& District U3A Newsletter

September 2015

Please share with members who are not in receipt of emails

This Month

This month Martin Heath, Radio Northampton broadcastor, will be coming to speak to us on the subject of Sherlock Holmes. He will talk about why

this particular character continues to fascinate people across the world and the extraordinary effect of Sherlock Holmes on the people who have played him on stage, on film and on television.

October

People and Pots in Medieval

We are privileged to have as our speaker for October the Anglo-Saxon, Medieval and Post-Medieval pottery specialist, Paul Blinkhorn.

Paul was born and raised in Merseyside and went on his first archaeological dig, aged 14, when on holiday with his parents in Yorkshire. He later studied Archaeological Sciences at Bradford University.

He has over 30 years’ experience as an archaeologist and, luckily for us, is now based in Northampton.

In addition to his work in the field Paul is a visiting lecturer at the Universities of Cambridge, Worcester and Leicester and is also the pottery consultant for the University of Bristol’s on-going excavation/research programme at Berkeley in Gloucestershire. However he is probably best known for his television appearances: He presented an archaeological programme, ‘Past Finders’ for Meridian Television in2002; he was the on-screen pottery expert on Channel 4’s archaeology series, ‘Time Team’ from 1998 until the series finished in 2014; and on Channel 5’s ‘Pub Dig’ series with Rory McGrath in 2012.

Paul has very kindly agreed to talk to Daventry and District U3A on October 15th despite having another commitment in Cambridge later that day so we hope to let him start promptly at 2.00 p.m. and leave all other business until the end of the meeting.

Chair’s Report August 2015

What an amazing amount has been achieved in the three months since the meeting in St. Augustine’s Hall when we voted in favour of setting up a Daventry and District U3a. We now have over 200 enrolled members, 21 Interest groups, an excellent website (U3Asites.org.uk/Daventry) and have had three very well attended monthly meetings with a variety of outstanding speakers. In May, the national U3A granted us three months temporary membership. This covered us for insurance, gave us support in how to get going and time to see if we were likely to be a successful group. I think we have exceeded all expectations and our application for permanent membership has now been approved. So well done to you all for your enthusiasm and support without which we wouldn’t be where we are today. A special thanks also to the Steering Committee who have done such a good job of collating and recording membership applications, setting up the finances, organising the interest groups, the speakers and refreshments, publicity and newsletters and creating our website. Thanks also for those who have volunteered to help in many ways including serving refreshments at the monthly meetings. On another note - If any of you are members of DOF (Daventry over fifties forum) and are attending the meeting in the Leisure centre on September 23rd (2 – 4pm) there will be a stand in the hall promoting our U3A. Do join us to talk to anyone who may be interested in becoming a member. With best wishes

Lynda Moran Chair – Steering Committee

News from the interest groups

Daventry U3A Walking Group.

This is the first attempt at a report on the walking activities of the U3A Walking Group who aim to walk 4 to 6 miles on an organised walk each month. The first, and ongoing, discussion is on a name for this particular group. 'Ramblers' seems a bit too strong for our length of walk, and anyway, another organisation already uses that one! 'The Medium Length Walk Group' seems a bit of a mouthful. 'Amblers' seems a bit too casual so the search goes on for a catchy meaningful name. We have now had two walks and, I hope, they were successful and well supported.

Walk one started at Holy Cross Church in Daventry and followed the route of the old railway line as far as

Middlemore. At Middlemore we followed paths that took us around fields and housing close to Drayton reservoir and sailing club. Crossing the A361 we picked up the path which follows

the line of the canal tunnel with sight of the ventilation shaft on our left as we headed around Lang Farm. We approached, and crossed, Welton Lane and headed back towards Daventry Country Park. Once in the Country Park we walked past the cafe and along the reservoir retaining bank. We continued in an

anti-clockwise direction around the reservoir before leaving the Country Park and returning to Holy Cross Church were we dispersed.

Walk two started out side the village hall in . We followed the path between two houses into the pocket park and headed towards the canal. Before the canal we turned left, hopped across a cattle-grid, instead of using the gate, and headed up the lane towards, and past, the Lord Nelson canal-side pub. At the top of the lane we crossed the canal bridge to arrive at 'top-lock', the last of a flight of locks bringing the canal up from Braunston. Here we discussed, briefly, the possibility of following the canal towards Daventry as far as Braunston Tunnel and then following the old horse path and various foot-paths into Daventry Town Centre, a distance of about 4 miles. Perhaps a walk for another day.

We turned towards Braunston and followed the canal back past the Lord Nelson, past the shop and canal-side workshops at bottom-lock before crossing the large wooden footbridge the marks an entrance to the marina. Further on we crossed the second, more sturdy, stone bridge which marks the other entrance. We continued on and under the A45 to a turning where we could leave the canal and head off across fields. We followed the country road out to, and past, Wolfhampcote Church and various isolated out-buildings. Having chatted to the pigs on the farm, we arrived at a fork in the road where we turned to the right towards Sawbridge. At various points we could see evidence of the old abandoned canal that was used before the canal between Braunston and Napton was straightened out at the same time as the arrival of the railways in the area.

Crossing the canal bridge we immediately turned left and over a stile, the down some steep steps to return to the canal. Left again we headed back towards Braunston past various bits of old railway architecture and the almost famous Pink Floyd graffiti which has adorned the old railway wall for over 30 years! Back towards Braunston over the aqueduct that carries the canal over the River Leam whilst it is still a stream and towards the village and the fork in the canal. Here we turned left towards Rugby. After a few hundred yards we went into a field and crossed a bridge to go up a long slope towards the church in Braunston. Crossing the road we past down through a field and out onto the A45 we had passed under some time ago. Dropping down onto the canal we turned right back towards the marina, crossing the first stone entrance bridge and on to the next path that took us left up towards the village High Street. Bearing right half way up the hill we took the path past the village scout hut and on to the Pocket Park. Through the park we returned to the village where we went our separate ways.

Rummikub

Rummikub - ever heard of it? Well I hadn't until two months ago and now I am an addict.

It is described as a numbers strategy game that’s never the same! The fast-paced game of tile manipulation that challenges each player’s wit against the other. One of the world’s most compulsive family games, like all the best, it’s easy to learn and a challenge to master!

I absolutely agree that each game is never the same as the last. The group is very friendly and Clare and Steve are very friendly and supportive.

French Group News

The French group has been meeting in Tesco’s Community Room every two weeks since starting in July but members have now decided to try meeting in each other’s houses. The last meeting at Tesco’s was on September 2nd and the subject we’d chosen to prepare something about was “Food”. We gained a good insight into the kinds of meals members enjoyed, what they liked cooking and foods they preferred to avoid, as well as learning some new vocabulary on the topic. Conversation flowed well, although admittedly the odd word in English had to be thrown in here and there, (no one knew the French for “crumble”, as in apple crumble, for example) and there was some recourse to use the dictionary, but we managed to keep going for an hour and a half and all agreed that it had been a very enjoyable session. Review of August Meeting

The August meeting was well attended with over 100 members present. After an initial bit of upheaval when the seating arrangement had to be rotated 45 ̊so that pictures could be projected onto a wall instead of a screen, the meeting got under way.

There were some announcements from our Chair, Lynda Moran, regarding full U3A membership and the grant from Daventry District Council (see Chair’s Report).Colin Davenport, Groups’ Co- ordinator, followed with some information about the figure of 8 walk on Sept.1st. He introduced Peter Davis to those interested in a Computer Support Group, which Peter is setting up, and invited Trevor Taylor from the Bowls Club to tell us about the indoor bowls sessions which were being offered to U3A members. Colin also reminded everyone about the Christmas Card Making sessions organised by Kim Russell for U3A members.

Philippa Davenport then introduced the speaker for this meeting, Captain William Wells. Captain Wells had very kindly stepped in at the last minute to replace the planned speaker who, due to unforeseen circumstances, was unable to attend.

Captain Wells won a scholarship, when he was a schoolboy in his native New Zealand, to come to where he underwent his nautical training. A Master Mariner, former Ship’s Captain and licensed Commercial River Pilot in the Port of London, his talk about the River Thames entitled “London’s Liquid History” was delivered with eloquence, enthusiasm and humour. It was most interesting to hear all the fascinating snippets of information about the various bridges, weirs, locks and other features along the River as well as how the River had been used over the centuries by different kinds of people from rogues to royalty. Captain Wells kept us thoroughly entertained for a good hour and answered several questions at the end of his talk. Some members also took the opportunity to buy copies of Captain Wells’ autobiography, “A Sailor’s Tales”, which I’m sure will make a very good read.

Philippa Davenport Speaker Seeker for Daventry and District U3A

APPEALS

At the end of the August meeting appeals were made to members for contributions to the newsletter and also to the in-house entertainment for the December meeting.

CONTRIBUTIONS TO THE NEWSLETTER

The newsletter is published on-line with a few hard copies made for those members who do not have access to a computer. At the moment it contains mostly information about the programme for the monthly meetings, a review of the previous meeting and general information about the groups.

It needs to be more interesting! It needs members to write in to say, for example, what is going on in their groups, maybe what they have achieved or how they have enjoyed what they have done in the group. Alternatively, you could let us know about places you have visited that might be of interest to other members, or send in useful information to pass on to members etc. You could even contribute a poem or a joke that is appropriate to the Third Age. (Be aware of copyright though.)

Send contributions to [email protected]

CONTRIBUTIONS TO THE CHRISTMAS MEETING

There is no speaker booked for the meeting on December 17th. However, we are sure there is enough talent amongst our members to keep us entertained for at least part of the meeting. If you are willing to sing, play an instrument, read/recite a poem, or do whatever it is you can do, either individually or as a group, PLEASE, please start thinking about it now and let Philippa Davenport know by the October meeting (Thursday October 15th) so that a programme can be put together ready for the November Newsletter.

Monthly Meetings held on the 3rd Thursday of every month 2pm-4pm at Daventry Community Centre, Ashby Road, Daventry