Learn, Laugh, Live!

Evesham & District

Newsletter Issue 69 September 2019

Abstraction by Sheila Reed, Photography 1

My Umbrella – a companion on every trip!

Registered Charity Number 1101530 1

Contents

From your Editors 3 Cotswold Link 7 A Word from your Chairman 4 Suggestions for New Groups 9 Committee News 4 Group News 10 - 25 Forthcoming Meetings & Tea Rota 5 Group Timetable 26 - 29 Day Trip Outings 6 Group List 30 - 31 Short Breaks 6

From your Editors

Welcome to the September edition of your U3A newsletter. This edition contains much news about U3A group activities and outings that have taken place over the summer months, and we hope, that not only will you find them entertaining, but that it will encourage members to participate in such future events. Your newsletter is a great way to share the enjoyment we get from participating in group activities and to encourage new members. With that in mind, we would like to welcome all those who have joined Evesham U3A since the issue of the June newsletter. Hazel Bech, Michael Draper, Beryl Greasley, Merrilyn Privett, Judith and Peter Bridgens, Piers and Rosalie Daubney, Carol and David Forton, Anthony Fowler, Anne Gardner, Joy Taylor, John Young, Alun Edwards, Mary Kyte, Ian Nilo- Walton, Patricia Arch, Andrea Bourne, Elizabeth Byron, J Sandalls, Tony Allcock, Arthur and Margaret Barnes, Colin and Priscilla Brooks, Marion Hackling, Walter Richards, Tony Watts, Paul Wilkins and visiting member Geoff Hodgson. We want our newsletter to entertain and inform, so, at this point, we would like to encourage all members to submit a short piece about your groups’ activities to share with others. Just run anything you write past your group leader before sending it in, and don’t forget, the deadline for our December edition will be 20 October 2019. You can reach us by email via the website link https://u3asites.org.uk/evesham/contact Many thanks to our Photography 1 group for our cover picture and the photographs you will find in this edition, relating to their ‘What does Abstraction mean?’ project. We all belong to a great organisation that provides many social benefits to its membership, so let’s spread the word!

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A word from your Chairman

Maybe it is because I have just been away, but it seems that things in our U3A have gone rather quiet for the moment. With members being on holiday during the summer months, and with others taking on the responsibility of looking after grandchildren, or, as is the case with Badminton, the venue is just too hot (!), it is understandable that some groups, and particularly their leaders, take a well- earned break. However, a new committee is now in place, and we will be gearing up for the September re-start and the intake of new members in the autumn. Thank you to those who have now retired and also to the new members who have put themselves forward. One of our successes in recent years has been the rapid growth of our membership and the reputation the U3A has in the local area for being friendly and welcoming. I was surprised but proud to have this confirmed by a couple of our new members who travel from another part of the county and come to Evesham to attend our groups, purely for this reason. It is worth remembering why we have all joined the U3A and what we gain from membership. Why deprive others of the experience? If you are approached by people who wish to become members, encourage them to join and, if your group is full, please let the Group Coordinator know so that everything possible can be done to meet those members’ wishes. Grahame Percival

Committee News

Fundraising success

I am delighted to report that the event organised by Mary Haines and Sandra Francis in aid of research into pancreatic and prostate cancers raised, in spite of the poor weather, £5,111. Congratulations to the organisers and thanks to all those who contributed in so many ways. Grahame Percival

Being seen

Evesham U3A were invited to the Rotary’s Evesham Community Festival at Hampton Ferry on 15 June 2019. Well stocked with leaflets, the U3A gazebo attracted a good number of people, who stopped for chats and exchange of

Registered Charity Number 1101530 3 information. It is good to be out there and be represented at large events to spread the word! Chris Wolstencroft

Staying safe online

Alan Russell, Chairman of Worcester U3A, summarized a U3A workshop on Cyber Security. To check the key guidelines for keeping yourself safe online and in the digital world generally, please follow the link to our web page https://u3asites.org.uk/evesham/page/95920

Forthcoming Meetings

Our programme of speakers is free to U3A members on production of a current membership card. Guests are welcome to attend.

Meetings are held on the first Wednesday of each month at Evesham Town Hall, Market Place, from 2.00 to 4.00 pm.

Monthly Speaker

2 October 2019

David Cramp – ‘Wildlife in the Garden’ a talk with slides

Tea Rota, meet & greet – Computers & Digital Media

6 November 2019

Open Day – 12.00 – 3.00 pm

4 December 2019

‘A Christmas Celebration with Words and Music’

Showcasing our U3A's Playreading, Poetry and Choir groups

Tea Rota, meet & greet – Concert Band

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Day Trip Outings

Tuesday 17 September 2019

Bridgnorth & Dudmaston Hall – NT – 9 am start. Cost tbc

Tuesday 22 October 2019

Lacock Abbey, Fox Talbot Photography Museum and Village. Cost NT £11.00, non NT £25.00 – 9.00 am start.

Before paying, please check the cost for possible reductions. Please see the ‘Events’ page on the website for future updates on Outings Sue Beneke

Short Breaks for 2019 and 2020

Liverpool – Sunday 13 to Tuesday 15 October 2019, 3 days/2 nights

Stay at the Novotel Liverpool City Centre. £229 per person, single room supplement £58.

The price includes B&B and dinner, a guided tour of Liverpool, a cruise across the Mersey to Woodside on the Wirral with entrance to the U-Boat Story Museum, a visit to Port Sunlight with a 1 hour guided tour plus entrance to the museum and art gallery, as well as a visit to NT Shugborough Hall on the outward journey.

Some places are still available - please get in touch with Jean Griffin if you are interested.

Italy - Sorrento – Sunday 10 to Sunday 17 May 2020

Departing Sunday 10 May 2020 at 7.45 am with Jet2 from Birmingham Airport. Early departure from Evesham by coach. Arrive in Naples 11.45 am. BB & EM and all trips are included in the price of £780 per person. Trips to Pompeii, Herculaneum, Vesuvius, the Amalfi coast, Naples, an optional tour to Capri plus 2 free days to do as you wish. There are 38 places available.

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Stop Press - Subject to verbal commitment, the trip to Sorrento is now fully booked. A deposit of £50.00 per person, made payable to 'City Cruiser Holidays Ltd', will be required by the end of August 2019.

For more information and to be added to the reserve list, please contact Jean Griffin on 01789 750772 or by email via the Short Breaks page https://u3asites.org.uk/evesham/page/34145 or the contact page on the website.

Abstraction – Feedback Bus by Jan Gillard

Cotswold Link

Exercising the ‘little grey cells’

On Thursday 11 July, over 90 people attended the Special Interest Day organised by the Cotswold Link. The title for the day was ‘Engineering for the Future’. All three speakers gave us a glimpse of what the not so distant future holds for us.

Quoting Niels Bohr ‘Prediction is difficult – especially if it is about the future’ was the opening from our first speaker Dr Claus Görsmann (Technology Support Manager, Johnson Matthey). In his talk, ‘Powertrains for Vehicles 2020-

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2025’, he began by telling us how far the automotive industry has advanced in developing engines with zero emissions. Not far enough, it seems, as not only is the urgency to find a solution necessary by itself, but we also have a commitment to meet the target of zero emissions, set out in the Paris Accord. His company is looking at diverse solutions, including clean Diesel technology with efficient catalytic converters, hydrogen powered vehicles with no carbon dioxide emissions, fuel cell technology, and even vehicles using nuclear power. He advocates a diverse range of powertrains to meet different needs, typically as those already available in the market - cars with micro hybrid engines (a small battery with a 50 km range and plug in charger), a full hybrid engine with a 100 to 150 km range that includes a battery charger, and a pure electric vehicle with a 200 km range. The cost and weight of battery fuelled cars is holding back investment by the manufacturers, and Dr Görsmann was not optimistic that the internal combustion engine will disappear soon. Paramount is the political will to invest in the infrastructure needed by supplying charging points, and possible incentives through road tax and licence reductions, tighter legislation on emissions, and investment in further research.

Professor Moataz Attallah’s (Advanced Materials Processing Laboratory, University of Birmingham) talk ‘From 3D Printing to 4D printing: To Design, to 3D Print, and to Move’ was a total revelation to me who thought you printed on paper and that was that. Oh no! Calling his research ‘the third industrial revolution’, he started by listing what industry needed: high value products, minimum waste, and a quick introduction to the market. A printer prints documents layer upon layer. Since the pyramids, buildings have also been constructed layer by layer. Stereo lithography is used by dentists when they use a laser to build up layer on layer when filling teeth, so the idea of transferring liquid to solid has been used for some time.

The research in Birmingham is taking this much further. The technology can be used with different materials, and these materials can be made to measure with zero waste. The joy of most of the materials used is that they produce lighter products, for instance using 3D printing to produce casts for fractured limbs. 3D technology with plaster was also used to model the head of Richard III, using DNA profile from the skeleton found under the car park in Leicester. 3D printing in the medical world is already being used for stents, prostheses, hip joints, etc. Using metal, 3D reproduction of any shape can be made by making a CAD (Computer Aided Design) template. This system is invaluable in reverse engineering where an exact replica of a broken part can be printed and replaced with no waste. Imagine that – your washing machine breaks down and you could print the part on site! As this technology advances, the industrial world of work will indeed look different. Registered Charity Number 1101530 7

The day finished with an equally absorbing talk by Marina Barcenilla, (Doctoral Research Student, University of Westminster, London) on ‘The Possibilities of Building Colonies on Mars’, investigating biological issues in space exploration. To find out if there is any life on Mars, a probe named ‘Rosalind Franklin’ - cheers from the women in the audience – is being launched in June 2020, with a landing date of 2021. The precise timing will coincide with the optimum positioning of Mars in relation to the earth. ‘Terra Forming’, which is making the surface of Mars as habitable for man as it is on earth, is beyond current technology. Mars has 38% of the earth’s gravity and if man was exposed to this, he would suffer from osteoporosis, corneal problems, psychotic depression, heart, circulation, ear and many other problems. Who on earth would want to go? To stay alive, any human being would have to live in buildings designed to overcome the lack of oxygen. Mars’ atmosphere is made up of 96% carbon dioxide and radiation, as there is no protective magnetic field, as well as sudden dust storms, and huge swings of temperature from minus 63°C to searing heat. Humans therefore must be self-sufficient in all materials. Research is looking into all these problems. Jane Mason

Have you ever wondered who the Cotswold Link U3As are, and what they are offering to their members and, potentially, to you?

For the full picture, check it out at https://u3asites.org.uk/cotswold-link/home

To see all the member groups, click on the ‘Link Members’ tab at the top of the page and discover a wealth of information. Newsletters from other U3As are accessible through the links on the web page. Ed

Suggestions for New Groups

Shakespeare Group

This group has been extremely popular! So popular in fact, that there is now a waiting list of four people. Please get in touch if you are interested in joining and establishing a second Shakespeare Group. The group discuss various Shakespeare plays and attend performances, mainly streamed at the Regal or Number 8 cinemas.

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New Groups and Waiting Lists

Please remember to get in touch, if you are either unable to join a group you are interested in or wish to put your name down for one of the potentially new groups. There is quite a long list on the Group News page of the website. Any more new ideas are always welcome.

Could group leaders please let me know if they have started waiting lists. Thank you. Judy Smith

Group News

 Short Breaks

Lake Garda by Air

Well before dawn on Friday 26 April, 43 members of Evesham and neighbouring Alcester U3A boarded a coach, Heathrow bound, for our flight to Milan. After a further drive of nearly three hours, we arrived at our hotel on the eastern shore of beautiful Lake Garda.

After a 7.00 am breakfast the following morning, we sallied forth to Verona, the larks among us managing quite well, owls improving after a coffee break. ‘Shakespeare made Verona’, quoted our multi-lingual guide Allessandro. City walls in triplicate had been necessary since the Romans were here, with one small section of the outer ‘Arena’ tier still standing after an 11th Century earthquake. The vast amphitheatre, second in size to the Colosseum, originally seated 7000 people, and after a lengthy restoration is now a Concert Venue, the stage occupying a section of the original seating area. The houses of Capulet and Montague still stand, however, Juliet`s legendary balcony was constructed of concrete and appended to an outer wall in 1938, thus whetting tourists’ appetites. Verona is a feast of white and red marble, ancient bricks, frescoes, various architectural styles cheek-by-jowl and of course, Andrea Palladio, who was born in Padua, made his presence felt here. The palaces of the La Scala (the ‘Ladder’) family, which among others contributed to the

Registered Charity Number 1101530 9 establishment of La Scala Opera House in Milan, form a huge square with three vast and elaborate family tombs occupying the southern boundary.

The l.o.n.g.e.s.t. – w.e.t.t.e.s.t. day of the holiday was spent in Venice. So disappointing for those who had not previously visited this unique but sinking city! Lunch was taken in a warm and obliging hotel, where wine flowed freely, as steam rose from wet outer clothing. Seventeen hardy souls ventured forth with a lady guide, who did her best through a sea of umbrellas and plastic ponchos to broaden our knowledge of the city’s famous sites, but sadly no interior visits were possible.

Our first free day was spent by most folk exploring the delightful ancient town of Malcesine, just a two mile walk along the shore from our hotel. The castle would do English Heritage proud, having been sympathetically restored, with a museum of geological and natural history of the area established within its walls, and an increase in its income by hosting weddings and other celebrations.

Padua was founded by St Anthony, whose tomb takes centre stage within its superb cathedral, as does a display of relics: his vocal cords, chin and, yes, his tongue. The city boasts the second largest university in Italy, famous for having the first faculty of anatomy to dissect a human body, a practice frowned upon by the Church at that time. Wandering at will, members of our group could be seen partaking of Alparol Spritz, an alcoholic concoction beloved of the locals, in warm sunshine or beneath the shade of exquisitely blossoming trees.

Our last free day was warm and sunny, and many folk took to boats for visits to two islands and the town of Limona on the opposite shore of the lake, famous for its superb lemon crops. Steep hills and cobbled roads along its terraces were not for the faint-hearted, nor was the return boat trip into a very strong headwind, anything not attached to one’s person being clutched tightly.

Our final excursion took us up to 2240 metres above sea level into the Dolomites, known as pre-Alps, named after Dolomieu, the 18th century French mineralogist, who first analysed their content, which is so different from the limestone of their Alpine neighbours. Deep snow of the injurious snowball variety, azure skies and lunch outside under warm sunshine with visitors of

Registered Charity Number 1101530 10 many nationalities, added much to the spectacular surrounding scenery. Allesandro was able to tell us in depth about the historical and political turmoil suffered in the South Tyrol, as the area is known, particularly throughout the two world wars. His grandmother had lived in the same house all her life, but in three different ‘countries’, depending on the language of each imposed at the time: Italian, German or Ladino.

As ever, Jean had organised this complex Italian adventure with her usual flair and efficiency, leaving nothing to chance. She counted us out, and she counted us back. No mean feat!

Many thanks to Joyce Doyle for the photos. Marie Young

 Day Trip Outings

Bolsover Castle and Chesterfield

In April, instead of visiting a National Trust house, we went to Bolsover Castle which is in the care of English Heritage. On entering the site, the first building you see is the Riding House, one of the finest in England. It is still in use today as it was back in the time of Sir William Cavendish, in the early 1600s, to show off the skill of the dancing horses in classical dressage. Perched high up on the top of a hill overlooking Derbyshire stands Bolsover Castle. Sadly, the house itself is a ruin, but what a view they had from what was the long gallery, a view of which you would never tire.

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The Little Castle remains intact, with some amazing details and a wonderful path all around the perimeter of the central enclosure. It was stunning! We may go to another English Heritage property next year.

Then it was on to Chesterfield for the afternoon, and, would you believe, one person managed to miss seeing the famous twisted spire which was clearly visible as we were coming into the town! See photo below.

And then it was June, and Chester and RAIN !!!! Most of us went on the riverboat trip first. One of our keen photographers spotted this very modern looking house - with a garden full of rhino and an elephant. Something of a change from the more usual flowers or shrubs. Certainly the opposite of the black and white Tudor houses. Despite it being June when we were there, they still had this nativity scene on display. I guess it would be too difficult to pack away

safely. It was rather stunning.

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And then it was time to leave for home, and sorry Chester, but you blew it. You were on your second chance – and for the second time we got drowned…so that’s it. Chester has now joined Windsor on the ‘DO NOT RETURN’ list. Once I can forgive – but twice? No way! A pity, because it really is a great city. Sue Beneke

Many thanks to Mary Haines, Richard Hunt and Mike Tittensor for the photos

 German

The Island of Rügen experience

Tucked away in the north eastern corner of Germany, close to the Polish border, lies the Baltic Island of Rügen, Germany’s largest island and our destination for experiencing the language and culture of the country. This part of Germany is not often visited by UK travellers, so it is a bit of a secret, but well worth exploring.

In the very early hours of Saturday 11 May, 21 travellers boarded a coach in Evesham, bound for Birmingham airport. Upon arrival at Berlin Tegel, we were met by Frank from Einhorn travel, our driver and minder for the week. Frank’s suggestion for an unscheduled tour of the Berlin sights was eagerly accepted, as we had plenty of time for our journey north to Rügen.

What a treat it was when Frank unexpectedly served us ‘Bockwurst und Brot’ (Frankfurter sausages with bread) and coffee for lunch from his on-board coach kitchen on a lay-by of the motorway! Later in the afternoon, we were warmly welcomed in our hotel by the beach in the seaside resort of Binz and quickly settled into our well-appointed rooms. Source of map - www.irm.mathematik.hu-berlin.de 2019

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The first full day saw the party enjoying a tour of the south-east of Rügen with Jutta, our local guide who had an encyclopaedic knowledge of her island. We visited the elegant spa resort of Sellin, the town of Putbus, and had lunch on an old fishing boat at Lauterbach harbour, where we tried the local speciality ‘Fischbrötchen’, a fish of your choice in a crusty bread roll. A further highlight of the day was a steam train journey on the ‘Rasender Roland’, a narrow gauge railway, slowly traversing the beautiful landscape, in spite of its name which translates to ‘Dashing Roland’.

On day two, we experienced a trip to the car-free neighbouring island of Hiddensee, via coach and ferry, with island transport by horse-drawn waggon. We visited the island church, which contains a plaque with a prayer of reconciliation to Coventry Cathedral. After lunch in a local hostelry, we made our way to the Gerhard Hauptmann museum. Hauptmann was a famous German dramatist and novelist, who received the Nobel Prize for Literature in 1912. He loved his summers on the island and regularly entertained well-known literary friends.

On day three, we headed to the most northerly part of the island. Highlights of the day were a visit to Kap Arkona, with its two lighthouses, Cold War connections Source of photo – www.geo.de 2019

Registered Charity Number 1101530 14 and remains, and the Königsstuhl, the highest point of the chalk cliffs on Rügen, located in the Jasmund National Park, a Unesco World Heritage Site. The chalk cliffs are geologically identical to the white cliffs of Dover. This is a hilly area, created during the last ice-age and famous for one of the few remaining beech woods, which once covered much of Europe after the ice retreated.

On our final full day we visited Stralsund, one of the old Hanseatic Ports. This was an opportunity for shopping as well as sightseeing. Highlights were visits to the Gorch Fock , a sailing vessel, the Alter Markt, the town’s old churches and discovery of old houses with the typical architecture of ‘Backsteingotik’ (buildings in gothic style built in red

brick) of the region.

Departure day - but before we headed back to Berlin Tegel airport, we made a detour to visit the German Amber museum in Ribnitz–Damgarten. So much amber in one place! Certainly an educational experience and a positive end to our immersion in the culture of northern Germany.

We had been promised ‘many kilometres of sandy beaches, castles, old fishing villages, and spa resorts, as well as spectacular rocky coastlines with steep cliffs and beech forests’ and we were not disappointed. A superb and fun holiday, with many new impressions and excellent company. The trip was organised and led by Sophie Dodds, Group Leader of the German language groups, who returned all travellers safely back to Evesham. Chris & Bärbel Wolstencroft Photos by Bärbel Wolstencroft Registered Charity Number 1101530 15

 Science and Engineering

For our April meeting, we each had a 10 minute slot on a specific subject. In this instance the subject was 'Poisons'. Members were allocated a poison or group of poisons. We covered venomous snakes and spiders, cyanide and strychnine, arsenic, phosphorus, novichok and heavy metals, such as lead and mercury. In the end we ran out of time, so apologies to members whose poison did not make it. We will talk about these at some later date.

24 May was our Archeological day and we travelled to Malvern to see the Priory. It is not an Abbey, as it is under the Abbey of Westminster, and therefore becomes a Priory. We then visited the Malvern Museum, located in the old gatehouse. Here we had a presentation on the medieval background of the gatehouse before we progressed to the museum to look into Malverns' history. This of course includes its hosting of the Royal Radar Establishment (RRE) and now Qinetic.

Lastly, we ascended the Herefordshire Beacon to stand on top of the magnificent old Iron Age Hill Fort. Many of our group took the chance to make use of their latest heart rate monitors. Technological advance is a wonderful thing!

Many thanks to Chris Wolstencroft who arranged this visit for us.

Alan Eames

 Photography 1

We take a different subject each month and members are free to interpret it any way they choose. For the month of May the subject was ‘Abstraction’, which prompted the question ‘what does abstraction really mean’? Spot the images throughout the Newsletter! Mike Tittensor

 Country Dancing

Have you thought about Country Dancing? All you need is reasonable mobility, comfortable shoes and a sense of humour. We meet on the first and third Fridays of the month at Hampton Guide and Scout Hall, between 10.00 am and 12.00 pm, with a mid-session break for tea or coffee and biscuits. Registered Charity Number 1101530 16

We have a caller and a live band, and a lot of fun. We recently enjoyed our traditional Christmas lunch (yes, I know) at The Star at Ashton, and started our summer break in July.

Our membership is currently around 40, but new members are always welcome. You do not need a partner - a love of a barn dance atmosphere is all that is required. We restart on September 20th, and if you would like to benefit from mental and physical exercise, together with the opportunity to meet new friends, why not come and join us?

Sylvia and Derek Coupe

 Travellers’ Tales

We completed our winter programme of speakers, on a wide variety of topics, at our May meeting with our annual discussion.

This year the topic was “With whom would you not like to be stuck in a lift”. As you can imagine, the individuals included politicians, world leaders, TV celebrities, murderers, royalty and journalists. I feel I should not mention them by name! All I can say is that it caused much fun and laughter as well as a few serious questions. One member suggested it would be better on one’s own! I recommend that you try this question out on your friends.

Our summer outings include visits to Hayles fruit farm, Kite’s Nest Farm and the Wychavon recycling plant. Jill Armstrong

 Listening to Music 2

Our small group consists of just 8 of us. We meet on the second Tuesday of each month from 10.30 am to 12.30 pm in members’ houses. We play a variety of music from jazz to chamber music and discuss the composers, the structure, and any related history. New members are very welcome! Frances Platman

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 China

The small China Group has held regular monthly meetings since it formed in March. During the first half of each meeting we explored the early history of China from the Xia and

Zhou Dynasties. We then looked at the Han Dynasty and China’s First Emperor, Qin Shi Huang. Apart from proclaiming himself first emperor with a ‘mandate from heaven’, he was responsible for the famous Terracotta Warriors. During the second half of each meeting we had presentations on chosen subjects, Yunnan and Schuan Provinces and Shanghai, which we learnt is not a province but a municipality. We also looked in more depth at the terracotta army and how the 8,000 individual clay statues continue to open up new and exciting facts and figures as to their creation. They were primarily built to guard the emperor in his afterlife. There is room from more members to join us, as we take our journey through the very long and interesting history of China. David Ralph Illustrations – Qin Shi Hunag, www.duckster.com 2019 www.escape.com.au 2019 (excavation) www.stuffyoushouldknow.com 2019 (warrior group)

 Concert Band

On 22 June, the Concert Band played at the ‘Evesham Festival of Music’, performing in an afternoon of free music, along with two local choirs. The band played a selection of light classical pieces which had, in the past, been selected by a celebrity on ‘Desert Island Discs’, the Radio 4 programme which has been running since 1941. Jill Moran of the Playreading group introduced the pieces Registered Charity Number 1101530 18 with details of which celebrity chose them, together with their luxury item and book. We started, as they do on the radio, with the first few opening bars of ‘By the Sleepy Lagoon’ by Eric Coates, but as this is one of Roger Wyatt’s favourite pieces of music, he could not miss the opportunity of treating the audience to the whole piece at the end of the performance.

The following week a small group of 8 musicians played on the corner of the Evesham Library Arcade to help Subway celebrate 20 years of trade. While the band provided the entertainment, Subway made a 17 foot long Sub with various fillings, which they sold to the public in chunks. They raised £210 for the Tracy Sollis Leukaemia Trust.

Sun hats and cold drinks were the order of the day when we played at the Coughton Court Summer Fete on 13 July. It was the first time we had played for them, so we hope we made a good impression and will be invited back.

More engagements are on the way as we are playing for ‘Churches Together in Evesham’ at their ‘Songs of Praise’ event at Bengeworth on 15 September, as well as at the ‘Hampton Flower Show’ on 21 September. Frances Kilburn

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 Gardens and Country

By the time this Newsletter reaches you, our summer visits will have been completed and we will be looking forward to the winter speaker programme which starts on 9 October at 2 pm in the Evesham Rowing Club at Abbey Park.

The first talk will feature camera trap photos and videos of wildlife and fauna around the Bredon Hill area. Subsequent talks will feature ‘Making a Garden at the Chelsea Show’ by Roger Turner on 13 November, and ‘Winter Colour and Interest in the Garden’, a talk by Duncan Coombes of Pershore Horticultural College. As in previous years, we aim to provide a varied programme of interesting talks throughout the winter months at a reasonable cost. More members are always welcome as it keeps the individual cost down and allows us to provide quality speakers. Please look at our webpage in the Group section for more information.

The first visit of the 2019 summer programme was in April to see the spring flowers at Morton Hall, which also has an annual Tulip Festival in early May. This was followed by visits to two relatively small, well established and varied gardens in Defford and Stoulton, both of which contain interesting and unusual plants. A larger garden with several summerhouses, Hill Close Gardens in Warwick, was visited in July.

A coach trip to Cerney House Gardens and Brockworth Court took place in August, allowing us to enjoy two large gardens in one day. Another great year of garden visits! More photos can be found on our webpage.

Chas Bryer

Morton Hall Tea Room photo by R Hunt ‘Tulips’ by Chas Bryer

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 Classic Cinema

We have just reached our tenth birthday, having introduced, watched, enjoyed (usually) and discussed upwards of 200 feature films and dozens of documentary and comedy shorts – all of them a treat in their way, all of them worthwhile, and all of them at least fifty years old.

Our autumn season, and our second decade, begins on 6 September with a classic Agatha Christie adaptation made in Hollywood and directed by a French exile as long ago as 1945. And by Christmas we shall also have shared – among others – a late John Wayne western; the definitive portrayal of Dracula from the earliest years of the talkies; and a pioneering Technicolor leap into the rock ’n’ roll years.

We meet on the first and third Friday morning of the month at Evesham Methodist Church. We always break for tea or coffee, and it never costs more than £2.00. Details of the coming programme are on our page of the U3A website, and new members are always welcome. Nick Mason

 Village Ambles with your Camera

Our group ambled around a number of wonderful villages this summer and rediscovered that the best retirement community in this area is in Alcester.

Please note that we cannot take any more amblers this year, but I will attend the U3A Open Day, when I may have a few places for 2020.

Our planned walks for the remainder of our season: 23 September Badsey - meet at the Round of Gras 21 October Henley - meet at the White Swan 25 November Tewkesbury - meet at the Bell Hotel Clive Allen Registered Charity Number 1101530 21

 Shakespeare

It is hard to believe - but a whole year has passed since the group formed in July 2018. We now have a full complement of 18 Members and a short waiting list. We have continued from the start with our twin approach of reading and studying Shakespeare plays and attending various performances.

So far, we have read King Lear and As You Like It and we are about to launch into King John, with a sprinkling of the Sonnets as a way of keeping our monthly meetings fresh and interesting.

Our visits to performances have mostly been to see live streaming of the plays from the National Theatre or the RSC, including King Lear, Macbeth, The Winter’s Tale, Twelfth Night, Troilus and Cressida, Antony and Cleopatra, Richard II, As You Like It and The Taming of the Shrew. We are now planning visits to Measure for Measure, Much Ado About Nothing and King John. We very much enjoyed a recent visit to the Old Guildhall and Grammar School, Shakespeare’s School at Stratford – upon – Avon, which ended with an excellent afternoon tea. Open to the public, without the tea, sadly, it is a ‘Shakespeare Experience’ well worth a visit.

There is talk of setting up Shakespeare 2. If a new group has as much fun as we are having, they will not be sorry they joined! David Daniels

 Concert Group

Forgive us, if you will, for feeling a little bit proud of the way the newly re- launched Concert Group has prospered. After a gap of about eighteen months, we made contact with almost everyone who had a previous connection with the Group, and in that way re-established a members’ list that now stands at 105!

Our programme of six Symphony Hall Concerts starts in September and runs through to next May. The first two are already sold out, with waiting lists for late cancellations, and we will soon be taking bookings for the third Concert in the series in January 2020. We have increased our normal allocation of tickets from 40 to 46 wherever possible, but we realise that we may have to increase that

Registered Charity Number 1101530 22 number still further in the future. I am told the biggest available coach seats 59! So if you love great music and fancy a trip or two to see the mighty City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra in all its glory, please contact me through the members’ site. David Daniels 105 members in three months!! Amazing! Ed

Abstraction – Ladder Abstract by Barbara Curry

 Book Club

The Book Club is for anyone who likes to read a wide variety of books and explore new authors and genres. The book choices and recommendations are an eclectic mix, ranging this year from P. G. Woodhouse to Martin Amis, from classics like George Elliot and Dickens to recent publications by Anthony Horowitz and Gail Honeyman. Everyone’s tastes differ but all views are valid and listened to. We have some very interesting discussions, starting with the books and broadening out to wider issues: social, historical, philosophical and Registered Charity Number 1101530 23 sometimes prosaic such as telephone boxes, which I suppose could count as social and historical!

We are currently reading The Shadow of the Wind by Carlos Ruiz Zafon, a beautifully written coming-of-age tale, mixing mystery, love stories and murder, all linked to the discovery of a rare book and overshadowed by the memory of the Spanish Civil War.

The next book will be Eleanor Oliphant is Completely Fine by Gail Honeyman, followed by The Magpie Murders by Anthony Horowitz, The Uncommercial Traveller by Charles Dickens, and Regeneration Trilogy by Pat Barker. Twice a year members bring their personal favourites or recommendations to the group, which introduces us to an even wider range of good reads.

The Book Club is well-established but there is always some turnover of members and we currently have room for one or two more people. We meet on the fourth Thursday morning of each month (except December) at Evesham Rowing Club. If anyone is interested in joining, do look us up on the members’ site. Aileen Fairclough

 Rock Band – Upstream

On the evening of Friday 19 July 2019, ‘Upstream’ played at Bretforton Sports Club as part of the Bretforton Music Festival. Music of the fifties and sixties was on the programme. The event, organised in conjunction with Bretforton Ladies Circle, was well supported and enjoyed by all.

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First week am Architecture pm Badminton 1 Mah Jongg 2 German beginners 2 Second week am Art Appreciation pm Badminton 1 Concert Band Rummikub

Travellers’ Tales Third week am pm Badminton 1 Concert Band German beginners 2

Monday Mah Jongg 2 Putting the World to Rights Shakespeare Fourth week am Village Ambles with your Camera pm Badminton 1 Concert Band Rummikub Final week am pm First week am Cycling for Pleasure French Conversation 1 Papercraft Spanish Improvers Urban Sketchers Walks Over Four Miles 1&2

Latin pm Choir Local History Home Cinema (evening) Yoga 3 (term time) Second week am Golf for Fun

Tuesday Social Saunters Village Strolls Listening to Music 2 pm Choir Exploring Language Patchwork & Quilting 1 Petanque Yoga 3 (term time)

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Third week am Bookends French Conversation 1 Papercraft Photography 2 Spanish Improvers Urban Sketchers Walks Over Four Miles 1&2 pm Choir Yoga 3 (term time) Fourth week am Golf for Fun Photography 1 pm Choir Tuesday Patchwork and Quilting 1 Petanque Quiz Yoga 3 (term time) Final week am pm Choir First week am Painting for Pleasure Skittles 1 Tai Chi pm MONTHLY MEETING IN THE TOWN HALL Second week am Painting for Pleasure

Skittles 2 Table Tennis pm Gardens and Country Mindfulness Third week am Painting for Pleasure Skittles 1 Tai Chi pm Philosophy

Wednesday Fourth week am Painting for Pleasure Skittles 2 Table Tennis pm Mindfulness Final week am Current Affairs pm Poetry Scrabble and Upwords

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First week am Computers and Digital Media French Conversation Yoga 1 & 2 (term time) pm Croquet Listening to Music 1 Modern Greek Rock Band Second week am Aspects of Modern History German beginners 1 – 9-11 am German intermediate – 11-1 pm Short Mat Bowls 1 Needlecraft Walks Under Four Miles Yoga 1 & 2 (term time) pm German advanced Needlecraft Rock Band Short Mat Bowls 2 China Third week am Computers French Conversation 2 Yoga 1 & 2 (term time) pm Croquet Modern Greek Thursday Thursday Rock Band Fourth week am Aspects of Modern History Book Club German beginners 1 - 9-11 am German intermediate – 11-1 pm Needlecraft Short Mat Bowls 1 Yoga 1 & 2 (term time) pm German advanced Needlecraft Rock Band Short Mat Bowls 2 Wine Tasting Final week am French Conversation 2 Yoga 1 & 2 (term time) pm Modern Greek Rock Band

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First week am Classic Cinema Country Dancing pm Family Research Badminton 2 Second week am Italian Post-Beginners Line Dancing Play reading Walks Over Four Miles 3 pm Bridge for Fun Badminton 2 Third week am Classic Cinema Country Dancing pm Family Research

Friday Badminton 2 Fourth week am Bird Watching Italian Post-Beginners Line Dancing Walks Over Four Miles 3 pm Bridge for Fun Badminton 2 Final week am Science and Engineering pm Not Alone (Lunch) Badminton 2

1st & 3rd Sunday am Brunch Bunch

Groups that do not fit the timetable:

Day Trip Outings – Sue Beneke Short Breaks UK and abroad – Jean Griffin Local Amateur Theatre (viewing) – Betty Ballard Mah Jongg 1 meets by mutual arrangement – Jean Taylor Patchwork and Quilting 2 – alternate Wednesdays – Linda Dunbar Concert Group – David Daniels Questions of Belief & Doubt – alternate Mondays - contact Jane Couper TO JOIN ANY GROUP YOU NEED TO BE A MEMBER OF U3A You can email group leaders through the website. Click on the messenger pigeon on the group page, and a page will come up to write your message.

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Group Name Contact Fee Architecture Ian Lloyd-Oswell £3.00 Art Appreciation Caroline Bagshaw £3.00 Aspects of Modern History Sheila Himsworth 50 p Badminton 1 Cefn Blundell £1.50 Badminton 2 Teresa Green £1.50 Bird Watching Tony Stephens £1.00 Book Club Sue Griffiths Varies Bookends Muriel Gealer 50p Bridge for Fun Liz Rodway £2.00 Brunch Bunch (Sundays) Pat Ansell Brunch China David Ralph £3.00 Choir Mark Wells £3.00 Classic Cinema Nick Mason £2.00 Computers & Digital Media John Scotland £2.00 Concert Band (playing) Roger Wyatt £2.00 Concert Group David Daniels Varies Country Dancing Derek & Sylvia Coupe £3.00 Croquet Paul Griffin 50p Current Affairs Tony Lane £1.00 Cycling for Pleasure Harry Edwards Free Day Trip Outings Sue Beneke Varies Exploring Language Chris Robinson Varies Family Research Diane Nicholls £2.50 French Conversation 1 Sally Hammond 50p French Conversation 2 Peter Scott Free Gardens & Country Jill Armstrong Varies German (4 groups) Sophie Dodds £1.50 Golf for Fun David Bentley Green fee Home Cinema Jenny Salcedo 50p-£1 Italian (no email) Keith Bridgwater £1.50 Latin Caroline Bagshaw £2.00 Line Dancing Elaine Taylor £2.50 Listening to Music 1 Jill Armstrong 20p Listening to Music 2 Frances Platman TBC Local Amateur Theatre Betty Ballard £2 pa + tickets Local History Sue Boyes £3.00 Mah Jongg 1 (no email) Jean Taylor 50p Mah Jongg 2 Carla Auger £3.00 Mindfulness Orlando Leslie TBA Modern Greek Mike Fraser 50p Needlecraft Helen Barlow £1.50

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Group Name Contact Fee Not Alone (no email) Norma Tigwell Meal price Painting for Pleasure Mary Simpson £2.00 Papercraft Maggie Price 50p Patchwork & Quilting 1 Pam Overd 2.50p Patchwork & Quilting 2 Linda Dunbar £1.00 Petanque Paul Griffin £1.00 Philosophy Mike Bagshaw £2.00 Photography 1 Mike Tittensor £3.00 Photography 2 Ruth Owen Varies Playreading Jill Moran £1.60 Poetry Andy Brister Varies Putting the World to Rights Ian Simpson £1.50 Questions of Belief & Doubt Jane Couper Free Quiz (no email) Eileen Hann 70p Rock Band Grahame Percival £4.00 Rummikub Carla Auger £3.00 Science & Engineering Alan Eames £2.00 Scrabble & Upwords Jean Simpson Varies Shakespeare David Daniels £3.00 Short Breaks Jean Griffin Varies Short Mat Bowls 1 Fred/Sue Copestake £2.00 Short Mat Bowls 2 Muriel Barnett £2.00 Skittles 1 Mary Greenwood £2.50 Skittles 2 Sue Beneke £2.50 Social Saunters Liz Lampard Free Spanish Improvers Chris Robinson Varies Table Tennis Ken Maden £2.50 Tai Chi Jen Woodford £5.00 Travellers’ Tales Jill Armstrong £1.00 Urban Sketchers Mike Bagshaw TBA Village Ambles with Camera Clive Allen £1.00 Village Strolls Terry Woodfield £1.50 Walks Over 4 Miles 1 Mike Cawson £1.00 Walks Over 4 Miles 2 & 3 John & Mary £1.00 Alexander- Head Walks Under 4 Miles Betty Ballard £1.00 Wine Tasting Grahame Percival £6.00 Yoga 1 Jane Mason Varies Yoga 2 Lyn Heaney Varies Yoga 3 Lesley Clarke Varies

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Abstraction - Out of the Wood by Malcolm Higson

Our website address is https://u3asites.org.uk/evesham/home or google U3A Evesham

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