york u3a travel group

Welcome to U3A members

My name is Claire and I am the Sales Manager here at Greatdays Holidays looking after the 1000 U3As arranging day trips, short breaks and holidays.

Greatdays Holidays Ltd is a family owned and run tour operator based in Cheshire. We have been operating tours since 1985 and during this time have been successfully working with many U3A’s to provide great holidays and short breaks and day trips for their members.

All our tours operate under Greatdays Holidays Ltd abiding by ABTA and ATOL strict booking conditions and where applicable are fully bonded and protected with ABTA (Y0380) and ATOL (4279) giving you financial piece of mind.

We also place regular adverts in the Third Age Matters magazine, so please look out for these too.

Our choice of destinations, hotels, venues and day trips have been personally selected to provide the best possible levels of service, comfort and hospitality, so you are always assured of a warm welcome and a great trip.    

Please find below this month’s special offers which can be booked on line.

Featured Tours and Trips

York, Harrogate and Whitby

Date/Time Date(s) - 26/06/2022 - 30/06/2022 All Day

Location York

Click here to read the Trip Flyer

A five-day visit to Yorkshire, travelling by luxury coach and staying at the 4* York Marriott Hotel, which overlooks the racecourse.

Excursions include Harrogate , where you might choose to visit Betty’s, the renowned Yorkshire tea-rooms, Castle Howard , the stately home used for “Brideshead Revisited”, Whitby ’s pretty harbour, where a bag of fish-and-chips, whilst sitting on the seawall, is a must ! If timings permit, a jaunt on the North Yorkshire Moors Steam train at Pickering.

York , with time to visit the Jorvik Viking Centre, National Railway Museum, delightful “Shambles” shopping street and the imposing Minster with its beautiful stained-glass windows and astronomical clock, plus a guided tour.

Please read the flyer (click above) for more details.

Visit the Travel Group page

• “Digital Forensics – Who’s Watching You.” - A Talk
• Burghley House and Gardens
• “Irving Berlin” - A Talk
• The Royal Hospital Chelsea
• “Bridge Over Troubled Water, The Simon and Garfunkel Story” - A Talk

Join a Group

Take a Look at the First Round of Skift Global Forum Speakers

Brian Quinn , Skift

June 11th, 2024 at 10:35 AM EDT

Top travel industry CEOs set to take the Skift Global Forum stage this year including speakers from JetBlue, Booking Holdings, MGM Resorts, TripAdvisor, Wyndham, Marriott International, and so many more.

Brian Quinn

The largest and most popular travel industry event of the year, Skift Global Forum , is back this September 17-19 in New York City. For the eleventh year, we plan to welcome some of the best and brightest that the travel industry has to offer during exclusive on-stage interviews.

Top CEOs Who Plan to Take the Stage

• Aaron Gowell – CEO and Co-Founder of SilverRail
• Anthony Capuano – CEO of Marriott International
• Ariane Gorin – CEO of Expedia Group
• Christal Bemont – CEO of Direct Travel
• Eric Gnock Fah – Chief Operating Officer & Co-Founder of Klook
• Geoffrey Ballotti – President & CEO of Wyndham Hotels & Resorts
• Glenn Fogel – CEO & President of Booking Holdings
• Greg O’Hara – Founder and Senior Managing Director of Certares
• Issam Abdul Rahim Kazim – CEO of Dubai Corporation for Tourism and Commerce Marketing
• James Thornton – CEO of Intrepid Travel
• Joanna Geraghty – CEO of JetBlue
• Johannes Reck – CEO of GetYourGuide
• Matt Goldberg – President & CEO of TripAdvisor
• Matthew D. Upchurch – CEO of Virtuoso
• Steve Hill – CEO & President of Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority (LVCVA)
• William Hornbuckle – CEO and President of MGM Resorts International
• Zita Cobb – Founder and CEO of Shorefast & Fogo Island Inn
• View the growing list of Skift Global Forum speakers here

Don’t Miss Out

These are just some of 30+ Skift Global Forum speakers who will join us this year. Stay tuned for further updates as we unveil additional speakers and delve deeper into the themes and topics that will define this year’s forum. Stay up to date here .

So many exclusive interviews and sessions await at the leading travel industry conference of the year. Make sure to be a part of it.

Skift Global Forum 2024 Registration

Discounted price of $2,695 (Solo) and $2,345 (Group) for a limited time only. Full-price tickets are $3,495 (Solo) and $3,145 (Group).

Register now for an in-person ticket to the New York event.

• Opening night event
• All Forum sessions
• Networking options

Bring the team and take your company to the next level.

• Multi-registration discounts

Please read our FAQ for details about refunds, safety procedures, and other details .

Subscriber Benefits

Subscribers to Skift Research, Skift Pro, Daily Lodging Report, and Airline Weekly receive discounts off full-price tickets to in-person events.  Visit our Subscriber Benefits page to find your discount code . 

The Daily Newsletter

Our daily coverage of the global travel industry. Written by editors and analysts from across Skift’s brands.

Tags: skift global forum 2024

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From Liz Thackray. Chair, Third Age Trust

Now, you probably weren’t expecting to find me welcoming you to the February edition of Third Age Matters magazine, were you? However, as we look forward to a bright new year for the u3a movement, I especially wanted to take this opportunity to highlight just some of the great events and developments planned. Firstly, our new initiative u3a Friends launches later this month: it’s a new way of making our community stronger than ever, and we hope you’ll be excited about all it offers – read more on page 7. This year also sees the inaugural u3a Festival 24 taking place: the latest news of how it is developing is on page 19. We also wanted to share some of the inspiring ways that u3as are evolving to meet new requirements and challenges - see page 60 for insights and inspiration. Elsewhere in the issue you’ll find smart batch-cooking ideas, great buys for smaller households, and a look at why the right exercise is so important for all of us. Not least, settle down to read the winning entry of our Short Story Competition 2023 on page 52 – do let us know what you think!

Finally, it gives me great pleasure to introduce our new editor Sharon Parsons: meet her on page 21 and discover some of the great ways she’ll be evolving the magazine – and how you can help... Here’s to a wonderful 2024 for us all!

Find the magazine on facebook at Facebook u3a UK

Third Age Matters is published by the Third Age Trust Trading Company.

Company number 11899419. Contributions for consideration: email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Enquiries and issues: email tam.

This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Other communications, please send to:

u3a office, Third Age Trust,

156 Blackfriars Road, London, SE1 8EN.

Email: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Tel: 020 8466 6139

EDITOR Sharon Parsons

Design, David McCullough

Sub-Editors, James Hundleby, Amy Beveridge

Picture research, Jessica Marsh

Production, Jane Easterman

ADVERTISING

For advertising enquiries, please contact our sales agent Redactive Media Group.

For display: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. , 020 7324 2775. For classifieds: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. , 020 7324 2773.

Third Age Matters is published in February, April, June, September and November. Copy deadline for editorial and advertising: 1st of the month preceding publication.

The small print

All rights reserved. Any reproduction without permission is prohibited. The publishers cannot accept responsibility for any unsolicited material or for the views of contributors. None of the Third Age Trust, the editors or the publishers are responsible for verifying the content of any advertising materials that may be included within Third Age Matters, and express no view or recommendation on any service or product advertised. Readers should always take appropriate professional advice. The Third Age Trust provides third party liability insurance. However, extreme sports and high hazard activities may not be covered. Please check before running an activity.

Third Age Trust

Registered charity No 288007

Limited company No 01759471

Third Age Trust Trading Limited is a subsidiary of the Third Age Trust.

Get your strength back

Experts agree that being fit and strong is a goal all of us should aspire to – no matter what our age or circumstance. Here we explain why and talk to those who can either help or inspire

Words by Sharon Parsons

Being fit – and what that means – has changed. It’s no longer all about terrifying “go for the burn” routines or rigid regimes that build bulging muscles. Now it’s all about being strong, supple and active – and that applies to everyone. Indeed, the Office for National Statistics says that in 2020 the number of centenarians in the UK rose to its highest-ever level reaching 15,120 – an increase of almost a fifth from the previous year. So maintaining fitness levels as much as possible – for as long as possible – is essential.

As we get older, muscle mass decreases, which in turn weakens bones. An active lifestyle protects against that decline: exercise not only strengthens bones and builds muscles, it improves balance too – lessening the chance of falls. Experts agree the secret is a regular combination of strength training, cardio workouts and stretching exercises, all of which effectively work the muscles and cardiovascular system, and help to maintain suppleness.

SEATED OPTIONS

Those with mobility issues need not miss out, either. Many exercise classes – both face to face or online – provide seated exercises (talk to your instructor or group leader about what is possible), and you’ll fi nd a plethora of great advice, regular classes and demonstrations on the internet, with specially-adapted alternatives to regular movements and routines.

STAY STRONG

“After the age of 60, we lose 2-3% of our muscle every year, our balance declines, and our bones get 2% less dense, which means they break more easily,” states fitness expert and trainer Rob McAvoy, who is the cofounder of Goodnick, an online fitness programme especially designed for the over-60s (goodnick.com). Those facts are undeniably stark, but the good news is that much can be prevented. “Studies have proven that a correctly trained 80-year-old can have the strength and mobility of an untrained 30-year-old, which is a fantastic statistic,” Rob says. “At this stage in life, most people aren’t looking to be hardcore fitness fanatics anyway: the majority want to be strong and able enough to perform normal tasks with ease – be it carrying the shopping, having a good gardening session or lifting up the grandchildren,” he maintains. Rob believes adopting a fitness routine that takes a sensible 360-degree approach is the answer. “That means using your own body for resistance training so that everyday activities become easier and you don’t find yourself avoiding them, alongside simple strength exercises like squats, lunges, basic weights and exercise bands,” he explains. “Not least, it’s important to work on balance: we have small stabilising muscles, which are not generally trained and used in everyday life. Th is means that our balance starts to wobble – literally. “Regular training means a quicker reaction if we fall. And when bones are strong, and there’s muscle around them, there’s a much bett er chance of recovery.”

KNOW YOUR MOVES

If you’re not entirely sure what the different exercise descriptions mean, here’s a quick guide: Weight-bearing exercises These are activities or movements that make you go against gravity while upright, so the weight of your body pulls down on your skeleton. High-impact exercises include dance aerobics (like Zumba), jogging and high-impact aerobics (when your feet come off the ground). Low-impact options include fast walking, rebounding (a mini trampoline), stair-step machines, and standing and rising on to your toes. Yoga, tai chi and pilates are also excellent low-impact forms of exercise that improve core strength and balance too. Muscle-strengthening exercises These are exercises that will make your muscles work harder than normal. They move your own body, or another resistance, so that you go against gravity. Lifting your own body weight, free weights, elastic resistance bands, or weight machines are all very effective.

“PREVENTION IS BETTER THAN CURE"

Hugh Bethell is a member of Alton u3a in Hampshire. He is a former GP and the founding president of the British Association for Cardiac Prevention and Rehabilitation (BACPR). “I am actively involved in the use of exercise to improve the health of older people, and particularly its use as a prevention of frailty,” Hugh says. “This is a huge problem in old age – not only for the individual, but for the additional pressures it puts on our health service. The good news, however, is that frailty is preventable and can largely be avoided by taking regular exercise to maintain physical fitness, bone density and muscle strength.”

Hugh is a runner and also does a 10-minute weight-bearing exercise routine at home every morning. He has set an exercise programme mainly attended by older people in and around Alton and used by a number of u3a members. “We have a circuit-training programme designed to improve cardio-respiratory fitness and strengthen muscles,” he explains. “The circuits alternate aerobic exercise (i.e. jogging on the treadmill, cycling) with muscle strengthening (push-ups, weight training). They are designed to be fun and achievable, but most importantly the resulting increasing fitness level reduces the risk of a variety of illnesses of later life and ultimately prevents frailty. “My aim is to inform people – no matter what age – how vital exercise is,” concludes Hugh. “In the majority of cases, it’s never too late to start.”

Hugh’s latest book is Get Off the

Couch Before It’s Too Late: all the

whys and wherefores of exercise by

Hugh Bethell (Amazon, £13.04).

"I WANT TO HELP OTHERS TO BE STRONG AND CONFIDENT”

Rosemary Mallace has been a member of South Manchester u3a since 2011. She was the group leader for fitness classes until the pandemic, and has since established a YouTube channel: Rosemary Mallace StrongAfterSixty “I’ve always enjoyed exercise. I’ve been a runner for 40 years [including four marathons], and when I retired 13 years ago, at the age of 60, I retrained as a personal trainer. Extensive reading about sarcopenia - muscle wastage as we age - has convinced me that strengthening exercises are vital for us to maintain independence in older age. That’s why my classes concentrate on strength and are specifically designed for older people. I do three free 20-minute sessions a week on my YouTube channel and include a variety of body weight exercises and weights. I also encourage people to participate in cardiovascular exercises – that is exercises that make your heart beat a little faster, so you’re a bit puffed – for at least 30 minutes a day. Brisk walking is a great way to do this. “All my exercises are based on functional fitness: that is fitness that helps with daily activities. I really want to help people who know they need to be more active but don’t really know how. My classes are friendly, relaxed and achievable. Everyone benefits.”

Let's Do this

If you’ve lost – or never really had – your exercise motivation, take note of these tips:

1. If you have any concerns, seek medical advice before you take up any activity that will be demanding or put pressure on your joints or muscles.

2. Be realistic. If you’re not familiar with regular exercise, and try too much too soon, you’ll quickly feel discouraged. Take it one goal at a time, and monitor

your progress.

3. Just do it. Don’t waste time making excuses and deliberating whether you even have time to exercise. You’ll always be glad you did afterwards!

4. Enjoy yourself. It sounds obvious but if you dread a class or session, you’ll quickly find a reason to give it a miss. Choose exercise or an activity you know you’ll enjoy doing.

5. Find a friend. If it’s all too easy to bail out, get yourself an exercise pal so you can encourage each other, and won’t want to let the other down.

6.Have confidence. Nobody is judging you – and you’ll be amazed by how much support you get from others doing exactly the same thing as you.

7. Stay on track. Don’t give up if life gets in the way sometimes and you have to let classes go. Just get back into the regime as quickly as you can.

• In issues to come, we’ll be exploring the many different exercise options and disciplines available within the u3a. What fitness groups do you belong to – or lead? Drop a line to: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. . head your email: fitness

What's been happening across u3a

You've got friends

This month, we’re delighted to officially launch u3a Friends - and we’re inviting you to join us.

Our u3a members are a close-knit community of people who support all that the movement stands for. This exciting new initiative, called u3a Friends, means we can identify and share with one another all the continued ideas, services and interests that our great organisation brings together. In a nutshell, u3a Friends means we can communicate directly with you so that you are always completely up-to speed on what’s happening, along with the opportunities and offers that will especially interest you. u3a Friends will help us connect with more people across the country through one “gateway”, thereby enhancing the membership offer and broadening our services. So u3a Friends will complement the activities of local u3a groups, and add value to both groups and individuals. The scheme includes:

Regular and special issues of the online national u3a Friends Newsletter, filled with news from u3as across the country, plus fantastic offers and services.

Information about nationwide u3a events and national initiatives.

Access to learning opportunities.

Coming soon: the opportunity to sign up to our u3a Friends Extra benefits scheme, which includes Click and Save.

NOBODY MISSES OUT

If you’re already a u3a Newsletter subscriber, you’re now automatically part of the u3a Friends community. You might notice the Newsletter looks a little different, but it contains all the same up-to-date news and latest events, information, offers and services from across the movement. If you’re not signed up already, simply subscribe for free to the Newsletter on our website (see Join today!). We know that not everyone has access to local activities, so u3a Friends is a way for interested individuals who are not currently members to connect with us – and a great way for us to build a relationship with them. For that reason, your friends and family are most welcome to join u3a Friends, becoming part of a national community of like-minded people, with the opportunity to both enjoy and evolve the u3a movement. Finally, u3a Friends will also benefit those who live in areas that don’t currently have a local u3a: over time, we hope that by expanding our network of like-minded people, it will encourage more to form. There is much more planned in the months ahead, and feedback from our Friends Newslett er community will help us learn, improve and develop our offer to you.

• JOIN TODAY!. Friendship and togetherness are at the heart of what we do at u3a. Celebrate and support the u3a movement with us – if you haven’t done so already, sign up to the u3a Friends Newsletter now and become part of a community that is both unique and special. Simply go to: u3a.org.uk/newsletter

Following in the footsteps

Along with spectacular scenery, there is history and legend to discover in our varied landscapes. Ciaran De Baroid shares the beauty and mystery of the walks he takes in the Mourne Mountains with the Belfast and Lisburn u3a Scrambler groups.

Spring, summer, autumn and winter, we stumble from our beds in the early hours to arrive in the mountains for a 9.30am start. Our websites say that we’re the hillwalking Scramblers from the Belfast and Lisburn u3as who come together once a week on the slopes of the Mournes. Hailing from a wide range of backgrounds, we’re drawn together by that idyllic landscape that “sweeps down to the sea”. Some of us have walked the mountains since childhood; others never set foot on a hill until the ripeness of time revealed their physical and spiritual horizons. And, in the case of the Mournes, a little of their history. The ancient name of these hills was Na Beanna Boirche – the peaks of Boirche, named after a cowherd who tended on the slopes the cattle of Ross the Red, a king of Ulster who reigned in the third century. Among Ireland’s Gaelic speakers, the mountains retain that original name. However, during the 12th century, a tribe of the Mughdhorna who lived in present-day County Monaghan were driven from their lands in Cremorne (Crioch Mughdhorna – the country of the Mourna) and sought sanctuary in the mountains to the north-east. With the passage of time, the peaks of Boirche became the mountains of Mourna, and eventually, the Mourne Mountains. Today, the cattle of Boirche have long gone. Sheep now graze the hills, their bleating accentuating the tranquillity of the land. But the land is as it was, its continuity locked in by the permanence of granite, and its ever-changing moods governed by the whims of seasons. Among its folds and crannies, however, lie the relics of the many who followed Boirche into these hills: the herders who erected the pens of stone; the farmers who left long-abandoned “lazy beds”; those who perished in aviation tragedies; those who built the Mourne Wall and cut the tunnel that carries water two and a half miles from the Annalong Valley through the heart of Slieve Binnian to the Silent Valley reservoir; and those, like us, who occasionally add a stone to an ancient cairn. As we climb each week in the footsteps of Boirche and all those others, we pass through a realm where no two days are the same. Th e light will change. Th e peaks, seen from different angles, will often confuse. But exhilaration is our constant as we rock-hop across rivers and top the 700- to 850-metre summits. Not bad for a bunch of oldies! And we’re reminded that Boirche’s reach hasn’t entirely left the hills. For legend has it that, sometime after his passing, a young woman of antiquity was murdered and buried on Slieve Binnian’s slopes. She is said to appear periodically, gliding across the heather to cut off access to the hidden grave of the cowherd who gave his name to Na Beanna Boirche. In our many trips to the summit of Binnian, we ourselves have yet to encounter that woman. But who knows what wails in the mountain winds...

Remembering John Lloyd

Last year, we were saddened to learn that one of the u3a’s most long-standing and wellrespected members had passed away. Here, former trustee for the North East Sandi Rickerby pays tribute.

John Lloyd was an avid supporter of u3a and a very lively member for 30 years. He was well known, both in the North East region where he lived and nationally. He worked with Alan Wiley, one of the earliest chairs of the Trust, to form the North East region and then to represent it as regional trustee. John was always a live wire with strong views about u3a policy and practice, and he could be relied on to ask many searching questions and voice his well-considered opinions at every opportunity. He felt very strongly that the organisation should be more business-like from a financial point of view, and engaged in discussions to share his thoughts with many of the national treasurers. John and his wife Doreen attended all but one of the National AGMs and he would take the opportunity to ask thorny questions about the financial report, often using self-deprecating humour to temper his messages. John was very interested in people and was one of life’s critical thinkers, being particularly interested in taking action to improve circumstances for everyone, and encouraging others to do the same. In 2022 he was delighted to have his long membership of u3a recognised by being invited to the 40th Anniversary Lunch, which he mentioned at every opportunity. What a character he was! He will be sorely missed.

CALLING ALL RUNNERS!

Great North Run - 8 September 2024.

In 2024 Team u3a will be running in the Great North Run, one of the biggest half-marathon events in the UK, which starts in Newcastle upon Tyne and finishes in South Shields. The Third Age Trust has five charity running places available for the event: if you’re interested in running and fundraising to raise £350 on behalf of the Third Age Trust, please send your details to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. . uk by 29 February 2024 (head your email: Great North Run). Please include the u3a you belong to and tell us if you have run a half-marathon before. Places will be randomly selected. If you’re one of the members chosen, we’ll be in touch by mid-March to give you all the support you need and allow you plenty of time to start training. Good luck!

Free Wills Month is in March

We are supporting this important initiative to give u3a members the opportunity to arrange for a simple will to be written, or updated for free, by participating solicitors. Free Wills Month occurs twice a year during the months of March and October. It is intended for individuals or couples aged 55 or over. If you’re interested or would like to find out more, please visit the Free Wills Month website at: freewillsmonth.org.uk

EASY TO ORGANISE

You can book an appointment directly with a local solicitor during Free Wills Month via the website. To discover those taking part in your area, you simply need to enter your postcode. Appointments are limited and are allocated on a first come, first served basis. Free Wills Month covers the cost of simple wills. If your will is more complex and needs additional work, then the solicitor may ask you to pay the balance yourself.

SOMETHING TO CONSIDER

Having an up-to-date will is the best way to ensure your wishes are followed and your loved ones are looked after. You can also leave something special with a gift in your will to your chosen charities. u3a members have suggested that we consider promoting legacies in the same way as other charities do. We would very much appreciate you considering leaving a legacy to the Third Age Trust. This will help us to continue to support u3as, reach new communities and members, and spread far and wide the lasting benefits of being part of the u3a movement. Every gift makes such a difference.

• The next Free Wills Campaign begins on 1 March and ends 31 March 2024

Really? I’ve won a week’s cruise?

A phone call and yes, to my amazement, I had won a voyage for two aboard the Viking Cruises ship Helgrim after entering a competition in Third Age Matters magazine. The cruise was along the beautiful Douro river in Portugal, so off went my husband Peter and I to discover a warm welcome on board. For a week we enjoyed a smart stateroom (cabin), interesting talks and entertainment, excellent cuisine and six included excursions. One was to the Mateus Palace, a picturesque stately home full of paintings, china, furniture and even sedan chairs, followed by a visit to a port quinta where the process of making port was explained and tasted. We also discovered the process of harvesting cork, and visited Castelo Rodrigo, a former outpost when the border between Portugal and Spain was yet to be defined. There was so much to see and enjoy. The scenery in Portugal was so impressive. I really had not appreciated that Portugal boasted so many terraces for growing vines or olives, accessed by roads with multiple hairpin bends (thank you to our capable coach driver!). The weather was cool and showery, with occasional sunshine. Well, it was November... but it didn’t put a damper on anything! All in all, a surprise holiday to remember with a big smile... a definite conversation starter! By Mary Madgwick, Somerton u3a.

Everyone has a story to tell...

If you’ve often considered writing your life story but don’t know where to begin, this cleverly thought-out memoir writing pack could be the answer.

Following a Zoom meeting with Jo Livingston, the u3a Living History Subject Adviser, a small group of Lichfield u3a members have created a template designed to assist those who wish to write their memoirs. Entitled “Everyone has a Story to Tell”, the writing pack provides a simple step-by-step guide to getting started.

Step one offers advice on what should be considered when creating the title page. Step two provides blank “timeline grids”, which cover decades from birth to the present. Basic personal information may be recorded, accompanied by the opportunity to register significant world events, which give added meaning to the years. Step three enables the writer to “delve deeper” and write freely, choosing aspects of life they wish to record. To help with this, 30 clearly labelled and beautifully illustrated pages are provided from which to make a choice, plus blank sheets where individuals may add additional titles.

Veronica Birkett , who was instrumental in devising the memoir pack, said: “Our hope is that those u3a members who write their story using our template enjoy the activity. They’ll be leaving a precious gift and legacy behind, which may be read and enjoyed by many future generations. Their brains will certainly benefit from their efforts! We’d love to think we’ve helped people along the way.”

GETTING STARTED

For those who choose to complete their story online, a digital copy is available on the Lichfield u3a website under Projects/Memoirs: u3asites. org.uk/lichfi eld/page/131291

• Printed copies of the guide, template and appendices are available to purchase for £8.50 from This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. . (Price is to cover paper and printing costs). Postage costs will be added.

A small extract from a participant’s timeline grid:

Year. 1972.

My life: Joshua Doe. I was born in Good Hope Hospital, Sutton Coldfield, on 24th June. I went home to my parents’ council flat: 122, Sky Tower, Lichfield. It had only one bedroom and apparently the lift never worked. Mum had to often carry me up the stairs.

World events. 11 Israeli athletes killed at Munich Olympics. The Watergate scandal broke, leading to resignation of President Richard Nixon.

Year. 1973.

My life: My family moved from their council flat into a house, 21 Sutton Rd, Lichfield. It had three bedrooms and a lovely big garden. I had my own room.

World events. UK joins European Economic Community. US involvement in the Vietnam war ends.

Enrol for school!

It may be winter outside, but the organisers of our fantastic u3a Summer Schools are already looking ahead to brighter days, with exciting preparations well in hand.

For many u3a members, our Summer School season is a highlight of the movement’s calendar. Held up and down the country, these events offer a chance to learn something new or explore a topic in much greater detail; engage and have fun with other u3a members who share the same interests; and not least take time out to relax and enjoy being in diff erent, and often very beautiful, surroundings. Here are just a few to tempt you to get back to school!

SCOTLAND CALLING

u3a in Scotland is holding another Summer School at Stirling Court Hotel, Stirling University from 20-22 August 2024, where those attending can expect a warm welcome, great facilities and beautiful surroundings.

Six courses are on offer: Creative Craft (Fabric Pictures); Drawing; Drug Discovery (Where our Medicines Come From); Play Writing (Creating Characters); Strolling to Admire Nature; and Technology (Introduction to Programming). Th e two-night residential Summer School off ers a choice of student or hotel accommodation (participants can also choose to att end daily, if they live locally). Costs vary from £175 for a non-resident to £398 for single full board at the hotel.

• For further information and a booking form, email: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or text 07565934702.

YORKSHIRE PRIDE

Yorkshire & Humber Region are delighted to once again be hosting their Summer School at Th e Hawkhills in Easingwold, making the most of the excellent facilities and beautiful grounds. Save the date: 22-25 July 2024.

There is a diverse selection of courses available: History of Russia and Ukraine in Relation to the Current Conflict; Basic Holiday ish; Scottish Colourists; Life Drawing; Cosmology; Iron Age Britain to Anglo-Saxon England; Major Thinkers of Greek Philosophy; The English Language – Who Owns It?; Multi Media Art; and Improvised Drama.

Costs: Full board delegate £447pp; day delegate £215pp (inclusive of lunch and dinner).

• Find more information including preliminary course details at: yahru3a.uk/summer-school.

SOUTHERN HOSPITALITY

Th e University of Chichester – a firm favourite with the u3a thanks to its brilliant organisation, good facilities and warm welcome – is once again the venue for the South East Summer School to be held on 2-5 September 2024. A diverse range of interesting new courses are on offer. Be tempted by: Art History and Mythology; Patchwork; Science; Jazz Appreciation; Cribbage; Psychology; Singing; Latin and Roman Culture; Crochet; and Designing and Making Collages. There will also be Illuminated Manuscripts, Mahjong, Walking, Cycling and more.

Costs: From around £200 (non-residential) to £395 (full residential). Evening meals included.

• Further information – and regular updates – will be posted on u3asites. org.uk/southeastu3aforum/ summerschool

WORTH NOTING

The North West Region Residential Summer School will be held from 13-16 August 2024 at the University of Cumbria in Carlisle. For further information, please contact Alan Hough at: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. , or call: 07544 359125.

There will be no London Region Summer School in 2024, but a number of oneday events such as study days, walks and visits are being planned for the summer months. Look out for further information at: u3asites.org. uk/London-region/events.

The Northern Ireland Region isn’t hosting a Summer School this year, but a quiz is planned to be held in May/June, along with hopes for an early autumn Bridge Congress hosted by Belfast u3a. To keep up to date with events, go to: u3ani.info, or for further

information email: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. .

• ARE YOU PLANNING A SUMMER SCHOOL? If so, do let u3a know for possible inclusion in the u3a Friends Newsletter by emailing: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

PLANNING IN PROGRESS!

As preparations for this summer’s first-ever National u3a Festival in York go from strength to strength, Margaret Fiddes, trustee for Yorkshire and the Humber, shares an update.

We’re delighted with the whirlwind of activity taking place behind the scenes in preparation for our fantastic u3a Festival 24 this coming July.

Volunteers have been getting into action, the comprehensive programme is shaping up, and spaces are being allocated for talks, workshops, exercise sessions and sporting events. The anticipation is palpable!

We’re putting together an event that promises to be nothing short of extraordinary, giving members an opportunity to enjoy learning something new, have a great time and connect with other members across the movement.

We hope you share in our enthusiasm and are eager to participate in this inaugural Festival, whether you’re able to join us in person for the entire three days, or just come along for one of them. Alternatively, the supporting online Festival gives you an opportunity to take part and join in the fun too.

• For more information and to keep up to date with developments, visit: u3a.org.uk/events/festival-2024. You can also contact us via email at: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

We’re in this together!

Meet our new editor Sharon Parsons, who explains just a little of what is planned for your u3a magazine in the months to come...

Hello! I’m delighted to introduce myself to all of you as the new editor of Third Age Matters magazine – it’s a privilege to be here. Over the last few months, I’ve been busy working behind the scenes on the magazine, getting to know the u3a and talking to a great many members. I’m so impressed by everyone’s passion, commitment and proactive approach to making the movement so successful, and needless to say I’m looking forward to playing my part too. I hit my ‘Third Age’ a few years ago, so I truly understand how valuable this time in our lives can – and should – be.

A BROAD OUTLOOK

We really want this magazine to reflect everything that the u3a is, and showcase the interests, concerns and lives of our members. We have a diverse national readership, as I’m sure you know – there are those who have been with the movement since the very beginning, while others are just dipping their newly retired toes in the u3a water. This means, of course, that there are a great many different opinions and interests, all of which may appeal for different reasons to different people.

Of course, it’s not possible to include every pursuit, activity, local u3a event or cause in each issue (gosh, the magazine would be enormous!), but we do want to ensure that we off er a fair representation of what goes on in the u3a world, sharing the very real sense of community and all that it means to be a member of this valuable movement.

OUR SURVEY SAID...

To this end, we ran a survey in our Autumn 2023 issue, together with a number of focus groups, and had an unprecedented response. So many of you took the time to tell us honestly what you thought of the magazine, the subjects you’d like to see more of... and what you’re not so keen on, either! Needless to say, all of this has been incredibly useful. Your valid points have all been taken on board and will be acted upon as we redevelop and evolve the magazine.

GET INVOLVED

We also really value your help and input in this planned process. We receive hundreds of emails and letters from members every month with varying points of view and suggestions, feature submissions and letters for consideration (rest assured all are read, though as a tiny team it isn’t possible to reply to them all, unfortunately). It’s very clear there is a wealth of experience, expertise and knowledge within the u3a, and we would like to share all that with fellow members – be it savvy money-saving tips, great places to visit or a new activity to try, thought-provoking insights, or even advice for a fellow member (see the letter we’ve received on page 86).

TRUE COMMUNITY

We’re also keen to know about some of the more unusual interest groups you’re involved with – there will no doubt be other members who would like to know more! The u3a is a far-reaching network of friendship, opportunities and support – and this magazine is the perfect place to showcase all that and more.

I am looking forward to this new and exciting challenge, and to meeting more of you in the months to come. Here’s to a great 2024 – we’re ready for it!

Best Wishes.

Sharon Parsons.

Editor, Third Age Matters.

• Even if you didn’t take part in our recent survey, we’d still like to know what you’d like to see more of in the magazine. Send your thoughts and ideas to: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. (head your email: magazine ideas).

Join our committee!

The Third Age Trust is recruiting more volunteers to serve on its governance committee – can you help?

This is a fantastic opportunity to use your knowledge and expertise to steer the development of the Trust and to support the wider movement. The work is both interesting and intellectually challenging – and, not least, it’s so satisfying to know that you can make a real contribution to the charity.

This committee reports directly to the board and its key responsibilities are:

To ensure the correct governance of the Trust and support the governance of u3as.

To monitor the Trust for compliance

with all legal requirements.

To ensure effective risk management of the Trust’s affairs.

The committee is made up of trustees appointed by the board, plus u3a members with the relevant knowledge and experience.

The committee normally meets four times a year and the meeting are virtual, using either Teams or Zoom. If there is a need for a face-to-face meeting, then all reasonable travelling expenses will be paid by the Trust. In order to undertake these responsibilities, the committee needs expertise in the following areas.

• Understanding of charity law and regulation.

• Experience of the u3a movement or another federated membership organisation operating across a wide area.

• Compliance and risk - legal, statutory and contractual requirements.

• Senior experience in a role with governance responsibilities in a private, public or charitable organisation.

• Experience of providing constructive challenge to decision-makers.

• An effective team player.

• Evaluation skills for assessing board papers and their effectiveness.

• Relevant professional qualification

(e.g. legal, audit, risk management).

If you think you can contribute to the

committee, we’d love to hear from you! Please send your details outlining why you

think you’d be right for this important role

to: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. .

Our popular Podcast series provides a fascinating glimpse into the lives of u3a members. Here’s a preview of February’s edition

There was never really any doubt that Joanne Watson would enjoy a long and successful career in the world of sport. “I grew up in Beverley in East Yorkshire, and as a family we were very sporty. My mum played hockey while my dad was a club cricketer, and we were always cheering him on at matches,” she recalls. “Not surprisingly, cricket became my number one passion, but I was also fascinated by the Olympics. I clearly remember the 1968 Games in Mexico taking place when I was 11, and trying to make a scrapbook of all the results.”

After leaving university, Joanne cut her teeth at Radio Humberside. Then in 1980, aged 23, she joined BBC Radio Sport in London, where she worked as both a producer and editor for the next 32 years. Over the decades, Joanne worked on numerous events all over the world, including seven summer Olympic Games, which resulted in her making a documentary series on the post-war Games from 1948-1992.

“The research gave me an even deeper understanding of this extraordinary event,” she explains. “I think making the programme sowed the seed that I could do something more.”

That opportunity came some years later. In 2012 Joanne moved to Farnham in Surrey where she continued to work as a freelancer, and also joined the u3a. She began a successful writing career (which included a book on cricket history) and finally began work on her book about the Olympics, which charts the progress of the Games from their origins in Ancient Greece through to the modern day. The book includes more than 100 images, is compiled in neat sections to tell the story of each Olympiad and is packed with background information.

“Many people don’t realise, for instance, that the Games were actually banned by the Emperor Theodosius in 393AD because they were considered pagan,” Joanne points out. “Hundreds of years later, in 1850, Dr William Penny Brookes created a version of the event for the people of his hometown of Much Wenlock in Shropshire. It was very eclectic in parts: the ‘extra’ attractions even included an Old Women’s Race – the prize was a pound of sugar – but the concept grew in popularity, and eventually the Games were held at Crystal Palace.”

In other countries, similar events were also being held, but it took an influential French aristocrat called Baron Pierre de Coubertin to bring it all together and create the basis of the modern Olympics we recognise today, including the torch relay and the medal ceremony. “The stories of some of the Olympians are amazing,” Joanne says. “One of my favourites is the tennis player Richard Norris Williams, who survived the Titanic but suffered severe frostbite on both legs. His doctors wanted to amputate, but thankfully they didn’t and he ended up winning the US Open singles and doubles, and later, in 1924,

the Olympic Gold mixed doubles.”

• In the Footsteps of Olympia: A concise history of the Summer Games by Joanne Watson (£12.99, Grosvenor House Publishing) will be on sale from 28 February 2024.
• To listen to Joanne’s full story in the February podcast, go to u3a.org. uk/news. The podcast team would love to hear from any u3a members who have competed in an Olympics or Paralympics. And if you have a story that would make an interesting podcast, do apply. Just go to u3a.org. uk/news/u3a-radio-podcast

u3a runs a programme of web talks, workshops and events, as well as online initiatives such as competitions, memory collections and puzzles for you to get involved with.

Back to Contents

Online learning events.

For more events and to book those listed below, go to u3a.org.uk/events/educational-events. This can be found by going to the events section of the u3a website, then choose the Online Learning Events option in the Events menu. Click on each event to book your place.

THE ROLE AND TRAGEDY OF DR IGNAZ SEMMELWEIS

Wednesday 28 February at 10am

This is the first in a series of five sessions covering major advances in our understanding of the role of public health in preventing and treating disease, hosted by Mike Trevethick of Thanet u3a.

MORE NUMBER FUN WITH DR KNOTT

Thursday 29 February at 10am

Join Dr Ron Knott for a talk on what the Ancient Egyptians can teach us about maths.

INTRODUCTION TO CRYPTIC CROSSWORDS

Thursday 28 March at 10am

A taster session for beginners on solving cryptic crossword clues, hosted by Henry Howarth, u3a Cryptic Crosswords Subject Adviser.

• Contact This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. if you need help accessing these or to offer to give a national talk

National programmes

u3a.org.uk/programmes

To participate in, or contribute to, our National Initiatives, please go to class="CharOverride-2">u3a.org.uk/programmes . These can be found by going to the ‘Learn’ tab on the homepage of the u3a website, then choosing ‘National Programmes’. There you can then click on any of our initiatives to get involved.

PAINT OR DRAW

Send in pictures of your original artwork on a monthly theme to feature in our online gallery. No prizes, just prestige!

WRITE A LETTER TO YOUR YOUNGER SELF

• Contact This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. if you need help accessing these or would like to help us set up a national initiative

Let’s all welcome new members

Liz Thackray View from the Chair.

At our recent AGM, a resolution was passed calling upon the Third Age Trust to make it a strategic priority to increase national u3a membership by 25% during the next five years. Th is is an ambitious target and one that can only be achieved by local u3as and the Trust working together.

Growth in membership is achieved in two ways: recruiting more members to existing local u3as, and creating new ones. Much of this activity inevitably takes place locally, but there is a symbiotic relationship between the local and the national.

The u3a has always been local. Our founders initially envisaged perhaps 100 u3as being formed within the UK. As the idea caught on, this vision was broadened to 250, then 500, and today there are over 1,000 u3as spread across the UK. Each is operationally independent but shares the same founding principles and objectives, and is supported by the Third Age Trust. The Trust would not exist without u3as, and, in turn, these look to the Trust for information, advice and guidance.

BE PREPARED

If we are seriously looking to increase our membership by 25%, u3as must feel ready and able to welcome new members. Some u3as have grown significantly during the past few years, despite Covid-19. Others have remained static, decreased in size or even closed. Some have been rescued through mergers with neighbouring u3as.

Our first challenge is being able to welcome new members. Th is will vary from u3a to u3a, but the retention and recruitment guide produced by members during the pandemic contains much useful information and many examples that can be adopted.

However, growth is not just about numbers: we also need to consider who we want our new members to be. How do we engage with a more diverse membership? How do we encourage new members to contribute?

Not least, how do we make newcomers aware that they are joining an organisation where all members are expected to contribute in some way – be it featuring on the monthly meeting tea rota, leading a group, joining the committee or simply putting chairs and tables out for meetings? These are all questions to answer.

SPREAD THE WORD

Most people join the u3a because they know someone who is a member, or because they have heard that the u3a can be a good way to make new friends. The visible part of the u3a is the local organisation and we need to capitalise on that – not only through local recruitment, but by sharing stories of what happens in u3as regionally and nationally, using our communications team. Not least, we’re looking at ways to make Third Age Matters magazine accessible to all members: more updates will follow.

The Third Age Trust is exploring how we can best support the movement to grow, recognising that numbers are not everything – we need active new members. To be successful, however, all parts of the u3a must work together.

• What steps has your u3a taken to recruit new members? What initiatives do you think would work going forwards? Send your thoughts to: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. (head your email: recruiting new members)

Being older should be celebrated

By Derek Ross, Crewe & Nantwich U3a

It’s strange, gett ing older. I was born in 1946 as part of the post-war Baby Boomer generation, and I’m 77 now, but don’t perceive myself to be elderly until the mirror shows my father’s likeness. I don’t want to look like my dad, that stern elderly man whose sense of humour departed in middle age and was never rediscovered. I want to be that young person of the 1960s and its social revolution – att ending demonstrations, reforming the world, enjoying weekends socialising in coff ee bars and discos, and revelling in the freedoms and music of that decade. to come.

REALITY CHECK

Then I am in a supermarket, and I ask a staff member where to find an item. She informs me that it is at the other end of the shop and wonders if I would like her to get it as “it’s a long walk”. It is all of 50 metres. Initially, I’m indignant. Me? I’m the one who walks our ever enthusiastic dog for several miles every day. Then I realise that she is trying to be – no, is being – helpful. Later my wife

and I are on a London tube train, standing as no seats are available. A youngish man sitting nearby asks if I would like his seat. Not for my wife, who is six years younger and a lot less lined and grey, but for me, the elderly and apparently frail man standing next to her. I feel offended but realise that the gesture is one of kindness. I thank him and refuse his offer.

Patronising attitudes towards older people remain widespread; ageism is as pernicious as its prejudicial and bigoted cousins racism and sexism. Retirement leads to reflection about achievement or, indeed, lack of it. Whatever we have achieved, it is inevitably less than what we might have, because no one reaches optimum performance levels throughout their lives. Do we all end up disappointed? It would be great for my self-esteem to think that I had a working life of 56 years and achieved something worthwhile.

STOP ASSUMING

We are frequently defined by our jobs and our age. Newspaper reports frequently use descriptions such as “Robert Clayton, 52, a hairdresser from Bolton” or “Tony O’Shea, 38, a solicitor from Salford”. Such examples are common. However, on retirement we so often transition not to a “retired hairdresser” or a “retired solicitor”, but to a “pensioner”. If this word is intended to indicate an older person exclusively, it is lazy and inaccurate, as some fortunate people access their pensions significantly before state pension age. So in reality a “pensioner” may be in their mid-50s, meeting no one’s idea of an elderly person.

Clearly, we cannot regard all older people as one homogeneous category: each person is unique and there are huge ranges of culture, health, lifestyle, interests and physical and intellectual abilities. It is tiresome when commentators state that “Older people need...” No words following “need” will apply to all older people.

Old age should be celebrated. There is far too much negative comment and generalisation about the problems of an ageing population. Surely, it could be phrased positively that as people are living longer, some of them will, inevitably, experience serious health challenges. However, many others will continue to lead rich, fulfilling lives, and will continue to contribute greatly to society.

• What are your experiences and thoughts on getting older in our society? Send your opinions to: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. (head your email: old age attitudes).

Looking back - and thinking forward

By Eric Midwinter: u3a founder

I’m vigorously applauding Barrie Gunter’s challenge to our organisation to recruit more men in the Autumn issue of Third Age Mat ers magazine, and it sent my mind back to the formative days of u3a. Since the beginning, there has always been a gender imbalance. To some degree this was explained by the then larger number of women in the third age – a combination of women tending to outlive men and the diff erentials in working life and retirement. Both those aspects have evened up considerably over the 40 years of u3a history. Life expectancy itself has increased from 73 in 1980 to 81 in 2022, with those extra eight years involving, on average, only an additional 18 months or so of illness or disability.

Th e overall population has also accelerated from 56 million in 1980 to 68 million in 2023. Although working lives have been extended in many cases, there are plenty of third agers around. During that earlier period, I published an academic study on the number of people in the third age as formally defined, rather than just counting those over a certain age: the roll call was 11.3 million. I have not done an update but my guess would be that it’s now at around 13 million. That means plenty of people – and plenty of men – to canvass for u3a enrolment.

DIFFERENT TIMES

Curiously, in the 1980s the preponderance of women members was viewed by some as commendable. It was much more of a patriarchal society then, with stronger ides between associations: men, for instance, dominated sports and other types of club, while women joined Townswomen’s Guilds and Women’s Institutes. So a co-educational society, with women in the majority, was regarded by many as a welcome change. At the u3a Annual General Meeting in 1990, my close friend Peter Shea organised a barn dance and introduced a brand-new routine, which he entitled “the U3Amble”. It had a demographic resonance: the sets were composed of trios – one man with a woman on either side. It was a whimsical analogue of the u3a membership.

Peter, a man of many parts, was internationally known for his barn dance and folklore knowledge, and his involvement. He was the prince of adult education tutors, based in the London Department of Extra-Mural Studies. He supported the start-up of u3as, especially in London and Stevenage, but he was dragged in front of his trade union branch, charged with endangering the jobs of professional tutors.

CHANGING THE MINDSET

The current membership do not, perhaps, realise the attacks made upon those of us who sought to get u3a off the ground. We had criticisms for using “university” in our title: my fellow founder Peter Laslett argued fiercely that u3a was based on the medieval collegiate tradition of university and was the only true one. We also had “experts” telling us that old people couldn’t learn because their brains were diminishing and asking what was the point of educating old people who were not going to be seeking employment. I once gave a talk to an antagonistic audience of professional adult tutors who jeered me: I was told that it was “dangerous” to allow lay people to teach one another.

Well, I’ve lived to tell the tale – and Peter Shea honoured me by composing a barn dance in my name. It is called “the Midwinter Jig” and I’m told it is still doing the rounds globally. But, yes, we do need more male members now.

• What changes have you noticed – for good or bad – in the time you’ve been with the u3a? What do you think could be done to make the movement even better? Send your thoughts to: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. (head your email: changes in the u3a)

The first signs of spring bring such hope

Dame Esther Rantzen considers why our gardens mean so much

I don’t know about you, but as the years have gone by, I find I prefer plants to people. And given the average age of the customers in my local garden centre is well over 60, it appears I’m not alone. We all seem to be concentrating on the bulbs or bedding plants, rather than chatting to each other. Even though we’re neighbours, the risk is that if you ask someone how they are, they will tell you – at length. Whereas the great thing about a daffodil or a winter pansy is that it doesn’t answer back.

WORTH THE WORK

But the fact that plants are silent doesn’t mean they make it easy for you. They have strong wills and minds of their own. They will rebel, or just sit and sulk, if they don’t like where you’ve planted them. Something about the soil, or the sunlight, will stop them flourishing. My rhododendrons refused to bloom until I put them in a group alongside their closest relatives. I tried to explain they’d be stars on their own, but they didn’t care: they wanted the comfort of the chorus line with other rhododendrons. And of course I gave in.

Plants are demanding too. They will plead for more water in summer when you long to rest in your deck chair with an ice cream. They will drop leaves by the ton in autumn and expect you to rake them up without complaining. You have to protect them from pests – squirrels that dig up their bulbs, slugs and snails that chew their leaves, and rooks that munch their newly scattered seeds. As Rudyard Kipling says in his fabulous poem ‘The Glory of the Garden’:

Our England is a garden, and such gardens are not made

By singing:– “Oh, how beautiful!” and sitting in the shade...

It’s hard work. But it’s so rewarding. To make the most of it, you have to take the late, great gardener Geoffrey Hamilton’s advice and ensure that you have a bench for every view, so you spend time appreciating what you and your plants have created. While you sit there, noticing the tiny changes that happen each day, resist the temptation to pull the secateurs out. Just enjoy the calming effect on your brain, especially as spring arrives.

NURTURING NATURE

That moment the first snowdrop or the earliest crocus appears is a miracle. Nothing exemplifies hope like the first spring blossom. I’m sure we can all agree on that.

But there are other gardening topics that cause passionate

ision, such as rewilding. Personally, I believe in it. I have a tapestry lawn, thick with wildflowers. You name it, I’ve got it. If we let it grow a bit, the grass is gled with yellow, white and blue. I have a bed of nettles for the caterpillars, loosestrife in my pond and poppies in my veggie patch, and I welcome them.

The biggest threat to our gardens is, of course, climate change. I am aware that compared with other disasters like the rising seas, our gardens becoming brown, dusty bowls is a comparative detail. But for those of us who love our green spaces, we have to pray that somehow we can save them. As Kipling says:

Oh, Adam was a gardener, and God who made him sees

That half a proper gardener’s work is done upon his knees,

So when your work is finished, you can wash your hands and pray

For the Glory of the Garden that it may not pass away!

• What do you love most about gardening? What do you find most challenging? Send your thoughts to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

All things slight and beautiful

With households of one or two becoming the norm, tech is going compact to help, writes James Day

The three big population trends impacting Britain are these: we’re getting older, living in smaller homes and doing so alone. Cambridge University found the UK has the smallest homes of any European country, while studies show that the number of people living the single life has increased 8.3% in a decade – be it mature home dwellers or first-time buyers compromising on space.

Th e surprising benefit of this shift in lifestyle is that compact tech is no longer niche. Today it’s a necessity, with products designed, refined and reduced in size to make them smaller and more energy-efficient.

We’ve pulled out some favourites, along with a few expert tips that help you save energy in the kitchen.

CLICK & GROW SMART GARDENS.

From £90, uk.clickandgrow.com.

Anybody can cultivate fresh herbs, fl owers, fruit and vegetables from their kitchen windowsill with this stylish buy. Biodegradable plant pods in numerous varieties pop neatly in the Smart Garden – a contemporary trough with energy-efficient LED grow lights and self-watering system.

Warm thoughts

DUUX THREESIXTY.

£100, duux.co.uk.

Heat the person, not the home, to save on your energy bills. This neat, super-lightweight ceramic heater can be carried around the home, and is perfect for taking the edge off chilly rooms. It costs as little as 20p an hour to run, while optional app controls allow you to set schedules and temperatures to suit you.

Neat coffee

NESPRESSO VERTU POP.

£99, nespresso.com.

Standing a tidy 25cm high, Nespresso’s compact coffee machine is made from sustainable materials, uses recyclable pods and is more affordable than larger models. Small in size doesn’t stop you brewing a full-size 230ml mug either. How do you take yours?

Smarter brews

SMEG MINI KETTLE.

£120, shop.smeguk.com.

Th ey don’t come cuter than Smeg’s energy-efficient mini kettle, but there’s an important angle here: we Brits boil double the amount of water required to make a brew. This kettle’s three-cup capacity isn’t just designed for smaller households – it also stops you from overfilling.

Mighty small

SWITCHBOT MINI K10+.

£499, uk.switch-bot.com.

Full disclosure: you can find far cheaper robot vacuum cleaners (and, conversely, far more expensive models at the other end of the scale), but none as dinky as the K10+. Th is has huge advantages in smaller dwellings because its diminutive size can navigate up to 90% more cleaning coverage, including hard-to-reach areas.

Worktop wonders

DAAN TECH ‘JOE’ AND ‘BOB’.

From £299, daan.tech.

Daan Tech makes kitchen appliances for single people. ‘Joe’ is a compact fi ve-in-one gastronomic genius able to steam, microwave, grill, air fry and act as a traditional oven, while dishwasher ‘Bob’ is the smallest, fastest and most advanced in the world.

SMART MOVES

Smeg home economist Clare Edwards shares some expert tips for saving energy in the kitchen.

How can the oven be used more efficiently? Remove baking trays that aren’t in use as these will absorb heat, meaning the oven will take longer to preheat and food longer to cook. Switching off the oven light during cooking time saves energy (check the instructions if you don’t know how), and simply activate the light when you need to see what’s inside.

What about when making a brew? Kettles full of limescale use more energy to boil the same amount of water, so descale regularly with a solution of lemon or vinegar mixed with water. Boil in your kettle then leave it to stand, before filling with fresh water and boiling again.

What’s the most energy-efficient way to run a fridge and freezer? Don’t overfill refrigerators or air won’t be able to circulate and it will need to work harder to keep food cool. Ensure your freezer is filled by at least three quarters or it will require additional energy to keep food at its temperature. It’s better to defrost food in the fridge because it acts like an ice pack, cooling the fridge contents and reducing energy usage.

Can doing the laundry be more energy effective?

Many machines also have a variable load system where the machine will automatically ersify the wash cycle and time of operation, depending on the quantity and type of laundry. This allows a significant saving of water and energy – up to 30% comparative to machines with a fixed load. Clear lint out of tumble dryers after every use: this keeps the airflow from getting blocked, which makes the machine work harder. After that, it’s a case of only turning on larger appliances during off-peak times for cheaper energy rates.

What about the washing up? Neatly stacking your dishwasher to capacity means you’re less likely to use it as often, while eco modes can cut energy use by around 16%, even if the wash cycle is longer.

Batching it up

Dishes that can be made ahead then frozen for another day are a boon. Batch cooking can prove economical too, cutting down on waste and making full use of the whole oven or hob. Ashford & Wye u3a member Beverley Jarvis suggests four simple recipes.

At busy times, there are few things more satisfying than knowing that tucked away in your freezer is a delicious meal, whether it’s dinner for one, a satisfying dish to feed the family or something special to entertain friends.

Batch cooking is a rewarding way to spend a few therapeutic hours in the kitchen, and is also an opportunity to make the most of diff erent ingredients as slow-cooked dishes such as soups and casseroles really allow a depth of flavour to develop. Experiment by adding everything from herbs, spices and seasonings to condiments such as

honey, mustard and bott led sauces – just add a little at a time, and keep tasting.

Th e recipes here can be doubled or tripled in quantity, depending on your requirements (there’s no need to increase cooking times, either), then all you have to do is cool thoroughly, portion up, label and freeze. When required, either defrost overnight in the fridge, or pop in the microwave. Dinner is served!

Hearty Tuscan bean vegetable soup

Th is warm and comforting Italian soup is a real hug in a mug.

Ingredients.

1 tbsp olive oil

1 red onion, chopped

2 celery sticks, chopped

2 carrots, sliced

2 cloves garlic, chopped

1 medium courgette, sliced

1 red pepper, sliced

1 x 400g can chopped tomatoes

2 tbsps tomato puree

1 tsp runny honey, optional

650ml vegetable stock

1 tsp dried mixed herbs

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

1 x 400g cannellini beans, drained

1. In a large pan, heat the olive oil then sauté onion, celery and carrots for 5-7 minutes until softened.

2. Add garlic and courgette and continue to cook, stirring for 1 minute.

3. Add red pepper, tomatoes, tomato puree, honey (if using), vegetable stock, herbs and seasoning. Stir well.

4. Cover and simmer for 20 minutes, then stir in beans and continue to simmer for 10 minutes.

5. Taste and adjust seasoning if necessary. Enjoy with crusty bread if serving

immediately, or portion and freeze.

Chinese chicken with fennel and corn

This flavoursome dish can be made using a conventional oven or an air fryer.

8 skinless chicken thigh fi llets

1 medium red onion, chopped

1 fennel bulb, sliced

6 baby sweetcorn, sliced diagonally

Juice of ½ lemon

2 tsps runny honey

2 tbsps olive oil

1 clove garlic, crushed

2 tbsps soy sauce

½ tsp chopped chillies, from a jar

1 tbsp freshly chopped coriander

To cook conventionally, you will need an ovenproof dish approximately 30cm x 24cm x 7cm deep (if to serve four).

1. Place the chicken thighs and vegetables into a large mixing bowl.

2. In a small bowl, prepare the marinade: combine the lemon juice,

honey, olive oil, garlic, soy sauce, chillies, coriander and seasoning.

3. Pour over the chicken and vegetables and stir well to coat. Cover and set

aside for 15 minutes or chill overnight. Remove bowl from fridge 15 minutes before cooking.

4. To cook conventionally:

Pre-heat oven to 190C, 170C fan or gas 5. Turn marinaded chicken and

vegetables, with any remaining marinade, into the ovenproof dish, and cover with foil. Cook for 50 minutes to an hour, removing the foil and basting chicken for the last 15 minutes.

To cook in an air fryer:

Pre heat the air fryer to 190C. Using tongs, transfer chicken to the basket of air fryer, using an oiled liner if available. Air fry for 10 minutes. Carefully turn each piece of chicken over and add the vegetables to the chicken with any remaining marinade. Continue to cook for 10-14 minutes, until chicken is cooked and vegetables are golden.

5. If serving immediately, pour over any remaining juices, and enjoy with rice or pasta. Otherwise, cool thoroughly before freezing.

Salmon pasta bake

Th is delicious dish is very versatile. Add a crunchy topping for an easy bake, or serve straight from the pan. Both versions can be cooled, portioned and frozen.

4 salmon fillets

350g fusilli

1 tbsp + 1 tsp sunfl ower oil, for greasing

1 small red onion, chopped

200ml dry cider or dry white wine

200ml full fat crème fraiche

120ml double cream

1 tbsps freshly chopped parsley

2 tsps Dijon mustard

1 tsp cornflour

For the additional topping:

50g panko breadcrumbs

50g mature Cheddar cheese, grated

You will need an ovenproof dish suitable for cooking the salmon, and another - approximately 30cm x 20cm x 7cm deep – for the bake (if to serve 6).

1. Preheat oven to 200C, 180C fan or gas mark 6.

2. Arrange the salmon fillets in a lightly oiled baking dish. Roast, uncovered, in the oven for 10-12 minutes until just cooked.

3. While the fish is cooking, cook pasta in a large pan of salted, boiling water for 10 minutes, or until al dente. Drain and return to pan, then set aside.

4. Heat 1 tbsp of oil in a medium-sized saucepan. Saute the onion, stirring frequently for about 5 minutes, until softened.

5. Add garlic and continue to cook for one more minute, then add the cider or wine, bring to the boil and bubble for a few minutes until reduced by half.

6. Remove from the heat. Stir in crème fraiche, double cream, parsley and mustard. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

7. Slack the cornflour with a tbsp of water in a small bowl, and stir into the sauce. Reheat to a gentle simmer, stirring, until slightly thickened.

8. Flake salmon into chunky pieces, first discarding skin. Add to the sauce, then stir this into the pasta until thoroughly combined before serving. If making the bake version, turn into the larger lightly oiled dish.

9. For the baked topping, combine breadcrumbs and cheese in a bowl, then sprinkle evenly over the top of the dish. Bake for approximately 20 minutes until golden and bubbling. If not cooling then freezing at this point, enjoy with a crisp green salad.

Chocolate brownies

SERVES 8-10

Th is chocolate brownie recipe forms a crisp crust with a delicious moist centre – ideal for coff ee mornings and teatime.

1 x 180g bar good quality plain chocolate, chopped

150g butter, plus extra for greasing

3 large eggs

215g soft light brown sugar

100g plain flour, sieved

25g cocoa powder

125g frozen raspberries, defrosted and drained

For this quantity of brownies, you will

need a 27cm x 20cm x 3½cm deep oblong tin, base lined with greaseproof paper. Grease both tin and paper with softened butter.

1. Preheat oven to 180C, 160C fan or gas 4.

2. In a medium-sized heavy pan, melt chocolate and butter, stirring frequently.

3. Remove from the heat and set aside.

4. In a large mixing bowl, beat together the eggs and sugar using a handheld whisk. Allow about 5 minutes, until the mixture is light and creamy.

5. Fold in the butt er and chocolate mixture, using a large metal spoon, followed by the flour and cocoa powder, and finally the raspberries.

6. Turn the mixture into the prepared tin and even out raspberries, if necessary.

7. Bake in centre of the oven for 25-35 minutes (start testing by inserting a skewer into the centre after 25 minutes: it should come out with just a little cake mix sticking to it).

8. Remove from oven and allow to cool in the tin for 15 to 20 minutes, before turning on to a cooling rack. Set aside to cool, before cutt ing into squares.

9. These brownies will keep well in an airtight tin for up to 4 days, and will freeze well for a couple of months. Serve with crème fraiche and fruit.

Get organised

Before you start a batch cooking or baking session, make sure you’ve got everything you need for all the recipes you’re planning. Check the cupboard to see what dry provisions you may already have – note sell-by dates if they’ve been in there for a while.

Check your arsenal of pots and pans: if you’re making lots of dishes at once, you’re likely to need several large saucepans, tins or casseroles that will all fit on the hob or in the oven. You’ll also need more than one chopping board if you’re prepping lots of different ingredients.

Chopping, weighing and measuring ingredients in advance will keep things organised, and is particularly wise if you are doubling or tripling up on the basic recipe.

If you’re making several dishes in one go, it can help to write a timetable with prep notes and cooking times. Set a timer to remind you when to check the oven or the hob.

When your finished dish has completely cooled, don’t just decant the lot in one big container before freezing – think in portions of one or two if you have a small household. Bear in mind that square or rectangularshaped containers are much more space-friendly than round ones.

A great tip for soups and sauces: decant portions into sealable bags and then freeze these laid flat. Once frozen, they can be stacked neatly like books in the freezer drawer, saving valuable space.

Experiment with ‘core’ recipes that can be frozen and later adapted by adding extra ingredients: for instance, a herby or spicy tomato sauce can form the base of numerous pasta or curry dishes; a classic ragu can be changed up to create Bolognese or chilli con carne; and a cooked chicken and vegetable mixture can be transformed into a pie or a topping for pasta, rice or baked potatoes.

Always date and label bags or containers before freezing: you might think you’ll remember what everything is now, but in a matter of weeks you probably won’t.

Do a regular inventory of your freezer so that you don’t forget what’s in there, or leave something languishing too long (ideally, frozen dishes should be eaten within three months). Keep a list handy to cross things off once taken out, and rotate items so that older items aren’t left at theback.

Meet u3a's subject advisers

Experts on call.

In our organisation, there are over 70 national Subject Advisers who offer valuable expertise, knowledge and support to group leaders and members. We meet three to discover more

Artistic Impression

Mike Carr is the Subject Adviser for Art History & Art Appreciation, and belongs to Bath u3a

Have you always enjoyed art? I used to draw from the age of three or four, although at school I lost interest completely – in fact, I hated my art class then! I went on to have a career in retail management, but then began to enjoy painting watercolours and life drawing in my spare time, and my interest in the subject grew. Eventually, in 1995, I started an Open University degree in humanities with art history, and graduated eight years later with a BA honours degree. For three years, while semi-retired, I painted in oils, copying portraits – my favourite genre – from famous works by Rembrandt, Titian and other masters, before joining Bath u3a in 2016, and my present Art History group.

Why did you become a group leader? I took over the role when the previous group leader retired in 2018. I’ve often been asked what the difference is between art history and art appreciation. The first, as the name implies, is much more about study and research – for example, discovering how and why a genre developed, the background behind artistic movements and so on. Art appreciation is more immediate – acknowledging and enjoying artwork in galleries or books. In truth, though, both disciplines overlap: the more you appreciate art, the more you want to know about it!

What happens in your groups? Our u3a in Bath has three Art History groups, and each one meets once a month for a two-hour session. In my group, talks cover most periods of history, ranging from Ice Age carvings to modern architecture, but mainly paintings and sculpture right up to the 21st century. Most of us visit galleries in our spare time, and oft en report back, discuss or use the experience as a talk to the group. We also have a session called ‘Desert Island Art’: a member will give a 10-minute talk on any item of art they choose to take with them on their desert island. So many new members already like art, but what they are often surprised by is how much they enjoy the historical research – being an art detective.

How did your Art History & Art Appreciation Network come about? When I first became a Subject Adviser in 2022, I received a number of enquiries from u3a members who wanted ideas and help to start up new groups, together with new group leaders taking on the role and seeking advice. Last year, I decided to set up a proper network to poll good ideas from other group leaders and share suggestions with groups that needed support. As there is no u3a database covering art history and art appreciation, I searched most of the 1,000+ u3a websites myself in order to contact them. Over 400 ‘round robin’ emails were sent, and some 200 group leaders from England, Wales, Scotland, Northern Ireland and Jersey have responded very positively. It’s so useful to find out how groups – which may vary in size from four to around 120 members – operate. Post pandemic, Zoom has also proved popular, with some group leaders sharing their talks online or with other groups. One group leader (Nigel Humphreys, Aberystwyth u3a) puts his talks on YouTube. Th e Belfast u3a group, in conjunction with the Ulster Museum, have even produced a 26-page guide, Looking at Art.

It has been a challenging task, but it is so rewarding to share ideas and subjects with such a great number of like-minded people.

• To find out more, please contact me via u3a.org.uk/learning/subjects/ art-history.

Space matters

Martin Whillock, Astronomy & Spaceflight Subject Adviser, is a member of Easingwold u3a.

What sparked your interest in astronomy? As a child, I lived in a Berkshire village with no street lights, and I remember being upset when the council installed them and spoiled the view of the night sky. As I grew up, I watched Patrick Moore’s television programme The Sky at Night right from the start. I also borrowed books on the subject from the library, and later on began to buy books of my own. Now I have too many!

Why is it so important? The number of topics within ‘astronomy and spaceflight’ is huge and all encompassing – it includes hundreds of different disciplines. For instance, there’s weather, optics, chemistry, biology, maths, history, cosmology, engineering, navigation, information technology... the list goes on. It’s also a subject that reminds us of our place on Earth and within the universe.

What do you think about space exploration? I don’t think it’s necessary for human beings to go into space: robots can explore what’s out there very well nowadays. The James Webb Space Telescope, which launched in 2021, is very exciting. The telescope is the most powerful and sophisticated telescope in space, and will undoubtedly reveal huge amounts of new information... and raise many more questions too.

What do people find hardest to understand about astronomy? Th e vast scale of it all is way beyond the human brain’s capacity – it is impossible to fully comprehend. I have models to explain the Earth and Moon system, and the solar system a bit, but anything beyond that has to be accepted, if not understood. One of the most common questions I get asked is: “What is dark matter?” Nobody knows – it might not even exist. The theories about dark matter and dark energy might not be correct anyway – we simply don’t have that degree of knowledge.

What do you like most about being a Subject Adviser? Since I took on the role 10 years ago, I’ve really enjoyed trying to help people who have very little knowledge of astronomy to understand some aspects of it. On a practical level, it’s also satisfying to offer advice to those who don’t know which telescope to buy (it can get complicated!), or have bought one and are not sure how best to use it. For people who are astronomy beginners, I would always say: ask simple questions, use your binoculars to see the Moon and of course the stars ... and keep

looking up!

What does your role involve? I ran a very interactive u3a astronomy group in Easingwold for about six years, but sadly that came to an end after Covid-19. Now I keep in touch with members across the u3a: I think there are approximately 60 groups. I would love to hear from leaders of any u3a that has an Astronomy Group, if we’re not already in touch.

• Please contact me via u3a.org. uk/learning/subjects/astronomy. I send emails now and then to keep up the study of our astronomical subject.

Behaviour issues

Angela Raval, the Subject Adviser for Psychology, is a member of Macclesfield u3a

How did you come to be an expert in psychology? I was a science teacher for many years, teaching 11-18-year-old pupils general science and biology A Level. It was the older ones who first petitioned my school to include psychology A Level: as well as teaching the subject, I actually took the A Level with the first cohort of students in 2000. I then spent the next eight years teaching both subjects, before concentrating solely on psychology for the last 15 years before I retired. Psychology is such an interesting and absorbing subject. Put simply, it’s the study of behaviour, and looks at how our thoughts and feelings are processed. It’s actually classed as a science – there is a strong link between biology and psychology – and yet it’s most unscientific because there are no studies where 100% of people do the same thing or behave in the same way!

Do you feel that people appreciate the value of psychology? Psychology is understood in so many ways now. It is frequently used in business and in the workplace, for instance, and to raise and care for children. Not least, it helps us to understand ourselves and others better.

Nevertheless, when I first offered to give a talk on the subject at my u3a group two years ago, I wasn’t quite sure what to expect. Would people be interested, or think it was all rather far-fetched? To my relief, the audience were really enthusiastic, and we ended up starting a group with 28 members, which was so encouraging. People often say they don’t know anything about the subject, to which I reply: “You’ve learned loads more than you realise over the years, you just don’t have the psychology terminology yet...”

How does your group work? We meet in person every fortnight for two hours and I use the basis of the A Level psychology syllabus as a guide, though nothing is set in stone. We may start with general ideas and theories, but then ‘freefall’ into fascinating discussions. Subjects might include conformity and obedience; childrearing; disaster survival; addiction; or the effect of certain memories. Members sometimes come with recent experiences, thoughts or observations to talk about with the group, and each session is a standalone one, which means we don’t continue on the same subject in the next group meeting. What does your role as a Subject Adviser entail? I’m always available to group leaders to answer queries and help with starting groups or suggesting activities for existing groups. I’ve started a private group on Facebook (National u3a psychology groups chat) so leaders of Psychology groups can share ideas and content that has worked well. I’d also love to hear from anybody running groups so I can keep them up to date with what’s happening ( This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. ). I feel it’s really important we are all in touch with one other. There’s no point us each reinventing the wheel!

• You can contact these Subject Advisers and over 70 others via u3a.org.uk/learning/subjects. Also see our Subject Advisers list

Short story competition winner

We are proud to present the winner of the u3a Short Story Competition 2023. The theme this year was ‘Decision(s)’ and we received over 400 entries. After rigorous rounds of judging, we are delighted to announce that the overall winner is Laurene Henderson from Wissey u3a in the East of England with her fictional short story ‘See Emily Play’.

• The joint second place stories, alongside the 10 other shortlisted stories, can be viewed at: u3a.org.uk/learning/ short-storycompetition- 2023

See Emily play

“Here for a reason? Mine’s for my Duke of Edinburgh Silver, you know.” She arched her deeply-pencilled eyebrows, while her confident voice bounced brightly from the institutional tiling. “Enhances your CV; shows social conscience.” She flashed her phone. “I’m TazzyB (#insta). I’m an influencer. My followers have serious life decisions: belly pierce, ombre hair, tattoo sleeve. I can add you to my fan base?”

“I’m alright, thanks.” The pouty-lipped smile vanished abruptly as she looked beyond me for anything more interesting. The water cooler won. A clipboard, with A-line skirt, shoulder pads and a perm, clacked across the hall.

“Welcome! So WONDERFULLY selfless that you young people come to visit our elderly residents,” Clipboard gushed. Miss Influencer basked in the approval.

“It’s only for my project,” I blurted out. “Stuff we have to do for school.” (An easy decision between Community Litter Pick or Care Home Visits. The latter could be done sitting down.)

Clipboard rallied her enthusiasm, then consulted her list. “We have Sidney and Emily for you. Sidney is full of such interesting stories; he flew planes for the Berlin airlift .”

We traipsed through a bland corridor with squeaky linoleum and dejected fl ower prints, past a sad carpeted room, where

grim upholstered chairs clung to the walls like novice skaters. Each held a slumped resident, of indeterminate consciousness, facing a TV.

“They like a litt le snooze after lunch.”

We continued to a room with French doors, which led to a fiercely manicured garden. A small, dapper man sporting a double-breasted jacket, bright with medals, sat bolt upright. Clearly this was the ace pilot and saviour of Berlin.

Miss Instagram (#beeline) shot over and settled herself next to him. “How wonderful to meet a war hero,” she tinkled.

“Well, that’s decided,” beamed Clipboard. “Emily for you.” She pointed through the French doors. My partially visible resident sat on a bench, tucked away behind dense shrubs. Birdsong and sunshine, waving flowers and seed heads clearly approved of my allocation.

“Emily is a recent resident, so DO be patient. Her placement files seem to be delayed, and she certainly seems frail and quite reticent. Now, IF you need it, this pull cord by the door will bring help.”

Just then, a small anxious woman in a lilac overall hurried over and whispered hoarsely: “It’s Elsie – she’s done it again and we can’t unblock...”

Like a hound to the scent, Clipboard was off , calling: “Remember the pull cord! I won’t be far.”

With deep trepidation, I entered the garden. Emily was gaunt, with wild, grey hair, a long Indian print skirt, pink T-shirt, green sandals and – strictly against all No Smoking signs – a large hand-rolled cigarette. I suddenly realised why she was outside and tucked away in the shrubs.

“Hallo-my-name-is-Meg,” I rattled off brightly and held out my hand.

She gasped, rising from her smoke-wreathed seat, and began a paroxysm of coughing that wracked her hunched body, culminating in copious spitting into a creased hanky. “Jesus H Christ, don’t DO that!”

My feigned confidence instantly dissolved. “Um, sorry, I didn’t mean to scare you.”

“Bloody hell! I thought you were one of those purple Smoking Nazis, come to pat me down again.” Darkly calculating eyes in a ravaged face regarded me speculatively.

“Er, do you think you should be smoking, when your cough is that bad?”

This was not well received. “Listen, doll, ALL I can get is roll-ups – well, and a bit of skunk at weekends if I play my cards right with the caretaker. I CHOOSE to smoke because THEY don’t like it. ‘Fight the power’, man. I don’t suppose you have any Es on you?” she added as an afterthought.

I was deeply shocked. I mean, I’d heard the drug talk at school, but I avoided the mad/bad/ dangerous kids in the canteen and I was unprepared for a mad/bad/dangerous pensioner in a care home.

“I don’t do drugs – AND I don’t know anyone who has any,” I rushed on desperately as a I saw the next question forming on her lips. I took a deep breath. “I’m your volunteer visitor.”

“Oh, hell! You’re just about the kind of volunteer visitor I WOULD get.” She regarded me curiously. “So, if you don’t do drugs, what DO you do?”

“School Sixth Form. I’m visiting for my Community Volunteer unit, also my Social History project, er...” My voice faded. What made me blurt out these shallow motives?

“Doing two jobs in one, eh? Clever girl. Explain this Social History project to me.”

Somewhat incoherently, I told her. “I get it. So, if you REALLY want to know what influenced social change, why don’t

I tell you about Jimi and Syd?”

I had no idea who Jimi or Syd were and

“Jimi HENDRIX and Syd BARRETT .

Greatest musicians ever, lady.”

I thought I remembered Jimi Hendrix when we did post-war trends in Year 8. “OK, tell me more.” Perhaps this could also be worked up for my English Essay? “May I take some notes?” I asked tentatively.

“Knock yourself out. You SHOULD

know about Pink Floyd and Th e Jimi

Hendrix Experience.”

I had no idea what she meant, but I poised my pen and she began. Information rattled past with amphetamine velocity: a catalogue of names, people she had seen, places she had been, musicians she had, er, had. Names streamed on: Marquee Club, World’s End, Monika (stupid tart), Kathy (Jimi’s REAL lady) who inspired a song: The Wind Cries Mary. Memories of friends (Syd was a crazy diamond) interlaced with drink, drugs, groupies, festivals – and eventually addictions, breakdowns and death. I had no way of getting it down – I might have recorded it, if I’d had TazzyB (#insta)’s expensive phone. Finally, she told me Foxy Lady and Syd’s big Pink Floyd hit were written about her.

“You know, Jimi Hendrix’s death sounds just like Amy Winehouse – talented, but tragic excess,“ I mused.

“Yeah, both taken at 27 – amongst others.” She sighed heavily. “Jimi had an old soul, man, but he made some bad decisions. We all did.” Another sigh. “Kathy said: write everything down, keep a diary, it could be worth something when you’re old and broke. You know they say – if you actually remember the 60s you weren’t really there? But I WAS and I remember. This diary? I’m cashing it in and getting out of this place.”

This started her laughing. I smiled politely. Her merriment became wilder and louder, making me feel uncomfortable. Suddenly, laughter became violent, hawking coughs; then frantic, terrified gasping for breath. I ran for the emergency cord and tugged it frenziedly. Alarms rang and a purple haze of uniforms ran into the garden.

She retched great gouts of blood, desperately gasping and clawing at the air. Th e insistent bell clamoured deafeningly as I stood, spare and useless, helplessly watching her ‘fight the power’ one last time – and lose. In the confusion, I retreated into the shrubs.

Finally, I was alone in the empty garden with a bloodied handkerchief on a vacant bench. All my projects were in tatters.

The alarm stopped abruptly, cut off like wasted talent. How fragile and painful life could be.

Shivering, I looked down. Beneath the bench lay a small leather book, black, battered and biblical in its potential. I shouldn’t have, I know it, but the decision was made – and it was in my pocket as I was slinking my way to the exit. There stood TazzyB (#insta) pouting and posing for an Instagram selfie against a shaded wall. “That alarm! I thought we might be totally trapped and burned. #herorescue.”

“I think someone died.”

I stumbled away down the path, heading home. Poor Emily, to die so horribly after such an exciting life. I patted the diary in my pocket. I should hand it in; perhaps she had relatives?

But I decided not to. Because all the notes I had failed to take would be in this book.

Because HERE was my school project.

Because Jimi Hendrix and Pink Floyd fans would want this – and want ME. I would be interviewed. I would be famous. #begformeg.

I scuttled upstairs to my bedroom, where I opened the diary with trembling hands to the first page.

15th September 1967.

Took a wild acid trip with Syd. The universe is crazy beautiful. Must tell Jimi to try the blue pills.

16th September 1967

Syd has stopped speaking or eating – weird. His eyes are like black holes.

I turned the page. Th e rest of the diary was blank.

Syd Barrett, founding member of Pink Floyd, wrote See Emily Play, their first hit. He never recovered from a LSD overdose, which left him catatonic. Shine on You Crazy Diamond was written about him.

Jimi Hendrix was the most influential

rock guitarist there has been. His short, meteoric rise to fame ended when he died after a barbiturate overdose.

Discover interest groups online and meet leaders of What Are You Reading?; Current affairs and law for fun; exploring classical music; countdown to COP.

Learning from home

As online groups have gained popularity since the pandemic, we hear about the success of online u3a communities, connecting people across the UK.

Interest Groups Online (IGO) is an online u3a community that gives you the opportunity to join groups and courses from the comfort of your own home. With over 75 groups on offer, you can join anything from Family History for Beginners to More Fun with Maths. You can also find more specific niche interest groups, such as a Jane Austen Book group. As with a u3a, the sessions and meetings are run by members and are a great way to meet people from all across the movement. It costs £12 to join Interest Groups Online for the year, equating to £1 per month, and is a complementary offering to your local u3a membership.

• Find out more and join Interest Groups Online at u3a.org.uk/igo

OPENING DOORS

Sheila McGee is the treasurer of Downe u3a and the group leader for three Interest Groups Online: What Are You Reading?, Current Affairs and Law for Fun. Here she explains why she enjoys these groups so much: “Since I am not much of a talker, being a convenor for online discussion groups suits me fine – I open the door as it were and let folk talk. There is no pressure to make a speech but everyone gets a chance to say their bit. Personally, I get much more out of the IGO What Are You Reading? and Current Affairs groups than I would from face-to-face local groups where the participants know each other and the conversation can tend to drift to local gossip. “I’ve met some lovely people from all around the UK, as well as from abroad, have weaned myself off crime novels (or at least no longer read only crime novels!), and have made the effort to take more interest in current affairs away from my own doorstep. “I enjoy discussion groups with around six to eight people in a meeting and would welcome discovering new such groups. How about an IGO What Are You Watching? where we could talk about what films we have seen or what we have watched on TV? Would anyone be willing to take that on board?"

HOOKED ON CLASSICS

Tomy Duby from Bicester u3a is the group leader of the IGO Exploring Classical Music, and a member of the German group. Tomy learns a lot from both, but his real passion is classical music: “Recently, I listened to a piece composed by the 12th-century female composer Hildegard von Bingen. It is the earliest piece of music I have heard, and one of the nicest! I enjoy this group as not only do I oft en hear new, interesting compositions, but I get to sit for almost two hours and listen intensely to music “This group meets twice a month and operates on the best u3a principles: in each meeting, a different member presents the music they think is worth exploring. My main role is to facilitate: to enable other passive classical music lovers – who do not play a musical instrument – to share their love for the music. I do not censor members on which music they choose to present, but I enable them to present it and persuade us that it is worth exploring. I find meeting online very easy and convenient.”

COUNTDOWN TO COP

Eleanor Brooks from White Cliffs u3a and Brenda Ainsley of Cotgrave and District u3a are the joint leaders of this popular and ever-expanding group. They explain how it works: “The group started in the run-up to COP26 in Glasgow in 2021. Members started meeting monthly via Zoom to learn more about the United Nations ‘Conference of the Parties’, and have continued to meet to extend their understanding about the climate emergency – and subsequent COP meetings – ever since. “With around 80 members at present, the group meets on the last Friday of the month. There is a climate-related news and upcoming u3a events. Th e speakers are selected by the ‘core group’of six members, which meets monthly. Recent presentations have broad church of members, ranging from those who have worked in the field to those who consider themselves complete beginners. “Presentations are made during meetings from group members, or from academics and other visiting speakers. Each month there is an update on included ‘A fair and Just Transition through the New Green Industries’ by Jeff rey Rogers and ‘Th e Run-up to COP28’. Following presentations, members are ided into small breakout groups for discussions. “Th e group has evolved from a purely online forum. Face-to-face meetings have been held in London, York and Edinburgh; we had a Summer School last September in Wales; and members hope to run workshops at the u3a Festival in York this July.

• Details of all events can be found at u3a.org.uk/subject-networks.”
• What interest groups online do you attend or lead? Are there any that you’d like to see established? Email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. and head your email: interest groups online.

BEHIND THE SCENES

The u3a Radio podcast, which began in 2020, is produced and presented entirely by a dedicated team of u3a volunteers, predominantly featuring interviews with members or carefully chosen topics that will be of interest to listeners.

Peter Clift is the host, and his reassuring voice is familiar to many. “I’ve been working on the u3a Radio podcast from the start,” he says. “I’m now the editor and part of the studio production team, which basically means I receive the interviews from the podcast team, put them into a running order, record the links – that’s the bits of ‘chat’ that go in between each interview – and fi nally put the entire recording into place. Th en a bit of technical wizardry is added before it goes off to my colleague who adds the photographs and captions.” Peter has a background in BBC local radio and hospital radio, and his favourite thing about being part of the podcast team is keeping that considerable talent in tune. “I enjoy keeping up all my old broadcasting skills during retirement and being part of a great group of people,” he says. “Not least, having the opportunity to involved in sharing other people’s stories and experiences is endlessly fascinating.”

• You can listen to the u3a Radio podcast on various platforms. Simply search ‘u3a Radio’ on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts or YouTube. Episodes are released on the 17th day of each month.

Model behaviour

Smart new ways to evolve, develop or even create new u3as are being established within the movement, as Sharon Parsons has been finding out.

Across the UK, there are some 1,000 u3as of various sizes and backgrounds, with an estimated total of 430,000 members. While many are long established, others are relatively new, and all, of course, have a valued place within the organisation. However, while many thrive, it is recognised that others are facing challenges – be it recruitment concerns, a small or dwindling membership, or logistical problems that make a u3a difficult to run or attend.

To overcome these issues, a number of forward-thinking solutions have been developed by proactive u3as that want to ensure their own u3a continues to evolve and prosper in the future. So, what are the options if your u3a wants to explore a new structure or direction? Here we explain a handful of possibilities, and how they might work:

Satellite or multiple site u3as have one committee that oversees the running of a u3a across a number of areas. This effectively means groups are run in different places, with perhaps a monthly meeting held at each location. The key advantage with this type of arrangement is it means members from a wide geographical area can join a local u3a, and attend the groups and meetings in a location that suits them best. It also means recruitment to only one committee. Mergers are exactly that and there is substantial Charity Commission guidance on this. For example, if two u3as are in close proximity and one or both are struggling to recruit to their committee or gain new members, combining both to create one u3a that covers both areas could be the solution. A merger option may be run as a central committee with multiple locations, or it might be agreed that u3a activity will only continue in one chosen area. Forming a new u3a from two existing ones. If there are too many complexities in merging two u3as as described above, an alternative might be to close both existing u3as, then open a new one in a central location that will cover both areas. This would be open to members of the previous groups, as well as encourage new recruits. A new u3a altogether could be the answer if none of the above options are feasible (if, for example, existing u3as are too far away, or a proposed new u3a is planned in a remote area with poor transport links).

THINKING IT THROUGH

There are, of course, benefits and considerations for all options, many of which are dependent on a particular u3a’s individual situation and requirements. “It’s vital, of course, that all aspects of a possible new model are carefully deliberated first,” says u3a training and regional support manager Susannah Hodge. “Of course, there may well be teething problems to overcome, but we’re confident that these models off er an exciting opportunity for many u3as, and ensure the movement as a whole grows stronger and more diverse.”

• If you’d like to know more about these models, have suggestions for other structures, or would like information and guidance on setting up a brand new u3a, please contact your regional trustee or the u3a office.

‘Our satellite model is a success’

Chris Gregson, the chair of East Suffolk u3a, explains how this group works: East Suffolk u3a was first established back in 1988 when Ipswich and Saxmundham joined forces, but more recently the geographical area has expanded to include Woodbridge and Felixstowe. We now have over 2,300 members. The structure is simple: a committee of about 10 volunteers oversee the four locations, which – along with their various groups – host a monthly speaker meeting. The advantage for all our members is that they pay one annual subscription fee, but are then free to attend any of the meetings in any location. We organise the calendar to ensure that there is never any crossover, and cover subjects as diverse as climate change and Victorian underwear! All of this takes a lot of organisation and commitment, but the hardworking speaker meeting team, headed up by our speaker coordinator, have an annual ‘summit’. Here they decide on the subjects that members are likely to be interested in and book speakers - either u3a experts or professional guests – for the year ahead. We also have a bank of equipment, such as projectors, microphones and screens, that all four locations have access to. The advantage of our satellite model is that members not only have a wide choice of pursuits and meetings to pick and choose from covering an interesting variety of topics, but are able to meet a wider number of members on a regular basis too – something that is especially important for those in remote rural areas. Just recently, for instance, we organised a lunch for all the volunteers from the four different locations, which was great fun. If there is a challenge, it’s managing numerous groups that run across a broad geographical area, and ensuring that we’re aware of waiting lists to join, but regular communication between group leaders and the group coordinator always helps.

‘We formed a new u3a’

Ian Webb, the chair of Harborough Welland u3a, refl ects on the way this new u3a was launched in early 2022 : At one time, both the longestablished u3as of South Leicestershire and Market Harborough thrived independently, but in recent years membership to both had dropped, not helped by the effects of Covid-19. It was also becoming increasingly difficult to fill essential roles on the committee and to recruit group leaders. Both u3as had started to hold joint meetings every quarter prior to the pandemic, and we realised there was a surprising amount of common ground. As the relationship developed, it became obvious that dissolving the two existing u3as and forming a new u3a altogether made sense and would provide many opportunities. It took a lot of organisation and commitment from all involved: a steering committee comprising members from both u3as was formed to see it through (the chair from one remained in that position, while their counterpart from the other became vice chair), and we received huge support from the u3a Beacon team.

The process took a year and there were challenges to overcome – not least setting up banking for the new u3a, which proved incredibly difficult and time consuming. Nevertheless, Harborough Welland u3a was officially launched in January 2022. Since then, we’ve seen membership numbers rise, an increase in groups – there are now 250 – and fresh enthusiasm. Members bring skills in everything from publicity and marketing to IT. We have a Facebook page and a new website, and not least a spacious new venue. We are also trying to make certain roles easier for volunteers: our group leaders have been renamed ‘group coordinators’, for instance, to share the load where practical. All in all, forming a new u3a has breathed fresh life into the movement in our area, and the future is bright.

Subject advisers

Looking for fresh ideas for your interest group? Whether you want to share ideas with similar groups or need some support to start a new one, find resources and information at u3a.org.uk/learning/subjects

ART HISTORY & ART APPRECIATION Mike Carr

BOOK GROUPS Richard Peoples

NEW! FILM Dieter Shaw

SHAKESPEARE Moyra Summers

CRAFTS Kelly Benton

CREATIVE WRITING Marcia Humphries

PHOTOGRAPHY Peter Read

NEW! PLAY READING Ann Anderson

STAGE PRODUCTION Andrew Ings

STORYTELLING Elaine Yates

AMERICAN ARCHAEOLOGY Maria Chester

BRITISH HISTORY Ian McCannah

EGYPTOLOGY Neil Stevenson

GENEALOGY Stephen Dyer

GERMAN HISTORY Michael Austin

LIVING HISTORY Jo Livingston

LOCAL HISTORY Sandra Whitnell

MILITARY HISTORY Mike Fox

FRENCH Sylvia Duffy

GERMAN Alastair Sharp

LATIN Trevor Davies

MODERN LANGUAGES – FOCUS ON ITALIAN

Heather Westrup

NEW! ISH Sandra Dean

PORTUGUESE Geoffrey Phoenix

WELSH Cher Palmer

CLASSICAL MUSIC APPRECIATION Roy West

CLASSIC ROCK & ROLL Martin Hellawell

FOLK MUSIC PLAYING Sarah Maidlow

GUITAR & OTHER INSTRUMENTS Peter Mate

JAZZ Howard Lawes

PIANO Keith Jacobsen

NEW! RECORDER Val McCarroll

UKULELE Kenneth Cockburn

NEW! AMATEUR RADIO Mike Meadows

AVIATION Clynt Perrott

BACKGAMMON Jules Smith

BRIDGE Steve Carter

CANASTA & BOLIVIA Margaret Thompson

CHESS Rob Kruszynski and David Castle

CRYPTIC CROSSWORDS Henry Howarth

FASHION Ruth Lancashire

FOLK DANCE - BARN, ENGLISH & SCOTTISH

Ian Ludbrook

METAL DETECTING Roger Mintey

QUIZZES Ian Matheson

WINE APPRECIATION John Scottow

RESEARCH Rodney Buckland

SHARED LEARNING PROJECTS Maggy Simms

ASTRONOMY & SPACE FLIGHT Martin Whillock

CLIMATE CHANGE & ENVIRONMENT John Baxter

GEOGRAPHY Jeff Armstrong

GEOLOGY Martin Eales

MATHS & STATS David Martin

SOCIOLOGY Lora White

SOCIAL SCIENCES

ENGLISH LANGUAGE & LINGUISTICS Pam Upton

PSYCHOLOGY Angela Raval

BOATING Nick Hoskins

CROQUET Sally Slater

CROWN GREEN BOWLING Andy Cowan

CYCLING John Bower

PICKLEBALL David Pechey

PETANQUE Andrew Lloyd

RACKETBALL Terry Wassall

WALKING & WALKING SPORTS

NEW! KURLING Mac Mckechnie

WALKING Terry Dykes, Kevin Millard,

Bernard Owen and Jacky Carter

WALKING FOOTBALL Edward Hagger

WALKING NETBALL Angela Bell

WALKING RUGBY Graham Truluck

EXPLORING WORLD FAITHS Peter Rookes

PHILOSOPHY Shri Sharma

US & UK POLITICS Paul Carter

HEALTH MATTERS Richard Franklin

LAUGHTER YOGA Judith Walker

MINDFULNESS & MEDITATION

Mike Pupius and John Darwin

WELLBEING WITH NATURE Susan Collini

YOGA Patricia Hamilton

• Could you be our next science, mahjong or ballroom dancing subject adviser? To find out more please email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Brain games

From Michael Cleaver, of Lancaster & Morecambe u3a

You know it – you go it!

When you become aware of the correct contract, bid it straight away. Do not take partner – and the opponents – on a scenic tour of the beauty of your hand when the fi nal destination is known.

Obviously it is necessary to give partner information when you are not yet certain of the correct contract. However, once you do know what is best, get straight to it. Failure to heed this advice was costly in the following situation. Suppose partner opens 1 ♦ , you respond 1 ♥ and partner rebids 2 ♦ . What action do you take next with:

This was the complete deal:

N. ♠ K,10,6,5,4. ♥ J,5. ♦ 8,6,4. ♣ Q,8,2.

W. ♠ A,Q,9,2. ♥ K,Q,6,4. ♦ 7. ♣ A,9,7,4.

E. ♠ J,7,3. ♥ A,9,3. ♦ A,Q,J,10,5,2. ♣ 10.

S. ♠ 8. ♥ 10,8,7,2. ♦ K,9,3. ♣ K,J,6,5,3.

In a teams match, one West rebid a sensible 3NT over 2 ♦ . Knowing that East would not have four cards in either major, 3NT was the normal spot. North lead a normal fourth-highest spade won by West who took the diamond finesse losing toSouth. The switch to clubs came but West made 11 tricks easily.

At the other table, West rebid 2 ♠ over 2 ♦ . East gave preference to 3 ♥ and, belatedly, West bid 3NT. This was the correct contract but the damage had been done. Warned about West’s spade holding, North tried the 2 ♣ lead. West ducked this and the ♣ J continuation by South. On this North carefully played ♣ Q to unblock the suit and West won the ♣ A on the third round. However, when the diamond fi nesse lost, South had two clubs to cash to defeat the contract by one trick.

Maths challenge

Problems and puzzles are posed weekly online by Gordon Burgin, Andrew Holt, Rod Marshall, Ian Stewart and u3a maths and stats subject adviser David Martin.

The sum of the digits of a three-digit number is 9. The number has a remainder of 4 when divided by 5 and a remainder of 3 when divided by 7. What is the number?

A water tank is connected to two pipes – one for filling

the tank, which if connected fills the tank in 30 minutes,

and one for emptying the tank, which if connected

empties the tank in 6 minutes. If it is wished to empty

a full tank, but the pipe for filling is accidently left

connected, how long will it take to empty the tank?

[Assume a constant rate of filling and emptying.]

Maths challenge solutions

Numbers that have a remainder of 4 when divided by 5 have a last digit of 4 or 9. As the sum of the three digits is 9, the last digit cannot be a 9 and must be a 4, and so the fi rst two digits sum to 5. The possible numbers are 144, 234, 324, 414 and 504, with only 234 having a remainder of 3 when divided by 7.

The tank will be filled at a rate of 1/30 tank per minute and emptied at a rate of 1/6 tank per minute. The net effect will be to empty the tank at a rate of 1/6 – 1/30 = 5/30 – 1/30 = 4/30 = 2/15 tank per minute and will therefore take 15/2 = 7.5 minutes to empty.

• Quizzes and maths challenges are available online at u3a.org.uk/learning/national-programmes

From Phil Lloyd of Reigate and Redhill u3a.

1. Compact animal’s lair – outwardly safe (5)

4. “Meaningful” language study means bizarre nervous twitches (9)

10. To regrow body parts, eat greener bananas! (10)

11. One prepared nitrogen gas (4)

12. To some extent, laser energy makes you calm (6)

13. Are they found in sad shape covering stone? (8)

14. Bats mock roost in storage space (9)

17. In short, 29 I’d put back likewise (5)

19. Taking part in shenanigans in retirement is senseless!

21. Jealous greed engulfs Earl and Marshal (5-4)

24. Son and pups cross ebbing river as velocity increases

26. Disperse please, in the land of Nod (6)

28. Begin to move central section of cast iron (4)

29. Too much open to view, he has cannabis sent back

30. Nuisance driver in Tesla with time to go into Algeria,

31. Put off Fred E. Askew (5)

2. First lady to be at ease in Himalayan landmark (7)

3. Is climbing supported by the foregoing lady? That’s a fine riddle! (5)

5. Rub out a third of letter, as ultimately false (5)

6. US blood condition rocked Maine area (6)

7. Ali’s gripped by French aunt in torment (9)

8. Guerrilla wearing inverted armband showing hooked thread work (7)

9. Initially recommend a bit of laxity in every jollification (7)

15. Bestowal of hybrid coral fern (9)

16. Active person losing their head is finished in Scotland (3)

18. Boating event is great when varied, thanks (7)

20. Coal-tar product in up-ended pan that

regularly has stopped short (7)

22. Sounds like I saw something unsightly (7)

23. Bite from Minotaur or Argos for goddess of dawn (6)

25. Old boy quitting lewd play setting (5)

27. Aged lordship’s left for Sweden in persistent attack (5)

Crossword SOLUTION

1. DENSE.4. SEMANTICS.10. REGENERATE.11. NEON.12. SERENE. 13. EPITAPHS.14. STOCKROOM.17. DITTO.19. INANE.21. GREEN-EYED.24. SPEED-UPS.26. ASLEEP.28. STIR.29. OVER-THE-TOP.30. TAILGATER.31. DEFER.

2. EVEREST. 3. SIEVE. 5. ERASE. 6. ANEMIA . 7. TANTALISE. 8. CROCHET . 9. REVELRY. 15. CONFERRAL. 16. O’ER. 18. REGATTA. 20. NAPHTHA. 22. EYESORE. 23. AURORA. 25. SCENE. 27. LIEGE.

• To submit a crossword, grids should be no bigger than 15 square. Email it to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. with the subject ‘CROSSWORD SUBMISSION’.

PROFESSOR REBUS

Pitcherwits.

1. Does it turn into drinking music? (6,5).

5. Roman or Greek, they just rise and fall (7).

9. Devilish bit of wickedness (4).

10. Gone astray in the Orient (4).

11. In vain, offer to score by deflection (2-3).

12. Epistle set out in a heap (4).

13. Loosen rotund, oversized middle (4)

14. State what kind of delivery it is (7)

16. Agricultural type giving some of your five-a-day? (5,6)

1. Vest is a hopeless flop in trouble (11).

2. Cruel to use a bit of this herb (3)

3. Meet this fellow in August (3)

4. Does he carry on in the dark? (5,6).

6. Social environments could have a mix, in lieu (7).

7. Governing the pier that’s now damaged (2,5).

8. Good looks at fuel? Yes, it could be (7).

14. Flyer that isn’t a bit bemused (3)

15. Total number of assumptions (3)

1. Barrel Organ. 5. Empires. 9.Evil. 10.East . 11.In Off . 12.Pile. 13.Undo . 14. Express. 16.Fruit Farmer .

1.Bulletproof . 2. Rue. 3.Gus . 4. Night Porter. 6. Milieux. 7. In Power. 8. Eyefuls. 14. Emu. 15. Sum.

• For more professor rebus puzzles visit pitcherwits.co.uk

Member's story

Bear necessities.

Sue Morris of Ashingdon & Rochford u3a explains why looking after bears on the other side of the world proved to be the experience of a lifetime.

Over 30 years ago I saw an advert in a newspaper asking for people to sign a petition calling for an end to bears in Asia being kept in appallingly cruel conditions in order to have their bile extracted for traditional medicines. I was so horrified that I signed immediately and hoped it would end. That little advert has, on occasion, played on my mind while I worked, married, had children and lived my life. I just assumed that the petition would do its job, and that in this day and age animals being mistreated in such a way just didn't happen any more. Little was I to know that at the age of 66, after realising that these things do still happen, I would find myself volunteering to help bears in a Cambodian jungle sanctuary that had been set up to rescue them. The petition that I signed back in 1993 was the result of an Australian woman’s tireless work to “free the bears”. Mary Hutt on had watched a television documentary showing moon bears in Asia held captive in coffin-sized cages. They had filthy catheters inserted into their gall bladders to extract the bile. Horrified, Mary immediately began campaigning to raise awareness of the animals’ appalling plight. Word quickly spread. After responding to requests for help, she rescued two sun bears in Cambodia, and in 1997 went on to fund what is now called Free the Bears Sun and Moon Bear Sanctuary. This is inside the Phnom Tamao Wildlife Rescue Centre, just outside the capital city of Phnom Penh, and today it’s the world’s largest sanctuary for these creatures.

CREATURE COMFORTS

All these years later, and now recently retired, I found myself desperate to do something positive, and that’s when I decided to volunteer with the charity. My husband wasn’t keen to accompany me, and reluctant to go on my own, I asked my friend Valerie instead. Despite the fact that she had never been much further than Paris, she took no persuading, and soon we were on our way to Cambodia – we had volunteered for one week at the sanctuary, and planned to spend two weeks travelling. We were both very nervous about what lay ahead, but when we met the sanctuary’s volunteer coordinator, a young lady from South Korea called Tawny Tsao, she immediately made us feel welcome and at ease. She gave us a tour of the sanctuary and then our work began. Cleanliness is very important, so first we were given poop scoops. Once the bears were out of their ‘houses’ having breakfast, we went inside to pick up all the poo – bucketloads! And who knew bear poo was yellow (and bright purple when they eat dragon fruit)? Next we had to clean all the windows, then after the bears had eaten and were let out we had to clean yet more poo from the indoor enclosures and scrub them out. Each of the 128 bears has their own enclosure, and it was extremely hard and sweaty work. Next, it was time to prepare the bears’ meals. Each one has their particular likes and dislikes: we had to follow a very complicated diet chart for each one’s meal. Valerie and I chopped kilos of guava, pumpkin, dragon fruit, cucumber, melon, sweet potato and squash using the biggest machetes I have ever seen. I’m still surprised that the bears weren’t fed a couple of our fingers as well. This was all put into large buckets and taken to the enclosures for the aft ernoon feeds. Then back to more poo collecting and scrubbing, followed by yet more chopping for the next day’s breakfast. It wasn’t glamorous! Bears in the sanctuary need stimulation, and we made what are called ‘enrichment containers’. Th ese are balls of bamboo stuffed with fruits and leaves, and bears love playing with them, like a cat does a toy mouse, to get to the treat inside. It was so lovely to listen to their growls of contentment as they played. We also smeared honey and peanut butter on various surfaces outside, and even sprayed areas with perfume to tap into their sense of smell. It seems that moon bears love Calvin Klein Obsession. We also made a hammock for the bears, which has to be extremely strong and durable for several of them to sit and play in. Valerie loved doing the weaving and I had to burn the ends of the webbing with a large, unpredictable naked flame to prevent it from fraying. No health and safety here.

AN AMAZING EXPERIENCE

Our accommodation was basic but comfortable. We had a bed, a loo and a shower, although our sink was a bucket under the tap. We were given breakfast and the most delicious evening meals, while lunch was bought from the local sellers for $1. Not least were the humble, devoted keepers we got to know. They were such a dedicated, hard-working team, and taught us so much about the bears, the wildlife and the nature around us.

We also had an opportunity to get up close and personal with other rescued animals including tigers, lions, clouded leopards, crocodiles and all types of primates. Some had suffered unspeakable cruelty, often kept in tiny cages as pets or used in the illegal medicine trade. I even got to hold a baby crocodile, its teeth like razors. Each day was exhausting, but exhilarating and so rewarding. I will never forget standing in the bear enclosure with the sun on my back and a small potato flower in my hand, given to me by a keeper, watching a tiger amble past in the neighbouring enclosure. There was the chorus of birds, the song of the gibbons in the distance and the roar of a lion. It was a moment to hold and savour, and made my heart sing: it still gives me goose pimples to think about it. Valerie and I came away knowing that we had done something valuable, and felt that we had made a small difference. We’re now planning our next visit to another Free the Bears sanctuary in Vietnam – and we can’t wait.

Sun bears are the smallest species of bear – on their hind legs, they measure up to 5ft tall (145cm) - and have golden fur around their eyes and muzzle, and a distinctive crescent-shaped mark on their chest. Moon bears are bigger, standing at around 6ft tall (183cm) on their hind legs. These Asiatic bears have black fur, often a white mark on their chin, and a white V-shaped mark on their chest.

• If you would like to know more, go to www.fr eethebears.org. You can also watch Bears About the House on BBC2 or Free the Bears on YouTube

Email your letters, Including your name and your u3a, and with ‘letters’ in the subject line, to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. , or post to u3a office

LET’S HEAR IT FOR ROMANCE!

Dame Esther Rantzen’s column on older people finding love in later life (Winter 2023) caused a spark and we received many emails. Here’s just a selection:

Meant to be

My wife passed away in March 2020. During lockdown, u3a occupied much of my spare time. I had friends, mostly ladies, but the idea of romance never even entered my head. Then I realised that I was becoming much closer to one of them. After two previous marriages, Patti, a widow, certainly wasn’t looking for romance, and neither was I. It just happened. Since early summer this year, living together, we both admit that we have never been happier in almost nine decades. I would say to those of advancing years: if it’s meant to happen, it will.

Martin Bourne, Crewe & Nantwich u3a

Second chance

I’m 86. Watching local TV news, I thought I recognised a past boyfriend from university 67 years ago, playing in an over-80s men’s hockey team. I emailed the programme to check it was who I thought it was. I received a reply to say it was, and that he would like my contact details. He wanted to visit and was delighted to see me. He said he had never stopped thinking of me and must have been mad to have dumped me. I agreed! It all seemed to have been due to a misunderstanding. We are back together in a romantic and even passionate relationship.

Anonymous u3a member

Looking for love

I would love some romance but sadly I have no idea how to find it. I have joined u3a, the Arts Society and local art and painting groups, and also online dating. I have so much energy and enthusiasm, but I am fed up with moaning old men! I want to dance in a Caribbean beach bar again, travel and laugh with someone who also has a sense of fun. I am 73 years young but feel invisible. I long to feel someone’s arms around me again.

Sarah Hughes, Sherborne u3a

New lease of life

I wholly support finding love at any age. Aft er 53 years of a happy marriage, I hated being a sad and lonely widow. Following 18 months of bereavement, I went online and met a wonderful man. We have so much in common and have spent the last year together exploring places around Europe. The benefi t of using the internet is that you immediately discover your common interests, likes and dislikes, ages and background. My advice is to be careful, always tell a friend where you are going and take a mobile phone with you. Meet initially in a public place and follow the guidelines of your internet dating site.

Heather, Poole u3a

Take good care

Dame Esther Rantzen raises a very pertinent issue that can affect those of us who are ageing. Having lost my wife to Alzheimer’s and being lonely and in need of love, I was exploited by a middle-aged woman I had engaged as a gardener. My heart overruled my mind, completely ignoring the red flags that kept popping up. So Esther is right in alerting one to the pitfalls of scams, especially online.

Alan Brett, Liphook, Hampshire

There’s someone out there...

I was married to my teenage sweetheart Rachel at quite a young age and we were madly in love for the next 62 years. Sadly, after suffering for several years from Alzheimer’s, she passed away in 2017. I was devastated. I am ashamed to say I really wondered if life was worth living. I had a choice. I could sit in the chair and watch TV, or get out and find some company, so I joined a dating site. After a couple of false starts I met a young (75 going on 50) widow. We are different people and like different things, but we compromise and have been with each other for over five years now. My message to my fellow oldies if you have lost your partner, or maybe never had one, is to get out there. There is someone like you looking for love.

David Lindsay, East Antrim u3a.

PROCEED WITH CAUTION

We are blessed, or cursed, by what my old professor used to call the human desire for “economy of effort”. Listening to the recent Today programme on BBC Radio 4 about self-driving cars, one wonders how far we will go to de-skill, even dehumanise, ourselves and become totally reliant on technology. It only needs a local or global failure of electricity supply caused by cyber-attacks or severe weather for civilised life to fall apart. No one can prevent change and innovation, but it should be implemented with caution, preserving the good alongside.

Yvonne Beaumont, Chipping Norton u3a

THE KINDNESS OF MEMBERS

In June last year, our son headed to the Scottish mountains to enjoy his passion for climbing. However, he had a bad fall, breaking his neck. We rushed to Glasgow and were told that it would be a very long time before he would regain consciousness. We stayed in a hotel for a few nights, but needed self-catering accommodation for the duration of our son’s hospitalisation. In a flash of inspiration, not to say desperation, I googled “Glasgow u3a”, then sent an email to the West End branch to ask whether members had any suggestions. Very soon an email arrived from the chair, Gail, stating that she had two offers of flats, both from u3a members. We moved into one, gaining huge relief and a modicum of normality. The “landlady” Lena couldn’t have done more for us: we are deeply indebted to her. Gail also invited us to attend their local u3a social evening. Our son has since been transferred down to a London hospital, where he is now on a very long journey to recovery. I would like to invite all members of the u3a to carry on being kind to each other and, if someone should find themselves in need of help, to remember that this is a marvellous organisation that can offer far more than just local activities.

Francine Sagar, Southport u3a.

GROUP ACTIVITIES

So many members contact us about setting up or evolving a group - or hope to contact others with similar interests in the u3a. Here are just three that might tick your box:

And on piano

As the u3a Subject Adviser for piano playing, I am interested in finding out what other u3a piano playing groups there are around the country and how they are run. If you lead, organise or simply host such a group, I would be grateful if you could email me at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. and let me know how many members you have in your group and how often and where you meet.

Keith Jacobsen, Barnet u3a

This is a response to Keith Johnson’s letter “Anyone for golf?“ in the Winter 2023 edition. We have had a golf group in the East Kilbride u3a for almost 10 years now. Currently we have 46 members, with 30 ladies and 16 men. Most of the ladies and some of the men had never played golf before. Our group also has a healthy social aspect to it. We have several lunches and dinners throughout the year and go on away days per year to other golf clubs. I would be happy to help Keith form a golf group in his area. Contact me at allan.m.murdoch@live. co.uk

Allan Murdoch, East Kilbride

Carving it out

I am a woodcarver and turner, and at the start of last year I started a group for hand carving. Since then I have added several converts. It is so creative: you start with a block of wood and make something tangible – unlike many other pursuits – which is very satisfying. People work at a pace they are comfortable with, and it’s so enjoyable. As far as I can see, there are no other carving groups in the u3a, but I think it’s something for members to discover. If anyone would like to know more about this craft or starting a group, I’m very happy to discuss further (archie@ ochilwoodcraft.co.uk).

Archie Scott, Forth Valley

FANCY A DANCE?

Our feature on the benefi ts of dancing (Winter 2023) certainly got you tapping the keyboard!

Freestyle moves

I read your article on dancing as elders with great interest. We have a wonderful organisation called Wainsgate Dances at an empty chapel in Wadsworth Parish, West Yorkshire. The organiser is a professional dancer and choreographer, supported by a local team of dancers and choreographers. The idea is for a range of music to play for an hour and for participants to move as they wish. I am 82 with arthritis in my feet and a pacemaker. I have a chair, two kneelers and I move from chair to floor. As the music develops, I use my walking stick to dance faster and with rhythm. It’s a wonderful start to the day, finishing with a gentle walk home or adjourning to the local café for coffee and cake.

Julia Maybury, Todmorden u3a

A lifetime passion

I agree with everything written in your article “Let’s Dance”. I have always danced. I started with English folk dance, being part of a display team, taking part in a folk festival in Germany and representing Sussex in a festival at the Royal Albert Hall. I then became a Morris dancer for about 10 years. I have also done square dancing, international folk dance and medieval dance. For the past four years I have been a member of Silver Swans ballet. We put on a show at a local theatre every year and recently performed at the Royal Academy of Dance in London on its Silver Swans day. We are now practising for Royal Academy of Dance exams. Dancing is wonderful and I would recommend it to everyone.

Julie Bradley, Hailsham & District u3a

Everyone included

My passion is circle dance and I lead a group in Cardiff . This kind of dancing is perfect for u3as, where so many members are female, and the absence of men for dancing could be an issue. With circle dance, you don’t need a partner: the circle just opens to let you in, and you immediately become a supported member of a group of equals. A blind dancer in the circle can feel safe, held by the joined hands of the other dancers, and the repeated actions can help steady sufferers of Parkinson’s disease.

Pat Adams, Cardiff u3a

Keep dancing!

All of this article is so true, but you have missed one out. Line dancing is amazing. Perhaps I am biased, but the dancers never stop learning as there are new dances coming in every week. Importantly, you only need yourself, and you will make lots of new friends.

Vanessa Cheek, Isle of Wight u3a

Editor’s note:

Line dancing is indeed fantastic! Unfortunately, there just wasn’t space to include this, along with many other types of dance that u3a members enjoy, in this particular feature – but we’ll be coming back to the subject in future issues, so get ready to take your places!

AGE IS BUT A NUMBER

Our interview with Carl Honoré, the global

expert on ageing better, provoked an

interesting response:

Keep going!

It was interesting reading Carl’s 12 rules for ageing boldly (Winter 2023). I would like to add another based on George Bernard Shaw’s remarks: “Don’t stop doing things because you are old; you’ll get old by not doing things.” This was my mum’s favourite saying and she lived until the age of 101.

Pat Smith, Cowbridge u3a

Positive spin

Carl Honoré’s advice on better ageing was very heartening. However, I was sorry that he uses “Pollyanna” to mean someone who is naïve. She is the heroine of the 1913 American novel by Eleanor H Porter and is the reverse of naïve. Th e small daughter of a missionary (her mother is dead), moving from place to place, she and her father depend on charitable bodies to send them donations of clothes and other non-food items. One Christmas package – which Pollyanna was hoping would contain a doll – turns out to be a pair of crutches. Seeing her disappointment, her father suggests that she could be glad she didn’t need them! A harsh lesson on how to look for the positives in life, they adopt the approach and call it Th e Glad Game. Pollyanna passes this on to other people once she goes to live with her Aunt Polly following her father’s death. Indeed, one old lady is so touched by this that, although practically toothless, she is glad that she has two teeth that “hit”! So Pollyanna is not about dopey optimism, but a way of facing up to tough reality.

Hilary Temple, Kenilworth u3a

At 65, my sister-in-law is 10 years younger than me, and I am constantly surprised – and somewhat dismayed – that she now deems herself too old to do so many things: too old to go on a holiday she’d have to organise herself; too old to take up a new hobby or interest; too old to learn about basic technology; too old to join an important campaign... The list goes on, and I frequently have to bite my tongue (needless to say, becoming a member of the u3a is totally off her radar!). When I read Carl Honoré’s life affirming feature on positive ageing in the last issue, it really resonated with me, and I decided to show it to her. After reading it, she was quiet for a moment and then said: “I’ve always been a glass half-empty person – I’m too old to make changes now...” Can I just say that in Carl’s 12 rules for ageing boldly, the one about having a sense of humour is standing me in very good stead at the moment!

Anonymous member

class="CharOverride-8" lang="en-GB" xml:lang="en-GB">SIZE class="CharOverride-8" lang="en-GB" xml:lang="en-GB"> class="CharOverride-8" lang="en-GB" xml:lang="en-GB">MATTERS

My wife and I have belonged to the u3a for about 13 years, joining four different local groups. An essential element of the u3a is its “community”, which needs to be inclusive yet welcoming. In this respect the size to which u3as grow is important. Small u3as can find it difficult to have the critical mass to support and fund a sufficient range of activities. But large u3as face the challenge of retaining the “community” feel. Our observation is that, very generally, 400-500 is a good minimum; 900-1,000 is comfortable; and after about 1,400 it becomes difficult to manage. What do other members think?

Paul Carter, Southport u3a

We’d like to hear your point of view too – and do be sure to read the feature on p60 outlining how some u3a group models are evolving to meet different needs.

SWEET MEMORIES

With regard to Eric Midwinter’s feature on pantomimes (Winter 2023), I remember the first one that my mother took me to in the late 1950s, when the actors came on to the stage and threw sweets into the audience. Most of the sweets were thrown down into the stalls, but a couple of handfuls were thrown up into the circle. However, we didn’t have much money and were sitting in the dress circle where it would have taken an international cricketer to get some sweets to us! To this day, even though I am now in my 70s, I call the stalls the “sweetie seats”.

Paul Phillips, Barnet u3a

DISCRIMINATING FACTORS

Gillian Leeper’s letter on single-person

discrimination (Winter 2023) had a huge

response from fellow members. Here are just some of your thoughts:

Missing the benefits

I heartily agree with the comments made by Gillian Leeper about all aspects of discrimination affecting single people. All households bills are not very different for a couple and a single person, and the 25% council tax reduction is a disgrace. Added to that are quantity discounts in supermarkets that we don’t benefit from.

Marie-Claire Orton, Newcastle u3a

Food for thought

I was interested to read the letter from Gillian Leeper on single-person discrimination as I agreed with everything that she said. But there are two things that she missed out. A varied and interesting diet is very hard to achieve when so many foodstuff s are still packaged in large amounts. If a smaller amount is available, it is correspondingly dearer than the larger portion. Th e second thing is the cost of heating and lighting. Th e bill for a two-person house will be almost identical to that of a one-person household as one light can be used by several people. This is true also of the heating. Two pensions cover this so much more easily than a single one.

Jane Dixon, Isle of Wight u3a

Room for change

I couldn’t agree with Gillian Leeper more. I have recently returned from a four-night stay and paid a £150 single supplement. Th at’s nearly £40 a night extra. For what? Many cruise companies charge almost double the price of a cabin. It is discrimination. Maybe it is something u3as in general can campaign on.

Marj Atlay, Maghull and Lydiate u3a

Alternative view

This member is quite right when she highlights the “discrimination” against single travellers and visitors, but in most cases there are simple explanations. Many hotels charge by the room and there is no “single supplement”. The cost of providing the service to two occupants is only marginally more expensive than providing for a single occupant. Two people spend a lot more than one in the bar or restaurant. In the case of organisations there is usually a discount for two members at the same address (as there is for my own u3a). This is because there are reduced costs in terms of membership management – only sending one set of magazines, newsletters and documentation. I don’t think Gillian is being discriminated against; she just needs to accept that costs are not directly proportional to numbers. My personal peeve is all the considerable perks that families enjoy – something not available 45 years ago when my wife and I could have benefitted!

Mick Joy, Fetcham u3a

Much too much

I also feel a second-class citizen – especially when in a supermarket, as everything you now want to buy is in giant packs for “families” and I may only require one of anything. Now you have to buy either the whole pack, or simply go without. I just cannot understand the mindset of these large organisations. Even if a pack has been opened, you’re not allowed to buy one of the products because there isn’t a barcode for it. Yes, you can go to, say, a farm shop if there is one locally, but the prices are generally higher – with all your other bills to pay, this isn’t always an option. I just see this all as total discrimination in all areas of a single person’s life. What is happening to society?

Linda Underwood, Basildon & Billericay u3a

I was interested in the item about the D-Day beaches (Winter 2023), having done the tour twice and found fresh things each time. Pegasus Bridge was mentioned. Th e pilots might have trained elsewhere but the rehearsals for the operation took place on the Exeter Bypass at Countess Wear. Th e juxtapositions of the bridges over the River Exe and the Exeter Canal were very similar to the River Orne and the Caen Canal. Th e curator of the museum did not know that when I talked to him.

Jim Beed, Exmouth u3a

PENSION DISPARITY

I am frustrated by the lack of media coverage with regards to the two-tier pension system. Too few know that if you retired prior to April 2016, you receive the basic state pension, but if you retired aft er this date you receive the new state pension. Th is means an average difference of £200 per month and, of course, an increase of 8.5% will be greater for the new state pension than the basic pension. The people who suffer most are those born in the 1940s. Wouldn’t it be fairer to pay every retired person the same amount?

Su Axten, Stubbington u3a

GENERATIONAL FUN

A few weeks before Christmas, my u3a was asked by a local secondary school to help Year 10 pupils with a part of their health and social care course. Over the course of a week, about 20 of us turned up to act as subjects for the pupils’ practical activity. They (all girls) had to demonstrate to us how to do recreational handwork activities, then supervise us doing them. We all thoroughly enjoyed the experience, and there was a lot of laughter. At the end of the week we were given a signed thank you card from staff and pupils and a big box of biscuits, so we must have been of some use. We may do the same next year.

David Feather, West Wilts u3a.

TAM LETTERS

TAM receives more letters than it has space for, so they may be edited, cut, omitted or held over

A PROBLEM SHARED

We receive a huge amount of correspondence from u3a members every month, and one of the recurring themes recently has been how to get more men on board... it’s not always easy! To kick off our new advice column, here is one such letter from a member – what would you suggest she does?

I joined the u3a when I retired three years ago, and it’s the best thing I ever did: I’ve thrown myself into different groups and activities, made lots of new friends, and broadened my perspective on so many issues. My husband is a bit younger than me and only retired last year: I thought he would share my enthusiasm for the u3a and all it can offer... but no. None of the interest groups in our u3a appeal to him, and he says he has nothing in common with the other members. It’s true that many of the groups in our u3a are quite “academic” – and he is a very practical man who likes tinkering away in his shed – but I am frustrated that he won’t even give it a go. Someone suggested he could join and start a group focused on something that particularly interests him, but he’s actually very shy, and almost blanched when I suggested it... I would like to get even more involved in the u3a now – a Summer School is on my list for this year, for instance, and I’m going to the u3a Festival – but it’s not easy to do it all when there’s a slightly resentful, grumpy person waiting for me to come home! What would other members do?

*Names have been changed.

• How would you advise jean? Send your thoughts to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. (head your email: advice: a problem shared). If you have a dilemma you’d like help with, head your email: dilemma: a problem shared. Alternatively, send a letter to u3a office. All members’ letters and answers are anonymous.

Personal ads

contact jenni murphy 020 8466 6139 / This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Copy to Jenni Murphy Third Age Trust 156 Blackfriars Road London, SE1 8EN

Email: advertise@u3a org uk

Deadline for next issue: 1 March 2024 Rate £1.87 a word + VAT @ 20% Box number charge: £10

A box number is essential for any advertisement seeking contact with others, as we do not publish private postal or email addresses, nor phone numbers, in such advertisements.

Send box number replies to: Jenni Murphy, Third Age Trust, The Foundry, 156 Blackfriars Road, London, SE1 8EN. Write the Box No above the address on the envelope and remember to enclose your contact details.

As soon as your order is accepted, you will be sent a formal invoice with the details of your order, and you will be asked to pay this before the deadline. Please include a full postal address (not for publication unless requested) with your advertisement and state if you are a member of a u3a and, if so, which one. Remittances should be sent to Jenni Murphy at the national office (address left) and cheques made payable to the Third Age Trust.

Holiday advertisements

Readers should ensure any offer complies with UK and EU regulations governing package holidays etc, if appropriate, before parting with any money. The Third Age Trust cannot be held responsible for this.

FAMILY RESEARCH

HE FOUGHT IN THE GREAT WAR? DIDN’T TALK ABOUT IT? Let an experienced military researcher discover his experiences for you.

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HOLIDAYS ITALY

SOUTHERN ITALY. Spacious one-bedroom flat in charming village in easy reach of beaches and mountains. Separate kitchen, dining room, sitting room, bedroom and terrace. Suitable for a single or a couple. £400 per week.

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HOLIDAYS CANARY ISLANDS

TENERIFE. Los Cristianos. Luxurious one-bed apartment, quiet area close to sea

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HOLIDAYS CYPRUS

CYPRUS NEAR PAPHOS. Members’ one-bedroom apartment, aircon/heating, large sunny terrace, panoramic sea views, fantastic sunsets, large pool, undercover garaging, wifi/TV.

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HOLIDAYS GREECE

PRIVATE VILLA IN WESTERN CRETE with swimming pool. This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

VENICE, CASTELLO.

Charming courtyard apartment sleeps two to four.

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PALERMO SICILY. Private accommodation for in idual or couple. Airport pick-up and dropoff. All meals with Italian host. Programme of accompanied visits. Practise your Italian or just relax.

HOLIDAYS SPAIN

ALTEA, COSTA BLANCA. Modern two-bedroom, two-bathroom, heated apartment. Pool, tennis, garden, garage. Shops, restaurants, beach close. Warm winter area. Transfers available.

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HOLIDAYS UK

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SOMERSET, MENDIP HILLS. Occasional B&B - ideal venue and location for walkers/respite and general R&R.

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TOPSHAM DEVON. Two-bedroom cottage overlooking Exe estuary and hills. Local shops, inns, teashops, walks. Coast, moors, Exeter nearby.

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HOLIDAYS JURASSIC COAST. Four-berth caravan on quiet site in Thomas Hardy country, modern and well-appointed.

LAKE DISTRICT. Quiet village just minutes from Keswick. Warm welcome assured to our 18th-century country house B&B. Large, wellfurnished rooms, with en-suite bath or shower rooms. Beautiful mountain views. Relax in our peaceful garden. Delicious breakfasts. Dogs welcome. Reductions for u3a members. Tariff, photographs, etc.

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Read our reviews on Tripadvisor.

POOLE HARBOUR. Shoreline cottage sleeps four. Stunning views. Close to Poole Quay.

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TRUSTHORPE, LINCS. Luxury, peaceful, self-catering seaside bungalow, dog-friendly, sleeps four, two bathrooms, wifi, 500 yds to beach and promenade. SPECIAL weekly rental discount for u3a members.

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CORNWALL. JUST FOR TWO. Comfortable and well equipped. Free wifi. Village near Truro/Falmouth. Electric vehicle charging. No dogs/smokers.

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WANSTEAD WIDOW 70 WLTM N/S respectable widower for companionship, holidays. Reply to Box No 444

WIDOWER (ACTIVE RETIRED ENGINEER) WLTM lady over 70 living in Bradford-on-Avon area. Reply to Box No 438

GUY, EARLY 70S, hands-on engineer with practical interests and activities WLTM a lady for education in other subjects to broaden mind. Shropshire/West Midlands area. Reply to Box No 446

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Unconventional Sex Let Anglerfish Conquer the Deep Ocean

During a chaotic period some 50 million years ago, the strange deep-sea creatures left the ocean bottom and thrived by clamping onto their mates.

A female anglerfish, with a bioluminescent lure, in waters off Hawaii. Credit... Doug Perrine/Alamy

Supported by

By William J. Broad

• May 30, 2024

How did the ghoulish creatures known as anglerfish pull off the evolutionary feat that let them essentially take over the ocean’s sunless depths?

It took peculiar sex — extremely peculiar sex.

Scientists at Yale University have discovered that a burst of anglerfish diversification began some 50 million years ago as the ancestral line developed a bizarre strategy to ensure successful reproduction in the dark wilderness.

To mate, tiny males would clamp with sharp teeth onto the bellies of much larger females. Some males would let go after mating while others would permanently fuse into the females. The males that stayed attached became permanent organs for sperm production.

“We found that a cascade of traits, including those required for sexual parasitism, allowed anglerfishes to invade the deep sea,” Chase D. Brownstein , a graduate student in the ecology and evolutionary biology department at Yale who was the study’s lead author, said in a news release.

Today, there are more than 300 species of anglerfish, which makes them the most varied family of vertebrates in the ocean’s lightless zone. The region starts about 1,000 feet down — just beneath the photic zone, which gets enough sunlight to support photosynthesis and most of the sea’s plants — and descends for miles. The team’s study was published last week in the journal Current Biology.

Finding a mate in the deep sea can be extremely difficult because of the environment’s incomprehensibly vast size. By some estimates, the dark zone amounts to more than 97 percent of the planetary space inhabited by living things, mainly because the ocean plunges to a maximum depth of nearly seven miles. In contrast, land habitats make up less than 1 percent of the planet’s biosphere because the band of life is so narrow, making its volume quite small.

The anglerfish’s bizarre mating routine is seen as counteracting the otherwise slim chances of finding a mate in the world’s largest ecosystem. It is the only known vertebrate that employs sexual parasitism, and that gave it an evolutionary edge.

Over time, the male can physically fuse with the female, connecting to her skin and bloodstream. Eventually, he loses his eyes and all internal organs except for his testes. A female can carry several males on her body.

The Yale team documented how immune systems that attack foreign threats changed over time so the female hosts would not reject the parasitic males.

Anglerfish get their name from how females use rodlike appendages with glowing tips to lure prey into their needlelike teeth. They’re fish that fish . Their mouths are so large and their bodies so flexible that they can swallow prey up to twice their size.

The Yale team used fossils and genetic data from more than 100 living anglerfish species to determine that the burst of diversification came during a major global heat spike between 50 million and 35 million years ago. The world’s oceans were thrown into turmoil, and the bottom-walking ancestors of the anglerfish began to explore the wider oceanic world.

“It happened in the blink of an evolutionary eye about 50 million years ago,” Mr. Brownstein said in an interview. “It was like whales going back into the ocean. It was amazing.”

The team found that, simultaneously, the fish developed their unusual reproductive skills. It was unable to determine which came first — temporary or permanent attachment.

Some female anglerfish can grow quite large, reaching more than three feet in length, but most are smaller. The free-swimming males typically are a few inches long.

How do they find the females in the perpetual darkness of the deep sea?

Mr. Brownstein said the males have enlarged nasal organs that are thought to let them follow faint trails of female pheromones through the darkness in order to find their partner.

“You sniff out your mate, literally,” he said.

William J. Broad has reported on science at The Times since 1983. He is based in New York. More about William J. Broad

Explore the Animal Kingdom

A selection of quirky, intriguing and surprising discoveries about animal life..

Scientists expect the large, brightly colored joro spider to arrive in the Northeast sometime this year. Here’s what to know about these spider invaders .

Wombats build extensive burrow networks  and don’t seem to mind when other woodland creatures use them as flameproof bunkers, offering a possible way for other animals to survive wildfires.

An analysis of elephant calls using an A.I. tool suggests that the animals may use and respond to individualized rumbles .

How did the ghoulish creatures known as anglerfish pull off the evolutionary feat that let them essentially take over the ocean’s sunless depths? It took extremely peculiar sex .

The Lord Howe Island stick insect vanished from its home, but an effort at zoos in San Diego and Melbourne highlights the possibilities and challenges  of conserving invertebrate animals.

Advertisement

York u3a features in Third Age Trust advert for the u3a Festival in 2024

Margaret Fiddes talks to York u3a member Richard, who regularly leads history walks around the city. For u3a Festival 24, Richard will be showing u3a members some of the historical highlights of York – with a particular focus on the Georgian period.

See the video here .

More information about the Festival is here .

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