SARUM U3A

Chairman Neil Russell welcomed new members to the April coffee morning. He announced that the Third Age Trust, the U3A umbrella organisation, wishes to improve services and will shortly be carrying out a limited survey of how members view the organisation.

Thanks were given to Mary Cole who is discontinuing catering for Sarum U3A after many years service.

Geoffrey Knollys made a request for married couples to support the Wiltshire branch of the Explore Charity by visiting schools and answering questions on marriage from teenage students. www.theexploreexperience.co.uk.

Ena Baldock introduced speaker Commodore Ian Gibb. Born of a seafaring family with Master Mariners stretching back five generations on each side, he spent 43 years at sea. Half of his career has seen him in command of some of the largest passenger vessels afloat, including the CANBERRA and most latterly the super-liner ORIANA. Subsequent to retirement from the sea in 1996, Commodore Gibb joined Trinity House where he was involved with the modernisation of the Safety of Navigation around UK coastal waters. He gave a fascinating account of a career spent commanding passenger liners. Now an Elder brother of the Corporation of Trinity House, Commodore Gibb told of his varied, hugely responsible and sometimes hilarious experiences at sea.

At the next coffee morning on 20 May John Smith (who gave a recent well-received talk on the SOE) will give a presentation entitled “Royal Farewells”.  John was a member of the BBC Radio team covering Princess Diana’s and the Queen Mother’s funerals and others.