IN TOUCH 1999—2019 Magazine of the Shaftesbury & Gillingham

A few of the OVERSEAS HOLIDAY GROUP enjoying a good lunch in Slovenia

20th Anniversary Issue AUGUST 2019

A message from the South West Regional Trustee JILL NICHOLLS

August 2019

It gives me great pleasure to write a few words for your 20th Anniversary celebratory booklet.

Twenty years is a wonderful milestone and you should all be proud of this achievement. Your success is a testament to the movement as a

whole with its ethos of self help and support for each other. Above all, though, it demonstrates the involvement of

your U3A with the ethos of our organisation. Long may it continue.

I am sure you will have founder members who have watched the group grow and change as time has gone on. They must be very proud of starting up this U3A all those years ago.

Congratulations to you all and enjoy your celebrations.

Happy Birthday!

JILL NICHOLLS SW Regional Trustee A message from the Chairman of Shaftesbury and Gillingham University of the Third Age. August 2019

Welcome to this special Summer 2019 edition of IN TOUCH, a celebratory booklet to commemorate the 20th anniversary of the founding of Shaftesbury & Gillingham U3A. Our banner too now proudly shows the dates of 1999—2019 (see over). It`s a significant achievement and due to the efforts of all the dedicated members in the past. Our thanks go to everyone, past and present……. The 10th anniversary was celebrated in some style but alas, in these uncertain times, the Committee decided that an A5 edition would be more within the budget and also the capabilities of the team. My own story is of joining the U3A when I first moved to Shaftes- bury in 2014. I then found myself offering to be Treasurer as otherwise the group was apparently threatened with closure. Luckily, another brave lady also volunteered and we became joint Treasurers for a while, until I changed roles to be Secretary, much to my relief (and probably everyone else). Then, alas, I had to leave Shaftesbury, but after about a year, I missed everything about the town, so I came back. On re-joining it was suggested I helped the Committee and somehow I became Chairman. Actually, it`s a great role but involving more perhaps than I had bargained for, with the anniversary and all. However, the rest of the committee have been absolutely fantastic and I can`t thank them enough for all their support. People often don`t want to join committees but it`s a super way to get to know people in an area you are new to. The current Shaftesbury & Gillingham U3A has a wide range of members and interesting groups. Groups come and go but it`s good to see that some topics obviously have a following in every generation, like Languages and Genealogy. New interests are always coming along as well. Our groups leaders are excellent and it`s good that people are willing to share their expertise or even just encourage a group of others to find out more about themselves. We couldn't operate without you, group leaders. There`s still a lively educational trips and holidays team, who provide us all with some fascinating opportunities to visit places we might not otherwise have done. Continued next page………….

A message from the GROUPS CO-ORDINATOR I had not been a member of your Committee for very long when Tryphena announced she was stepping down as Groups’ Co-ordinator - `it’s not a very onerous job` she said, in fact there is hardly anything to do!” “OK, I’ll do it was my response!” and that is how I got this job. Well, much of the time she’s correct – I advise anyone wanting to start up a new group on how to go about it and have a ‘new group’ form on which members can sign up and indicate their possible interest. My first shock was when the Group Leaders’ Lunch was mentioned (I’d never heard of it) what’s that, where is it held and who organises it? ‘You Do’, I was told. With advice and helpful suggestions I successfully arranged it; the speaker was entertaining and enthusiastic, the food & beverages excellent and as far as I know everyone enjoyed themselves, that year. Phew! It was when we realised the finances were strained that I suggested an audit of group participants might be helpful – it did bring some active members to light, who had been tardy about paying! But guess who co-ordinated it? Then last spring someone suggested an Open Morning at Shaftesbury Town Hall, would I contact the Group Leaders and ask which groups would ‘man’ a stall to show off their interests. Not difficult, especially with the help of ‘Beacon’, the system on which we keep our data – then came ordering the tablecloths, making table name la- bels and, oh yes, being at the Town Hall at 8.30 am, to help set up the tables and chairs. No, its not an onerous job, it’s what anyone makes of it; there are no hard and fast rules. The Trust provided a card with suggestions on how/what to do for the first time last year, when the new committee was formed but I had already created my niche. If I sell my house and move don’t be afraid to volunteer for this job – it’s not difficult. My thanks to all those Committee Members, past and present who have worked with me and helped me when necessary. GREER TILBROOK Groups Co-ordinator ______

Message from the Chairman continued……. We have moved forward in technology terms but the enduring power of face to face contact is still the best

way to get to know people and places. Our monthly SGU3A NEW BANNER meetings provide an excellent opportunity for such contact, and I find them entertaining and informative as well, as I believe we all do. I don`t know any more than the rest of the world what awaits us in the next ten years but one thing I am sure of, is that people will always want to be in touch with other people and that the U3A pro- vides such contact, not just in our local area but on a national basis. It`s a brilliant concept and I hope that it keeps on providing the `third age` with opportunities to enjoy life and learning. BRIDGETTE BROWNE Chairman

Messages from Past Chairman Lesley Frost 2006 - 08

I joined one of the very first groups to be formed in our U3A – the Literature group – and since then have enjoyed attending thirteen different groups – not all at once, I hasten to add! So for me there is much to say thank you for – the shared knowledge, expertise and friendship from so many people, all given so freely.

Feeling somewhat inept with nothing to offer in the way of starting a group I agreed to join the committee as my way of giving back. In 2006 I took on the role of chairman. It was fun! Everyone was really hard working and supportive and pulled together. We had some good laughs.

We organised the Awareness Day in Shaftesbury Town Hall and from the interest in that Helen Seaford and her Quilters organised a day school for SGU3A members. We all made a patchwork Christmas Tree! From that time too we began receiving our bi monthly newsletter, In Touch, in colour. If IT doesn't entirely take over perhaps we may see that format again!.

For me it's not the same to sit down with a coffee and a computer to read of our U3A activities, but a vote of thanks must go to Ken Baxter and John Higgins for setting up our first website. For the first time the public could freely read about our activities. Two webmasters and ten years on our website has vastly expanded to keep up with modern demands.

For several years we sported a team for the local Cancer Research UK annual quiz, sadly now discontinued. However out of that Mary Belcher ran a quiz group which still functions albeit outside of U3A. Over the years various charities, local and national, have benefitted from this.

Two other events stick in my mind. One was going for a cream tea with Judy Wade after a Dorset network meeting in Lyme Regis. No sooner had we left the table than a seagull swooped over, stole the spoon out of the clotted cream and landed on the esplanade to lick it! The other was a trip to Portsmouth where Derek Hague and his Orchid group had entered the Portsmouth International Orchid show winning silver gilt and gold med- als. What a wonderful display. Well done Derek and SGU3A.

Each time we have a general meeting at Father's House, previously The Christian Centre, we are informed as to where the emergency exits and assembly points are. Do we ever use that information? Yes, indeed we do! The boilers weren't exactly exploding but they were playing up. We had to get everyone safely outside to the assembly point. Did we manage it well? Of course we did. We are SGU3A!

Messages from Past Chairman Judy Wade Chairman 2008—2010 When I was asked to contribute to this booklet, I did some homework. This took time and included wading through documents, computer files and photographs stopping frequently to grin and think “I`d forgotten that; that was great; that was fun, or, sometimes, WHOOPS!!” …………... It is hard to believe that time has passed so quickly and so much has happened since our inaugural meeting in August 1999. Little did I know that attending a meeting advertised in the BVM, out of curiosity, would lead to such interesting times with the growth of the organisation, the creation of so many friendships, developing interests, including genealogy and travelling. The Steering Committee whose members volunteered at that meeting were encouraged by Lucas Korvin, our first Chairman, to work with the minimum of bureaucracy, encour- aging and supporting those who had volunteered to set up groups and supporting them. We were stimulated by the response and really enjoyed working together. Neville Orchard, our first Treasurer, was an absolute rock, whose legal expertise was invaluable in writing our Constitution and whose wise words accompanied by a twinkle in his eye were always appreciated. During our first decade I held a number of posts, enjoying working and laughing with fellow committee members. On one occasion when I represented you at the U3A National Conference we heard a lecture on a fulfilling Third age, which I summarise as: Connect with others, be active, keep learning, give (time and talents), cherish the moment. SGU3A knows this!! Here`s to the next twenty years…………….

Joan Stewart Chairman 2011 – 2013

I was very lucky for my term as Chairman as I came after Judy Wade and, for a short time, Lesley Frost, both excellent examples of how things can be done quietly and efficiently. I wasn`t always able to attain that, but my shortcom- ings were mostly disguised by having an excellent committee. As a committee we were extremely fortunate in being able to claim back Gift Aid for the first time. As you probably know, as a Charity we aren`t allowed to hold large sums of money so it was decided to update and futureproof several pieces of equipment, and also hold down the Membership fee for the following year; all benefitting the membership as a whole and proving very welcome. Messages from Past Chairman

Alan Lipscombe Chairman 2013—2015 Eve and I joined the Shaftesbury & Gillingham U3A in 2009 having been persuaded by our very good friends Sue Minshaw and Michael Chaplin from Shaftesbury Bowls Club, that we would enjoy the new experience, and meet a lot of people with similar ideas in retirement, and of course we were right! It was not long before Eve said to me `they will be after you to serve on the committee`, knowing that I had served as Treas- urer for four years at SBC. I joined the committee in 2010 and served for three years before being elected Chairman by my fellow committee members in 2013 and served for two years. Eve and I have enjoyed many day trips during our earlier membership but sadly old age and ill health have caught up with us and we now confine ourselves mainly to General Meetings and special events. It still remains a pleasure and a privilege to be part of a well run organisation.

Elizabeth Young Chairman 2015—2018

My three years just flew past! I have to say that with the help of the committee members, we managed to get through them. We found we were in debt and managed with the generosity of those who supported us, to get through it. It was quite traumatic! But membership is now growing with a good programme of speakers and events. We were delighted to welcome Nic Griffin as Treasurer and he appears to have us on the `straight and narrow` now. I see that the sub- scription is now £10 for the year - wow!! The Speakers Secretary is also working hard and we have a full programme for the year which is excellent. Thank you all for your work and help. Day Trips and Holidays in Britain

Although the Day Trips Team organise what we hope are interesting and enjoyable days out, usually to places to which we would like to go, these would not be successful without the support of the members of SGU3A! A big THANK YOU to all of you who support us. We would welcome suggestions from you about places you would like to visit. I first became involved with the Day Trips Team during 2013 when Joan Timms was the Group Leader, along with Davina Belcher, Judy Wade, Peter Bonson, and Chris Lees, (my apologies if I have left anyone else out). Shortly after this Joan, retiring on health grounds, asked me to take over the group assuring me that I would not be offending anyone else if I did! Apart from Judy, who acts as our safety officer, the others have also retired but I have a new dynamic team continuing the good work. Well, what has happened since then, we have visited approximately 35 different places, some very diverse e.g. the Bombay Sapphire Gin Distill- ery, Adam Henson’s Cotswold Farm and The Bishop of Wells Palace and Gardens! All interesting and enjoyable. I have yet to hear anyone say ’I didn’t enjoy that!’ -either you are all very polite or we are making good choices. The Garden Interest Group and the Natural History Group also run a day trip at some point during the year which they open to rest of us once their members have signed up to go. As the financial constraints of our pensions, the rising costs of visits and for some of us the increase in the number of grandchildren all cause us to choose even more carefully on what we spend our fortunes we have invited members from other local U3A’s to join us on our trips. This helps to keep costs down as well as enabling us to enjoy their excellent company; at various times we have been joined by visitors from Sturmin- ster Newton, The Blackmore Vale and Blandford U3As. Where else have we been? Apart from the places already mentioned it is our aim to plan visits which are in keeping with the ethos of the U3A to educate and improve the conditions of life of members. Imbibing fresh air, soaking up a bit of history and visiting new places and old ‘friends’ are all taken into consideration when we select the venues. Continued next page…………... Day Trips and Holidays in Britain

Continued……. A trip to the S.S. Great Britain to see the new exhibitions and a Cruise through Bristol Docks was not only enjoyable, was cold, but expanded our horizons – now we know where the expensive bridge, to nowhere, which crosses the docks to what was planned to be the new Bristol Arena is when it is mentioned on television news. In the past five years we have visited more than eight National Trust Properties, including A la Ronde, Basildon House and Park, Barrington Court, Killerton House, Montecute House, Saltram House, Snowshill Manor, and Tyntesfield, as well as a number of privately owned houses. We all enjoy a ‘mini’ cruise whether it is around a dock or on a river or canal; so we try to include one every year. Our Christmas time trips are always to a nearby city/town where we can enjoy the decorations, the ambience of a bustling old metropolis together with its sites and perhaps fit in a little shopping. After being asked by several people whether it was possible to organise some ‘low cost’ holidays in this country’ I added this activity to my port- folio. So far, we have visited the Isle of Wight, Angelsey where we stayed in a fabulous hotel on the coast at Trearddur Bay, about as far west as it is possible to go on the island! And, as well as being introduced to some interesting places on Anglesey and in north west Wales, we ex- perienced some wonderful care from the people on Anglesey, our ‘blue guide’ and her husband after one of the group had an accident. Last Sep- tember we stayed in Stoke on Trent whilst visiting the Potteries, Derby- shire Dales and Ironbridge; this year Steve Hale is taking us to East An- glia (mainly Suffolk) to visit a variety of places which include the beautiful village of Lavenham, Audley End House, Sutton Hoo, Sizewell B and of course the Brewery at Southwold.

GREER TILBROOK Group Leader

Literature Group

This was one of the founder groups of the SGU3A, set up by Roger Barrett. Some of the present members were in that original group. Roger passed the leadership over to me in 2001 and it has been my pleasure and responsibility ever since. We meet in the morning on the first and third Mondays of the month, at two hospitable members’ homes, with a break for the school summer holidays in July and August, to study and enjoy works of literature in English, from Caedmon to the present day, 70 authors, poets and playwrights so far…and counting. We have tack- led some American literature, as well as French and Russian novels and short stories in translation. Every year we study a Shakespeare play. We’re now up to 18 and have enjoyed the Sonnets as well. Our next one will be ‘Much Ado about Nothing’, the title of which some have said could be a comment on the current political scene. I introduced the group to the Shakespeare authorship controversy and have a reputation for be- lieving that Mary Sidney wrote the plays, which is not quite justi- fied! If there is a DVD of the work we’re studying, then we watch it together, particularly useful with drama. Sometimes we see biopics, like one on Ted Hughes and Sylvia Plath and, quite recently, John Donne. For most of the authors we have focussed on more than one work – for example we enjoyed five Trollope novels, one after the other. I suppose that we are mildly academic, but not boringly or intimi- datingly so. We all express our opinions freely and listen to each other politely and carefully, even when we disagree. With such a long-established group, inevitably our original membership has slowly declined, though we welcome newcomers. From a peak of 18 we are now 14 in number. As for the immediate future, after our annual Shakespeare play in the pre-Christmas sessions we’ll look at a Jane Austen novel, ‘Emma’ or ‘Sense and Sensibility’. By then we shall have a new Poet Laureate’s work to read and discuss. Perhaps, after that, we’ll do some modern drama – the literary world is our oyster!

PETER ROLFE Group Leader Western Philosophy Group Over time, there have been a number of philosophy groups within SGU3A. In 2011, a small group of individuals who were seriously interested in the subject decided to form a separate group that would provide a systematic and comprehensive view of a complex subject. Known first as Philosophy 2, this small group of seven rapidly outgrew domestic quarters and graduated to the Friends’ Meeting House. To- day, we are known as the Western Philosophy Group. Now we number fifteen and the numbers are evenly divided between the sexes – a good thing in favour of balanced argument. From early on, we have met bi-monthly and the enthusiasm of the group has not diminished even when becoming responsible for the cost of room hire. We follow a strict syllabus set at University level from a reputable Teaching Company. By means of DVDs and circulated notes the group is able to consider many of the important issues that have troubled society since the Ancient Greeks first attempted analyses of social problems by way of rational thought. The umbrella of philosophy spreads wide incorporating political, legal and moral issues. Today, new research is centred on philosophy of the Mind. The standard achieved by the group may be judged by results. On the two occasions when U3A’s Executive Philosophy Committee made a national appeal to its philosophy groups to submit essays on set subjects - our own submissions were accepted for national publication. And, so we continue to grow and to learn. JOAN ALLSOPP Group Leader ANCIENT HISTORY

This is a long-established group, which has looked in detail at world history in ancient times, ranging across Eurasia, the Americas, Africa, and the Pacific, from the founding of the first cities to the reign of Charlemagne in the ninth century AD, when antiquity merged with the medieval world. We also have considered ancient global belief systems, the place of war in ancient societies, and have made forays into ancient art and famous archaeological sites.

At the moment we are looking at Greek and Roman technology with some excellent dvds by a military historian - we could probably now build a Greek temple and a Roman basilica from scratch!

We spice things out by also discussing the early civilisations of South America, plus studying the ancient Celts, who may, or may not, have been Celtic at all.

DENISE SIMS Group Leader

GROUP MEMBERS DEEP IN DISCUSSION OVER ARCHAEOLOGICAL SITES HERBS and NATURAL REMEDIES

This Group started out as the Herbs, Crystals and Practical Remedies Group and was started by Elizabeth Williams who had a great interest in crystals and their properties. Elizabeth moved away; no one else had quite her expertise but the group has continued with the crystals element taken out of the title.

Crystals are still looked at however, as are various other complemen- tary therapies, colours, flower remedies and affirmations. We have explored properties of different herbs, and this has included a visit to the mediaeval herb garden at Shaftesbury Abbey and to the lavender project at Fiddleford.

A specific look at the many benefits of the ginger plant resulted in having a 'ginger party' with cake, biscuits, pop etc (Very healthy that, but we enjoyed it!). Our follow up to that – turmeric – probably won't go down that route, but we may be healthier for it!

As we go to press we will be investigating our sense of smell, and how to use it for our benefit. This will include a visit to Cranborne Manor Gardens and Parfumes Parterre at Tarrant Keystone.

So basically we look at various ways to promote good health, emotion- ally and mentally as well as physically. Sometimes a session is led by one of the members; sometimes it is an 'all in' with everyone contrib- uting. LESLEY FROST Group Leader

DIGITAL PHOTOGRAPHY GROUP ANDY NEWTON GROUP LEADER The Group was founded in April 2012 and meets nine times a year. Each session is invariably in two halves — a demonstration or instructional video - Joe Sartore is very entertaining! - coffee - and finally a selection of members photos on particular topics, which we all comment on and learn from. Initially we met in a meeting room at the Father`s House but for the last 18months or so, we have been meeting in member`s houses - and I am particularly grateful for the use of Tryphena Orchard`s house initially and now at Janet Ball`s house. I have been surprised how much friendlier it is meeting in someone`s lounge than in an im- personal meeting room. We are about 15 in number and the group has comprised the same people for several years, so that it is less a U3A Group but more a meeting of old friends with a shared interest. Here I must pay trib- ute to two of our keenest members who have passed away in the last few months, Ann Cryer and Tryphena Orchard and who will be sorely missed both for their photographs and personalities. Technically, there is hardly any difference between digital photography and film photography. What made a good photograph with Kodak film still makes a good photo with a Samsung memory card - the only real differences are the reduced cost, hugely improved cameras and lenses (and especially mobile phones) and the ease of manipulating images on a computer especially when using Photoshop! ANDY NEW- ANDY NEWTON Group Leader

Montage of DIGITAL GROUP MEMBERS

Missing is: GORDON CRYER

Montage designed and produced by ANDY NEWTON Comparative Religion

Four years ago, I was intrigued when coming upon a set of educational DVDs entitled “The Greatest Controversies of Christian Religion.” I thought there might be others within SGU3A who would be equally interested. We started as a group of nine meeting once a month. Although numbers might have fluctuated slightly over the years, today, we remain constant to the original figure.

Membership of the group is from a broad Church composed of Roman Catholic, Protestants, Non-Conformist and Atheists. At times, meetings have been ‘quite lively’ but ‘quite lively’ is productive if members feel safe to express views within a non-judgemental setting.

At the conclusion of those twenty-four-lectures we turned our attention to Comparative Religion. The study of this broader subject was heightened by some of the knowledge gained from the previous course. Throughout the world, spiritual values stem from some sense of innate wonder and a desire to give thanks to some intangible power. People choose to give thanks in different ways and It behoves us all to try to appreciate and respect those reasons and differences.

If there was a time when the future of the group was in doubt owing to the cost of room-hire, then we were indeed blessed by a member who offered us the facility of her house. We are very grateful to Mrs Christine Brice.

JOAN ALLSOPP Group Leader MUSIC FOR PLEASURE

Theo Harris was the original Group Leader of MUSIC APPRECIATION and the first meeting took place early in 2000 with Margaret, his wife, as hostess. The Group met twice a month at his house called `BEL CANTO` Unfortunately, Theo died in March 2006 and the Group decided to continue with David Davies as leader, when we changed the title to MUSIC FOR PLEASURE. Sadly David died in 2010 and Patsy took over the leadership with the help from Group members. We now meet on the 2nd and 4th Thursday afternoon at 2pm in various houses. Each member offers the venue and compiles a programme to fit in 2hours, allowing a break for a discussion (gossip!). Our choice of music is varied—we have Greig, Gershwin, Beethoven, Mozart, Berlin and Vivaldi for example. Occasionally we watch a DVD, U tube, television or just listen to a CD or long playing record. The only thing we don`t do is POP. Everyone has a different idea when composing a programme. Patsy has done Themes, eg the seasons, alphabetical composers, songs, piano solos etc. Eileen played the film `Quartet`, a comedy which featured the music of Verdi. Brian found some unusual CD`s. The choice is entirely up to the individual planning the programme. We all find it very enjoyable. We realise that the summers are quite busy so we tend to give July and August a miss but we all enjoy a relaxed afternoon and are ready to resume in September again. PATSY LAWFORD Group Leader COSMOLOGY

This group has been running for 7 years, and - spoiler alert - we still haven’t plumbed all the secrets of the universe. Through lectures, dvds, and discussions we explore the fascinating phenomena of the Big Bang, the fundamental roles of light, matter, and energy; the birth and death of stars, black holes, and pulsars, the ‘cosmic candles’ by which great stellar distances are measured. We attempt to understand the evolution of the cosmos through its radiation and matter eras up to today, when gravity appears to be giving way to dark energy and the galaxies are accelerating away from each other at an ever-increasing rate.

We also are exploring the importance of radio astronomy in revealing hidden areas in the cosmos, and we are not immune from constantly speculating on the possibility of alien life on Mars, Europa, exoplanets round Alpha Centauri …that generally happens during the tea and biscuits break, though!!…

DENISE SIMS Group Leader

GROUP MEMBERS DISCUSS IF LIFE DOES EXIST OUT THERE??

PALAEONTOLOGY This group explores the story of our planet from its birth in a dusty nebula swirling around a young Sun, through the first stirrings of life in its primordial oceans, and the explosion of that life into a magnificently varied biosphere. Once Earth was mired in ice from pole to pole; once all the land was massed together into a giant de- sert continent; once there were forests at the poles, once there was no grass and no flowers, no birds and no mammals. We follow through these long stages of Earth’s history and note (with some trepidation when we consider what is happening today) that there have been five great extinctions, when life was almost entirely wiped away, by volcanic disaster, by asteroid strikes, or by changes in the composition of the atmosphere. All this information is available to us through the brilliant intellectual detective work of scien- tists, who have studied what might at first seem to be an unappetis- ing record of rocks and fossils, but who have found gold in these humblest of materials. In the second half of our sessions, we also look at palaeoanthro- polgy, which is the study of the origins of our own species – Austra- lopithecus, homo erectus, Neanderthals, and us, the latest of a long line - homo sapiens. None of these discoveries, from the finds of the Leakey family in the Olduvai Gorge to our posited relationship with the Neanderthals has been without controversy, but following the twists and turns of the ongoing debates is truly fascinating. DENISE SIMS Group Leader

GROUP DISCUSSION & EXAMINATION of SAMPLE WRITING for PLEASURE

There are seven of us and we meet in the morning on the second and fourth Thursdays of the month. Our aim is to enjoy the challenge and appeal of writing.

The group is for anyone who wants to write, at whatever level, whether prose or poetry. We discuss each other’s contributions, trying all the time to improve what we do. Nobody feels threatened by the banter and friendly suggestions that inevitably follow each reading.

Occasionally we do a workshop session, practising skills like paragraphing or speech punctuation, free verse or sonnet writing. Usually, we agree a topic for the next session but some of us continue with our own work and bring that to the group instead.

Coffee, tea and biscuits provide a break from our cere- bral activities and give us an opportunity to put the world to rights PETER ROLFE Group Leader OVERSEAS HOLIDAYS I cannot believe that in August this year SGU3A will be celebrat- ing its 20th year of existence, and that I have been a member for 19 of them! I moved from Hertfordshire to Shaftesbury in March 2000 and in the July became a member in order to meet new people and strike up new friendships. Within two years I had started a Theatre Group, taking members to Bath, Yeovil and Salisbury, and less than one year later I had itchy feet again, resulting in my setting up a Day Trips Group, followed 8 months later with a Holi- day Group! By this time, Nita Priest had kindly taken over the Theatre Group for me, leaving me free to set up and organise 55 day trips, from stately homes and gardens to classical concerts with firework displays at Wilton House and laying our bets on the horses at Salisbury Racecourse! But not content with this, and despite working hard on researching my family history and attending the Genealogy Group classes, I decided to ‘have a go’ with a Holiday Group! I dipped my toe into the water in December 2004 with a 4 day trip to Prague Christmas Market and in June 2019 I shall be taking members on my 26th holiday: 11 in the UK, 14 in Eu- rope and 1 in the USA, i.e. ‘Following the Fall Colours’ in Boston, New York, New Hampshire, Virginia and Washington DC. Space doesn’t allow me to expand on those holidays we have taken in the last 10 years, except to list them: Co. Durham & NE Eng- land; Southern Ireland; 2 Mystery Tours; Cheshire & the Peak District; Lake Como, Italy; Wales: Caernarfon & Cardiff; Jersey, CI; Luxury Mini Break to Edinburgh (where we had the best seats at the Castle for the Military Tattoo; Norwich & the Broads; Berlin & Brandenburg; Liverpool – and More; Charms of the Aus- trian Lakes; Ypres & The Western Front (WW1 Anniversary); A Taste of the Alps (Switzerland); Lake Bled & Slovenia; and Northern Croatia & Slovenia (June 2019). I have to explain that none of these holidays could have been organised by me alone since I am not trained in the travel industry, but I have been excellently assisted by a well-known UK travel company over the years. MARY MUIR Group Leader

SCIENCE GROUP

This group began life as Quantum Physics, and with the aid of dvd lectures, we explored the strange world of the micro-universe, with its superpositions, its entangled particles, and its overlapping quantum fields. We are now casting our net wider, and con- sidering how many of the ‘unshakeable’ truths of many earlier sciences – cosmology, consciousness studies, genetics, physics – have been overturned by the revolutionary advances in the twentieth and twenty-first centuries. We are also still exploring the mysterious concept of time, which Einstein transformed from Newton’s absolute, unchanging entity into something much more flexible and debateable. Next on the agenda will perhaps be a consideration of the philosophies behind scientific thought, as revealed in novels and films. DENISE SIMS Group Leader

GROUP MEMBERS IN DEEP DISCUSSION ON WHERE DO WE GO FROM HERE! MAH JONG

One of the earlier of our Groups, Mah Jong was started by June Cornack at her home in Gillingham where we learned the basic game. When June moved away Harriet Atwood kindly offered her home and she taught us some new games and the intricacies of scoring. It's similar to playing cards really; instead of cards you play with ivory or wooden tiles. The basic game of Mah Jong is quite simple. Once that is mastered you can learn all sorts of 'fancy' games which can be incorporated into the whole. The scores for these special games are high, but if you can't play them out you score nil points! The aim of the basic game however is to simply col- lect sets of three identical tiles within one suit. This way your score may be lower, but at least you get something. It depends on how much you want to gamble! Mah Jong sets vary. Sometimes the tiles are very ornate; few these days are actually made from ivory. A set compris- es 144 tiles; there are three suits – circles, bamboo and characters each of which have four tiles for the numbers 1- 9. In addition there are tiles of red, green or white dragons and north, east, south or west winds. Many sets come in a fitted box and include the tally sticks for money. LESLEY FROST Group Leader

OPERA and LITERATURE on SCREEN

We meet on alternate Tuesday evenings during the winter, from when the clocks go back till they go forward again, for a warm and cosy evening watching good films.

So far we’ve seen Hardy’s ‘Far from the Madding

Crowd’, Shakespeare’s ‘Twelfth Night’, Puccini’s

‘Madama Butterfly’, Donizetti’s ‘La Fille du Regi- ment’ and Trollope’s ‘The Warden’.

There is plenty to come, so we have something to look forward to when the nights begin to close in and the winter winds howl: congenial company, tasty refreshments and quality entertainment.

PETER ROLFE Group Leader

INTERNATIONAL HISTORY

International History has now been running for six years. It seemed natural to me to offer to form it after being a historian for nearly forty years at London University, where, although primarily a specialist on Japan, I had also taught courses on the international history of East Asia. The group’s membership was initially small, and on one occasion only one person was present, apart from myself! But before long numbers rose to ten – the maximum that could be accommodated – and by late 2018 enough people were on the waiting list to make up another full group. One of the obvious problems facing a U3A group, especially in small towns where libraries have limited resources, is the availability of study materials. Fortunately an exploration of You Tube quickly revealed that there were many relevant videos available, and the number has continued to increase. So at every meeting it has been possible for the group to spend the first of its (at least) two hours watching a lecture or documentary or seminar – or, often, a combination of these – before en- gaging in informed discussion. Using this approach (and with some additional material sent out in advance by email) the group has been able to gain a fuller under- standing of a wide range of topics, beginning with the atomic bombing of Hiroshima and Nagasaki, and continuing for nearly a year with Middle Eastern history since 1914, followed, in 2014, by seven sessions on the origins, diplomacy and aftermath of World War I. We then turned our attention to East Asia, focusing mainly on modern Japan and twentieth-century China, but also devoting some sessions to Korean history, before switching to the Cold War, where we had the advantage of being able to access through the internet the extensive collection of scholarly papers and original documents assembled by the Woodrow Wilson Centre for its Cold War In- ternational History Project. In 2016, in the run-up to the EU referendum, we turned aside for four sessions to examine Britain’s relations with Europe since World War II; and since then we have looked at the Ottoman empire and modern Turkey, Saudi Arabia, political Islam, the origins of Islam, the early caliphates, the Mongol con quests, and, for the last nine months, the history of Russia. We do not foresee running out of topics for a long time to come. RICHARD SIMS Group Leader

Group members in discussion PATCHWORK and QUILTING When the Patchwork & Quilting Group started 14 years ago, a new- comer to the craft brought along a book of chintz curtain samples to make a quilt. Not ideal fabrics for a beginner, but the enthusiasm was such that encouragement and working together was the only option. It took time as the design grew and developed, and then beautifully hand-quilted.. I would tease that when it was finished, we should have an exhibition - our first displaying work by all the members of the group. Our sales and raffle - a quilt– raised almost £400 for the Dorset and Somerset Air Ambulance that weekend. As a group we have made 3 quilts for charity, taken part in 5 of the Gillingham Church Christmas Tree Festivals, held some workshops and, most recently, were part of a hobbies programme at Shaftes- bury Library. New arrivals, birthdays and anniversaries of family and friends have been marked with patchwork and quilting gifts, some have gone to Australia, New Zealand, USA, Japan and Hong Kong. After the first exhibition another (non U3A) patchwork and quilting group now meets in Sturminster Newton and the combined groups held an exhibition last year. Visitors came from as far away as Sussex and Wales. This time £1,000 was split between the Air Ambulance and First Responders. At present (as well as our own projects) we are working on a rather special commission - continuing to share ideas, be challenged and learn whilst we stitch; and over tea, coffee and cake, put the world to right………..our stitching is more successful!!!!! HELEN SEAFORD Group Leader

Examples of quilting made by the Group for display at recent exhibitions.

REGULAR PEOPLE THAT WE CANNOT DO WITHOUT…

THE COFFEE LADIES

PAM GOODALL (Organiser) (centre) helped by volunteers.

AT THE ENTRANCE NIC GRIFFIN Treasurer HELEN MEAD Membership Secretary

THE BOOKSTALL LIN VENTERS Organiser

THE MEMBERS THE MEMBERS ARE THE MOST IMPORTANT PEOPLE THAT WE CANNOT DO WITHOUT The Rummikub Group meets every week at the Group Leaders house in Mere on a Tuesday afternoon. We have 15 lovely members, who really enjoy coming and playing the game. It`s an easy game to play, very similar to the card game Rummy, but with tiles. After an hour, we have a cup of tea and some biscuits and the ladies stop playing and have a chat, then we continue playing for another hour. We don`t take the game seriously, there is a lot of chat and frivolity. AVRIL FLETCHER Group Leader

SOME OF THE LADIES ENJOYING THE GAME OF RUMMIKUB

The table tennis Group was started about 6 years ago by Bill McIntyre. Initially we met in the Sports Centre in Gillingham. This was OK but they never managed to put all the lights on, and coffee was out of the machine. When they installed an inflatable play area with loud blowers, we were driven to move to Child Okeford Village Hall, which has been excellent facilities and is much more homely. Our membership has a gentle turnover. Some start with us having not played since being in a Youth Club; others move off to clubs playing in the local league. We play both singles and doubles, and enjoy a bit of exercise! We are not too serious, and aim to be friendly and have fun - and of course make time to have a cup of tea and a chat. Nevertheless, it is always a pleasure to observe that every- body, whatever their level, seems to be continuously improv- ing. The only word of warning is that you do need to play within your physical limitations. We have had people who, in their mind, are still 15, and trying to rush to retrieve a wide ball have fallen over and damaged themselves. We meet on Thursday afternoons from 2pm until 4pm and we do have space for a few additional members. You would be very welcome to join us!! CHRIS STOTESBURY Group Leader

Some Members getting warmed up. CANASTA

The CANASTA Group was started in 2013 and several of the players have been with the group since it started. We meet in the Group Leaders house on the first and third Monday of the month in the afternoon. We have eight members because unfortunately as we play at home we have no room for more. We have “adapted” some of the rules to suit the Group and so any new member would be expected to abide by these! We are a very sociable group of people who do enjoy tea, a cake and chat and the game is not taken too seriously!! MARGOT BOYES Group Leader

A BRIEF RESUME ON HOW WE PLAY CANASTA…………. CANASTA is a card game resembling rummy, using two packs of cards. We play on our own rather than in pairs as sometimes we may have an odd number of players present and this suits us and playing time is about 60minutes. Your goal is to beat your opponent by scoring more points by `melding` cards - a Canasta is a meld of at least seven cards which can include up to three wild cards— these are the Jokers or Two`s. If the meld has wild cards included it scores 300 points and one of all the same rank scores 500 points. Each player starts with 15 cards in hand and players take it in turns to draw one card from the stock and discarding one on the pile. Players take turns in drawing the first card and after drawing a card a player may meld cards. A hand is over when one of the players has no cards left in his hand or when no cards are left in the stock. NOTE: Our rules have been adapted slightly to suit the number of people that we have playing!! Alan`s Humour… A few of ALAN LIPSCOMBE`s Jokes which have appeared in previous copies of IN TOUCH…………... The IRISH ANGLER…… The rain was pouring down, and there standing in a big puddle outside the pub was an old Irish man drenched and holding a large pole with a piece of string tied on the end dangling it in the water. A passer by stopped and asked “What are you doing?” . Fishing replied the old man . Feeling sorry for the old fellow, the gent say`s, come in out of the rain with me and we will have a drink in the pub. In the warmth of the pub as they sip their whiskies, the gentleman asks, “So how many have you caught today?” Your`e the eighth today says the old man!...... ” WALKING Walking can add minutes to your life, this enables you to, at the age of 87, to spend an additional five months in a care Home at £3000 per month! My Grandpa started walking five miles a day when he was 60, now he is 97 years old and we have no idea where he is!! VISIT TO THE DOCTOR After a short illness and some tests in hospital, a fellow returns to see his GP. What`s the good news he says to the Doctor, the Doctor replies I`m sorry to say you only have 24hours to live. If that`s the good news, then what is the bad news he asks the Doctor. We should have told you yesterday says the Doctor!!!

LADY DRIVERS A man is driving up a steep, narrow mountain road. A woman is driving towards him down the same road. As they pass each other the woman winds down her window and yells “PIG” The man immediately leans out of his window and yells “BITCH”. They continue on their way and as the man drives round the next corner, he crashes in to an enormous pig in the middle of the road. If only men would listen!!……… NOT A LOT OF PEOPLE KNOW………… ….many years ago in Scotland, a new game was invented - It was ruled “GENTLEMAN ONLY….LADIES FORBIDDEN”. And thus the word GOLF entered the English language. In the 1400`s a law was set forth in England that a man was allowed to beat his wife with a stick no thicker than his thumb. Hence we have the expression “THE RULE OF THUMB”. ON BEING BRITISH Being British is about driving a German car to an Irish Pub for a Bel- gian Beer, then travelling home, grabbing an Indian curry or a Turkish kebab, to sit on Swedish furniture and watch an American show on a Japanese TV……………..!!!!

The GENEALOGY/FAMILY HISTORY Group More commonly called “GENIES”, the Group was one of the first groups to be established in SGU3A. The founding leader, Val Hencken, ably abetted on the technical side by Ken Baxter, was an enthusiastic leader for very many years, and is a hard act to follow! The group originally used to meet monthly at the Father`s House, transferring to Rivers Meet at Gillingham in the last 2 years when the room at the Father`s House became unavailable. We now meet at the leader`s home and have a core membership of 10-12 stalwarts, meeting 6 times a year. The group as individuals are involved in researching their various and varied family histories. With the amount of data now available on line, researching family history has become a lot easier, and much can be done from the comfort of one`s own computer. However, members do still go on what a member`s off- spring referred to as “dead reli” hunts in the geo- graphical areas where their families come from. This has included Lancashire, Scotland, North- umberland, East Anglia and Somerset. These individual visits add colour and also more details to family histories. Our bi-monthly meetings include tea and cake/ biscuits (of course) and usually a more in depth look at particular aspects of family history research, such as foreign born relations and how to research especially European records; researching the female line; merchant navy ancestors; service records: ……….etc. We always have time for “brick walls” where members come to a grinding halt and the group shares suggestions for trying to break down that “brick wall” New members are alw3ays welcome. LIZ GREENWAY Group Leader

ZEN - EMOJI - TWERK - QAPIK - BITCOIN YOWZA - BIZJET These are some of the new words in the official SCRABBLE diction- ary, which has been updated at least three times in the last 10years. The oldest SCRABBLE set in regular use in the Group is 65(!) years old, and with time, the tile fonts have changed as well as the vocabu- lary. Nowadays, we use electronic word finders specific for the game, much more than dictionaries, to check word validity. We are a friendly and welcoming bunch with varying skills, playing in pairs or 3`s, completing 2 or 3 games in the Friday morning sessions. We don`t take ourselves too seriously, just seriously enough, and like to have a light-hearted, fun morning. In recent times, SCRABBLE card games, jewellery, magnetic tiles and greetings cards have been introduced and the game is played on line by several of our members. The QUICKIE is a favourite, to fill the odd 15minutes or in its own right (it was introduced to our group via a clergyman who played it as part of his pastoral work). It is a game for two players, not using the blanks, requiring different tactics from full SCRABBLE. If you are a Quizzer, you will realise that it`s an advantage to know the points value of each letter of the alphabet. HAPPY SCRABBLING!! YVONNE VARLEY (12.12) Group Leader NATURAL

HISTORY GROUP We are an enthusiastic group of people who enjoy learning together about nature. We have been running for 20years as there is always something new to learn about or to see. With increasing requests to join us, about a year ago we took the decision to accept up to twenty members and organise our outdoor meetings in local halls. We won`t grow any larger as we need to remain a manageable size for our regular field trips.

Most of our fieldwork is very local and planned to be accessible for all. Several in the group have expertise to help others with identifying species, and we occasionally invite a specialist to inspire us to explore further. Our 6monthly programmes are planned together following up on the interests of the group GREAT CRESTED NEWT A very memorable day last summer took us to Somerset to see 6 orchid species in bloom - a just glorious field of stunning flowers! Then we walked to Collard Hill to see the Large Blue butterfly recently reintroduced to a National Trust site. One member of the group had reminded us of the complicated life cycle of the Large Blue which explains how vulnerable it is. We were excited then to see a small number of these rare beauties on the wing. After lunch we went on a guided bumblebee safari and saw several common species. The small colony of the very rare Shrill Carder Bee seemed to have col- lapsed in the hot dry weather. We were left with a very real awareness of how our wildlife is struggling and the importance of the work of wildlife charities. MARION HAMMOND Group Leader

THE GROUP ON FIELDWORK ITALIAN GROUP

The Italian group, with its leader and 7 members at present, has continued to meet weekly in east orchard, normally over three terms of 10 weeks, on Wednesday afternoons for two hours.

Our usual venue is the house of paul and corinna goldman but on `out of term` occasions, members sometimes meet informally at the orchard park café in Gillingham.

Our leader, sue dona, has taught Italian as well as English as a foreign language, having spent many years living and working in Italy and still travels there fairly frequently.

The emphasis is on developing conversational skills by speaking and reading - with particular emphasis on trying to get the pronunciation right. Grammar gets an airing from time to time, but as a means to that end. We have used a range of books and a range of teaching material which sue has developed and accumulated in her career.

To further leaven things, we have enjoyed watching an Italian film occasionally and taken a trip out to a (generally Italian) restaurant.

Along the way, we have all gained a more informed perspective on Italian language, history and cul- ture and looking back over time, we developed at least some greater facility with this elegant and beautiful language. PHILIP GRAY Group Leader

We meet to work on our own embroideries, using various techniques from cross-stitch to beadwork, to anything using textiles and threads.

We use our own materials , but are always willing to share.

We work and chat in a sociable manner.

Advice and encouragement is given when needed.

Our meetings are held in Shaftesbury.

MARGARET BAXTER Group Leader German Conversation Group Gruss Gott!! Our linguistic abilities vary. Some are native speakers; some have studied German in the past; some have lived in German- speaking countries for a time or come into contact with the language through our work; some are near beginners. However, we are united by a love of the German language. The group is not a language class and we do not do grammati- cal exercises - our aim is simply to talk. This said, obviously we do endeavour to speak good German and our native speakers can always put us right! We talk about things going on in our lives (e.g. family events, holidays, books we have read) and read and discuss articles from the press or short stories. We tend to steer clear of politics but recent topics have included such diverse subjects as driverless cars, Ger- man carnivals, diets, why a Japanese hotel chain fired its ro- bot staff, mobile phones, dogs and why a court ruled that a living man was dead! Unfortunately we do not have room for new members at the moment. On the one hand, we need to strike a balance which allows for a decent conversation. On the other hand, there is the physical limitation of how many people can fit round an average dining table. However, if you

are interested do not be afraid to get in touch as we do keep a waiting list in case vacancies arise. ROBERT LIGHT Group Leader Some of the Group members attending a meeting Garden Interest Group

The Group was started in April 2008 by Lois Wardle with a Planning Meeting. The Group has now been run on the same lines since that time. This consists of indoor meetings from November to March and then garden visits once month throughout the summer. Lois continued to run the group until July 2011 when she stepped down. At the next planning meeting six people were present, this became a small committee with Anne Tugwell as Group Leader. We kept up the same format of speakers/DVD`s and demonstra- tions in winter, a Christmas Lunch and then monthly garden visits commencing from April. We have an annual plant swap meeting in a member`s garden in April/May time which has proved very enjoyable. Also an annual day trip out by coach has become part of the programme, but all other outings are by members cars and of a local nature.

Sadly Anne Tugwell (see bottom left pic.) became unwell during the Au- tumn of 2016 and stood down as Group Leader. She had loved doing the job and very kindly said she was passing the position on to me. It was a dubious present I thought!. However, together with the committee we have continued to run the group up to the present time. Our garden visits are varied, large and small , but thoroughly enjoyable and we have a healthy membership. The group is always open to new members and we meet during the winter months at Rivers Meet Leisure Centre, Gillingham. LIZ HIDE Group Leader Reading Group

We have been meeting monthly in each other`s homes since 2000 to read books selected from the Dorset Library list. The host gives a short introduction before our discussion, which can be lively!! Once or twice a year we ring the changes by each of us bring- ing a book which we have enjoyed, to describe and recom- mend. We have all found that we have read books which otherwise we might not have considered and so have increased the range of authors we enjoy. Our numbers are limited by the number of books we may bor- row and the size of our rooms but we would be happy to encourage any member who would like to start an additional group. MARGARET BAXTER & JUDY WADE Joint Group Leaders Poetry and Play Reading

The U3A POETRY and PLAY READING Group meets on the 1st Thursday of the month at the house of the Group Leader, AUDREY CROSS. JANET BOTTERILL sources our plays from the local library and leads the group.

We are a lively group of people who have fun reading poetry and also reading plays. Although we take it seriously there is also a lot of laughter in the group and in the winter it is a good way to brighten up an afternoon. We finish off with tea and biscuits just after 4pm.

If you would be interested in joining us then please get in touch.

AUDREY CROSS Group Leader

Walking GROUP

A Walking Group successfully ran for over 16years led mostly by Sally Dearden and Beryl Adams and later by Peter Bonson, with regular monthly walks spread around our area. With no leader coming forward it stopped in 2016. We then re-launched the Group in December 2018 and despite the unpromising time of year, received a lot of interest. Twenty eight members have now joined and we typically get around a dozen or so walkers turning up each month for a walk of around 4 to 5 miles with an “optional” pub lunch. We are blessed with wonderful walking country around here and plenty of stunning views. The intrepid bunch are not put off being asked to tackle some fairly steep hills and we enjoyed Mere Downs, Hambledon Hill and Kingsettle Woods (sadly a bit late for the bluebells but covered in wild garlic flowers) as well as some gentler walks including Silton Church and Wyndham`s Oak, lanes around Mere and beautiful rolling countryside around Wardour Castle. There is still plenty more to explore and we look forward to many more enjoyable outings. BARBARA and IAN ROBSON Joint Group Leaders

View looking down over Motcombe below Walkers stopped for a rest in from KINGSETTLE WOODS. KINGSETTLE WOODS. Shaftesbury & Gillingham University of the Third Age

Committee Members for 2018 - 2019

CHAIRMAN Bridgette Browne VICE CHAIRMAN Libby Hague-Holmes SECRETARY Roger Laidler TREASURER Nic Griffin SPEAKERS SECRETARY Libby Hague-Holmes IN-TOUCH EDITOR Bill McIntyre GROUPS CO-ORDINATOR Greer Tilbrook MEMBERSHIP SECRETARY Helen Mead PUBLICITY Bill McIntyre WEBMASTER Roger Laidler COMMITTEE MEMBER Pam Goodall COMMITTEE MEMBER Peter Lee COMMITTEE MEMBER Elizabeth Young CO-OPTED MEMBER Davina Belcher CO-OPTED MEMBER John Upshall HONORARY MEMBERS Brian Adams, Ken Baxter, Alan Lipscombe, John Upshall Judy Wade. FOUNDER MEMBER Judy Wade

Shaftesbury & Gillingham U3A web site: u3asites.org.uk/sgu3a We held a very successful OPEN MORNING in Shaftesbury Town Hall in September 2018 with a selection of Groups on display.

Photographs by James McMILLAN Some of the Group Members who participated

NATURAL HISTORY Group

PATCHWORK & QUILTING Group GARDEN INTEREST Group

SPITE & MALICE Group DAY TRIPS Group

HERBS & NATURAL REMEDIES Group

TABLE TENNIS Group

FRENCH for FUN Group WESTERN PHILOSOPHY Group Groups that we no longer have ……….

Over the years new Groups have been formed whilst some others have finished depending upon members changing interests and even some have come back again after a rest period.

Amongst the ones that we have lost are the following:

ANTIQUES ART APPRECIATION

BEADWORK BOOKS

BRIDGE CARD MAKING

CIRCLE DANCE EASTERN PHILOSOPHY

LOCAL HISTORY LUNCHEON CLUB

PAINTING for PLEASURE READING GROUP

SOCIETY & ENVIRONMENT TEA, TIFFIN & TOPIC etc etc

If anybody would be interested in reforming any one of the above

Groups or even forming a completely new Group which we do not have then please contact our GROUPS CO-ORDINATOR as below.

GREER TILBROOK Groups Co-ordinator Photograph by JANET BALL - Member of the DIGITAL PHOTOGRAPHY GROUP We hope that this 20th Anniversary IN TOUCH booklet mentions and shows some of the many activities that the S&GU3A has done over the past 10years and will encourage those in the future to continue with the good work in furthering peoples knowledge and enjoyment in the Third Age of their lives. The Editor would especially like to thank the help from all the contributors of the Groups for information included and also to the many members whose photographs have been reproduced throughout this Anniversary booklet. JOHN UPSHALL Editor AUGUST 2019

Contact details for all Groups and Leaders together with other information about SGU3A can be found through our web page : u3asites.org.uk/sgu3a