Dear Friends
With Easter behind us and the promise of a good summer ahead even my thoughts are turning to my small garden and I'm a very fair-weather gardener. Now is also the time when some classes are beginning to shut down for the summer. One class, Theology, has had to close down as George Kinder, who with Kathleen, kindly hosted the class from the start, is unable to continue for health reasons. We really do appreciate all they have done for U3A, as indeed we appreciate all that is done by our group leaders and tutors-without them there would be no U3A.
We are always on the lookout for new ideas for courses and groups-so please-any ideas will be welcomed by me, Alison or any committee member.
Our speaker next month should be very interesting as he is a national authority on windmills and watermills so I hope to see your there.
Sincerely
Hilary
We're delighted to report that Hilary has been nominated as the next Chairman
of the U3A Cumbria Region. This takes effect from 4 April.
The speaker on Thursday 12 May will be Mr James Woodward-Nutt who will speak on "The English Windmill"
A pair of red "insulated" gloves was left behind after the Thursday meeting last month. I still have them. They are much too good to throw away. Please will someone collect them.
All groups who would normally use the Victoria Hall between 16 and 27 May (2 whole weeks) will be in the Friends Meeting House. Any groups who can meet in members' homes instead are welcome to do so. Please let me know.
We have had an offer of a Canasta group to start in the autumn, and another of a Listening to Music group-also to start in the autumn (you don't have to know anything about music, just be willing to take a turn playing some of your favourite records, tapes, CDs etc for a few others to listen to).
Chamber Music and Theology groups and the Exercise class have now closed.
Alison Tyas, Quaker Garth, Kirkgate, Settle, (01729) 822313
All group leaders are invited to arrange for reports of their group's activities to be sent in for publication here.
Art Appreciation: This year our Leader, Frank Gordon, suggested that our meetings should take the form of a group lecture once a month and a gallery visit the following fortnight. This arrangement has worked very well indeed.
On Tuesday 15 March the group went to the Peter Scott Gallery at Lancaster
University to look at a retrospective exhibition of Norman Adam's paintings.
(Norman and Anna have had a house and studio in Horton for 40 years.) This proved
to be an enriching experience. There were watercolours of sky and cloud over
Orkney, olive trees in Provence, landscapes of his beloved Yorkshire Dales as
well as his characteristic large depictions of spiritual themes, bursting with
colour and vitality.
Olwyn Bolger
Heraldry: Our next meeting (and first outing of the year) will be to
Great Mitton Church on Thursday 21 April. We will meet in the Ashfield Car Park
at 9.30 am. The next meeting will be 19 May-venue to be arranged. Beginners
group will continue as usual on 5 May.
Hilary Baker
Great Thinkers: On 4 May at 10.30am we shall be
looking at the lives of two men with significant but different influences on
Renaissance Europe-Erasmus and Martin Luther.
FP
Looking at Old Buildings: In March we had a detailed look at Barden Tower and Bolton Priory. Next meeting Tuesday 19 April at 2.30pm. Meeting at Pendle Heritage Centre, Barrowford (through Long Preston, Gisburn and A 682 into Barrowford). Turn left at old toll house. Signed. Group of old buildings, reconstructed Cruck barn, shop and café. Car parking. Museum not open till later in Summer. Ring Jill Sykes (015242 51398) for a lift, or more details.
Last meeting of year Tuesday 24 May at 2.00pm in Friends Meeting House Settle. Tea and chat about next year. JS
Self Help Computer Group: At the 9 March meeting
it was decided to meet only once per month during the summer. Meetings are scheduled
to be held in the Victoria Hall on the second Wednesday of each month for that
period. The next meeting will
be on 11 May, starting at 3.30pm. New members could be accommodated and would
be welcome.
GHP
Sunday Lunch Group: In March we lunched at "Ravenous", a small restaurant with a panoramic view of Settle Market Place, on a lovely sunny day. All sixteen of us agreed that the food and service were excellent. The food is all cooked on order but well worth the wait, and the time passes quickly watching the comings and going in the Market Place. Prices are a little higher than "pub grub" but that is reflected in the quality of the food.
Richard and Libby Wallbank opened "Ravenous" the week before "foot and mouth" hit Settle. They survived and have a success on their hands. They do not normally open at lunch time but will by arrangement for 10 people or more.
Next gathering: 17 April at The Old Station, Giggleswick.
Janet S
Walking Group: A Wednesday group has been organised by Michael Cullingworth. Full details are available-contact Michael on 823978 or see the website.
Details of the Tuesday and Thursday summer walks programme are now available from Shirley and Alison and are on the website.
All members are welcome on any walk. Shirley Wolfenden
Wine Appreciation Group 1: March 2005- Our presenters found two whites and three reds from Italy and Sicily, all in the £6-£6.50 range, which were new to us all and which used some less common grapes.
The Janko (Grillo grape) from Sicily was much the more impressive of the whites-to a degree that a confirmed red fan remarked "not bad for a white!". We were surprised that the Frascati (Trebbiano and Malvasia) was sold at the same price yet seemed so innocuous.
All the reds were deemed acceptable, the Firesteed Barbara D'Asti particularly
so. It showed much body, fruity flavours, tannin and a pleasant smoothness.
This was closely followed on the appreciation scale by the La Borgata Primitivo
with the runner-up-not far behind-being the "Fontella" Chianti (sangiovese)
GHP
In March Hilary Baker (Chairman), Janet Stafford (Vice-Chairman), George Pattison (Publicity Officer) and Pam Servant (Editor, Newsletter) attended a one-day course on "The Media" organised for U3As in the Cumbria region. The picture shows George, Janet and Hilary with Bruce Cannon, who led the course.
SPEAKERS FOR THURSDAY MEETINGS
The following are the speakers we plan to have at forthcoming Thursday meetings (but see the posters each month in case there have to be changes):
If you have any ideas or suggestions for whom you would like us to invite as future speakers, do please let Hilary know.
Copy date for next issue of Newsletter
All copy for publication in the next issue should reach the Editor
(Pam Servant, Brayshaw Cottage, 23 Duke Street, Settle) by Sunday 1 May 2005.
Settle U3A website
The website address is www.SettleDistrictU3A.org.uk and if you want to post a notice, please contact Frank Woodhams on fwdw@cmp.uea.ac.uk or phone 01729 824458.
Middle age is when it takes twice as long to rest and half
as long to get tired..
Consciousness: That annoying time between naps.
