Wadebridge U3A

Newsletter October 2017 issue No 45

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Editorial Welcome to a new year of social learning activities and good company at Wadebridge U3A.

We particularly welcome our new members and sincerely hope that an informative and

enjoyable year lies ahead for all. The new committee is now in office with six skilled and

refreshed members returning from last year and four new members to help them.

Joan Proctor our Chairman, is seen here on

enrolment day talking to our Treasurer Barbara

Bell. Keith Mould has already shown his

metal as our Coffee Morning pianist and is

enthusiastic about his new role as Secretary.

A total of 160 members had enrolled by

the end of the morning including many

new members.

A very warm welcome to one and all.

Wadebridge U3A Committee Meeting Report The new committee met for the first time on 22nd Sep with a packed agenda. Chairman Joan Proctor

Welcomed the new members Keith Mould, Jean Endean, and Philip Rowland.

The move of The U3A National Office from Bromley to the more central 52 Lant Lane in London

SE1 was noted as were the proposed changes to the way the U3A is run nationally.

Joan and Ian were appointed to represent us on The West Cornwall Link Group, which brings

members from different U3A groups in this area together for mutual assistance and discussion. Their

next meeting is in October in St Austell.

The New Ukelele Group and the Beginners Patchwork Groups are progressing well.

Barbara reported that even though our annual rent is to be increased by a third no increase in

subscriptions will be necessary this year.

From January 2018 onwards the Coffee Mornings will take place on the third Saturday of each

month. The programme of speakers up to March 2018 coffee morning is now in place.

Group outings continue to be very popular and a conducted tour of ‘Du Maurier’s Fowey’ is

arranged for 19th April 2018.

Wadebridge U3A

Newsletter October 2017 issue No 45

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Wadebridge U3A Website

Sid Frangleton is our Webmaster and he designed, set up and now

maintains our website. To find it - Go to Wadebridge U3A on Google

and click on the link to Wadebridge U3A. This will take you direct to

the opening page. This page includes a brief history of the Wadebridge

U3A together with links to the other pages of information. The photo

pages show many of our activities including a separate page for every

Group. There are also copies of the most recent issues of the Newsletter

for your perusal. Look further and you will find a wealth of information

U3A Signpost is a monthly International Newsletter

published on the first day of every month. The editor is Tom

Holland a retired international U3A enthusiast who has

worked in many countries. He welcomes new recipients who

can join his mailing list on line. To receive it on your

computer, phone or tablet, go to Google and search for

worldu3a.org/signpost.

On the website supply your email address in the form

provided. A copy of the newsletter will be sent to your inbox

on the first of every month with up to date information about

U3A’s in many different countries. Back issues are available

on the website if you wish to catch up on past numbers.

Third Age Matters is our national U3A magazine and as a

member of Wadebridge U3A you are entitled to have your copy

sent direct to your home address. The magazine covers all

aspects of the Movement’s activities with ample letters, news

from individual U3As from all over the country and articles of

interest to all of our generation. It is published in February,

April, June, September and November. If you have just joined

our ranks your name and address will be automatically added to

the mailing list and you should receive a copy of the November

issue. Please let Val know if you don’t!

Wadebridge U3A

Newsletter October 2017 issue No 45

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Did You Know? – That ‘Tickets’ issued by so called Private parking companies for parking

on PRIVATE LAND are covered by the Protection of Freedoms Act 2012, which outlawed

the use of ‘clamping’. This sets out the procedure which private parking companies must

follow when issuing tickets. If you are in receipt of one of these ‘tickets’ you have three

choices: pay it, ignore it, or fight it. Challenging the ‘notice’ can be done because private

parking companies have no powers under criminal law as do local authorities and the police.

They only have the Law of Contract in which to operate. For more detailed information go to

the Ticketfighter.co.uk website.

Did You Know? – That Typhoid Fever is the most deadly of bacteriological diseases. A

dose of only two bacteria (Salmonella typhi) is enough to infect someone with the disease. A

typical food poisoning bacteria (Salmonella typhimurium) requires more than a million

organisms to cause disease. Typhoid is spread particularly by infected water but also by milk

and other liquid foods. In the 1890’s British bacteriologist Almroth Wright developed a

typhoid vaccine which was tested and found effective during the Boar war. During the First

World War he set up and then oversaw the mass immunisation of millions of British troops

against typhoid saving an estimated half a million lives.

Did you Know? That Sir Arthur Quiller-Couch was born in Bodmin of a family of

intellectuals. He went to school in Newton Abbot, then went on to Clifton College Bristol

before Trinity College, Oxford here he studied ‘Classical Moderations, and ‘Greats’. He

followed a spell lecturing at Trinity, with journalism in London before he settled in Fowey.

He was an active Liberal Party member and was knighted in 1910. He was a ‘real Cornish

Bard’ from 1928 and died in a road accident, hit by a jeep in 1944 and is buried in St

Fimbarrus Church, Fowey.

Did You Know? – that OWCH is a group of women over fifty who have created their own

community in a purpose built block of flats in North London: as a new alternative to living

alone. Members moved into their flats in December 2016 and quickly set out the rules and

duties of householders plus a programme of meals all together each week.

Wadebridge U3A

Newsletter October 2017 issue No 45

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.

Hospital regulations require a wheel chair for patients

being discharged. However, while working as a student

nurse, I found one elderly gentleman already dressed

and sitting on the bed with a suitcase at his feet, who

insisted he didn't need my help to leave the hospital.

After a chat about rules being rules, he reluctantly let

me wheel him to the elevator. On the way down I

asked him if his wife was meeting him. 'I don't know,'

he said. 'She's still upstairs in the bathroom changing

out of her hospital gown.'

:

A man was telling his neighbour, 'I just bought a new hearing aid. It cost me four thousand pounds, but it's state of

the art. It's perfect.' 'Really,' answered the neighbour 'What kind is it?' 'Twelve thirty.'

A few quips to end with

I changed my car horn for gunshot sounds. People get out of the way much faster.

The biggest lie I tell myself is – I don’t need to write that down. I’ll remember it.

I didn’t make it to the gym today. That makes five years in a row

Thanks to all contributors. Please keep sending items to Ed: martin.52wood@btinternet.com