Monthly Meetings in St Peter S Church Wellesbourne CV35 9LS, 2.00 for 2.30Pm

Dene Valley U3A NOVEMBER 2017 NEWS Monthly Meetings in St Peter’s Church Wellesbourne CV35 9LS, 2.00 for 2.30pm

On 14th November the Royal Navy Present- ation Team, who travel the country to engage with the people of the UK to raise awareness of the Service and its import- ance to UK security, stability and prosper- ity, will give us a dynamic, multi-media They explain what the Royal Navy does and presentation aimed at why, and brief on their equipment, people, current and future capability, informing and increas- and include short clips from captains of industry acknowledging the ing knowledge of the potential consequences to their businesses if the Royal Navy did not fulfil work of the Royal its task. This is followed by a question and answer session. Navy. On Tuesday December 12th we welcome the Heart of England Choir. Dene Valley U3A November 2017 News Community 4.30pm Monday 27th November - Church Rooms, Church St, Wellesbourne CV35 9LS - ALL WELCOME - refreshments - Loop for hard of hearing - No need to Cinema book. All seats £3 My Cousin Rachel - William Howard 01789 508831 [email protected] – a new film based on the gripping Subscriptions are overdue. A reminder that Membership Subscriptions of £15 per annum were due for story by Daphne renewal in September for the current 12 months: you can pay by cheque at Du Maurier the monthly meeting or post it to our Membership Secretary. Please see the next page for a form to cut off and give/send to Wendy with your cheque. If bringing a cheque is a problem, we can take cash at the meeting.

Chairman: Jackie Williams Peter will be 01926 640286 [email protected] editing the Membership Secretary: Wendy Ironmonger December 01789 293377 [email protected] Newsletter. Groups Coordinator: Alison Edwards This one was 01295 688247 [email protected] edited by Newsletter Editor: Peter Davies William 01789 841755 [email protected] Howard Copy for next month to Peter by the 15th please Web: www.denevalleyu3a.btck.co.uk Facebook: www.facebook.com/denevalleyu3a

NEW U3A Newsletter U3A members can now sign up to receive a new national U3A e-newsletter for stores, events, advice, opportunities and more, at u3a.org.uk/email

DENE VALLEY U3A - Application for Annual Membership/Renewal Membership of Groups and participation on Outings requires U3A membership, but there are still a few people who haven’t yet renewed for 2017/18. The subscription became due in September and remains the same as last year at £15.00. Please complete the Application Form printed below, attach your payment (NO STAPLES PLEASE but paperclips are OK) and either bring them on November 14th or post them to the Membership Secretary. Payment by cheque for preference, please. This makes for easier handling and also alleviates the need for a receipt. Please make cheque payable to “Dene Valley U3A” & send to: Membership Secretary: Mrs Wendy Ironmonger, “Marendy”, Ferry Lane, Alveston, Stratford-upon-Avon CV37 7QZ. If a receipt is required, please enclose an SAE. ――――――――――――――――――――――――――――――――――――――――――――――――――― New Member ……. Renewal ……. (Please tick) Subscription £15.00 (until August 2018) Name ...... Address ...... Post Code ...... New Members/ changed details only: Phone Number ...... E-mail address ...... Quarterly magazines published by the U3A national organisation are available, free of charge and delivered to your home. Please tick one: start sending ...... keep sending ….... stop sending ….... don’t send ......

2 Dene Valley U3A November 2017 News

Please confirm by signing below that you agree to Dene Valley U3A keeping the above information on its database. The information will only be used by Dene Valley U3A and Third Age Trust to communicate with you, and will not be disclosed to a third party. Date …………………………………………...... Signature ...... ――――――――――――――――――――――――――――――――――――――――――――――――――― Our Groups Books on Monday to complete a full plait whilst others tried to produce The group elected to read ‘The Light Between Oceans’ a ‘flower’. Concentration was intense you could have by M L Stedman. This was received by all as an heard a pin drop! extremely powerful and gripping, captivating and haunting debut novel - the story of a lighthouse keeper and his wife who make one devastating choice that forever changes two worlds. Tom Sherbourne returns home to Australia in 1926, after 4 years fighting on the Western Front, to take a job on Janus Rock as lighthouse keeper. The Rock is nearly half a day's journey from the coast. To this remote island Tom brings a young, bold, and loving wife, Isabel. Years later, after 2 miscarriages and one stillbirth, the grieving Isabel hears a baby's cries on the wind. A boat has washed up on shore carrying a dead man and a living baby... - Penny Holbrook 01789 470697 [email protected] This month we are thinking ahead to the festive - Theresa Finkel 01789 842637 season as Chris has chosen an arrangement in a [email protected] shallow dish for a Christmas table design which we will adapt making it suitable for any time of the year Computing Plus but one which we can reproduce with seasonable The next group meeting will be held at 10am on foliage and accessories when the Christmas season is Tuesday 21st upstairs in St Peter's Church Rooms, upon us. Wellesbourne. We'll have the usual mix of topics and questions so please come prepared. - Jenny Down 01789 841567 - Peter Hayes 01789 842686 [email protected] [email protected] Folk Dance Flower Arranging This month’s dates are November 7th and 21st In October the inspiration for our arrangements came Venue: St Peter’s Church Rooms from a flower magazine using two pictures of designs. Time: 2pm – 3.30pm Both arrangements were vertical designs, included Next month: 5th and 19th December. Midolino sticks or twigs, and used supermarket - Maggie Hosking 01789 842776 flowers and minimal foliage. All eighteen members [email protected]

Geography For our October meeting, we learnt about Bhutan and Bangladesh, with a lively discussion afterwards. On November 15th at 10am in the Bennett (upstair room of the Church Centre) our topic for November Is NORTHERN ADVENTURE ------into the Arctic winter. All new members are welcome. - Mandy Wright 01789 470232 present succeeded in producing fabulous professional [email protected] arrangements. History I and II After a refreshment break we challenged ourselves to Both groups are still studying the Restoration period. plait Phormium leaves which required a lot of We are spending some time on this period as we have patience and manual dexterity. Some of us attempted 3 Dene Valley U3A November 2017 News found so many interesting Line Dance characters, such as Isaac Newton, Samuel Pepys, Classes at the Malt House, Alveston 2.30 for 2.45pm Charles II and some of his mistresses, such as Barbara start, 3.45 finish, Wednesdays 1st, 15th, 29th November; th Villiers and Nell Gwynne. 13 December. - Mary Wallis 01926 499128 At future meetings we will be discussing some of the [email protected] events of the period such as The Plague and The Fire of London. On Monday 11th December we will be having our joint Christmas meeting. Our theme this year will be Luncheon Club "Identify the Character." Our Anniversary Luncheon was once more held at Le Bistrot Pierre in Stratford, a restaurant which is We have 2 spaces in Group I which meets on the spacious, serves consistently good food and provides second Wednesday of the month at 2 pm. parking so is popular with our members. For our If you are interested in joining contact Gail on 01789 next outing we are going further afield, to the Garden 842686 [email protected] Restaurant at Dunnington Heath Farm near Alcester, or Joan on 01789 507614 [email protected] well known for the farm shop which sells local home grown produce and for the extensive gift and plant shops – maybe time for some Christmas shopping! History – Family Garden Restaurant, Dunnington Heath Farm, The advanced group had an interesting tale from Alcester, B49 5PD : Thursday 9 November at 12.45 Carol in October, lots of interesting and detailed - Ann Eccles 01789 841597 research but as always opening up more to do. [email protected] Our November meeting will be Diane talking about - Jill Haran 01789 841702 " Nobody’s Child: how children were historically cared [email protected] for away from their families". Music Appreciation In December we will have our rearranged topic from Our September programme of music presented us October, “Don’t jump to conclusions” from Jenny with a wide choice of entertainment which satisfied Down. most of our different tastes: nd We meet as usual on Friday 10th November at 2.30pm. Rachmaninov: 2 Piano Concerto – Adagio Rachmaninov: The Lord’s Prayer The new Introduction to Family History group will be Brahms Violin Concerto – Allegro looking at Birth, Marriage & Death records. This group Beethoven: Hammerklavier Sonata 106 – Adagio th will meet on Friday 10 November at 10am. Cholley: Rumba Sur Les Grandes Jeux th Both groups meet on second Fridays of the month in Shostakovitch: Symphony 13 – Baba Ya 4 movt. the Carr Room of the Church Centre. Lewis: Rosa Mundi - Michael Dane 01789 470491 Orff Carmina Burana: In Trutina [email protected] Berlioz: Symphonie Fantastique: Witches Sabbath Our History - Local Talk on Antarctica On 2.30pm 17th November, at the Church Rooms we have a talk about the continent of Antarctica, remembering that it was local a million or so years ago, before the continents drifted apart. Photos will be good and Cliff Daniels is speaking. Note that we will be in the Bennett Room, Church Rooms (as the Carr Room is being used for other activities just for one month.) October meeting will be on Thursday 26th October at - David C Ball 01789 840983 10am at Val King’s home (Mallards Cottage, Idlicote, [email protected] CV36 5EA)

Looking ahead Tony and Sandra Whiteley will host our A full mini-bus set off for one of our longest journeys to November gathering on Thursday 23rd at 10am. the Imperial War Museum at Duxford in Cambridge. On - Scott Read 01789 842264 arrival we were greet by a guide who gave us a brief - Val King 01608-662336 history of the site at Duxford, first built in 1917 and currently celebrating its centenary of 100 years as an Pilates 2 airfield. We toured the many hangers which are full of Pilates 2 which meets at 9.30am on Tuesdays at the historic and interesting aircraft, one of which Village Hall, has a couple of vacancies. Get in touch with was Concorde, the one on display being the 3rd Lynn or Lynda if you would like to join. - Lynn Hunter 01789 748286 - Lynda Coleman 01789 740755 [email protected] or [email protected]

Rock and Roll and More Our next meeting is on Monday 13 November at 2.30pm at the YHA Alveston. At our October meeting we traced the evolving of rock music since the 1950s. The session was led by Coral Bradley from Heart of England U3A. In November we will have a “potpourri” of popular music with an emphasis on the 60s and 70s. I hope to include as well as sound tracks a number of video performances. Our programmes for December and January are being prepared by Grev Hudson. prototype to be built. After lunch a guide took us around We are organising a traditional Christmas Lunch prior to the building which is dedicated to the American Air the December Meeting. The YHA have changed their Force, who were stationed there during the Second menu from the one I circulated to group members and World War. The building is of a very modern design and dropped the price. Three courses £16.95. I will circulate houses a large collection of all types of American the new menu before the October meeting. For the aircraft. During the war over 300 airplanes operating traditionalists the new menu still includes Turkey and from Duxford were lost and 3000 personnel were killed. Christmas Pudding! If you want to come along to one of We were treated unexpectedly to an air display by a our meetings please just turn up. Spitfire, one of many that are kept at Duxford in flying order. - Tony Whiteley 01789 471036 [email protected] - Peter Finkel 01789 842637 [email protected] Science Walking How do chemical factories protect themselves and On 15th November we will be doing a five mile circular their environment? Remember Bhopal? Phil Aspinall walk from Hatton Country World. Valerie Edwards will makes a welcome return to the Science Group at be leading. We meet at 9.30am at Wellesbourne 10am on November 28th to revisit that issue. We Village Hall car park to share lifts to the start of the meet at 8 Brookside Avenue. walk at 10am. Suitable walking gear is always - Christopher Lamb 01789-842060 recommended, as is a drink. We are a friendly lot and welcome newcomers. Trains Planes & Automobiles - Brenda Pengelly 01789 841439 / 07747 622222 [email protected]

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LOOKING BACK A Recent Outing structures of At the end of August there was an outing to biomolecules. Winchester followed by a tour and tasting at The Among her most Bombay Gin Factory. It was a beautiful, warm sunny influential day and, as you can see from the following discoveries are photograph, very relaxing. – Sandra Whiteley the confirmation of the structure Enjoying in of penicillin as the words of previously John Keats, surmised the poet, by Edward the “Season Abraham of mist and and Ernst Boris mellow Chain, and the structure of vitamin B, for which she became the third woman to win the Nobel Prize in Chemistry. fruitfulness”. Georgina Ferry included in her talk a DVD presentation of the play, “Hidden Glory” which using

Dorothy’s own words from her papers and writings October meeting: Dorothy Crowfoot Hodgkin told the story of her life and achievements. Georgina has provided us with a copy of the DVD for which we Members who attended the October General Meeting have a 12 month copyright licence to show it at no were able to enjoy the presentation by Georgina charge. Ferry. Dorothy Crowfoot Hodgkin is Britain’s only female science Nobel Prize winner. If any U3A member or group wants to borrow the DVD please contact me. Dorothy Crowfoot Hodgkin has a local connection because she spent time living at Ilmington. - Tony Whiteley 01789 471036 [email protected] She advanced the technique of X-ray crystallography, a method used to determine the three-dimensional

U3A Research Invitation Inaugural West Midlands Research Workshop To explore how research does, and could, work within 15th November at the Carrs Lane Conference Centre the U3As of the West Midlands a workshop has been in Birmingham. arranged for Wednesday 15th November at Carrs Lane Conference Centre which is conveniently opposite Research lies at the heart of the aims of the founding Moor Street Station in Birmingham, 10.30am-3.30pm. fathers of the U3A in the UK. It was their, rather ambitious, aspiration that every U3A member should The workshop will look at some things that the U3A have a personal research project. Without has done to date, what some other groups have done anticipating we can, or indeed would want to, achieve and what resources are available. It is a first their vision in the U3A of today it highlights the fact exploratory workshop. No experience is needed, just that research should still be viewed as a key activity. an enquiring mind and an interest in finding out more. What’s more it’s FREE. If you are interested The Third age Trust is working on strategy to raise the just sign up by getting in touch with profile, understanding of and involvement in [email protected] or for more research. Many U3A members are already involved in details ask Alison Edwards. research in their normal group activities but probably don’t call it by that name. Equally, although a [email protected]. significant number of members are interested in research, it seems that a critical mass often does not exist within an individual U3A.

WE WOULD LIKE TO HAVE YOUR IDEAS FOR OUTINGS 2018 Talk to Sandra or Carol at the November Meeting Or Contact : Sandra on 01789 471036 or Carol 01789 841295 OUT & ABOUT with Carol and Sandra

COUNTDOWN TO CHRISTMAS DERBY and TISSINGTON HALL Beauty and the Beast. 27TH NOVEMBER 2017 We will make a stop in Derby for you to lunch or shop before our tour of Tissington Hall.

Tissington Hall, Derby, wish to welcome us this Christmas Season. We will walk into a tale as old as time, see the Beast’s Castle, open the door to the snow covered chandelier hall and visit the Beast in his dark Chamber. Will you be brave enough to pick a rose from the Enchanted Garden? Climb the stairs to a hidden room to see just what kind of feast "Lumière” has provided for you. After our 90 minutes tour of the Hall we will have coffee/tea and a mince pie before we board our coach for the homeward journey. Leave Wellesbourne Village Hall 9.00.a.m. Arrive Derby drop off Full Street 10.30.a.m. Leave Derby from Full Street 1.30.p.m. Arrive Tissington Hall 2.00.p.m Split into two groups. Tour starts 2.30.p.m. Coffee/Tea/Mince Pie 4.00.p.m. Leave Tissington 4.30.p.m. Approx. time back at Wellesbourne Village Hall 6.15.p.m Cost: £26.00 includes - Tour of Tissington Hall/Coffee, Tea Mince Pie/Coach and Driver's tip. Interested contact: - Carol Turland 01789 841295 [email protected] or Sandra Whiteley 01789 471036 [email protected]

NAMES ARE STILL BEING TAKEN FOR THE RESERVE LIST

Wheelchair users: All public locations are accessible. For meetings in members’ houses please contact group leader. Group Group Leader Meeting and comment C&Tea Art Kate Parton 01789 841073 10am-12 2nd & 4th Mondays The Bennett Room Dec’18 Art Appreciation Jackie Williams 01926 640286 4th Wed various galleries, homes, etc. Jul’18 Baking with Interest Linda Yeates 01789 840408 2.30pm 4th Thu (or as agreed); various venues Jun’18 Books on Monday Penny Holbrook 01789 470697 2.30pm 3rd Mon at various houses Apr’18 Theresa Finkel 01789 842637 Bread-making Roger Goodman 01295 688199 1pm 3rd Tue, Village Hall Wellesbourne Bowls – Short Mat Wendy Ironmonger 01789 293377 10.00-12.00 every Wed Bridge Club 1 (social) Alison Edwards 01295 688247 2.30-4.30pm every Mon at Alveston Village Hall Bridge Clubs 2 & 3 3.00-5.00pm every Thu May’18 Wendy Ironmonger 01789 293377 (Malt House) Bridge Club 4 10.00-12.00 every Tue Community Cinema William Howard 01789 508831 4.15 for 4.30pm 4th Mon St Peter’s Ch. Rooms ----- Computing Plus Peter Hayes 01789 842686 10.00am 3rd Tue upstairs Ch. Rooms Flower Arranging Jenny Down 01789 841567 10.00am 2nd Wed, Carr Room, St Peter’s Folk Dancing Maggie Hosking 01789 842776 2.00-3.30pm 1st & 3rd Tues, Ch. Cen, restart Oct Geography Mandy Wright 01789 470232 10.00am 3rd Wed, various locations Sep’18 History 1 Gail Hayes 01789 842686 2.00pm 2nd Wed, various locations History 2 Gail Hayes 01789 842686 10-12, 2nd Mon, 2 Huntington Ct Wellesbourne History – Family: Intro 10-11.30 2nd Fri, Carr Room, Church Centre Michael Dane 01789 470491 History – Family: Main 2.30pm 2nd Fri, Carr Room, Church Centre History – Local David C Ball 01789 840983 2.30pm 3rd Fri, Carr Room, Church Centre Jewellery Making Charles Goodman 01789 841816 10-12, every Tue, at Charles’ home Oct’18 Kurling Wendy Ironmonger 01789 293377 7.00-9.00pm 1st Sat every month, Alveston VH Lang – French Conv. Jim Brown 07802 411943 4-6pm 1st & 3rd Tues, in members’ homes Nov’17 Lang – German Conv. Margaret Howard 01789 508831 2.15/3.15pm 2nd & 4th Fridays, 21 Daniell Rd Lang – Imp. Spanish Eileen Newton 01789 470824 10.30-12.30 Fortnightly Weds, 10 Oldborough Dr. Lang – Fur. Spanish Steve Desborough01926 640358 10.30-12.15 2nd & 4th Thus, 26 Combrook Line Dancing Mary Wallis 01926 499128 2.30 for 2.45pm various Weds Alveston V. Hall Luncheon Club Ann Eccles 01789 841597 12.45pm 2nd Thu most months in selected Jill Haran 01789 841702 hostelries around the county and beyond Music Appreciation Scott Read 01789 842264 10am - 12.15, 4th Thu in members’ homes Philosophy Peter Hayes 01789 842686 10.15am 1st Thu in members’ homes Pilates 1 Ros Bott 01789 842440 9.30-10.30am every Thu, St Peter’s Church Sue Moss 01789 842466 Rooms, Wellesbourne CV35 9LS Pilates 2 Lynn Hunter 01789 748286 9.30-10.30am every Tue, Village Hall, School Lynda Coleman 01789 740755 Rd, Wellesbourne CV35 9NH Pilates 3 Jean Roberts 01789 840729 1.30-2.30pm Mons excl. Bank Holidays, Village Dec’17 Mary Lively 01789 841107 Hall, School Rd, Wellesbourne CV35 9NH Pilates 4 Tina Lamb 01789 842060 10.45-11.45am every Tue, Village Hall, School Gill Thomson 01789 840165 Rd Wellesbourne CV35 9NH Play Reading William Howard 01789 508831 2.30pm 2nd Wed in members’ homes Jan’18 Poetry Appreciation Julie Macbeath 01789 842313 2.00pm 3rd Thu at Julie’s home Quizzing Sylvia Blundall 01789 840463 2pm - 4pm 1st Thu, Carr Room, Wellesbourne Reading Anne Prior 01789 842103 2pm 1st Wed, 7 Wyvern Close, Wellesbourne Recorder Margaret Howard 01789 508831 4.30pm 1st & 3rd Wed, 21 Daniell Rd CV35 9UD Rock & Roll and More Tony Whiteley 01789 471036 2.30-4.30 pm 2nd Mon, YHA Alveston CV37 7RG Science, Exploring Christopher Lamb 01789 842060 10am 4th Tue 8 Brookside Ave Wb’ne CV35 9RZ Aug’18 Scrabble Louise Giblin 01926 641127 2-4pm 2nd Thu, Pat Sweet’s home, 10 Redhill Feb’18 Pat Sweet 01789 840276 Close, Dovehouse CV35 9SP Singles on Sat/Sun SOS Wendy Ironmonger 01789 293377 12.30 2nd Sun & 4th Sat Hemmingford’s Alveston Snooker Brian Badger 01295 688010 2.30-4.30pm 3rd Tue, 12 Western Rd CV37 0AH 9 Dene Valley U3A November 2017 News

Swimming Linda Dane 01789 470491 10am - 12 noon on Weds & Fris at Walton Hall Table Tennis Alison Edwards 01295 688247 2-3.30 1st & 3rd Mons, Wellesb’ne Sports Centre Trains Planes & Autos Peter Finkel 01789 842637 3rd Thu: visits to manufacturers, museums etc Nov’18 Walking Brenda Pengelly 01789 841439 9.30 3rd Wed Wellesbourne VH for 10.00 start Mar’18 Coffee etc. supplied by Jenny Shorrocks 01789 470060 [email protected] & served by Groups:  The Group Activity Grid is at www.denevalleyu3a.btck.co.uk/OurStudyGroups#grid in table and diary formats.