CAM, DURSLEY & DISTRICT

Bulletin June 2019

Bulletins are published a few days after each General Meeting, which is normally held at 10.30am on the third Thursday of each month at Dursley Methodist Church. Please try to ensure that anyone not on e-mail is made aware of the contents of this bulletin.

Your New Committee: Alan Keith Chair Richard Barlow Treasurer Sue Gibson Secretary Pam Davis Groups Coordinator Nigel Dodd Assistant Treasurer Myrtle Moreton-Cox Welfare & Bulletin Carol Green Speaker Secretary Luke Wilson Membership Secretary

Website: https://u3asites.org.uk/cam-dursley

Membership: [email protected] Beacon: [email protected]

BULLETIN ENTRIES Please ensure that entries come to me as soon as possible at [email protected] and no later than the date of the next monthly meeting to ensure that they go in the relevant month’s Bulletin. PLEASE use Arial 11 font for the body of the report and Arial 12 bold font for the heading - thank you. Myrtle Moreton-Cox

CHARITY REQUEST The Oxfam Shop in Dursley is looking for new volunteers to join their team of people who ‘man’ the shop. If you can help please contact Suzanne Rowles @ [email protected]: EASTWOOD PARK WOMEN’S PRISON – APPEAL FOR MATERIAL, WOOL & CARDS

Following an appeal for someone from our U3A to give a talk about U3As to some of the ladies in the Rubies Group at the prison, Pam Davis and I set off to do just that. The Rubies Group is for ladies over 50 who were keen to learn what a U3A could offer them when they were ‘out’

The visit was certainly an eye opener for both of us and we both felt very relieved when the gates were finally unlocked to let us out! Every door we went through was unlocked to allow us – and the inmates - through and immediately relocked behind us. Failure to relock any door by a member of staff would result in instant dismissal. Some of the poems written by members of the Rubies Group were very upsetting and gave glimpses of their harrowing life experiences but they also showed how much attendance at the Group meetings means to the Group Members. Although we were allowed to read them we cannot reproduce any of the poems even without names attached.

The Rubies Wellbeing Group, run by Alma Hagenan, their dedicated Project Manager, enables the ladies to spend time in creative pursuits such as sewing, knitting, crochet and other crafts – hence the appeal for materials for them to use in their Group sessions. Please do let me know if you have anything you can donate – when I have a carload I will take the donations down and hand them in at the gate for Alma. Having witnessed the Group in operation I can vouch for how much materials are valued by the Group.

Gwen Clift , our Country Dancing Group Leader, has also agreed to visit the Group to give a talk and demo – well done Gwen!. Myrtle Moreton-Cox

POSSIBLE NEW GROUP One of our members has offered to lead a Modern Greek group. This would be great for those of you who enjoy visiting Greece and would like to improve your Greek conversation. If this group is for you please contact me and we’ll see if there’s enough interest to get a group started. Please contact me on [email protected] or via the website. Pam Davis

THEATRE GROUP VISIT TO THE BRISTOL OLD VIC, 25th MAY 2019

On a sunny Saturday at the beginning of another Bank Holiday weekend we were taken by Applegates coach to Bristol, where Mary Ewens had booked for us a guided tour of the Theatre Royal and a performance of "Remains of the Day" by Kazuo Ishiguro. We arrived in time for coffee in the recently opened spacious catering area. The newly revealed original wall of the 1766 building backs this space, reminding us of the historical heart of the complex which is the oldest continuously working theatre in the country.

At 11am our tour commenced and was a feast of history and interest. Our guide was knowledgeable and enthusiastic and took us into so many nooks and crannies unseen by the theatre going audience. Her stories of actors and managers over the centuries included mention of the various ghosts associated with the theatre - not difficult to imagine in some areas! We were taken into the delightful and evocative auditorium where we were allowed to stand on the stage and encouraged to speak some lines - a suggestion bravely and ably taken up by Gill Lyons. Our tour finished with a short visit to the new Noises Off gallery where we saw the original thunder machine.

By now we were ready for lunch, which was followed by the afternoon performance starring Niamh Cusack and Stephen Boxer. The first half was confusing with two plot lines running in parallel but the second half was much more understandable, well acted and moving. A trouble free journey home was a good end to a lovely visit. Thank you, Mary! Sue Hollins

HISTORIC PLACES – VISIT TO SUDELEY CASTLE On Friday 3rd May 2019, U3A members from the Historic Places group visited Sudeley Castle to see the house and gardens. The site has beautiful views across the surrounding countryside and, proven from the mosaics pavements found, was used by the Romans. The original castle was built in the 12th century, but this was replaced in the 15th century, using the stone from Winchcombe Abbey after the dissolution of the monasteries. The Abbey was founded in 798 by King Kenulf of Mercia and was one of the first Christian monasteries in England.

Ralph Boteler, who was created Baron Sudeley by Henry VI, inherited Sudeley Castle in 1442 and built the current castle. He built quarters for servants and men at arms on the double courtyard that was surrounded by a moat, state and family apartments on the second courtyard, then the Chapel and the tithe barn. Unfortunately, Boteler failed to gain royal permission to crenellate the castle and had to seek Henry VI's pardon. Edward IV confiscated the castle from Boteler in 1469, and gave it to his brother, Richard, Duke of Gloucester, who later became Richard III. Richard used the castle as a base for the Battle of Tewkesbury and then swapped Sudeley Castle for Richmond Castle, making it the property of the crown. When Richard became king in 1483 he regained ownership and during his reign he built the Banqueting Hall with Oriel windows and adjoining staterooms.

Sudeley passed to the new king, Henry VII, after Richard III's death at the Battle of Bosworth. It was then given to his uncle, Jasper Tudor, Duke of Bedford. By the time Henry VIII succeeded to the throne, the castle was the property of the Crown again. In 1535, Henry VIII and his second wife, Anne Boleyn, visited the castle, which had been empty and unattended for some time. Edward VI inherited the castle when his father died and gave it to Thomas Seymour, whom he made Baron of Sudeley. Thomas Seymour married Edward VI's stepmother, the Dowager Queen Catherine Parr in 1547. Seymour began to renovate the castle for Catherine's use but only one room that he built remains today. Lord Seymour and Catherine decided that she should move to Sudeley for the final months of her pregnancy accompanied by Lady Jane Grey. Catherine died shortly after giving birth to a daughter, Mary Seymour. She was re-interred in the Chapel in 1817 after her grave was discovered in 1782. The English Civil War had left the castle and the chapel in ruins.

When Thomas Seymour was arrested and beheaded,Sudeley Castle became the property of Catherine's brother, William Parr, 1st Marquess of Northampton. It is not known what happened to Mary Seymour after her father was beheaded. Mary I stripped Parr of his titles when he plotted to put Lady Jane Grey on the throne but regained them later from Elizabeth I. The Castle remained property of the Crown. Mary I gave Sudeley Castle to John Brydges, 1st Baron Chandos in 1554 and it remained his property throughout her reign and the reign of Elizabeth I. Prince Rupert used Sudeley Castle as his headquarters during the Civil War and his uncle, Charles I found refuge there. Cromwell ordered it’s destruction at the end of the Civil War and Sudeley lay neglected and derelict for nearly 200 years.

In 1837 John and William Dent, wealthy Worcester glove-makers, bought Sudeley and started restoration work that was continued by their nephew, John Coucher Dent, when he inherited the castle in 1855. His wife, Emma Brocklehurst, worked enthusiastically on the gardens and forged strong links with the nearby town of Winchcombe. The current owners are Elizabeth, Lady Ashcombe, widow of Henry Cubitt, 4th Baron Ashcombe, and her two children, Henry Dent-Brocklehurst and Mollie Dent-Brocklehurst.

There is a large exhibition on the history of the castle containing information on the occupant and visitors who lived and stayed in the castle. Interesting items from the past included: Roman artefacts, textiles, clothes of the Tudor period, books written by Catherine Parr and short films on several topics. A few rooms of the house are open displaying an early English Sheldon tapestry, a portrait on Rubens by Van Dyke, rare bees wax portraits in three dimensions, a 1665 marquetry box from the Battle of Naseby containing letters from Charles I and a Dutch marquetry cabinet. The Chandos bedroom is a Royalist room of the Civil War period. The bed has a Tudor headboard with pagan symbols and a late 16th century canopy with Christian symbols. None of the furniture and artefacts are original to the house as they had to be bought after the restoration.

The estate has 1.200 acres with nine beautiful gardens, including the white garden near the chapel, a secret garden, the Mulberry Garden, a herb walk and the knot garden, which is based on a dress pattern worn by Elizabeth 1, with a Moorish mosaic fountain and 1,200 box hedges. The centrepiece is the Queen’s garden, which is divided into four for Anne Boleyn, Katherine Parr, Lady Jane Grey and Elizabeth I. The pheasantry is home to sixteen endangered species which are all part of a breeding and conservation plan. Sally Beynon

GARDEN GROUP - Hampton Court Castle Gardens did not disappoint. Despite closed road signs and a very narrow arched entrance the coach finally made it to the garden. Inside we found almost every kind of garden room that you can imagine - all beautifully maintained. There was a water garden with stepping stones that just had to be enjoyed, a waterfall you could walk behind, reflective pools and rills.

Most people enjoyed getting lost in the Maze but they could be guided out by people calling instructions from the nearby tower which gave a Bird’s eye view of the whole garden. The formal Dutch garden had clipped trees with borders planted in shades of purple, blue and white. There was a walled vegetable garden but my gold star was awarded to the Wisteria walk. What a lovely day and this time the sun shone.

Margaret Birch

MOTO GROUP - Get Together. Twelve members of the newly formed MOTO Group - three gentlemen escorting nine ladies - met at the Farmers' Table in Tortworth on a Friday afternoon for tea, talk and tasty treats. As some members were not acquainted with each other, there was some lively “getting to know you” discussion on names and as to where paths might have crossed in the past. Coincidences proved to be very strange and invoked many memories.

The pleasant afternoon was enhanced by the great countryside view from the wide windows which stretched along two walls of the restaurant. The little touch of cloud outside was dispersed by the very friendly chatter inside, which ranged from ukulele groups, model making, health and hospitals to photography, apprenticeships, flying and “where shall we all meet again?”

With thanks to Grace for booking the table. A pleasant, relaxing time was enjoyed by all. Mary George

NATURAL HISTORY GROUP

Five Members of the U3A Natural History Cam & Dursley Group met at 10-30 a.m. at Stinchcombe Hill Golf Club House on Thursday 30th May. We arranged lunch there for 12-30 p.m. and set off after watching a couple of Mistle Thrushes feeding and listening to a Skylark overhead. We walked west, toward Hollow Coombe, till we hit the footpath making a right turn toward the Public Car Park. As we walked we were identifying Birds, Trees, Bushes and Flowers. Just beyond the Car Park, we took the road to Stinchcombe Hill House where we followed the path into Sheep Path Wood. Continuing our survey, we walked north, east and south until we reached the Club House again just in time for lunch.

After an excellent lunch, we drove to Breakheart Quarry where we met three more members, including Greta who guided us to the flower meadow and then around the Quarry naming many interesting plants and flowers. We thank those who came making it an interesting and pleasurable day by sharing your considerable knowledge with us. See below for a list of the Birds, Trees, Bushes, Flowers and Butterflies seen on our visit.

Birds: Black Bird, Mistle Thrush, Song Thrush, Robin, Blue Tit, Buzzard, Carrion Crow, Magpie, Dunnock, Great Spotted Woodpecker, Pied Wagtail, Skylark, Swift, Willow Warbler, Wood Pigeon.

Trees: Ash, Beech, Black Thorn, Cherry, Field Maple, Guelder Rose, Hawthorn, Hazel, Holly, Pedunculate Oak, Silver Birch, Sycamore, White Beam, White Birch, Yew.

Bushes: Buddleia, Wild Clematis, Honey Suckle, Privet, Woody Nightshade, Hart Tongue Fern, Dog Rose.

Flowers: Meadow Buttercup, Daisy, Dandelion, Clover, Cowslips, Acrid Crowfoot, Yellow Rattle, Smooth Hawksbeard, Herb Robert, Common Agrimony, Salad Burnet, Horseshoe Vetch, Common Milkwort, Green Winged Orchid, Pyramidal Orchid, Common Spotted Orchid, Fragrant Orchid, Rock Rose, Speedwell, Red Campion, Wood Forget-me-not, Common Poppy, Marigold, California Poppy, White Dead Nettle, Woodruff, Sun Spurge, Yellow/Wood Hawkweed, Scarlet Pimpernel, Common Thyme, Ox-Eye Daisy, Trefoil, Kidney Vetch, Wood Sanicle, Wild Teasel, Common Lady's Mantle, Reg Foxglove, Viper's Bugloss, Wild Strawberries, Yellow Archangel, Gypsywort, Black Bryony, Ground Ivy, Corn Gromwell, Yellow Mignonette, Common Valerian, Aquilegia, Wood Crane's Bill, Nettles, Garlic Mustard, Weld.

Butterflies: Speckled Wood, Holly Blue. Report and Lists by Sheila & Roland LaPorta

BATS AT WOODCHESTER

Following the success of our last meeting, once again the Natural History Group are inviting everybody to our next meeting on Thursday, July 11th at 2.00pm in the meeting room behind the Methodist Church. This should be a particularly fascinating meeting about the resident bats at Wood chester Mansion by warden Ray Canham. There will be the usual room fee of £2 which includes tea or coffee and biscuits. Alan Keith STEAMING THROUGH THE BRECONS On a beautiful spring day in May, members of the Science & Engineering Group convened at Pant near Merthyr Tydfil in South , to sample the delights of the Mountain Railway (BMR). Now a narrow-gauge railway running 5 miles through lovely countryside from Pant to Torpantau, it follows the abandoned main-line Brecon and Merthyr Railway, opened in 1859, and closed in 1964. This line fought its way through the using gradients, bridges, and the Torpantau Tunnel, which at 1313ft above sea level was the highest railway tunnel in Britain. The line had to be rebuilt from practically nothing: the rails, most buildings, bridge girders, and even track ballast had all been removed. Where the new track had to divert from the original, new sections were constructed. The engines have been lovingly restored and maintained, and the carriages built, all by BMR volunteers. The result is a delightful steam-hauled narrow-gauge train ride with views up to the peaks of Pen-y-Fan, and Cribyn, across the Pontsticill Reservoir, passing through deciduous woods, and over tumbling streams. The little German- built loco Graf Schwerin-Lowitz was not powerful enough to haul us up the last mile at 1:37 gradient to Torpantau. No-one offered to get out and push, so we turned round at Dolygaer. The other locos, built in USA, are known prosaically as “No1” and “No2”; both powerful enough to tackle the last climb, but regrettably not available at the time of our trip.

Off the train, a lakeside cafe occupies converted BR rolling stock, and the Museum of Steam has a number of exhibits to delight the Steam-Buffs among us. The main station at Pant has a cafe, the inevitable gift shop, and a viewing gallery over the workshop – well, some of us are supposed to be engineers and understand these things.

Not only was it a great trip on a fine day, but a suitable tribute to Ruth Kirkup, our S&E Group founder member and stalwart of U3A. Dave Beer TRAVEL GROUP MEETING – UKRAINE

On Thursday 13th June, Ann Scott gave a presentation to the Travel group on her holiday to Ukraine – she reported as follows: “The trip to Ukraine was on impulse after I had read an article in the Saturday newspaper travel pages called A Weekend In Lviv. Our trip included a few days in this lovely old town, not far from the Polish border, followed by a transfer by train to Kiev. We enjoyed the sights of Ukraine's capital city on foot and by hop on hop off bus plus a boat trip on the Dneiper river. We could easily have spent a lot more time there. The experience made me want to return and I am seriously considering a cruise along the Dneiper from Kiev to Bucharest providing a chance to see Odessa. Next year maybe?

The Opera House in Lviv was designed by the same architect as the one in Vienna. It is equally beautiful inside, although the orchestral rehearsal for the opera that evening seemed rather heavy going and did not encourage us to go. Rynok Square is the where Market was held and site of the municipal office as well as inside, although the orchestral rehearsal for the opera that evening seemed rather heavy going and did not encourage us to go. Rynok Square is the where Market was held and site of the municipal office as well as being a transport hub for trams and buses.

There are also some interesting museums in the 13th century buildings around the square in Kiev, the St Michael’s Mechanical funicular is the one that Michael Portillo on when he was on one of his Great Continental Journeys. The two and a half minute journey cost 24 pence.

Finally, the street pianist was playing near the St Andrews Square, a short walk from the funicular.

Ann Scott

DURSLEY WINE APPRECIATION TRIP TO WOODCHESTER VALLEY VINEYARDS

There was a break in the rain when we set off for our ‘out of the ordinary’ monthly meeting on Thursday 13th June. Sadly, the heavens opened once we arrived but it didn’t stop our enjoyment of this local treasure. The Woodchester Valley Vineyards have been in existence since 2007 - as we learnt from our knowledgeable host, Simon, who gave us a very interesting and informative talk on the history and production of the vineyards. Last year was a good year for the grape harvest - they have massively increased their wine production accordingly.

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After a trip around the winery, admiring the steel vats for storage and fermentation and the beautiful oak barrels, some old, some brand new we repaired to the dryness of the tasting room to savour some wines… We tasted six of their white and rose wines. (There will be a red available later this year). Several of their wines have won medals and they are justly proud of a recent Gold medal in the International Wine & Spirits Competition for their Sauvignon Blanc 2018. We departed happily after a noisy and joyous 2 hours, several of us clutching clinking carrier bags!

The Vineyards offer pre-bookable public tours and private tours for at least 10 people. More information is available at woodchestervalleyvineyard.co.uk Judi Gardner

FIRST AID MEETING

The First Aid Meeting on May 22nd was very successful. Sixty-seven members attended and many of them made very positive comments afterwards. Sally-Anne Evans, who led the meeting, gave some very clear advice, answered a variety of questions and gave members the opportunity for hands on CPR and defibrillator practice. There was also a useful handout. Thank you to all our members who came along. Pam Davis Science & Engineering talk 6th June: Cyber Hack: It’s not IF but WHEN

Professor Kamal Beckhoum, Head of the School of Business and Technology at the University of Gloucester commenced his talk by describing an incident his neighbour suffered. His neighbour had a telephone call from somebody saying that her computer had a bug and talked her through what to enter to correct the problem, including her credit card details for a payment. Fortunately, her bank, which uses Artificial Intelligent interference, blocked the payment of £995 from her account to the scammer. The University of Gloucester is one of seven allocated a total of £18m to address cyber security. Kamal has worked closely with GCHQ to share some information. Building C11 at the old BNL site has had £3M spent turning it into a security training centre

Only 1/8th of cyber security is about technology the other 7/8th concerns humans. In the past, information was exchanged on a “need to know” basis, nowadays people post on social media “I am on my way to the airport for 2 weeks holiday”. This information is then available to a very wide audience. In 2016, the cost of cyber security to every individual in the UK was estimated at £461 (this is the cost – not prevention). It is also estimated that 90% of all data available today was created within the last 2 years. Cyber security is a continuous process “NO ONE IS IMMUNE”. Kamal demonstrated this by saying that he had booked hotel rooms for some of his staff by inadvertently connecting to a convincing bogus site. He had been under pressure to book rooms at short notice. Fortunately again, Artificial Intelligent interference prevented £1,050 being transferred to a corrupt Istanbul bank account. Another incident within his department had a bogus e- mail sent to all his contacts saying, “Kamal is busy can you buy his son a birthday present?” Within an hour, three of his staff were taken in by this e-mail. Kamal explained that the three common paths to getting caught are: 1) being very busy, 2) being loyal, 3) tiredness. Useful avoidance tips included checking that the web address starts with HTTPS: and not HTTP: (note the missing S). Clicking on a link within an e-mail can be enough to download a bug. It is advisable to copy and paste the link or type it into the browser yourself, rather than click on the link. Many people do not change the password supplied with electronic goods. This is as good as an open door to a hacker. Examples were passwords for home CCTV systems, and smart TVs. Virus checkers should be kept up to date. This was reinforced by showing us a series of cartoons. Security breaches could have a catastrophic effect on large organisations like the NHS or could cause electricity failure at the time of an election. One of the most serious and difficult breaches stems from an internal company breach, where perhaps an employee is not happy. Around 95% of internal breaches are caused by human error. Kamal’s Grand Challenge project hopes to minimise the effect of Cyber Security breaches on information technology.

At the end of the talk, the floor was opened for questions.

1. Q: Is damage done just by clicking a fraudulent link? A: Yes 2. Q: Will use of gmail “incognito facility” provide protection? A: No, it just stops a trace of your search. 3. Q: Were you aware that many years ago during a worldwide chip shortage, Building C11 was broken into, and £200,000 worth of damage was caused by the intruders breaking open equipment and taking the chips? A: No. 4. Would you recommend shutting down equipment overnight? A: I always recommend turning mobiles off at night as they emit radio frequencies that are not good for your health.

This prompted Kamal to say that this is his first day back from a holiday and he like most people these days found himself responding to electronic messages whilst away. He commended the French for imposing a ban on the use of company e-mails between 18:00 hours and 08:00 hours.

I think like most attendees, we were aware of some of the telephone scams etc. but Kamal reinforced the details eloquently with good clear diction and the use of an electronic microphone. Paul Sheppard

Falling with Style (Skydiving)

A talk given by Lottie Dale

Attendees at the June group meeting enjoyed an informative and entertaining presentation by Lottie about her passion for airplanes and skydiving. Her father had been a pilot of mustangs and spitfires during WW2 and told her many exciting stories of his exploits during that time. These stories inspired in her a desire to take flying lessons but they proved to be too expensive. So, after a long career in nursing she decided to learn how to jump out of airplanes instead of flying them. Lottie’s first jump at the age of 31 was via an automatic parachute release from a static line hooked within the aircraft. She needed to be assessed as competent before being allowed to experience free fall. This she was able to do by her third static jump. Lottie explained to the group how the training program prepared skydivers on how to control their bodies - both in the air alone and with others. She showed images of multiple group sky diving displays showing numbers of from 4 to 60 participants. She explained that for large numbers, up to four planes were needed to launch the divers enabling them to create their amazing display formations. Over time, Lottie became something of an expert taking part in display teams around the world and was successful in competitions and winning a number of awards. Before retiring from skydiving, she had jumped from a variety of aircraft and helicopters totalling a record breaking 1200 free fall jumps. Lottie brought her skydiving suit, helmet, logbooks and awards for us to see. Her many photographic images illustrated many of her skydiving activities including one of her being ‘custard pied’ by her small son after her 100th jump. Lottie is delighted that her son, Kai, an aspiring actor, has taken up her passion for skydiving. She was thrilled to see him surprise her by demonstrating in a one off jump, using her personal, and specially made, parachute in her favourite colours. Lottie hopes that her talk will have shown that it is never too late to try new experiences – even skydiving perhaps. Carol Green

Science & Engineering volunteers at the Dursley Sculpture trail, 17th June 2019 The Dursley Sculpture trail is in Twinberrow Woods,south of Dursley. In the years since its launch in 2008, the trail has successfully encouraged many local residents and visitors to the area to appreciate Dursley’s woodlands. They have been created by community groups of varying abilities from aged 6 to those who are in their 90's. Some have been sponsored by progressive local businesses and some working closely with professional sculptors helping to interpret creative ideas around the theme of healthy living. There is ongoing maintenance to help in keeping the trail clear, checking sculptures and installing new ones. It was disappointing that only three S & E members turned out to lend a hand to install new ‘sculptures’ or repair old ones. Despite the low turnout, we managed to install two brand new ‘sculptures’, and re-do the post of an existing one. The range of skills used was quite varied. To begin with, we had to work out how best to display the sculpture with the materials that we had brought. There was work at the top of a ladder, sawing, drilling and screwing timber and digging holes. However, in addition, there were more gentle tasks such as standing on the bottom of the ladder to keep it from slipping, holding things in place ready to be fastened, or tying temporary signs to trees. Fortunately, the weather remained dry, and at the end of the afternoon, we had the satisfaction of knowing that we had made a positive contribution to the trail. The working parties will continue on the afternoon of the 3rd Monday in the month (next: 15th July), so if you are willing and able to join the next one, please contact Mike Doughty via the blue bird on the Science and Engineering group web page.

Graham Ellis

YOUR PERSONAL DATA - It is important that your details are correct and up to date If there have been any changes, or if you wish to ensure that your details are correct, you can access your personal details by clicking here MemberLink or through the ‘Membership’ page of our website: You will need to enter your membership number, your real forename and postcode with a space in the middle e.g. GL11 7ZZ. You will receive a confirmatory email. If you encounter any difficulties in using this facility, please get in touch via email: so your database entries can be checked. Many thanks. * * *