Philippa, his wife, acted as secretary, fundraiser and administrator, for although they were high profile they still had to make a living, and earned money from Peter’s paintings, writings, lectures and travels. Philippa herself was an excellent photographer, and helped Peter with recording wildlife.
The sitting room was a large comfortable room with Peter’s study at the far end. Its main feature was the huge picture window overlooking the lake (now much larger than the original pond), with Peter’s easel where he painted so many of his pictures. His three children, and any visitors, were not allowed to move near the window in case they disturbed the birds, and had to crawl past it! His books and diaries, and a valued telescope that had belonged to ornithologist Thomas Bewick, were left as they had been when he lived there. The walls displayed many of his paintings, including his designs of the panda logo for the World Wildlife Fund, and two Bewick’s swans in flight, the logo for the Wildfowl and Wetlands Trust.
Peter died in 1989, shortly before his 80th birthday, but his legacy lives on in the 10 WWT reserves now established around the British Isles, and also in his concerns about the damage to the natural world which he raised long ago and which are now being proven correct.
After refreshment in the Kingfisher Restaurant half of the group went to the warm Peng Observatory to see the spectacle of ducks, geese and swans receiving their evening grain feed. The morning feed had included 2 Bewick’s swans, 198 Tufted duck, 91 Shelduck, 67 Pintail and 80 Pochard, and I imagine the evening feed numbers were not much different. A spectacle indeed.
Anyone may book a visit to see the house; if you are a WWT member there is no charge, although a donation is requested for future work on the house. Otherwise the normal entrance charge to the reserve is applicable.
Thanks to David Hinder for arranging this visit after a suggestion by Mary George
Report by Anne Nuttall
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It was a very dark moonlit night, when six intrepid U3A would be detectives from the MOTO group descended on The Gables hotel for a Murder Mystery evening. What was to happen? We had to put our investigative skills to the test and enjoyed an evening of murder, and intrigue courtesy of Murder Mystery Productions. The story unfolds during a three course Christmas dinner, and it was up to us to work out whodunit by questioning the characters and examining the clues. The mystery was just hard enough that it was challenging, but not impossible. We learnt by the end that all the characters apart from the murdered (who incidentally we also interviewed!!!), were complete liars. Not only did we have to find out who committed the murder, but also how was the murder committed and why.
The evening was great fun, everyone interacted freely, and there was never a lull in conversation. It turned out what brilliant sleuths we were, particularly Grace Pink. We came fourth out of ten teams even though we had the smallest group, so didn't embarrass U3A too much.
The staff at The Gables were friendly and well organized, food was efficiently served during the event. I can highly recommend a good murder for a social get together!
Jacky Ling
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MATEY!!
With the Corona virus rampant, all events have been cancelled or postponed. However, in their place we are offering 'MATEY' which stands for MOTO Activities Through Emails - Yes!'
This is a member-led initiative which comprises an email three times a week, packed with members' contributions, anecdotes, pictures, information, jokes, quizzes - whatever you wish to include, so if you haven't joined MOTO yet, join now to receive this incredible service. FREE whilst the lockdown lasts!
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On May 19th the group watched on Zoom their fifth talk in the series France through the Ages. This one was entitled Paris in Revolution.
The lecture began in 1789 with Marie Antoinette running through the servants’ corridors of the Palace of Versailles to join her husband, King Louis XVI to escape from the mob.
A series of poor harvests in the 1780s had led to a grain shortage and hunger amongst the people. However, there is no evidence that Marie Antoinette ever said ‘Let them eat cake’, though it is quite likely that she would have thought it.
Both she and the King were guillotined in 1793.
The talk introduced us to Le Procope, a coffee shop, opened in 1686 and which still exists. This was one of many that sprang up in the city, the number swelling from just under 400 in the 1720s to 4000 by 1800. They provided meeting places for the “philosophe”, great writers and thinkers like Voltaire, Diderot and Rousseau. Their deliberations were a challenge to both the King and the Catholic Church.
The introduction of the tricolour by the revolutionaries in 1790 presented the blue and red of Paris and white for the Bourbons, in the expectation of the restoration of the monarchy. The Marseillaise, written in 1792, was the marching song of volunteers from Marseilles following the declaration of war with Austria. It was adopted as the National Anthem by the National Convention in 1795.
The talk went on to describe how Napoleon Bonaparte seized power in a coup d’état and the good things he achieved in his war on poverty, the introduction of the metric system, and the founding of the Banque de France and the Bourse (stock exchange), before leading France into aggressive military expansion.
Napoleon’s final defeat at Waterloo in 1815 was followed by two more revolutions in 1830 and 1832 and another in 1848, which brought about the final rejection of the monarchy.
John Morton
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Future Plans
Some of you will be aware that I took over leadership of the group when David Hinder felt unable to continue. I’m pleased to say that David is now back home.
Now back to the topic for today. Talking with some members on a recent science and engineering visit it was suggested that we have a planning meeting to look at what members would like to do as we resurface from Covid. I plan to hold a meeting shortly in the Methodist Church and will email details once a room is booked. Refreshments will be provided, well biscuits, tea and coffee, and there will be no charge.
John
Coffee Morning 5th July 2022
Fourteen of us gathered on the decking outside the Methodist Church to chat, drink coffee and eat cake. What more could you ask for. We were lucky with the weather and had a happy two hours chewing the fat. Thanks must go to Pam for organising it and providing home baked cakes.
We are planning a repeat at the beginning of August, date and time to be confirmed.
Regarding the future, I’m more or less fit again but still restricted on time away from home so not planning events too far away. That said some ideas came out of the coffee morning.
You may be aware that there is an exhibition of Lions sponsored by the Born Free charity on Bristol Downs. There are 25 life size bronze exhibits all based on real life lions that the charity have helped including Elsa the lioness featured in the film ‘Born Free’. In the 60’s there were estimated to be 200,000 lions in the wild and now the estimate is 20,000. The exhibition aims to highlight their plight.
I’m not planning a formal trip to see the exhibit but suggest you may like to get together to arrange your own visits. The exhibition will close on 1st October so you have plenty of time.
Looking forward I’ve been offered two talks more suited to later in the year when we’re mainly indoors. There’s also been the suggestion of a boat trip along the Gloucester and Sharpness canal.
In the meantime look after yourselves and if anyone has any ideas, something you’re burning to do please let me know.
All the best for now.
John Hobson