Hickling Broad U3A Newsletter: October/November 2015
Last Month’s meeting:
Our Programme Team keeps on coming up trumps, with really good speakers and a great range of topics: there’s truly something – actually lots of things! – for everybody in the programme, and this month was no exception.
Robert Smith is the Harbour Master at Wells, a post he has held for many years. He regaled us with all sorts of stories of his experiences, ranging from helping pleasure craft to navigate correctly (and so avoid going aground) to dealing with people smugglers, sorting out the aftermath of the tidal surge, looking after a wind farm out at sea and so much more. One surprising fact he told us was that although they are called Cromer crabs, most of them are landed at Wells. Interesting, too, that lobsters and crabs are thriving around the bases of the wind turbines, and their habitat there is being enhanced with rocks to encourage them even further.
The next month at a glance:
1st October / Cycling2nd October / Sailing
5th October / Art
7th October / Walking
7th October / Bookworms
8th October / Let’s Discuss It
9th October / Monthly Meeting in the Barn
12th October / Wildlife Walk
16th October / Sailing
16th October / Backgammon
19th October / BLURR Camera Group
20th October / Country Dancing
21st October / Pub Lunches
22nd October / Outings
27th October / Gourmet Diggers
28th October / Croquet
2nd November / Art
4th November / Walking
4th November / Bookworms
5th November / Cycling
13th November / Monthly Meeting in the Barn
Further information about all these meetings/events will be found further on in this newsletter.
This Month’s Meeting – 9th October at 2.00pm in The Barn
East Anglian Air Ambulance - “You can’t park there!”
Our own Steve Whitbyspent 4 years as a volunteer with the Charity after being appointedtheir first ever Treasurer.
In April 2004 he was employed on a 3-month contract to run the Charity whilst a permanent MD was sought. He retired from the Charity 10 years later having, at some time, done every job in the Charity except one. Hadhe stayed a year longer he would have managed Prince William!
Tom Moore worked for the air ambulance as a volunteer doctor for 10 years. During this time he flew hundredsof missions. In addition to volunteering with EAAA Tom also worked as doctor on cruise ships since retiring from full time practice.
Their talk this afternoon will give a brief history of air ambulances in general and EAAA in particular and Tom will describe several of the more interesting and challenging caseshe saw.
They will also share some of the Charity's successes as well as times when things didn't quite go to plan!
About this Newsletter
A quick apology: the bits that were supposed to be in blue last month – all the contact details for the groups – turned yellow and almost unreadable in the transfer from my computer to Kathy’s. We’ll be trying a different shade this month and we’ll test it first. Strange things happen in computers from time to time…
Interest Group Meetings:
Art – 1st Monday at the Methodist Church (pm)
The first meeting of this new group is scheduled for the afternoon of Monday 5th October at the Methodist Church.
It will be an informal group where members can do their own thing and encourage each other. Bring your pastels and paints and have a go!
Backgammon – 1st and 3rd Fridays at the Pleasure Boat Inn (pm)
Backgammon will recommence on Friday 16th October at the Pleasure Boat Inn 2.00-4.00p.m. Beginners welcome.
BLURR – The Camera Group – 3rd Monday each month (pm)
BLURR’s main business at the September meeting was to choose the pictures for this year’s calendar: there was a good range to choose from, and all members will be represented in the finished work.
We also shared our black and white pictures in the “bring and brag” session (although some colour seemed to creep into some of the pictures for some reason…)
Martin continued with the eighth of our technical sessions. This month he featured some of the rules of composition (not really rules, more like tools to help you make better pictures: as he said at the start of the session , Rule 1 is “There are no rules!”).
Next month’s meeting is on Monday 19th October. The “Bring and Brag” subject is “Fungi”. With a bit of luck, the calendars will be printed and ready for distribution at the meeting.
'Bookworms' Reading Group – 1st Wednesday each month (pm)
Our next book, to be discussed on 7th October, is 'A Thousand Splendid Suns' by Khaled Hosseini, a change from the book shown in the last Newsletter.
For October reading and discussion on 4th November, we have chosen 'A Possible Life' by Sebastian Faulks. Subtitled 'A Novel in Five Parts' and is what amounts to five short stories about five different characters set in five different places and time periods.
We take turns in hosting our meetings - during the summer months from 2:30pm to 4:30pm and during the winter 2:00pm - 4:00pm - the time changes taking place in line with the clocks. So if you would like to join us or just want a bit more information, please give me a call. You will be made very welcome.
Country Dancing –3rd Tuesday each month (pm)
The group met in September, despite many of us being away.
We danced Delia, The Hop Pickers and Star of Jerusalem, the latter being a very complicated dance that took some mastering. We thoroughly enjoyed ourselves despite the challenge.
We were sad to hear of the recent ill health suffered by one of our volunteer instructors Charles, and send him all our love and good wishes for a speedy and full recovery.
PLEASE NOTE: October’s Session will be a week earlier than usual on the6th October, 2pmat Hickling Barn.
Cycling Group – 1st Thursday each month (am)
Garden Croquet -4th Wednesday each month, May to October, weather permitting
Gourmet Diggers – 4th Tuesday each month (pm)
We had a smaller groupat this months meeting due to holidays, but never the less had a good group involvement, what we should be planting and WHAT WE SHOULD BE DOING NOW… Time is now running out as the nights are drawing in, so, as they say get your house in order…
We all went around Brenda’s garden and were able to take as many apples as wanted.
We are looking forward to our next Gourmet Diggers meeting, the theme being FRENCH.
Our September meeting was themed INDIAN, many thanks to Audrey who gave us a wonderful beef and tomato Indian curry, the smell still makes my mouth water. It was SOOO delicious that Jane even had second helpings, depriving poor Clive of his supper and only leaving him witha taste….. Only joking there was MORE than enough to go around.
See you all at the next meeting27 Oct, 2-4 at Friars Dyke. Remember the theme is FRENCH … SO perhaps we could do something different and dress up as French marketers!!!!!. Do what you feel, but it would be nice to do something different, just to keep the group entertained.
Any one of the U3A is MOST WELCOME to join us, just let me know.
'Let’s Discuss It' – 2nd Thursday each month (pm)
WE ARE ACTIVELY SEEKING A FEW MORE MEMBERSTO JOIN US FOR AN INTERESTING, RELAXING AND PLEASURABLE WAY TO SPEND A COUPLE OF HOURS.
The topics are selected in advance.One or two members agree to research a topic.
At the meeting they spend 5 to 15 minutes telling us what they have found out.
We then have a pleasant couple of hours debating and discussing.
In September we discussed‘Are we a Product of our Birth, Upbringing or Life Experiences?’
We found this to be a fascinating subject.Following a great presentation from one of our group we all had a lot to contribute which stimulated a lively fun debate.
Future topics:
Oct 8Millions of pounds have been spent on space exploration. Is it worth it?
Nov 12Climate change
Dec 10Subject to be agreed
Previous topics:
Globalisation - Good or Bad
Understanding Islam and why we should.
The Effect of Obesity on the West
Climate Change
Chemistry of the brain ‘what makes us happy
Are we a Product of our Birth, Upbringing or Life Experiences?
Outings – no regular day
Ghost walk October 22nd. We will meet in the chapel car park at 5.15p.m. to car share.
Theatre trip –‘Handbagged’ Theatre Royal Norwich November 12th 2.30.
Meet at the chapel car park at 12.30p.m.
Outing for your diary.
Time and Tide museum January 28th 2016 meet in chapel car park 9.30a.m.
Pub Lunches Group – 3rd Wednesday each month
This month our lively pub lunch group met at “The Kings Arms” in Martham for lunch.
The pub is situated opposite the Green and Pond in Martham with a large parking area to the right of the pub.
The pub has a small restaurant area to the left side of the main bar (and a function room on the right). The landlady/waitress is friendly and obliging.
As well as the main menu, some specials were on offer. The chef was prepared to cook a requested dish although, obviously, there would have been a longer wait. In fact there was quite a wait for our meals to be served but most guests enjoyed what they ordered, some very much so. There was a good selection of meals on the menu and prices were reasonable.
Of course we all enjoy visiting local pubs and sampling the food (and wine) but our group is just as much about enjoying meeting up together and having a good time!
Our next “pub” lunch is booked at the “Cliftonville Hotel” in Cromer - a little bit further to travel but comes recommended. It’s on Wednesday 21 October at 12.15pm. when you’re welcome to join us.
Sailing – 1st and 3rd Friday each month (am)
Sailing is rather weather-dependent at this time of the year: please ring Celia by the Wednesday before the session for more details.
Voices of Hickling
Walking Group – 1st Wednesday each month (am)
Meet up at the Methodist Church car park at 9:45am.
Wildlife Walks – 2nd Monday each month (pm)
The next walk will be on 12th October, visiting Horsey to see how the seal season is developing. Meet at the Seal Car Park at 2.00pm
Next Main Meeting – 13th November at 2.00pm in The Barn
The Story of How Hill Trust
Simon Partridge will present an illustrated talk looking at the history of How Hill – from its beginnings back in the early 1900s right up to the present day and the educational work of the How Hill Trust.
The main role of the Trust is to provide Environmental Education by means of residential field courses for school children and young people; this will always be the central activity at How Hill. The children who come and stay here are invariably delighted. They explore our woods and marshes, meet the marshman and find out about the reed harvest, visit the windmills and have a trip on the river. They try their hand at thatching and an assortment of other crafts. Above all, they gain an insight into the fragile world of the Broads, and often this is the beginning of a life-long interest in the environment.