Chairman’s message

It is now time for my next update to you. I am pleased to say it has been a good start to 2019 with so far two

well attended meetings with excellent speakers. In January we had Ian Smith talking about his life as a flight

engineer on Concorde and in February Rona Musker gave us an insight into the behind the scenes workings

of the BBC. Both these talks were excellent and well received by members.

I am pleased to say our arrangements for Groups to take it in turns to provide articles for the Newsletter and

filling the after tea slot at the monthly meeting is working well. I have received encouraging comments from

members on how much they have enjoyed these. We hoped that we could all learn a bit more about what

groups do and this is proving to be the case. Thank you to the groups who have participated so far.

We have been trying to make the website more attractive to members and we think it has improved recently

thanks to Gail Wynn Jones our webmaster Please visit the site and let me know what you think. To

encourage you we have introduced a quiz so please have a go. I will provide a small prize for the winning

entry. The winner will be announced at the April general meeting.

Chairman Richard Galloway

National Newsletter

Every month members of the committee receive an electronic version of the U3A National Newsletter. If you would

like to receive a copy you can sign up on the main U3A website www.u3a.org.uk.

As well as financial information in this month’s edition there was an interesting article about ‘social prescribing’,

whereby GPs are prescribing the U3A for older people who lack social contact. You can find out more about this

at https://www.socialprescribingnetwork.com/.

There was also an interesting article about Beacon. Beacon is a membership management system developed by the

U3A to enable us to manage data and communication with members easily and efficiently. It solves the problem of

data protection because the members’ data is not stored on personal computers. It also means that those U3As using

the system do not have to worry if key members leave the committee since all management systems are generic and

supported centrally by the U3A. Something to think about.

April 2019 Newsletter

Important notice regarding outings

In response to a number of enquiries received from members regarding non U3A members coming on U3A

outings your committee has sought guidance from The Third Age Trust on the question of insurance cover.

The Trust has advised that the U3A’s insurance broker has emphasised that the above practice is “to be

discouraged” and that if such were to occur it could leave the organiser of the trip and the whole group

without the benefit of U3A insurance cover. In the light of this guidance your committee has therefore once

again confirmed its existing policy that everybody coming on a U3A outing must be a member of the U3A.

The only exception to this rule being where a member would be unable to independently participate in an

activity/outing without the presence of a carer/companion; they can be accompanied by a non U3A member,

subject to the approval of the committee. The Third Age Trust has specifically agreed to this exception and

it can therefore be assumed by members that such permission once requested will normally be given.

John Blaber

Group Trip organised: Sheila Kirkpatrick

BROOKLANDS MUSEUM

Visit was to be on Thursday June 6th 2019

This is now delayed and I will advise the new date as soon as possible.

The birthplace of British Motor Sport and Aviation

Home of Concorde and the London Bus Museum

Wonderful displays of vintage cars, bicycles, motor bikes and ladies fashions, plus a hangar full of

aeroplanes with incredible histories.

Test your driving skills on the racing car simulator

There is also a section of the original banked race track

Ladies, do not be put off by the thought of uncomfortable car seats and engine oil,

There are lots of interesting displays with a decidedly feminine slant and our day includes a visit to the

flight deck of Concorde followed by a virtual flight

The Sunbeam Café offers coffee and cakes as well as hot and cold lunches (not included)

Price £ 39 approx. depending on numbers

I will be at the next General meeting with further information

Tel: 01243 374488 email: sheilak1134@gmail.com

NOTE: Because of the U3A insurance policy I am only able to take U3A members

Are you interested in Wine?

We currently have three Wine Appreciation groups in Ems Valley U3A. The three groups have a total

membership of over one hundred! It was therefore a bit of a surprise when two members recently said to me

that they were interested in joining a wine group and that they had heard that all three groups were full! But

this couple are interested enough to offer to run a fourth group.

Do you want to be in at the start of a new Wine Appreciation group? If

so, please email me and I will co-ordinate an initial meeting when we

can explore the possibilities. If it is run on similar lines to the current

groups, then you will taste 6 wines at each meeting - discuss them - learn

more about wine and be part of a very sociable scene! The cost is about

£30.00 per annum.

Alan Borrow

News from our groups

Garden Group I

We have met once a month, with very little change to our membership list, for 12 years. Most months we

hold our meetings in each other’s houses and gardens, discussing the layout and plants, and usually bringing

specimens from our own gardens for added interest. In the winter we hold a light-hearted quiz which shows

up our ignorance rather than knowledge, and January sees us at a garden centre for lunch.

However, each year bar one, we have organised a five-day coach trip to an area famous for interesting

private gardens near at hand. Cornwall, Kent (twice), Suffolk, Warwickshire, The Welsh Borders,

Somerset, Nottingham, North Devon, Gloucestershire and Lincoln have all been visited, and this year we

shall go to Shropshire – all thoroughly enjoyable and an opportunity to relax together and cement

friendships.

In recent years we have joined Group II when they had a speaker in February and combine for a day’s outing

by coach in the Spring, this year to Exbury in May, which should be perfect for the rhododendrons and

azaleas, but with the weird weather this season who knows, they could all be over!

We are a merry band of green fingered enthusiasts – long may we continue to enjoy our gardens!

Maureen Ballard-Neale

Playing Our Part

She is about sixty; a wicked person if ever there was one, and thoroughly enjoying her wickedness. She is

stoutish and vigorous and possessed of daemonic energy. She is a successful novelist and writes detective

fiction. To her every moment of the day is glorious adventure and every second an episode. Mentally she

bounces like a tennis ball, and bounces in every direction. To say that she is dynamic is a compliment to a

dynamo, but unlike that piece of mechanism, she functions, not with a smooth purr, but in a series of good-

humoured, delightful and noisy explosions.

That was the description given of one of the characters in a murder mystery play read by Play Reading

Group 2 recently. To call "Murder Out of Tune" a mystery seemed a bit of a misnomer since we were told at

the end of Act 1 who did it, but nonetheless we were kept in suspense about the outcome until the 'Close of

Curtain'. It is a little unusual to be given quite such a careful sketch of a character and offers quite a

challenge to the person taking on the role. But this is all part of the enjoyment.

What better way to escape for a couple of hours once a month than by sitting around with friends each of

whom is getting into the skin of someone usually quite unlike themselves. The group chooses to read

mainly comedies and murder mysteries but have ventured into more controversial areas. Our attempt at

getting to grips with the 'Theatre of the Absurd' with Ionesco's "The Bald Prima Donna" didn't go down too

well with everyone - but because it was a bit of a favourite with two of the members, we gave it our rather

puzzled best. Fortunately we don't have too many Prima Donnas among our members.

Everyone pitches in with whatever part they are given, playing a different gender if necessary. This is not

to say that there are not roles that some people prefer. We have one member, who shall remain nameless,

who enjoys playing floozies, and another who feels she is good at curmudgeonly char ladies.

We usually have a bit of a discussion about the play after we have finished it but we do not attempt any deep

literary analysis. This is something we do for fun.

We are thankful to Hampshire Libraries from whom we borrow the play scripts.

Val Ottewell

The Photography Group

One day in 2008 at Havant Camera Club Alison Patrick said to me, “We need someone to run a Camera

Group for our U3A, would you do it?”, “What’s the U3A?” I replied. Explanation followed and my

curiosity was fired. Well, ten years on I can say I know a bit about Ems Valley U3A and am still running

the Photography Group and have joined five other groups as well as helping with projecting for speakers at

the monthly meeting. What would I have done with those ten years if Alison hadn't asked me?

The Photography Group (changed from Camera group to reflect different emphasis) thrives. Some of the

founder members still attend and I’m pleased to say that many new members have joined over the years. We

meet twice a month on the first and third Mondays in Mountford 2 in the community centre at 1.30 pm. We

have plenty of room and no waiting list. We enjoy all levels of photography from Mobile Phone and

Compact cameras to high end Digital SLRs, and on the basis that “the best camera is the one you have with

you” Compact and Phone cameras are popular.

The famous photographer Maurice Broomfield who lived in Emsworth said “The eye is more important than

the camera”. You can take great pictures on any camera.

Our meetings are arranged with a short instructional talk and introduction to a particular assignment. At

following meetings we look at members pictures and see how the assignment went. Friendly advice is

offered where things haven’t worked out as planned, or admiration if they have. Once a year at the May

bank holiday as part of the Emsworth Arts Trail we mount an exhibition in the Community centre, organised

by group members. Nearly a thousand people have visited each year recently.

We have also enjoyed inspiring talks from distinguished photographers from Chichester Camera club who

have kindly done so without charge, we are most grateful.

Many thanks to Shirley Court who keeps me in order and administers the group so ably , and to Martin

Stewart, Juliet Walker, Roger Bleasby, John Reynolds and other members of the group who work to make

the group a success.

Some examples of our work. There are more photos on the website.

Cowes Week, by Ros Norton Mother and Daughter by Jill Gask

Contentment, by Roger Bleasby Strawberry Splash, by Martin Stewart

Jeff Thatcher Leader, Photography Group

Parlez- vous francais?

Oui ou non ???? Oui ET non???? Comme ci comme ca?

Here is a little glimpse (or should I say "un petit coup d’oeil") into what we get up to in French conversation

classes every other Wednesday morning.

The background : first set up in the spring of 2014 the group then had to be suspended in April 2016 for a

couple of years and only reconvened in May 2018. After such a long break I was doubtful how many

original members would want to rejoin but felt, of course, that they should be given priority. It was

extremely heartening when so many did want to return especially as I had decided to change the sessions

from a Thursday to a Wednesday. With an influx of new members numbers are now at an all time high, with

12 in the Intermediate group (above) and 11 in the Advanced (below), each group meeting for 90 minutes

"chez moi" .

So what do we do? Well, the group is not called French conversation for nothing! The sessions are a million

miles away from the grammar led lessons we all experienced at school which didn't really equip us to

communicate orally, so yes, we chat! Admittedly in a mixture of English and French in the Intermediate

group but almost exclusively in French in the Advanced group, the levels being roughly equivalent to pre

and post GCSE although I have to say that several members in the Advanced group border on degree level

fluency. Thank heavens that native speaker Elisabeth Butler is able to join us to give us "le mot juste ", as

well as, of course , injecting our sessions with her own unique and inimitable brand of Gallic bonhomie!

So what about grammar ? No verb tables ? No tedious exercises? No paragraphs to translate ? They all

have a place in language learning of course but do not actually give you the confidence to converse

spontaneously nor to cope when in France. We do touch on grammar but focus more on vocabulary and

pronunciation . To that end all members are encouraged to work in pairs or small groups and no individual is

ever "put on the spot" so everyone feels supported and comfortable.

Recent topics : In the past year the Intermediate group has been focusing on shopping for items in a bakery,

at the post office, at the market and at a fish shop, on ordering a meal in a restaurant, on booking a hotel

room , on buying a train ticket, on buying clothes and shoes, and latterly on updating our computer

vocabulary. Meanwhile the Advanced group's topics have ranged from placing orders in a patisserie or

florist's , having house renovations done, modifying existing bookings, returning goods to a shop , correct

forms of address and most recently locating goods in a supermarket as well as a range of topical discussion

points.

Many group members travel regularly to France and several are members of the Twinning Association,

others just come along because they enjoy it but whatever each person's reason are for continuing their

language learning journey we are all very aware how important it is to keep our brains sharp in retirement

and this is an excellent way of keeping that grey matter working.

Carol Sheppard

Wine Appreciation 1 -A dinner to be remembered.

Wine Appreciation One held their annual wine tasting multi coursed dinner at the Emsworth Sailing Club on

Tuesday 26th February. Sixty attended and we

were pleased to invite some members of Wine

Two.

We tasted 6 courses including a main which was

the Chef’s interpretation of Beef Wellington. The

food was paired with six wines which mainly

came from the Iberian Peninsular. Not wishing to

make you at all envious (who could possibly eat

six courses?) it was a fantastic night. The food and

the wine were voted a resounding success and a

hearty vote of thanks was passed to Chef Oliver.

The favourite red wine was the Mencia offering

from the Bierzo region of north Spain and the

favourite white was the Albarino from Galicia.

This is our eleventh annual dinner since our inception.

We are, after all, as old as our U3A is, as we have been

going since the very beginning. The members' thanks

go to Pauline Tyrer for all her work in making that

evening the success it undoubtedly was! However, I

received a beautiful bottle of wine for which I thank

all those responsible! (and all I did was buy some

wine) Alan Borrow

Ancient Greece – The Emsworth Evidence

In one of our meetings last autumn, Richard Swaine told us that he had noticed

something interesting while relaxing over a cup of coffee in Café Moka – in fact

six interesting things: a row of Corinthian columns in North Street.

Many of us had gone blindly past for years, without taking them in, so some of

us headed there straight after the meeting to inspect the evidence. We were

intrigued about their history, and started our research. An enquiry to Jane

Yoward revealed that they had originally been at Stansted House, until the fire

of 1900, and that this group of shops is called The Strand. Fancifully we

wondered if the large owl on the balustrade above the columns could be the

symbol of Athena, goddess of wisdom. Sadly, this was not the case - Tony

Yoward had put it there to scare away the pigeons!

All this was the start of an ongoing competition, to spot the

ancient Greek (and even Roman) in modern Emsworth. Many

further columns were located, both the Doric and Ionic varieties, from Lumley Mill to

central Emsworth, but soon group members were looking beyond architecture and into their

friends’ and neighbours’ gardens.

This yielded statues of Herakles (Hercules), Aphrodite and

Discobolus, the discus thrower; and who would have thought that

Ganymede, Zeus’ favourite and cupbearer to the gods, would have

been lurking on the road in Park Crescent?

Further eagle-eyed ingenuity produced an amphora in a cloakroom at No 36 on

the Quay, and even a Greek inscription on a house in Bath Road. This has not

been included in case the message is dodgy – after all, the house is called The

Rake’s Progress, so you never know!

Juliet Walker and the Ancient Greek Group

Tony Yoward

Tony Yoward, mentioned in the above article, sadly died earlier in the year. His daughter Jane has written

the following article, which I’m sure many of you will find interesting:

Tony and Mary Yoward met on their first day at pharmacy college in Bristol in 1943.

They and their baby, Jane, moved from Reading to Emsworth the day the King died (06-Feb-52) taking over

management of Mr Williams' pharmacy in North Street. Their son Nick was born in 1953.

Each night, having shut the shop at 19:00, Tony would develop the day's films at home in the blacked-out

bathroom. If an interesting picture of Emsworth was brought in he would ask if he could take a copy.

During the 1950s/60s he was very involved in motor sport, particularly club events and navigating on

national rallies.

When the family moved to Slipper Mill in 1970, his interest in mills and industrial archaeology started and

he was a member and committee member of several such societies. He became the world expert on cast iron

grave markers ... and Mary even had one cast for him as a Christmas present, which you will have seen if

you came to the celebration of his life.

He gave lectures and walks around the village (it was one then!) for various groups and continued to collect

information on Emsworth, even after he and Mary retired in 1986.

He became a trustee for the numerous owners of Slipper Mill Pond when it was bought by residents, in

1981, to prevent development.

When the Ems Valley U3A started in 2006, they had no money and were looking for someone who would

not charge to speak at their first monthly meeting. Tony willingly stepped up ... only the projector fail to

work! So he abandoned his illustrated talk and spoke 'off the cuff' for an hour on Emsworth ... and was

given honorary membership as a result.

He took over Mary's genealogy research after she died in 2006 and, between them, they managed to prove

connections all the way back to 1505. He even gave a lecture on this Yoward family tree to the U3A Family

History group.

He was also a member of the U3A Local History group and often added information to subjects covered.

Despite a heart attack at 88 and a stroke at 91, the latter affecting his speech and curtailing his lecturing, he

continued with his interests and attended meetings as often as he felt able.

His family are now going through his collection of 25,000+ slides and huge amounts of information on his

computer. They are hoping that he had written down all of the enormous amount of knowledge he had on

numerous subjects, especially Emsworth.

Amendment to January Newsletter

In my ‘piece’ Food Facts and Fallacies, it says ‘you can freeze clotted cream’ That’s wrong

you cannot freeze clotted cream – but you can freeze double cream if you lightly whip it and pour into a

container. It can be thawed and used as is, or whipped until a little stiffer if preferred.

Kate Wiggins

EMS VALLEY U3A MONTHLY PLANNER as at 30 November 2018

Meetings are normally held from 10.00 a.m. to 12.00 noon or from 2.00 p.m. to 4.00 p.m. unless otherwise indicated. If you wish to attend a particular group, you must please first check with the Group Leader/Host/Coordinator.

CONTACT DETAILS ARE ON OUR WEBSITE: http://www.emsvalleyu3a.org.uk

There is Group information – including Group Leaders’ names, phone numbers and e-mail addresses – on display at all monthly General Meetings.

MONDAY TUESDAY WEDNESDAY THURSDAY FRIDAY

Week 1

a.m.

Mah Jong Monday Group

Rambling

French (Conversational) Advanced/Intermediate

French

Watercolour

Spanish Intermediate 09.30-11.30

Bridge

p.m. Line Dancing 12.30 – 13.30

Photography 1.30 – 3.30

Geology 1.45 - 3.45

Book Group 2

Play Reading Group 2

Ancient Greece

Mah Jong Thursday Group

3.00 - 5.00

Local History

Week 2

a.m.

Mah Jong Monday Group

Line Dancing 12.30 – 13.30

Gardening Group 1

Gardening Group 2

Croquet Group 1 10.00 – 12.00 April to October

Music Appreciation

Birdwatching 9.30 a.m. start

Discussion Group 2

Bridge

p.m. Line Dancing 12.30 – 13.30

Drawing

Film Studies

Scrabble

Family History

Jazz Appreciation

Mah Jong Thursday Group

3.00-5.00

Book Group 1

Evening FILM at Emsworth Community Centre

Week 3

a.m. Mah Jong Monday Group

Architecture

French (Conversational) Advanced/Intermediate

French

Spanish Intermediate 9.30 - 11.30

Bridge

p.m.

Line Dancing 12.30 – 13.30

Photography 1.30 - 3.30

Cycling For Fun

Wine Appreciation Group 1

Wine Appreciation Group 3

Wine Appreciation Group 2 3.00 – 5.00

Literature

Mah Jong Thursday Group

Discussion Group 1

Evening Travellers’ Tales 7.30pm (winter)

Week 4

a.m. Mah Jong Monday Group

Croquet Group 2

10.00 – 12.00 April to October

Bridge

Art Appreciation

p.m. Line Dancing 12.30 – 13.30

Brick Business

Play Reading Group 1

Singing For Fun

MONTHLY MEETING

Parish Hall Church Path

EMSWORTH 2.00pm

Food Appreciation

SUNDAY LUNCH FOR SOLOS: Group 1 - third Sunday at 12.30 p.m.

SUNDAY LUNCH FOR SOLOS: Group 2 – second Sunday at 12.30 p.m. The following Groups meet regularly, but not at specific times or places:

THEATRE VISITS

MOTO – Group for Members On Their Own to meet and socialise mainly evenings and weekends.