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NEWSLETTER SUMMER 2007 Please note that the appearance of the version reproduced below differs a little from the printed newsletter. Please also note that a change to the meetings programme was made after publication of the newsletter. CHARD, ILMINSTER & DISTRICT U3A Summer 2007 Newsletter Editors: Janet Brown & Martin Shirley CHAIRMAN’S CHIT- CHATI expect many of you know the story of the beautiful young woman who married an 85 year old man. On their wedding night the old gentleman knocked on his wife’s bedroom door and asked if he could come in. A session of exhilarating love-making ensued, after which the old man staggered back to his room, exhausted but happy. An hour later the elderly gent again knocked on his wife’s door and asked to come in, and once more the couple proceeded to indulge in passionate love-making. Later that night the man knocked at the door again… and again. Dawn was breaking when he put in his fifth appearance. The beautiful woman, who was by now feeling rather less than perky, asked him how he managed to make love so passionately and so often at his age. “You mean I’ve been here before?” he replied. The moral of this story is that short-term memory loss need not be the worst thing to happen to us! Nonetheless, most of us find it exasperating when we can’t remember things, especially people’s names. Last year one of my U3A committee jobs was to check members in at the monthly meetings, and I had many an embarrassing moment when I couldn’t immediately put a name to a familiar face. Thankfully this task has now been picked up by more competent colleagues. But memory loss, along with many other age-related afflictions, isn’t inevitable. There is now plenty of scientific evidence to back up the “use it or lose it” principle, which of course is where the U3A comes in. It is important that as we get older we engage our brains as much as possible, and what better way than to take advantage of all that the U3A has to offer. And this doesn’t just mean pursuing the more obvious ‘thinking’ subjects. A recent study identified walking as one of the best forms of exercise – for the brain as well as the body! The U3A is a great institution. Let’s all make the most of it, and spread the word to others too! Alan Bamber YOUR NEW COMMITTEE FOR 2007- 2008 Alan
Bamber, Chairman, also Publicity and
Website, 01460 234041 THEATRE AND MUSIC GROUP The proposed autumn and winter trips 2007/2008 are as follows: Wednesday October 3rd:
42nd Street (musical) at Bristol
Hippodrome Wednesday October 17th: The Snow Queen (ballet) at Bristol Hippodrome Friday November 9th: Il Trovatore (opera) at
Bristol Hippodrome Bookings are also being taken for a weekend in London on February 23rd –24th 2008 to listen to the Massed Bands of the Royal Marines at the Albert Hall. Tickets £30 + the cost of coach and hotel. To book any of the above or for more information please ring Mary Coller on 01460 63461 as soon as possible. The advantages of using this group are:
Transport is provided. RAMBLING ON... On a recent U3A ramble I found myself trying to calculate the number of distinct one-to-one conversations that could take place among our group of 16. What prompted this strange thought was that every time we emerged through a farm gate or clambered over a stile we seemed to strike up a conversation with a different person! The Rambling Group is great because it encourages social interaction as well as healthy exercise. There is plentiful variety, too, in the walks themselves, thanks to the ingenuity and knowledge of our leader Adrian Cornelius and his predecessor Brian Turner. As well as rural walks in the local area, where Adrian is a ‘mine’ of interesting information, Adrian and Brian have organised some fascinating guided town walks, most recently in Barnstaple and Bath. The walks aren’t too strenuous, and should be well within the capacity of most U3A members. Our normal routine is to meet at 10am on the first Friday of the month, at Crowshute car park in Chard, where Adrian organises us into cars to take us to the starting point. Then we do a circular walk of about a couple of hours, finishing with a pub lunch. This perhaps negates some of the benefits of the previous exercise, but it has become an essential feature of the day, and sometimes lasts as long as the walk itself! Do come and join us – you will enjoy it. Oh, I nearly forgot – the answer is 120 (as you will all have worked out by now!) From a Rambling Group enthusiast U3A EQUIPMENT Most of our ‘Awards for All’ equipment has been acquired and its use is steadily increasing among the groups. At the time of writing (mid-May) four groups have used various combinations of the kit – Religion & Philosophy, History, Spanish and Art Appreciation; and we have also taken the computer to publicity events to show pictures of U3A activities. Please don’t be put off by the technology – just a simple DVD or video looks so much better with a large image beamed onto a wall or screen. There’s still some money in the kitty for software – don’t lose out while this option is open. Contact Alan Bamber (01460 234041) to book the equipment or for more information. Detailed instructions and advice are available. U3A DIARIES Gill Tayler is taking orders for the invaluable U3A diaries for 2008 - this time in Burgundy – and still at only £2.00 each. They are a bargain, with their slim format, page marker and perforated corners. Please contact Gill on 01460 238567 not later than the monthly meeting on Monday 17th September. U3A PHOTOGRAPHY COMPETITION For details of the national U3A photography competition, please see p.11 of the Spring issue of U3A News, or contact Gill Tayler (as above). Photographs submitted should be in colour, as prints or digital pictures, at a minimum print size of 7” x 5”, with a covering note giving the picture title, entrant's name, U3A, address, telephone and e-mail. Entries are to be sent by 31st August to the Third Age Trust, Unit 3, Carpenters Court, 4a Lewes Rd., Bromley BR1 2RN. SUBSCRIPTION REMINDER Should any members reading this not have renewed their membership to cover the 2007-8 year, please make out a cheque for £12 (the rate has been held yet again) to Chard Ilminster and District U3A and send it to Sandra Kibble-White, 1 Brutton Way, Chard TA20 1 HB NEW MEMBERS If you know or meet
people who might be interested in joining U3A, you can : - suggest that they request an information pack from Sandra Kibble-White on 01460 66711 - ask them to have a look at our website www.chardilminsteru3a.org.uk - invite them to a monthly or group meeting as visitors DATES FOR MONTHLY MEETINGS, 2007 (at 2pm, Guildhall, Chard)
July 16th Jeff Woods ('The Singing Speaker') - Deities and Oddities September 17th. Hilary Minson - The Work of Ferne Animal Sanctuary October 15th Alex Elliott - The Citizens' Advice Bureau November 19th Karen Horsfield - The History and Workings of the Library Service December 17th Christmas Lunch at Noon - Please bring a plate of savoury or sweet food for a shared seasonal meal
'THE DUST POEM'
Dust if you must, but
wouldn't it be better
Dust if you must, but the
World's out there
Dust if you must, but
there's so little time
Dust if you must, but bear
in mind (Author unknown). Kindly contributed by Hilary Williams, from a School Reunion Association Newsletter
NEWSLETTER MATTERS We are considering whether we should offer to distribute the newsletter by e-mail, to save on paper and printing, as a modest environmentally-friendly initiative. If you would like to receive the newsletter by e-mail in future, please let Martin Shirley know on martin@crich.eclipse.co.uk (Paper copies would still be made available at monthly and group meetings). The next newsletter will be due in October, so may we ask for any contributions (interesting and/or entertaining) to reach either of the Editors by mid-September ; please contact Martin on 01460 62608 or Janet on 01460 66462. Comments and suggestions for improving the newsletter will be welcome at any time
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