Salisbury and District U3A

NEWSLETTER

Number 57 December 2006

From the Chairman

‘Something’s Cooking’

Before retirement the holiday season tended to end in the early autumn.  Now our experience as members of the third generation is very different.  The Blackpool illuminations might have ended in September but then there is the opportunity for Oporto in October, Nepal in November, and perhaps Da Nang in December.  The British tourist is always happy to be abroad as long as the natives are waiters

Of course, just because the brochure tells us that the holiday is 'great', it doesn't mean to say that it actually was.  And the cheery postcard despatched on the day of arrival might well have a different content three days later.  Opinions might change when we are in agony with food poisoning and our eardrums are taking the strain from the building site outside our hotel.  They say the truth 'makes you free' but it can also make you very miserable.

In our country the advent of railways affected mobility greatly but it was a Baptist Minister, Reverend Thomas Cook, who on 5 July 1841 really started a changing world.  Cook's religious commitment and devotion to the temperance movement led him to be well aware of the dangers of alcohol.  I have to admit that some years ago I myself was so horrified by what I read about the evils of 'drink' that I gave up reading.

One day Cook was so anxious that 600 of his followers in Leicester attend a temperance rally in Loughborough that he organised a special train.  Initially such tourists were very unpopular and were quickly branded as 'Cook's hordes' or 'Cook's vandals'.

But Thomas Cook's business really took off when he arranged package tours for the Great Exhibition of 1851.  For five shillings, a person could travel to the exhibition, eat and sleep in London.  The tours proved a great success.  He arranged over 165,000 tickets from Yorkshire alone.

Developments followed on such a large scale that by 1884 Thomas Cook's company arranged to transport a force of 18,000 men up the Nile to relieve General Charles Gordon.

Meanwhile the Duke of Wellington despaired of the great developments which were taking place with public transport for it meant that 'trains would encourage the lower orders to go uselessly wandering about the country'

Today's experts on matters of the mind now inform us that in the 'league of stress' holiday travel has obtained top placing alongside bereavement and moving house.  Perhaps the Victorian railway companies knew something of this potential anxiety-state for initially they rejected the idea of producing railway timetables. They feared it would make 'punctuality something of an obligation'.  Oh that it would in 2006.

Why some of our holidays are a wonder and others a blight is a mystery.  Someone I know spent two years saving for 'the holiday of life-time' but it never seemed to arrive during his fortnight on the Costa Packet.  And another on returning home related at length on the Canyon but didn't think that it had been 'that Grand'.

As so many people with sunburn look like a mixed grill on two legs I am no longer quite so enthusiastic about wanting to be 'beside the seaside' and certainly I would much rather walk up a mountain than along the 'prom, prom, prom'.  And suffering from an aversion to background music I would be only too pleased to arrange for that wretched brass band to transfer its 'tiddly om pom poms' to the Gobi desert.  After all, the sweetest melodies are those that by distance are made more sweet.

Perhaps we have all got it wrong and we should realise that I don't go on holiday for \b my \b0 rest and recuperation but in order to give my neighbours rest from my constant murmurings about plans for that cruise or even that 'holiday of a lifetime'.  And if I have to travel I really must ensure that I don't go as that strange blend of the commercial traveller, the missionary and the barbarian conqueror.

Some years ago Demetrius booked a holiday cottage 'a stone's throw from the beach and very easy to find'.  Sadly that was only too true.  All the windows were broken.

-----Jack Leeming -----

From the Secretary

We have a list of tours in 2007 organised by U3A National Travel.  They include UK, Eire, Europe and Worldwide.  Just visit db.u3a.org.uk/travel to see the full list or, to receive free update of tours by email, send your name to u3atravel@btinternet.com.  If all else fails contact the Secretary.

Chris Dickson has a list of national subject network organisers.

The new National Co-ordinator for Music Performance would like to hear from music groups about what they do.  Either telephone 01482 343199 or email diford2001@aol.com or write to Diane Ford, 199 Victoria Avenue, Hull HU5 3EF.

The new national music appreciation co-ordinators are offering help and would like members involved with music to complete a questionnaire, which the Secretary can supply.

The HSBC commissioned a report on ‘Attitudes to Ageing and Retirement’.  Now a summary of the findings, entitled ‘What the People Want’, is available from Tom Wheeler at HSBC, telephone 020 7991 0845 or email tomwheeler@hsbc.com.

Groups wanting advice about language learning should contact Joyce Gibson, 8 Hanover Glen, Bangor, Co Down BT19 7SX or telephone 02891 462043 or email jhe.gibson@virgin.net.

Diary dates

U3A at DANA - 12 March 2007
U3A Royal Institution Event – London - 3 April 2007
National Summer School North – Chester – 9-12 July 2007
National Summer School South – Cirencester – 20-23 August
Please note change of venue and date.

AIUTA  Does anyone wish to be involved in a new European project concerned with third age learning?  The Trust has agreed to participate so if anybody would be prepared to complete a questionnaire please contact Lin Jonas at the Third Age Trust office in London, telephone 020 8466 5749 and she will email a copy to you.  The national closing date is quite close but they are prepared to be flexible.

Please give some thought to next year’s Committee election.  We need to replace five members of the Committee who are due to stand down at the AGM in March.  Any questions on this matter please see the Secretary.

-----Neville Jennings-----

Speakers at the Monthly Meetings 2006/7

Treasurer's Notes

Thank you to all those members who completed a Gift Aid Declaration.  The claim has been approved by theRevenue and we have recovered some £800.  Your Declaration is valid until revoked so it will not be  necessary to sign another form this year.  However you are reminded to let me know if you are no longer paying tax so that I can remove your name from the claims.

Subscription Renewal

The subscription for 2007 is £10 and is due on 1 January.

Please complete the Subscription Form enclosed with this Newsletter, and give or send it with your subscription to the Treasurer.  Two persons living at the same address may use the one form.

A stamped addressed envelope - self adhesive would be much appreciated - should also be enclosed with your subscription for use by the Membership Secretary, who will post to you your new Membership Card.  If no addressed envelope is received cards will  be available at the February meeting and at the Annual General Meeting in March.

It would be most helpful if you would pay your subscription promptly, but in any case it should be received by the Treasurer before 16 February.  After this date you may not receive priority over new applicants.

Cheques received in December will not be banked until after 1 January.

Thanks for your co-operation.

Policy For Group Expenses

Salisbury & District U3A encourages Groups so far as possible to finance their own activities.  The U3A will however make a contribution to the cost of room hire.  This policy provides an element of fairness between members, and is consistent with keeping the annual subscription to a minimum.

Specifically::

a)  The U3A will pay a contribution of 50% towards the cost of room hire.

b)  The  Committee will consider, before  any expenditure is committed, a request from any Group Leader for a contribution to any expenditure.  Requests for equipment that may be used by a number of succeeding Groups over two or more years will be most sympathetically heard.

c)   Group leaders are requested to recover any other expenditure from those attending the Group.

d)   The Committee is particularly conscious of the need to encourage new Groups to be started, and any potential course leader who feels cost may be a problem is urged to speak to the Course organiser, Treasurer, or other Committee member.  Every effort will be made to get a new Group started.

Committee Members: Treasurer

A new Treasurer is needed for the Committee in March 2007.  Anyone willing to take up this work (details below) please contact one of the current Committee members.  If  you would like to discuss what is entailed in the job David Wilson will be happy to talk with you.

Work of the Treasurer

The Treasurer collects in the subscriptions each January, the cash at the monthly meetings, and co-ordinates with Group Leaders to pay the hire costs for rooms and halls.  Expenses are paid to members when incurred in organising U3A activities.

With the help of the Membership Secretary a Gift Aid Claim is made to the Inland Revenue.  An Annual Return is prepared for the Charity Commissioners each July.  In co-operation with the Third Age Trust insurances are arranged and paid.

Working with the Outings Leader the Treasurer banks the cheque payments for outings and pays the costs.

The purpose of all receipts and payments are recorded and this forms the basis for summarising into the Annual Accounts given to members at the AGM each year.

In total about 300 cheques are written each year, and some 40 bank deposits need to be prepared.  Apart from January when several hours per week are needed, two hours a week should cover the normal work.  The accounts can be kept manually, or the Treasurer can pass on his computer system, which works on Microsoft Office (Excel).

Editor's Note

The Treasurer is a very important officer of the Committee.  If you do not have a Treasurer, you do not have a U3A - full stop.  You do not need to have been an  accountant or some form of finance officer, you need to be logical and not afraid of figures.  David tells me that it is possible to split the job (to lighten the load) by having one person looking after the books.  So the Committee and the members would be most grateful if a member or members would be prepared to take on the task.  The change does not take place until March, so there is plenty of time to discuss points and seek information from David Wilson.

Outings News 

Click here for details of forthcoming Outings.

If you do not come to meetings regularly and would like Outings News mailed to you on a monthly basis, send stamped addressed envelope(s) to John Ewington and this will be done.

Car Share.  Some members have asked if a lift  can be offered to and from the coach departure point. Any members able to offer this facility and those requiring a lift please sign the list on the Outings Desk.  A contribution (minimum £1 per person) to assist with fuel and other costs is suggested.

Ideas and suggestions for future Outings always welcome

-----John Ewington  telephone/fax 500699-----

Walking Group, Spring Programme

18 January

Test and Anton Valleys, 4 1/2 miles.  Start West Down car park, 10.00am.  GR 382 391.  Leader Alan.

1 February

Old Wardour Castle, Park Pale, 4 1/2 miles.  Start English Heritage car park, 10.00am.  GR 938 264. Leader Kay.

15 February

Godshill and around, 5-6 miles.  Start Fighting Cocks pub car park,10.00am.  GR177 149.  Easy walking, several stiles.  Leaders Pam and Tony..

1 MarchAvon Valley Paths, Lake, Normanton, Durnford, 6 miles.  Start Bridge Inn car park, Upper Woodford, 10.00am.  GR 372 124.  Leader Maggie.

15 March

Chalk Valley, 5 1/2 miles.  Start Queens Head pub, Broadchalke, 10.00am.  GR 039 255.  Leader Joe.

29 March

Cadnam, Bramshaw, Brook.  5 miles  Start John Barleycorn pub car park 10.00am.  GR 293 136.  End of term pub to be arranged.  Leader Joan.

Please inform the group leader if you are not coming and also if you require a lift from the car meeting place at 13 Dorset Road, Salisbury.

-----Maggie Hunter-----

Mini Walks

21 December

Bus Walk No 2.  No 29 bus leaves bus station at 10.15am.  Walk starts at Stratford Tony crossroads at 10.30am GR 094 267.  We will walk back to Old Mill Hotel, Town Path, Salisbury for lunch at 1pm.

 18 January 07

 Above Burcombe GR 081 287.  Shaftesbury Drove.

15 February

Coombe Bissett.  Fox & Goose pub.  GR 110 265.

15 March

New Forest, Godshill.  Fighting Cocks pub.  GR 177 150.

Most walks start at 10 am.  Boots or stout shoes are necessary, please bring a drink and a waterproof.

-----Sheila and Peter Brown-----

New Groups Starting in January

Tennyson Without in Memoriam

Richard Merwood has agreed to host a follow-up course to the one held in Autumn 2005.  An exploration of the range of Tennyson's output: lyrics, narratives, topical works and drama.  Students are asked to bring any standard edition of Tennyson, complete if at all possible.  Weekly, beginning on Thursday 18 January at 2.30 pm for 10 weeks.

An Insight into Queen Victoria’s Family

Anne Crowe, a new member, is offering what promises to be a fascinating Study of Victoria and Albert's enormous family which infiltrated nearly all the European royal families.   Meetings will be on Tuesdays at 2.30 pm, fortnightly, starting on 9 January.

If you are interested in joining either of these, please phone me.

Introduction to Digital Photography

Julian Jackson has agreed to repeat his very popular Introduction to Digital Photography, starting on 30 January.  I am contacting those members who failed to obtain places earlier in the year and therefore it is most unlikely that there will be any vacancies.

-----Chris Dickson-----

Dates for Chris Dickson’s Groups Up To Easter

Family History

Fridays at 10.15 am

8 December                            Informal, open meeting, anyone interested welcome

22 December                          County Record Offices, the Mormons

5 January                               Recording information

19 January                             Informal

2 February                              Wills and Probate

23 February                            National Archive, Public Record Office, FRC

9 March                                 Informal

23 March                                Photographs, maps and directories.

Play Reading

Wednesdays at 10.15 am

13 December, 10 January, 24 January, 14 February, 28 February, 14 March, 28 March.

Learning The Recorder

Fridays at 10.15am

15 December, 12 January, 26 January: 9 February, 2 March, 16 March, 30 March

Life Story

Wednesdays at 2.15 pm

20 December, 17 January, 21 February, 21 March.

There are vacancies in these groups; please contact me if you are interested.  8 Shakespeare Road, Salisbury SP1 3LA, mchrism@tiscali.co.uk.

----- Chris Dickson 335223-----

19th Annual U3A Lunch

Members seemed to enjoy the lunch and the entertainment and I would like to thank the choir for singing us some very nice songs and also to thank Anne Acton from Spire U3A and her playreading group for putting on the little sketches with such skill.  Joan New tells me that you can see photos of the lunch on our website. 

U3A Information File  

A file containing information about U3A is to be found in the Salisbury Reference Library shelved with prospectuses of Higher Education under the heading ‘370 EDUCATION’.  The file has a copy of the current Newsletter and programme and the latest Third Age News.  It also contains recent issues of Sources and sections on Spire and Sarum U3As.

If you want to place information in this file or have any questions about it, please contact Joan New 336848.

Salisbury U3A’s website address is www.salisburyu3a.org.uk. 

Sunday Lunches

The popularity of Sunday lunches is steadily growing.  The lunches are held on the first Sunday after the Wednesday General Meeting (the coffee morning to some).  A list is on the notice board at the General Meeting with details, or telephone me.

-----Sheila Tupling-----

Why The Flood Came 

The Lord said unto Noah: Where is the Ark which I have commanded thee to build?

And Noah said unto The Lord: Verily, I have had three carpenters off ill.  The suppliers of gopher wood hath let me down-yea, even though the gopher wood hath been on order for nigh on twelve months.  The Damp Course specialist hath not turned up.  What can I do, 0 Lord?

 And God said unto Noah: I want that Ark finished even after seven nights.

 And Noah sald: It will be so

 And it was not so...........

 Again the Lord said unto Noah: What seemeth to be the trouble this time?

 And Noah replied: Mine subcontractors hath gone out of business.  The pitch which thou commandest me to put on the outside and on the inside of the ark hath not arrived.  The plumber hath gone on strike.

 Then Noah rent his garments and continued: The glazier departeth on holiday to Majorca - yea even though I offereth him Double Time.  Shem, my son who helpeth me on the Ark side of the business, hath formed a pop group with his brothers Ham and Japeth.  Lord, I am undone.

 And lo it was not fulfilled.

 Then Noah said unto the Lord: The gopher wood supplier waiteth onlv on his servant to find the invoices before he delivereth the wood unto me.

 And the Lord grew angry and said: What about the animals?  Of fowls of the air after their kind, and of every creeping thing of the Earth after his kind - two of every sort have I ordered to come unto thee, to keep them alive.  Where, for example, are the giraffes?

 And Noah said: They are expected today.

 Again the Lord said unto Noah: And where are the clean beasts both male and female, to keep them aIive on the face of the Earth?

 And Noah said: The van cometh on Tuesday: yea and yea, it will be so.

 And the Lord said unto Noah; How about the unicorns?

 Then Noah wrung his hands and wept, saying: Lord, Lord, they are a discontinued line.  Thou canst not get unicorns for love nor money anymore.

 And God said: Where are the monkeys, the bears, the hippopotami and the elephants, the zebras and the hartebeests, two of each kind and of fowls of the air by sevens, both male and female?

 And Noah replied unto the Lord: They have been delivered to the wrong address - but should arrive on Friday.  All save the fowls of the air by sevens.  For it has just been told me that the fowls of the air are sold only in tens.

 Whereupon Noah kissed the earth and said: Lord, Lord. Thou knowest in Thy wisdom, what it is like with delivery dates.

 And the Lord in his wisdom made reply: Noah, my son, I knowest.  Why else dost thou think I have caused a flood to descend upon all the Earth?

 -----Mary Smith-----