2 EDITORIAL So summer is finally here at last, and the unlocking of the lockdown is under way – slowly, cautiously, with stumbles and hiccups, but so far, so good. How the giants have been falling from amongst us lately! After Rosalie White, our first Committee Secretary, and Flo Waller before her, now we have lost Chris Macro. Most of us did not have any idea how much Chris used to do, and what a fireball of energy she was. At an age (already!) when most people are settling down with slippers, cat and cocoa, she was Group Leader for Tennis and Badminton (tennis in summer, badminton in winter), organising and setting them both up from scratch. Meanwhile, she used her talent for comedy as a member of the Entertainment Group, and learnt (also from scratch) to play recorder with the our ‘Recorder Consort’. Of her parallel work at Christ Church, and her previous life as an inspirational teacher and children’s author, we only have vague notions. There will be a proper obituary in next month’s issue, written by someone who knew Chris ‘in the round’. So what are you planning to do this summer? Revive your interest in fishing (or try fishing for the first time) with Gordon Taylor? Join the Walking Group, having walked (what else was there to do?) for most of the year as your ‘official’ exercise? Or travel, now it’s (sort of) allowed again? Marcus is offering Iceland – and it’s on the green list! Whatever you have planned, from Crown Green Bowls to Iceland and beyond, the u3a is here to back you up, help you out and push you on your way. Just remember to Learn, Laugh and Live! The Editorial Team 3 GROUP NEWS Creative Writing Apologies for the omission of the last episode of our serial ‘Music Hall’ last month – it is here this month. Although the theatre show has ended and the curtain come down, there is still one last story to be told, brought to you by Gillian Potter. I will be putting all episodes together into a little book if you want to read the stories again as a whole. In the meantime the group continues to meet on a regular basis via Zoom. The regulations don't enable us to meet just yet, so we will be continuing in this format for a while. The group format is the same. We set challenges to write about, share these efforts and when time permits do free creative writing exercises to get the creative juices going! Pam Melding Crown Green Bowling Following the easing of restrictions the group have now restarted their bowling sessions on a controlled basis. Group members reminded that they must book in advance each week by contacting me. The group is currently full. Jeff Lawrenson 4 Fishing The Fishing Group held its first meeting this month in the Ship Inn, Blackbrook. Apart from the odd shower it was a very pleasant afternoon, getting wet on the outside as well as the inside. As it only consisted of two of us, we looked at a couple of potential venues to try out in June. The group is looking to visit different venues in the Northwest, Cheshire and North Wales. If you have never fished, or did so many years ago and would like to try it as a way to get into the countryside and spend a day relaxing, then please do get in touch with me through the Treasurer link on the contacts page of the website. Our next meeting is 14th June at 2.00 p.m. at the Ship Inn. You do not need to have any fishing gear if you want to have a go as I have spare tackle that can be used, so it is a try before you buy! Gordon Taylor Gardening Willowbrook Hospice is having an Open Gardens event at the hospice on 31st July. I have not yet got details of times. It would be good if we could support it. Hope to see you there. Barbara Challeno 5 Interesting Buildings Stanley Bank Slitting Mill and Walk Meet at the Sankey Valley Visitors’ Centre , behind the Ship Inn in Blackbrook at 10.00 a.m. on Monday, 14th June. The walk will take about two hours, and we hope the Ship Inn will be serving lunch for anyone who wants to stay. Please contact Hugh Waring to book a place on the walk. His mobile number is on the back page or contact through the Chair link on the contacts page of the website. Birkenhead Waterfront Meet at Hamilton Square Railway Station, Birkenhead at 11.00 a.m. on Tuesday, 20th July. All Underground Trains from Liverpool Lime Street stop first at Liverpool Central and then at Hamilton Square. Please book a place by using the pigeon on the Interesting Buildings page of St. Helens U3a website. Barbara Challenor Family History We have been meeting on Zoom for the past few months and this will continue until the end of June when we will take a break until September. A couple of visits are planned for the summer months and members of the group will be informed of these and re- starting arrangements nearer the time. If you would like to register your interest to join the group in September please let me know either through the pigeon on the webpage or by phone. Summer is a great time to do ‘field trips’ for family history, finding graveyards or visiting places where you ancestors may have lived. Happy Hunting! Andrea Knowles 6 History and Heritage We have been meeting now on the 4th Friday of every month, albeit at present on Zoom. Last Friday we had a busy session, learning about new websites that we can use for our history research and view online. Also, websites that are available for visits and trips out, which is very much in our mind at present. We are regularly having small presentations, chats etc about historical items and places. We are planning a couple of trips out in the next couple of months, if Boris’s road-map allows. If you are interested in joining our group, please contact us so via the pigeon link on the group page on the website so that we can add you to our list. Our last meeting for the moment will be on Friday, 25th June at 10.30 a.m., on Zoom. Elaine Wilde and Andrea Knowles Mixed and Men’s Choir It would be appreciated if all members could make contact with me as soon as they are able, as I need to give you some forms before we return (though as yet we do not have a date for this). We continue with Zoom and if you wish to join in please let me know and I will make the arrangements. You can contact me by the pigeon on the u3a Mixed Choir web page. Neil Williams Ukulele Ukulele is looking forward to getting back together. Our Zoom meetings have kept us going and kept us in touch with each other. I remember saying when lockdown came in March 2020 “we will have to keep playing and if we do, we will be glad when it is all over”. 7 So well done to all the Ukulele Group who have kept practising week by week. We may well still be a little rusty and our timing will need some working on, but thanks to those who have led us on Zoom and to Malcolm Brooks for putting songs on You Tube. We will have to proceed with caution even if all restrictions are lifted and keep each other safe but roll on – or ‘Roll out the barrel ..... because the gang is nearly here!!!!’ Judith Price Walking During lockdown the Walking Group has kept in touch in two ways – by text or, when able, walking under the rule of six as ‘friends’. Now that we have more freedom we will be walking on the first and third Friday of the month with larger numbers. The walks on the first Friday will be local, and the third Friday will be further afield. Walking boots or shoes and waterproof clothing are necessary, also water and a snack. The walks will commence at 10.30 at the start of the venue. Barbara Wright S.P.L.A.T. Happy Important Splat-byte! The App “WhatsApp”, which you can use for phoning, texting or video calls has had an update recently. This allows your WhatsApp account to be open to everyone outside of your contacts, enabling them to include you into their groups without you knowing. It can be used by scammers, phishing, or advertisers attempting to bring you into their world. To stop this happening you need to adjust your settings on all your smart devices that have “WhatsApp” loaded as follows:- 8 1. Go to WhatsApp; 2. Go to Settings; 3. Go to Account; 4. Go to Privacy; 5. Go to Groups; 6. Change from (everyone) to (My Contacts); Enter and Close. If you need help on this or anything else associated with your mobile phone/iPad/tablet/Laptops etc., contact the SPLAT Happy group using the pigeon on the u3a web site. Mike and Jean Rossiter 9 Messages from the Committee Groups Co-ordinator’s Notes Scrabble. After leading the Scrabble Group for the past 10 years, Group Leader Jill Mitchell has decided it is time to step down. Everyone who knows Jill will also be aware of what a tremendous wordsmith she is and her knowledge and love of the English language is second to none.