Northumbria Region Newsletter
January 2009
Chairman’s Letter
Dear Fellow Members,
A happy and healthy New Year to you all. As a Region we have some exciting events in the pipeline for 2009. Various Study days are being planned throughout the Region. I do hope you will give your support.
We have had the joy of seeing new U3A’s starting up in our Region and thanks must go to our Education and Development Contacts, Margaret Minns and Joyce McKay, supported by John Coulthard and Pat Gauntlett.
Your committee have been striving to make the Regional meeting more interesting. At the last meeting it was good to have as our special speaker Jenny Clark, who gave a presentation on Shared Learning Projects. Any ideas for the North East should be channelled through our Regional contact Joyce Watts
At our next meeting on 28th January we will have representatives from the Institute of Ageing and Health. They are keen to work with us!
Are you interested in your Region?
Would you like to work on the committee? We need new committee members to take on important roles. Do think about it.
Very best wishes to you all
Doris Dobson
Regional Chairman.
Q
Northumbria U3A Development Report January 2009
Funding
Awards For All Grant £8,330 is now in place. Thank you and congratulations to John Coulthard for all his hard work in putting to the applicaion together.
Awareness Days
Prudhoe Date to be arranged-venue possibly Wylam Library. Open to all interested U3A members locally or prepared to travel.
Bishop Auckland Wednesday 6th May at Bishop Auckland 10:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m.
Northallerton plan to hold an Awareness Day or sessions for Northallerton members only.
Suggestions are requested for other areas or venues
Possible New U3A’s
Meanwhile in Bedale Joyce McKay (the other Northumbria U3A’s Educational and Development Contact) has received requests from Bedale residents regarding the setting up of a U3A in their area. Yorkshire and Humber are aware of this and it will probably be in early April. Joyce invites all neighbouring U3A’s; Cowtons in the Countryside U3A, Richmond U3A and Thirsk and Northallerton U3A’s to come along and give support and help (please, no more than 3 from each U3A.)
North East Summer School 2009
It is with regret and sadness that we report this initiative has not materialised.
Northumbria U3A Promotional DVD
Now that we have been granted our funding, Noel Adamson, a member of Whickham U3A, and his team are able to go ahead with the production of the promotional DVD which is intended to be used by all U3A’s to inform them of what is happening in Northumbria. This will also help to publicise U3A at meetings for new start-ups in the future. We are all relying on your support for this venture and a form is available for completion by U3A’s who wish to be involved. The form will be available at the next quarterly meeting at The Angel Inn on 21st January.
and from your two Educational and Development Contacts
Happy New Year
Margaret Minns and Joyce McKay
Northumbria Educational and Development Contacts.
Margaret Minns, Northumbria Educational and Development Contact (EDC) for Northumberland and Tyneside-on behalf of Northumbria U3A Development Committee, assisted by Pat Gauntlet, of Washington U3A
Joyce McKay, Northumbria Educational and Development Contact (EDC) for Durham and North Yorkshire assisted by John Coulthard of Wear Tees U3A.
Please note the new titles, and also the fact that we now have TWO Educational and Development Contacts.
Q
Regional Trustee Report.
Unfortunately, I have little to report this time as I missed the last NEC meeting in December due to an extremely bad cold. The main concern I have at the moment is that my term of office ends at the National AGM in September, and therefore, the Region needs to shortly elect a successor. If anyone is interested in taking on this role or would like to know more, I would be delighted to discuss it with you.
My email address is lorbottle@tiscali.co.uk and my telephone number is 01890 840494
John Leiper
Q
Wear Tees U3A Study Day
LAND OF THE PRINCE BISHOPS
Wednesday 9th September 2009
Venue - Park Head Hotel Bishop Auckland
Lecture and Guided Tour of Binchester (Vinovia) Roman Fort
One of the most important Roman Sites in the UK
Guided Tour of Bishop Auckland Castle
Home of the Bishop of Durham
Guided Tour of Escomb 6th Century Saxon Church
The oldest Christian church still in use in Europe
Cost £40 (approx)
The price includes
Coach Travel from hotel to and from each venue
All entrance Fees
Tea/coffee and biscuits on arrival
Buffet Lunch
Tea & refreshments on Departure
For a registration form and accommodation details please contact:
Mrs. Norma Robinson
14, Boundary Court
Bishop Auckland
DL14 7JE
Tel. 0138 860 4204
Or email to wearteesu3a@gmail.com
Q
Alnwick U3A
Geology Group's Visit to Teesdale
Seven of us (five geologists and two hangers-on) had a three night stay in Middleton-in-Teesdale in late September 2008 to study the geology of the Teesdale valley.
We studied the impressive outcrop of the Whin Sill that dominates the valley, together with the drumlins. At High Force, we saw carboniferous sandstone and limestone, topped by the Whin Sill dolerite that forms the lip of the waterfall. We found some gigantic brachiopods in a limestone pavement in the river and barites in the old mine workings. Then there were the magnificent waterfalls themselves - Low Force, High Force and Cauldron Snout. With so much water at that time, they were at their very best.
But the real highlight of the trip were the evening meals, where the seven of us were able to put the world to rights!
Q
Bede of Jarrow U3A
First of all our Bowls group was filmed by SCTCentral at Primrose Village, where they meet every other Friday. They returned to film us on 1st December at our Christmas Fayre where we made a fantastic profit of around £340.00. Part of this paid for a bus to take us into Durham, where we took part in a Carol Service in the Cathedral, spent hours in the Craft Fair outside the Cathedral, and then made various stops at some of the local hostelries.
The committee had their Christmas meal out at South Tyneside College in South Shields. The food was delicious and we had a wonderful time. Later on in the same week, all the members had a Christmas luncheon with Cabaret at Primrose Village and this really did set us up for Christmas. The Bowls group then had another luncheon at the Lemon Grass restaurant in South Shields, which had been recommended.
In between all these events, some of our committee visited the Alzheimer's Society in South Shields to give them a talk about the U3A and its activities. The Feel Good group visited the Laing Art Gallery in Newcastle, and the Sunday Lunch group continues to meet at the Customs House in South Shields.
Our weekly walks will start up again soon, when we can depend on dry weather, and some of the ladies of the committee have already had a little soiree to discuss our monthly outings for April, May and June.
Several of us are hoping to join a Yoga class in South Shields, and many of us are taking up the opportunity of a free course called "The History of South Shields", which leads on to many other learning opportunities. The Art group is doing wonderfully well, as are the Tenpin and Indoor Bowling groups. Our Reading Group is starting to attract more members.
Well, as I write, the rain is pouring down outside, but I have been looking at my packets of seeds today with hope in my heart that I will be planting indoors in the next 6 - 8 weeks, ready for planting out in May or June. I can see one or two tulips popping up in the garden, so let’s hope that other bulbs are not too far behind.
A very happy New Year to everyone
Iris Walls
Q
Dunelm U3A
Local History Group
The year 2008 has seen our local history group grow so that the enthusiastic membership is now around twenty five. This has enabled us to attract and afford a wider range of interesting speakers, whilst remaining loyal to our favourites.
During last year, we addressed the imbalance between general history and local history by using some spare time in the meetings to consider the history of Durham and Northumbria. We have now reached the point on the historical timeline when the city of Durham was founded. I for one have found that the more one looks at the history of Northumbria the more we find there is to know about the complex politics and the fascinating characters we meet up with.
As always the group stands or falls on the speakers and visits. In the coming year, the programme includes speakers on mining, Roman Binchester, Nelson and Lady Hamilton and “A day in Court” with visits to Richmond Castle and the Theatre, Killhope museum and another Tyne Cruise to mention but a sample.
I am confident it will be another exciting year which broadens our understanding of the region.
Cyril Palin, Group Leader
Q
Guisborough U3A
Inaugural year
It’s barely a year since the Guisborough U3A Steering Group held its inaugural meeting on 16th January 2008 to gauge interest in the formation of a U3A to cover Guisborough and the surrounding area. Margaret Mimms, our Regional Development Contact, joined us in the Hall of Guisborough Methodist Church which quickly filled to over-flowing.
Things have continued since that time at a break-neck pace with well-attended monthly meetings; we currently have a membership of 440 and a rich and diverse programme of some 33 activities on offer, a lecture programme which runs on the fifth Wednesday in the month plus an active monthly Excursions/Theatre programme. We are also engaged locally with the Archives Section exploring the British Steel archive. Proving that you’re never too old to rock, our 60’s and 70’s Interest Group resulted in a popular, if loud!, Rock of Ages concert at the local Football Club.
Following our AGM in April and our acceptance by the Third Age Trust we have been recognised by HMRC for Gift Aid purposes which should enable us to hold our subscription rate to £10 for 2009/10. We are excited by a recent partnership with our local post-16 college; Prior Pursglove College is working in partnership with us to meet demands from our members where we cannot immediately locate Group Coordinators. It is running 12-week courses under our aegis, but fully funded by the College, in Painting and Drawing, German, Spanish (starting in February) and is working on providing resources for our Geology course which is planned to start in April.
To find out more about us or to contact us, you can find us on www.guisboroughu3a.org.uk .
Peter Walkley
Q
Middlesbrough U3A
We have most of the usual groups and that doesn’t qualify as "news", but the caption
"LOOK - NO MORTAR" was used recently to encourage others to join my Dry Stone Walling group, which has been working in the North York Moors National Park weekly throughout the summer.
Sounds great, but in fact the group numbers two, no-one else joined, and we've hung up our boots for the winter now.
Q
Northallerton U3A
90 Years on, but we shall not forget them
The 2008 November meeting of Northallerton U3A Family History Group was opened to all members who wished to share with us stories about those people in their families who had left home and gone to war in 1914 to 1918. Photographs of soldiers and sailors, letters and cards from the Front, medals and badges all lovingly cared for, well preserved documents, a soldier’s daily war diary and other memorabilia soon filled display tables and boards. Several people volunteered to speak for approximately 10 minutes about their relatives or family friends who had fought in the war and some amazing stories were unfolded. Other people chatted about the interesting articles which they had brought for the display. Advice on further research and preservation of each treasured item was exchanged. The following two short pieces give a flavour of the pride each person felt for the part their relatives had played in World War I.
My father, Thomas Young, served in the 20th Battalion of the Durham Light Infantry (DLI) in the First World War. He and five of his friends from West Hartlepool were turned down for voluntary service on the grounds they were too young. Upping their ages in West Hartlepool would not work because in those days everybody knew everybody and they would not get away with it. So they decided to go to Sunderland where they were not known. The upshot was they did add a year to their ages and were accepted for service. After training they were posted to the 20th Battalion of the DLI, which was the Sunderland battalion.
My father was posted to France in 1916 where he fought on the Somme from that fateful day of 1st July 1916. I have his pay book of the time and it records he was still there in December of that year. He was also posted to Italy for a while, where, with the Italians, his regiment was in conflict with the Austrian army. Posted back to France, where he was again on the Western Front he fought at Passchendaele and became part of the army of occupation in Germany from 1918 to 1919 after which he was discharged.
He served three years of active service – excluding two periods of home leave – during which time he miraculously did not receive any injury of note. So surviving to marry and become my father in the 1930’s.
Arthur Young (Arthur also wrote this note to the group leader after the meeting)
I checked the photograph featuring Dad and his friends on Peace Day 1919. His three friends are wearing the badges issued to wounded and honourably discharged soldiers. This helped to clear a query I had resulting from Dad telling me that he was the only surviving member of the original Platoon. He claimed, before he died, that the photo was of his original friends. They were obviously discharged after injury leaving Dad to survive the war alone as he claimed. I am most grateful to you and your meeting for clearing my mind on this point.’
At the November meeting of the Family History Group in Northallerton the theme was our family in the First World War. Two of my family were killed in the war and I took along my memorial pictures and a Death Plaque, sometimes called a ‘Death Penny’.
Frank Burns writes:
My uncle Peter joined up under age in the Royal Navy and was a stoker on board H.M.S. Black Prince, an armoured Cruiser. It was sunk with all hands at the Battle of Jutland on the night of 31st May – 1st June 1916. Peter was just 17 years old. In addition to his Death Plaque I have his Service Medal and the Jutland Memorial Medal given to the families of all who died in that battle. Internet information obtained by my son in law gives details of Peter and this and the medals are in a memorial case. I found a silhouette of the Black Prince in a World War I book and I had it printed onto another memorial picture which also gives Peter’s details stating that he was the son of Peter and Margaret Burns of West Hartlepool, together with details of the Chatham Memorial to the missing of sea battles. Another uncle gave me Peter’s letters to my Grandmother and I keep them safe in special paper.
Peter’s uncle, my great uncle, was killed on 4th July on the Somme. He was in the 11th West Yorks and had won the Military Medal. Unfortunately all the records were destroyed in the Second World War so I cannot find out how he won it. Robert has no known grave and is commemorated in the Thiepval Memorial to the Missing on the Somme. I found an aerial photograph of the Memorial being opened by Edward, Prince of Wales in 1932. This and Robert’s details from internet sites form another memorial picture.
It was a most interesting session. I saw things I had never seen before and my material was so interesting to the other members.
Frank Burns
We at Northallerton have been enjoying a 4-weekly Jazz Appreciation programme since early last year. As presenter and researcher, I play a selection of jazz of all types; including New Orleans, ragtime, boogie-woogie, early swing, American and British big bands and small groups, vocalists, bebop and modern jazz, plus all types within. The library of music has been compiled from a combination of members’ CD’s and items downloaded legally from the Internet.
At each session we listen to about 18 tracks, playing the music through a laptop computer and portable speaker system, via ‘flash memory sticks’. I talk, hopefully not too much, about the tracks and the musicians so that we all learn a bit whilst enjoying the nostalgia that goes with the music of our youth. The group has between 25 and 30 regular members, male and female. Some of them have played instruments in their youth but most just enjoy the music.
We would love to hear from any other U3A’s with similar groups, in order to compare the way in which we handle the subject and also to explore the possibility of sharing some of our music or programmes. Also, if any other U3A’s are thinking about setting up such a group, I would be pleased to help.
Fred Kemp 01609 779077
Q
South Durham U3A
Reading Group
“How do you start a Reading Group?” I was asked recently.
Here’s what I answered, and any other ideas would be welcome – as would some reading recommendations. (Please contact the writer by email at u3asd.sec@googlemail.com.
In our U3A there is no group leader, but there is one person who acts as contact giving information about what is happening, where and when to anyone who wants to know.
We each take a turn at choosing a book and leading the discussion on it. Choices are made two or three months in advance, often from a list of some 150 book collections that Darlington library has amassed for just such groups. They also offer large print and audio versions of the many of the titles. Other favourite sources are second-hand book shops and of course the Amazon website www.amazon.co.uk. However, using Amazon can involve you in more cost than you might think. Books can often cost just one penny but the postage can be about £3.00 per selection. We have used this site a lot and have never been disappointed in the quality of the books or the delivery speed. Three for two offers in bookshops are worth thinking about. You can get three copies of the same book if you want. The RNIB has a good library for individual borrowings.
Getting the discussion started and keeping it going can be difficult. It takes time for members to get to know each other and be relaxed enough to take part. National Resources have some good discussion material, especially author biographies. And of course there are videos, DVDs, TV/radio programmes, the internet and live theatre to help out.
How deeply you go into it, is up to each group. Our best discussions have often followed an annual lunch with plenty of wine!
We meet in our own homes and tackle one book a month. Another local U3A, with one leader, meets fortnightly in a rented room to discuss in depth about 50 pages of their chosen book.
Books we have read recently include:
The Short life and long times of Mrs. Beeton (Hughes); The Kite Runner (Hossein); We Need to Talk about Kevin (Shriver); The Uncommon Reader** (Bennett); Lark Rise to Candleford (Thompson); Middlemarch (Eliot); Mrs. Dalloway (Woolf).
** A good one to start with. It’s short and about the Queen’s introduction to libraries and books.
Kite group
Has any other U3A got a Kite group? No, not the winged birds, the Chinese paper types. Some twenty of our members got together and made their own. The maiden flight was to have been held one Sunday in November, but sadly the wind failed to turn up and the event has been postponed until the Spring. Anyone else interested will be welcome to join in.
Art Appreciation group
Our Art Appreciation group has left paintings behind for a while to concentrate on architecture. First off was the Sidney Opera House, described by it’s architect, Jem Utzon as The Edge of the Possible.
Photography group
Photographers, not content to rest on their laurels as displayed at the celebrations at New College, continue to excel themselves and we look forward to their next exhibition in February.
Groups from Darlington and South Durham U3A’s are enjoying working together particularly to keep afloat groups where there is only a little interest in either of the U3A’s.
Sandy Hood
Q
Wearside U3A
Wearside continue to gain new members and for the first time have added the son, and his wife, of one of our first members from 1993. IS THIS A RECORD FOR A NORTHUMBRIA U3A?
AN EARLY WARNING
Back in the middle 1990’s when the Region was starting, Wearside resolved to run an event for all northern U3A members. We think that 2009 would be a good year to repeat the theory but make it a variation on the recent Regional Themes. In August or September we will offer a half day event focused on the new Central Library in Newcastle.
When completed it will have a meeting space for more than 160 people and will be unique in being a replacement for the post war Library designed by Sir Basil Spence who was the architect for the new Coventry Cathedral. What other City will have had two new central libraries since 1960?
It will be an afternoon event with speakers from the Local Authority to cover planning in the 50's compared with today, changes in the requirements of Library provision. What libraries do, and will continue to provide. The architects for the new building are the local firm of Ryder, the contractors and the funding organisers. There will be chances to view the whole of the building, the end objectives being to understand more of the complex problems in designing and building what will become an iconic project.
In the meantime if you are in Newcastle and opposite the Laing Art Gallery you can see the library nearing completion, it’s due to finish in March 2009, and watch the start of occupation ready for an opening in June or July.
Final details will be sent to all U3A's at beginning of March, and we would like an indication of numbers at the next Regional Meeting. Costs are not anticipated to be more than £3:00 pp.
Wearside U3A are delighted that there is to be another group formed in the City of Sunderland. In due course the North will catch up with the South and have clusters of U3A’s in every conurbation.
Q
7 to 10 miles walking group
Unfortunately, we had to cancel two walks due to bad weather (Torrential rain). We had a good variation of walks with most members planning and leading a walk of their choice. April was memorable; Pam Jackson arranged for Brian Page, Durham County Ranger to join our walk at Allensford, he had a wealth of information on the history of the area making it a very interesting day. There are 34 members on the walking list with an average attendance of 14-18.
Austin Concannon
Arts Appreciation group
We had 14 members signed up (and paid) and usually about 11 or 12 at each session.
With help from the National Gallery series Making Masterpieces we discovered how the work of artists depends on the materials available in their lifetime.
We saw how until the 15th century much decoration was fresco but where moveable paintings were required a National Gallery video showed clearly how wooden panels were constructed and coated with gesso. Paint pigments were natural, varying from local earth to very expensive Lapis Lazuli from Afghanistan, and had to be finely ground with water and mixed with egg yolk to make them permanent. Colours mixed with egg yolk are opaque, and an effect of light could only be achieved by the use of highly polished and tooled real gold leaf which was applied before the paint. When lit only by candle light, as would have been customary at that time, the gold leaf reflects the light very effectively, as demonstrated by the Wilton Diptych, though at the expense of the painted areas.
Paintings were for churches or for private meditation, so heaven and the saints were the subjects. It required a team of highly skilled craftsmen to complete a picture.
In the 15th century the introduction of oil in place of egg yolk to fix the pigments transformed the way in which light could be depicted. This revolution is ascribed to the Netherlands painter Jan Van Eyck. Oil paint can be added in thin layers. Now shadows can be superimposed on walls and light can emphasise, reflect or shimmer. In the picture The Virgin in an Interior (workshop of Campin) the Virgin appears as a real mother, the fire tongs cast their shadow on the wall and the brass bowl is bright inside but dark outside, seeming so realistic that it could be touched. Artists now became interested in showing the reality they saw on earth and real people.
Jan Van Eyck’s most famous painting is the portrait of Giovanni Arnolfini and his Wife. A centre piece is the large chandelier where Van Eyck is showing off his skill by using the light to define the shape. Light and shadow play throughout the picture. The lady’s dress with its heavy gathers was the height of fashion in 1435, not an indication of pregnancy.
Artists still needed a studio where assistants could grind and mix the pigments as required, and prepare the stretched canvases which had replaced the heavy wooden panels. Assistants sometimes painted the backgrounds or drapery of a picture leaving the most important parts and finishing touches for the well-known artist.
The 19th century saw the introduction of new synthetic colours produced by chemistry, particularly chrome yellow and a greater variety of blues and greens. In 1839 a French chemist, Chevreul, produced a book on the theory of colour. He pointed out that a colour placed near a contrasting colour appeared different and brighter. The Impressionist painters working with the new colours were well aware of this effect. The new paints tended to be less flowing than traditional paint, and brushes with shorter bristles were introduced. Both Monet and Renoir painted the Bathers at La Grenouillère, both using short contrasting brush strokes to indicate water shining in the sunlight. Renoir’s picture The Skiff shows the vibrant effect of the orange skiff against the blue water.
Firms specialising in materials for the artist now appeared. Ready-made canvases could be bought and ready-made paint was available in collapsible metal tubes, so the artist no longer needed to employ assistants to prepare his paints or his canvases. He was now free to paint where he wished, indoors or out of doors, ‘en plein air’.
Popular subjects were now bustling city streets and busy stations, parties and large groups of people such as Renoir saw on the dance floor of Le Moulin de la Gallette.
We did, of course, look at the work of many more artists than can be mentioned in this summary, and we also discovered how the National Gallery uses microscopes, X-rays and infra-red light etc. to examine pictures beneath their painted surface.
After the summer break when the Church is unable to let us have the meeting room, we had three sessions left. The Angel of the North has become such a constant presence on our television screens that we decided we should find out a bit more about its creator, Antony Gormley.
As an introduction we looked briefly at how public sculpture has changed since the time of Queen Victoria. Sculpture then meant fully modeled figures of recognisable people, as on her Memorial outside Buckingham Palace, or fictional ones like Peter Pan in Kensington Gardens.
Two artists who tried to introduce new ideas were Eric Gill, whose carved figures in low relief are in The Stations of the Cross in Westminster Cathedral, and Jacob Epstein whose figures were rough hewn and dramatic (and whose nudes were accused of indecency).
But the First World War interrupted experimentation.
On the hundreds of War Memorials which followed, people wanted and expected to see the traditional modeled figures of soldiers with recognisable uniforms and weapons.
But a new world was looking for new ideas. Henry Moore continued to use the human figure but these were no longer identifiable persons. His interest was in the meaning of human relationships. Lynn Chadwick’s Watchers, though abstracts, are not far removed from human shapes. Barbara Hepworth, inspired by Freud’s ‘unconscious’, was convinced that ideas and emotions can only be expressed in totally abstract forms. Her sculptures are dynamic shapes, often with significant holes. For Peterlee New Town, Victor Passmore created the Apollo Pavilion, a huge abstract design that people could walk through. Other large installations followed. The Brick Train near Darlington required 185,000 bricks. Andy Goldsworthy reshapes the actual ground we walk on.
Antony Gormley was born in London in 1950. He was educated at the Benedictine Ampleforth College in North Yorkshire, and went on to take a degree at Trinity College, Cambridge. Following graduation he travelled to India and Sri Lanka to study Buddhism for three years. These experiences have left him interested in different faiths and agnosticism. On his return to London he attended the Central School of Art and Goldsmith’s College before completing a postgraduate course in sculpture at the Slade School of Art between 1977 and 1979.
Gormley’s work centres round the human body. He had himself, protected by cling-film, encased in plaster so that an exact reproduction of his own body could be made. He has used this shape for many of his subsequent works. He is trying to use his own existence to explore what it means to be alive, “Why use another body when you have your own”, he says. It is not the body itself but the possible space (which he calls a ‘field’) occupied by the body which interests him profoundly.
One of his early works was Bed, where he made the impression of two human bodies cut out from a pile of hundreds of slices of bread.
Near the Millennium Dome in London is Quantum Cloud, a huge sculpture made of 3800 steel rods welded together in random form to look like a cloud. Inside the cloud some rods more densely welded together make the form of a man.
The Angel of the North is a physical statement about an area formerly busy with mining, iron and steel making. The overlong wings were never meant to fly. They are burdened by the memories of the past. Gormley accepts that the figure may mean little to the people who live near it and surprisingly love it. But this is art out among people, not shut into a museum.
The statue of Iron Man is deliberately set in Victoria Square, Birmingham, to be easily accessible.
At Crosby Sands near Liverpool 100 separate figures in cast iron look out to sea. Some members of the Group had already seen these, entitled Another Place.
Anon
Garden Visits group
We have had an interesting year. Our membership is over 100, but not everyone is available for each visit, so when a coach has been needed, those interested have usually been able to be accommodated.
In May, Carolyn Liddell took us to Studley Royal Water Gardens, then in June we enjoyed a day in the garden of one of the members, Mary Smith, who has created something really beautiful in Low Etherley. Our final trip was to Carlisle and Armathwaite, organised by Barbara Chesterman. Those of us whose first visit it was to Carlisle found the city very interesting, especially with its England Street. and Scotland Street. The garden on the outskirts of Armathwaite was delightful and the owners provided us with tea and cakes which made a cheerful ending to our year.
Anon
Italian conversation group
Apart from a 4 month summer break, we have met fortnightly to study Alvena Lamping’s “ Ideal course for absolute beginners “ since November 2007.
During October 2008 we have attempted Alvena Lamping’s “ Talk 2 “ but found this a little too challenging.
The group has 9 members.
Anon
Music group
Members of the Music Group enjoy our monthly meetings very much indeed. We do try to accommodate each members taste in music and sometimes sharing and learning about different styles can widen our appreciation of the art. We are fortunate in having two talented members, one plays piano and the other the clarinet their talents give us a great deal of pleasure.
We have studied the lives of many of the great composers, looked at varies instruments, listened to grand opera, many different soloist, film music, overtures, song writers, jazz, blues, light opera, Irish music, sometimes we bring our favourite pieces and enjoy a morning of relaxation.
Our learning is gentle in a relaxed atmosphere and continues to be enjoyable and keeping to the ethos of U3A, we learn from each other.
Teach me something today and I will teach you tomorrow
Anon
Play Reading group
A fairly new Group of eight members meeting on the last Monday in the month between 1:30 p.m. and 3:30 p.m. at the home of one of the members. Our aim is to broaden our knowledge, gain confidence and have fun!
The choice of plays available, to us is vast, and are chosen by the members. The enjoyment and laughter has been immense.
New members would find a warm welcome and an afternoon of entertainment.
Anon
Strollers group
We meet at 10:00 a.m. for a 10:30 a.m. The Group is for members who prefer a more leisurely pace and is restricted to a 1 to 3 mile range. We try to avoid stiles and slopes and make time for frequent stops for a bit of history or geography. Many of our walks are around villages and towns and this year we have completed the following walks: Barnard Castle, Wolsingham, Bishop Auckland and Byers Green. Coming up for the rest of the year is: Easeby Abbey, Ulnaby Hall and Sedgefield.
Roger Cove
Wildlife Visits 2008
January – Portrack Marsh and River Walk. A pleasant morning out, with sightings of Heron, Shoveller, Shelduck, Redshank, plus the usual Mallards and other assorted “Seagulls” a Cormorant was sighted on the Tees but no Seals this time. It shows what can be done to derelict industrial sites with a little bit of imagination. The Barrage itself is worth a visit and the Talpore Hotel provided a welcome stop for refreshments. Weather much better than forecast –cold and a bit windy but nice and bright. A good start to the New Year and thanks to Kevin for organising it. Attended by 11 members.
February – Harehope Quarry. Thanks to Anne Ferguson for arranging this very instructive visit. The introduction and the walk and talk by Jill Essam was fascinating. Not much wildlife except Blackheaded Gulls and Jackdaws due to the high winds but seeing Frosterley Marble outside of a Church was for many a first. A couple of members actually went into the Pothole for a look, brave souls. Attended by 27 members.
March – Salthome Marsh. The new RSPB Reserve on Teesside was a fascinating visit thanks to the knowledge of Emma our guide. Although the site was still under construction we got a good idea of the finished product and will plan to visit it again later on. Despite the strong wind there was plenty of birdlife around, Canada Geese by the score, Pochard, Teal, Greylag Geese, Shelduck, Skylarks, Heron and once again assorted Seagulls (I wish I could recognise them all). A Brown Hare put in a brief appearance, boy can they shift! Thanks to Roger and Mavis Howe for organising this. Attended by 14 members.
March – Barlow. We were lucky with the weather, which was dry and bright. Starting from the Black Horse, which kindly opened especially for us and provided very good inexpensive sandwiches, we had sighting of three or four Kites from inside the Pub while we were busy tucking in, which provided us with quite a spectacle. We then walked in the company of Rhianne Dixon from the Red Kite Project and two volunteers on a circular walk. Unfortunately further sightings were limited, however back at the Pub, Red Kites put in a further appearance together with a pair of Kestrels. The Red Kites were a really wonderful sight – beautiful colouring with an orange underbelly and a wing span of 6ft. 17 members attended.
April – Wynyard Woodland Park. Thanks to Pauline Fulton we had a very informative and amusing guided walk, which improved our knowledge of native trees and bird song identification. We also saw masses of beautiful wood anemones, primroses and the first bluebells of the year The guide had a quite a quirky method of getting his information across. This was a really enjoyable walk. After lunch we then went on to the Planetarium where we had an interesting and entertaining talk on Astronomy and Greek Mythology. Everyone thought that a further visit to the Planetarium would be worthwhile. 18 members and 1 visitor attended
May – Farne Islands. At last we made it. Although it was a grey day and the sea was a little on the choppy side with one or two people getting slightly damp, it was well worth the bother. The trip around the Islands was a bit rough and the smell was something else, there was quite a lot of bird life to see, Puffins, Guillemots, Cormorants, Kittiwake, Gannets and a variety of Gulls. There weren’t many Seals in the water but the Colony was well inhabited. On the Inner Farne the resident Terns took exception to some of us and we were constantly dive bombed. We were able to get quite close to all of the birds, Shag, Razorbill, Arctic, Common and Sandwich Terns. There was a showing of Greater Black Backed, Black Headed, Herring and Common Gulls, a few Oyster Catchers. Thanks to Maudes coaches and to Tina for all her hard work organising the trip. 30 members attended with 28 doing the boat trip to the Farnes
June – Carrs Farm. Thanks to Janet Townsend for introducing us to Alison Hiles, who gave us a very enjoyable and instructive walk and talk around the Hay Meadows of Carrs Farm. Also thanks to Joy Henderson, whose family own the farm, for all the additional information. Mary Smith is letting her have some new recipes based on the plants around, I might get round to trying them myself. We can now identify a lot more flowers and grasses than before, Yellow Rattle, Salad Burnet, Bugle, Meadow Buttercup, Herb Bennet, Herb Robert and Lousewort (especially Lousewort!) to name but a few. The variety and colour of the meadow plants was incredible as were the views. Curlews, Lapwings, Meadow Pipits, Skylark, Mistle Thrush, quite a few LBJ’s and Snipe put on a good show. A quick appearance of a Roe Deer (I think), the most photographed frog in Weardale, both gave us extra enjoyment of the day. All in all a lovely four hour walk. 20 members attended.
July – Hurworth Burn. Thanks again to Pauline Fulton for organising the day and to Mark, John and George for their expertise, patience and enthusiasm Their knowledge of birds made this a really worthwhile visit and we were also lucky in having a beautiful sunny day for this visit We had exceptionally good sightings of Water Voles (Ratty to his friends). The plant life was in abundance – the dog roses were particularly beautiful and very abundant, and some of the group obtained Yellow Rattle seeds to try and start their own Hay Meadow. 39 bird species were recorded, including Whitethroats, Blackcaps, Long Tailed Tits, Great Crested Grebes, Shovelers, Shelduck and Yellowhammers. This was a really enjoyable day out. 11 members attended
July – Carrs Farm. A follow up visit to the Hay Meadows, thanks again to Alison Hiles, who’s knowledge of plants gave us another enlightening day out, despite some muddy bits in the wood. Once again Yellow Rattle seeds were collected, mainly for Mary Smith’s Wildflower Garden. The Meadows themselves had quite a few flowers that weren’t around on the last visit, Meadow Sweet, Bryony, Queen Anne’s Lace, Ladies Bedstraw, Hawkbit, Hemp-Agrimony , many more which with my short term memory I cannot recall. Grey Partridge, Goldfinch, Linnet, Curlew, Lapwings were about. A very enjoyable visit, especially as we missed the rain that came down later in the day and enjoyed a beautiful sunny and slightly windy day. 12 members + Toby, Lydia’s grandson, attended
July - Castle Eden Dene. An informative and enjoyable walk through the Dene with an excellent guide Joe Davies from Natural England. He took us on a two hour walk through the Dene, which is apparently the largest area of semi natural woodland in north east England and once again we were fortunate with the weather. The walk was more challenging than some of us had expected, but not too difficult and very fascinating, much of it alongside a dramatic gorge. John Coulthard’s Bridge is still there but the timber has deteriorated so we couldn’t pay it a visit. The Geology was quite impressive, however the Devil failed to put in an appearance at the Devil’s Doorway, apparently he only comes once a year. There was very little bird life about but the plants, fungi and trees were well worth the visit. We were treated to a beautiful display of Hart’s Tongue Fern and the rare Herb Paris which is an indicator of Ancient Woodland, it is also very poisonous but Sheila wouldn’t try it in a delicious salad I’d made. Bell Flowers were in evidence as well as Sow Thistle. Our picnic site in the Wildlife Garden finished the day off perfectly. Thanks to Kevin for organising this visit. 14 members attended
August – Foxglove Covert. This was an enthralling visit, allowing us to get so close to the birds. Thanks to Tony Crease and his team for their patience putting up with us. They answered all our questions and gave us an absorbing insight into the methods and the expertise used in Bird Ringing. We got up close to birds which in normal circumstances we would not get near. Two of the Bird Ringers took us around the nets to see how they worked and how to release the captive birds and Nora, even had the opportunity to handle and release a Coal Tit back into the wild. We saw Goldcrest, Coal Tit, Blue Tit, Great Tit, Chaffinch, Greenfinch, Bullfinch, Blackbirds, Greater Spotted Woodpecker, Spotted Flycatcher and Robin at close quarters. This gave John Clark and John Campbell excellent Photo opportunities. Most of us then went around the Reserve after lunch but no sign of the Water Voles unfortunately. Marion the Reserve Manager said the they had just released fifty Voles into the reserve as they had had so much success with them in the past. A smashing day out and thanks again to Kevin for this visit.
September – Bat Watch Escombe. Luck was with us tonight after all the terrible weather we have had, the conditions were perfect for Bat Watching. After giving us an explanation of the life and habits of British Bats, Gerry White from the Durham Bat Group and his associate Jim, took us on an interesting and fascinating trip around the Churchyard then down to the river. We were equipped with Bat Detectors, at the river Daubenton’s Bats put on quite a display for us. In the Churchyard, Pipistrelle and Whiskered/Brandt’s Bats were very much in evidence, the Detectors were clicking like mad, although only Gerry and Jim could tell the difference. Many thanks to Nora Raine for organising this wonderful evening.
October – Fungal Foray Hamsterley Forest. Thanks to Noel Jackson for a rewarding outing, the variety of Fungi was excellent. Some of the names were a bit off putting. Brittle Gills, Fly Agaric etc.
How many of us actually plucked up the courage to eat them? John Coulthard did, as Noel said they tasted of wood, not very appetising.
November – Caerlaverock. The two Wardens took all twenty nine of us around the Reserve and equipped with their ‘scopes we got good close-ups of the Geese, Swans, Curlew, Golden Plover and Roe Deer. Barnacle Geese, Pink Footed Geese, Whooper Swans, Golden Plover, Curlew, Shoveler, Widgeon, Teal and the ubiquitous Mallard were around in great numbers. We overwhelmed the café staff somewhat but they took it in good spirit especially after Tina showed them how to make a Coffee Macchiato. Onto Dumfries and overnight at the Cairndale Hotel, excellent food and rooms.
Meresehead RSPB Reserve. This was probably more spectacular than Caerlaverock (don’t tell WWT) as we could get closer to the Geese. On the road in we were treated to mass flight of Barnacle Geese. It seemed as though every field had a flock of geese in them. Pintails, Shelduck, Pink Footed, Barnacle Geese were around. At the feeding station Yellowhammers, Greenfinch, Chaffinch, Great Tit, Blue Tit and other assorted wee birds were in evidence. Alan our driver was an expert in spotting Buzzard as we drove along, in fact we got quite blasé about it in the end (Oh it’s just another Buzzard). The trees were quite spectacular in their Autumn colours as we drove along.
Talkin Tarn. A stop for lunch and a walk around the Tarn, Mute Swan and Mallards were about in good numbers. The icing on the cake was without doubt the Red Squirrels at the feeding station, raiding the bird food despite the abundance of nuts and berries about. Then as ever all good things come to an end we were homeward bound. Thanks to Tina and Alan Hillary for a memorable trip.
Q
Whickham U3A
Web Wanderers Oral History and IT Group
What the “That Was Then Project” is all about
Whickham U3A Web Wanderers Oral History & I T Group
We hope our new project will raise an awareness of the lifestyles of the past.
It will encourage people to find out more about their locality and their society.
It will make them realise how the past effects the present and the future.
It will explain how certain events from the past, seen through the eyes of those that lived through them, have influenced present day life. For example how the Second World War promoted the recognition of the need for equal opportunities and rights for all in today's society.
The project will focus on learning for all sectors of the community but particularly for primary school children.
Margaret Minns, Project Leader
That was Then
Whickham U3A Web Wanderers Schools’ Project
Whickham U3A Web Wanderers Oral History Group in collaboration with the Gateshead City Learning Centre and Beamish Museum are bringing Gateshead Primary Schools the opportunity to examine life in the Twentieth Century from a number of different perspectives.
Q
Whitley Bay U3A
Our U3A goes from strength to strength ending the year with a waiting list of over 30, this list being reviewed quarterly.
The latest group to be formed is an industrial visits group with industrial being loosely translated. So far visits to The Theatre Royal and The Tyne Tunnel have been enjoyed with Nissan being next on the programme.
We congratulated two of our members, Mary Grice and Eric Stainthorp on their marriage at the end of the summer and presented them with a small gift to mark the occasion.
61 members enjoyed a Christmas Lunch at St Andrews Church Hall in Dec. with a free tombola giving a gift to everybody and a local singer ended an excellent afternoon.
Anon
Q
Notes from the Editor
Q