Weston Turville U3A Newsletter – July 2014
As you may be aware I have been writing the newsletter since we first started this U3A. I do regularly get feedback from readers but it has more to do with the jokes then the content! From this month we are trying a new approach: I will still write the newsletter but will not be sending out them out. They will be sent via Mary Duly, Membership Secretary. This is to avoid duplication of databases concerning email addresses and ensures that new members and people who have changed their email addresses do not get left off the mailing list which has occurred in the past. (Rest assured the bad jokes will continue!) To enable this change to take place Mary has asked if you have changed your address or email in the last 6 months please let her know (m.duly@btinternet.com) so that the database may be updated. If you do not receive this newsletter by email and you were expecting it, then we probably have the wrong details listed. Obviously you will not know what is said here because you haven’t received it, but if anybody hears of someone saying they have not received it please ask them to contact Mary. You may also remember that all newsletters from year dot are available through our website.
Mandi Simons
“MESSAGE IN A BOTTLE”?
Message in a Bottle already operates in a number of locations across the country. It is a voluntary scheme for anyone living at home who might be
reassured to know that their essential information would be readily available to the emergency services, should they suffer an accident or sudden illness at home. At the heart of the scheme is a clearly labelled plastic container containing relevant data for each member of the household. This container is stored in the refrigerator, two matching labels, recognised by the emergency services and other care agencies, are displayed in the house, one on the outside of the fridge and the other on the inside of the front door. The distribution of the message in a bottle is in the hands of The Lions Clubs. You can obtain one from any local Lions Club in Buckinghamshire, or they can also be found in local pharmacies, doctor’s surgeries, and some day centres.
If there is any problem in getting hold of one of the emergency containers contact one, or other, of the following people through the e-mail address for this site, or through Mrs A Powell at Buckinghamshire County Council 01296 395000.
Dave Johnson, Chairman.
YELLOW BOOK:
Members Handbook. The 2014 inserts are now ready please collect yours at the next meeting, if you do not attend the monthly meeting please let the Membership Secretary, know so that alternative arrangements can be made.
membership@wtu3a.org.uk
SPEAKER:
Our speaker this month on Thursday 24th July is Betty Page for another session of Comic Monologues. They are all new and previously unheard of by us.
TRIPS AND VISITS:
I slipped up last month and forgot to put this in the newsletter! I am arranging afternoon tea by the Thames at Windsor for the afternoon of Friday 12th September. This is a little different though as it includes a duck tour! We are taking a maximum of 80 people and have 6 vacancies. The cost is £30 each which includes the coaches, the Duck Tour around Windsor and afternoon tea at the Sir Christopher Wren Hotel, located overlooking the Thames. Money is due now please as I have to pay upfront for it all. If you want to come with us then please let me know and give me the money!
Thanks.
Mandi Simons (p.s. No swimming qualifications required!).
[Reminder from the Chairman: If signing up for someone else you must ensure that you or they confirm their participation. We have had several incidents where the ‘friend’ was not aware they were on the list and could not attend.]
CHRISTMAS MEAL:
Can members who have not as yet let me know if they can still attend the Christmas Lunch at Halton House on Sunday 7th December, contact me as soon as possible.
Carol Theobold
MONEY MATTERS:
No meetings in August or September.
THEATRE:
Payment is now due for The Perfect Murder on Thursday October 23rd at 2.30. £18.00 in circle one. Please make cheque payable to WESTON TURVILLE U3A (TRAVEL).
Aston Clinton U3A have two spare tickets for the matinee performance of ‘One Man, Two Guvnors’ at the Wycombe Swan Theatre on Wednesday, 3rd December. Contact Gloria Crellin – 01442 828996
GARDEN VISITS:
There are 3 vacancies left for our August visit to Green and Gorgeous, The Cutting Garden, Wallingford, Oxfordshire 0X10 6AX www.greenandgorgeousflowers.co.uk
This is an afternoon visit on Tuesday 12th August by coach. Leave Weston Turville shops at 1.15pm, back in Weston Turville by 6pm.
I am also taking names for our September garden visit to Broughton Grange, Wykham Lane, Oxfordshire on Thursday September 11th. Broughton Grange is one of the most spectacular English gardens of the past 20 years. The Parterre at its best in this garden in September. It is a NGS Garden. Leave Weston Turville 1pm and return to by 6pm; travel by coach. Costs to be confirmed.
Gaynor Edwards
VISITING CHURCHES GROUP:
No visit has been arranged for the holiday month of August.
A visit is being arranged for September which will be to St Margaret’s, Tyler’s green and Holy Trinity, Penn; details to follow by email etc. Existing and new members welcome, please visit our table at the monthly meeting if you would like to come along.
John Richardson, Margaret Baynes.
DIGITAL PHOTOGRAPHY:
A reminder that meetings have been changed to 2pm at the Chandos PH where we will sally forth or stay and discuss techniques if the weather is bad. All are welcome.
DISCUSSION GROUP:
Our discussion group has been going for more than four years, but we have decided to change its location so that there will be room for lots more people to take part in the discussions. The group leader has a list of things to be discussed, but you are also very welcome to bring your own ideas for discussion as well. You may be for or against the ideas put forward, so please come and join in. Some people like to hold forth, others are just interested in listening to others’ ideas, but most people like to discuss the issues raised. All types are very welcome. It promotes awareness, understanding and interest, so please come and join us. We meet at 10.30 am on the first Tuesday of each month at the 5 Bells PH in Weston Turville.
Dorothy Smithies.
FLOWER ARRANGING:
This is a picture of the window that the WT & Aston Clinton U3A’s Flower Group, headed up by Gaynor Edwards, did for the Festival at Aston Clinton Church WW1 flower festival on 12, 13, 14 July . Our subject was Tyne Cot WW1 Cemetery in Belgium. The church looked magnificent.
The WTU3A History group worked in conjunction 
with WT Historical Society and Buckinghamshire Remembers to put on the exhibition for ‘The Great War Commemoration’. Our MP, David Liddington, came and later wrote in the Bucks Herald “One of the highlights of this year’s Weston Turville fete was the exhibition about the village during the First World War. What was so impressive was how it captured in microcosm so much of what our country experienced in those years.” Many of the exhibits on show came from our members. Thank you.
These are a couple of photos of our U3A stand at the village fete. Mike Bean and John Cowling did a tremendous job in putting it all together and the committee wish to thank all the members who contributed items to display or who turned up to support us and staff the stall. There was a lot of interest in our work and activities and several people expressed an interest in joining. Well done all of you.
And just because I can:
this is a photo of Mary Duly with her tongue out! If any of you have U3A related photos you wish to share then please send them to Mike Bean for our website. There are some good ones up there already; check them out!
