www.u3asites.org.uk/bam Bearsden and Milngavie U3A Newsle er Issue 1, May 2014
Bearsden and BEARSDEN AND MILNGAVIE
Milngavie U3A Issue 1, May 2014 Newsletter
Report from the Chair s it really only five months since the first I full mee ng of Bearsden and Milngavie Monday Morning Meander group enjoying the sunshine U3A? I can’t believe that we only started enrolling members on 10 December. The progress has been faster and further than we ever imagined. We have 150 members signed up now for 2014–15 and 29 interest groups opera ng. About 100 people have a ended each monthly mee ng so far. A big thank you to those who jumped in and set up interest groups right at the start. They have gone the extra mile, pu ng in me and effort to get so many ac vi es up and running. Having arrived in Bearsden 35 years ago as an ‘English incomer’, I was delighted that our first interest group to meet was Gaelic Conversa on coordinated by an Englishman; it seemed appropriate for Bearsden and Milngavie! On a personal level, it’s been an extraordinary few months, busy and rewarding beyond all expecta ons, and I’m looking forward very much to the coming year. The steering commi ee members have worked hard to make us a full member of the UK-wide charity ‘The Third Age Trust’. Most of us didn’t know each other when we first volunteered at the launch. They are a fantas c group to work with and cover a big range of skills and abili es. I can’t believe our luck in bringing them together. We’ve had to establish systems to manage the many aspects of finance and membership; to encourage and advise on the interest groups; In this issue to set up means of communica on between members, including websites; How our U3A began ...... 2 and to organise and plan the monthly mee ngs. Facts about the U3A ..... 2 As for the future, that’s up to our members! There is clearly a pool of News from the groups .. 3 many talents, vast knowledge and wide experience among the re red View from a member .... 7 people in our area. The steering group would love to hear your ideas and The Commi ee ...... 8 sugges ons. As well as more interest groups, we are talking about other Interest groups ...... 8 possible ac vi es such as community projects, short courses and one-off Contact details ...... 8 events. I hope that you will join us. Janet Holland
Bearsden and Milngavie U3A Newsle er Issue 1, May 2014 www.u3asites.org.uk/bam How Bearsden and Milngavie U3A started
t’s just a year since a small group of friends first talked about the possibility of se ng up a local I U3A in Bearsden and Milngavie. Would there be enough interest? We weren’t sure. A er all, we have easy access to all the facili es of Glasgow, including the excellent extra-mural classes of three universi es, as well as many local clubs and socie es. A tenta ve enquiry to the U3A Na onal Office in South London brought an excited response: at last there would be a Glasgow U3A! Glasgow was (and s ll is) the only UK city without a U3A. We pointed out that organising a U3A for the whole of Glasgow might be a challenge too far for our li le group; we would s ck with our suburban area.
Planning for the launch With the help of U3A ‘starter packs’ and advice from U3A in Scotland, we began to plan and publicise a launch event. We distributed posters and leaflets, put ar cles in local papers and magazines, and even wandered the streets with sandwich boards. Above all, we talked to our friends, acquaintances and neighbours. At our nearest U3A in Lenzie, the chair and secretary, John and Gillian, were immediately enthusias c about our plans. They and many other members of U3A Lenzie have been unfailingly suppor ve and helpful ever since.
The day of the launch The launch was held on 6 November 2013 in Kilmardinny House in Bearsden and orchestrated by two experienced ‘U3A in Scotland’ officers, Graham Clark and Morag Tamisari. They would later assist with establishing steering group mee ngs. We had no idea whether anyone would come to the launch. In fact we were overwhelmed by the numbers; people kept coming in! We soon ran out of chairs and car parking space. Our start-up group distributed informa on, made the tea, and talked to as many people as we could, with the invaluable support of our experienced colleagues from Lenzie U3A. Several brave souls volunteered immediately to be on the steering commi ee, and U3A Bearsden and Milngavie was born. Janet Holland
A few facts about the U3A • The U3A (University of the Third Age) is a self-help organisation for retired or semi-retired people which provides educational, creative and leisure opportunities in a friendly environment. Each local U3A is an independent learning cooperative which draws upon the knowledge, experience and skills of its own members to organise and provide interest groups. The teachers learn and the learners teach. All members are volunteers.
• The U3A approach to learning is learning for pleasure . There is no accreditation and there are no qualifications to be gained.
• There are 923 U3As in the UK. Bearsden and Milngavie U3A is the 42nd U3A in Scotland. • The Third Age Trust is the na onal representa ve body for U3As in the UK. • The University of The Third Age began in France in 1972. The first Bri sh U3A was set up in Cambridge in 1982.
2 www.u3asites.org.uk/bam Bearsden and Milngavie U3A Newsle er Issue 1, May 2014
News from the Interest Groups
Gaelic Conversation even people signed up for the beginners level and the group first met on 14 January. We got S down to ‘serious’ language learning two weeks later and by the end of April had had eight coffee (cofaidh) filled interac ve sessions. Members will be ready to regale you with Gaelic gree ngs whatever the me of day, ask you your name (and tell you theirs), discuss their imaginary family membership, origins and residence, give you a full weather report and solve mind-blowing mathema cal problems. Na ve speakers already?!
With regard to a conversa on group at intermediate level, unfortunately at this stage only one person has signed up and monologuing gives perhaps somewhat limited conversa onal prac ce! So it is hoped that in due course the interest of another one or two people at this level will allow an intermediate group to get started as well. David Morley
Genealogy enealogy has proved to be G very popular with the result that we now have three dis nc ve groups. Genealogy group 1 recently had a visit to the Family History Centre, based in the city’s Mitchell Library. One of the archivists was on hand to explain and show us the records which they hold. It was very informa ve and we all came away from the visit with some The Genealogy group in the Family History Centre in the Mitchell Library idea of how we can progress with our own family research. Anne Mar n
Photography here has been a se ling in process with the membership of our group as could be expected, T with two people choosing to do other things and two new members joining, making a total of six including myself. As we currently meet in my home this is a manageable number with poten al space for two or three more before we would have to consider hiring a room somewhere. To get things started we spent two sessions covering the fundamentals of photography: Light, Composi on, Exposure, Focus, Capture and Post Processing, with our third mee ng looking at the pros and cons of shoo ng raw and using your camera’s histogram to get the most from your camera’s sensor. As coordinator I have been pleased to receive good feedback on subjects so far and lots of ideas for future mee ngs. Frank Fisher
3 Bearsden and Milngavie U3A Newsle er Issue 1, May 2014 www.u3asites.org.uk/bam
Poetry Appreciation he Poetry Apprecia on group has been flourishing. We have had five mee ngs throughout T February, March and early April. During that me we have read and discussed 18 poems. We were given a warm welcome by the East Dunbartonshire Libraries, who have given us all the help we could wish for. We meet in the semi-public area at the end of the lending sec on in Brookwood Library, Bearsden, and we don't have to pay rent. Some members of the public come into our par oned-off area, but soon leave when they hear us intoning our verses. Now there is even a no ce warning of our mee ngs! We are allowed to bring in flasks and, of course, talk freely. This is not our usual experience of libraries, but very pleasant it is. We are even allowed to photocopy poems free! All this is at the behest of Kirkin lloch headquarters. Our membership has fluctuated but has increased to ten a er star ng with only four. We are all ladies and gentlemen of leisure and therefore swan off on our travels from me to me, so we have never had all ten of us together. An email a er each mee ng keeps everyone up to date with poems read and decisions about next theme. So far the themes have been Death, Love, Nature and Childhood. A er a break for Easter, we have decided to keep mee ng through the Summer, The Poetry Appreciation group in Brookwood Library even if only a few of us turn up. A er all, it takes only two to discuss a poem! Here we are, gathered in our cosy den, surrounded by books. Kenneth Brown
Emergency Life Support his free course is one session only of two hours’ dura on. Its official tle is Heartstart and is a T Bri sh Heart Founda on ini a ve to increase the survival rate from cardiac arrest in an out-of -hospital situa on, which in this country is as low as 4–5%. The course covers Conscious and Unconscious Casual es, Recovery Posi on, CPR, Heart A ack, Choking, and Serious Bleeding. Comple ng the course could give a loved one 50–70% chance of survival. All dates for February and March were fully booked and there is a wai ng list for future courses, which will begin in May. Many U3A members have already a ended. No prior experience is necessary and as it is also open to the public, friends and rela ves are welcome to join you. To book a place on the course contact Sandra Brown via the U3A website or telephone 0141 563 8551 . Sandra M Brown
Bearsden and Milngavie U3A Monthly Meetings U3A monthly mee ngs are held on the third Tuesday of each month at 11 am in St Andrew’s Church Upper Hall, Bearsden Cross. There is an interes ng speaker each month, and there are opportuni es to sign up to interest groups, chat to other members and hear updates from the Commi ee. Visitors are welcome to a end for one or two mee ngs but a er that they would be expected to join the U3A.
4 www.u3asites.org.uk/bam Bearsden and Milngavie U3A Newsle er Issue 1, May 2014
Monday Morning Meander ur twice monthly walks in Mugdock Country Park are about regular exercise in company, O followed by coffee and chat. We’ve had 10–15 people at each walk so far, and despite some wet and dreary weather we’ve seen the fantas c display of snowdrops and other early signs of Spring. Our route around the Park varies a bit with condi ons and any work going on in the Park. We walk for two to three miles, taking between an hour and an hour and a half. Anyone is welcome on the walk; just come in sturdy footwear whatever the weather! Janet Holland
Dowsing t our first group mee ng in February I described A how different dowsing tools work and how they should be used. I demonstrated the use of a pendulum and the need to ask correct ques ons. I showed how to use dowsing rods and then gave a demonstra on to find hidden stream/streams. The pendulum was used to find the nature of sub-surface geology and sandstone was indicated with a stream or streams flowing through it at a depth of 45 feet. A ques on and answer session followed and we discussed more uses of dowsing. Six people a ended the dowsing ou ng in April to the Roman Fort at Golden Hill in Hardgate. The dowsing was The Dowsing group at Golden Hill Roman Fort conducted on a number of ques ons rela ng to the age of the fort, the year it was built and other ques ons on numbers of men based at it. The answers were mostly in agreement and everyone enjoyed this addi on to their skill range. John Hamilton
Sewing and Knitting n the Second Tuesday in January eight ladies joined me in my home to establish our U3A O Sewing and Kni ng Group. None of us had met before but it was amazing how quickly two hours passed. We discussed what we wanted from the group and how we saw it evolving and luckily we had the same thoughts. We cha ed about where we bought our materials, workshops we had found useful, exhibi ons visited and our preferred type of cra – we all showed willingness to try something new if someone could demonstrate. We had agreed to have monthly mee ngs and as someone was interested in using circular needles, February saw us armed with these weapons. Tessa very kindly demonstrated and showed us examples of items she had worked on – even some which meant no sewing up! We all had a go and it made a difference to have others around to sort out ini al problems. March saw Jane showing bits and bobs that she had been tempted to at the Crea ve S tches Exhibi on and Sally showing us how to get started with croche ng.
In the next few months Tessa, who has done a lot of patchwork and quil ng, is going to explain the history and explain the different types and give us ps on which materials and colours to choose. We also hope to manage a visit to The Great Tapestry of Scotland when it is on show in New Lanark in the Autumn. I feel I can speak for the others when I say we are enjoying the company at our mee ngs while we intend to improve our skills through the friendship of the group. Heather Newton
5 Bearsden and Milngavie U3A Newsle er Issue 1, May 2014 www.u3asites.org.uk/bam
Cycling he Cycling group had its first run on 26 March, along the canal from Bishopbriggs to T Kirkin lloch. It was a glorious day with some lovely reflec ons on the water and we saw swans and ducks … and canoes on the canal. From Kirkin lloch we cycled back to The Stables for a well earned coffee break. The next run was along the old railway track at Strathblane to Milton of Campsie. It started off dull with some light rain but this soon went off giving us stunning views of Dumgoyne. On the way back we stopped at a hotel in Lennoxtown for an enjoyable coffee. Our next run was from Clydebank to Milton passing things of interest such as the old Erskine ferry and all the boats at Bowling basin. That day we had a very expensive coffee at a Costa Coffee at Milton – £2.65 for The Cycling group before setting off on the first run a slice of cake. Never again! Helen Lane
Painting and Drawing ur group was one of the first to get going and we have had O several mee ngs now. Everyone is very friendly and cheerful, and willing to help others with advice about techniques and materials. Our mee ngs are twice a month on Monday mornings – what a lovely way to start the week! We started off without a tutor but I’m delighted that Alison, a local ar st, has now joined our group and is willing to give tui on to those who wish for it. At our first session with Alison we concentrated on Charcoal still life drawing tone, using charcoal to draw a s ll life of vegetables. Everyone enjoyed it and we are looking forward to the next session. Val Perman
Reading he Reading group meets on the last Thursday of the month in the Adult Lounge – that’s the T room with the easy chairs – in the Milngavie Community Educa on Centre. We usually get between 10 and 12 members at each mee ng. Books read so far have been: This is Not about Me by Janice Galloway, Behind the Scenes at the Museum by Kate Atkinson, The Kni ng Circle by Ann Hood and No Great Mischief by Alistair Macleod. As you might expect, opinion has varied (politely) about the merits of these books, and it is always interes ng and enlivening to hear other points of view. Group members were asked to bring along a short list of recommended reads and we now have a diverse list to choose from, but new sugges ons are always very welcome – please keep them coming! The Reading group page on the website lists the chosen books for the coming months. Carol McKean
6 www.u3asites.org.uk/bam Bearsden and Milngavie U3A Newsle er Issue 1, May 2014
Scrabble he Scrabble group has had two mee ngs so far, T held monthly on Tuesday a ernoons in the cafe at Dobbie’s Garden Centre. The format is that we arrive from 2 pm, grab ourselves a coffee or tea (which is why Dobbie’s is happy to have us there!), find each other and assemble at a table by 2.15, then chat and decide who will play against whom that day. We try to get started by 2.30 and play for as long as the game lasts, normally an hour or so. Last me there were seven The Scrabble group at Dobbie’s of us and we played three boards: two pairs and a threesome. Our experience and ability spans a big range, from complete beginner to very knowledgeable, with various points in between. So we help each other to learn and remember the rules. It makes for an enjoyable and absorbing a ernoon in friendly company. If some members want to play more o en than monthly, it is quite possible that games between two or three will happen in people's houses between the full mee ngs. We are s ll ge ng to know each other and new people are s ll joining us, so we are very much in the early stages and anyone interested is very welcome to join us. We are grateful to the lady si ng at the next table who volunteered to take this photo of us. Mary Brailey
Practice Bridge The Bridge group meets from 6.30 to 8.30 pm every Wednesday in Baljaffray Parish Church Hall. The group is open to singles and couples with a basic knowledge of the ACOL system. New members are welcome. Margo Currie
View from a member of Bearsden and Milngavie U3A am delighted to be part of the newly formed Bearsden and Milngavie U3A. At the beginning of I the year when I first heard about it I was more than interested and a ended the first mee ng in St Andrew’s Church Hall, Bearsden, when I was amazed at the response and the fact that extra seats were having to be brought in. The enthusiasm for the U3A was obvious and the newly formed groups (now about 25) were up for grabs! Wow! Choosing which ones was difficult and I wanted to join them all! In the end I had to se le for four – art, reading group, poetry and music apprecia on. Already, as part of the music group, I have been to a performance in Kilmardinny House, Bearsden, and look forward to more. The monthly mee ngs in St Andrew’s Church Hall are a good way of ‘touching base’ with the Commi ee and members, not to men on hearing an interes ng speaker. Each of these groups has been so enjoyable and the leaders so welcoming and helpful. Also the people in the group have been amazing and it is true to say we learn from each other. Already I feel friendships forming. In conclusion, I should like to thank all those involved for the hard work in pu ng U3A Bearsden and Milngavie together. It does not just happen on its own and we are all grateful for the efforts involved. Ann Ellio
7 Bearsden and Milngavie U3A Newsle er Issue 1, May 2014 www.u3asites.org.uk/bam
Bearsden and Milngavie U3A Committee Janet Holland Chair Jane Bex Programme Coordinator Sue Walker Secretary Anne Mar n Programme Coordinator Mar n Blackwood Treasurer Val Perman Communica ons Officer Jane Mar n Membership Secretary Aileen McDonald Commi ee Member Elaine Miller Groups’ Coordinator Carol McKean Commi ee Member Anne Barr Groups’ Coordinator
INTEREST GROUP COORDINATOR/S WHEN Around the World Dining Patsy Glasspool Monthly, dates variable Astronomy (with Lenzie U3A) John Lindsay Email updates Cinema Irene Nicol Monthly, Weds am Classical Music Apprecia on A & B Anne Barr Monthly, Tues am and pm Current Affairs Elaine Miller Monthly, Friday pm Dowsing John Hamilton Dates variable Cycling Helen Lane Twice a month (summer) Emergency Life Support Sandra M Brown Short courses – contact Sandra Gaelic Conversa on David Morley Weekly, Tues am Genealogy 1 Anne Mar n Twice a month, Mon pm Genealogy 2 Morag McIntyre Twice a month, Weds pm Genealogy 3 Sally Mudge Monthly, Tues am Garden Visits Peggy Cruickshank, Ruth Long Monthly (summer) Italian Beginners Lois McGrath Weekly, Tues am Informa on Technology / iPads Aileen McDonald Dates variable Learning Spanish Liz Davidson Weekly, Tues am Local History Mar n Blackwood Twice a month, Thurs am Outdoor Pain ng and Sketching Alison Duncan, Ann Neve Monthly, Thurs pm (summer) Pain ng and Drawing Val Perman Twice a month, Mon am Photography Frank Fisher Twice a month, Fri pm Poetry Apprecia on Kenneth Brown Twice a month, Mon am Prac ce Bridge Margo Currie Weekly, Weds pm Reading Carol McKean Monthly, Thurs pm Scrabble Mary Brailey Monthly, Tues pm Sewing and Kni ng 1 Heather Newton Monthly, Tues pm Sewing and Kni ng 2 Cynthia Grice Weekly, Weds am Social Line Dancing Be y Wilson Twice a month, Tues pm Walking / Longer Walks Barbara Waterfield Monthly, Mon am Monday Morning Meander Janet Holland Twice a month, Mon am
Bearsden and Milngavie U3A Contact Details • Website: www.u3asites.org.uk/bam – send us an email via the Contact page or group pages. • Telephone: 07592 501648 – leave a message and we will ring you back.
8