Newsletter No.33 – Autumn 2014

Well, we may be into the season of mellow fruitfulness, the leaves are beginning to fall and the nights are drawing in, but this glorious summer lingers on… Some groups have taken a summer break but continue to offer so much to do, to see, to listen to, to talk about, to enjoy!

Science and Technology: Visit to Wren’s Nest Like many people I have walked over and around Wren’s Nest in the past enjoying the views and admiring the unusual rock formations, but without really understanding the international importance of the site, so it was a real eye-opener to be taken round by Bill Groves in August. The first thing we learnt was that there is a greater variety of fossils here in a small space than anywhere else in the world, over 700 types. The second thing was seeing how easy it is to find them, either embedded in the rock or just lying around, so we were able to pick up part of a 425 million year old crinoid and a trilobite tail. One of the most obvious features of the site is the ripples which can be seen clearly on the surface of the cliffs. Bill explained to us that these were formed by waves following violent storms, and those storms are also the reason why we see such an abundance of fossils together because the hard parts of animals such as corals were torn from their anchorages and deposited on the sea bed.

Virtually all the usable limestone has long-since been quarried out for use in the Black Country furnaces but you can see clearly why what is left is no use. In the cliff you can see very thin strata, with hard and soft rock alternating. The soft rock was originally mud and clay deposited in storms so the limestone was not suitable for use in furnaces nor as building material, a good thing too or we would have nothing left to study and enjoy. In the afternoon we went to Dudley Museum where we were able to see some of the best fossils that have been found in Wren’s Nest. Thanks to Bill we also had the privilege of going into the lab where students and volunteers study and classify many of the microfossils found on the site. It was fascinating looking through a microscope at animals only a few microns across and 425 million years old. Geoff Williams

Singing for Pleasure (or how to brighten up your life by enjoying singing)

It’s about five years since I took over the group. What do we do? Well, first and foremost we enjoy ourselves. We learn how to control our breathing – vital for singing well – we do a wide variety of exercises to open up those lungs, and even a touch of Yoga. Singing rounds at present is our way of hearing chords and 4 parts to a song. We have learnt sol-fa with hand signs, and try to keep up with all the changes in songs such as ‘Doh a Deer’ from The Sound of Music. It doesn’t matter if someone gets lost or forgets the hand signs – there’s always someone on the row who can help out! We have a small percussion set, to add a different dimension to the music. The group had a try at conducting in 2s, 3s and 4s, making the correct signs. We celebrate various festivals and do our own Last Night of the Proms, with Land of Hope and Glory performed with great enthusiasm. Of course the flags are out in force for this. At Easter time we celebrate with suitable hymns and songs, readings and poetry, and there are Easter eggs a-plenty at break time along with a cup of tea or coffee and biscuits. At Christmas we have carols, songs, readings, quizzes and other games – and festive food at the break. Our choice of music includes Musicals, Traditional songs, American spirituals, Special days, the Seasons, Humorous songs (at present Flanders and Swann are particularly liked!) Old Time Music Hall songs go down well, along with Songs from the Shows. Sing your hearts out, help your memory and your breathing. Where else would you travel the world whilst having ‘therapy’ on the way? You will be welcomed by a group of singers who tell me they feel better after each session. Remember that everyone can sing. Have a look on the internet at http://chrisrowbury.com and find out about it. Do come and join us in Springdale Methodist Church on the 2nd Thursday in the month, from 10am to 12 – give us a try, and I’m sure you will keep returning!! For further information please ring: Dawn Starmer 01902 684377 Ann Eales 01902 563281 Eleanor Dunnett 01902 765574

Food and Garden groups Summer picnic August 27th 2014 This year our annual party was held at Kingswood Nursery and Infant Centre. (http://www.discover-kingswood.org.uk) After a week of depressingly damp chilly weather, the sun obligingly emerged from behind the grey clouds and shone warmly. We met at 11.00 am in Kingswood’s welcoming schoolroom, everyone bringing either savoury dishes, homemade bread or tempting sweets, which were left inside while we went out to enjoy the sunshine. John Black organised our traditional disorganised version of croquet on a rather bumpy lawn, which was won by Geoff Williams and Brenda Needham by which time everyone was more than ready to fill their plates with food and take it out to eat on the picnic tables. A quiz, which had been devised as indoor entertainment, fortunately was not required as everyone was able to enjoy Kingswood’s grounds on this very pleasant day. Louise Henly Understanding Opera The 2014-15 season promises a veritable “embarras de choix” for opera lovers in the region; both the Mariinsky from St. Petersburg and Welsh National Opera give staged performances in Birmingham whilst Glyndebourne comes to Stoke-on-Trent. In addition the Royal Opera House will continue to stream live performances to the Lighthouse here in Wolverhampton and the CBSO will give a concert performance of “Parsifal” in Symphony Hall. Since its foundation in 2007 the Understanding Opera Group has studied nearly 40 different operas as well as giving general programmes about Glyndebourne and Bayreuth. A large part of our new season will be given over to the study of German opera. We start with a detailed study of Wagner's Ring Cycle in August, September and October, followed by Humperdinck's “Hansel and Gretel”, Wagner again with “The Flying Dutchman” and finally the Brecht/Weill “Rise and Fall of the City of Mahagonny” Andrew Milligan Art Appreciation Most of our meetings are held at Tettenhall Wood Institute on the 3rd Wednesday mornings of the month, but we make one or two visits a year. In July we were guided by Rob Geal round the latest ‘Pop Art’ exhibition at Wolverhampton Art Gallery. Rob’s been great for explaining and challenging us to see things differently, though we may not always have agreed with him! Members keep coming up with new and varied topics. In August, stimulated by the current ‘British Folk Art’ exhibition, now at Compton Verney, we considered this subject, with debate on the validity of what the curators had decided to include (ships’ figureheads, really?) or

omit, and then discussion of members’ own choices brought along or displayed on the screen. Next week (as I write) September’s meeting will return to ‘Fakes and Forgeries’ because we realised that we could keep thinking of other types of art that’s not as it appears. It will be another session where several members contribute. These always produce fascinating surprises from our individual lives and interests. Then on October 15th Cedric Garbett will share his expertise of ‘crested china’, including how to recognise fakes of those pieces, hopefully not giving ‘Antiques Roadshow disappointments’ to anyone who’s brought along their own items. Members are always welcome to join the group or attend individual sessions that interest them. For more information, please ring Margaret Barr on (01902) 843536. Local History

The group, as pictured above in the garden there, paid a visit to Bantock House Museum in June this year. One of our members is a volunteer there and kindly gave us our own conducted tour, enjoyed by all. We all agreed that the café there is an added bonus, This year we have also visited the New Birmingham Library, St Leonards Church at Bilston (where we climbed the ancient bell tower, an amazing experience) and the William Salt Library in Stafford, as well as hearing talks from our members about A Sedgley Industrialist, and The Coventry Martyrs. For the remaining 3 meetings this year we are planning a visit to the new Dudley Archives, one of our members is giving a talk about Iron Mad Wilkinson, about whom a new blue Commemorative Plaque will shortly be unveiled, and in December a talk about the History of Viking Cycles by a member who has just joined will be our final session of the year. We have started to think about our programme for next year. A visit to the Royal Airforce Museum at Cosford is on the agenda for May. We are keen to see the 3 WW1 aircraft that are on display there, and the many other items of interest. Members are of a mind that an earlier start than our usual 2pm on that day would be best! Ann Eales

Miscellany

and finally…

just to remind you… The address of our new website is:

http://u3asites.org.uk/wolverhampton

SPEAKERS PROGRAMME

It has been a challenge to find suitable topics and available speakers for our 2014/15 programme. In advance of next year I want to update our existing list. I am therefore issuing a plea to all U3A members. If you have recently heard an interesting, entertaining speaker on a topic which you believe would appeal to the diverse membership of U3A please let me know, either by phone or email or through another committee member at a monthly meeting, giving

the name of the speaker, their contact number/email, the topic, and the date and where (eg Women’s Institute) you last heard them.

Many thanks! Mo Johnson (01922 478573 MoJohnson00@aol.com)

Seven members have expressed an interest in forming a Craft Group – if you too are interested, please contact Len Moore on 01902 650130.

David Starmer intends to organise another Fungi Walk in the autumn – more details to be announced…

The winners of the Walking Group’s Treasure Hunt, organised as usual by Margaret Barr and held this year in Shifnal, were David and Di Tordoff – congratulations!

A little puzzle: Can this tangle

be straightened out WITHOUT

using either ofthe ends?

ed: Margaret Taylor 01902 341528