SPRING 2020 Christmas Lunch Was Enjoyed by Some of the Stalwarts of the Cycling Group at the White Horse in Stourpaine
Total Page:16
File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb
Blandford & District Jim Worsnop and Lesley Badgley with their Table Tennis Gold medals. The Table Tennis Group members enjoy their Christmas lunch At their Christmas lunch Gra- ham Poynter presented a gift voucher from the walking group to retiring Group Leader Stuart McAinsh. Scrabble group members enjoying their Christmas lunch John Rees Ness Hickish Sylvia Andrews Chairman B&D U3A Chairman Blandford Museum Director Blandford Museum 5 members went ‘foreign’ along the Frome Valley from Stoborough to B&D U3A presentation of £285 to 2019 Charity of the year Wool ... – The Blandford Museum - The presentation took place at the beginning of the U3A January Open Meeting at Durweston Village Hall NEWSLETTER – SPRING 2020 Christmas lunch was enjoyed by some of the stalwarts of the Cycling Group at the White Horse in Stourpaine www.blandfordu3a.co.uk 24 The memorial to the Collingwood Blandford & District U3A Battalion, Royal Naval Division NEXT OPEN MEETING and AGM FRIDAY 27th March 2020 2.00-4.00pm Rupert Brooke in the uniform of the Royal Naval Division DURWESTON VILLAGE HALL Amy was the daughter of the landlord of David N. Smith “The Farquharson Arms”, Pimperne; she “Kingston Lacy, if only time could tell” and her mother ran the establishment after her father died c.1917. The history of the Kingston Lacy estate Frederick Adam took on the licence after he left the forces: he came from Essex and these two are an example of a young cou- ple who would not have met if it hadn’t Wedding photograph of been for the war. The youngest of their Amy Dowling and sons lived in Pimperne until comparatively Frederick Adam c.1919 recently. See Blandford in the Great War 1914-1918 page 6/7 An illumination from the Echternach photo-copyright-Philip-Halling Gospels (Echternach is in Luxembourg, and the monastery was founded by St. Timetable: Willibrord in 698). He was born and brought up in Northumbria, and the MS was taken to Echternach. It was 2.00-2.15pm Greeting and seating probably produced in Northumbria. 2.15pm Annual General Meeting The world of western Europe was 2.30pm Speaker th VERY cosmopolitan in the 7 century. 3.15pm Tea, Cake and Chat! See Illuminated Manuscripts of the British Isles c.597-c.800, page 16. REFRESHMENTS: £1.00 for Tea & Cake Book Exchange: bring your old paperbacks and choose a new one!!! 2 23 Garden Visits Group Notes from the Chair The Garden Visits programme will be issued shortly and sent to all those There are, or should be, three extra sheets en- group members on the list. If you don’t receive a copy when you think that closed with this Newsletter: an advertisement for you should have done so, do please let me know. We will again be arranging our next skittles match against Sturminster New- garden visits between April and September inclusive, to include two coach ton U3A, an AGM agenda & Committee Nomina- and four ‘drive yourself’ visits. tion form and a Membership renewal form. This year we will be visiting Leonardslee near Horsham in May and The Gar- I would like to take this opportunity to bring as- den House and Wildside in Devon in July, both by coach. pects of these to your attention. The skittles match Whilst we are a large group, our only restriction is the size of a coach or the cannot take place unless we have some players (it could be you!) support- number restrictions at a particular garden, so it is essential to book, as these ed by some cheering fans (now this is you!) bookings are taken on a ‘first come, first served basis’. The AGM is important, as it is an opportunity for you, as a member, to If you are not already a member but would like to join us, please let me help define the way our U3A is managed and the direction in which we know – I look forward to meeting up with members old and new again in develop in the future. If you have any thoughts or feelings about this the spring, when we can hopefully shrug off the depths of winter and enjoy please either nominate someone (with their agreement) who feels the some spring sunshine! same way or attend the meeting when you may be given the chance to Lynn Hawkey have your say. Finally, the membership renewal form. To save distribution costs the com- Cycling Group mittee have decided to send this out with this Newsletter, but it requires a GO GREEN - GO HEALTHY - GO BIKE! change to the membership year. On this basis we have declared a mem- bership holiday for one month so the membership year will now run from Our intrepid band of two-wheelers (sometimes only two, usually -4 5, occa- the 1st March to 28th February. If you currently pay by standing order it sionally 8-9) have braved the Dorset winter and enjoyed some splendid would make life easier for our Membership Secretary and Treasurer if you outings. As well as the expected practice in puncture-repairing, we have also could change the payment date to the 1st March from this year onwards. become experts in puddle-jumping and bicycle valeting. The Committee have decided to extend Blandford Museum as our Annual On 5 December, Christmas lunch was enjoyed by some of our stalwarts at the Charity for another year as we feel that they are the most deserving from White Horse in Stourpaine (see picture). the choice available. We hope that you agree. Usually, we venture along one or other segment of the North Dorset Trailway This will be my last Chairman’s Notes as I am resigning from both the or simply along Langton Lane towards Wimborne, but, on 29 January, 5 mem- Chairmanship and the Committee at the AGM in March after 10 years in bers went ‘foreign’ along the Frome Valley from Stoborough to Wool (nice various roles. I have enjoyed it all, even if I haven’t always looked like it. and flat-ish). (see picture) However more than anything else I have appreciated the help and support Since my last report, we have ventured out on 7 occasions, having lost only that all of you have given me over the years, either directly or indirectly. I one to rain (though some would say it should have been two!) (which is not hope you will continue to give that support to our incoming Chairman, bad at all in the winter), completing a further 107 miles, so that our accumu- Sarah Houghton, and make her feel really welcome. lated distance is now 1700 miles after 90 rides. Peter Aldous Thank you. Johm Rees. 22 3 Mah Jong Group GROUP LIAISON Members Chris & Rob say... We now have a Photography Group up and running - contact details can be found in the Group Listing. The Craft Group is full so I will keep a " As fairly recent members of the Mah Jong Group, we have received such a waiting list for anyone wanting to join and can then start a second warm welcome and have thoroughly enjoyed our Thursday afternoon ses- group. John has been asked to revive the Beginners' Crossword Group - sions. Playing in groups of 3 or 4, the emphasis is on improving skills please see his Crossword Notes. (especially learning the scoring system where we are concerned!), It's always good fun - with excellent tea and biscuits - thanks Lynn." It would be good to have someone come forward and volunteer to organ- ise the cakes for our Open Meetings. It is not an onerous task and you We are sorry to report the death of Jocelyn Jenkins, a long standing and val- don't have to join the Committee- we will keep you informed of any ued member of the Mah Jong group. Jocelyn was an active member of the events. It would entail contacting the 'cake-makers' (I have their details), U3A being on the committee and a member of the Garden Visits Group making sure there is enough coffee/tea/milk and being in the kitchen on amongst other things; she will be sorely missed. the day, with help from others. Not too much to ask, surely? Lynne Hawkey You will have read elsewhere in the Newsletter that we are holding a U3A Singing for Fun Group Open Morning on Friday 5th June in the Corn Exchange. So I'm hoping that each Group can get their heads together and come up with original Our Winter Term was quite busy so we have had a few weeks break for ideas as to how they can represent their Group. We need to make people Christmas and New Year. Our concert in Blandford Church on 17th No- realise that they can't live without Blandford & District U3A! vember was very successful with a reasonably sized enthusiastic audience. The afternoon tea provided by the ladies at the Church was delicious and I can always be contacted on [email protected] or 01258 451673. all in all the retiring collection and donations raised over £250 for the Pam Rees Church Restoration Project. We were saddened to hear on Tuesday 7th January of the death of Sheila Music Appreciation Group Wooldridge, a long standing member of our group. She will be sadly missed. “What a lovely way to start the weekend and the month!” On the first One thinks of the phrase ‘You see them come and you see them go’. That Friday morning of the month we enjoy a delightfully varied programme seems to apply to us whose members for one reason or another have to of music with friendly people.