Spire Newsletter March 2004 Number 33

Increasing membership, new developments, and a surge of enthusiasm are most encouraging signs at the close of my first year as chairman. Everyone is joining together to stimulate the continued success of our U3A.
First, I must give a very warm welcome to our new members and hope that they will enjoy what we have to offer and contribute to our expanding activities.
Sadly, there was a very low attendance at the combined Salisbury U3As Christmas dinner. However, the idea of a combined event is excellent and various other options, such as a summer lunch, are being considered. If you have any views or suggestions, do please let me know.
Please can I remind Group Leaders about preparing material for the group and talents displays and discussions to accompany our AGM meeting on April 5^th. New members are particularly looking forward to this, as it will give them, and older members, an insight into all our activities. If Group Leaders can prepare a little display, if only a written description of what they do and have done during the year, or a brief talk about their activities, that would be fine. This idea is already being adopted by one of the other Salisbury U3As.
At the invitation of Phyll Babb, Chairman of Sarum U3A, I and other members of your committee attended the Sarum February meeting when Keith Richards, Chairman of the U3As National Executive Committee, gave a talk about “Shared Learning Projects”.
This talk was very inspiring and encouraging with lots of more outward looking ideas into learning and research. Examples suggested included joining with other organisations where there is an education/research department: such as museums, theatres, the National Trust (houses and gardens), and even prisons.
The greater emphasis on outward looking projects ties in well with our new Health Care Research Group, which is described elsewhere in our Newsletter.
Thanks for all your support during the past year and I hope that you will all join me in looking forward to future developments.
Anne Gould, Chairman.

Historic Houses Group

Visit to SALISBURY'S Historic Almshouses

The group started at Trinity Hospital (as illustrated). Shirley Reeves, one of our own members, took us into the Chapel and told us a little of the history of the Almshouses. We then walked round to others in the city and were able to see the courtyard type of construction of each of them. In one we saw inside the accommodation and were able to speak to the occupant.
More photos Click Here

We finished the afternoon in Fisherton Mill for a cup of tea. The Editor

top

DO YOU KNOW? --- Where to find wild flower seeds, Suffolk herb seeds, bird whistles, baskets, cosmetics and brilliant clothes, all under one roof in Salisbury?
The answer is by the pedestrian crossing in Fisherton Street, near North Street.
After a delightful tour of Salisbury's Almshouses, with the Historic Houses group, two of us made our way home along Fisherton Street and happened across this treasure. We were enchanted and wanted to tell the rest of Spire U3A.
Mary Poynton

The idea of a Salisbury U3A Health Care Research Group has been greeted with much enthusiasm and to date we have already some 20 members, including two from Sarum U3A and five from Salisbury U3A.
At our inaugural meeting it was agreed that the objects of the Group would be: 1) to assist in the improvement of local health care; 2) draw the attention of local health authorities to area of public/patient concern (particularly those of local U3A members); 3) contribute to research into areas of public/patient concern; and 4) endeavour to arrange feedback of information relating to local health services.
The two areas of most concern expressed by members of the Group were MRSA (“the superbug”) and poor patient communication. It is in these two areas that the Group intends to concentrate its efforts.
It is hoped that all Salisbury U3A members will cooperate in a survey, which is being planned to discover which aspects of the local health care services give most concern and where improvements can be made.
Strong links already exist with the local health care trusts and both your chairman and myself are members of the Salisbury Hospital Trust's Patient and Public Involvement Steering Group. I was able to borrow architectural drawings and a plan of the new £5.7 million wing for Salisbury Hospital to show to Group members and was able to explain details of the development.
At the meeting, mentioned elsewhere in our Newsletter, our National Chairman, Keith Richards, was extremely enthusiastic about our Health Care Research Group. He asked to be sent details and kept informed of developments because he felt that it was an idea that could be copied by other U3As nationwide.
If any members would like further information please contact me on 01722 339868 or talk to me at the monthly meeting (I will not be able to be at the March meeting). For those who feel a little overawed by the use of the word “research” in the Group's title, the word is used in its widest sense and you do not have to have a medical or scientific background to participate. The fear expressed that Group members might be used as “guinea pigs” is totally without foundation!
Eric Gould