U3A NEWSLETTER – APRIL 2021 University of the Third Age Registered Charity No. 1125829

Hello everyone, this is your twelfth Alternative Newsletter from the Committee, to keep in touch with you during the government’s continuing restrictions.

Chairman’s Blog May 21

You will be happy to know that booking of venues for indoor activities is being pursued in anticipation of restarting in line with the roadmap out of lockdown.

As you may remember, the Third Age Trust had a plan to hold a “u3a Day” celebration last year and this was postponed until 2nd June this year. They want outside activities as well as advertising. This has been discussed at length by the Committee. Whilst we hope to do some limited publicity on the day, we have decided that we will not try to organise any physical activities until we are released from all covid restrictions. Active celebrations are therefore being considered for a July date.

As I have stated before we will not hold our AGM in May, as is the norm, but plan to hold it later in the year when it can be held traditionally. We do not see the need at this stage to adopt a new Constitution released by TAT which is designed to facilitate hybrid meetings which can also be attended remotely over the internet. Our venue of the Parish Hall does not have the infrastructure to facilitate this.

We do propose to adopt some changes to our constitution ie 10% quorum for AGM and also to increase the maximum term of Chair from 2yrs to 3yrs. Since as Chair I have reached our current limit in May, under clause 7.4 of our Constitution I have been asked, and agreed, to stay on as Chair for a third year.

The following members are retiring from their previous roles, Peter as Group Leader for Boules, and from Excursions, Janet, Edith and Margaret who have served us well for a long time and I thank them all on your behalf.

So we are looking for volunteers to take over these and other roles. The positions are listed elsewhere in this newsletter and we are hoping to be inundated with offers 爛爛.

Let us hope that by the end of this year the problems we have all faced are fading in our memory. John If you’d like to raise any points for consideration by the Committee, please send them to the Secretary.

An introduction to the Ancient Craft of Temari.

In December 1994, The Guisborough Embroiderer's Guild, (now called Random Stitchers of Cleveland) invited Mary Wood from West Yorkshire to give a workshop on Making Temari.This is a Japanese craft thought to have originated in China. "te" means hand and "mari" means ball, thus we have handball. In the 8th ©, a game called kemari, meaning kicking ball was played by Japanese noblemen. The ball was made of tightly wound deer skin which was kicked in the air and caught by hand. In the 14© to the 16th© street performers juggled with Temari. Also, at this time, ladies of the Samuri class would be married to the clan lord and carried many miles to his home in an enclosed chair, like a sedan chair so that they could not be seen. To allay their boredom and sadness at leaving their families, the ladies' servants would make balls of wrapped silk, competing to make the best designs, embroidered with silk threads. These were called himi (princess) mari. By the 19th©, lower class ladies were making Temari for their children. These were so firm they bounced. They used the best pieces of worn-out clothing and anything else available. Later, they embroidered them with cotton thread. The designs became geometric and more elaborate, varying in pattern in different areas of the country. By the 20th©, rubber balls were invented and the craft of Temari was less practised. However, in the 1960s-70s it made a come back and there is now a Temari Association of Japan, with thousands of members. It was introduced to Yorkshire by Suzuki Anai, a Japanese lady married to an Englishman, living here. She met the craft, back in her home town on a visit to Japan, and then taught her English friends. Mary Wood became one of her pupils. Now follows a short description of today's Temari. A round ball base is used. This can be made from strips of material, tights, polystyrene balls, cotton wool or table tennis balls, etc. Personally, I prefer rolled up tights into which a needle can easily be inserted, making the whole ball more permanent.

Equipment and materials can be easily acquired, such as needles, coloured pins, scissors, narrow strips of stiff paper for measuring geometric shapes, knitting wool (4ply is best), sewing thread, Perle embroidery threads and optional beads and sequins. To make Temari, roll the tights into a ball, wind tightly with wool and then matching cotton thread. Your ball-making skill will improve with practise. Then using the paper strip, the ball is divided into quarters, eights, tenths with a line round the centre (the equator).

The base colour is very important as some colours reduce the colour of the embroidery threads, grey for example. I like black, red and dark green but I have used pink, white and yellow as baby wool comes in 4 ply. Gold and silver threads can lift the design.

The four Temari on the top right are named patterns such as rose garden, chrysanthemum and spindles. The red based one is a wrapped design. The lower four are themed as the seasons, Spring, Summer, Autumn, Winter. There are two common methods of using the thread to make the designs. 1) Herringbone stitch in varying lengths and density, 2) Wrapping threads round the basic ball and then securing them. This method was used because poorer ladies had to join shorter lengths of thread with a knot.

Finally, the complexity of the designs and the size of the "mari" have grown. They are now given individually as gifts for anniversaries, birthdays and weddings. Several of the Guisborough U3A members can make these Temari but Diana Wardill is the expert with a vast and varied collection. The local embroidery group, Random Stitchers of Cleveland, who introduced the craft of Temari to this area, has also changed. Traditional stitches and patterns are still taught and used but art influenced techniques are incorporated into their work. Thus varied, wide ranging and interesting designs of embroidery are available to those who join our meetings. We welcome new members.

Jean

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If you’ve not tried these activities yet, it’s not too late to start. The Group Coordinators would be pleased to hear from you. You don’t have to be a Group member to try your hand at Flower Arranging, Creative Writing/Poetry, or Tai Chi. No previous experience is necessary, and there’s no commitment to continue if you find you’ve too many other things to do when we get back to ‘normal’.  Flower Arranging Group . The Group has a new programme for the remainder of the year and all U3A Members are invited to join in. The theme for May is a Maypole. Please consider joining us and create something that’s different, fun and will take your mind off other things for a while, at a time that suits you.

The next Zoom meeting at 2pm on 11th May. Please contact Pat for advice or to let her know what you’re doing.

 Creative Writing/Poetry Groups . John invites contributions on the following topic:

“The door was open. The room was empty. Yet it seemed to be telling me so much.”

Could this be the beginning of a ghost story, an adventure, recalling fond memories?

Entries may be in handwriting or typed in the style you prefer. Your Dep. Sub. Ed. could collect and deliver as part of her daily exercise route.

 The Photography Group is very active (not face to face) with members taking photos at home and increasingly further afield, or using their archives. In April the theme was ‘Open’, giving the opportunity to share some of our favourite photos; in May the topic is “Water”. Some of April’s photos are at the end of this Newsletter for you to enjoy.

Please contact Margaret if you’d like to get involved. If you don’t wish to join the Group at the moment and would like to share a special photo(s), please send them to your Dep. Sub. Ed. for the next Newsletter.

 Tai Chi. Dorothy and John very generously provide three practice lessons a week. It’s uplifting to see them and others on the screen. Tai Chi and Qi Gong are calming, soothing, provide an excellent gentle workout, and promote good health in mind and body, physical flexibility and improve balance.

Classes are held on Monday, Wednesday and Friday, 11.30am - 12.10pm. They’re free and it’s not essential to attend every time.

The exercises involve bending, twisting, stretching, and balancing. It is a standing exercise and space restrictions at home limit us to taking 2 steps in each direction. Practicing in the home environment means that the exercises are simplified so they are suitable for beginners. The mind has to be present and cannot wander during practice so many people experience stress relief. If someone already practices a physical activity such Pilates, Yoga, dance, or are a member of one of the Walking groups, they should be good to go.

However, we all have to start somewhere and if you’d like to try Tai Chi, take more exercise this year and enjoy an activity that will take your mind off other things for a while, please contact Dorothy and John who will provide support and help you to decide if Tai Chi is for you. You don’t have to be a member of the group to try Tai Chi online, and there’s no waiting list to join Zoom classes. You do need to have a current membership of GU3A.

Please just get in touch with us and we will see if we can ‘get you up and running’. Dorothy and John.

In addition: Some of the walking groups are active, within government, Ramblers Association and Third Age Trust guidance. Other active groups are: Ancient Greek, Latin for Fun, Res Classicae and Science. More groups are getting ready to restart as soon as the venues may be used again. SITUATIONS VACANT: Please get in touch to find out more.

Boules Coordinator: Boules is huge fun, with plenty of leg pull and played in a lovely warm sunny spot at Salturn, next to the Bowling Green. After many years as Coordinator, Peter is standing aside, though still intending to play and happy to advise the new Coordinator. Excursions Team: Two or three Members (or more?) are invited to join Edna as members of the Excursions Team. Everyone knows what super excursions have taken place in the past, taking us all over the region and how much pleasure and enjoyment they’ve brought to so many. Everyone is looking forward to them beginning again, so please join Edna in planning and arranging future events. Needlecraft Projects Coordinator: The current Needlework Group has been very successful for many years, but its success has meant it’s been full for a long time. We know other Members would love to join a Needlework class but have been unable to do so. Perhaps you feel you could start a “projects” based Needlecraft Group? If so, we’d love to hear from you. Newsletter Editor: Historically, the Newsletter has been produced every 2 months, comprising mainly reports and photos contributed by the activity groups, along with committee news and information about future events. As U3A activities resume, this is an opportunity to play a key part in communicating with our members and shaping the Newsletter for the future.

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Calling All Musicians Are you a lapsed, budding, or solitary musician? Do you have a dusty instrument hibernating in your loft? Do you tootle, bow, strum, or drum away in solitary splendour, wishing to share your enjoyment with others? Saltburn District u3a have am enthusiastic group - The Band - in need of YOU. We welcome all abilities and all instruments. Our aim is enjoyment. Our current line-up includes brass, woodwind, recorders, and harmonicas, and we’d love to welcome strings, guitars, percussion and anything I may have missed. If you are out there waiting for the right opportunity, please get in touch. Contact Group Leader, Pat or SDu3a Secretary, Deb, via the Saltburn District U3A website. We are presently meeting via Zoom every couple of weeks, and you’d be welcome to join us for musical chat, and forward planning for the time when we can all play together again.

Please don’t be shy and GIVE US A TRY. ______

NATURE NOTES – Early Spring 2021

24th February. On Butt Lane leaves are appearing on the honeysuckle; and celandine and dog’s mercury are coming on now. There are a few of the small red female flowers on the hazels heavy with yellow male catkins. The pond above Butt Lane was heaving with toads, I think, rather than frogs, but not easy to discern half submerged and distant amphibians. Their croaking could be heard at quite a distance. Coming back through the woods I had a good view of a pair of goldcrests and was pleased to see the scarlet elf cups back, bright and more than ever.

26th February. On the moor towards Sleddale we saw skylarks and one curlew. Suddenly a huge group, a hundred or more, a mixture of lapwings and golden plover, came circling round. Were they coming to the moors from their wintering stations on the coast far too early?

1st March. Three greater spotted woodpeckers seen at the bottom of the wood. Two were noisily chasing about while the third, the female I suppose, was nonchalantly feeding and probably wondering which she’d end up with!

6th March. As I descended to the beck there was a man taking photos on his phone. Thoughts raced through my mind as to why he was photographing the bungalows on Stump Cross! Then I saw an egret perched on a branch. It lifted a yellow foot and rested for a while on one leg before flying down into the beck. Within seconds another egret appeared out of nowhere and the first one flew off. This second egret slowly walked down the beck until it was disturbed by a passerby.

8th March. Up Wilton Lane after long stretches of raw hacked hedges, suddenly a patch had been allowed to survive. There was an avenue of golden catkins beautifully glowng in the sun. I was watching a pair of long tailed tits and a pair of bullfinches feeding when a heron flew over this little patch of heaven. Near the top of the lane a buzzard circled, a pair of goldcrests flitted in the scots pine and greylag geese landed in the field.

14th March. Egret just beyond Chaloner Street. It flew from the beck on to the wall then flew down again and managed to catch a couple of morsels. Further downstream near New Road I saw two egrets. This was to be the last sighting of the egrets, their winter season in Guisborough was over.

17th March. Yellow hammers seen near Tocketts House. 18th March. First hedgehog droppings seen in the garden. 19th March. Lot of jelly ear fungus on elder at the top of Silverton track. 20th March. First chiff chaff heard near . Pied wagtail and tuberous comfrey in flower at Windlebridge. Germander speedwell and red deadnettle out on the old road.

22nd March. Lovely opposite-leaved golden saxifrage glowing in the sun. Primroses and white violets at Pinchinthorpe. Toads were crossing the track to get to the ponds and a few pond skaters were out in a sunny patch.

26th March. 1 frog and 3 newts seen in fire pond on track to Roseberry. Some wild strawberry flowers appearing. When we got out of the wood and looked back down it was good to see the pinkish tinge of the larch and purple of the birch, showing spring is coming.

30th March. White violets seem to have survived the work on the Walkway near Belmangate. Small red cones, the female flowers, join the yellow males and fresh green needles on the larch on the way to Margrove. On the ponds a swan was patrolling with wings arched, seeing off the Canada and greylag geese. Pochard, tufted ducks, dabchick, moorhen and coot were floating around with a lot of blackheaded gulls now in full summer plumage. Quite a few peacock and small tortoiseshell butterflies seemed to have emerged for spring.

2nd April. Orange tip butterflies now joining peacock and tortoiseshell. A heron flew over towards the ponds on Wilton Lane. On close inspection of the pond there was a black swan. Obviously it had escaped from somewhere.

7th April. Delighted to find one of my spring favourites, the moschatel, or townhall clock, above Margrove Heritage Centre.

16th April. Going through the woods behind Captain Cook’s monument a movement caught my eye. We watched as a deer ran down the wood and out of sight, then it came running up quite near us. I think it might have jumped over the fence if we hadn’t been there, as I have seen that happen before. Anyway, it paused a while and then ran back into the wood. Sitting at the bridge at Sleddale a snipe called as it zig-zagged down to the rushes. A kestrel came and perched across from us. As we walked back up towards Highcliff there were lots of lapwings, meadow pipits and grouse around when a stoat shot across the track in front of us and disappeared.

17th April. Ivy leaved toadflax flowering along the beck sides and marsh marigold brightly shining. A small patch of few-flowered leek was flowering up Butt Lane. A speckled wood butterfly appeared in the wood. A bit early, but nice to see.

20th April. Skylark and a lot of grouse and meadow pipit activity on the moors. A green hairstreak butterfly settled on the heather so we could have a good look at it. We came to a halt when an adder (female I think) was on the path, slowly slithering in the same direction as we were going. It probably was not really warm enough for this cold blooded creature as there have been frosts and easterly winds for most of April. A man from the estate had driven up on to the moor. He told us he was making dew ponds to help the young grouse survive in what looked to be another very dry spring. While we were enjoying the beautiful, warm dry spring last year there had not been enough water and not many young grouse survived. I like to see the young grouse. It’s a shame that many end up being shot. 23rd April. On the way through Woods some bluebells are amongst the wood anemones, wood sorrel and violets. Jack-by-the-hedge is now flowering and some cow parsley is out. Heard an alarm call then saw a blackcap here to breed. On the pond near Dunsdale Farm there was garganey and tufted duck amongst the mallard and a heron flew off. After a long cold time since Christmas spring is late and rather slow this year. With a little bit of encouragement from the weather I expect it will soon catch up.

Kath.

Quiz Answers from John.

Here are the answers to last month’s quiz from the Institution of Civil Engineers North East Seniors group Newsletter.

1. ‘I don’t spend my time pontificating about high-concept things; I spend my time solving engineering and manufacturing problems.’ Elon Musk

2. ‘Science can amuse and fascinate us all, but it is engineering that changes the world.’ Isaac Asimov

3. ‘To the optimist, the glass is half full. To the pessimist the glass is half empty. To the engineer, the glass is twice as big as it needs to be.’ Anon

4. ‘Go for civil engineering because civil engineering is the branch of engineering that teaches you the most about managing people.’ Sir John Harvey Jones

5. ‘At that time (1909) the chief engineer was almost always the chief test pilot as well. That had the fortunate result of eliminating poor engineering early in aviation.’ Igor Sikorsky

6. Who said Durham’s Kingsgate Bridge was his finest work? (His ashes were scattered from the bridge). Ove Arup

7. ‘We have firstly the direct heating power of the sun’s rays, which we have not yet succeeded in applying to motive purposes. Secondly, we have water power, wind power and tidal power, all depending upon influences outside of our planet. And thirdly, we have chemical attraction or affinity. Beyond these there is nothing worth naming.’ William Armstrong

8. Daniel Gouch was referring to which engineer when he said this? ‘Great things are not done by those who sit down and count the cost of every thought and act.’ Isambard Kingdom Brunel

9. ‘The well being of the world largely depends upon the work of the engineer ….. Imagination is necessary as well as scientific knowledge.’ Sir William Halcrow 10. ‘Scientists investigate that which already is. Engineers create that which has never been.’ Albert Einstein ======

THE FRIENDS OF GUISBOROUGH LIBRARY

Good news !! Just to let you know that the Library re-opened on Monday, 12 April, but for books and jigsaw puzzles only. You will need your library card with you and although checking books in/out will be a little different, there will be staff on hand to help. It will be open 10am - 4pm, for selecting / returning books only and there will be no computers available or council tax payment etc.

It’s a start and we all so hope we will be able to start activities properly in the not too distant future.

Best wishes, Kate

FRIENDS OF GUISOROUGH LIBRARY QUIZ - BOOKS MADE INETO FILMS.

This quiz is all about books that have been made into films – suggested by one of the FoGL – thank you. Hope you enjoy it and good luck – answers next time.

No. Question Answer 1 Which book by Margaret Mitchell was made into a film of the same name starring Vivien Leigh as the heroine, Scarlett ? Which male lead played opposite Leigh ? 2 In which Alistair McLean book / film, set during WW11, did Gregory Peck star as a New Zealand mountaineer ? 3 Elizabeth Taylor starred in a film about a horse, based on a book of the same name. What was the title and who wrote the book ? 4 Whose poems is the musical Cats based on ?

5 The American author, Annie Proulx, had a short story and a novel made into films. What were they called ? 6 Who wrote the book that Les Miserables is based on ?

7 Who played Dr Watson to Basil Rathbone’s Sherlock Holms in the 1939 – 1946 film series ? Who wrote the novels on which the films were based ? 8 Who plays Harry Palmer, the antithisis of James Bond, in several 1960s cold war films based on Len Deighton books ? 9 Which was the first James Bond book to be made into a film ? Who took the starring role ? 10 Which Rudyard Kipling book was turned into a film of the same name starring Michael Caine and Sean Connery ? 11 Audrey Hepburn starred as Holly Golightly in a film based on a novella by which author ? What was the name of the film ? 12 What was the name of the first Agatha Christie novel about Miss Marple to be made into a film ? What was the name of the film ? 13 Who played Hagrid in the Harry Potter films ?

14 Who wrote the short story on which Alfred Hitchcock’s film The Birds was based ? 15 Which horror story / film is said to have been inspired by Whitby Abbey and who wrote it ? 16 What was the name of the film based on the first book in Philip Pullman’s trilogy. His Dark Materials ? What is the title of the trilogy ? 17 Who is the author of the book that the musical The Phantom of the Opera is based on ? 18 What is the name of the film, starring Will Smith, that was based on a series of short stories by Isaac Asimov What genre of fiction is Asimov best known for ? 19 Who wrote the book about a vacuum cleaner salesman who was caught up in a spy story set in Havana (set in 1958). The film in 1959 starred Alec Guinness 20 Which book by John Buchan was first made into a film in 1935 directed by Alfred Hitchcock ?

Mental Health Awareness Week 10th to 16th May.

Mental Health Awareness Week is the 10th May – 16th May and this year’s theme is Nature. Full information on the theme, foundation and how you can get involved can be found on Mental Health Awareness Week 2021.

There are a number of free activities taking place across the Borough throughout the week including guided cycle rides and guided walks – please see attached posters for details and feel free to share these with your contacts and on social media. Please note numbers are limited so booking is essential for all activities.

Across and Cleveland we have adopted the title “Bounce back with Nature” for the week. We are following the five ways to wellbeing ( Five ways to wellbeing | Mind) to promote ideas / activities connecting with nature.

There are a number of ways people can engage and give their support to the campaign:

 Book on one of the activities attached  Following feelgood/RCBC FB for activities going on locally and what’s happening  Include the e-mail banner for the week (see below)  Or support is available to you should you wish to create your own activity to support this national initiative in your area – please contact Gemma.Marshall@redcar- cleveland.gov.uk for further advice. Claire Bognar Community Development Officer – Belmont, Guisborough, Hutton & Lockwood Public Health South Tees

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Tees Valley Warm Homes Fund - FREE Central Heating

Residents who do not have central heating in their homes may be eligible for FREE first-time central heating system through the Warm Homes Fund. The five Tees Valley local authorities, led by Stockton-on-Tees Borough Council, have secured over £6m from a national fund established by National Grid and administered by Affordable Warmth Solutions to help households who do not have central heating and may be struggling to stay warm.

Eligibility To be eligible the household must meet each of the following criteria:  The property must not currently have central heating installed – i.e. it does not have a heat generator connected to radiators  You must live in one of the Tees Valley local authority areas (Darlington, Hartlepool, Middlesbrough, Redcar & Cleveland, Stockton-on- Tees)  You must either own the property or have the permission of the owner.  You or someone in your household must also either: o Be in receipt of a qualifying benefit; OR o Have a low household income and high energy bills: OR o Have a low household income and someone living there who is vulnerable to the effects of the cold. More detail about these criteria can be found in the scheme partners’ joint statement of intent.

How does it work? If your household is eligible and the installation is signed off by the owner, there will be a technical survey of the property and, if necessary, a free connection to the gas main and a gas meter applied for. If you are not connected to gas, and such a connection is not possible in your area, you will be offered a free central heating system powered by an air source heat pump. More information on air source heat pump installations can be found here [external link]. Once the necessary survey and connections are complete, the installation of a full central heating system can take place. This includes an efficient new boiler or air source heat pump, radiators, heating controls and all necessary pipework.

How to apply Simply call 01642 526100 and our team of friendly advisers will take it from there. Applications are being taken now and the scheme must be completed by 2022. Applications will be taken on a first come-first served basis and the scheme will close to new applications once the funds have been allocated. Participation in the Tees Valley Warm Homes Fund is subject to acceptance of the scheme’s terms and conditions [external link].

Claire Bognar Community Development Officer – Belmont, Guisborough, Hutton & Lockwood Public Health South Tees

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Received 7 April, 2021.

Our News Newsletter - April Edition

Dear Pam

APRIL 2021 'OUR NEWS' NEWSLETTER

We are pleased to share our April ‘OUR NEWS’ newsletter, created by Neighbourhood Watch Network (the umbrella organisation for Neighbourhood Watches across England and Wales) for all Neighbourhood Watch supporters - from households to volunteers and partners.

The newsletter can be viewed by clicking on this link or attached below.

This month we launch our PROTECT YOUR CAR campaign. We also look at fleeceware scams, predatory marriage and much more. Next year, in 2022, we will be celebrating Neighbourhood Watch’s 40th Anniversary and we want to hear from you how YOU would like to see this celebrated nationally. Please take a minute to give us your views here.

We hope you enjoy reading our newsletter and would love to hear from you on what you would like to read more of. Please send your suggestions to [email protected].

Kind regards

NEIGHBOURHOOD WATCH NETWORK, Central Support Team ______

Received 6.4.21 Guisborough Town Hall Public Progress Report March 2021

Dear Supporter,

The Main Contractor; Hall Construction - for the Town Hall renovation and improvement project started on site at the beginning of the year, without the fanfare that the group would have liked but was prevented due to Coronavirus regulations. We are pleased nontheless that work was able to start. Due to space around the Town Hall being very limited the contractors are using the former Cook and Forth retail unit as a site office and have installed graphics in the windows explaining what is taking place.

As you will have seen the scaffolding did indeed start going up at the start of the year, the Town Hall building is now completely shrouded in scaffolding and plastic sheeting. This is to allow the old roof to be removed, timbers checked and repaired or replaced as required and then re-slated to make the roof watertight once more. Replacement windows will be fitted and the stonework gently cleaned, as it is not suitable to be subjected to harsh cleaning methods. In places where the stonework is too badly eroded new stone from a nearby local quarry, will be carefully inserted. Two new entrances on the Market Place side of the building are being created in the positions of the arched windows, this will allow better access for all to the ground floor.

While the above work is carried out on the outside of the building, work is also on going in the interior of the building, preparing it for its new role of tourist accommodation on the upper two floors and a heritage and information hub on the ground floor.

Filming and photography of the ongoing work is taking place, subject to Coronavirus regulations, to ensure that when the building is restored and open a visual record will be available to tell the story of the Town Hall’s transformation.

Three archaeological digs have taken place in the ground floor, to try to unearth some of the unseen history of the site, any findings will eventually be displayed in the building.

Carolyn and Jo from a company called The Heritage Angel are working with RCBC and our group on a number of activities in preparation for the reopening of the Town Hall. Volunteers are needed to carry out some heritage conservation tasks and everyone is welcome to get involved in a range of opportunities including the opening event and training for volunteer welcomers when the building is launched. To enable Heritage Angel to contact individuals about the opportunities for supporters and volunteers, I would ask anyone who does NOT want their contact details passed on, to let me know, before 10th April.

Best wishes from The Directors Guisborough Town Hall Gateway CIC

Email [email protected] Hazel Meynell, 24 Kingfisher Drive, Guisborough, TS14 8HS ***********************************************

We have three contributors this month. Enjoy.

A life in the day of a retired occupational therapist: 12 noon

By: Jennifer Creek

When I am not travelling, much of my day is spent sitting at the computer. There is often a new book in progress and conference presentations to be written, many in collaboration with international colleagues. When not writing, I am likely to be having an online discussion about current or future projects. I seem to be the kind of person who always takes on too much, probably because lack of stimulation seems more frightening than overwork.

When I am undertaking a major project, such as a book, life has to fit around my writing. The house gets dirty, the cupboards become bare and friends are neglected. When my daughter was a child, she would come home from school and instead of asking what was for tea say ‘Is there any food in the house?’ How many male writers find themselves having to shop, cook and do housework while they are working, I wonder?

Several of the most enjoyable collaborations of my career have been with colleagues in different parts of sub-Saharan Africa. My first trip to that continent was on the way back from Hong Kong, in 1983. I had planned to return to the UK via Tibet but I was seven months pregnant and the doctor said it would not be a good idea. Instead, I stopped off in Zimbabwe to visit a friend who was teaching in the capital, Harare. She took me to see the Victoria Falls, staying in a lovely old hotel, just near the river. While there, we went out in open vehicles to see wild animals, including lions, elephants and giraffes. Back at the hotel, I had an uncomfortably close encounter when returning to my room at dusk. We had been warned to stay close to the building because there were two young, rogue elephants in the area. I peeped round the corner of our wing and saw one of them, so began creeping back along to wall of the hotel to our room. Unfortunately, the other elephant had come up behind me and I walked straight into him. All ended well because he was so absorbed in browsing the seed pods on a small tree that he took no notice of me and I was able to nip into the room.

My next visit to Africa was in 1999, when I was invited to speak at a conference in South Africa. My hosts very kindly took me to stay in the Kruger National Park, where we saw more lions, leopards and cheetahs. The beauty of the big cats lifts the spirits and it is difficult not to feel anxious about their future.

During that trip, I was able to spend a day with some of the community rehabilitation workers who served rural communities that do not have easy access to medical services. The community rehabilitation worker programme was set up by an occupational therapist to try to increase the number of people working in remote rural areas. Workers were recruited from villages and trained in the local hospital, instead of going to the cities, so that they would be more likely to stay in the area. We drove to several villages, visiting people with serious mental and physical health conditions that would probably have lead to hospitalisation in the UK. The scheme operated a bit like the Chinese barefoot doctor programme, with workers trained to recognise which conditions they could treat and when they should make an onward referral.

It would be unreasonable to complain about writing being hard work, when it has given me so many opportunities to travel, to see the world and to work with amazing people.

Jennifer’s story continues at 1.00pm

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Five Months Down Under South Island New Zealand, part 2 We were sorry to leave Glenorchy but the sun came out as we left to drive to Te Anau and Fiordland. The road followed the lakeside, giving a great view of the “Remarkables”, a range of spiky mountains above Queenstown, now famous as they feature in the Lord of the Rings film. Then we had a lazy day in Te Anau, visiting the wildlife park. There were many rare birds, including two Takahe, (primitive, flightless birds; (only 160 left after the cats, rats and possums brought by Europeans ate them all.) Here we met a Canadian couple from Yellowknife, and talked until late. In rain and low cloud we drove to Milford Sound, stopping at the western end of the Routeburn. In heavy rain, we walked up the three hour route to Key Summit in 2 hours but as we were now above the clouds, there were no views but many white gentians. At 10.45 the following day, we boarded the Milford Wanderer, a beautiful, old wooden sailing ship for our cruise on Milford Sound. In sunshine, the views are marvellous; in heavy rain the walls of the fiord run with waterfalls; we had mist and drizzle without either. We put on our full waterproofs and stood in the bow with only one other couple, determined to get the best out of the cruise. We spent a long time chatting to the hostel guests so it was quite a late start before we drove down the Southern Scenic Route to Invercargill, where we booked into the Southern Comfort hostel. This was a gracious 1900’s Art Nouveau house, it was a wonderful hostel and I wanted to stay there for ever. Invercargill is a very old fashioned city with a Scottish feel to it. Then it is a short drive to Bluff, the most southerly part of South Island, Antarctica is not far away.

Milford Wanderer Southern Comfort Hostel

Driving east along the route, we stopped at Curio Bay which has a fossilised forest, and then on to Two Bobs YHA in Alexandria. This was full of fruit pickers who could not work in the rain and were both bored and without wages, so we drove to Wanaka and hired a cabin for $28 for 2 nights. Very windy with heavy rain so we plotted the route to the ferry at Picton. Next day the sun shone and we walked up Mt Iron. The sand flies were so bad we had a picnic in our car.

Tekahe Snout of the Fox Glacier

We drove to the Fox Glacier village past rivers in spate and then heavy seas as we drove near the coast. Once there, we booked in quickly and then we walked up to the snout of the glacier, which was turquoise in the sun. Back at the car, we drove to lake Matheson to see the reflection of Mt Cook. But we were late and had to run round the lake and just caught views of the mirror sunset behind the mountains. Our next stop was Hokitika, stopping at Okarito to see the setting of Kari Hulmes “The Bone People”, winner of the 1985 Booker Prize. Just a beach, as there was very little left of the old gold mining town. Hokitika is a strange town, centre of greenstone carving and with a Carnegie library. It was raining hard as we drove along the coast. We walked along the cliff top around Cape Foulwinds to the lighthouse where we saw the Astrolabe of Abel Tasman from 1642. We finally reached Westport and the very pleasant Trip Inn backpackers at $35 (about £12) a night run by a Dutch lady. At night we talked to some young Dutch lads about Milford Sound and the sights of South Island. Then it was a long drive past Murchison to Blenheim along the north coast. Now, it was only 23km to Picton so we had time for a 3 hour walk along the Queen Charlotte Walkway. This was a good section as it was more open with excellent views all round. However, the black flies were very bad if you stopped.

Tony In the next instalment, Tony and Jean explore the North Island.

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MORE OF ME MUM’S STORIES. Jim, Jemima and Dinky We lived in a large rambling flat in Paddington, with bells in each room proclaiming its former aristocratic, glorious and intriguing past. When I was a three and a half year old nuisance, I was presented with a baby sister, Margaret. Out of frustration that she wasn’t his longed for son, my Dad called her Jim. Because of ‘hard times’ Mum also took up ‘charring’. So I exerted my independent nature at an early age and looked after Jim with the help of my rag doll, Jemima – and a very handsome newly acquired ginger cat with a magnificent white frontage, named Dinky. We had an enormous table in the front room with space for all four of us to get under, pretending it was our own private house. I could stand up underneath it, chattering, singing and dancing for hours entertaining my audience of three who had to like it, or lump it. One day education caught up with me so, at four and a half, I went to school. Mum took me the first day and after that I was on my own. I loved it, so many kids! I wouldn’t part with Jemima and we shared everything. Somehow or other a bit of elastic would always give way before I got to school so my knickers were always at half mast. With joy I rushed home each day, so that Jemima and I could breathlessly tell Jim and Dinky about our exciting adventures. Imagination lent colour to many of our deeds and helped to brighten up some of the dull times, like having to have a rest in the afternoons. The VERY important things, like learning to count, read and spell filled us with satisfactory importance, so much so that we started to teach Jim and Dinky. Life was so full of discovery, learning and looking after my charges.

Jack the ‘Nipper’ and the ‘Doc’ Next door to us a Dentist had his “rooms”. Doc Tilner fascinated me and we soon became firm friends. I used to pop in, to sit in his up and down chair, so that he could inspect my teeth. He made false teeth so beautifully, that I just couldn’t wait to own a full set. Just imagine being able to take them out at night! Jemima and Dinky also came. After each visit, Doc used to give me a free little tube of a well known toothpaste. Every day I used them religiously. I mixed Dinky’s with his milk and Jemima used to have a smear on her embroidered ivories. One morning as I was tripping into Doc’s with Dinky under one arm and Jemima under the other for our teeth inspection, I bumped into a thin man with a very long drooping moustache. Much to my astonishment, he told me he was my Uncle Jack. I nearly dropped my two charges on hearing such electric news. This man was actually a real Uncle. We eyed each other with interest. I wasn’t impressed, my Dad was so much bigger and handsomer, but I put him up a notch when he assured me he had false teeth. Doc explained that as Uncle Jack was a sign writer, he was going to paint the big bay window in green and gold lettering announcing to passers by that Doc Tilner was a Dentist. This was indeed news of great import. After our inspection, we rushed back home and breathlessly imparted the news to Mum and Jim. We were all satisfactorily impressed. Unfortunately, Uncle Jack, due to the arduousness of his trade, found it necessary to recourse at frequent intervals to ‘nips’ from the bottle as it were, to steady ‘is ‘and. The more he did, the more ‘is ‘and didn’t. It took him all of six months before patient old Doc Tilner got his window painted! When Uncle Jack was ‘in his cups’ his moustache would droop even further down as he persistently declared he was dying and then, with gusto, would proceed to recite every verse of ‘The Boy Stood on the Burning Deck’ and ‘The green Eye of the Little Yellow God’. One day he just upped and died, more to our astonishment than grief.

Population Explosion – The Huggins Romping through my formative years, I was in total ignorance of ‘Family’. The time had come for me to be introduced into the magnificently large bosom of THE FAMILY. Grandma Huggins (my Mum’s Mum) had issued a command for all of her brood, relations and their children to attend an “At Home” for inspection. Refusals to attend would not be tolerated. For this pre-destined date I was scrubbed and emerged feeling like a freshly scraped carrot and was tarted up in my Sunday best, bursting at the seams with pleasurable anticipation, an overactive imagination and puffed up with pride and self importance. I had, through pestering my Mum, received the staggering new that she had 13 Brothers and Sisters! Mum tried to persuade me to leave Jemima behind but my family pride obstinately dictated that to help swell our numbers, in the face of such a formidable force, she must come to help show the flag. After all, she was my Family. We duly set forth in Victorian style, with Jim in the pram pushed by Mum and me clutching Jemima in one hand and Dad with the other. The line had definitely been drawn at me wheeling Dinky in my doll’s pram, but I had left him extra toothpaste in his milk, put him under the table with my dearest few treasures and assured him that I would tell him everything, I’d given him a kiss and smoothed his regal whiskers. By the time we arrived at Grandma’s, much to the embarrassment of my parents, the elastic had gone limp round one leg of my drawers. It was such a natural occurrence to me, that I couldn’t see what all the fuss was about. We arrived to an open door and what seemed to be hundreds of people with an infinite variety of kids in various sizes. Grandma surely owned half the people in the World! I was whisked off to meet her. She sat like a Queen in a huge chair. I politely introduced her to Jemima and explained the absence of Dinky, whilst trying to hitch up the trailing leg that was elasticless. We were made of the same stuff, we understood each other. Somebody rather annoyed me, by whipping me away in the middle of our comfortable chat. After that, I was splashed with kisses from the 13 plus and found myself the centre of attention. The female sprouts were in awe that I’d managed to assert my authority on my rights to bring my doll to Grandma’s. One male sprout sniggered and called me ‘Droopy Drawers’ to which Jemima reacted with satisfactory promptness by furiously poking him in the eye. She immediately gained lavish approval for her daring. Everyone had to ‘do’ a party piece. There was lots of laughter, fun and food. Finally it was time to go. Jim was still in the pram and I felt awful sorry for all the goodies she’d missed. My massive Dad swung Jemima and I up and transported us home. I was very dishevelled, sticky, ready to pop and so happy. The following morning being Sunday, we all sat under the table while I crunched up a sugared almond, saved for Dinky and, while he purred and struggled with a pile of crumbs in front of him, Jemima and I told him all about our large family and how grand they all were. After all, we must be the biggest family in the whole world. I also felt obliged to tell Jim about all she’d missed, too. Joan (Pam’s Mum)

There’s still time to send a story to the Alternative Newsletter. Don’t delay, July’s not far away!

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TOUR DE WALKSHIRE

Do you fancy getting out and about around our beautiful county this spring? Yorkshire Cancer Research and Welcome to Yorkshire have teamed up to bring you ‘Tour de Walkshire’.

With the Tour de Yorkshire cycling race postponed until 2022, Tour de Walkshire is taking it’s place this year and we are encouraging everyone to get out and walk, cycle or run during the month of May. Have a one-off outing or set yourself a challenge over the month and count up your miles as you go along. You could wander around a local park or have a trip out to one of Yorkshire’s beauty spots. You can get involved either on your own or as part of a team. Any money raised will come to Yorkshire Cancer Research so your efforts will help to save lives in our county.

For more details visit the Tour de Walkshire page of our Yorkshire Cancer Research website: https://join.yorkshirecancerresearch.org.uk/event/tour-de-walkshire-2021/home

You can sign-up to the Tour de Walkshire from today. Everyone who signs up will receive a free Tour de Walkshire T-shirt.

If you do get out and about we’d love to see your photos so please do share them with me if you are willing: Andy Wilson, [email protected]

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PLANT POT APPEAL. I’d be very grateful for any spare plant pots you have lurking in your garage etc, please, of all shapes and sizes and they don’t have to be clean. I grow cuttings obsessively and get though huge numbers of pots, which usually don’t return! The plants end up on the Priory plant stall, pressed on friends, in charity shops, in the parish hall gardens, in small gardens and planters around Guisborough – and I even keep a few! I’d be happy to collect them and lots of cuttings would be grateful for space to grow. Pam WICKED PLANTS. WHICH ONES ARE HIDING IN YOUR GARDEN? The DsE attended this interesting illustrated online talk by Marion Dale, of Crewkerne U3A on 27 April. It was introduced by Julie Travers, Third Age Trust Learning and Events Officer. There were 251 attendees from all over the UK. The talk was also publicised in the central u3a Newsletter and by “Eventbrite” – happy to send you the link for the latter, if you’d like to explore the myriad of international talks available on everything imaginable. Although Marion explained which parts of the plants are poisonous, little attempt to do so is made here, for fear of my potential error. Caution. Beware. This is serious stuff. Marion said if you stand and look at any garden, the chances are that you can see 2 or 3 poisonous plants. Some are well known, others less so. Some will kill, others just generate a rash or reaction of some sort. They include: Monkshood Laburnum English Yew Holly Euphorbia Stinging Nettle Poinsettia Chrysanths Tulip bulbs Daphne Rhubarb Elderberry Ragwort Fig tree sap Morning Glory Oleander Capsicum Chilli Hemlock Deadly Nightshade Giant Hogweed Tomato leaves Castor Oil Plant (displayed in a cage in Tenerife) Lilly of the Valley, whose leaves look similar to Wild Garlic The Umbellica family has some nasty members Opium Poppy (Lewis Carol, Dickens, Samuel Coleridge) [Also used in Laudanum] Foxgloves (thought to have been introduced to Britain by the Romans for medicinal reasons. (Used by Lucrezia Borgia, Agatha Christie, Van Gogh). Solanaceae family members from South America are very nasty. Some plants just smell bad, eg Crown Imperial Fritillary, Stinking Hellibore. Tobacco has killed millions of people since discovered in South America. Some have turned out to be good guys as well, eg a painkilling drug. Poppy, Yew, Snowdrop, Foxglove. Poison Gardens can be found at Alnwick, Chelsea Physic Garden and Santa Cruz in Tenerife. Now that’s not bad for a free ticket, is it? DsE.

I also attended a U3A Caribbean Murder Mystery on 21 April. Free. That’s another story.

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THE THIRD AGE TRUST U3A NEWSLETTER has plenty to offer, as usual. Please consider subscribing if you haven’t already. It’s free and provides links to what’s happening in other u3as around the country. Click and Save Members expressed an interest in having a discount scheme, where you can save money so we’ve partnered with member benefits specialists, Parliament Hill Ltd, to provide members with your own discount scheme called u3a Click and Save.

Members will receive cashback when shopping with brands such as Sainsbury's, M&S and Costa Coffee. Once the scheme is ready to launch, we shall be in touch with further information.

There’s a spotlight on Yoga, Grow Your Own and Upcycling your Wardrobe.

Talks including “Close Shaves & Lucky Escapes with the National Army Museum”, on 13 May.

An update on the High Street project and resources.

Debate on line, ‘Your Stories’ and much more.

PS. In many cases, the word “subscribe” doesn’t mean paying a subscription to join, so please don’t be put off. If you’re asked to pay money on other websites and you don’t want to, don’t. Back out. DsE (Dep. Sub Ed.)

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Back to Guisborough. As our horizons start to stretch again, please don’t be lonely waiting for important dates to arrive. Please get in touch with either Diana or the temporary deputy sub ed if you’d like to talk to a friend.

FINALLY, THE PHOTOGRAPHIC SECTION DEMONSTRATING THE TALENT OF OUR MEMBERS:

The photos of Guisborough from past times have been deferred until next month when there will be report on piano smashing. Come on, ‘fess up. Were you there? Tell us what really happened!?

GU3A PHOTOGRAPHY GROUP

These pictures are a selection of visitors that I have had in my garden. Not regulars but lovely to spot them. Pauline Jay

Wood mouse

Woodpecker Female bullfinch

Male bullfinch

And from Margaret: Peacock butterfly

Comma butterfly Blackbird among the daffodils

Iced narcissi Pansy in the snow

Please be advised that, because the Newsletters are published on the GU3A website, their content may be seen by members of other U3As, as well as members of the general public. The GU3A Alternative Newsletter Deputy Sub Editor (DsE) [temporary!] and Secretary can be contacted via the GU3A website.