HATS AT THE HOSPICE - u3awelhat.org.ukWharfedale Festival of Performing Arts for her short story...

HATS AT THE HOSPICE

Although, as Sue Kershaw told us inthanking the organizers of this otherwiseperfectly running event, her order for sunnyweather had fallen on deaf ears, the rain heldoff for our garden party on 20 July, and 76members enjoyed excellent refreshments inthe beautiful garden of the Isobel Hospice.Only fifteen ladies and eight gentlemenboldly sported hats as instructed, but theirheadgear indeed included some splendidconfections.

Ona Glover awarded the prizes for the best

hats to Carol Frost (see below) and befezzedBruce Piggott.

The proceeds from the 13-prize raffle,£118.05, and the putative speaker’s fee of£60, were donated to the Hospice.

Photographs of behatted ladies below, leftto right, top row: Kate Owen,Jean Copeland,Carol Frost, Judy Grant; bottom row: ElaineEvans, Joan Baron, Sue Kershaw — all byTony Lammiman, shown on duty in the lastphotograph, taken by Ken Wright.

www.u3awelhat.org.uk

NEWSLETTER

September 2011 Issue 38

U3A Newsletter Issue 38 September 2011 page 1

COMMITTEE NEWS

Three unfortunate occurrences have arisenwhich will impinge on U3A Meetings.

Bishop’s Hatfield Parochial ChurchCouncil has decided with regret that the LordWilliam Cecil Memorial Hall, Hatfield, willbe closed permanently with effect from 1January 2012.

The Committee are currently investigatingall possible alternative venues in Hatfield andwill keep you informed of developments.

The Hertfordshire County Council areproposing further parking restrictions in partsof Hall Grove, Autumn Grove, Moorlandsand Archers Ride which will further limitparking around of Ludwick Community Hall.

Parking will be available at The LudwickArms only for those U3A Members whointend to patronise the Public House.

Situations Vacant

BAR MAN for U3A social occasions –Garden Party & Christmas Quiz. An idealpost for a gregarious, organised enthusiasticvolunteer!

After more than ten years of running theBar for U3A functions, Brian Milburn hasdecided to relinquish this position. Manythanks to Brian and his capable helper Barry

Jackson for making so many eventspleasurable.

Advice and guidance readily available.

MEMBERSHIP SECRETARYIn March 2012 this position becomes

vacant. Elaine has thoroughly enjoyed herrole and recommends it to anyone interestedin wanting more involvement in the runningof our U3A, and in making many morefriends. She will advise anyone interested asto what is involved in the job.

DRIVERWe need a driver for the Welwyn Hatfield

Bus. This is used by the Gardening Group(about four times a year) and occasionally bythe Science and Technology Group. Youneed a D1 Licence and to be medically fit andpreferrably under the age of 70 years. Forfurther details please contact the currentdriver, Brian Milburn, on 01707 326968.

RegistrationPlease register if you are prepared to read

the Welwyn & Hatfield U3A Newsletter onthe Website. This would minimise our ever-increasing printing costs. To register, [email protected]

U3A Welwyn-Hatfield NEWSLETTER

Published three times yearly, in January, May and September

Available on the Website at www.u3awelhat.org.uk

© U3A Welwyn-Hatfield

Collated by Harry Smith and Jean Hughes; edited and produced by Hazel K. Bell

Printed by Triographics Printers Ltd, 121 London Road, Knebworth, SG3 6EXCopydate for January 2012 issue is 12 December 2011. Send copy and photographs to –

[email protected] / [email protected] / or [email protected]

page 2 U3A Newsletter Issue 38 September 2011

News from the groups

ARCHITECTURE

We enjoyed another excellent outing to twoplaces in June, organized as usual by ourretired architect lecturer, John Onslow, whoplans each part of our outings with enormouscare to detail. The tea/coffee breaks are allarranged in advance, to allow everyone tohave a carefree day.

We visited Chiswick House—a nobleRoman-style Palladian villa built in 1729 forthe 3rd Earl of Burlington. The pure exteriorcontrasts with the sumptuous interiors whichwere created by William Kent. The gardenshave been restored to their former glory as thebirth-place of the English LandscapeMovement.

Marble Hill House, Richmond, is acharming Palladian villa bordering theThames, and set in 66 acres of parkland. Itwas built between 1724-29 for the mistress ofKing George II when he was Prince of Wales.

At both houses we had first-rate guides,who by turns informed and amused us.

Do join our group on the 1st and 3rdMondays of the month at 10am, in VerulamClose hall.

Photographs of Chiswick House byRoger Francis.

CREATIVE WRITING

Jean Hughes won first prize at theWharfedale Festival of Performing Arts forher short story entitled ‘Just One Tiny Pill’.The story will be printed in the fourthanthology of poems and stories by membersof Welwyn-Hatfield U3A, which will beavailable at the end of the year. The grouphave raised more than £500 for variouscharities with their annual anthology over thelast three years. Your support has been muchappreciated.

Photograph by Val Fieth


Digital Cameras for Beginners

To Flash or not to Flash, that was the firstlesson. This new group got together for justfive sessions at the Verulam Communal Hallduring June and July. The objective was todiscover just what all those buttons on theirdigital cameras were for. Now we can all turnoff the flash when we want to. This enablesthe taking of photos inside churches andmuseums (if allowed) without annoyingothers with that Flash. Many were surprisedhow easy it is to take an image of some smallprint using the Macro function, then magnifythe view on the camera and read it. Thevarious “scene modes” were explored,portrait, landscape and sunset ones being thefavourites.

The new U3A projector was used for twosessions on how to load and organize photosonto computers. Many people brought theirown laptops and lively discussions broke outas new programs and discoveries were made.Suddenly some laptop webcams wereactivated too much merriment. Computersare definitely not just for the youngergenerations!

Questionnaires filled in at the last twomeetings showed that everyone had enjoyedthemselves and got something from lessonsand wanted more. This has led to the newDigital Photography for Beginners coursebeing organized for the autumn term – infoon our U3A website under Stop Press. Suchis the interest that there are only a few placesleft.

Already some members of the group havegained the confidence to come along to thealternate Monday’s U3A Photography Group(see below), and take part in their “Out andAbout” sessions organized for summer.Photography in Welwyn Hatfield U3A is onthe up and up!

Geoff Bowers

EXPLORING LONDON

On Friday 1 July, 34 members of the groupgathered at Butlers Wharf, adjacent to TowerBridge for a three-hour cruise down theThames.

As the sun was shining, most of us were ableto sit up on deck and enjoy the variouslandmarks only previously seen from theriver bank. An hour into the trip we wentbelow deck for a tasty buffet lunch.

En route (before and after lunch - notduring!) we were given the sinister historyleading up to and following some of the morespectacular murders that have happened onthe Thames over the last few hundred years,ending with the activities of the Kraybrothers. Some murders were never solvedand some bodies have never been found. Thecommentator was an excellent story teller andhis delivery made them seem all the moregruesome.

From the feedback I have received,everyone had a most enjoyable day.

We hope to organise a couple of walksbefore Christmas but in the meantime, RogerSwaine is organising a visit to tour the GlobeTheatre on 21 October.

Bridget Durham and Dennis Edwards;photograph by Tony Lammiman


GARDENING

Following talks given last December byGarden Designer Ivan Hicks and AngelaHarkness, Butterfly World’s ManagingDirector, we undertook an outing on a sunnyMonday afternoon in July, to Butterfly Worldat Chiswell Green. The abundant wild flowerplanting is a sight to behold, with their greatvariety of insect-attracting scents: unfor-tunately, only a few butterflies were flutteringby that afternoon, to take advantage of it all.An effect, perhaps, of our early summerweather in April and May on their breedingseason, or lack of rain for their plant habitatsto grow, or simply they just didn’t appear thatafternoon – who knows? But this was morethan made up for by the gorgeous, diaphanousspecimens in the exotic butterfly house. Asyou wander through, some of these delicate,fragile creatures tend to land on clothing orhair, so you must take care not to crush or hurtthem, and ensure that they are not attached toyou as you exit.

There were many quirky individual gardendesigns to explore, with some reallyinteresting ideas in their structures. Thephotograph below, by Anita Hoyle, shows theThyme Garden.Some areas were designed toappeal to children – of all ages. A good placeto take the grandchildren, as it has a naturalplay area with willow tunnels, etc., andeducational learning areas for groups ofschoolchildren, including an insect-studycentre, where the life-cycles of butterflies and

moths are demonstrated Then there are thetwo hairy tarantulas, encased in a glass cage,thank goodness!

The area where they hope to build the huge100-metre dome to house a lush rainforestand thousands of butterflies, when fundspermit, is at the moment covered by a massof sunflowers – an awe-inspiring sight. Awalk through the huge wildflower meadowevokes memories of childhood years –something which sadly seems to exist thesedays only in paintings or old photographs, sothis really is a treat. In addition there is a shopand cafe, and of course lots of plants to buywhich are guaranteed to attract the butterfliesin your own garden.

It was a good afternoon out. If you haven’tvisited it,do: it’s well worth the effort, andthey need the support Our grateful thanks toSue King for organising the outing.

Carole King

THEATRE TRIPS

In the last sixteen years the Theatre TripsGroup has made at least three trips each year,and seen some truly memorable shows. Onematinee performance at the National wasfollowed by a night-time trip on the LondonEye – London and the Thames look quitedifferent lit up by night.

I was also organising U3A holidays;wherever there was a suitable theatre nearby,we have been to see the show: for instance,Annie at Swansea and Sreaming at Pitlochry(when we all had to troop out of the theatredue to a fire alarm!).

On a recent trip to Milton Keyes to seeSpamalot we were also able to indulge insome Christmas shopping in the huge mall.

Among the shows we shall alwaysremember our trips to are: Coram Boys, Mackand Mabel, Hot Micardo, War Horse, MyFair Lady, A Funny thing Happened ...,History Boys, Moonlight and Magnolias,Much Ado About Nothing and Guys and Dolls


In October we are going to the new theatrein Aylesbury to see One man Two Governorswhich has been playing to sell-out houses atthe National. In January we have another tripto the Watermill at Newbury to see Wind inthe Willows. The Watermill is a favouritedestination and tickets go almost as soon as atrip is published. This theatre also has anexcellent restaurant and we always have agood lunch before the performance.

You don’t have to join this group – justwatch the notice board where I post news ofeach trip as I book it!

Margaret Hakansson

VIRTUAL U3A

The Virtual U3A (vU3a), which went livein January 2009, is an online-only U3A,affiliated to the Third Age Trust. One of itsprincipal aims is to provide the U3Aexperience for those who are renderedisolated in some way by circumstances orgeography and unable to play a full part in aterrestrial U3A.

More information is available on the publicwebsite www.vu3a.org where one can alsoapply for membership. Why not pay it a visit?

The vU3A already has an activemembership but is currently seeking to

increase this with the hope of expanding therange of activity groups now in operation.

PHOTOGRAPHY

At meetings from May to July, SheilaWilder demonstrated print mountingtechniques, showing how to measure for thecut-out and to recover from a cutting error;members brought in and photographed StillLife and Table Top subjects; and enjoyeddisplays of prints of the “Butterfly World”visit, American Theme slides, and their own“Favourite Pictures”, with reasons why theywere taken.

“Out and About” visits were made to RyeMeads (where the weather was good and thehides clear), Stondon Transport Museum(seeing an amazing collection of verhicles)and Whipsnade (perfect weather –the groupstayed for over six hours). Some of theresulting photographs (originally in colour)are reproduced here:

Members of the group photographing StillLife subjects, The Flying Flea? and CaptainScott’s Endeavour by Ron Benfield

An old Ford by Shirley Benfield.“Sunlight on Gull” and “Pretty in Pink”

(flamingoes) by Anita Hoyle

Obituary

Anne Christine McDermott 1944-2011

Anne was born in Hatfield, and afterretiring from lecturing at OaklandsCollege in St Albans, spent many yearsas a volunteer therapist at the IsabelHospice, where she died of cancer on 21June 2011. She joined U3A in 2009 andattended the Architecture group. Sheleaves her husband, Patrick, and fourchildren.


AUTUMN 2011 PROGRAMME

Wednesday Meetings14 September, Ludwick Family Centre,

WGCAutumn Art Exhibition

Contact Jean Hughes. Exhibition andWorks in Progress featuring Multi-Media 1and 2, Photography, Greeting Cards andWatercolours Groups.

21 September, William Cecil MemorialHall, HatfieldYour Place in the Cosmos –

Carolin Crawford, Outreach Office for theInstitute of Astronomy at the University ofCambridge

28 September, LudwickRussia Past and Present – Mike Beech

This talk will contrast the opulence of theHermitage with the poverty of thecountryside and explore how Russia isemerging from the constraints of 60 years ofCommunism

5 October, HatfieldDo you know Your Consumer Rights? - part2 – Sylvia Rook

Following her previous visit, Sylvia willcontinue to dig into the law regardingConsumer Rights


12 October, LudwickInsurance Fraud – Alan Gilmore

Alan worked in insurance, both at home andabroad, for 38 years. He will tell us about thescams, fraud and amusing anecdotes heencountered during this time.

19 October, H atfieldAuthors of Hertfordshire –

Hazel Bell and David SteedDavid and Hazel are WelHat U3A members

and Friends of Welwyn Hatfield Museums.They will introduce some local writers of thepast, and read extracts from their work.

26 October, LudwickTraverse – a solo walk across Africa –

Fran SandhamA former editor of Rough Guides, Fran

walked 3000 miles coast to coast acrossAfrica solo – apart from a disastrous donkey!

2 November, HatfieldThe History of Brickendonbury Manor –

John LoadmanJohn began his career as an analytical

chemist with the Natural Rubber Producers’Research Association and continued in thatarea of work until he retired in 1999. Hebecame interested in the 2000-year history ofBrickendonbury Manor, just south ofHertford, as the site was purchased by theResearch Association.

9 November, LudwickHigh Times at Heathrow – Sheila Kennedy

Sheila worked for 40 years at the Airportand will describe the interesting people shemet and incidents that occurred.

16 November, Hatfield‘The women I have married’ – Richard

SelbyAfter retiring from banking Richard wrote

and published books on Barnet Pubs and localhistory. This talk is a romp through thehistory of marriage down the ages as well asthe Registration Service – his second career.

23 November, LudwickEdward Wilson and Scott of the Antarctic –

Isobel WilliamsEdward Wilson, a friend and confidant of

Captain Scott, accompanied him to the SouthPole, sadly dying on the return journey withtheir three companions.

30 November, HatfieldMemories of Japan – Joan Lilwall-Smith

Joan is a retired head-teacher, married to anacademic geologist. She accompanied herhusband on some of his trips when he wasvisiting professor at two Universities inJapan.

7 December, LudwickCHRISTMAS PARTY

Bring finger food, savoury or sweet. Wineand soft drinks will be provided. It willinclude another edition of Jack Wood’samazing friendly Quizzes

14 DecemberCHRISTMAS LUNCH

12 noon for 12.45 at Homestead CourtHotel, Homestead Lane, Welwyn GardenCity. Round Table, Christmas layout. Tickets(£23 per person), menus and table numbers(for final table plan) will be available forbooking at the Wednesday Meetings on 4, 11,18 and 25 October.

Next term begins 11 January, Hatfield


HATS AT THE HOSPICE - u3awelhat.org.ukWharfedale Festival of Performing Arts for her short story...

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