BUDE & DISTRICT U3A

Summerleaze Beach in lockdown June – there’s always someone on the beach. Photo: Mary Dobson.

Registered Charity No.1110029

www.budeu3a.co.uk

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LockdownMusingsfromtheChairman

Hello Everybody,

I hope you are all keeping safe and well and have been able to keep in touch with your

U3A friends through the uncertainty of the last few months. One thing we can be sure

of is that 2020 is a year none of us will ever forget!

With no monthly mee�ngs, and very few Group mee�ngs happening at the moment,

there aren't many current topics calling for comment, but I would like to draw your

a�en�on to the Good News to be found elsewhere in this Newsle�er about our new

Vice-Chairman, and also our 2020/21 subscrip�ons.

The lockdown came as a shock to everyone, stopping us in our tracks and making us

rethink our priori�es and everything we did. It was very scary at first, but in spite of all

the things we couldn't do, there were some compensa�ons.

When I look back over the months since March, it is the posi�ve things that come to

mind first:

- weeks of dry and sunny weather

- offers of help and support from friends and neighbours

- freedom to roam over the whole of Summerleaze Downs, especially the extensive area

normally the exclusive province of golfers

- hours of melodious birdsong uninterrupted by traffic noise

- the opportunity to walk down the middle of main roads in perfect safety

- discovering the magic of connec"ng to others via Zoom

- friendly waves, smiles and gree"ngs from everyone, especially complete strangers

- bright clear skies

- sparkling seas

- hundreds more stars at night (Photo: Mary Dobson)

- acres of totally empty sand on Summerleaze Beach at low "de

- and, most of all, "me to breathe, to stop rushing around, "me

simply just to be and to value Life for its own sake.

Some of these experiences will have been once in a life�me happenings, so need to be

remembered and cherished.

Maybe some of you have had to search for things to do simply to help long blank days to

pass. If you feel that �me has slipped by and you should perhaps have made be�er use of

it, you may like to join me in taking comfort from the words of Bertrand Russell, “The

�me you enjoy was�ng is not wasted �me.”

I am looking forward to being able to meet you all again one day. In the mean$me, go

safely. May you live as long as you want to and want to as long as you live.

Jo Arnold

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OpenMonthlyMeetingsUpdateDearMembers,Although some aspects of life are slowly ge&ng back to something resembling normality,

we do not know when it will be feasible to recommence any type of Monthly Mee$ng.

Some very interes�ng talks have been cancelled over the last few months and I hope to be

able to re-schedule some of these in the future. Rosemary Lee, who was due to speak in

March, is now booked for next January to talk about a trip along the Amazon. The U3A

Drama Group have also agreed to do a performance next July as they were not able to do

their play this July. As nearly all the dates for 2021 were booked a year ago, I will try to fit

the other cancelled talks in for 2022!

Looking ahead, we have a variety of other inspiring talks planned for next year, including a

talk by Terry Faull on the Real Poldark Inheritance, Rupert Brendon telling us about the

History of the Falcon Hotel, a very inspiring lady, Anita K Edgar-Cole, who runs Child

Rescue India, and a talk about Cyber Protec$on given by the Devon and Cornwall Police, to

name just a sample of what’s upcoming.

We all hope for be3er $mes and that these sessions will all be able to go ahead. The

planned talks for this September and November are described below, but we shall have

to wait and see what happens.

Valerie Langdown, Speaker Secretary

September17th-MEDICALDETECTIONDOGS-RebeccaPearce

This is a charity that trains dogs to detect the odour of human disease. The Medical Alert

assistance dogs provide a life-saving companion to help those with life-threatening diseases

such as Type 1 Diabetes, Addison's Disease, severe nut allergies, and other condi�ons. The

Bio-Detec�on dogs are trained to find the odour of diseases such as Cancer, Parkinson's,

and Malaria, in samples of urine, breath or swabs. Rebecca works with a team of volunteers

to raise awareness for this life-saving work.

October15th-ANNUALGENERALMEETING

November19th-VARIETYHASBEENMYSPICEOFLIFE-MikeBearcroftMike will talk about his varied life. He has been a footballer with Sheffield United, sold

infant milk all over the world, ran a not-for-profit health insurer, worked with Princess

Diana, became a director of the Bri�sh Red Cross, acted professionally on stage and TV,

owned a murder mystery company, ran a touring stage show and become an author.

He is now a trustee of Connec�ng Lives Cornwall, and a fundraiser for Fauna and Flora

Interna�onal.

Mee�ngs are held at the Parkhouse Centre, Bude, at 2.30 pm and are subject

to change or cancella�on, as Government regula�ons dictate.

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BudeU3ANews….

FromJoArnold:

The Chairman . . . . and Vice-Chairman Posi�ons Last October I told you of my inten$on to step down at our next AGM, but that was

before the Pandemic struck and threw everything up in the air! Holding on to what we

had and keeping as much as possible going, has not been easy, but handing over in the

Autumn while everything is s�ll so uncertain would make things very tough for my

successor.

In view of this I have reconsidered and am prepared to offer myself for re-elec$on for

one more year. That will be my third, and will have to be my last under the provisions of

our Cons"tu"on. Provided that enough of you are willing to vote me in for one more year,

you will have a Chairman for 2020/21.

For many months, as you know, we have been looking for someone to take on the role of

Vice-Chairman. The idea has been for them to learn the ropes with a view to stepping up

to become Chairman in due course. In July, the Commi�ee was delighted to formally

welcome Tina Hyndman to this posi�on. Tina is a rela�vely new member, but she is keen

to learn all she can as soon as possible. Our inability to hold open or regular Group

Mee�ngs since March has been a disadvantage, but she has had wide-ranging

conversa�ons with members and has also been a guest at several Commi�ee mee�ngs.

Tina is now looking forward to the challenge and I am sure you will all make her welcome

as you get to know her.

So now all we need is a new Treasurer!!

A.G.M. As this Newsle0er goes to press we regret we are unable to say anything definite about

whether we will be able to hold our AGM on the planned date of 15th October, 2020.

That (and also our customary exhibi�on of Group Ac�vi�es) will depend on the availability

of the Parkhouse Centre hall and the Pandemic regula�ons in force at the �me.

More informa�on will be published on the website as soon as any decision can be made.

Keeping in touch If you are aware of any member who is ill, or in any difficulty, and would welcome a Get

Well card or some other contact, please tell Mary Dobson [01288 354451], or any member

of the Commi�ee.

Jo ArnoldGood News on Membership Fees Everyone should have received a le3er in July from the Bude U3A Commi3ee. The le3er

contained some good news on membership fees for 2020/21 – for membership renewals

before November 30th, the fee will be just £5.

Even without the usual, full U3A programme in place, this is surely a bargain! It is clear

from the ‘reports’ from Group Leaders in this Newsle�er that even with lockdown and

social distancing in place, many groups have maintained regular contact and several were

able to con�nue with a ‘new normal’ version of their ac�vity. / Con"nued….

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Bude Lockdown Morning

- from Maggie Gibbs,

Photography 2 Group.

Good News / Con�nued Other benefits - In addi�on to ongoing Group ac�vi�es, membership also brings you this

Newsle�er every three months, as well as U3A Na�onal’s Third Age Ma�ers magazine.

It’s also a good idea to look at the U3A Na�onal website for news and ideas and to

par�cipate in the various online forums and workshops.

U3A Na�onal also offers its e-newsle�er. To request it: www.U3A.org.uk/newsle�er.

(See Page 24 and the enclosures with this Newsle�er, for full Membership Renewal

informa"on.)

No Good News Yet The search con$nues for the next Treasurer! The July le3er from the Commi3ee again

stressed the need for someone to step forward to volunteer for this posi$on.

Ian Maclure, who has been Treasurer for the last six years, has indicated that he will not

be standing again at the AGM. Assistant Treasurer, John Dabbs, is also handing in his

calculator and so new faces are needed - Bude U3A must have a Treasurer!

Help and support from the Commi�ee is available and so the new Treasurer will not be

thrown in at the deep end. In the ar�cle on the Commi�ee in the May Newsle�er, Ian

indicated that he spends just two to three hours a month looking aLer the finances.

That’s not a lot of �me, but it is a great way to give back to the community and use whatever expertise you may have to help a worthwhile cause!

ChecktheBudeU3Awebsiteforinformationonwhenmeetings,Coffee

MorningsandGroupactivitieswillrestartandforanychangestothe

datesandtimesgiveninthisNewsletter:www.budeu3a.co.uk

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News From The Groups From the Groups Coordinator …. Due to the coronavirus there have been no groups to coordinate. However, on a Groups theme and with inspiration from my son and two daughters who have insisted, for the last nine Saturdays, that we should have an online group quiz, try your brains on these groups. What are they Groups of? (Answers on Page 20)

Finally…. So, in retrospect, in 2015, not a single person got the answer right to: “Where do you see yourself five years from now?” The Seven Dwarfs are now allowed to meet in a group of six. One of them isn’t Happy. And don’t forget… Education is important, but opening the pubs is importanter. Ian Dew

1. Congregation 7. Army 13. Range 19. Knot

2. Shrewdness 8. Bushel 14. Belt 20. Bale

3. Colony or Cauldron 9. Murder 15. Flight 21. Deck

4. Sleuth 10. Pace 16. Tower 22. Bloat

5. Gaggle 11. Skulk or Leash 17. Pod 23. Cackle

6. Bed 12. Horde 18. Bale 24. Leap

ALL ABOUT BIRDS meets on the fourth Wednesday of the month. Dave Gilbert - davegilbert65@outlook.com / 07971 258657 or Rosie Bowden – rosieleebowden@gmail.com / 01409 241506

Some of the Bird Group have kept in touch via a free photo and video-sharing platform called Cluster – which is very easy to download and use. We have some absolutely stunning examples of members’ photographic skills and share not only bird photography but also insects, including butterflies and dragonflies. Bird watching as we know it is almost impossible at the moment with the implications of social distancing and car sharing. Visiting bird hides is also not possible, so we are having to look more inward to our own gardens and local environment. We are coming to the end of the breeding season. The birds will stop singing soon, the young are fledging so it’s a good time to observe young birds being fed in our gardens. It is not so much the unusual or rare birds to look out for, but the everyday. Whilst you have the time, it’s a good opportunity to study those birds that we may dismiss as common, such as lots of Corvids, i.e., Rooks, Crows, Jackdaws, Magpies, also Collared Doves and Wood Pigeons. There are also lots of young Starlings and House Sparrows, Goldfinches and Chaffinches (right). We are entering a rather quiet time in the birding year, so a lot of birders start looking for butterflies and dragonflies. If you have a pond and some insect loving plants in your garden, there are a lot of butterflies and dragonflies around this year. / Continued….

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ALL ABOUT BIRDS / Continued It is best to look for butterflies early in the morning when they sit with their wings open absorbing the warmth of the sun.. (Photo: Common Blue - taken by Ian Ball, Photography 2.) The last activity we were going to do before the lockdown was to take a look at our local patch - i.e., Bude Marshes, Maer Lake, possibly Tamar Lakes, and so forth, and these may well be good place to start when we are able to meet up again. Dave Gilbert and Rosie Bowden BOOK GROUP meets on the second Wednesday of the month at 2.30 pm in the Holsworthy area Valerie Kerr - 01840 230194

As our usual source of books, the library, continues to be closed, we decided to make our own selections from their Group Set. Our first choice was Alan Bennett’s Uncommon Reader – a novella we could read online. The exercise proved very successful and Bennett was a joy to read; his ‘reader’ being the Queen who had stumbled across a mobile library at Buckingham Palace and felt duty-bound to select a book. Guided by Norman, she discovers the joy of reading and develops more sophisticated tastes until it becomes an obsession. Many of us went on to read Untold Stories, Bennett’s autobiographical work. At the time of writing he was suffering from cancer and expected it to be published posthumously which may account for the brutal honesty. Containing his usual wit and humour, this was a more complex read and several skipped over the middle diary section, concentrating on the candid opening chapters on his family history, then on the final sections on his work and associates. Next a classic: Mansfield Park, by Jane Austin – the most successful of her novels during her lifetime. This generated interesting discussion as Austin created Fanny Price, a rather down-trodden heroine, certainly not a strong Elizabeth Bennett type. It exemplifies the intelligence and well-crafted nature of her novels, dealing with the hierarchy of family life and the economics of marriage, all in her delightful prose. Having said that, the consensus was that it is rather long, and several recommended Persuasion. Our next selection was Joanna Cannon’s The Trouble with Goats and Sheep, published in 2016. This was met with universal approval. Mrs Creasy has vanished overnight from an ordinary close during the very hot summer of 1976. Ten year old Grace and Tilly, decide to solve the mystery and go door-to-door in search of answers, but secrets slip out! Val Kerr CREATIVE WRITING 1 meets on the second Thursday of the month at 2 pm Lucille Opie - 01288 352301

I sit here thinking in front of my laptop, hoping for inspiration to write my report. My first thought is that I hate the new words, Coronavirus and Lockdown! But I’m afraid they are here to stay and I presume future editions of the Oxford Dictionary and Thesaurus will include them, though I am absolutely sure no one, but no one, living in the world today will ever forget them. The word Lockdown brings back memories of being ‘locked in’ in my bedroom so many moons ago.... When I was six years old, I shared a bedroom with my four-year-old sister. One summer evening, having been bathed and said our goodnights and prayers, we decided to play hairdressers. I can’t remember how I got a pair of scissors, but I cut off some of my sister Pam’s beautiful blonde curls and also cut her a fringe. I was so proud of the result that I suggested we go downstairs to show Mummy and Daddy. /Continued ….

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CREATIVE WRITING 1 / Continued I held Pam’s hand and knocked on the door before entering, but had a shock when I saw they had guests for a dinner party. I remember the sudden silence and their facial expressions as all six heads turned to look at us expectantly. I froze - but then started to say, very shakily, “Wu - we’ve come to show you Pam’s hair cut, ‘cos,- we’ve been playing hairdress...” my voice quavered to a halt as my mouth dried up on catching sight of our father’s stormy face. As he leapt out of his chair, we turned as one and skiddled back upstairs, father hot on our heels. He was very cross! I had a smacking for that and we were locked in our bedroom at night for several weeks. Now, eighty plus years later I am again locked in! And this is the 14th week. I am becoming so bored with my own company, and yet, I haven’t had the inspiration to sit and write a story. I have cleaned cupboards and drawers, spring cleaned rooms and weeded the garden, I have done lots of cooking and eaten too much, hence, annoyingly a few pounds have gone on. I want to be physically and mentally active, and in contact with my friends and family again. Zoom helps only a little. Apologies, I have digressed! Our Creative Writing group has not been very active, I’m afraid. I remember in my last report I mentioned that for the April meeting (that never happened, and neither have the May or June ones), we were going to read the stories about Grandpa. I emailed to those with computers to send their story around to the group (there are a couple on our website), and I sent a brief in May suggesting we write about the Covid-19 from our own perspective. However, that one has not materialised, as yet. The world situation is having an effect on us all. To write, one has to have inspiration and it seems we have lost it. However, despair not! We hope to meet soon and I have no doubt that we shall all have plenty to say and discuss! Fingers crossed there will not be a second lockdown and everything will have returned to normal!? Hum! But will life be the same? Now there’s a title for a story...! Lucille Opie CREATIVE WRITING 2 meets on the third Wednesday of the month, 2.30 pm Henry Kitchen - 01409 254346 The new normal is almost upon us. So, what did we do in lockdown? The first response is: attempt to catch up on all those little tasks that have been waiting, which included some creative writing. We all have completed a Diary of Isolation and at least two short stories. One, Fact into Fiction, and two, The Day the Police Arrived. These will probably be published in the Christmas Collection. We should have completed three Haiku, but these have not been seen. We published Pieces for Posterity by Malcolm Orr; More Stories from the Shed, and Embassy by Henry Kitchen. All three titles are available on Kindle and in paperback from Amazon. During lockdown I know that many U3A members have used writing as a displacement activity, consequently there must be some who would find our Creative Writing Group a help in developing their ideas. It is proposed that we recommence meetings in October (Covid-19 regulations permitting). Contact Henry Kitchen for more information. Henry Kitchen DISCUSSION meets on the third Tuesday of the month at 2.15 pm Ken Hodges - 01288 354596 For obvious reasons no meetings have taken place since February. We cancelled out in March until further notice. Since then I have had little contact with anyone, even including members of this group, for which I apologise! / Continued …..

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DISCUSSION / Continued …. My wife and I have strictly observed lockdown rules, and we intend to continue in this way for as long as it takes, not least of all because my wife suffers from asthma! We have been fortunate to have all our groceries delivered and when venturing out it has been to quiet places for a picnic, a walk, or just to sit in the car! Heaven knows when all of this will end, or if there will be a second spike beforehand. Perhaps we shall just have to wait for a vaccine! It is no comfort to know that this country, with America, has at the time of writing, the highest death rates from coronavirus in the world. We were slow to act, ill prepared, made many mistakes, and were fed many mixed and confusing messages. No doubt, there will be plenty more to say on this subject when we are up and running again! Ken Hodges DOWSING meets on the fourth Tuesday of the month Ian Dew - 01288 682220 What is Dowsing? The art of Dowsing, also called divining, or radiesthesia, is a means of obtaining information and is almost as old as humanity. Neolithic cave paintings have been found depicting figures holding what are (to any dowser) dowsing rods, and the fact that dowsing is practised by remote African and aboriginal tribes suggests that its practice is widespread and naturally occurring. Dowsing pendulums have been found in the pyramids, and it is thought that Moses was very probably a dowser. Dowsing is usually thought of in the public mind as 'water divining', i.e., using a forked stick to find underground water, but in modern times finding water forms only a small part of a dowser's activities unless he or she is a farmer, or dowses for farmers. On the rare occasions when a dowser is sighted practising in public, he or she may be using a forked stick, known to dowsers as a V-rod, looking for something underground, or they may be using an L-rod, consisting of one or two L-shaped wires to locate earth currents. But what dowsers use more than any other tool is the pendulum. The beginner in dowsing usually starts with a pendulum, which will remain the dowser's main tool throughout their lives. The pendulum is used to obtain information and answer questions pertaining to almost anything. The length and size of the pendulum are unimportant, and it will consist of anything that works for the user. Many dowsers like to use a crystal pendulum, or one made out of a natural substance, such as wood. The pendulum itself is only a tool, and dowsers believe that they are contacting their Higher Mind or Higher Self, which is part of the Universal Consciousness and therefore has access to all information, and the pendulum's response will be guided by this. The pendulum does not work by itself, but is guided by movements of the dowser's wrist. The pendulum can be used to answer questions on almost anything, but it needs to be borne in mind that the Higher Self is only going to give such information as is needed for the occasion, and will not necessarily answer unrelated questions. Like most groups, we have been unable to carry on as usual since March, but a few of us are hoping to meet up in the near future now the rules regarding meeting people from other households have been relaxed slightly. We will, of course, be observing social distancing outdoors. Ian Dew

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DRAMA meets on alternate Mondays, 9.30 am-12.30 pm, at Launcell’s Parish Hall, Grimscott. Lynda Savory - 01566 785244/ lyndasavory@gmail.com Sadly, there is far too much horrific real-life drama happening at the moment, as the whole world has become a far more terrifying place than could ever have been dreamt up by a playwright or dramatist. Obviously, with no July General Meeting, our planned production has not taken place, but is being’ held over’ until…who knows when? The Group have endeavoured to keep in touch with each other, by email or telephone, but of course, like many other groups, we have been unable to meet. Several of us are ‘shielding’ so have been confined to our homes since mid-March, and are not due to be ‘freed’ until the end of July! However, now we are hopefully beginning to see the light at the end of the tunnel, and are making tentative plans. A few of us have read a short play via Zoom, whilst ideas are also being mooted for alfresco meetings/rehearsals in members’ gardens (seated at appropriate distances!) when restrictions are lifted further. I hope I speak for the whole group when I say we can’t wait till ‘We Meet Again’….and we are looking forward, not only to seeing each other again, but on a lighter note, to some of Beth’s amazing cakes! Whenever that is...it will sadly not be at our home for the last 10 years – the Poughill Methodist Hall. The building is closing, but we are fortunate to have found a replacement venue - Launcell’s Parish Hall in Grimscott. The date of our first meeting there is tentatively set for 28th September! Footnote: I wonder if any of the cast of the play we had planned to present … (‘Matters Arising’)…. have used this time to learn their lines?! Lynda Savory DRAWING FOR ALL meets on the fourth Tuesday of each month, 2-4 pm Hilary Workman - 01566 781434 No report this time. Hilary Workman

FAMILY HISTORY meets in the last Friday of each month, 2-4 pm Val and Doug Russell - 01288 352104 We are all busy making the time that has become available useful for our researches. We are a group that is coming up to nine years old and now have 22 members. We enjoy sharing the skills of seeking out the details of our ancestors’ lives and swapping the successes or scandals of lives from hundreds of years ago. Coming up we will be learning about Doug’s Scottish ancestors; Manorial Records; Early Photography; Flavia’s Family; the making of the ‘Who Do You Think You Are’ TV program; Ian M’s historic family, and much more. We are hoping to start again soon, when the ban on large groups meeting in enclosed spaces is lifted!! Doug and Val Russell will be the ‘go to’ people at present as I will be unavailable for a few months. Val Adams

GARDENING meets on the first Wednesday of the month Marion Hall - 01840 230678 Sadly, our group hasn't been able to meet since March and so we have missed the following: Broomhill Sculpture Gardens, April 1st, our Plant Stall at the April U3A Open Meeting, the Garden House, May 6th, and Lewis Cottage Garden, June 3rd. / Continued….

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GARDENING / Continued Clovelly Court Gardens, planned for July 1st, was of course another casualty of lockdown. We are also missing the start of each visit when we meet up at a pub or restaurant for our pre-ordered lunches and all our good catch-up chats. At the moment, we don't know when we will meet up again. Have kept in touch with dear Gardening Group members by email and have enjoyed some good responses. Fingers crossed for our future! Marion Hall

HISTORY - A SIDEWAYS LOOK meets at the Falcon Hotel on the second Wednesday of the month at 10.30 am Anna Crew - 01288 682395 or Hilary Workman - 01566 781434 We last met together in March, P.L (pre-lockdown), and since then we have been sharing research and information via email around the time when we would normally be meeting. Thus the Mayflower and Pilgrim Fathers topic was begun in person at The Falcon in March, then was progressed, and has now concluded, via the internet. In May, Christine, Sue and Wilf all had pieces to share about some of the passengers on the Mayflower, their backgrounds and aspects of life in New England after their arrival. By delving into the backgrounds of the ‘completely undistinguished people’ who made the voyage, we saw how their practical abilities and experiences of communal life in a small English village enabled those who survived the first winter to work together in the cause of building a new life for themselves. This number included only five adult women who survived beyond the first winter. Christine, writing about The Women on the Mayflower, related that most of the male passengers left their wives behind initially (to follow later) and only 18 adult women made the trip. Sue contributed some notes on one of the voyage leaders, Edward Winslow, looking at his background and his encounters with the Native Americans during the early years of the colony. Taking a sideways look at the early 1600s, Lucille contributed a piece about Sir Walter Ralegh. For June, Lucille offered a piece on Cornwall in the 1620s and Hilary contributed an article on British Slaves on the Barbary Coast. From the latter we learnt of the perils of living on the coast in the early 1600s when British and European fisherman and coast

dwellers lived in terror of being captured by Barbary Coast pirates and being sold into slavery in North Africa. We also considered an interesting piece from Wilf about the way in which Americans have regarded the Pilgrim Fathers has changed and evolved over time. On a lighter note perhaps, we took a virtual trip to the living history museum at the Plimouth Plantation, Plymouth, Massachusetts, to view representations of early Colonial and Native American villages. The photo shows a

thatched house at the Plantation, similar to the houses built there in 1627. In July, we looked further at the lives and struggles of the Pilgrim Fathers and those who soon followed them across the Atlantic. We will take a break in August before moving on to our next topic in September. Anna Crew

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HISTORY OF ART meets on the first Thursday of the month at 2 pm Keith Makin - 01288 353407 Despite the lockdown, many of the Group have been travelling the world looking at art!! We decided to take advantage of several of the world’s art galleries putting their works of art online for people to visit. In April we went to the Musee d’Orsay in Paris and marvelled at the work of the Impressionists. The Musee has an excellent collection of Van Goghs and Renoirs.

Christine liked Starry Night by Van Gogh (1888) and all Cezanne's paintings, especially Still life with kettle (1867-69). In May we went to the J. Paul Getty Museum in Los Angeles. They had a fascinating exhibition of the drawings of Michelangelo which we all really enjoyed. Christine very kindly emailed her scheduled talk on the German artist, Otto Dix (1891-1969). Dix was a painter and printmaker noted for his ruthless and harshly realistic depictions of German society during the Weimar Republic, and also the brutality of war. Seen here is Dix’s The Skat Players (1920), depicting horribly disfigured war veterans playing cards. In June we went to the Rijksmuseum in Amsterdam. The stars of the show are the Rembrandt paintings but there is a

tremendous depth and variety of Dutch/Flemish art to be viewed and appreciated also. The Group was much saddened to hear of the death of Linda Bunker. Linda was a founder member of the History of Art Group and a much loved contributor until ill health prevented her from attending meetings. We send our condolences to her family. (See Page 20 for a fuller tribute to Linda.) Keith Makin LINE DANCING meets every Tuesday afternoon, 2.30 pm at Poughill Village Hall; £3.50 per session. Gill Beasley – 07941 233801, gabeasley@hotmail.co.uk

Maureen from Line Dancing has contacted us about the possibility of starting again in the not too distant future. But meanwhile, one of our members saw and heard this when walking past Costa on the day it re-opened.... A man was studying the floor intently, trying to follow the socially distanced footsteps put there for the guidance of those entering for a coffee: "So...? Take a step to the left.... and then a step to the right.... What IS this, the Rocky Horror Show, or a line dancing class!?" Gill Beasley

LOCAL HISTORY meets at 10.30 am on the fourth Thursday of the month at the Brendon Arms, or for a visit to a pre-arranged location Vanessa Whiteley - vanwhiteley8@gmail.com No report .

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NEWS AND VIEWS meets in members’ homes on the first Tuesday of each month, 10.30 am -12 noon. Val Kerr - 01840 230194 Many members have continued to keep in touch by email or phone. Most recently, in July, six of us managed to get together by Zoom. It was heartening to see familiar faces as we tackled the potentially controversial subject of Black Lives Matter and caught up on local news. It was refreshing to have the opportunity for a very open, wide-ranging and enlightening discussion. As one member remarked, she is coping well, but seeing everyone made her miss the social interactions pre-Covid. Val Kerr NOT STRICTLY YOGA meets every 1st and 3rd Friday of the month at 10 am in the Bray Institute, Marhamchurch.

Sheila Mahoney - 07548 804027, sheuserbude17@gmail.com No report.

PHOENIX CONVERSATION meets on the second Thursday of the month at 10 am at the Falcon Hotel Eric French - 01288 355238 Our Conversation Group is alive and I am trying to maintain contact at least once a month. We have possibly ten members with whom I am trying to maintain links via email. Eric French PHOTOGRAPHY 1 meets on the last Friday of each month at 10.30 am Ann Reece-Pinchin—01288 354844 Our meetings have remained an email sharing of our photos. We have continued to set a topic each month to encourage us to continue using our cameras and also to stay in touch with each other. April’s topic was Plant Life, chosen as a subject that could be approached indoors or outdoors depending on whether we were able to get out or not. There was a variety of beautiful flowers including a lovely sunlit arum lily, magnolias, bluebells, sedum, aquilegia (see photo), tulips, daisies and dandelions, also globe artichokes, a skeleton leaf on pebbles, and coastal scenes through drifts of thrift. Everyone seemed to find something beautiful and uplifting to photograph despite the limitations that we are living with. Our May topic, “Happiness is…”, was a good choice and open to a very wide interpretation, and giving us a positive way of looking at things. Not only were the pictures things that made each photographer happy, but I’m sure we were all happier for seeing what had inspired everyone else. The ongoing sunshine was a lovely backdrop to our photos. The pictures illustrated how many things we have found to make us happy in such difficult times including, grandchildren, the coastline, washing drying in the sunshine, a baby blackbird, a rose, a bee feeding on yellow sedum and a grocery delivery van. All simple pleasures and good to know it takes so little to make us happy. Texture was our topic for June and again was a wide and interesting subject easily taken at home or further afield as lockdown gradually eased a little. There was a wonderful variety of pictures - bark, sand, rust, flowers, doormat, fabric, rock, wasp nest, lichen, plants, etc. At least the lockdown hasn’t proved to be a barrier to our creativity. It doesn’t seem as if we will be able to resume our meetings for some time yet and so we will continue our email “meetings”. For July, we have the topic, Darkness and Light, to inspire us. Ann Reece-Pinchin

14

PHOTOGRAPHY 2 meets on the second Thursday of the month in the Parkhouse Centre, Room 4, at 10 am Maggie Gibbs - 01288 356121, giegibbs@mypostoffice.co.uk

With lockdown and the 'new normal', Group

communication has been limited to the sharing of

images for those able and wishing to do so. (Photo:

A June sunset at Compass Point.)

Our pending theme is Architecture, for when we get

back together, a subject seriously affected by the

restrictions, either individual or governmental. That

said, Laura from the Group did share some close-up

architectural details from around Bude, to see if

group members could identify them.

Maybe for some, myself included, it has been a time to learn new photo editing skills.

Hopefully, some inspirational new ideas for topics might be surfacing from lockdown.

Maggie Gibbs

PLAY READING meets on alternate Mondays, 10.30 am at the Falcon Hotel Mary Dobson - 01288 354451 I hope everyone is keeping well and finding lots of interesting things to do during this somewhat surreal time. I haven't received any news yet from either the Library or the Falcon Hotel, although I hope it won't be long before we can all meet again for Play Reading. I'll be in touch as soon as we can resume. Mary Dobson

POETRY meets on the second Wednesday of each month at 2.30 pm Linda Farmer - 01288 356531 No report.

POETRY - CLOSE READING meets on the first Thursday of the month at 10.30 am. Molly Jones - 01288 359867 / Kate Compston - 01288 350568 Nothing really to report from the Close Reading Poetry Group, but on a purely personal note, here is a reference to a page on the RNLI website which may be of interest to anyone who wants to write poetry, or read new poetry. https://rnli.org/magazine/magazine-featured-list/2020/july/eleanor-hooker-reviews-your-poems Kate Compston

PSYCHOLOGY meets on the third Wednesday of the month at 2.30 pm Cathy Diggle - 01409 253202 No report.

15

ROCKS AND RUINS meets on the second Tuesday of the month Rosie Bowden - 01409 241506 / rosieleebowden@gmail.com As we have been unable to get together since March to do any of the activities planned for this Group, some of the Group members have offered examples of trips and outings they had enjoyed. Jan remembers a boat trip in July 2019, which was a cruise from Exmouth for both the Rocks & Ruins Group and the All About Birds Group. Jan said: “It was well organised and managed and I learned a lot. So miss this sort of trip at your peril if Rosie organises it again!... I was a happy bunny and thoroughly enjoyed the whole experience, with a talk about the geology of the Jurassic Coastline thrown in.” Jan Smith. Lynn had this to offer: “I would like to say how grateful we are to Rosie and Celia for running the Rocks & Ruins Group and for all the hard work that goes into arranging the Group. Because of all the experiences that we have had for the past two / three years and all the outings and lectures, it has made us appreciate our local history and past. This has been so evident during lockdown. When we have been out for our early morning walks we have been able to understand more of our coastline and the geology. This is all thanks to this group, which fits the main theme of learning with the U3A. We do miss our friends in the Group, but have been able to keep in touch with many.” Lynn Biggs. Robin and Joyce said: “We thought we would mention Wheal Sheba (June 2019), Restormal Castle and Bodmin Jail (August 2019).These were very interesting, from a historical point of view, and also the guide (Rick Stewart) at Wheal Sheba was very informative, without being too technical for us.” Rob and Joyce Biggs. We eagerly look forward to the day we can feel confident about meeting up again in some form and are able to once again get such enjoyment from the various activities and, most importantly of all, each other’s company and friendship. In the meantime, we have an online Cluster Group (a private social media site for interest groups) set up where members can share their photos and topics of interest. Rosie Bowden

SCRABBLE 1 meets on the first and third Friday each month at 2 pm Ros Dolphin—01288 359928 Sorry, nothing to report from Scrabble 1. Ros Dolphin

SCRABBLE 2 / WORD GAMES meets on the fourth Monday of the month at 2.30 pm Rowena Mower - 01288 356450 / Heather Stephenson - 01288 356414 Already four months without our Scrabble & Other Word Games Group meeting – how have we addicts survived? Some have played the online game, Words With Friends, which is a bit different, though a similar principle. Those on Facebook were able to play proper Scrabble with their online friends, but alas, due to some change in the ownership of the trademark, our beloved classic Scrabble has now been replaced with an “improved” version. /Continued….

16

SCRABBLE 2 / WORD GAMES / Continued In the “improved” version, you can get “rewards”, and no doubt funny little characters pop up with annoying regularity. There has been an outcry from traditionalists and I for one have not even tried to access the new version. Hopefully all the complaints will make them realise that some of us really don’t want all those bells and whistles (literally). For those who can’t live without it, CLASSIC WORDS is just the same as Scrabble, although you can only play against the computer, or Pass and Play with someone in the same room. But it’s a free app for your phone or iPad and it does provide me with that necessary fix! We are certainly looking forward to meeting up again. Heather Stephenson

SERENDIPITY 1 meets on the fourth Wednesday of each month at 2.30 pm Val Kerr - 01840 230194 Our usual activities or trips as a Group continue to be curtailed, but we are trying to keep in touch with each other by Zoom, email and phone. Members have shared puzzles and made suggestions for desert island discs, as well as recommending books they have read. We are looking forward to future meetings. Val Kerr SERENDIPITY 2 meets on the last Thursday of the month at 2.30 pm at a members’ home, or on a field trip. Gill Beasley - 07941 233801 A few members of Serendipity 2 have managed a couple of socially distanced get togethers. We met first for a chat and a cuppa in the grounds of The Castle, and then, on the hottest day of the year, for a swim in a Group member’s pool. And here’s the evidence! Gill Beasley SHARING MUSIC meets on the second Tuesday of each month at 2.30 pm Joan Rand - 01288 356066 When I wrote my last article for the Spring Newsletter, little did I think that I would have no more meetings to report on for the foreseeable future. I happily reminded members of the themes for the rest of the term, and asked for suggestions for unusual themes for the following year, which would begin with the Autumn meeting in September – the summer break in August allowing us plenty of time to spend with our family and indulge in the usual seaside activities that the young members of the family enjoy. But then, WOW, we were struck by Covid-19 and all plans came to nought – or at least, had to be amended to suit our circumstances. Many of us were lucky enough to be able to see our family members as well as speak to them, thanks to applications such as FaceTime, Skype, Zoom, or similar wizards that have sprung up. However, I digress. We are always looking for new members – either ones who know a lot about particular aspects of music, or others who know what they like listening to and hope to learn from other members while expanding their own interest in an enjoyable way. Please don’t feel afraid to dip your toes into the water. / Continued….

17

SHARING MUSIC / Continued You will find we are all a most friendly and welcoming group who like nothing more than new faces to talk to (and the tea and biscuits at the interval are a great attraction, apparently the highlight of the meeting for some members). Our meetings vary between Free for Alls, where we have a decided theme and group members bring along their favourites of that time, and occasional presentations by a member who has volunteered to talk about a theme that he or she has a special interest in. The annual programme is put together by a small committee, and we include as many requests from members as we can. My hi-fi system can cope with CDs, cassette tapes (if you have set them to the place where you hope to play from), mp3s and vinyl records. So that’s what goes on at our meetings. Do please let our enforced absence give you the courage to join us – we hope to see you once they start again. (Sadly our sitting room is not large enough to accommodate all members with two metre.spaces between them, and the acoustics of our lawn are less than desirable.) With our good wishes for continued health and happy listening. Joan Rand

(See Page 21 for Joan’s thoughts on ‘The Joys of Listening to Music’.) SINGING FOR FUN meets on the second and fourth Friday of the month at 2.30 pm at a members’ home Ros Dolphin - 01288 359928 / Susan Neal - 01288 354075 No report.

SOCIAL BRIDGE meets on the first and third Friday of the month at 2.30 pm Lindsey Sandilands - 01288 354201 We have been using Trickster Bridge very successfully for several weeks now - a few minor teething issues, but that's all. We have been using a mix of laptops, tablets, etc., of various makes and sizes. The system keeps score for you - the whole gubbins - and doesn't make mistakes! We initially played for two hours plus. However, as we could see the position regarding part scores, games, rubbers, etc., on the screen, we always tried to finish the rubber. Hence we were often playing for nearly three hours. It is not the same as face to face sessions but very enjoyable none the less. We still manage to be rude to each other when the bidding deserves it, and sometimes when it doesn't! With normal sessions being out of the question at the moment, do give it a go if you have the opportunity. Introductory sessions are available at very reasonable rates. David Harper STROLLING / SHORT WALKS meets on the first Monday morning in the month at 10.30 am and on the third Monday afternoon at 2 pm Annette Cole – 01288 350809 / annettecole629@btinternet.com For the last three months we have not been able to get together to walk as a big group, but now, into the second week of July, I put out a few feelers to see if anyone in the Group. having been only able to walk on their own for a long time, would like to join in a socially distanced walking group of up to six. / Continued ….

18

STROLLING / Continued About seven members were interested, but on the day we were only a group of five. We walked from Crooklets car park to Northcott Mouth and back, in lovely sunshine. Thinking we should support a local business, we had a cup of tea at Margaret’s Tea

Garden, but it was so lovely catching up with each other that time ran away with us, and the planned walk back across the sands meant quite a bit of rock scrambling to reach Crooklets, as we raced the incoming tide!! Our next small group short walk may be inland! Annette Cole

(The photo, looking towards Crooklets in lockdown, is from Mary Dobson.)

TAI CHI meets on the second and fourth Friday of the month at 10 am at the Bray Institute, Marhamchurch Sheila Mahoney - 07548 804027 / sheuserbude17@gmail.com No report.

THEATRE GROUP - for information: Mary Dobson - 01288 354451 I regularly receive emails from the three theatres we visit, but so far there is nothing happening with them. The Hall for Cornwall, in Truro, wrote that the refurbishment programme has been delayed during lockdown, so they now don't expect to open until Spring, 2021. The Theatre Royal, Plymouth, plans to stage Matthew Bourne's ballet, The Nutcracker, in November, but watch this space. The Kite Runner, which we had hoped to see this May, is now scheduled for 25th - 29th May, 2021, but visiting the website is probably the best solution for the latest information: info@theatreroyal.com. The Queens Theatre, Barnstaple, has closed its Box Office for the time being. However, there is a long list of titles on their website of shows they have hopefully re-scheduled and those they have cancelled with no return dates. To check: queenstheatre-barnstaple.com. All three theatres have requested that no-one calls their Box Offices at the present time. Mary Dobson

UKULELE FOR BEGINNERS - contact Marie King for information Marie King - 01288 489319 / marieking1935@gmail.com This ‘Beginners’ Group is for U3A members who wish to play the ukulele and are learning from scratch. Before the lockdown there were six new players. Other learners had already moved on to play in a band. Learners, and would-be learners, should be sure to keep flexing their lily-white fingers in preparation for when we can play again! Once meetings are allowed again, contact Marie for information if you would like to try your hand at learning the ukulele. You will need your own instrument, but a ukulele can be purchased very inexpensively. Marie King

19

WALKING GROUP 1 meets on the first and third Tuesday of each month, 1 pm at Stratton Car Park (unless otherwise advised). Wear walking boots and bring a waterproof mac. Christine Simmons - 01288 488001 / dc.simmons@outlook.com, or Ray Kelly- 01288 359871 / kazzpete@yahoo.com, for queries. We have not been able to meet as a group but it is lovely to see a few members out walking. My husband and I have walked every day since lockdown and it has become a regular habit of ours, to save our sanity. We will meet again as a group as soon as possible and I will be in touch, but until then I found a poem by Jane Lovell that describes our feelings.

Linnets It catches us unaware

the broken sky blown blue,

the last of the contrails, the last

of our days.

We watch the light

spilling down cracks in the long hill,

cracks in the long hours.

Dragged from the kindness of sleep,

radio news drowning the strange silence,

we mourn our secret landscapes,

the people we felt we knew

but will meet again.

Each day, we walk the old paths,

try to find our way back.

The elder's in leaf, blackthorn starry

with blossom.

No one speaks but

there is still song.

Finch and thrush and wren

and flurries of linnets

sweeping the sky

untying the breeze with their calls,

questioning the tilt of the earth

and the shifting hill,

in trees and paths shuddering

with light. Christine Simmons WALKING GROUP 2 meets on the fourth Monday of the month, 1 pm at Stratton Car Park. Contact: John Dabbs - johndabbs@aol.com It seems a long time ago that we last walked together. In fact, it was on 23rd March, 2020 – the very day that the Covid-19 restrictions were announced! Nevertheless, three of us met at the NT car park just outside Widemouth to start our planned coast path walk to Bude, returning via the Bude Canal. / Continued….

20

WALKING GROUP 2 / Continued Our impromptu risk assessment indicated that with so few of us, with an on-shore breeze, some sunshine, and by walking single file with two-metre separation, it would be safe for us to continue with the walk as planned. But that was to be our last walk until restrictions are relaxed sufficiently to allow us to re-commence walking together. Prior to the Covid strike, we had planned walks around Millook, Roughtor and Trevose Head. As soon as we have a date on the horizon for a suitable relaxation of the social distancing rules, I’ll be making contact with our present Walking Group members to restart our walks. If there are any Bude & District U3A members who would like to be included on our future walks, please contact me at: johndabbs@aol.com. You will be made very welcome. John Dabbs WILDFLOWER GROUP meets on the third Friday of the month Hilary Workman - 01566 781434 Nothing to report this time.

Hilary Workman

__________________________________________________________________________

REMEMBERING LINDA BUNKER From Jo Arnold: We are sad to record the death of Linda Bunker on 19th June. Linda gave a lot of time and energy to our U3A in earlier years. She was elected to the Committee in 2007, taking the role of Correspondence Secretary for three years, then Welfare Liaison member until 2012. She was also a valued member of the History of Art Group until ill health intervened. She will be missed by those who knew her, and we extend our sympathy to Bill and their family. From Carolyn Merrett, History of Art Group Leader until August 2019: Linda had a lovely personality. She was quietly confident, polite and friendly - and an excellent cook, so

we enjoyed her homemade cakes! Linda was a founder member of the History of Art Group. She gave impressive presentations on worldwide artists over the years. Her favourite artists were the French Impressionists, e.g., The Water Lily Pond, by Claude Monet at The National Gallery, London, which the group visited by train one year. Her garden is even like Monet's, including a pond with a bridge over it. Even when she was going through cancer treatment she would attend meetings. I imagine she found the opportunity to enjoy

the beauty of paintings, and our discussions about them, a break from her condition. __________________________________________________________________________ Groups Quiz Answers - see Page 6 1.Alligators 2. Apes 3. Bats 4. Bears 5. Geese 6. Oysters 7. Ants 8. Apples 9. Crows 10. Donkeys 11. Foxes 12. Gerbils 13. Mountains 14. Asteroids 15. Stairs 16. Giraffes 17. Whales 18. Turtles 19. Toads 20. Hay or Wool 21. Cards 22. Hippos 23. Hyenas 24. Leopards

21

TheJoysofListeningtoMusicDuring the past few months we have all had to find ways of living with stress and

isola�on. In the May Newsle3er, Kate Comstock wrote about the power of Poetry to

help us through challenging �mes. Here, Joan Rand, Sharing Music Group Leader,

considers what Music and musical memories can mean to us….

Listening to music can bring pleasure in so many different ways. In these $mes of

lockdown, music can provide escape to another world, thereby easing the stress. For a

professional player, an apprecia�on of the technical brilliance of the performer may bring

deep sa�sfac�on – the nuances of the phrasing, the complex rhythms and interlocking

themes and, for jazz, the clever use of so called ‘blue’ notes.

Whilst listening, the problems of the present are pushed into the deeper recesses of the

mind, liLing the spirits and easing stress. Even with li�le or no technical knowledge, music

has the power to transport the listener away from the troubles of the present. I am sure

that we have all had memories evoked by hearing even just a few bars from a piece, be it

pop or classical.

My own pleasures from music depend on my mood, and on the age when I first heard the

music. Having a�ended Trooping the Colour some years ago, any military march can save

me from tearing the furniture apart. An hour or two of military music means I can let my

anger roar and can liL me up out of horror at the unexpected situa�on in which we find

ourselves. Calming music to follow this, is readily found in the violin concertos of Bruch

and Tchaikovsky (the paper �ssues must always be to hand).

My mood swings are always catered for by the many Gilbert and

Sullivan opere3as, which I first came across in my teens when

school performances led me to them, and later when my inability

to sing did not stop me from being invited to sing in the off-stage

chorus at annual school produc�ons. School concerts provided

much of my introduc�on to music; Carmina Burana has me siOng

in the Royal Fes�val Hall, replete aLer an interval G&T, listening to the College orchestra

performing this piece – I see the younger boys in the choir prodding one another and I

enjoy the immensely powerful music. My enjoyment of teaching, now cut short by

re�rement, brings an element of sadness, but the happy memories come flooding back.

Beach Boys pieces have the family speeding down the motorway, usually in the very early

hours of the morning, on our way to begin our summer holidays

on the sunny beaches of Bude, because we always played their

music throughout the journey. Summer was always sunny in

Bude in my memory.

Physical responses too can be elicited. Powerful organ music, or

the heavy bass of some popular pieces can actually induce the

feelings of resonance inside the body. Who has not found their

fingers and feet involuntarily bea�ng out the complex rhythms

produced by skilful drummers and the syncopa�on of the pianist in the popular rag�me

pieces; how do they do it?

/ Con"nued on Page 22….

22

Joys of Music / Con�nued It occurs to me that throughout this piece I have repeatedly implied the need to listen to

music, but of course the sheer memory of listening can produce mind-pictures bright

enough to block out the solitude of lockdown. I must acknowledge my luck, however, in

being locked down with a husband who is my long-�me (54 years!) carer, companion and

soul mate. Together we share enough music to bring back a life�me of happy memories.

Joan Rand

Forgive Us Our Trespasses…. MASTERMIND And next up in the second round of Mastermind is Arthur Braincell. Now Arthur, you

scored only 5 points on your specialist subject “The Human Toe 1846-1853”, so let’s see

how you do on the General Knowledge sec�on.

You have ninety seconds star�ng…now. What le�er of the alphabet links the following

words - round, rugged, rock, ragged, rascal and ran.

R.

Correct. In a famous TV comedy series, what was Ted’s �tle?

Father.

Correct. Salem, Massachuse�s is famous because they burned a...?

Witch.

Correct. PG Wodehouse said “There is no surer founda�on for a beau�ful friendship than

a mutual taste in ..” what?

Art?

No, Literature. Where do they put beer in Wales?

In Evan.

Correct. What was the name of the king who was killed at the Ba�le of Has�ngs?

Harold.

Correct. What would someone with a lisp call creatures you would find in an apiary?

Beeth.

Yes. Apple have just introduced a new online dic�onary app. What is it called?

iName?

No, it’s iNoun. Eric Bloodaxe was a famous..what?

Viking.

Correct. A male contracep�ve is known as a con… what?

Dom.

Yes. What is the technical descrip�on of a soL sofa?

Comfy?

No, it’s plush. Where is the….BEEP….I’ve started so I’ll finish…where is the All England

Tennis Club located?

Wimbledon.

Correct. Arthur Braincell, you had two wrong answers and no passes, so you scored 10.

Your total score is now 15. Thank you. And the next contestant, please.

Jim Buck

23

THECOMMITTEE

Non-Committee Roles:

FromtheEditorA huge thank you to everyone who sent contribu$ons for this edi$on and especially to

the Group Leaders who, without any mee$ngs to write about, nonetheless found

something interes$ng and crea$ve to say about their Group’s ac$vi$es. Apologies to

those whose stories and photos do not appear this �me. Thanks are also due to Ann

Tizzard and Jim Buck for their help with proof reading and distribu�on.

Please con�nue to send your stories, photos, illustra�ons, poems, humour, and other

pieces, so that we can all try to keep in touch through our U3A Newsle�er.

Contribu$ons for the November 2020 Newsle0er should go to: anna.crew@iena.org, or

call 01288 682395 if you would like to chat about an idea for an ar$cle.

The deadline for receiving general items for the November Newsle0er is 14th October.

For Groups News and Reports, the deadline is 16th October.

Thank you! I hope you enjoy this somewhat ‘different’ Newsle0er.

Anna Crew

Community Liaison Lucille Opie 01288 352301

New Member Support Patricia Reid 01288 359380

New Member Support Joyce Bickerstaff 01288 353539

New Member Support Barbara Phoenix 01288 352774

AGM Groups Support Heather Stephenson 01288 356414

Refreshments Rota Jenny Dabbs 01288 350291

Website Manager David Hyndman 01288 489329

Speaker Secretary Valerie Langdown 01288 355803

Officers

Chairman Jo Arnold 01288 355453

Vice Chairman Tina Hyndman 01288 489329

Treasurer Ian Maclure 01288 362262

Business Secretary Eve O’Mahony 01288 359575

Members Assistant Treasurer & Social A/C

John Dabbs 01288 350291

Membership Secretary Ann Tizzard 01409 253749

Groups Coordinator Ian Dew 01288 682220

Minutes Secretary Sheila Mahoney 07548 804027

Committee Member Mary Dobson 01288 354451

24

*** MEMBERSHIP RENEWAL *** It will soon be September 2020 which means of course, that your membership fee is due

should you wish to renew for the coming year (September to August). You will find the

appropriate Applica�on/Renewal Form/s enclosed with this Newsle0er.

We ask members to complete a new form each year, even if your address has not changed,

because there are some changes that people oLen forget to tell us about. For instance,

your email address may have changed, or your GiL Aid status may be different this year.

Also, the GDPR (General Data Protec�on Regula�on) means that we must keep your data

up to date and we must tell you what we will do with your data (Our Privacy Policy). You

will find Our Privacy Policy on the reverse of your Applica"on/Renewal Form.

The membership fee for current members who renew for the year 2020/2021 before

30th November, 2020, has been reduced to £5.00 per person as compensa$on for the

lack of U3A ac$vi$es due to the pandemic restric$ons. For all new members, and anyone

renewing aPer 30th November, the fee remains the same - £15.00 for the full year and

£10.00 for anyone joining aPer April, 2021, but free for just July and August. The fee

covers a3endance at as many Group and Open Monthly Mee$ngs as you wish.

Please note that the membership fee does not include costs that are directly associated

with Group ac�vi�es, such as room hire, travel costs, and other expenses. Payment for

Group room hire will be made through the Group Leader. Method of payment for other

expenses will be advised by the individual Group Leader.

Instruc�ons for paying your membership fee are at the top of the form, that is:

Send your Applica�on/Renewal Form and cheque (made out to Bude & District U3A),

together with a stamped addressed envelope, to: U3A Membership Secretary, 23 Trewyn

Park, Holsworthy, Devon, EX22 6LS. We will then post your new membership card/

programme back to you.

Ann Tizzard – Membership Secretary

Bude & District U3A Newsletter, August 2020 edition

Photo: Maggie Gibbs. Printed by Parish Magazine Prin�ng, Holsworthy, Devon