A dozen of BU3A’s finest? Our bemused, befuddled and bewildered Monday Ten-Pin Bowlers
BARNSLEY AND DISTRICT U3A
Internet: BarnsleyU3A / Charity no. 1077654 1 Send info. and photos to: [email protected]
You have probably heard by now that we have recently achieved another landmark as our membership numbers have passed the 1,200 mark. It seems to have been an annual event in recent years as our numbers increase by around 100, year on year. As always, the challenge is to try to satisfy all our members by ensuring that we have enough spaces available in a wide variety of groups. Whilst this is not an easy task, we will always try to rise to the challenge. Our constant aim is to recognise which groups are full and to see how we can duplicate or replicate them with new versions. This constantly requires our members to step forward and take up lead roles. This principle fits exactly with the National U3A philosophy that all members are potential volunteers and therefore potential leaders or helpers.
On the subject of volunteering, there has been a lot of debate recently at national level with Eric Midwinter, the one remaining founder member of the U3A movement, getting a little fired up about it all. He writes…..
“We must never get to a point where a small elite is providing for a large supine clientele.” He goes on to explain that, “Ours is and must be a participatory membership.” Eric finishes by reminding us of two of the principles in the Third Age Trust litany:
“Members promote the values of lifelong learning and the positive attributes of belonging to a U3A” and “Members should do all they can to ensure that people wanting to join a U3A can do so.” On this last point he stresses that “It does not say that U3A committees should do these things - it says Members. It might, on occasion, be worthwhile for all members to be reminded that they signed on the dotted line and accepted these responsibilities. We must not, in a movement dedicated to cooperativeness, have situations where a few do everything and many do nothing.”
I am sharing Eric’s comments above in the knowledge that volunteering is not a major problem for us in Barnsley but it does no harm to remind all our 1,200 members of the expectations placed upon us by virtue of us joining BU3A. As many of our members will testify, there is a potential feel-good factor to be experienced by all those who put themselves forward into a volunteering situation. Such volunteering ranges from helping with teas and coffees through to running a group or joining a committee. If the best thing was joining the U3A in the first place, volunteering runs it a close second.
Still on the topic of our growing membership, I am very much an advocate of ‘the biggest is best’ view. When I look at the group listings, I can see many examples of groups that now exist as a result of our large membership providing enough people wanting to take part in some of the less mainstream activities. For example, when we had 400 members it would have been unlikely that enough members would want to join a brass band or a flute group or a recorder group. However, with 1,200 members we triple the chance of creating enough interest to form a viable group. The additional benefit is that once a group is established, people outside the U3A hear about it and apply to join our ranks. A brilliant example of this is with Walking Cricket. Whilst we all know that what Mac has achieved with this activity is incredible, it is a fact that a good number of new members have joined BU3A as a result of the publicity surrounding Walking Cricket.
Anyway that’s enough from me. Have a great festive period and can I wish all our members a wonderful New Year for 2020.
Alan Swann
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Buzz editor and Vice-chairman: Derek Bacon CONTENTS My thanks to so many contributors. Welcome to the It’s really quite amazing to receive so much. Winter BUZZ 2019 P2 Chairman’s Message I hope that you P3 Editor / Contents enjoy it. P4 BU3A Committee / Buzz photos / New members / Spring 2020 Buzz deadline
P5 September Monthly Meeting – The Life of Bees
Following the stinging criticism (that kept me awake P6 October Monthly Meeting - Choir and Creative Writing for almost 10 seconds one night) about the Autumn P7 November Monthly Meeting – Andrew Raftery / Buzz photos being mainly of BU3A members of the Alan Swann Photo Competition / NEW BU3A Facebook / female sex, I have responded immediately to the Picking up The Buzz deluge of online and verbal demands that I should P8 Love Later Life Event at The Civic redress the balance. This Winter issue, therefore, is male-dominated and I am thrilled to be able to show P9 Creative Writing – Indu Kumar’s ‘War Games’ the very best of true manliness on the front cover P10 James Naylor paintings with two dozen of our strapping ten-pin bowlers. P11 James Naylor paintings This is what being a man is all about these days, Alan P12 A tribute to Judith Bisset Swann tells me, but, judging by the look on his face, P13 Table and Board Games he doesn’t appear to be quite as relaxed as some of P14 Travel / Hilary and Leslie Roberts his colleagues who are holding their coloured orbs P15 History with far greater pleasure and satisfaction. P16 Choir 10th Anniversary Concert P17 Two poems I rather like our Facebook BU3A Members-only P18 Walking Cricket page. In my view, it is a bit of a harmless nonsense with members trying each Saturday to work out P19 Yoga Alan’s maths teaser and being ‘rude’ about other P20 Burns Night people’s answers/guesses in a friendly, humorous P21 Campervan & Caravan / Classical Music & Opera way. But people do also post their valuable thoughts P22 Member 1,200 Beverley Goddard / about BU3A matters and other things that they French Language and Culture come across. One Facebook member posted a P23 Sequence Dancing poem; I’ve read it so many times and it ‘says it all’; P24 - 28 GROUP ACTIVITIES CALENDAR it could be the U3A ‘National Poem’; it’s on P17. P29 Venues & Buses But onwards and upwards; we now have a BU3A P30 Thursday Bus Pass Walkers Facebook page where we can show the whole of the P31 Wednesday Ramblers UK what we are doing. Huge thanks to Vanda P32 Thursday Longer Walks / Sunday Strollers Outram for putting in many hours of graft to make P33 Tuesday Walkers / Thursday Walkers this possible. Why not take a look and suggest things Penistone Walkers we are proud of that could go on it? P34 Mathematics group / French Conversation The 2020 Monthly Meetings are all arranged. The P35 Literature / Helen Simms Jan-June are detailed on P44. Our thanks to Speaker P36 Cycling / Birdwatching Finder, Betty Higginbottom, for her hard work here. P37 ‘My memory’s fading’ - Maureen Robinson P38 Book Forum 1 The Chairman’s 2019 Xmas Message is a good one P39 Book Forum 2 / Satnav / Local History (“aren’t they all?”, I hear him shout at me! “Well, yes, they are!”). So much truth in it! P40 Naturequest / Tuesday Gardeners P41 Thursday 10-pin Bowling Alan’s message also says that we are growing by P42 Flix at 6 around 100 members per year but with 85 just this P43 Flix Films DVD Auction quarter (P4), his maths is ….... (I don’t dare say it!) P44 2020 Monthly Meetings at Priory /Flutes Galore I started compiling this Winter Buzz on September P45 Social Committee / Buzz Production / Stitches 2nd when an article came in that evening; that was P46 Country Dancing 1 a few hours after the Autumn Buzz was given out at P47 Beware the Silent Killer / Cookery Corner Priory! That was one keen Coordinator! Impressive! But that’s BU3A for you! 3
BU3A Committee – as of November 10th 2019 IMPORTANT NOTICE: PHOTOGRAPHS IN ‘THE BUZZ’
from the Editor Chairman: Alan Swann Vice-Chairman Derek Bacon All photographs of our groups ‘in action’ are taken by me
Business Secretary: Jacqui MacKinnon or offered to me so that our membership can take pleasure Buzz Editor: Derek Bacon and satisfaction in seeing how effective we are as an Choir Secretary: Sue Rowley organization. It goes without saying, I hope, that NO
Development Officer: Joanie Tollerfield photograph is published with intent to upset anybody and Equalities Officer: Max Senior I have not received any complaints about photos in my Membership Secretary: John MacKinnon time as editor. However, the rules on privacy and data
New Members Secretary: Helen Dew protection are changing all the time and you have the right, Penistone Manager: Helen Dew of course, not to be photographed or to have your photo Publicity Officer: Vanda Outram published without your permission. Room Bookings Officer: Mike Nevins The Buzz would be a much poorer publication without Social Secretary: Margaret Saxton photos and I hope that you trust me, your Coordinators Treasurer: Hilary Newton and the team of Buzz proof-readers to use all photographs Webmasters: Robin Northcut/ Mike Booth of members respectfully. ------
Other positions National Committee Representative: Sue Stokes BUZZ DEADLINE FOR MARCH 2020 ISSUE: Blue Box Exchange: Mike Pease
Minutes Secretary: Hilary Thornton FRIDAY 7TH FEBRUARY Buzz Technical Advisor: Trevor Winslow Speaker Finder: Betty Higginbottom Write to: [email protected]
Here are 85 new members
Janet Sammon, Martin Smiley, Tracey Flather, Rose Roberts, Ann Smith, Paul Smith, Neil Heppenstall, Jackie Heppenstall, Ron Moore, Brenda Kowalkowski, John Kowalkowski, Pauline Deards, Julie Watson, Lynn Armitage, Glenys Phillips, Paul Shevill, Libby Beever, Edward Bennett, Hilary Howe, Sue Whitfield, Tony Carlisle, Margaret Green, Linda Felski, Suzanne Cracknell, George Smith, Thomas McLavy, Joan Wilkinson, Kath Nugent, Elizabeth Leech, Keith Leech, Lynne Jowett, Avril Ryan, Eileen Gates, Stephanie Hipperson, Paul Richard, Kath Ivermee, Anthony Felski, Rita Begent, Hazel McLavy, Barry Powell, John Parker, Elaine Swift, Brenda Murphy Blower, Kathleen Mitchell, Susan Billingham, Steve Billingham, Hilary Geal, Keith Geal, John Hignett, Anurekh Kalimantan, Annie Rhodes, Ann Ellis,
Sheila Woffenden, Mary Errington, Glenys Catterall, Margaret Clay, Leo Hallford, Carol Molloy, Maureen Middleton, Philip Buckley, Catherine Bywater, Ken Bywater, Diana Young, Julie Brown, Barbara Wragg, Peter Wragg, Beverly Goddard (1,200th member), Griff Goddard, Tamsyn Roach,
Julie Wainwright, Elizabeth Westwood, Lorraine Harrison, Wayne Foster, Graham Russell, Ron Blackburn, Darron Pygott, Elaine Peace, Julia Charters, John Highton, Christine Naylor, Lynne Redfern, Deanne Sherriff, David Andrews, Janice Brews, Andrew Brews and Joanne Northam.
NEW MEMBERS LINK DATES The next three Monday meetings for new members with our two Coordinators, Eveline Mirfin and Molly Mannion, take place on January 20th, February 17th and March
16th at Priory Campus at 6.30pm.
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WINTER 2019 BU3A MONTHLY MEETING PRESENTATIONS at PRIORY CAMPUS
MONDAY 2nd SEPTEMBER The Life of Bees Charles Austin
The clock was ticking, we were past 1 o’clock and panic started to show on the faces of Alan Swann and Ernest Bradley as Charles Austin hadn’t arrived yet for his 1.30 talk. The hall was full because we BU3Aers all know that the humble little bumble is suffering at the hands of man who appears at times to care little for the ecosystem on which he totally depends. Was Charles coming? Was he stuck in traffic? Did he know it was today for his talk? And then he arrived! “Where do you live?” Alan asked. “Just up the road in Carlton”, Charles replied, calmly.
Charles is a professional apiarist, not a man who makes a few jars of honey each year as a hobby. He went to see a hive when he was 12 and was ‘hooked’. By his own admission, he is obsessed by honey bees and he opened his talk by saying that April to September each year is a manic time for him as he harvests the honey on which he depends for the year. Here is a man who knows just about everything there is to know about bees and his respect and ‘love’ for them was self-evident.
A wise man once said “If the bee disappeared off the face of the earth, man would only have four years left to live” – a line usually attributed to Einstein even though it was actually proclaimed by Maurice Maeterlinck, a Nobel Prize winner. Now, despite its dramatic message, the quote is not totally daft and it seems plausible enough that if all bees were to die tomorrow, honey shortage would be the very least of man’s problems.
This fast-paced talk centred on ‘apis mellifera’, the European honey bee, the most common of honey bees worldwide. Apis is Latin for "bee", and mellifera is the Latin for "honey-bearing". Like all honey bee species, the western honey bee creates colonies which have a single fertile female (or "queen"), many non- reproductive females or "workers", and a small proportion of fertile males or "drones". Individual colonies can house many tens of thousands of bees. Colony activities are organised by complex communication between individuals, through pheromones and dance language. The western honey bee was one of the first-ever domesticated insects and it is the primary species maintained by beekeepers for both honey production and pollination activities. It is the only insect that produces food for man. With human assistance, the western honey bee now occupies every continent except Antarctica. Because of its wide cultivation, this species is the single most important pollinator for agriculture globally; it is threatened by pests and diseases, especially the varroa mite and colony collapse disorder, and needs our great care and attention. Honey bees collect flower nectar and convert it to honey, which is stored in the hive. The nectar, transported in the bees' stomachs, is stored in a honey cell for partial dehydration. Nectar and honey provide the energy for the bees' flight muscles and for heating the hive during the winter. The bees also collect pollen which, after being processed to ‘bee bread’, supplies protein and fat for the bee brood to grow. Centuries of selective breeding by humans have created these bees which produce far more honey than a colony needs and beekeepers, like Charles, harvest the surplus honey which is a genuine good-health food. Charles’ talk was a model of thoroughness and worthy of reinstating the word ‘University’ to our organisation’s name. We learned a lot and his supply of small and large jars of honey (mine is pictured above) sold very well to his appreciative audience. When I got home after the meeting, I had my first honey sandwich in years! It was truly yummy honey! 5
MONDAY 7th OCTOBER The BU3A Choir and Creative Writing
Barnsley U3A Choir were back at Priory almost 10 years to the day as part of their 10th Anniversary celebrations and they drew the expected large attendance. Tony Jermy and Irene Hill have led this choir from the outset and their perhaps unparalleled commitment to our largest group is the perfect example to all of us who are in Barnsley U3A. Due to the limit in Priory on numbers, a half-normal-size choir of about 35 sang seven songs from its 2019 and 2009 repertoire. Songs such as ‘Danny Boy’, ‘The World in Union’ and ‘Chariots Coming’ brought the expected enthusiastic applause but, as always, those of us in the choir know that the decibel level of applause will be greatest when soprano soloist Christine Whewell (right) performs with the backing of a full orchestra who play along on her iphone!
That’s technology for you! This time she sang Ennio Morricone’s ‘Nella fantasia’ (In my fantasy), made famous by Katherine Jenkins. You’ve got to be good to dare to ‘cover’ that and Christine is VERY good. Come hear her at the Christmas
Concert at Emmanuel on December 3rd.
Following the choir, Looking for a Christmas Roz Strudwick (right ) announced the stocking filler?
December launch of the The Creative Writing Group has just Creative Writing Group’s the Present for you. first booklet, ‘NOT JUST WORDS’ A booklet of stories and poetry, which is advertised to which will have you crying with laughter one minute and crying tears of sorrow, the next. the right.
As a taster, she read ‘Not Just Words’
out the first piece in An anthology of our writings; the book about words a pick and mix of 30 tales for you,
being friends and your friends and your family she received warm to dip into at leisure. applause. On Sale NOW! for £5
LET’S ALL BUY A COPY! Contact Martyn Jones (Coordinator) (I’ve ordered mine! Ed.) or any member of the Creative Writing Group
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MONDAY 4th NOVEMBER Report by John Colley
Guest Speaker: Andrew Raftery, Consultant Surgeon, Retired (Thank God)
This was the third occasion that Andrew Raftery has shared his excellent insights and humour with us at our Monthly Meetings. This time his topic was retirement.
He regaled us with many amusing anecdotes from his own life and showed us photos of himself and his wife enjoying retirement. We saw that he had maintained his familiar consultant’s role, instructing and supervising her – from the comfort of his sun lounger – as she mowed the lawn, dug the flower beds and cleaned the windows!
However, he did feel that a wife’s role in retirement was harder: “When a man retires his wife gets twice the husband and only half the money.” and “A retired husband is a wife’s full-time job.”
He stressed the importance of taking stock and preparing for this time in our lives. What are our expectations? Will we become frail old people glued to daytime TV? Or will we embrace life and embark on second careers, as he did, finally fulfilling the ambitions we had when we were younger? He gave us much to think about. He made one point which I’m sure resonated with everyone at the meeting. “How do you spend your time without spending (much) money?” We all know the answer to that – you join the U3A! As Chairman of a local Probus Group, he was once asked what ‘Probus’ stood for; rather than answer correctly, ‘Professional and Business’, he replied with his surgeon’s wit: Prostate Removed, Other Bits Under Surveillance!
THE FABULOUS ‘ALAN SWANN PHOTO CAPTION COMPETITION’
This distressing photo of a drunken interloper was taken at The BU3A Ceilidh on 4th October. We are aiding the police in trying to identify this probably-homeless person in the cheap 1960’s-style mauve shirt.
STAGGERINGLY AMAZING PRIZE!
If you can offer an amusing or rude caption to this photograph,
you will almost certainly not win a BU3A pen!!
As of 1st of November 2019, BU3A has a public Facebook page. The page will be used to promote BU3A, to advertise forthcoming events and to let people UK-wide see what we are doing, showcasing our BU3A groups' accomplishments and performances.
This is not to be confused with our Members-Only Facebook Group. This is a closed site where only BU3A members can look and write; no one outside BU3A can access it. Some 285 of our 1,200 members are signed up to use it.
PICKING UP A BUZZ Any member unable to pick up a copy of The Buzz at the Monday Monthly Meeting at Priory Campus or from a Coordinator, can obtain a copy from Age UK Barnsley offices on Eldon Street, opposite the Parkway Cinema. Members will be asked to sign for copies taken; they will be allowed to take copies on behalf of other members who have chosen to collect their copy. All members who have chosen to collect their Buzz need to know where they will collect it. We do not keep detailed records of such for every member.
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AGE UK’s ‘LOVE LATER LIFE’ at Barnsley Civic Monday, 30th September 2019
AGE UK, our partner organization in Barnsley, held its second ‘Love Later Life’ event in late September. Last year it was at The Metrodome where the Rigby Suite was quickly overwhelmed by the number of people who turned up and so this year it was moved to The Civic. Many local organisations attended to show how they are working to improve the lives of older people in the borough but BU3A seemed to some to be very much the dominant force of the day. As well as having our own BU3A stall, we once again provided a large share of the entertainment for the hundreds of people who arrived to spend an hour or two perusing the stalls and listening to the music and marvelling at the magic acts of our Mr Magic/Mr Cricket, Mac McKechnie.
The photos from the day show the Civic’s Main Hall being prepared for Flutes Galore with Guest Leader, Alison Dempster (red scarf), The Stringalongs, The Old Blowers with James Naylor playing a solo, Mac McKechnie magically extracting a red something from his empty hand and Eveline Mirfin, Gwenda Midgeley and Vanda Outram manning (womanning?) the BU3A stall. It was a good day for BU3A. Another good day for BU3A! 8
CREATIVE WRITING (the theme set by Coordinator, Martyn Jones was ‘Survival’)
War Games
Indu Kumar
Abdul couldn’t move. He tried to open his eyes. They felt heavy, covered with ash. They stung. It was pitch dark. Dry dust was all over his face, covered his whole body. It was in his nose and lungs, making it hard to breathe. It was hot.
Where was he, he wondered. He tried to look for clues, there were none. He couldn’t remember anything. Then he felt something on his face. More ash from above. His back hurt and he soon realised why. He was lying on thick rubble. Every now and then he felt more rocks and bricks and a large stone crashed down nearby with a deep thud. Some were big and heavy but others were small but sharp and tore at his skin. He felt something warm and wet. It was his blood. He was trapped underground. He tried to scream but no sound came out. There was nothing he could do. Was this the end, he thought. Would anyone find him alive? He felt himself drifting. He tried to stay awake. He forced his eyes open. No, he would not go to sleep.
Then he was walking along a narrow tunnel. A bright light at the end of it. He saw his mother and father. They seemed happy. They smiled at him. Abdul increased his pace but they moved further away from him. He saw a door behind them. They were walking towards it. When he was nearly there, a strange thing happened. They went through the door and it shut and they were gone. He was left alone.
The market square was the children’s playground. It was surrounded by a few shops which had survived the bombings of the war. 12 year-old Abdul was their leader, put in charge of the children by his uncle. He and his two younger brothers lost their parents early in this war. Yusuf and Afia were picking berries to feed their family when they stepped on a mine. They stood no chance and died instantly. Their uncle took them under his wing. Abdul grew up quickly after that. He helped his uncle at the hardware shop and kept an eye on all the other children. They were happy to ride on their rickety bikes all day, ringing the bells constantly with the chattering of the adults and the shouting of the street vendors selling their meagre bits of food. There was always laughter from the innocent children who were all victims of the war.
Abdul used to play hide and seek with his friends in the fields nearby. The abandoned, wrecked military vehicles provided plenty of hiding places. They sometimes kicked around a ball left behind by the friendly soldiers who had moved on and were now missing. But all that stopped after the disaster that took his parents. Now it was Abdul’s job to make sure they played safely and to round them up after their playtime. His uncle gave him a whistle which he hung round his neck. It was old but loud enough to get everyone’s attention.
Now and then a motorbike or jeep would drive past with soldiers carrying guns, with bullets on their shoulders. It happened suddenly that day. There was no warning. No one knew what hit them. One minute they were all playing and the next minute chaos. That was how it was planned. That was how it was meant to happen.
Abdul slowly, painfully opened his eyes. His first thought was he was alive. His parents did not want him yet. They weren’t ready for him yet. He looked around him. It was still dark but he could see faint shapes now. Outlines of walls, ceiling, broken furniture, lumps of concrete. His legs were trapped and numb. He could feel his arms. He tried to move, then cried out in excruciating pain. He suddenly remembered something his mother said to him. He heard her words. “Never give up without a fight, always do your best”. With renewed strength he tried moving his arms one last time. It worked. He could now suddenly feel them move.
And then he thought he heard something or somebody. It was very faint but it was voices. Faint, barely audible voices from above. But how would they hear him? He needed a miracle to happen. He put his hand to his chest. It was then that he felt it. Small, cold and metallic. The whistle! It was the whistle his uncle gave him. He had forgotten about it. He heard his mother’s words. “Never give up without a fight, always do your best”. With superhuman effort and mustering all his strength and breath, he blew the whistle as loud and long as he could. It was heard.
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JAMES NAYLOR PAINTINGS
I felt that it was time to let the 800 or more BU3A members who are not on our BU3A Facebook page see some more of the wonderful art of James Naylor. Every few weeks, our Facebook members respond enthusiastically when James ‘posts’ another splendid piece for us to marvel at. Some of you will remember, perhaps, my ‘Portrait of James Naylor’ in the Winter 2018 Buzz; in that, he referred to picking up his trumpet after 37 years of not playing at all and starting to play again with the ‘Old Blowers’. Well, much the same thing has been happening with his art. It all started just five years ago with Mary Ross’s Brushstrokes group which James still attends. Stunning things are going on in BU3A.
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Much of James’ passion for depicting horses comes from ownership in his younger years of fine animals such as ‘Caralyst’ (left).
James here with his wife, Lily, some 40 years ago after a good win.
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A TRIBUTE TO JUDITH Christine Aldridge
I’ve been in Barnsley U3A a very long time and I enjoy a variety of group activities. It's the people, though, that make it....so many of them talented, funny and interesting. One such is Judith Bisset who I met through the Stitches group. Judith was born in Barnsley in 1944 suffering with spina bifida and associated scoliosis which required her to wear a caliper. She had one brother, Trevor, who was 10 years older than her. Sadly, Judith's mum died when she was four and her father, who worked different shifts as a train driver, found it difficult to cope with her condition. So Judith went to live with her aunt and uncle.
Unfortunately, five years later her aunty died, and her dad's only choice was to suggest to Judith that she be admitted to St. Christopher's Railwaymen’s Children's Home in Derby. This was the ‘making’ of Judith because here she was treated as normal and her confidence grew! “Dad took me to look round this Home for 120 children. When I started there, I was lonely but that soon passed as I made friends with girls from all over the country. I remember one incident when all the girls wanted to carry my doll. I was a “proper little madam” deciding who I would choose. When I was 15, I was given charge of a mixed-race girl who was only 4. She had been upset by racist remarks. She was Vali, a sweet, pretty little girl. In the mornings, I got her ready for breakfast and took her to the nursery. We had a special bond and I was sorry when I left there. We lost touch but she wrote to me 15 years ago, saying how much I had helped her.” I also recall being given 6d to spend at a local shop, the ‘pictures’ on Saturday mornings, the Youth Club, going to local schools, which I enjoyed but I failed my ‘11 plus’. Also, Belle Vue in Manchester for sports and in Blackpool Pleasure Beach’s ‘Tunnel of Love’ with my boyfriend! And I was the first girl there to have a perm!” At sixteen, Judith took a commercial course in Derby during which time it became necessary for her to have a partial amputation of her right leg. Typically, with her usual
sense of humour, she agreed on condition that she could wear normal shoes! Following this, she came home again to live with her dad where she got a job locally. In 1961 she met her future husband, Barrie, and they married in 1963. After a few happy years together they discussed with the gynaecological consultant the possibility of having a baby. In 1969, Raychel, a healthy baby, was born. Barrie, though, had become ill with kidney failure and Judith chose to be trained as an artificial kidney assistant in their own home. In 2000, sadly, Barrie died.
It was shortly after this that Judith met Denis Avison who encouraged her to join BU3A. This proved to be a "lifesaver" as she joined Writing for Pleasure, the Choir and Stitches. She also did voluntary work at the Hospice and developed a hobby of cake decorating.
More recently, having been persuaded by a friend to place an advert in Barnsley Chronicle's ‘Couples’, Judith met her future husband, Ian, who continues to be a supportive and devoted partner. Now, though, due to a decline in her mobility she has to use a wheelchair but as you can see, she still manages to be very active. She is pictured in pantomime at Smithies Wesleyan Reform Church but recalls ‘training’ for this as a fairy godmother when at St Christopher’s. I'm pleased to say that because of BU3A, I met this remarkable woman and she makes me
happy and proud because she is a remarkable woman and a special friend.
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TABLE AND BOARD GAMES Coordinator: Martin E King Introducing you all to Mexican Train
In my last Buzz offering I outlined the way in which this group has developed, responding to members’ ideas for introducing us to new games. One such game has the trade-marked name of Mexican Train, and it is now a firm favourite for several members. While I guess that most of us are familiar with a range of domino games, this one builds on the basics of these (picking up, discarding and matching tiles of similar spot numbers) to make a colourful and simple-to-learn game for up to eight people. Inevitably, over the years, different manufacturers have marketed the game, adapting the rules slightly on the way. But an outline of the game will have general relevance.
While three or four players could enjoy the game using a standard black and white double-six set of dominos (aka tiles or bones), it looks and feels much more fun to play if one of the specific MT sets is acquired. These boast multi-coloured tiles of double-nines, double-twelves or, even better, double-fifteens or above. In addition, most special sets include a centrepiece or hub (a bit like a railway turntable), around which up to eight ‘tracks’ grow. If you are really lucky, your hub will also contain a domino-size trigger which, when pressed by the game winner, emits the whistle and chuff-chuff sound of a ‘real’ train!
To kick off, each player picks a different-colour small train, which is placed on the hub as the start of what will become their track. Once the dominos have been shuffled blind and the required number dealt to each player, initially face down, one participant (usually the one holding the highest double) places their bone on the hub centre. Each player follows in turn, trying to ‘grow’ their own track by matching the spots on the starter domino on the hub, and working out from that point adding a matching domino each time. Where the game gets interesting is when a player is unable to match their last tile, at which point their small train moves from the hub to the last placed tile, and that track becomes blocked to its ‘owner’ but available to other players. When a player is unable to place a domino (on their own, or another player’s whose track has been blocked), a tile is collected from the ‘boneyard’ of unallocated tiles. After this, a player needs to ‘unblock’ their track, to try to place tiles on the blocked tracks of other players and to attempt to use all their dominos first – at which point the central button can be activated by the winner!
One additional feature of the game is that one track and its train, remain unallocated to an individual player. This track, open to anyone, forms the ‘Mexican Train’, and is involved in the freeing and blocking tactics by all players.
Once one player has used up all his/her dominos (or no player can place a tile and the boneyard is empty) each player adds up the spots on their remaining bones to form a running total and the overall winner is the player with the fewest spots!
One additional positive: with the colour coding for tiles relating to their numbers, the game makes a good one for youngsters needing help getting to grips with numbers and basic addition! Which makes it a good family game.
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TRAVEL Coordinator: Audrey Eyre Over and done
Thirty-four members recently spent a very enjoyable day reminiscing about their childhood at the Beamish Open Air Museum - and the weather was very kind to us as well.
Still to come in 2019
On 8th December, a coachful of members are going to the Eastwood Hall Hotel, Nottingham, for the Big Band overnight trip. We shall be calling at Nottingham Winter Wonderland on the way there and Chatsworth House on the return journey to see the house dressed for Christmas. This trip is fully booked.
Looking Ahead to 2020
Sunday 8th March, a day trip to SALFORD QUAYS. There will be the opportunity to visit the Lowry Museum and /or the Imperial War Museum. There are also restaurants and a shopping outlet. We may also be able to arrange a tour around the Media Centre for those who are interested. £12.50.
Friday 3rd and Saturday 4th April, a visit to LONDON and the TUTANKHAMUN EXHIBITION. This is a celebration of the Treasures of the Golden Pharaoh to mark the 100th anniversary of the discovery of the tomb and is the last time these artefacts will be coming to London. One night B+B at the Guoman Tower Hotel £159 including admission to the exhibition (Single Supplement £70). Seats on this trip are limited so please book early to avoid disappointment.
Sunday 17th May, CHESTER CANAL CRUISE with LUNCH from £39.00. See Chester from a different angle. All food served on board will be freshly prepared by the Mill Hotel. We shall travel along the canal whilst we enjoy a three course meal - all included in the price.
Sunday 7th and Monday 8th June, BLISTS HILL and SHREWSBURY. Enjoy a visit to the historic Victorian town and meet the "townsfolk". We will also visit the town of Shrewsbury with time to explore. Hotel for DBB and price to be confirmed.
All-day and one-night trips pick up in Barnsley Bus Station and Penistone.
Following their recent illnesses, Hilary and Leslie Roberts would like to thank all their friends at BU3A for their help and kindness in ferrying them to and fro. It’s very much appreciated. 14
HISTORY Coordinator: Beth Rudkin I had been hearing great things about Beth’s Monday morning History group at Monk Bretton Methodist Church. Was it really true that about 50 members were turning up for her talks on Ancient Britain? To check it out, I popped along in October to see what was going on. Beth told me that she had done 8 hours of preparation for this talk and it is that kind of commitment that is wonderful and typical of so many of our brilliant Coordinators. I tried to marshal the 44 who had arrived for a group photograph but my iphone camera couldn’t cope with the numbers so those who were standing at the sides aren’t on, I’m afraid; you’ll have to make do with these 34 or so historians. Well done, Beth, your constant enthusiasm and desire to impart knowledge are evidently greatly appreciated!
History Group member, Ingrid Colley, writes:
We joined Barnsley U3A two years ago and were looking through the list of groups to join. My husband John said, “History! Fantastic! I’m joining that group”. I said, “Not for me, thank you”.
I’d obviously learned History at school but I had found it really boring – all those facts about wars and battles and foreign policies and people long dead. Miss Watson, our teacher, was coming up to retirement and had difficulty inspiring young girls more interested in The Beatles than in Civil War Battles.
So my husband joined and everything was fine until he broke his wrist and needed me to drive him. I decided to stay for the group, resigned to spending two ‘boring’ hours there. I was greeted warmly by the group Coordinator, the delightful Beth Rudkin, and during the two hours that followed, she changed me from someone who disliked History to someone who loves it. Beth’s enthusiasm is infectious. She brings the subject to life and puts flesh on the characters. They are no longer just names in a dusty book. She brings her own style of humour to the topics, adding in funny anecdotes and sometimes veering off at a tangent which is always amusing. We are well aware of the amount of research she does for each session.
Since we joined, we have worked our way through the Stuarts, the Hanoverians, Peter the Great, Catherine the Great, the French Revolution and are currently focused on Roman Britain and the Dark Ages.
The group has about 45 members, some of whom do presentations on subjects that interest them connected to the period. However, there is no pressure on anyone to do this. They have shared their knowledge on subjects such as Eyam and the Plague, the condition of children in the 18th century and Sarah, Duchess of Marlborough.
We have had some trips in the local area. These have included a joint visit to Wentworth Woodhouse with the BU3A Local History Group, a morning at Wentworth Church, organised by one of our group members and a joint trip to Nostell Priory with Wakefield U3A History Group. In November, we will be going to Aldborough (site of a Roman town) and York, again organised by a member of the group.
The group is lively and welcoming. People arrive early to chat and set out the chairs. The tea break can last more than ten minutes. The members who organise the supplies look after us well. There are always plenty of biscuits!
We have a great deal of fun. The theme of our last session before the summer break was The French Revolution and Napoleon. We turned the room into a café, with red gingham table cloths, French music and French inspired food. There was a competition and unsurprisingly the Guillotine Cake won! We are looking forward to our end of term fuddle at Christmas or as the Romans would have called it “Saturnalia”!
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CHOIR 10TH ANNIVERSARY CONCERT 19th October 2019 Marjorie Parkin
When I heard that our BU3A Choir was going to perform a joint concert with Thurnscoe Harmonic Male Voice Choir, I was very pleased. Our Musical Director, Tony Jermy, is also their MD. He gets the best out of his choirs with his even temper and positivity. They always say you can achieve more with a carrot than a stick; Tony is the embodiment of this attitude. He was the driving force behind this concert to celebrate the 10th Anniversary of our BU3A Choir and should be congratulated.
When I heard that the proceeds would be donated to a British charity called ‘Africa With Love’, I was even more pleased, because it is a cause very close to my heart. ‘Africa with Love’ bought a plot of land in Uganda and established a village which incorporates a school and health centre. It was founded by a married couple from Norfolk, the Willards, who are regular visitors to the village.
Some children are boarders and some are day pupils at the school. I have been a sponsor to Brendah, now aged 16, for 5 years. Brendah is part of a large family with no father present and was having to walk the long distance to school and back every day despite having asthma. By the time she got to school she was in no fit state to learn. I decided that I would sponsor her so that she could board.
Brendah loves being a boarder not least because she is fed regularly. Some children have very little to eat when they go home for the holidays. The food at the school is the same each day; posho (a kind of porridge) and beans, with the occasional addition of meat or fish. The boarders sleep in dormitories on mattresses covered by a sheet. They wear school uniform during the week, with a change of clothes for the weekend and Church on Sunday. It costs only £25 per month to sponsor a boarder.
My friend, Margaret Rowbotham, from BU3A Choir, will travel to the village in February, along with others from Barnsley. She will take letters to my sponsored children and make sure that their needs are met. When I decided to sponsor another child, Scovia was identified as being the most in need. She is one of two children who live with their mother, a single parent, but she is a day pupil. It costs only £18 a month to sponsor a day pupil. Here they both are (left) reading letters I sent to them along with some new clothes. I was very touched to receive a gift from Scovia’s mother, this woven bowl (right) beautifully wrapped in banana leaves.
‘Africa With Love’ will receive a magnificent £1,173.11 from the 19th October concert. It will be well spent. Thank you to all those members who attended. It was a very special occasion for us all.
Reaction to the concert
The members of the two choirs were delighted to meet each other, knowing that Tony Jermy and Irene Hill are the driving force behind both. But perhaps even they were a little surprised by how well the evening turned out. Comments ‘hit’ the BU3A Facebook page within an hour of the end of the concert.
“To be honest, I didn't expect too much but they well and truly nailed it!” “It was wonderful. Bravo to all concerned.” “A triumph. I hope there is another joint concert in the future.” “It was a wonderful evening’s entertainment. Thank you to both choirs.” “Brilliant !!” “Amazing!” “I was ‘blown away’ by Bohemian Rhapsody.” “The effort involved in planning this event, the many hours the choir must have spent at rehearsals, paid off brilliantly. A greatly appreciated evening, enjoyed, I’m sure, by all who attended.” 16
TWO POEMS SENT IN BY MEMBERS
This one could be the U3A official poem? And this one reminds us of our human equality?
DUST IF YOU MUST Sometime, when you're feeling important
Dust if you must, but wouldn’t it be better Sometime, when your ego's in bloom To paint a picture or write a letter, Sometime, when you take it for granted Bake a cake or plant a seed You're the best informed man in the room
Ponder the difference between want and need Take a bucket and fill it with water Put your hand in it up to the wrist Dust if you must, but there’s not much time, Pull it out and the hole that remains there
With rivers to swim and mountains to climb, Is the measure of how you'll be missed. Music to hear and books to read, Friends to cherish and life to lead. You may splash all you please as you enter
Dust if you must, but the world’s out there You may stir up the water galore
With the sun in your eyes, the wind in your hair, But stop! and you'll see in a moment a flutter of snow, a shower of rain, That it looks just the same as before. This day will not come ‘round again.
The moral of this simple story Dust if you must, but bear in mind, Is do the best that you can Old age will come and it’s not always kind. 'Cause you'll find that in spite of vainglory And when you go – and go you must – There is no' Indispensable Man' you, yourself, will make more dust.
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WALKING CRICKET
Coordinator ‘Mac’ McKechnie recently featured in ‘Barnsley Today’ magazine; this is part of the article.
MAC SCOOPS AN OSCA AT CRICKET AWARDS
Mac McKechnie is a Yorkshireman born and bred. Born in 1950 in Ripon, North Yorkshire, his early thoughts from the age of 15 were on an Army Career and that career spanned 15 years. During this period, cricket was his main sport, and on retirement in late 1979, he played several matches in the Bradford League and avidly followed Yorkshire and test matches.
Last year, Mac decided after a spell in hospital to get slightly fitter, and as he was already a member of Barnsley U3A, started a couple of their matches of ‘Walking Football’. After falling over for the second time whilst playing, and feeling the Astroturf digging into his knees, he thought “I wish I were playing my favourite sport, cricket.
Three things were needed, however; somewhere to play, equipment and, most important of all, some willing players. After Mac drummed up the interest, the list went up, and names were added very quickly. So quickly in fact that the innovative has grown from one group in Barnsley, to having two groups and recently another one in Doncaster. This initiative has grown like wild fire and has more groups showing an interest in setting up across Yorkshire - in Rotherham, Wakefield and York. (And, as of November 11th, STOCKHOLM! This is TRUE! Ed.)
Well, now Mac’s cricketing efforts have been duly rewarded when he recently received an OSCA (Outstanding Services Award) at a presentation in Leeds. Having won the Northern Regional award, Mac is now going to Lord’s, the home of English cricket, on 14th October, to the National Finals of Outstanding Services to Cricket awards.
Mac is a little embarrassed by all of the media attention that he is getting because, as he says, “All we do is play cricket with plastic bats. Not exactly test match cricket!” But one thing it certainly does is raise the profile of U3A at National level and the fact that U3A is being taken seriously as a tool to maintain healthy living and alleviate loneliness in older people in the community. Mac ended by telling us; “I have no expectation of winning anything, but I am not turning down a Mac at Lord’s flanked by the men’s and guided tour of Lord’s, a three course meal and mingling with some of the women’s xxxxxxx trophies cricketing elite that the country has at the moment.” Mac didn’t win the top national award but he has had a truly amazing year or two and our congratulations to him!
Hi, I’m Paul Shevill, 72 years old, living in Barnsley and since retirement I’d settled into a routine of not doing all that much. In my younger days, I loved rugby and played cricket in Leeds and West Yorkshire leagues. My wife saw an advert in the Barnsley U3A’s ‘The Buzz’ about Walking Cricket and thinking I might be interested, contacted Mac McKechnie. “You must be joking! Walking Cricket, surely, that’s some kind of joke!” I think she’d done it to get me from under her feet. But I said I’d give it a go and went to my first “match” with the intention to show my face and not return
How wrong can one be! I was amazed at the amount of fun being had and thoroughly enjoyed myself. Everyone playing to win, but it didn’t really matter! – It’s the fun, the people, the banter, the enthusiasm and, of course, the exercise. And those ladies with their vicious underarm bowling and hard-hitting batting showing no mercy!
After the game, handshakes, tea/coffee and a chat. All so very enjoyable. Walking Cricket is certainly no joke! Now I’m looking forward to the next and every game.
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YOGA Coordinator: Joy Nicholson
I’m Joy and I run the Kundalini Yoga and Meditation group on Thursday afternoons at Worsborough Bridge where the age-range stretches across four decades. I qualified as a Kundalini Research Institute teacher in 2011 (my fourth teaching qualification) and have practised yoga since the age of six, when an American programme introduced Hatha yoga to the UK in the 60s. I took up yoga again and changed my life after travelling in the Himalayas in the late 90s.
Our Autumn term ended on Thursday 28th November and then runs from February 6th until July with a short Easter break. In a U3A group, everybody has their own individual issues and so comes with their own way of making the Yoga their own. The Kriya Yoga offers sets or recipes for everything, including longevity, disease resistance and prosperity, as well as the prospect for becoming wiser and more saintly.
Whereas Hatha yoga puts the emphasis upon perfection of movement and posture, Kundalini is mostly done sitting on sheepskin mats for comfort, where movements are repetitive rather than perfect; always combined with breathing, and often with mudra and mantra, in other words, electronic connection through the hands and tongue, whilst using repetitive phrases. The Kriya or Set has been handed down since the 1500s since the Sikh tradition began and probably a thousand years of traditional teaching, dedicated study and practice passed from Master to student before that.
If the practitioner is unable to do things exactly as recommended, the importance of setting the intention and attempting or imagining these things as reality is held as equally important. Therefore, Kundalini Yoga becomes a most accessible exercise regime. “Kundalini” describes the main energy channels that spiral up the backbone and it is through the appliance of our own internal muscular locks that we create this energy rise and circulation within the body and throughout our own energy fields. By raising our energy, we can remove blockages to help ourselves and our health, happiness, and longevity.
After The Maha Yogi (Master Yogi), Yogi Bhajan PhD, arrived in America in 1975, he gained a great following amongst professionals, including doctors. His books can only be sourced through KRI (on Amazon) and everything has been well-documented in terms of medical explanations and effectiveness. This Spring term we will be working on many major physical issues, whilst occasionally doing sets that will work holistically on everything through the outer layer of the energy body known for creating saintly radiance and holistic health. The plan will go something like:
Foundation for Infinity / Lungs & Magnetic Field / Magnetic field & Heart / New Lungs Circulation / 10 Bodies Kriya / Pituitary Gland Series / Prana /Apana Balance – Excreting / Transforming the Lower Triangle / Radiant Body Pranayama / Sat Kriya Workout / Trikuti Kriya
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ENTERTAINMENT
PIPE MAJOR CAMERON EDGAR ADDRESSING THE HAGGIS
TOASTS & TRIBUTES DANCING TO BRACKENRIGG
CHOICE OF MENU
STARTER Haggis, Neeps & Tatties or Red Pepper & Tomato Soup
MAIN COURSE Roast Beef or Roast Chicken with Yorkshire Pudding & Seasonal Vegetables or Spinach & Ricotta Cannelloni
DESSERT New York Deli Cheesecake with Raspberry Coulis or Apple Pie & Cream
Cost: £25.00 per person, inclusive
Contact: Margaret Saxton
07919 830623
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CAMPERVAN AND CARAVAN Coordinator: Trudy Atkinson
We have had another very successful year with our holidays away taking us to Clitheroe, Northumberland and Shrewsbury. We found Clitheroe a very individual old town with a lot of shops which you do not seem to get these days in the new towns. The walks in the countryside outside of the town were delightful.
Northumberland found us for once with rain all day on the Wednesday and Thursday but it did not dampen our spirits because the majority of people still went out for the day. It is a beautiful part of the country, with great walking facilities and the beaches are lovely.
Our last trip gave us a lovely campsite by the River Severn just outside of Shrewsbury. We were impressed by this town with the history, the cleanliness and the beautiful flower displays. We also took a trip to the Aquaduct at Llangollen Canal which was very interesting. We were blessed with very good weather and we were able to have a party one evening to celebrate a wedding anniversary of our new members Margaret and John Cadman (photo).
We are having a meeting on 3 February 2020 at Priory Campus at 10.00am in the Elm Room to discuss where we are going next year and on which dates. If you have a caravan, motorhome or campervan and would like to join us you are very welcome to come to this meeting. Please contact Trudy Atkinson on 0776 832 5382 or email [email protected] for any more information.
CLASSICAL MUSIC AND OPERA Coordinator: Anthea Robertson Classical music this year has, as usual, ranged widely between well-loved favourites and lesser known composers. We have had some nostalgia with the Warsaw Concerto, Dick Barton and In Town Tonight; also, orchestral music of Sullivan, an introduction to (right) Aram Khatchaturian’s Cello concerto, and much more besides. Peter Mason presented a programme on Haydn (left), Beth a programme on Mendelssohn, and Chris Storey a selection based on The Sea. My thanks to them and to those who helped in other ways. Ralph Sales, especially, has done a great deal to help with new equipment, liaising with the Theatre Group and with Hilary Newton, who has been most supportive. We hope to have this up and running by February. For a variety of reasons, we have had fewer operas this year. Those we have seen are Hansel and Gretel, Turandot, Andre Chernier, and, on a lighter note, concluded with West Side Story (left). Classical Music ended with Borodin, and will resume with more Russian music on the 4th Friday in January, as part of a section dealing with nationalism in music.
Do come and join us for a relaxing Friday afternoon at Monk Bretton Methodist Church Hall. Hoping you all have a very good Christmas and New Year.
This delightful photo is of our Tuesday Walkers in October. This
group, run by Helen and Sid Swift, is at peak capacity and they certainly picked a good day for this 4.5 mile
walk around Darfield. Walk leader that day was Lynda Gensavage, Coordinator of Sequence Dancing 1 which is also at peak capacity! Popular BU3A!
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MEMBERSHIP NUMBER 1,200! BEVERLEY GODDARD the editor
In mid-October, we reached another BU3A ‘milestone’ with the enrolment of our 1,200th member, Beverley Goddard, and her husband, Griff, number 1,201. I thought I would ask Beverley if I could write just a few lines about her for ‘The Buzz’ and being a delightfully open, smiley, happy person she gave a straightforward, “Yes, of course”. So here is your new BU3A friend. And once again, we see that everyone of our age has a real story to tell about life’s ‘ups and downs’.
Beverley is Barnsley born and bred. She married Griff in 1979 and they have just celebrated 40 years together but their story could have been very different! They have two daughters, Harriet, 32, and Lily-May, 29, but when Lily-May was just 8 weeks old, Beverley suffered a brain haemorrhage and stroke! She was told that she would probably never walk unaided again but with the care and help of doctors and “the best husband in the world who does everything for me”, she made what appears to be an absolutely fantastic recovery. From the age of 14, she had trained as a hairdresser and from 1980-87, was Manager of Russell Eaton Salon in Barnsley and Manager of Panache Salon before that! The photo of them says it all, it seems to me. As grandparents now and with two more on the way, they’ll soon have their hands very, very full!
We only spoke for short time but I was a bit taken aback when we ended with Beverley (once a hairdresser, always a hairdresser!) commenting on my hair! My brother used to call me ‘Brillo Pad’ so it’s never been a welcome topic of conversation! I told her that I hate going to the barber’s and that’s true!
FRENCH LANGUAGE AND CULTURE Coordinator: Pat Wassell
This group was formed in November 2003. This year we celebrate our 16th birthday. Several members have been with me for many years including a few of the original members. I would like to thank everyone for their continued support, especially Gloria King, my deputy Coordinator. We still meet weekly and everyone’s interest in a wide range of topics, their desire to learn, their enthusiasm, commitment and humour make our meetings a real pleasure. I would like to offer the following poem in our two languages.
The First Christmas Le premier Noël
It never snows at Christmas in that dry and dusty land Il ne neige pas à Noël dans ce pays sec et poussiéreux Instead of freezing blizzards, there are palms and drifting sands Au lieu de gel des blizzards, il y a des palmiers et des sables à la dérive And years ago a stable and a most unusual star Et il y a des années une écurie et une étoile la plus inhabituelle And three wise men who followed it, by camel not by car Et trois hommes sages qui l’ont suivi à dos de chameau et non en voiture While sleepy on the quiet hills a shepherd gave a cry Tandis que somnolent sur les collines calmes un berger a poussé un cri He’d seen a crowd of angels in the silent starlit sky. Il avait vu une foule d’anges dans le ciel étoilé silencieux. In the stable , ox and ass stood very still and calm Dans l’écurie, bœuf et âne étaient immobiles et calmes And gazed upon the baby, safe and snug in Mary’s arms Et regardaient le bébé en toute sécurité dans les bras de Marie And Joseph, lost in shadows, face lit by an oil lamp’s glow Et Joseph, perdu dans les ombres, le visage éclairé par la lueur d’une lampe à huile Stood wondering, that first Christmas Day, two thousand years ago S’émerveillait ce premier jour de Noël, il y à deux mille ans.
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SEQUENCE DANCING Coordinator: Lynda Gensavage
SIX YEARS AND STILL GOING STRONG
I cannot believe that the Sequence Dancing group has just had its Sixth anniversary! After a shaky start, we are now a totally established group.
It was Sandra Bailey, Pat Butcher Janet Dyson and myself (Lynda Gensavage) who were the original group which registered to the then Development Officer, the indomitable Beth Rudkin, that we would like to learn ballroom dancing. A lady who was at the same New Members Meeting as me had said she was prepared to start a dancing group. Beth quickly arranged for us all to meet at Royston Methodist Church the following week; twelve of us arrived but to Beth’s dismay, the lady who had offered to show us our moves did not attend! That was a major problem as none of the people there could dance! .... a dancing group with no tutor. You would have thought this was the end of our venture, but no, we had Beth motivating us.
Suddenly a voice speaks up “my sister can dance”, and Beth was energised again. She took names and telephone numbers and before Marie Rusling could object, she was persuaded to help. That would be after she returned from a holiday which was organised and no she would not cancel, not even for her sister.
The three weeks before Marie started with us, other people who were trying out the group ‘took control’ and painstakingly tried to show us some moves. We were useless but determined. And Beth had made me Coordinator although I thought at the time that that was just to collect the £1 coins for the room hire! But liking a challenge, we persevered.
From small beginnings, big things happen. We are now 72 members and like to think of Friday as a social night with some dancing thrown in. We now take our dancing talents to other venues; we have danced at the Tower Ballroom in Blackpool, Buxton Pavilion, Bridlington Spa but one of my real favourites is Scarborough Fair. Besides having an afternoon tea dance, the place is full of vintage steam engines of all types plus many Wurlizter-type organs. I think the most enjoyable part of that trip was the free rides on the galloping horse, a real treat that brought back lovely memories of the fair which was in the old Barnsley market area. Another venue we visit often is the Astoria, Barugh Green. This year there are 40 of us going to the Christmas Dance. In November, fifty of us are taking a five-day dancing break to Scarborough. If all goes well, this may become an annual thing for us.
Becoming a Coordinator can be challenging but I’m surrounded by great friends who jump in and help so I never feel tied to the group; there is always a friend who will take over. Also now we have some really excellent dancers who can help Marie by showcasing dances that might be suitable for us to learn. Andy and Jo, Lynn and Jim, Jean and Charlie are a great asset to the group.
We have had fun and plenty of mishaps over the past six years but I’m looking forward to the next years to come. Finally, a big thank you to Ann and Ian Smith, who were such a help when we started, back in Royston. This was our venue before we grew too numerous for it and moved to Monk Bretton Methodist Church. Ann and Ian were both regular members before Ian became ill. We all think about both of you.
The photos are of the dance tutors: Marie Rusling and Janet Dyson, Andy and Jo Kasparek, Jim Kierans and Lynn Bray. And a very special mention for Charlie and Jean Wogan who do so much for this group but whose photos are not available as we go to press. Maybe they should be on the front cover of the Spring Issue in March!
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MARCH 2020 ISSUE: 2020 MARCH
FEBRUARY
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FRIDAY 7 FRIDAY
Write to: [email protected] to: Write BUZZ DEADLINE FOR DEADLINE BUZZ
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VENUE BUS STAND
AGE UK BARNSLEY, 36a Queens Road, Barnsley S71 1AR
ALDER CLOSE COMMUNITY CENTRE: Off Longsight Road, Mapplewell S75 6JA 1 10
ARDSLEY BOWLING CLUB: Coronation Terrace, Off Doncaster Rd, Ardsley S715BE 219 21
ARDSLEY OAKS WMC: 680 Doncaster Rd, Ardsley, Barnsley S71 5EF 219 21
BARNSLEY BOWL: Carlton Road, Barnsley S71 2AZ 12 8
BIRDWELL COMMUNITY CENTRE: Rockingham Street, Birdwell S70 5TQ 2 / 66 / 67 1
BURTON GRANGE COMMUNITY CENTRE: Wike Road, Lundwood S71 5LT 32 16
CUDWORTH METHODIST CHURCH: Barnsley Road, Cudworth, Barnsley, S72 8SU 27 16
DARTON PARISH HALL: Church St, Darton, Barnsley S75 5HF 93 5
DODWORTH LIBRARY: High Street, Dodworth, Barnsley, S75 3RF 22 4
DODWORTH MINERS WELFARE CLUB: High Street, Dodworth, Barnsley S75 3RF 22 4
EMMANUEL CHURCH: Huddersfield Road, Barnsley S75 1DT 95 5
KING STREET FLATS: Waltham Street, Barnsley, S70 1JU 22X / 6 18 / 17
MANOR COURT COMMUNITY CENTRE: Westend Ave, Royston, Barnsley S71 4LN 57 13
MAPPLEWELL AND STAINCROSS VILLAGE HALL: Darton Lane, Barnsley S75 6AL 1 10
MONK BRETTON METHODIST CHURCH: High St, Monk Bretton, Barnsley S71 2PJ 57 13
PENISTONE BOWLING CLUB: Back Lane, Penistone S36 6DW 22 4
POLLYFOX COMMUNITY CENTRE, Pollyfox Way, Dodworth S75 3QR 22 4
PRIORY CAMPUS: Pontefract Road, Lundwood, Barnsley S71 5PN 27 17
ST JOHN’S COMMUNITY CENTRE: Church St, Penistone S36 6AR 22 4
ST THOMAS’S COMMUNITY CENTRE: Church St, Gawber, Barnsley S75 2RJ 92 / 93 4
SEVENTH DAY ADVENTIST CHURCH: Doncaster Road, Barnsley, S70 3HA 6/22X/218/21 18 / 19
STOCKSBRIDGE LEISURE CENTRE: Moorland Drive, Stocksbridge, S36 1EG 23 5
STAIRFOOT CONSTITUTIONAL CLUB: 466 Doncaster Road, Barnsley S70 3PW 222/226/X19 18 / 19
TESCOs: Wombwell Lane, Stairfoot, Barnsley S70 3NS 22X 18
VALLEY COMMUNITY CENTRE: Manor Road, Cudworth, Barnsley S72 8DG 27 15
WESLEYAN REFORM CHURCH: Spark Lane, Mapplewell S75 6AA 1 10
WOMBWELL METHODIST CHURCH: Summer Lane, Wombwell, Barnsley S73 8HE 22 18
WORSBROUGH BRIDGE SOCIAL CLUB: Sheffield Rd, Worsbrough Bridge S70 5EJ 66 2
WORSBROUGH LIBRARY: Elm House Estate, Queensway, Worsbrough S70 5EN. 66 2
Changes were made to some routes and timings in Summer 2019. If you know that the above list contains incorrect information, please notify the Buzz team on [email protected] or speak to them at a
monthly meeting. For further information, contact BTI on 01226 213313 or Traveline on 01709 515151
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THURSDAY BUS PASS WALKERS Coordinators: Anne Swann & Marjorie Wallace
This list uses timetables available at time of going to print but routes and timings can change at short notice. If an alternative walk has to be submitted, it will use a bus journey from original meeting place at the same meeting time. In case of inclement weather please telephone early either Marjorie Wallace (723399) or Anne Swann (241200). It is recommended that good footwear be worn and if required the use of one or two walking poles. It is also advisable to bring a drink and a piece of energy food with you.
DATE LEADER DETAILS
16 January Marj Wallace Meet at Barnsley Bus Station for 10.10 bus, route 57, stand 13, to Royston. 2020 & Walk from Royston alongside canal TPT to West Green. Frequent buses for return to Anne Swann Barnsley. (4 miles)
6 February Anne Swann Meet at Barnsley Bus Station for 10.20 bus, route 66, stand 2 to Elsecar Heritage 2020 & Centre. Marj Wallace Circular walk along Timberland Trail via Elsecar Reservoir and Park returning to the Heritage Centre for refreshments. Return bus to Barnsley. (3 miles)
20 February Marj Wallace Meet at Barnsley Bus Station for 10.20 bus, route 66, stand 2 to Worsbrough. 2020 & Walk through Park to TPT and follow to Dark Lane, Gilroyd, Broadway, Locke Park and Anne Swann Park Grove to Morrison’s Supermarket. (4 miles)
5 March Anne Swann Meet in Barnsley Bus Station by the Enquiries Office at 10.00 am. 2020 & Walk to Queen’s Road then take lane passing the allotments to the Canal Basin at Marj Wallace Dearne Park, continuing on the TPT to Wombwell. Refreshments available at Tesco or Dunelm. Frequent buses return to Barnsley. (5 miles)
Some members of the Thursday Bus Pass Walkers having a break on a gorgeous September day on their walk from Rodley Bridge to Kirkstall Abbey along the Leeds-Liverpool canal
TWO FAB BUS JOKES 2. I hopped on a bus earlier today. After a while, the driver told me to sit down like everyone else. 1. I often get a 147 when I play snooker. It’s the bus that stops outside the hall.
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WEDNESDAY RAMBLERS Dave Webber As usual many thanks to all our walk leaders for a diverse and interesting selection of walks. Please contact (number on contact list) if you are interested in joining the group. Date Meeting Place Walking Area Leader(s)
4th December Elsecar Heritage Centre car Around Elsecar Dave and park, Wath Rd, Elsecar, Helen Webber Barnsley S74 8HJ 11th December Boatman’s Rest Public House, Around Worsbrough Jose and Edmunds Rd, Worsbrough, and Gordon Firth Barnsley S70 4TD Christmas Lunch 18th December Old Moor RSPB car park, Old 3 mile walk around outskirts David and Moor Lane, Wombwell, of Old Moor Helen Webber Bolton upon Dearne, S73 0YF Mince pies and mulled wine after walk. 25th December and No Walks No Walks 1st January 8th January On road at Tivy Dale, Surrounding area Jenny Sawyer Cawthorne and Erica Claxton 15th January Denaby Ings car park Pastures In and around the Lynda and David Rd, Mexborough, Doncaster Nature reserve S64 0JJ 22nd January Grenoside Wood car park Grenoside area Pat Addy Woodhead Rd, Wood Seats, Sheffield S35 8RS, 29th January Next to Railway station Near Stocksmoor Neal Fearns Stocksmoor, Huddersfield HD4 6XN Or even catch the train 09.03 from Barnsley! 5th February Crown Inn, Barnburgh Barnburgh area Pat Butcher Doncaster Rd, Barnburgh, Doncaster DN5 7JQ 12th February Car park behind or roads near Darton/Haigh Sheila Metcalfe Darton Post Office, 59 Church St, Darton, Barnsley S75 5HQ 19th February On road at Tivy Dale, Cawthorne area Jose Firth Cawthorne 26th February Langsett Barn car park A616, Langsett Steve and Langsett, Sheffield S36 9FD, Linda Wild 4th March Tankersley Welfare Hall, Pilley Circular walk Dave and Pilley Lane, Pilley, Barnsley, Helen Webber Nearest Postcode S75 3AP 11th March Wellbourne Lane, Royd Moor reservoir Jane Lawford Ingbirchworth (off A629 Huddersfield Road). 18th March On road at Tivy Dale, Deffer Wood Pauline Rowland Cawthorne 25th March Skelmanthorpe Junior FC car Part of Skelmanthorpe Sheila Metcalfe park Cross Lane Circular Trail Huddersfield HD8 9BR
TWO FAB WALKING JOKES 2. My grandpa started walking five miles a day when he was 60. Now he's 97 years old and we don't have a clue where the hell he is! 3. Walking 20 minutes a day can add to your life. It enables you at 85 years old to spend an additional 5 months in a nursing home at £2,000 per month. 4. Unfortunately, I have flabby thighs but, fortunately, my stomach covers them. 31
THURSDAYS LONGER WALKS Coordinator: Brian Smyth Unless shown differently all walks start at 10:00, the walks vary in difficulty, the ‘A’ walks being more challenging. For more details on any of the walks contact the walk leader. Interested in joining the group? Contact me.
Date Leader Meeting Place Walking Area Miles
12th Dec. Mick Mosforth Yorkshire Water car park Flouch & Winscar 9 Grid Ref. 201 012 19th Dec. Joint Walk with West Bretton Village Hall Sculpture Park - 6 Thursday Walkers Grid Ref. 124 832 Mince Pie Walk 26th Dec. NO WALK NO WALK NO WALK
9th Jan. John Sands Community Centre car park Skelmanthorpe area 10 ‘A’ Walk (Skelmanthorpe), signpost on main street. Grid Ref. 232 106 23rd Jan. Jean Potter & Low Bradfield car park Dale Dyke reservoir, 10 Pat Seymour Grid Ref. 263 920 Ughill Moor & Damflask 13th Feb. Andy Atkinson Near Upper Booth Jacob’s Ladder & 10 ‘A’ Walk Grid Ref. 107 847 Kinder Edge 27th Feb. David Leadbeater Smithy Moor Lane The 3 Reservoirs 8.5 (Underbank Reservoir) Grid Ref. 253 990 12th March Dave Allaway Ernwood Reservoir car park Goyt Valley, Shining Tor & 9 ‘A’ Walk Grid Ref. 013 756 Windgather Rocks 26th March Brian Smyth Shireoaks Village Hall Shireoaks, Chesterfield Canal, 8.5 Grid Ref. 554 809 Anston Stones Wood
SUNDAY STROLLERS Coordinator: Beth Rudkin
th December, 8 , 10.30 am Pugneys Water Park, WF2 7EQ, led by Gordon Walker. There is a café on site, but we have been known to abscond to the nearest hostelry
January 12th 10 30 am Anglers Country Park, WF4 2EB, led by Trish Atkinson. We will have to pay £1 for
parking, but the good news is that there is a café.
February 9th, 10 30 am Old Moor Nature Reserve, S73 0YF, led by Beth Rudkin. There is an entrance charge – a bit less if you happen to be a senior citizen. It’s not only birds we see, but other nature too. Wonderful place. th March 8 , 10.30 am Wigtoft Farm, S70 5NQ, led by Jo and Andy Kasparek. A beautiful short walk, with a café to finish.
All of these walks are short and on flat ground, with no stiles. Perfect if you are a bit wobbly on your feet
The editor’s advice to everyone in BU3A walking groups: Please, always take a compass
with you. It's not very nice when you have to eat your friends."
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TUESDAY WALKS Coordinators: Helen and Syd Swift (email: [email protected]. Tel: 01226 385454) All walks will meet at 09:45 am for a 10 am start and will be approximately 5 to 6 miles long. We estimate that they will be completed by 1:00 pm. The walks vary in severity so please do check with the leader if you have any concerns about suitability. There is usually a nearby refreshment venue if members wish to socialise after the walk. Unfortunately, we have reached full capacity and are unable to take new members at this present time. 2020 Meeting Place Walking Area Leader(s) 14 Newmillerdam car park Wakefield WF2 6QG Newmillerdam Helen and Syd January There are parking charges at Newmillerdam Refreshments: Local cafe 28 Heath Common Car Park Wakefield WF1 5SL Heath Common Pauline Haigh January Refreshments: Local 11 Scout Dike Reservoir Scout Dike Alan February Huddersfield Rd, Penistone, Sheffield S36 7GF and Pat Refreshments: Local Cafe 25 The Village Hall Car Park West Bretton WF4 4LB Yorkshire Carmel February (Discretionary parking fee £2) Sculpture Park Refreshments: Bretton Park Cafe 10 Langsett Barn Car Park Langsett S36 4GY Langsett Reservoir Chris March Refreshments: Biker’s Café, Langsett 24 The Crown, Barnburgh Craggs Ann and March Ludwell Close, Barnburgh, Doncaster, DN5 7JQ John Parr Refreshments: The Crown 7 Fishermen’s Car Park Directions to be given Wombwell Woods Robina April Refreshments: Dearne Valley Farm Pub or KFC 21 Main Car Park (near Rockingham Arms) Wentworth Mollie April Main Street, Wentworth S62 7TL Refreshments: Local
THURSDAY WALKS (January – March) Coordinator: Jean Potter Date Leader Walk Area Meeting place Distance Jan 2nd Use this date for recce-ing walks Jan 16th John & Sue Sands Clayton West Clayton West Church 6 Jan 30th Pat & Jean/Chris Oughtibridge / Worrall circular Oughtibridge Park 6/7 Feb 6th Brian & Carole Notton and Newmillerdam Notton Village hall 6 Feb 20th Mike H Cawthorne Tivydale 6 Mar 5th David & Kathryn Silkstone and Hoylandswaine CP behind garage. 6 Mar 19th Linda & Marjorie Heath Common Heath CP 6
PENISTONE WALKING Coordinator: Sue Green
Recently we did a circular walk from Elsecar to Wentworth including visiting the Needles Eye folly at Wentworth. Tradition says the folly was built to win a bet that you could drive a carriage and horses through the eye of a needle! On our walk it provided a good stopping point for our banana break.
The walking group meets on the 1st and 3rd Friday of each month. All walks start at 10 am with walks ranging from about 4-5 miles.
We’re a friendly group where new members always get a warm welcome. Contact Sue Green for details. (See U3A website)
From your ex-teacher editor: “Remember, not all classrooms have four walls. Get out there!”
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WHAT A TOTALLY BRILLIANT EMAIL. I passed it straight to Development Officer, Joanie Tollerfield.
In the Summer 2019 Buzz, I read, “Barnsley U3A lacks the following groups: Beer, Maths, Climate change, etc….” I wonder if there is a demand for Maths. I would be interested in being its Coordinator but I am not sure exactly what level people might want. My thoughts are: 1. I am useless at Maths! Can anything be done about it? 2. I simply can’t understand my (grand)kids’ maths books. 3. What’s all that x and sin stuff about? When I was at school, I never really understood it. Could it go in the Winter Buzz to see if there’s any interest? David Andrews
FRENCH CONVERSATION Gloria King (Coordinator)
Dictons de la Marquise de Sévigné: Sayings of the Marquise de Sévigné
Recently we read in French an interesting story about Marie de Rabutin-Chantal who married the Marquis de Sévigné, in 1644. They had a son and a daughter but the Marquis was a philanderer who died from his wounds when he fought a duel with the Chevalier d’Albret over a quarrel about the mistress of the marquis. Fortunately, Madame de Sévigné managed to hold onto a large part of her fortune. She didn’t marry again but spent a lot of time writing letters to her daughter and it is for these letters and the advice given from mother to daughter that she is remembered. By 1673, this correspondence was being copied and circulated, so she knew that her letters were semi-public documents and she was writing them with an audience in mind. Some of her sayings have survived until today……….
Je me crains rien autant qu’un homme spirituel toute la journée. I fear nothing so much as a man who is witty all day long.
C’est la fine pluie qui nous absorbe. It is the fine rain that soaks us through.
Nous n’aimons pas le bruit, sauf si nous le faisons nous-mêmes. We like no noise unless we make it ourselves.
Pourquoi découvrons-nous des défauts tellement plus facilement que la perfection? Why do we discover faults so much more readily than perfection?
Le coeur ne se ride. The heart never becomes wrinkled.
Il y a douze heures le jour et plus de cinquante heures la nuit. There are twelve hours in the day and more than fifty in the night.
Her sayings are as relevant today as they were in the seventeenth century!
The letters of Madame de Sévigné played an important part in a novel (In Search of Lost Time) by Marcel Proust, recently serialised on BBC Radio 4.
Yet another hilarious French joke
French doctor: What’s the problem, Pierre?
French baker: I’ve got pain in both legs.
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LITERATURE Coordinator: Beth Rudkin
The Literature group have been studying the works of Elizabeth Gaskell this term. To aid our understanding of the life of Elizabeth Gaskell, or more truthfully for fun, we decided to visit Knutsford where she spent much of her childhood and found inspiration for her work. We also visited her home in Manchester (left), where she did much of her writing, finding more inspiration from her experiences there.
In Knutsford Heritage Centre (left) we were able to either watch slides and listen to a guide giving us information about Knutsford and see the places that Elizabeth would have known, and then take a quick look at a few of the places. Or, to take a more leisurely walk about Knutsford, guided by a map giving details of all the places to see which were there when she lived there, the places that are thought to have inspired specific scenes in her stories and the buildings where the characters from her stories lived.
The Elizabeth Gaskell House in Manchester (left) enhanced our understanding of her life there as we took a tour of house led by very knowledgeable guides who were able to answer all our questions and lead us through the well-presented house. The tea or coffee and cake served in the basement ended the day very nicely.
After our Christmas celebration on 11th December chez Beth, we will be preparing to study H. G. Wells next term. Herbert George Wells (1866–1946) was an English writer who was prolific in many genres, writing dozens of novels, short stories, and works of social commentary, history, satire, biography, and autobiography. He is best remembered for his science fiction novels, but I think there should be something there to suit everybody. If we could only borrow the ‘Time Machine’, we may be in for a very interesting trip next term, to aid in our study, you understand. Sarah Guifo Guifo
HELEN SIMMS
Helen joined BU3A in May of this year to play flute with Flutes Galore. She is a highly accomplished flautist but wanted to spend more time playing the ‘normal’ silver C flute rather than the Irish flute that she plays in her Ceilidh band, the ‘Penistone WEA Folk Ensemble’. Needless to say, she has been a terrific addition to Flutes Galore. But Helen has many ‘strings to her bow’ or should I say ‘keys to her flute’; one of her passions is the work of the mental health charity ‘Mind’ as she knows several people who have struggled with this aspect of life. The photograph, above, appeared recently in the Barnsley Chronicle when she walked with her collie, Billy, and friend, Kathryn Smith, the 120-mile coastal path around Anglesey in just FOUR DAYS! The Chronicle reported that Helen and Kathryn have raised over £15,000 for ‘Mind’. In the photograph, they are holding two certificates from ‘Mind’, one for the Anglesey Challenge and the other for completing three major challenges in their fund-raising efforts. PS Helen loves Billy very, very much and he was only allowed to walk 60 of the 120 miles (just in case you were starting to get upset for him or to phone the RSPCA!)
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CYCLING Coordinator: Les Roberts
The Cycling Group meets fortnightly on Tuesdays from late February to early November at 10am. The rides suit all abilities and are on the Trans Pennine Trail, Wakefield Wheel or similar routes. Frequent stops are scheduled in for refreshments & socialising.
We start our 2020 programme of rides after the Winter break in February and would welcome new members. So if you want to take up cycling, are getting back into it or are a regular cyclist give us a call. For more information, contact the Coordinator on 01226 297260 Date Meeting place Ride to: Feb 18th Kendall Green, Worsborough Manvers Lake Mar 3rd Pugneys Water Park Wakefield Wheel / Nostell circular route Mar 17th RSPB - Old Moor Cusworth Country Park Mar 31st Anglers Country Park Stanley Ferry / Normanton circular route
BIRDWATCHING Coordinator: Gillian Richardson
December 9 2019: Wentworth village and the garden centre RHS garden. Meet at 9.30am and finish, if desired, at The Rockingham Arms for lunch/snack.
January 13 2020 : The Dearne Valley Park. Meet at 9.30 in the car park off Pontefract road, Barnsley. This is a Yorkshire Wildlife Park sponsored nature reserve.
February 10: Old Moor RSPB reserve. Meet at 9.30am in the Reserve car park
March 9: Anglers’ Country Park. Meet between 9.30 and 9.45am in the car park- parking fees in force.
As usual reminders and further details will be sent before the scheduled visits.
I repeated the mistake I made in 2108 by visiting Thurgoland in October; now, I definitely know that it is a month too early to spot winter visitor thrushes and alas we saw few birds on the circular walk. However, in August at Old Moor we noted 37 species including a Knot (left) whose usual habitat is the coast! Old Moor continues to be a haven and resting place for rarities and so it is always worth a visit especially when experts in the Hide help with identification; we were grateful to a lady who travels by bus and then uses one of their disabled scooters, such is her dedication. In the September rain at Sprotborough, we braved the conditions and it was worthwhile because there were birds on the Flash and river, but we left puzzled as to the identification of a bird of prey which perched for ages and could have been a young peregrine falcon (right). We had my telescope and bird books but no camera attachment for the ‘scope’. However, there is always the next time and birdwatching always brings something new to see.
Ornithology Corner: Why do humming birds hum? Obviously, because they can’t remember the words! (ed)
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My Memory's fading fast a story by Maureen Robinson
At the October Monthly Meeting, Maureen, who was singing in the choir, listened to Roz Strudwick talking about Creative Writing and asked me if she could have in ‘The Buzz’ a piece she had written. Here it is.
One by one I slowly and carefully climb the dingy staircase steps into the loft. It was years ago that I put it there for safe keeping, no one would find it in this hide-out. "What was it I was looking for? l can’t really remember, I just know this is where it will be. What makes me think that? Well, because! Because what? Because, this is where I put things for safe keeping, so safe I can never find them".
After gingerly scraping a way through the dust and cobwebs and rummaging through old tea chests full of toy cars, lorries, buses, tractors, train sets and checking to see if they are still in working order, I come across some old paintings, neatly rolled and stored in a large cardboard box. "These might be valuable, they look really old. It's a good job no one can hear me, they'll think I've gone doolally."
Valuable? Well, my husband thought so when he put them there thirty years ago. I remember each day I picked the boys up from nursery or school and another of their creations had to be mounted on the kitchen wall. "They might become famous artists one day and these stick paintings will be worth a fortune" their proud Dad had said as he packed them away into the loft. My youngest is thirty-five this time, he loved drawing and I ought to keep them a bit longer.
I continue searching and it finally becomes apparent that whatever it was, it just isn't here. But at least the place is a bit tidier now than it was four hours ago. Yes, that's how long it took to not find something.
I go downstairs and grab a drink and a feta and beetroot sandwich, my favourite. Then it's back to the big search. I start in the cupboard in the spare bedroom. Wish I hadn't! It's packed with files, boxes, folders, shoes, boots, most not worn for years and I doubt ever to be worn again. At this stage I get a bag ready for the charity shop. "Well, I’m sure, someone will be happy to wear them." I find the two wreaths that hang outside on the doors at Christmas and the seven-foot artificial tree. "That can go, real Austrian pine is best, I like smell of those. Now then, where was l?" The cupboard is nearly empty now, but the bedroom looks as though a bomb's been dropped in it. Just two more things; the small, boxed cylinder hoover I bought to clean inside the car. You'd think it was enormous by the size of the box, it's all that blooming polystyrene packing they use. The other is an old beige coloured, imitation snake-skin suitcase. Blimey! I remember my friends and colleagues at David Brown’s buying me this for my 21st birthday." I know what's inside so I don't look; I'll sort it out later.
I phone a friend. "Hi! David, Maureen here, I need some advice." "Ok, love, I'll help if I can." "Well, I've been clearing out a bedroom and there's some condensation marks on the outside wall. What should I do?" He's a bit of a painter and decorator. "Just put on two coats of ordinary matt paint and when you notice it getting a bit grubby, freshen it up with another. I've got the same problem in my ensuite and that's how I solve it." "Thanks love, you're a star!"
Three days later I put stuff back in. The lonely charity sack had now become six so I phone Cancer Research to come and collect them. Everything's placed in an orderly fashion. Just the old suitcase now; can't face it, I'm so tired. I know what's in it, I'll do it tomorrow. But I'm inquisitive, so I lift the lid and there it is as large as life!
Hubby shouts upstairs; "Em, it's time you were knocking off, your meal's nearly ready." "Coming!" I shout back. "You'll never guess what?" "What?" "I've found it." "Found what?" "The thing I've been looking for." I shout out loud:
"No. 1. Training Battalion. REME. Blandford, April, 1956. 'A' Company. No. 1. Platoon (Regulars.) Back row second from the left 'Private Robinson.' He looks serious, he was only nineteen.”
On the reverse side are signatures and addresses of most of the platoon. He runs upstairs and starts giving a running commentary as he points and talks about all his buddies. "Gosh! I don't know how you remember all that; my memory's fading fast. Let's go and eat that meal."
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BOOK FORUM 1 Coordinator: Jacqueline McGeever
'Our group is doing well at our Monday 12.30pm meetings at Worsborough Library and we are that time of year when we choose our book titles for 2020. Although we haven't collated our list yet, we have a few ideas and reviews that we are perusing.'
The Beekeeper of Aleppo - A sad, moving story about a husband and wife's wracking journey from Syria to UK. There is love, hope, happiness and grief - promising to be a real tear jerker.
Beloved by Toni Morrison - This book reads almost like poetry yet is often hard to read, however it brings us a tiny bit closer to understanding and is important to read.
A Single Thread by Tracy Chevalier - A story of Winchester Cathedral and all the people it draws into its fold, alive in this wonderfully depicted historical tale of female strength, spirit and determination.
Normal People by Sally Rooney - An improvement on her first novel. A campus novel, portraying two people maturing as they go from their teenage years into their twenties, characters very human, deeply flawed and easier to love.
Lincoln in the Bardo by George Saunders - The story takes place in 1862, in the cemetery in Washington DC where Willie Lincoln, 11-year-old son of Abraham Lincoln, has just been buried, following his death from typhoid. He is surrounded by other dead spirits who talk directly to the reader, intercut with extracts from historical accounts.
Wild Swans or Big Sister, Little, Red Sister by Yung Chang - Although some of us have read Wild Swans it is certainly a book to return to. Yung Chang's latest book may be one for 2021!
We are also looking out for something lighter and amusing to read to balance out our choices perhaps Mooncakes (love, demons, family and witchcraft!) or Graham Norton's Autobiography he, he, he any ideas?
THREE BRILLIANT BOOK JOKES
3. “Why am I sitting at the back of my wardrobe, reading a book? Narnia business!” 4. A man in Barnsley library asks for a book on ‘pantomimes’. Librarian says, “It’s behind you”. 2. I’m reading an enthralling book about anti-gravity at the moment. Just can’t put it down! 1. Barnsley librarian slipped and fell at work. Doctors think she’d walked into the Non Friction section.
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BOOK FORUM 2 (TUESDAYS) Coordinator: Gloria King
We meet at Birdwell on the first Tuesday of the month. New members will be very welcome. Here is the list for the first few months of 2020: the books will be discussed on the dates shown.
Jan. 7 The Holiday by TM Logan. It was to be a one-week holiday for three families but there is also a killer. A perfect holiday in a luxurious villa in Provence is not a holiday in paradise!
Feb. 4 Tombland by C J Sansom. It is an historical tale of unrest in 16th century Norfolk. Matthew Shardlake is a hunchbacked lawyer detective who becomes embroiled in political intrigue and murder.
Mar 3 The Silence of the Girls by Pat Baker. The Iliad is a poem about the terrible destruction caused by male aggression but this story is told from the point of view of the females.
Apr 7 The Secret Rooms by Catherine Bailey. The Story of Belvoir Castle, the home of the Dukes of Rutland. The story is set in Edwardian times when people were obsessed with class.
May 5 The Ghost Tree by Barbara Erskine. This is a time-slip story based on the author’s own family history.
Satnav – A new poem by Pam Ayres. LOCAL HISTORY
Coordinators: Ellen Walsh & Rose Sedgewick
The Local History group would love
to receive any books on local history I have a little Satnav, it sits there in my car. so that they can add to their library. A Satnav is a driver's friend, it tells you where you are. I have a little Satnav, I've had it all my life. It's better than the normal ones, my Satnav is my wife.
It gives me full instructions, especially how to drive, "It's sixty miles an hour", it says, "You're doing sixty five". It tells me when to stop and start, and when to use the brake And tells me that it's never ever, safe to overtake.
It tells me when a light is red, and when it goes to green, It seems to know instinctively, just when to intervene. It lists the vehicles just in front, and all those to the rear.
And taking this into account, it specifies my gear.
I'm sure no other driver has so helpful a device. For when we leave and lock the car, it still gives its advice.
It fills me up with counselling, each journey's pretty fraught. So why don't I exchange it, and get a quieter sort?
Ah well, you see, it cleans the house, makes sure I'm properly fed. It washes all my shirts and things, and keeps me warm in bed! Despite all these advantages, and my tendency to scoff, I only wish that now and then, I could turn the bugger off.
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NATUREQUEST Coordinator: Tony Hunt
December No meeting
January 9 Burton Grange 1.30pm - " Life in the Freezer " DVD David Attenborough
February 13 Burton Grange 1.30pm - " Galapagos " DVD David Attenborough
March 12 Lotherton Hall and Bird Garden, Lotherton Lane, Aberford, Leeds LS25 3EB. Hall, Garden, Cafe, Estate and Bird Garden = £8 Meet at 11am. From Junction 47 of M1 follow signs
All U3A members are welcome to attend our meetings at Burton Grange.
TUESDAY GARDENERS - January to March 2020 Coordinator: Judith Hunt
14 JANUARY DVD at Burton Grange
A visit by Hilary Hutson to speak to us at Burton Grange. She will deliver an illustrated 28 JANUARY presentation on Gardening in Troughs and Sinks.
11 FEBRUARY A visit to Hodsock Priory to view the snowdrops.
25 FEBRUARY A visit to 72 Church Street, Oughtibridge, to view their snowdrop garden.
10 MARCH A visit to Golden Acre Park, Bramhope, Leeds LS16 8BQ
24 MARCH A visit to Walkers Nurseries, Mosham Road, Blaxton, Doncaster DN9 3BA
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THURSDAY 10-PIN BOWLING Coordinator: Mike Maher
Late October saw our latest ‘Just-for-fun’ Autumn Handicap Competition. This time the winner was long-standing group member Stuart Fenton, who won the trophy, a bottle of wine, a chocolate novelty and a free bowling voucher donated by Barnsley Bowl. He also won the Men’s highest 'Scratch' Score trophy together with more wine and chocolate.
The trophy for the Ladies’ Highest ‘Scratch’ Score over the two games, was won by Jean Wroe. She also received wine, chocolate and a free bowling voucher. Stuart generously donated his voucher to Richard Roughley, one of the newer members, who was the runner-up prize in the overall handicap. This was a big step up for Richard who won a wooden spoon in the last handicap competition six months earlier. Richard also received wine and chocolate this time. (The 'handicapping' used for competitions means that everyone has a fair chance of winning, particularly if they bowl slightly better than their average score.)
Now, back to the prize-winners! Over the two games, Paul Weston scored the most ‘Strikes’, achieving 9, Richard Pendree managed to complete 12 'Spares' and Jeni Pendree scored 4 with the first ball of a frame (not a common occurrence) 3 times! Each received a small prize.
Roy Brown, Robert Docker and Tess Youle won wooden spoons for not ‘totally brilliant scores’ but they did also receive some chocolate.
There is a lot of good-natured banter at our meetings and we always have a laugh, usually at ourselves; new members are always made very welcome. If you, like many Barnsley U3A people, haven’t played ten-pin bowling since your youth, why not give it a go? You’ll probably enjoy it! Why not take the plunge and join us? We meet at Barnsley Bowl (on Carlton Road, Athersley) from 9.45 for about two hours and have two games of bowling with a break for coffee etc. Usually there are 15 to 25 of us playing, with 4 or 5 people playing on a lane. From December 2019, the bowling costs £7.20 inclusive of shoe-hire, plus the cost of the half-time drink should you wish to buy one.
If you have any questions or need more information you can contact me by phone at the number on the Contact List in The Buzz or call in at the bowling alley during one of our sessions.
Hope to see you there!
The photo shows the trophy winners and the runner-up, with group Coordinator Mike Maher.
A Fabulous roofing joke (see below)
Two antennas met on a roof, fell in love and got married. The ceremony wasn’t up to much, but the reception was excellent.
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Flix is on the first and third Fridays of the month at 6pm at Priory Campus. We have fish and chips for those who want it, if you don't want, that's fine. There’s no charge for a cuppa and biscuit at the moment, they’re on us so the only charges are the £1 blue box fee and 20p towards the cost of films and whatever you order from the chippy.
20th December: FISHERMAN’S FRIENDS Cast: Daniel Mays, James Purefoy, Tuppence Middleton, Noel Clarke, David Hayman Storyline: A fast-living, London music executive heads to a remote Cornish village on a stag weekend where he's pranked by his boss into trying to sign a group of shanty singing fishermen. He becomes the ultimate 'fish out of water' as he struggles to gain the respect or enthusiasm of the unlikely boy band and their families who value friendship and community over fame and fortune. As he's drawn deeper into the traditional way of life he's forced to re-evaluate his own integrity and ultimately question what success really means. Genre: Comedy, Drama, Musical 3rd January 2020: THE EQUALIZER 2 Cast: Denzel Washington, Pedro Pascal, Mellisa Leo, Bill Pullman Storyline: Denzel Washington returns to one of his signature roles in the first sequel of his career. Robert McCall serves an unflinching justice for the exploited and oppressed – but how far will he go when that is someone he loves? Genre: Action, Crime, Drama, Thriller, Sequel
17th January: PHANTOM THREAD Cast: Daniel Day-Lewis, Lesley Manville & Vicky Krieps Storyline: Set in the glamour of 1950’s post-war London, renowned dressmaker Reynolds Woodcock and his sister Cyril are at the centre of British fashion, dressing royalty, movie stars, heiresses, socialites, debutants and dames with the distinct style of The House of Woodcock. Women come and go through Woodcock’s life, providing the confirmed bachelor with inspiration and companionship, until he comes across a young, strong-willed woman, Alma, who soon becomes a fixture in his life as his muse and lover. Once controlled and planned, his carefully tailored life is disrupted by love. Genre: Drama, Romance 7th February: RED JOAN Cast: Judi Dench, Sophie Cookson, Stephen Campbell Moore Storyline: Joan Stanley is a widow living out a quiet retirement in the suburbs when, shockingly, the British Secret Service places her under arrest. The charge: providing classified scientific information to the Soviet government for decades. As she is interrogated, Joan relives the events that shaped her life and beliefs: her student days at Cambridge, where she excelled at physics while challenging deep-seated sexism; her love affair with a dashing political radical and the devastation of World War II, which inspired her to risk everything in pursuit of peace. Genre: Drama
21st February: YESTERDAY Cast: Himesh Patel, Lily James, Ed Sheeran, Kate McKinnon, Joel Fry, James Corden Storyline: Jack Malik is a struggling singer-songwriter in a tiny English seaside town whose dreams of fame are rapidly fading, despite the fierce devotion and support of his childhood best friend, Ellie. Then, after a freak bus accident during a mysterious global blackout, Jack wakes up to discover that The Beatles have never existed... and he finds himself with a very complicated problem, indeed. Genre: Comedy, Science Fiction & Fantasy, Romance
6th March: WHERE’D YOU GO BERNADETTE Cast: Kirsten Wiig, Cate Blanchette, Judy Greer, Laurence Fishburne, Billy Crudup Storyline: Based on the runaway bestseller about Bernadette Fox, a Seattle woman who had it all - a loving husband and a brilliant daughter. When she unexpectedly disappears, her family sets off on an exciting adventure to solve the mystery of where she might have gone. Genre: Comedy, Drama, Adaptation
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FLIX @ 6 FILM AUCTION The following films, all of which have been shown at FLIX in 2019 are to be auctioned off at the January monthly meeting. If you are interested in any of these but will not be able to attend the meeting, please feel free to submit your highest bid by email to: [email protected]
FILM CAST GENRE SHOWN Mamma Mia – Christine Baranski, Pierce Brosnan, Musical, Romance, 5 Apr Here We Go Again Colin Firth, Andy Garcia, Meryl Streep Sequel I, Tonya Margot Robbie, Sebastian Stan, Biography, Drama, 3 May Allison Janney, Bobby Canavale Sport Another Mother’s Son Jenny Seagrove, John Hannah, Biography, Drama, 17 May Ronan Keating, Julian Kostov War Mission Impossible – Tom Cruise, Henry Cavill, Alec Baldwin, Action, Adventure, 7 Jun Fallout Rebecca Ferguson, Angela Bassett Sequel Goodbye Christopher Domhnall Gleeson, Margot Robbie, Drama 21 Jun Robin Kelly MacDonald, Three Billboards Outside Frances McDormand, Drama 5 Jul Ebbing Missouri Woody Harrelson, Sam Rockwell Overboard Eugenio Derbez, Anna Faris, Comedy, Romance 19 Jul Eva Longoria, John Hannah The Old Man Robert Redford, Casey Affleck, Crime, Drama, True 2 Aug and The Gun Sissy Spacek, Danny Glover Story The Wife Glenn Close, Jonathan Pryce, Drama, Romance 16 Aug Christian Slater, The 12th Man Jonathan Rhys Meyers, Thomas Gullestad, Action, Adventure, 6 Sep Marie Blokhus True Story The Keeper David Kross, Freya Mavor, John Henshaw, War, Sport, Romance, 20 Sep Dave Johns, Dervla Kirwan True Story Finding Your Feet Imelda Staunton, Timothy Spall, Celia Imrie, Comedy 4 Oct John Sessions, Joanna Lumley Mary Poppins Returns Emily Blunt, Ben Whishaw, Julie Walters, Adventure, Fantasy, 18 Oct Colin Firth, Meryl Streep Sequel The Green Book Viggo Mortensen, Don Stark, Drama, True Story 1 Nov Linda Cardellini Game Night Jason Bateman, Rachel McAdams, Comedy, Mystery 15 Nov Billy Magnusson, Sharon Morgan The Aftermath Kiera Knightley, Alexander Skarsgard, Adaptation, 6 Dec Jason Clarke Drama, War Fisherman’s Friends Daniel Mays, James Purefoy, Noel Clarke, Comedy, Drama, 20 Dec Tuppence Middleton, David Hayman Musical
FOUR GREAT FILM JOKES “Good day today, Dave?” “Well, I went to the cinema with Mary to see the film ‘Suffragette’; two hours of a woman's struggle…. full of tears, aggression, sadness, anger and frustration. Anyway, after she finally managed to park the car in the cinema car park, we rushed in and just managed to catch the last ten minutes.”
How does Reese eat her ice cream? Witherspoon.
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MONDAY MONTHLY MEETINGS at PRIORY CAMPUS 1.30-3.00 January to June 2020
January 6th Andrew Foster from South Yorkshire Police’s Fraud Protection Section. He works with victims of fraud every day, many of them elderly; they can be too trusting and are very vulnerable to plausible criminals. He wants to make sure you don’t need his help any time soon.
February 3rd Singalong for Fun – our own BU3A music group will be entertaining us in their own inimitable way.
March 2nd Daniel Pinder – ‘Tax, Care and Toy Boys?’ This talk from the Coop Estate Planning Department will affect all of us, focusing on things that we might think will not happen to us, BUT THEY WILL! This is a talk delivered to many U3As because it is important in protecting your wellbeing and your money and ensuring that this goes where you want rather than where the government might prefer it to go. We felt it a sensible talk to have in trying to help our BU3A members.
April 6th Membership Renewal Day and Yorkshire Air Ambulance visit. Membership Secretary, John MacKinnon, and his team would have preferred a non-speaker session for this meeting because renewals can run past the 1.30 start time. I had done some initial planning for a BU3A Art and Craft Exhibition but I have now postponed that because it is a day when Yorkshire Air Ambulance are able to visit us that day and it is a cause worth supporting.
May 11th David Bell - The Plague Doctor; the story of Eyam. “Great! Still laughing.” “An hour of sheer joy” “We didn't expect that! Highly recommended. Brilliant!”
June 1st BU3A ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING. A very special meeting that will mark a landmark moment as we reach the maximum 8-year period allowed under U3A rules for Alan to be our Chairman.
FLUTES GALORE IN DECEMBER Coordinator: Derek Bacon
hear us at collecting for charity Sunday 8th Cannon Hall, Barnsley 12 - 2pm to be confirmed
Wednesday 11th Morrisons, Barnsley 6 - 8pm CLIC Sargent Children’s Cancer Fund
Saturday 14th Gatty Hall, Ecclesfield 7 - 9pm non-charity Christmas concert; guests of Ecclesfield Handbells and Deepcar Brass Band Monday 16th Asda, Wakefield 10am - 12 noon Wakefield Hospice
JOHN & MARTIN U.P.V.C. DOOR AND WINDOW
SERVICE ENGINEERS ADJUSTMENT AND REPAIR SERVICE
THE DOOR DOCTOR
QUOTES FOR REPLACEMENT WINDOWS AND DOORS. STEAMY GLASS UNITS, LOCKS AND HANDLES, PLACEMENT DOOR PANELS,
LETTERBOXES & HINGES, ETC (No call out charges) TEL: 07742080207/07722086250
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Season’s Greetings from THE SOCIAL COMMITTEE
JOE, MAX, JACQUI, JOHN PETER, MARGARET, BETTY, SHARON Thanks to everyone who supported us in 2019. We are extending our Programme for 2020 and if anyone would like propose an event, we would be Happy to Hear from you!
Best Wishes for the Christmas Season and a Happy New Year.
‘THE BUZZ’ PRODUCTION PROCESS AT BRAILSFORD’S
For many years, we have used Brailsford’s printers to produce The Buzz and all the editors and production team members over those years will have visited their premises on Doncaster Road in Barnsley. Rather sadly, Brailsford’s closed the Barnsley branch of their business in August 2019 and moved all their production to their Rotherham branch on Parkgate in Rawmarsh. Therefore, the Autumn Buzz was and all future editions will be handled there. John Brailsford very kindly took these pictures of The Autumn Buzz in production and gave me a tour of the works.
I asked him many questions about his business and was impressed by his huge annual turn-over figures and the names of the companies he works for. I was surprised to be told, for example, that Brailsford’s have a big contract with MacDonalds and alongside huge piles of MacDonalds leaflets that you see on their restaurant tables and workers’ contract sheets, our 950 Buzzes looked like a rather tiny and unimportant contract but Mr Brailsford dismissed that comment and said that every piece of business is equally important. Well, I never go to MacDonalds so I think that The Buzz is not equally important but, in fact, FAR MORE IMPORTANT! (We’re now printing 1,000!)
STITCHES Coordinator: Suzanne Dinsdale
You might be wondering what these are! They are boxes! Judith Hunt showed us how to make these ingenious Venus Fly-Trap boxes which open when squeezed. We decorated them using a variety of methods such as Sashiko embroidery and appliqué to produce very distinctive individual boxes.
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COUNTRY DANCING 1 Coordinator : Gill Newbould
On one of my random trips out to see what’s going on in BU3A, I came across wonderful Country Dancing 1 at my now second home, Emmanuel Church, on Huddersfield Road. I remember clearly the primary school trauma of having to learn how to polka; I used to set off from home to polka the 400 yards to school at the age of 6? 7? 8? They certainly knew how to traumatise little boys in those days! But having visited this marvellous bunch of totally un-traumatised dancers under the leadership of Coordinator Gill Newbould and ‘caller’ Elaine Randerson, I think it’s probably time I had another go!
BUZZ DEADLINE FOR MARCH 2020 ISSUE:
FRIDAY 7TH FEBRUARY
Write to:
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BEWARE THE SILENT CARBON MONOXIDE (CO) KILLER BUY A CARBON MONOXIDE ALARM NOW
BOB SMITH who is in our Choir, German and History groups has asked me to write in The Buzz about a matter that has affected his life very badly. He tells me that the death of his wife, Sandra, this year was partly attributable to a faulty boiler in their house. One senses anger and guilt as he talks about it. He urges us all to watch the excellent one-minute internet film ‘Gas Safety One Survivor’s Story’; you could save your own life or that of a loved one. I have watched it and Bob is right.
Carbon Monoxide is a deadly gas that cannot be sensed using human senses yet less than 2% of CO in the air can kill you in one to three minutes. Every year there are around 60 deaths and many more injuries from accidental carbon monoxide poisoning in England and Wales. Carbon Monoxide comes from faulty cookers, heaters, boilers, fires, barbecues and generators in houses, tents, hostels, hotels, villas, boats or any enclosed or semi-enclosed space. It is also, of course, emitted from car exhausts.
What should we do now?
1. Make sure appliances are properly installed and maintained by qualified people according to manufacturer's instructions. With gas this means finding a Gas Safe Registered installer qualified to work on that appliance. 2. Ensure adequate ventilation so there is enough oxygen at the flame to produce C02 not CO. 3. Make sure chimneys and flues are swept and checked by a trade association sweep. Appliances without flues or chimneys can be extremely dangerous. 4. Buy and fit a CO alarm to EN50291 standard. Buy direct from a reputable supplier.
Installers of appliances are NOT required to be registered by law.
It is up to the consumer to find an expert.
Symptoms of CO poisoning include: HEADACHES DIZZINESS TIREDNESS BREATHLESSNESS NAUSEA
If you think you are being poisoned by CO, go outside! Ring the emergency services and gas emergency service 0800 111 999. Remember that you could be being poisoned by a wood burner or by next door's coal fire. Use your common sense to think about appliances that could be poisoning you with their fumes or exhausts.
COOKERY CORNER CHRISTMAS SPECIAL Christine Palmer (and t’editor)
REALLY QUICK SPONGE PUDDING OR FABULOUS ALTERNATIVE TO CHRISTMAS PUDDING
A really delicious and quick microwave pudding that serves 2. Do the maths to make it for more! (84 ÷ 2 = 42)
1 oz margarine or butter 1 oz sugar 1½ oz SR flour 1 egg
Filling could be jam, lemon curd, treacle, stewed fruit such as apple, plum, rhubarb, cherry, reindeer or as an
alternative to Christmas pudding you could use mincemeat or even mix a couple of tablespoons of mincemeat in the cake mix. If using treacle, you could, if you are really, really posh, add a sprinkling of ground ginger to the mix.
1 Cream the butter and sugar then beat in the egg. 2 When thoroughly mixed, sieve in the flour and stir in gently to make a smooth mixture. 3 Grease a microwave bowl, put your filling in the bottom (two tablespoons), then pour in the cake mixture. 4 Microwave on full for 2½ minutes. Do the maths if you’ve made a bigger sponge!
The pudding should be spongy to the touch. Serve with custard. DELICIOUS! YUM YUM!!
(Do you think the word ‘spongy’ looks wierd and sounds worng?).
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1 The super October Ceilidh, starring Max Senior (or so I’m told!) 2 Our strappin’ Walking Cricket lads ready to annihilate t’opposition. 3 A frightening culinary proposition for Xmas. No sprouts?????!!!! 4 WOW! Spanish is fab! She’s forgotten to set homework AGAIN! 5 The brilliant Len Crossley on his 90th birthday in Beth Rudkin’s History group. Happy birthday, Len, from everyone in BU3A! 6 A wonderful life-size statue of football legend Cristiano Ronaldo with an unknown little boy holding his hand and forlornly hoping that one day he won’t hurt his leg end playing Walking Football. 48