Our lead photo shows Mervyn Edwards revealing some background information on the logistics and organisation relating to his time leading the police operation for the building of the Newbury Bypass.
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Windsor & District u3a Committee News
Thanks go to all who manned our stall at Eton Action Fair on Saturday, 14th September and to those of you who visited. It was a sunny day, and the sunshine brought out crowds of people and raised the spirits of all involved. The occasion was very sociable, enjoyable and profitable. This year we were able to sign up new members, as well as give away information leaflets. Please look out for new faces and welcome them at your meetings and activities.
Communications
Your committee members are in the process of reviewing our channels of communication. At one time, the Monthly Meeting was the place for members to find out what was going on and what they could be doing. Communication was by word of mouth and very effective. Now, our membership has grown to almost 700 and this Monthly Meeting is ineffective for the purpose of communication. If all our members turned up, Gardeners’ Hall could not accommodate them!! The Monthly Meeting is now more like an Interest Group where the convenor (our Chairman) has the opportunity to pass on information of general interest, but its prime function is for members to hear a stimulating talk and to meet and make friends. Our channels of communication have had to change.
Currently, a monthly newsletter is distributed by email and in print. A version is adapted for the website which offers a store of information about our u3a and can be accessed by mobile phones, tablets and laptops. Occasionally, the whole membership may receive an emailed communication about a specific topic, such as the AGM and reminders about Open Group activities and events. Our Groups’ Coordination Team produce a timetable of Interest Groups’ activity and circulate a quarterly update. Some convenors email their members. Some produce news sheets specifically for their Interest Group. Some have set up WhatsApp chat groups to keep in touch with their members and some rely on telephone messages or texting. The Windsor Grapevine is also very helpful.
If you have any positive thoughts or constructive suggestions for us to consider regarding communications, please send your ideas to newsletters@windsoru3a.org.uk Please bear in mind the rising cost of printing and postage and that the vast majority of members can now access the internet by phone, tablet or laptop computer.
Jackie Wiggins
Emergency Contact Details
The u3a Trust advises convenors and leaders of outings and holidays to carry out a risk assessment for their activities and to be in possession of emergency contact details of the people in the groups they are leading. Most u3a members are happy to provide these details, however, for a variety of reasons, some members are reluctant. To get round this situation, your committee has decided to take advantage of the facility on smart phones to discreetly store the owner’s emergency contact details. In 2025, when you go on an outing with a u3a group, convenors and leaders will expect you to have logged your emergency contact information on your phone or to provide evidence that you are carrying a written copy, each time you take part in the activity they are leading.
Your committee is recruiting a team of computer/mobile phone literate members to show others how to log emergency contact details on their phones. Such help will initially be available at Monthly Meetings and then hopefully this will cascade throughout our membership. Thank you for your cooperation with this plan.
Christmas Dinner Dance at the Sir Christopher Wren Hotel
There will be no Christmas dinner – dance this year. Thanks go to Chris Dufty and Bridget Taylor for organising this Christmas celebration in recent years. If you have ideas for something similar at the same venue or at an alternative venue, and are prepared to organise an event in 2025, please let your committee know.
Monthly Speaker Meetings
Gardeners Hall, 213 St Leonard’s Road, Windsor, SL4 3DR
on 2nd Wednesday of each month, 2-00pm to 4-00pm.
Wednesday, 9th October: Antony Wood, one of our members and our one-time Lib Dem Local Councillor, will give a talk entitled, “Five Characters in Search of an Audience”. This talk is about five extraordinary people; an adventurer and spy; a best-selling author; a top physicist who was Hollywood’s most beautiful star; an English socialite who bank-rolled a US President and possibly the greatest English women of the last century.
Wednesday, 13th November: Just after Halloween, Sarah Slater, Blue Badge Guide based at Hampton Court returns to tell us some ‘Ghostly Tales’, stories of hauntings at Hampton Court Palace.
Wednesday, 11th December: Save the day. We will have “An Afternoon of Games, Quizzing, Singing and Dancing” More details will follow.
Events and Outings
- Friday, 11th October: The Trad Jazz Quartet will perform at the Hope pub in Alma Road, 10-30 am – 12-30pm. Cost £10 pp to cover the expenses of the band. The Tea and Jazz audiences have much appreciated this band.
- Friday, 29th November: NT Outings group visit to Stourhead House, Gardens and Christmas Lights Trail. Only waiting list places are available.
Interest Groups in Formation
Real Life Gardening
A small group will be gathering in October to chat informally about seasonal gardening, ideas for each other’s gardens, to share photographs and gardening problems and to suggest solutions and lots more, all over tea and biscuits. At the start up meeting, ideas to shape the group’s activities will be discussed. If you are interested in practical gardening, please contact Sylvia Burchell via email.
Logged in members can see contact details.
Spanish For Fun
This long-standing group has lost its native Spanish speaking co-convenor, Tais Oliviera (Munro) has retired. Roger Ellerker is happy to continue as the admin co-convenor, all the group requires is a competent, if not native, Spanish speaker to lead them in the right direction. If you can help, please contact Roger Ellerker. Thank you, Tais for your help over the past few years.
Logged in members can see contact details.
Interest Group News
Badminton
The group invites anyone who is interested in playing badminton, regardless of their ability, to make contact and join them. Please contact Philip Ross.
The group has been meeting every Tuesday at 2-00pm at Windsor Leisure Centre, but is willing to adapt to meet at alternative times and days to suit the needs of members. It is also starting a group for beginners. Please make contact and feel the thrill of striking a shuttle!
Contact details are visible if you log-in.
Chess
The Chess Group now meets at 10:30 every Monday (apart from Bank Holidays) at The Bridge Cafe in Datchet. All chess players are welcome to come along, to watch or play as they wish.
Contact details are visible if you log-in.
Explore London 1
The group had a visit to Combermere Barracks this month arranged by Malcolm Hellings. For some of the group this was a return visit, because our first outing – pre-covid, coincided with the state opening of parliament and all the horses were up in London! This time we were not disappointed and as well as a very informative tour with our enthusiastic guides, we saw the horses being exercised with the young trainees all kitted out in uniform. We also had the opportunity to chat with the farrier on site. Photographs courtesy of Alan Wheeler.
More pictures can be seen here.
Our next outing will be to Sunbury Walled Garden and the Embroidery Gallery. Maureen Russell
Explore London 2
We had two outings this month. Battersea Park Power Station had proved such a popular attraction, that a second trip was organised for the Lift 109 experience.
Again, the weather was very kind and there was plenty of time to be fascinated by the Power Station transformation and be wowed by the views from the platform at the top of one of the chimneys. Jackie Wiggins commented: “I found it exhilarating. It is a well-designed tourist attraction, combining history, science and technology, art and architecture, as well as wonderful views. To be able to share my amazement with a group of friends was a privilege.” There was time for lunch and shopping before heading back to Windsor. Battersea Park itself has so much to offer, that there will definitely be a separate visit, probably in the Spring.
See more photos here.
Our other September outing was to Lincoln’s Inn Fields and the Sir John Soane Museum. A small group of 16, the maximum for the guided tour in the museum, travelled from Farringdon (via bus to Holborn) and then enjoyed a leisurely stroll first through Lincoln’s Inn Fields and then past the Inns of Court to Middle Temple Gardens. The whole area is full of history, interesting architecture and fascinating finds around each corner. We passed Tudor gateways, one of the last remaining Victorian cast iron urinals, impressive gardens and a pub named the Ship Inn, which appeared to be nowhere near any water. Apparently, the site has been the home to a pub since 1549 and was in fact next to the River Fleet, which is now one of the many subterranean rivers in London.
Lunch in the café in Middle Temple Gardens was a real treat, as the weather was good enough for the group to sit under shades on the terrace. We then made our way back past the Templar Church and Dr Johnson’s house to the Sir John Soane’s Museum. The house is full of art, sculptures and furniture and has been left exactly as it was in Sir John Soane’s day. There are paintings to marvel at – two of William Hogarth’s “sets”, a Canaletto and plenty more. Floating ceilings, arches which a later architect used to design the red telephone boxes, and even an Egyptian sarcophagus. After the guided tour, there was time to explore the rest of the house and then we made our way back to Farringdon and via the Elizabeth Line to Slough. A good day of exploration!
More pictures can be seen here.
Maggie Reeve
Flower Arranging
Our next workshop will be held on Thursday, 25th October in the Café Studio at All Saint’s Dedworth. This will be open to all, but places must be booked. The subject will be Halloween, and we will be making Halloween pumpkin heads. The cost will be £5.00 pp to cover hall hire, refreshments, floral foam and other specialist materials. You will need to bring your own flowers, foliage and pumpkin.
Please contact Mo Salter to reserve your place and get more details. Numbers are limited.
Logged in members can see contact details.
Gardening 1
This month we say a fond farewell to one of our longest serving convenors. Carole Grigson is retiring, after leading Gardening 1 group for many years, organising afternoon visits to (and afternoon teas at) gardens taking part in the National Open Garden Scheme. Carole also held quizzes and other gardening related activities including ‘Plant Swaps’ (and tea) on a regular basis. Please phone for details of the next Plant Swap on Thursday, 17th October.
Logged in members can see contact details.
A big thank you, Carole, from members past and present. You have fostered a love of plants and many friendships. Hopefully, someone (or a small team) of your members will carry on your good work. (Photographs courtesy of Jo Wattis)
Local History
- Monday, 28th October: Peter Halman, who last year described an historic trip down the Thames from Oxford to Maidenhead, makes a very welcome return for ‘A Stroll in the Park: the story of England’s royal, private and public parks.’
New U3A members are welcome. Talks begin at 2-30pm at Alma Road Methodist Church (SL4 3HH) and typically last about 45 minutes with time for questions. There is no need to book. There is a £3.00 charge at the door to cover the cost of room hire and refreshments.
Jane Standley
Geocaching update
There are now 25 geocachers in total. The Beginners group was set up in October 2020 to teach people how to geocache. Since then, we have found 248 in the local area. To enable new members to take part and ‘have a go’ without having to travel far, it has been decided to restart from 0 revisiting the local sites in and around Windsor again.
If you think you might like to try it, this would be a good time to start as we reset. For further information, please contact Adele McNally.
Provision will continue to be made for more experienced cachers in the original group which will now be called the Advanced Group, all of whom started as beginners. Their total of finds is now 775. They have been caching once a month for 10 years.
This group is a good example of how the U3A works. I had seen an article about Geocaching in Saga and wanted to try it when I retired. I asked at the monthly meeting for someone to do it with me. One lady offered and we went off together to try it and the rest is ‘history’!
Adele McNally
History of Design
Cries of “Ooh”, “Aah” and “I remember my grandmother with that” could be heard from members of our History of Design group when they visited London’s Museum of Brands in September. They found themselves on a nostalgic journey not only through the memories of their childhood, but more than 150 years of social change, culture and lifestyle. In other words, history seen from objects that generations of families, including their own, threw away.
The museum’s exhibition of thousands of common, branded household products, luxury goods and fashion begins in the Victorian era. The various displays show how their designs evolved over time, with the main impact coming through the use of electricity, the invention of radio, the progress of publishing and advertising, the demands of the First and Second World Wars plus the introduction of television and technology.
Long-forgotten product names prompted members to swap stories about their childhood while the number of brands that had stayed the course and were still on the market today was a surprise.
Why not view more photos from the group’s visit on this web site and see how many brands and products you can recall and what memories they conjure up for you?
Look at how we managed to extract morale-lifting humour from the threat of Hitler and the Nazis in the Second World War; what must be one of the earliest typewriters; an April 1917 edition of the Boys’ Own paper, costing 7d (old penny); and one of the early His Master’s Voice gramophones, complete with a model of Nipper, the dog, in the famous pose with his ear cocked into the horn.
Sue White
Jazz at The Hope
Please come and meet us at The Hope pub in Alma Road on the second Friday of each month between 10-30am to 12-30pm. This venue provides a congenial jazz club atmosphere, ideal for sitting back and listening to good music with fellow u3a members, with a drink in your hand – tea, coffee, wine and beer are all available at the bar. We have a friendly group of regular attendees, but this is an open session and you are welcome to come as you please. You will be made most welcome. There is usually no admittance charge.
Please contact Pauline Thompson with any queries.
Convenor contact details are visible if you log-in.
On 11th October, live music will be performed by The Trad Jazz Quartet – or Quintet, if they have a drummer! They played for us last December and have played at Tea and Jazz sessions, too. There will be a one-off charge of £10.00 per person to pay the band’s fees.
On 8th November, Louden will present a programme for us to enjoy.
On 13th December, it will be Malcolm’s turn to entertain us.
We hope you will join us.
Pauline Thompson
International Cuisine
This month our theme was ‘Your Favourite Dish for a Picnic’ and what a wonderful selection we enjoyed – British, French, Italian, Iranian and Indian – quiches, chicken satay, a savoury roulade, smoked salmon and cream cheese dip, puri and bhaji, curried pastry puffs, raspberry mousse and madeleines, an Italian almond cake with lemon yoghurt. As the weather was unsettled, we picnicked in the garden, instead of in the park.
We would like 1 or 2 more members to join us. At the moment we are meeting every other month, sometimes in a member’s home, sometimes in a restaurant.
Please contact Bali Gill if you would like to know more.
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Music Appreciation
David Oldcorn’s three groups will run at their usual times this month: Ballet Appreciation (2-00pm on the first Monday of each month), Show Music (2-30pm on third Monday of each month) and Classical Music (2-30 pm on the fourth Thursday of each month). There is space for in all of these groups for anyone interested. Please contact David.
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Music for a Desert Island
More castaways are sought to explore and share their musical island. Just choose between 8 and 10 pieces of music that you especially like or which have a special meaning for you. List them and write a few words about your reasons for choosing them and send to our Captain, Malcolm Hellings.
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Malcolm will compile your playlist from Youtube and share it with the rest of the castaway crew. It will give a much pleasure to a lot of people.
National Trust Outings
Our holiday based in York in September, was a great success. We were truly blessed with sunny weather, which helped keep us in sunny spirits. The group ‘jelled’ and we all enjoyed each other’s company as much as the places we visited and the activities in which we took part.
At Hardwick Hall we were wowed by the extremely well-preserved ruins of the first hall and by the extravagant Elizabethan tapestries, colourful moulded plaster work and heavy, carved furniture adorning the guest rooms in the new hall, built by Bess of Hardwick. Hardwick Hall is the epitome of Elizabethan extravagance.
Fountains Abbey lived up to expectations of grandeur and for most of us Studley Water Gardens were a delightful surprise. The terrain was demanding and a few of our party took advantage of a minibus around the site.
The gardens at Beningbrough Hall were a highlight: a productive vegetable garden, a formal garden of sculpted hedges, a lily pond terrace and a newly installed Mediterranean garden. Seats were installed in many nooks and crannies, and we tried many of them for comfort.
Another highlight was Ripon and its cathedral where we learnt more about members of the family responsible for the development of Studley Water Garden. Many of us would like to spend more time in Ripon.
Thirsk is a thriving rural market town where many of our party enjoyed the award-winning James Herriot Museum. A well-kept secret in Thirsk is the Sculpture Garden at Thirsk Hall which some of us discovered by accident, after investigating the ancient church, next door.
The group had some free time in York to explore the cathedral, Clifford’s Tower and other museums of their choice.
We spent one evening roaming the lamplit, pedestrian areas of York with a guide, who related many ghostly tales. He was a talented actor, with a witty sense of humour. He kept our attention and made us chuckle.
The Geocachers in the party found success and gained some converts, Margaret Pettit and Gillian Latimer! They picked up 6 caches near to the hotel, 15 at Sharow and 12 in Harrogate, including 2 adventure labs based on the town’s history. In Thirsk they found an adventure lab called ‘Welcome to Thirsk’.
Highlights of the holiday were different for all of us, so please see photographs taken by various members of the group on this website.
When convenors organise outings and holidays, they receive many messages giving thanks for doing so. I would like to share one I received recently because it reflects the Learn, Laugh, Live ethos of the u3a movement which is so much needed in today’s world and the reason so many convenors and committee members are prepared to give their time and effort to u3a activities. Val de Pear commented, “Thank you so much for a superb few days ‘up north’. It must have taken you and your husband hours of work to organise all the lovely things we did. Such commitment to the u3a and your efforts embody the spirit of the great organisation we are part of. I’m sure we save the NHS a fortune by being engaged in such rewarding activity. Great company, great fun”
Led by Pat Oldcorn, in October, the NT Outings group will visit Polesdon Lacey by coach.
In November, we have another coach outing planned, this time to Stourhead House and Landscape Garden, followed by afternoon tea and the Christmas Lights trail around the lake.
In December/January, we will celebrate with a Christmas Coffee at Cliveden.
Date to be announced.
Our calendar for 2025 is beginning to take shape.
In April, we will meet at Runnymede for a tour and talk. The organisers are Beverley Ward and Jo Wattis
In May, Marilyn Morgan and Cynthia Wood are organising a coach outing to Standen House in East Grinstead.
Thank you for stepping up ladies and setting a good example.
Tea and Jazz
If you were not there, you missed a treat on 24th September! The Jake Leg Jug Band entertained us and left their audience in high spirits. No wonder they are much in demand nationwide. Brilliant musicians, accomplished performers with a great sense of humour. We learnt that A JUG band is a band which employs a jug player and uses unconventional instruments made from everyday objects, as well as conventional instruments. Jug band music became popular in the 1920s, but dates back long before, probably to the days of early European settlers in America, when improvised instruments were all they had. ‘Jake Leg’ refers to a popular liquor imbibed during prohibition which left drinkers with wobbly legs.
At Tea and Jazz on Tuesday 22nd October at 2-00pm in Datchet Village Hall, we will welcome back the Pete Rudeforth Jazz Club Four who were much enjoyed by our biggest ever audience of over 70 in February 2024.
Members from any u3a group are welcome. There is no need to book – just turn up on the day. Performances start at 2-00pm. We charge £10.00 cash pp to cover the cost of hall hire, musicians and refreshments.
For November, we hope to re-book two of the great bands that we had earlier this year. Please ‘save the date’ of 26th November for us. Thank you.
Peter Cheeseman
Convenor contact details are visible if you log-in.
There is some parking outside Datchet Village Hall (SL3 9HR) and when this is full, there is a public car park a short distance back towards Datchet village centre that is also available.
u3a Amblers
A very small group revisited the Thames path at Maidenhead and Taplow, on 5th September, taking the reverse route to their visit during a very wet March 2024. The group was small because the forecast was wet (again), leading to many cancellations, fortunately for those attending, it wasn’t as bad as the prediction. We took refreshments at Jenner’s cafe, where we parked and set off from.
On Thursday, 3rd October, my plan is to repeat the above amble, since it was very popular, until the weather put folks off. As I type, the forecast is fine and sunny, everyone keep their fingers crossed please.
Convenor contact details are visible if you log-in.
Windsor Area Walks
Our walks are usually approximately 4.5miles – 5 miles.
Friday, 25th October: Meet at 10-15 am. Park in the lay by adjacent to Star Lane (Nearest post code RG10 9UR.) Roy will lead a walk of about 5 miles from Knowle Hill on the A4 and around Ashley Hill Forest. This walk will cross fields (possibly with the odd cow) woods, paths and tracks. There is no coffee stop on route, so please bring a drink. There will be coffee at the end. Please confirm your attendance with Roy.
Friday, 22nd November: Meet at 10-15am in the free car park at Eton Wick, SL4 6LT. The walk of about 4.5 miles will be based around Boveney Brook and the Jubilee River and will be led by Roy. There is a possible coffee stop at the Palmers Arms in Dorney. Please confirm your attendance with Roy.
Logged in members can see contact details.
Coffee Mornings
Come And Meet Each Other
Coffee mornings run from 10-30am to 12-00pm, why not drop in between those times?
All members are welcome to attend any and all of coffee mornings.
Central Windsor
Cinnamon Café in Windsor Central Station
These are held on the first Tuesday of each month, organised by Linda Saunders.
Next on Tuesday, 1st October.
Logged in members can see Linda’s e-mail address and number.
Old Windsor
The Bells of Ouzeley, Straight Road, Old Windsor, SL4 2SH
These are held on the first Wednesday of each month, organised by Jo Wattis.
Next on Wednesday, 2nd October.
Logged in members can see Jo’s e-mail address and number.
West Windsor
The Running Man Café, All Saints’ Church, Dedworth.
These are held on the third Wednesday of each month, in the newly refurbished café, hosted by Jackie Wiggins and Angela West.
Next on Wednesday, 16th October.
Logged in members can see Jackie’s e-mail address.
Sunningdale
The Restaurant, Hilliers Garden Centre, off A30 between Sunningdale and Bagshot, GU20 6LQ
These are held on the fourth Tuesday of each month, organised by Ollie.
Next on Tuesday, 22nd October.
Logged in members can see Ollie’s e-mail address.
Datchet
The Bridge Ecumenical Café, The Village Green, Datchet, SL3 9JH
These are held on the fourth Wednesday of each month, organised by Jackie Wiggins.
Next on Wednesday, 23rd October.
Logged in members can see Jackie’s e-mail address.
These coffee mornings are for all members, not just new members, but new members are welcome.
Although in specific neighbourhoods, all members are welcome to attend any and all of the coffee mornings.
If you arrive and find the ‘u3a table’ is fully occupied, PLEASE make yourself known before settling elsewhere on your own or in a splinter group. Depending on the venue, it may well be possible to enlarge the circle, or take over/join on another table.
U3A Online
Thames Valley Network Diary Dates
All events are on Zoom unless otherwise stated.
NB You must book a few days in advance of the date(s) shown below and often a small cost is involved.
View TVN home page and scroll down to list of events with TicketSource booking buttons.
Flyers with more information are available there too.
Further events are always being planned, keep an eye on their diary via link above.
National u3a offerings
The national u3a runs many projects, initiatives and competitions – available for all members.
See their Latest News page for national events and opportunities.
Use their Podcasts Playlist (on YouTube) to listen to something interesting (with subtitles).
Interest Groups Online (IGOs)
Interest Groups Online (IGO) is an online community of learners. Those who subscribe to IGO can participate in our online interest groups and also access the u3a national learning.
IGO Help and Information
u3a Friends
Read the Newsletter in your browser.
u3a Friends Extra
A new range of benefits, offers and services exclusively for members of our u3a Friends community. The benefits include discounts for shopping, travel, insurance and more – and we hope really to add to your u3a experience.
Access the Friends Extra website here.
Credits and Contributions
Thank you to all who have contributed to this month’s newsletter.
We welcome contributions from any member, not just convenors, so if you have enjoyed a u3a organised event, why not share that (and show appreciation to the organisers) by writing a short report, ideally with some photos, please send to newsletters@windoru3a.org.uk
The copy date for our next Newsletter is 15th September 2024
Readers may notify an error or omission via e-mail or logged in members can use the Comments area below to convey their thoughts on this particular edition.
This Newsletter was compiled by Jackie Wiggins, then adapted for web publication by Dave Humphries. This web version allows us to hide certain data from all but logged in members, plus occasionally make minor updates after release, typically to correct errors and omissions notified promptly.
Committee Contact Details
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| Committee Members’ Contact Details | ||
|---|---|---|
| Chairman: | Peter Todd | chairman@windsoru3a.org.uk |
| Vice Chair: | Martin Pritchett | vicechair@windsoru3a.org.uk |
| Secretary: | Carol Crago | secretary@windsoru3a.org.uk |
| Treasurer: | David Treder | treasurer@windsoru3a.org.uk |
| Data Administrator: | Derek Gadd | dataadmin@windsoru3a.org.uk |
| Groups’ Coordinator: | Mo Salter | u3agroups@windsoru3a.org.uk |
| Website Administrator: | Dave Humphries | webeditor@windsoru3a.org.uk |
| Membership Secretary: | Kate Fagence | membership@windsoru3a.org.uk |
| Newsletter Editor: | Jackie Wiggins | newsletters@windsoru3a.org.uk |
| Speaker Organiser: | Joanna Wattis | speakers@windsoru3a.org.uk |