Earlier this year the Regional Social Committee came up with an idea. Wouldn’t it be good if each U3A in the Region could devise a ‘Poster’ – for want of a better word – to commemorate their history, activities, achievements and other notable events up to this special year of 2006, Northumbria Region’s 10^th anniversary? What size? A4 was suggested. They must all be the same size because the aim would be to bind them finally in a book to be treasured and maybe used to promote the Region. One member went away to experiment. How much could be put on a seemingly small piece of paper?

The idea was floated via a letter to every chairman and within a week or so three excellent posters turned up at the Regional meeting in March. These set the ball rolling. Nineteen made their appearance at the birthday celebration in April. Most were computer generated. All were colourful, attractive, mounted and covered for protection. They ranged from the simply effective to pages amazingly packed full of informative text and photographs. The more one looks at them the more one sees!

These posters came from Aycliffe (the ‘baby’ of three months expressing itself in poetry and painting), from Alnwick, Berwick upon Tweed, Cowtons and Countryside, Durham, Easington, Gateshead, Morpeth and District, Newcastle, Northallerton, Ponteland, Richmond, Ryton and District, South Durham, Sunderland, Washington, Wearside, Whickham and District and Whitley Bay.

Since April we saw the opportunity to display the posters at public meetings in Chester-le-Street and Middlesbrough. They have assuredly generated interest in the U3A. Of course, copies of each one can be used locally for publicity purposes. They appear next at the July Regional Meeting where your Contacts may be seeing them for the first time.

There is still time for the remaining U3As in the Region, including numbers 30 and 31!, to produce a poster to add to this 2006 commemorative collection. If there is no artist or computer buff in your committee could you offer to help in the production? Samples can be obtained from the Regional officers. We will be delighted to have your U3A "booked"!

J M Mc

So much has happened regionally since I wrote my last letter that I can only mention briefly my pleasure at attending Stockton’s 20^th anniversary party. You will, surely, read a glowing report about it within this Newsletter. Thank you to the organizers for a most enjoyable, special day.

The Region’s 10^th birthday celebration a week later was another very happy occasion with 23 U3As being represented. The Social Committee must be congratulated for the overall planning, but the day was most successful because so many members contributed to the event. In the morning we enjoyed inspiring art and crafts, photographic displays, a quiz, coffee and buzzing conversation. A4 ‘posters’ were amazingly produced for the occasion and received much admiration. (Please read the separate item). A raffle took place thanks to your generosity. It generated a fun atmosphere although the chairman almost lost her voice calling out all those numbers!

After the cutting of the BIG cake and a superb lunch we had high class, varied entertainment supplied by members of Whickham and Wear-Tees U3As. What a delight to see magnificent kites on a superb film and to hear talented pianists and singers. In fact, everybody burst into song as a mini, 5 U3A? Regional choir urged us all to join in its Northumbrian medley. There was an especial camaraderie that day. Let’s hold another similar ‘happening’ soon!

After much groundwork by the Development Committee and Margaret Minns, Development Contact, in particular CESTRIA U3A at Chester-le-Street began in May. It already has 42 members and nine group activities! We welcome Cestria as the 30^th U3A in this Region.

Since John Lloyd negotiated an Awards for All Grant of £4,200 in March there has been a concentrated, whirlwind promotion of the U3A in Middlesbrough. With the support of several regional U3As, neighbouring Saltburn and the enthusiastic determination of one local resident a steering committee held its first public meeting on July 5^th Middlesbrough U3A was born with 34 subscribers and plans for four groups. Welcome Northumbria’s Number 31!

Our U3A Awareness Days are off to a good start too. Read more overleaf. All in all, a very productive three months.

The U3A country Walking Group comprises about 25 members who enjoy a reasonable level of fitness to enable them to undertake walks of 5-8 miles long.

The group (roughly 50-50 male & female) walk throughout the year on a monthly basis in an area bounded by Scottish borders, Cumbria, North Yorkshire & the North Sea.

Members of the group who wish to, take on the role of leader for a walk, thereby honing their skills at leadership, map reading, route planning and safety awareness.

All walks are reconnoitred before the walk to ensure the route, terrain and conditions are suitable for the whole group.

Walks are a social occasion allowing members to walk at their own pace and enjoy the scenery as opposed to being a route march.

This group meets at 10.30am on the third Tuesday in the month.

Walks range from 3 to 5 miles and can be on good footpaths and/or rough, muddy tracks through fields or woods. Anticipated ground conditions are described in the newsletter preceding the walk. On some occasions a bar lunch is suggested.

Starting points are in the range of public transport where practicable. If this is not possible transport is arranged from within the group, generally from Sainsbury’s main entrance.

In the year, just finished, we have

walked at Horton Burn, Cramlington, Whitley Bay to Tynemouth, Saltwell Park, Newcastle Quayside (for the Tall Ships), East Cramlington, Marsden/Whitburn, Washingwell woods, Byker to Wallsend, Jesmond Dene, Monument to Quayside, River Blyth, South Shields and Plessey Woods.

The group averages 9 members but we had 18 for the Tall Ships.

No booking is necessary, just turn up. Some time back the leader suggested a voluntary donation of £1 to cover the leader’s expenses for reconnaissance, tunnel fees/parking etc.

The gardening group meets monthly from March to October. We visit various gardens and garden centres in Northumberland and Durham. This gives us the opportunity to discuss our gardening problems with one another and with the gardeners in the places we visit. We also gain new inspiration for our own gardens. We see how other people do things and incorporate their ideas. We have approximately 22 members but numbers vary on each visit. We share transport in private cars.

Marie Shell

Birdwatchers here close to the north-east coast of England are fortunate to live under a bird migration route with many species passing north and south through our region most noticeably in spring and autumn.

Some species spend time here either as winter or summer visitors while others are resident remaining in the region all year round so that it is possible to go out at any time of the year and see a variety of birds.

Local parks are worth a look for the more common resident birds, while a bird-feeder sited in one's own garden can attract visits from a range of finches, tits and thrushes.

Inland, summer visiting flycatchers, warblers and redstarts take up territories in plantations, scrub and wooded valleys, while moors and upland areas are occupied by various plovers and waders and birds of prey that have spent the winter at the coast. These are joined by longer travelled migrants from tropical Africa including common sandpiper, wheatear and whinchat.

Other temporary visitors from Africa found widely in our region in summer are house and sand martins, swallow and swift.

Autumn can be an exciting time for birdwatchers as there is a good chance of seeing species uncommon or rare in the UK as migratory birds make their way south and usually distant birds may get caught up in weather systems and make landfall here. Hence, favoured locations such as Holy Island, Marsden and Hartlepool are well worth a visit at this time.

Birdwatching as a Northumbria Region group activity arose from interested members from local U3As coming together in 1999 and taking part in a programme of some twenty field trips throughout the year to places likely to hold interesting birds. This general scheme has been followed in subsequent years including 2006.

In terms of number of members attending a field trip it is our experience that fifteen is the practical limit: with more the party becomes unwieldy.

Clive Allen

It was just over a year ago when Alnwick U3A negotiated a special rate for their members at the over 50s sessions on Friday mornings in the local sports centre. The centre management had been disappointed that hardly any older people took advantage of the facilities (due to lack of publicity, as none of us knew about it!) and, coincidentally, we were in the process of trying to set up a table tennis group and were at the stage of trying to find a venue and time to suit.

Many of our members now go to the sessions, not only to play table tennis, but to take part in other sports hall activities, such as badminton, short tennis, carpet bowls and new age curling, and to use the gym, swimming pool and spa.

Also on offer are aerobics, chair-based exercise, tai chi and line dancing. The sessions have proved so popular that there is now a second one on Wednesday afternoons. Although these sessions are quite separate from U3A, many of our members go, knowing that there will be other people there that they know.

Maureen Stephenson

The walking groups are in two parts – Bryn Griffiths leads the Short Walks Group, these are fairly easy going 4-5 mile rambles. Recent outings have been to Egton Bridge, Bilsdale and Rosedale. For the more energetic, Marjorie Fossick leads the Long Walks Group on 9-10 mile hikes.

This year we have included some additional locations for birding enthusiasts. So far this year we have had visits to Saltholm Nature Reserve on the north bank of the Tees in early March for an exploration of a site that is eventually hoped will be the largest RSPB reserve in the country. A fortnight later a small number of hardy souls turned out at Cod Beck Reservoir near Osmotherly for ‘signs of spring’. The long cold winter and the flurries of snow on the day ensured that there few signs of any life, especially the frogs, toads and flowers which we intended to observe.

Two visits to the coast followed - to Blackhall Rocks and Bempton Cliffs for sightings of seabirds. By mid-May the weather had at last improved for the visit to Ashbury Pastures, near Riveaulx Abbey in Yorkshire to observe and photograph the wild flowers.

Tony Daniels

We have been quite active this spring enjoying many outings organised by our membership team.

In March we went on a theatre outing to Billingham to see an excellent murder mystery play, The Hollow, featuring Tony Britain, Kate O'Mara, and Tracy Childs.  It was very well acted and most enjoyable.

Our Spring walk on 12 April was at Herrington Park, just below Penshaw Monument. It was a lovely bright and blue day and about 15 people attended.  Plenty of good chat, laughter and bread to feed the ducks and swans. It is lovely landscaped  parkland with good walkways, ponds and hills with wonderful views and modern sculptures. It was 2 hours of exhilarating exercise enjoyed by all.

At the end of April, about 16 members had a very good day out in Helmsley, among the shops and many eating places and a walk as well if preferred!

In May, we did our bluebell walk at Whitworth Hall area.  20 people attended and enjoyed a beautiful sunny spring day.  We walked by the river, into the shaded trees and saw fields and fields of gorgeous bluebells -gorgeous! Good views,  horses too, good chat and laughter. Seven miles of pure enjoyment had by all.

On the 25th May we went to see "My Fair Lady" at Sunderland Empire.  21 people attended and saw a wonderful show.  Amazing sets, beautiful costumes, good songs and acting and a thoroughly enjoyable afternoon had by all!

At the end of May we had another cycle ride for our members.  This time around Herrington Park.  We went up, down and all around the park, had a picnic lunch at the amphitheatre in the park, another ride around the perimeter of the park and then home.  Although the day was quite cool, it was dry and bright and a challenging ride!

There is a day out at Scarborough on 24th  June and I'm sure that everyone will really enjoy a good summer day at the seaside.

This has been our spring programme - a busy one, too made very interesting by committee members who try to entertain and keep us as active as possible!

Our walking group had their foreign holiday in the Austrian Tyrol this year. The first week was spent at St. Johann. Here the weather was decidedly damp and cool . The indoor and outdoor swimming pools were well patronised. Fortunately they were both heated For the second week they travelled by local train to  the lakeside resort of Zell an See where the weather was much warmer.  

Walking necessitated waterproofs but several interesting places were visited.  In Kitzbuhel there was a vintage car exhibition showing historic Bugatti cars.  They went on to Innsbruck where they saw the golden roof. 

The short distance walking group continued to meet on alternate Mondays.   

The gardening group had three visits during the period:  

Mandorton House in Duns, Scotland, the home of Lord Palmer. The gardens were wonderful and the talk was very interesting; Markinswuld Hall Near Ripon was a very interesting French house. Later that day they went to Harlow Carr where the weather was very wet; 

and lastly a visit to the wonderful gardens of Scamstone Hall.

The local history group had an all day visit to Washington Old Hall.   

A new activity group was formed this year. A Jazz appreciating group had its first meeting.  It is intended that this will become a permanent feature. 

 All other group activities carried on as per programme 

The Blue Bell Woods near Great Ayton were breathtakingly beautiful recently and we even came across a group of walkers who were accompanied by Llamas! We also have three or four out-of-area coach trips to the Lakes, The Dales or the Pennines, within our regular yearly programme. Long may it continue!

Olga Jenkins

Guests included Joyce McKay the Northumbria Regional Chair person and over 120  members of Stockton U3A.

The Guest Speaker was Dulcie Lewis a popular Social Historian who gave a talk on "Food & Drink" which was very humorous and thoroughly enjoyable. Before a delicious lunch the guests were able to view the varied display of photographic memorabilia and also the crafts, cards, sketching, and paintings, all the excellent work of the members of these groups. Costumes from some of the shows the Light Entertainment Group had presented in the past where also on display. There were also continuous video excerpts from these shows, and the very first pantomime produced by the group many years ago. Even though the sound was not too good (this was such an early edition), a great deal of laughter was heard as the cast of "Sleeping Beauty" were all MEN. The musical memories of some of the members were also to be heard  and unfortunately "Time" all too swiftly passed by and there was that beautiful Birthday Cake to be cut and enjoyed!

A Tea Party for past or infirm members, took place on the 3rd June and there was a chance for those who had not been able get to the Celebration Day to view the Display and enjoy a piece of Birthday Cake.

The fine weather took its toll on the June Monthly Meeting which was very poorly attended. We have a Monthly Meeting in July and then all activities are resting during August to be resumed in September.

Olga Jenkins

We have enjoyed various activities since March. Two members attended the 10th Anniversary celebrations at Ramside Hall and had a most enjoyable day. We enjoyed the beautiful surroundings, the meal and entertainment and, most of all, the company and would like to thank the organisers for all their hard work.

The star attraction seems to be our visit to Germany in September when we are promised a spectacular firework display over the Rhine, among other things, and I shall be listening with interest to the German group practising their German!

In June we were pleased to welcome Newcastle Travel Group to Richmond and after visiting the Georgian Theatre we had lunch together before they went off to Kiplin Hall.

We have had several good speakers including Jean Robertson talking about her adventures in Laos, Ken Humphreys from York with the music of George Gerschwin and Elizabeth Conran, the former Curator of the Bowes Museum who gave a talk on Venice and the Grand Tour.

Pat Croft

Lunches, dinners, walking, bird watching, photography, cruising on the Tyne, visits to gardens and discovering so much of interest in and around our home base are just some of the other outdoor pursuits shared by South Durham members. The gardeners have explored Helmsley, Thornton Hall and Carperly; the walkers have been to Escomb and Stanhope, ‘Discoverers’ to Ryedale Folk Museum and the birdwatchers next outing is to Low Barns. Photographers have been to Castle Howard and soon hope to photograph some hot air ballooning.

The star attraction is yet to come –according to our astronomers. Venus can be seen just before dawn, Jupiter - whilst it’s still dark, but about 12th August - the day the shooting season starts - you might be lucky enough to see a meteor shower.

Several members attended an Awareness Day and pronounced it essential for all members. It was informative and enjoyable and also brought home just how much goes into making the organisation so successful. Thank you Margaret and your team.

Celebrations at Stockton and Ramside were also much enjoyed by members – again many thanks to all who organised these.

As keen gardeners and newcomers to New Zealand, way back in 1972, it took us some time to realise that, unlike in England, gardens are designed for the outdoor life. There are other differences, too. It was to prove a steep learning curve, with many mistakes.

North Auckland, in the main, consists of hilly, previously bush-covered country. Native trees thrive on the heavy clay soil. Few flowers or vegetables survive without a lot of soil preparation, but having done that, citrus fruits, many vegetables and most flowers thrive in the sub tropical climate.

The garden of our new home was ‘landscaped’, i.e. an inch of loam, had been raked over the clay and scattered with grass seed! As soon as the dry weather came the ground cracked, looking like parts of Australia. Wanting some privacy, we decided hedges were more interesting than fences but soon discovered that with NZ’s 10 month growing season we were forever cutting back.

Bananas can be grown but don’t mature well, neither do pineapples. Some plants flower twice or more in a year and lemons flower and fruit at the same time! The humid climate causes a lot of fungal conditions – blackspot, leafcurl and mildew so that some use of chemicals is necessary to prevent disaster.

As we neared retirement age we have had to reduce hedges and lawns and think of flowering shrubs and low maintenance areas of bark or pumice and less flowers. We needed an area near the house with adequate seating and shelter for entertaining. Unlike in England, facing South West in NZ is to face the cold winds so we planted a shelter belt of native trees. A deck from the house over the slope came next. Not knowing anything about constructing decks, outdoor lighting or laying paving this became a 5-year slog and I had to get help with hauling joists into place, digging out and concreting. The years have passed and the garden has mellowed. It will be very hard if we ever have to leave. George Stevenson, Auckland U3A.

Note: Pictures of George and Rosemary’s garden can be found on the South Durham website – www.sdurhamu3a.org.uk

We are also staging an exhibition in the Glendale Gateway Trust shop in the HIgh Street to coincide with the production where we will be displaying Victoriana to give a feel for the era. Also included in this display is a portrait of Garibaldi, presented to Josephine Butler by Garibaldi in recognition of her achievements.

On the social side we recently held our summer lunch which as always was a great success.

In September we have arranged a visit to Tuscany and Umbria and we have started a four week Italian course to help us with the language problems. This is going well and being enjoyed by the participants.

The Durham U3A Walking Group meets up once a fortnight on a Wednesday morning at 10 am. We have a programme of walks for six months at a time and each walk is lead by a member, or members of the group. We have about thirty members in the group and have an average of nineteen people each time.

Our walks are very varied and we try to average four or five miles. During the last six months we have walked along the river banks in Durham, looking at the eight bridges crossing the Wear. We have walked along old railway lines, in the countryside, in wooded and moorland areas and done coastal walks. In June our walk in Thornley Woods included the observation area for the nesting kites. We were able to see where the kites were nesting and some of us were lucky enough to see them flying.

After each walk we usually find a local pub to go to for a bar meal and a well earned drink.

Janet Thackray

With membership on the verge of 100 after only two years of existence, our range of activities continues to expand. Over the past few months we have seen the launch of activity groups in Bridge, Art History, Scrabble and French Conversation. These have integrated with existing groups in Walking, Armchair Travel, Natural History, Theatre & Concert and Reading to provide a busy programme of events for our members.

Our monthly meetings continue to attract about 40-50 people for the visiting speakers. Recent talks on Ormesby Hall and its Family History by John Wilson, North York Moors National Park by Carl Cockerill, and Herbs by our own Ann Press were well received.

About twenty people had an enjoyable coach outing to Saltaire near Bradford in April. Despite the inclement weather in the morning

the guided walk around the site was very informative. Mike Petrie produced an excellent DVD/Video as a memento of the visit.

We are seeking to involve more people in an active role and have proposed a monthly event called the Forum. This will consist of a coffee morning integrated with two ten minute lecture/talks/chats + discussion from members about their interests/hobbies/passions/etc.

I attended a most informative Awareness Day in Darlington in May and learnt a great deal from the presentations and from discussions with U3A members from other locations. The presence of a representative from the U3A Trust was very helpful in that he was able to clarify a number of issues which were unclear to members.

Tony Daniels

U3A Northumbria Region’s 10th birthday was celebrated at the Ramside Hall Hotel in April. Before lunch there was an exhibition of paintings, drawings, photographs and cuttings from most of the region with a wide variety of activities and interests on display.

We enjoyed a good lunch and I shared a table with members from Alnwick, Ponteland and Sunderland, so I was able to learn a little of their monthly meetings, groups and activities.

After lunch we had a varied programme of entertainment. For me the best was a video presentation "Red Kites in the Derwent Valley" by Whickham U3A Sight and Sound Group. I thought this an inspiring presentation, because of their involvement with a range of statutory and voluntary agencies. There were amazing shots of the kites being fitted with tags and transmitters so that their daily lives were monitored.

Three musical items – a piano medley from a member of Wear-Tees, songs from a soprano with piano accompaniment from her husband, both members of Whickham U3A, and four Northumbrian songs from a choir led by Brian Pickett of Ponteland U3A, part of one assembled for the Tall Ships event last summer. We enjoyed singing the choruses.

We are grateful to the organising committee for all their efforts. These not only gave us pleasure, but also made us wonder whether all U3A members were taking advantage of the learning and social activities to the full and contributing some of their time and energy to making other people’s lives more exciting with new activities.

Joy Davison & Janet Murrell – Durham U3A

Two new groups have recently been formed. Tea Shops & Tours and Dowsing although the later will only run for eight weeks. The Tea shops and Tours group recently visited Knaresborough. After touring the town and it's places of interest the day concluded with a visit to a tea shop.

Apart from the Tea shops and Tours group there are three other outdoor groups: the Natural History Group, The Gardening Group and three (shortly to be 4) walking groups.

There are about 60 active walkers and 53 of them recently went by coach to Hebden Bridge for a day walking in an area that was new to most of us. There were three different walks of varying distances. One of the groups included a walk around nearby Reptonstall to see a village that was home to hand loom weavers in the early days of the West Yorkshire woollen industry. Everyone had an enjoyable day in the fine weather and we finished with a fish and chips tea at Murgatroyd's near Bradford.

Another coach trip has been arranged for September to walk sections of Hadrian's Wall.

Fred Leek.