CHARD, ILMINSTER & DISTRICT
 University of the Third Age (U3A)

'Conservation expeditions to rainforest areas'
 

Members of Chard, Ilminster & District U3A enjoyed numerous seasonal activities last month including a communal Christmas lunch at Chard Guildhall.

     This month it is back to normal for all of the special interest groups.

     On Monday 21st January the open meeting will welcome Dr Roger Poland who will give an illustrated talk on student conservation expeditions to rainforest areas.

     Visitors will be most welcome to attend the meeting, starting at 2pm in the Guildhall. More details, including U3A membership, are available by phoning 01460-66711 or viewing the website www.chardilminsteru3a.org.uk.
 

'Members' festive feast'
 

Members of Chard, Ilminster & District U3A enjoyed numerous seasonal activities last month including a communal Christmas lunch at Chard Guildhall.

     This month it is back to normal for all of the special interest groups.

     On Monday 21st January the open meeting will welcome Dr Roger Poland who will give an illustrated talk on student conservation expeditions to rainforest areas.

     Visitors will be most welcome to attend the meeting, starting at 2pm in the Guildhall. More details, including U3A membership, are available by phoning 01460-66711 or viewing the website www.chardilminsteru3a.org.uk.

Members of Chard, Ilminster & District U3A (University of the Third Age) were treated to a memorable presentation at their January meeting when Dr Roger Poland gave an illustrated talk on student conservation projects in rainforest areas.

     A teacher at King’s College in Taunton, Dr Poland was accompanied by five students who took an active part in the proceedings, as did an assortment of living visual aids which included exotic plants, insects, spiders and even a python.

     It was a superb presentation, simultaneously instructive and entertaining, and yet disturbing in its implications for the future.

     This month’s meeting, at Chard Guildhall on 18 February, starting at 2pm, is an appropriate sequel, as the topic is climate change and global warming. The speaker is Joe Burlington of the South Somerset Climate Action Group.

     Visitors and new members will be most welcome at the meeting and at all other U3A activities. For more details contact 01460-66711 or view the website at www.chardilminsteru3a.org.uk

The perils of global warming were vividly brought home when Joe Burlington of South Somerset Climate Action addressed last month’s meeting of Chard, Ilminster & District U3A.

     Mr Burlington used superb photographs and graphics to illustrate his disturbing theme, but he also outlined potential remedies for eventually overcoming the problem.

     With some members expressing contrary views about global warming, it made for a lively meeting.

     The Annual Meeting of the U3A takes place at Chard Guildhall at 2pm on Monday March 17th, when a new committee will be voted in. Nominations should be sent to the secretary by March 10th.

     The business part of the meeting will be followed by a talk by Ben Keogh on the life of St Patrick. All are welcome.

     More details of all U3A activities are available by phoning 01460-66711, or by viewing the website www.chardilminsteru3a.org.uk.

St Patrick

Appropriately for March 17, the monthly meeting of Chard, Ilminster & District U3A (University of the Third Age) featured a talk on the life of St Patrick.

     Ben Keogh intrigued and amused a large audience with a mixture of facts, myths and legends surrounding Ireland’s patron saint.

     Mr Keogh’s talk was preceded by the AGM, chaired by the U3A’s Co-President, Councillor Carol Goodall, Mayor of Ilminster. A new committee was voted in, and the subscription fee agreed. This was held at the previous annual rate of £12, making the U3A superb value for money.

     Anyone interested in joining this vibrant organisation and any of its 30 special interest groups is invited to phone 01460-234041 or view the website www.chardilminsteru3a.org.uk.

Clubs and groups wishing to use the screen at the Guildhall will now have to pay an extra fee.
     At a meeting of the Guildhall and Tourism committee of Chard Town Council, members voted that any groups who hire the venue will be charged £13 extra to use the screen.
     This money can be put aside for if the screen and the projector need urgent repairs.
     The screen and projector were purchased for around £6,000 after lottery funding was granted following a lengthy application process.
     But the move has been criticised by Alan Bamber, chairman of the University of the Third Age, a group which regularly uses the Guildhall.
     He said: "I am very disappointed. I am happy with the principle of the charge but I feel it is too much."

[Footnote: The article failed to mention that the lottery money was acquired by the 'Screen at the Guildhall' group, not by Chard Town Council. Also it was the wish of members of the film group's committee that the facilities be made freely available to other societies in Chard.]