T1 Single Stem flower

T2 Fury Animal

5th July – Barn Dance @ Aughton Village Hall

Details are on the new website: aou3a.u3asite.uk/u3a_events/barn-dance/

T1 Colour Popping  click for slideshow

1st Ginny Salkeld

2nd Alan Starkie

3rd Jean McCabe

4th Jenny Jobe

T2 Chimneys  click for slideshow

1st Di Piggin

2nd Bob Broughton

3rd Ginny Salkeld

4th Phil Birchall

Ageing Better: The Impact of Alcohol on Mental Health and Wellbeing

This Health & Wellbeing session (part of the series from Edge Hill University) will be on Friday 14th June at 11am at St Michael’s Church Hall.

Do come along and join us.

Click on the poster for an enlarged view and details.

A big thank you to everyone who came to support us last Thursday, Friday and Saturday.

This was the first time we had done 3 shows and each performance was well received judging by the wonderful feedback.

We hope everyone enjoyed it as much as we did and we look forward to seeing you again later in the year.  Dates will be announced shortly.

Here are some of the photos kindly taken for us by Bill Soens.

Bring along your surplus seedlings, rooted cuttings, houseplants etc and swap for something else!

Please label everything and wrap appropriately.

Thursday 2nd  May at the Scout & Guide HQ during Horizons (9.30 – 11 am approx).

Very recently, your Web Manager discovered – quite by chance – a music Radio Station that plays all her old pop favourites. (The tunes on Radio 2 were becoming increasingly unfamiliar and sometimes she yearns for some lighter entertainment than Radio 4.) It is called Boom Radio – not because it blasts out loud music all the time but because it is aimed at Baby Boomers.

It has also been discovered by the u3a National Office apparently. See this item in the March National Newsletter!

Advertising campaign with Boom Radio

We are thrilled to announce that we will be running an advertising campaign with Boom Radio, which has over half a million listeners over the age of 55. The three month campaign will start in April, alongside a u3a social media campaign, and will feature three u3a members sharing their stories about what u3a means to them. Listen to Boom Radio and let us know what you think by emailing communications@u3a.org.uk.

Alexa – Boom Radio!

                           Future Meetings                    

All future meetings will be at the Scout & Guide H.Q. building on the 3rd Monday of the month.

All meetings will take place in the small room from 2.00pm

The Competition topics from January 24 to December 24 are now listed above with the due dates for entries.

Our next  meeting will be on Monday 17th June 2024.

We will judge the June competition which is :-

Topic 1 Picture of Single Stemmed flower

T2 Furry Creatures (No Cats or Dogs)

We shall look at  Landscapes and Black & White photography with Bill

The Summer outing to Tatton Park N.T. is on Thursday 27.6.24

We shall have our annual break in July and August and reconvene on September 16th 2024

HAVE A GOOD SUMMER

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A coat was left in the Scout & Guide HQ by a Scout Helper over the weekend of 2nd /3rd March.  It is a large Man’s Berghaus black raincoat. If you have seen it or perhaps taken it home by mistake, or as Leader of a u3a Group on Monday 4th / Tuesday 5th may have set it aside assuming it belonged to a member of your Group, please contact the Web Team at: webteam@aughton-ormskirk-u3a.co.uk.

My involvement in this is that I picked up a call about this from a Skelmersdale Scout Leader on the phone at the Scout & Guide HQ. As it happens, I know the Scout Leader from way back

Thanks

Joyce Nolan.

The Musical Theatre Group’s next production stages at Aughton Village Hall on Friday 22nd March at 7.30pm, and Saturday 23rd March at 2.30 and 7.30pm. See more details about The Trinket Box.

Advance Notice ………

The date and time of the 21st AGM will be the 13th June at 11:30am. The meeting is to be held at Scout & Guide HQ following Horizons.

It is hoped a Zoom meeting option could be set up to facilitate those who may not be able to make the meeting.

Volunteers are needed to join the Management Committee who are looking for 4 in total. Nomination forms can be obtained from the Secretary.

More information to follow.

Here are some photos from “Never Mind the Butler”

We hope you enjoyed it as much as we did.

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The Trinket Box

Doctors say we should keep physically and mentally active when we get older, and the u3a Musical Theatre Group helps members do just that.

Singing and dancing are among the best ways to stay active, and to see the results, why not come along to our latest production, “The Trinket Box”?

There are jewels and trinkets aplenty in this new review, with gems such as “Diamonds Are a Girl’s Best Friend”, “Band of Gold”, “Black Pearl”, “Rhinestone Cowboy” and “Gold Finger”.

You can get tickets online at www.ticketsource.co.uk/u3amtg or by contacting John Hardiker on 07912 879 822, or any member of the Musical Theatre Group at Horizons.

Read more about the Musical Theatre Group

The Musical Theatre group presented –  ‘Once Upon a Time‘ – which is set in an apartment building called ‘Falling Stars’ for retired thespians.

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The Drama Group will be performing a radio play – a light hearted comedy – “Pride and Prejudice and Other Useful Qualities” by Geoff Bamber at the next Sunday Social at HQ on Sunday 25th February 2024 – starting at 2pm, and still only £1.50.

After the refreshments break we will have a quiz/game – so come along and enjoy a lovely entertaining afternoon!  All are welcome.

Looking for a new Leader and Helpers for 2024.

Sadly, Judy Ingman has now stepped down as Organiser of this Group and as yet no other Member has offered to take her place. Unless that happens this Group will finish. There would be helpers available but it does need one or two people to step up and organise a programme of a few outings and indoor social sessions.

This group was born around 2010/11.  It was created to help people feeling isolated due to loneliness or a physical disability to be encouraged to join different forms of social interactions. As its name explained, it was to help those who were confident in some directions to help others less able, and for others to help them too where they were struggling.
Meetings were mostly 11 or 12 times a year on a monthly basis. During colder months they tended to be held in the Scout Hut with a socially directed meeting including light refreshment,  often being led by another u3a group e.g. card making, choir, flower arranging, and perhaps a games afternoon or just chatting together.

In warmer months, short local outings were arranged usually with Charlton mini coaches which have a lift at the back of the coach and room for walkers and wheelchairs if necessary. They included lunches or afternoon teas at local garden centres, the Safari Park, and Music afternoons at Sefton Park, perhaps a canal trip or to visit a place of local interest.

Tasks for leaders and helpers are to discuss with the Group their ideas and then to devise a programme of meetings as described above. The Group has never been restricted and has always been open to all u3a members, and although it has generally included regular attendees, newer members have always been welcomed.

Please feel free to contact Judy on 01695 423141 if interested or see her at Horizons.

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Do you need to publicise a u3a event or activity? Below are the various deadlines for advertising in the various publications.

Please refer to the Communicating within our U3A webpage for more information on these ways of advertising and how to contact their “editors”.

Remember that you need to separately contact the editors for all of the various publications where you want your item to appear.  Sending to one does not necessarily mean that it will  automatically appear in the others.

u3a Magazines

• The Winter Magazine was available from the 3rd week in January 2024.
• So please send in your items for the (Spring) Magazine (due out in April) to the Magazine Editor ASAP

Monthly enews

• deadline for enews items: NOON on the last Monday of the month
• The deadline for items for the next enews is 12 noon on Monday 25 February.

u3a Website

• Group and other News and Events, Photos etc:  Deadline – Anytime

u3a Facebook

• items for our facebook page :  Deadline – Anytime

Horizons Slideshow

• Projected in the Scout & Guide HQ halls during Horizons:  Deadline – Anytime

Horizons Announcements and Flyers

• Notes of announcements to be read out  and / or  prepared flyers for the tables: Deadline – Bring to any the appropriate Horizons meeting(s)

Please refer to the Communicating within our U3A webpage for more information on all these ways of advertising and how to contact their “editors”.

Remember that you need to separately contact the editors for all of the various publications where you want your item to appear.  Sending to one does not necessarily mean that it will  automatically appear in the others.

Does anyone fancy starting a new ‘Stamp Collecting’ group? Please contact Ian Lyster in the first instance on phone 01695 578348.

The Last Science Group Meeting – November 1st, 2023 ??? 

Our visiting speaker, David Sutton, talked about Generative AI, a type of Artificial Intelligence, in particular at the combination of Artificial Intelligence with Art and Photography.  The three images were produced by such an AI program.

The Musical Theatre Group are now starting to cast our next show “The Trinket Box”. We have openings for new members, men & women, to come and join us. You do have to be a retired or semi-retired person to be a u3a member, then able to come to rehearsals on a Tuesday afternoon between 1-4pm.

“The Trinket Box” will be performed at Aughton Village Hall on 22nd & 23rd March 2024.

In addition to cast members, we are also in need of people to work backstage and ‘front of house’. Please access Musical Theatre Group page on the u3a website for further information.

Aughton & Ormskirk u3a are planning a new, collaborative venture with Southport University Extension Society (SUES), whereby members of our respective organisations will be able to take advantage of each other’s talks and other events. If you are interested in attending any of the following, please contact Pam Ball in the first instance on 07974 749362.

Forthcoming SUES learning opportunities include:

Lectures

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Membership Renewals for 2023/24 commenced at Horizons on 14th September 2023. Note that you can also renew online anytime / anywhere.

Thursday 16 November:   Beethoven’s Symphony No.7.   Concert programme also includes Rossini’s Overture  – The Italian Girl in Algiers  & Walton’s cello concerto. Please check for further details on the groups’ Philharmonic web page and also for programme notes on the October’s concert.

The Philharmonic now requires booking confirmation 4 weeks in advance and there can be a demand for tickets – so book early to avoid disappointment. 

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Most Thursday mornings at Horizons, there is a Bookstall where members can procure a variety of paperbacks, ideal for reading on the dark winter days.

You are welcome to bring in books for the stall, but please only paperbacks, not hardbacks (due to lack of space). A variety of genres are appreciated. (There tends to be an preponderance of crime fiction at the minute!)

Title of this new study: The underlying neural mechanisms of working memory in elderly populations.

• Description: “In this experiment, we will use a non-invasive technique called Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation (TMS) to explore the brain regions involved in working memory. Transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) is a non-invasive method used to stimulate small regions of the brain. It uses electromagnetic induction to generate an electric current across the scalp and skull without physical contact. This current induces activation and/or deactivation of the neurons under the site of stimulation. This method is FDA-approved and it is used mainly in clinical and experimental settings (here you can see how they use it for other conditions in the NHS: https://www.southernhealth.nhs.uk/our-services/a-z-list-of-services/repetitive-transcranial-magnetic-stimulation-rtms).
• Objective: our goal is to compare the effect of this stimulation at two sites in the brain in order to test their contribution to the performance of some working memory tasks. To measure working memory we will use computerised tests and to measure the brain activity we will use an electroencephalography (EEG) cap. The EEG cap contains electrodes that are attached to the scalp with conductive gel.
• Number of sessions 3: introductory, session 2 and session 3 (session 2 and 3 must be in consecutive weeks).
• Duration of each session: introductory (1.5hr), session 2 (3.5hrs), session 3 (3.5hrs).
• Benefits: Participants can learn more about their cognitive skills and their brain functioning. Furthermore, your participation will help us to understand more the underlying neural mechanisms of working memory in elderly populations.

To find out more about the project, and to check your eligibility, contact Esteban Leon Correa on 07575 087865, or by email to Esteban León Correa <Correae@edgehill.ac.uk>

A day trip to ‘Golden Days Garden Centre at Appley Bridge’ – Monday 16th October

We will be leaving St Anne’s Social Centre at 10.40am – the Scout HQ Long Lane at 10.45am, and Aughton Village Hall at 11.0am.  For anyone who hasn’t been before – the Garden Centre also sells clothes and other articles and has a cafe where people can buy lunch.

For further details – select ‘Helping Each Other’ web page.

Continue reading →

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If you are unable to visit our weekly Horizons meetings on Thursday mornings at the Christ Church Scout & Guide HQ, you can view the slideshow which highlights events in the coming weeks along with some general notices.

This story is a memory I have of an unusual Irish man, and of a time now long gone, and I hope it will be of interest to u3a readers.

The poems attached at the end are by my husband, Francis Loughlin, and also relate to Connemara.  We both fell in love with this special place on our first visit there in 1986 and spend as much time as possible there.

Adrienne Loughlin

The Dancer

When I was a little girl, my mother filled my head with stories of fairies, goblins and any other mythical creatures she could think of, so I spent quite a long time searching under the bushes in our back garden for a sight of one of the Little People.  With no luck, I asked her just where were they.  She smiled a half smile, scrunched my cheek and said, ‘Aah child, you have to go to Ireland to see the fairies.  That’s where they live’.  She was on a safe bet there as the chances of our family visiting Ireland in the 1950s were as remote as us flying to the moon.

But I did visit Ireland in 1986 and have visited every year and several times a year since then.  I still haven’t seen a fairy or leprechaun but I have met quite a few other weird and wonderful characters.

I was walking along a narrow country road in Connemara, which is in the far west of Ireland, on a fine day in June and admiring the thick banks of wild dog daisies each side.  The only sounds were the droning of bees in the fuchsia hedges and the occasional mellow call of a cuckoo.  Very few people owned cars then in that part of Ireland and the only traffic you might have seen in the early mornings would be farmers driving their cattle from one field to another.  I had a bit of a surprise then when the figure of an old man appeared, looming over the rise in the road.  He was the thinnest and tallest man I had ever seen.  He wore a crumpled suit which had long since seen better days and as he walked towards me, gave the impression of being a puppet on strings so loosely did he move.  He passed me by with a, ‘ How are ye?” and went on his way.

A few days later I came across this tall and thin, old man again when I was listening to a traditional music session in a local pub.  Towards midnight, when the pub was packed and the air thick with pipe and tobacco smoke, in he came.  Bending his long frame he entered through the door, and then stretched to his full height. With  a wide smile on his face, he began to dance.  He still wore the same suit I’d seen him in previously and a pipe dangled comfortably from his mouth in a space where his teeth had once been.  The musicians, who consisted of an accordion player, and several others playing  tin whistles, fiddles, and a bodhran were  playing fast reels and jigs.  Someone found a pair of spoons and added to the rhythm.  The old man’s dancing was of a style I’d never seen before.  First he shrugged one shoulder, then the other, then both.  Sometimes he held out a hand to anyone who might dance with him.  Some did but most cheered him on.  His heavy boots made a pleasing, thumping sound on the wooden floor of the pub and every so often he raised an arm and punched the air in his enjoyment.  He was mesmerising to watch, his long, lean body bending forwards and backwards, whilst his audience clapped him on.  But even the best dancers need to rest and soon  he wandered over to the bar where he sat and nursed a pint of Guinness in his bony hands.

I found out later that the old man had been born and bred on one of Connemara’s small offshore islands.  His island had to be evacuated in the 1970’s due to the extremely harsh living conditions, often being cut off for weeks during the frequent Atlantic storms in winter,  and the lack of any help in an emergency.  He and the rest of the islanders, along with their cattle, hens, dogs, cats and everything they owned, were then ferried over to Connemara’s mainland, and settled there, in view of their old island homes.

That man has long since passed, taking with him old traditions, customs and his very own island way of dance.

Adrienne Loughlin

Connemara Sea

Connemara Land

Francis Loughlin 

Thank you everyone who came to see our Spring 2023 performances.

These are some of the photos.  (Click to create slide show)

A Drama Group Show

Photos by Bill Soens

Spring 2023 Performance

The Musical Theatre Group presented – ‘The Not So Young Ones’.  A Celebration of songs from –  50s, 60s & 70s – at Aughton village Hall

 

This Spring of 2023, the Nolan household, in the interest of the local insects, decided on a No Mow May policy for the Front Lawn.  This experiment has produced some quite interesting results.

Many more wild flower varieties popped up than expected. These included: shining cranesbill, dandelion (in profusion but surprisingly few daisies), wild violet, pansy (probably reseeded from last year’s plant pots), lesser trefoil (suckling clover), creeping buttercup, chickweed, and white clover.

shining cranesbill

dandelion

creeping buttercup

chickweed

pansy

lesser trefoil

white clover

Cutting resumed post-May, though few mowings have been required because of spells of very dry weather. Most of the wild flowers quite quickly disappeared with the exception of the clover, now carpeting large expanses of the lawn area!  So much so, that it may not be easy to get rid of.  Maybe we won’t even try for a while as the bees are just loving all that clover.  And there are other ecological benefits of this plant. For example, clover is capable of adding nitrogen to the soil, and is often mixed with lawn seed to reduce the need for fertilizer.  It is also drought resistant, so survives without much watering. It can out-compete other plants, thus reducing the use of weed-killers. It can be foraged by both animals and humans.

Although mowing is now underway, we have left an inconspicuous strip of grass uncut under the side hedge.  This has almost no flowers but the now tall grass is a haven for tiny moths – also useful pollinators.

Weighing up some advantages and disadvantages ……..  is No Mow May 2024 on the cards for our Front Lawn? Possibly.  Or perhaps we could even consider letting it become a Completely Clover Lawn.  Then, apparently, it will: attract lots of insects, bees and butterflies, smell nice, feel good to walk on with bare feet, not be discoloured by dog wee, stay pretty green all year without much attention and remain short with very little mowing at all. It’s tempting.

Alan and Joyce Nolan

When I was a little girl, my mother filled my head with stories of fairies, goblins and any other mythical creatures she could think of, so I spent quite a long time searching under the bushes in our back garden for a sight of one of the Little People.  With no luck, I asked her just where were they.  She smiled a half smile, scrunched my cheek and said, ‘Aah child, you have to go to Ireland to see the fairies.  That’s where they live’.  She was on a safe bet there as the chances of our family visiting Ireland in the 1950s were as remote as us flying to the moon.

But I did visit Ireland in 1986 and have visited every year and several times a year since then.  I still haven’t seen a fairy or leprechaun but I have met quite a few other weird and wonderful characters.

I was walking along a narrow country road in Connemara, which is in the far west of Ireland, on a fine day in June and admiring the thick banks of wild dog daisies each side.  The only sounds were the droning of bees in the fuchsia hedges and the occasional mellow call of a cuckoo.  Very few people owned cars then in that part of Ireland and the only traffic you might have seen in the early mornings would be farmers driving their cattle from one field to another.  I had a bit of a surprise then when the figure of an old man appeared, looming over the rise in the road.  He was the thinnest and tallest man I had ever seen.  He wore a crumpled suit which had long since seen better days and as he walked towards me, gave the impression of being a puppet on strings so loosely did he move.  He passed me by with a ‘How are ye?” and went on his way.

A few days later I came across this tall and thin, old man again when I was listening to a traditional music session in a local pub.  Towards midnight, when the pub was packed and the air thick with pipe and tobacco smoke, in he came.  Bending his long frame he entered through the door, and then stretched to his full height. With  a wide smile on his face, he began to dance.  He still wore the same suit I’d seen him in previously and a pipe dangled comfortably from his mouth in a space where his teeth had once been.  The musicians, who consisted of an accordion player, and several others playing  tin whistles, fiddles, and a bodhran were  playing fast reels and jigs.  Someone found a pair of spoons and added to the rhythm.  The old man’s dancing was of a style I’d never seen before.  First he shrugged one shoulder, then the other, then both.  Sometimes he held out a hand to anyone who might dance with him.  Some did but most cheered him on.  His heavy boots made a pleasing, thumping sound on the wooden floor of the pub and every so often he raised an arm and punched the air in his enjoyment.  He was mesmerising to watch, his long, lean body bending forwards and backwards, whilst his audience clapped him on.  But even the best dancers need to rest and soon  he wandered over to the bar where he sat and nursed a pint of Guinness in his bony hands.

I found out later that the old man had been born and bred on one of Connemara’s small offshore islands.  His island had to be evacuated in the 1970’s due to the extremely harsh living conditions, often being cut off for weeks during the frequent Atlantic storms in winter,  and the lack of any help in an emergency.  He and the rest of the islanders, along with their cattle, hens, dogs, cats and everything they owned, were then ferried over to Connemara’s mainland, and settled there, in view of their old island homes.

That man has long since passed, taking with him old traditions, customs and his very own island way of dance.

Adrienne Loughlin

2024

May 2024

On Thursday 9th May we welcomed Dr John Patterson, Principal at St Vincent’s School for visually impaired children, in the Archdiocese of Liverpool. After taking over as Principal in 2012, Dr Patterson set about encouraging students’ entrepreneurialism, employment skills, creativity, and solidarity with those less fortunate. On Wednesdays pupils choose lessons they feel play to their strengths, including in music, drama, sports, ICT, environmental work, and growing food on the school grounds to use in a student-run café. One of his many achievements has been to oversee pupils developing a disability sports toolbox that now helps children in 20 countries across four continents.

He has championed pupils’ leadership skills with an enriched curriculum which has them teaching their international peers in how to use the toolbox, and the Indonesian government has since asked for 70,000 of its social workers to be similarly trained.

The school’s pupils have made ceramic Remembrance poppies worn by leaders including the then-Prime Minister Theresa May; they have sung for the Queen; and have also been featured in an exhibition by celebrity photographer Rankin for the COP26 climate change summit that took place in Glasgow during 2021.

Thank you John for this inspirational talk!

April 2024

On 11th April Russell Parry entertained us with the fascinating story of The Appley Bridge Meteorite.

We heard how, at 8.45 pm on Tuesday 14th October 1914, a large meteorite landed at Halliwell Farm, Up Holland. Locals at first mistook the explosion and fireball for a German invasion, the police were called and promptly confiscated the meteorite. It was then put on display in the village shop and can now be seen in the Natural History Museum in London.

Thank you Russell for this most interesting talk!

March 2024

A large audience gathered on Thursday 14^th March to hear magician Pete Turner’s fascinating talk, Through the Eyes of a Magician. Using a series of ‘magic tricks’, including a handkerchief which mysteriously found its way into one member’s wallet, Pete demonstrated how the seemingly impossible can appear to happen before our eyes. This was a very entertaining and thought-provoking talk, very much enjoyed by all who attended. Thank you Pete!

February 2024

The first Speaker Meeting of the year took place on Thursday 8th February, when Angela Danby returned with more extraordinary tales from her time as a reporter with the Southport Visiter. Angela was a print journalist for almost 20 years. During that time, she worked as a news editor, features editor, sub editor and crime corresponden

We heard about the history of the Southport Visiter (originally literally aimed at visitors to Southport) and were shown a copy of the first edition, from May 1844. We heard about the horrific murder of Linsey Quy in the 1990s, whose husband was jailed for life in 2001 for her murder, and also the murder of Nigel Bostock in 1986.

Thank you Angela for an interesting and entertaining talk!

2023

December 2023

The final Speaker Meeting of the year  took place on Thursday 14th December, when Carol Rogers MBE, Director, House of Memories, National Museums Liverpool spoke about the multi-award-winning House of Memories, a flagship dementia awareness programme for National Museums Liverpool.

November 2023

On Thursday 2nd November a large audience welcomed Stuart Elliott, who spoke on the subject of English Village Life in the Middle Ages.

September 2023

The first of our Autumn talks took place on Thursday 7th September, when author Fran Sandham spoke about his Solo Walk across Africa.

In a most entertaining and fascinating illustrated talk, Fran told us how, as a 6 year old child in hospital in Birkenhead, he was enthralled by a Tarzan comic featuring Africa. This developed into an interest in Victorian explorers such as David Livingstone and Henry Morton Stanley, then a New Year’s Eve decision to spend a year walking solo across Africa in 1997. Carrying a rucksack weighing 100 lb and walking an average of 26 miles a day, he managed to cover 3,500 miles in a year; at the outset he weighed 12.5 stone, and by the end of the journey 8.5 stone. Despite illness, blisters and a very uncooperative donkey, what Fran remembers most vividly is the friendship, kindness and hospitality of the people he met along the way. Thank you for sharing your unique experience with us Fran.

July 2023

A large audience gathered on Thursday 6^th July to hear Dave Carlos (Cyber Volunteer for Lancashire Police) speak on the subject of Cyber Crime. In a highly informative and well illustrated talk, Dave offered detailed advice on passwords, scams and online security, and emphasised the importance of vigilance when responding to emails and texts. Since the talk, Dave has sent over some links which may be of interest:

June 2023

On Thursday 1^st June Sid Calderbank returned to entertain us with songs, stories and poems in Lancashire dialect, expertly accompanied this time by violinist Joy Hunter. Sid’s theme was the life and career of Edwin (Ned) Waugh, born in Rochdale in 1817 to a very poor family who ran a cobblers’ market stall. He was apprenticed to a printer, and through the trade became acquainted with literary men who inspired him to write songs and stories. He eventually settled in Manchester and in 1856 wrote a poem about a young wife pleading for her husband to come home from the pub. The poem was published and made him famous, he made a lot of money and travelled widely giving readings and singing songs. He died of cancer of the tongue after a lifetime addiction to snuff, and 2000 people came to his funeral. We love hearing your stories Sid, thank you!

May 2023

On Thursday 4^th May we welcomed Dave Joy, who vividly described how his own family had moved from Wharfdale in Yorkshire to set up in business in Liverpool supplying fresh milk from their own cows. Using many photographs to illustrate his talk, Dave explained how, in the early nineteenth century, many farmers were moving from the Pennine Dales with the intention of taking advantage of the mass migration of workers into cities like Liverpool, as the industrial revolution took hold. We heard how such farmers would typically set up in end of terrace properties, housing their cattle in the back yard. The cows would be fed on grass cuttings from local parks, spent grain from breweries, molasses and oil seed cake. Waste products would be exchanged for hay at the city’s haymarket. The businesses did a roaring trade selling fresh milk, until competition began to emerge from corporate dairies, who brought milk into the city by train. Nevertheless, Dave’s ancestors traded successfully as A Joy & Sons between 1863 and 1963. Thank you Dave for an exceptionally interesting and well presented talk.

April 2023

The Real War Horses

On Thursday 6^th April Dot Hawkes, Secretary and Trustee of Lathom Park Trust, gave a detailed and moving account of how Lathom Park became a Remount Depot during the First World War. Opened in 1915, Lathom Park was just one of 12 such depots around the coast, where horses were imported from Australia, the USA and Canada in specially adapted ships, then trained and cared for until they were ready to be taken onward to battle sites. A ship could accommodate 500-700 horses, and many were lost when the ships were attacked at sea. The Horse Mobilisation Scheme was a major undertaking and the horses played a vital role in warfare, to the extent that it was said that the loss of one horse was the equivalent to the loss of 100 men. Upon arrival in Liverpool, horses were checked by vets, before being brought by train to Ormskirk then walked to Lathom. The Warhorse Route is a popular walk today, and in 2019 a memorial was erected at the entrance to Lathom Park.

An inspiring story, thank you Dot!

March 2023

A large audience gathered at HQ on 2^nd March to hear Graham Stirrup’s talk on Women in World War 1. In a superbly well illustrated talk, Graham took us back to 1773, when records show that a man sold his wife at a cattle auction for one shilling. By 1914 women could still expect a life of drudgery in the home, the mills and in service, unless they were very rich. Things began to change with the outbreak of war, when thousands of men were called up and women were called upon to work in transport, munitions factories, in mines and on the land, often working in dangerous conditions and with toxic substances. After the war ended in 1918 and men returned from fighting, women were obliged to return to the same occupations they had before. However, this era also saw the beginning of the Suffragette movement and the Women’s Land Army, heralding the start of momentous changes which we benefit from today. A most entertaining informative and thought-provoking talk, superbly well presented. Thank you Graham!

February 2023

 The first Speaker Meeting of 2023 took place on Thursday 2nd February, when Angela Danby gave a very entertaining talk about her 20 year career as a journalist with the Southport Visiter. We were shown a first edition copy of the paper from 1844, which included the announcement of the birth of a baby to a lady with 24 children! Angela also gave us a vivid description of a fire at Huntapac in Tarleton, the famous visit of Diana, Princess of Wales, to Queenscourt Hospice in 1992 and the attempted murder which took place at Pineapple Park restaurant, also in 1992. Angela has met and interviewed many famous people during her career, including Jason Donovan, Ken Dodd and Roy Castle. A thoroughly enjoyable talk – thank you Angela!

2022

November 2022

The last Speaker Meeting of the year took place on 3^rd November, when author Philip Caine entertained us with a whistle-stop tour of his extraordinary career. In 45 minutes of vivid description, colourful characters and fascinating anecdotes we heard of Philip’s extraordinary adventures and exploits in the North Sea, Algeria, West Africa, Kazakhstan, Russia, Iraq and finally Dubai. Philip retired in 2015 and is now pursuing as second career as a writer and speaker.

October 2022

On Thursday 6^th October we enjoyed a moving and inspirational talk by u3a member Mike McKenna and ex-serviceman Tom O’Brian. After a difficult childhood blighted by ill health, Mike trained as an athlete and competed successfully at a high level.

He then went on to teach discus and shot put and joined Preston Harriers as a coach, where he began training injured ex-servicemen to take part in the newly inaugurated Invictus Games.

Tom was one such veteran. Having joined up at 17, he served with the Scots Guards in London before being posted to various locations around the world including Afghanistan in 2010, where he acted as an interpreter in addition to active service. Having sustained significant injuries during heavy fighting, he left the Army in 2012, but over the next 4 years struggled with mental and physical injuries which brought him to a very low point in his life. Eventually, he heard from a friend about Combat Support and the Invictus Games, and decided to approach Preston Harriers, where he met Mike. This friendship, and the sport training, changed his life. He competed in the Warrior Games in the USA, met Prince Harry and took part in the Invictus Games.

This was a vividly described account of triumph over adversity and the power of friendship. Thank you, Mike and Tom, for sharing it with us.

September 2022

On Thursday 1^st September a large audience gathered to hear Roger Blaxall speak about his interesting and exciting career as Public Relations Officer for Greater Manchester Police and also Lancashire Constabulary. In a very detailed and entertaining talk we heard about the Police Constable who stole cars to pay off his £58,000 gambling debt, the Police Sergeant who smuggled drugs to India whilst claiming to make monthly visits for specialist back treatment, and the Detective Sergeant whose strippergram party was covertly filmed and sent to the News of the World.

June 2022

A large audience gathered on Thursday 9^th June to hear David Hearn’s fascinating talk about Sir William Brown. One of linen merchant Alexander Brown’s four sons, William was born in Liverpool but moved with his family to Baltimore, then returned to Liverpool in 1810 and married his wife Sarah. They had 9 children, and William outlived all of them.

William’s extensive interests covered shipping, banking and railways, and by 1836 he was turning over £10 million a year. $1 in every $6 of US overseas trade was handled by William Brown’s companies. Several office buildings were built in Liverpool, including the library and museum we see today, and William Brown Street is the only street in Europe which consists entirely of public buildings. In spite of this William was not well liked and was rather an introvert, however he was well known for his philanthropy.

May 2022

The Lancashire Cotton Famine

Sid Calderbank

1860, and the Industrial Revolution is well under way, with 2000 cotton mills employing half a million people, using cotton mostly supplied from the cotton fields of the Southern States of America which arrives regularly in the port of Liverpool with its 7 miles of docks. Then in 1861 war breaks out in America. 800,000 lives will be lost and there are naval blockades of the Southern States. The supply of cotton comes to an end; nearly 50 mills close within a few months and in Wigan alone 10,000 workers are unemployed. With no other source of income or support they are reduced to begging and burning furniture for warmth.

Then in 1862 John Whittaker, aka Lancashire Lad, writes a letter to the paper about the plight of the workers and begins to receive donations. Other philanthropists follow suit, and before long towns are setting up their own Relief Committees. Sewing schools are set up to retrain young mill girls, and by 1865 the war has ended and the supply of cotton resumes.

This amazing tale of triumph over adversity was told by Sid Calderbank, a Lancashire Lad himself who for 25 years has been entertaining groups such as ours. Using songs, poems and extracts from contemporary diaries, Sid painted a vivid and evocative picture of these extraordinary times, and drew parallels with the present tragic situation in Ukraine. A spellbinding talk, thank you Sid!

April 2022

Fakes and Forgeries: is there a difference?

After a most informative, amusing and well-illustrated talk by Bill Soens, we were left in no doubt: a fake is not intended to deceive, whereas a forgery most definitely is.

Bill began by showing us a Georgian silver coffee pot, valued at several thousand pounds and complete with hallmarks. In fact this turned out to be fashioned from a silver chalice, to which a spout, handle and lid had been added and which now had two sets of genuine hallmarks about 150 years apart.

By contrast, we were then introduced to ‘The Bolton Mafia’, aka George and Olive Greenhalgh and their son Shaun. Working in his garden shed, Shaun forged paintings by Lowry, artefacts by Barbara Hepworth and Paul Gauguin and an Egyptian statuette which he sold to the Bolton museum for £440,000, after it had been authenticated by the British Museum and Christie’s Auction house experts. He also claimed that an alleged Leonardo painting, La Principessa, had been painted by him and was in fact the checkout girl from the local Coop.  This is still in dispute.  He was eventually prosecuted and spent 4 ½ years in jail. Apparently he is still painting but signs everything with his own name, and has returned his ill-gotten gains to the Bolton Museum.

March 2022

On Thursday 3^rd March Julia Clayton made a welcome return, and gave a good size audience a fascinating insight into The Grand Tour. We heard how one of the first Grand Tours took place from 1613-14, when Thomas Howard, Earl of Arundel, and his wife Alathea journied to Italy, accompanied by the artist Inigo Jones. Amongst many other works of art they purchased 37 paintings by Titian, which can all be seen in the Ashmolean museum in Oxford. Many others followed in their foot

steps, renting a carriage in Calais and travelling onward in the hope of improving their language skills, building on their classical education, viewing artworks (and often having portraits painted of themselves), and listening to new music. This would build up their prestige and confirm them as men and women of taste. Clothes would be bought in Paris, and lists of what to take included such suggestions as a sofa bed, cutlery, condiments, cork-soled shoes and ‘portable soup’.

Julia then introduced us to 3 Lancashire gentlemen who made the Grand Tour: Charles Townley of Burnley, whose sculpture gallery formed the basis of the British Museum collection; Henry Blundell of Ince Blundell, a landowner whose collection of sculptures can be seen in Liverpool Museum; and finally John Foster Junior, a young architect. After spending 7 years abroad John Foster became the chief architect for Liverpool and designed the ‘bombed out church’ we are all familiar with, and many other buildings.

With the advent of the railways, improved techniques for reproduction and mass market guide books, the Grand Tour fell out of favour, but its legacy remains for us to enjoy today. Thank you Julia for a most interesting and enjoyable talk.

Julia will be back next year – keep an eye open for details.

February 2022

Neil Stevenson

The first of our 2022 Speaker Meetings took place via Zoom on Thursday 3^rd February, when Neil Stevenson gave a fascinating illustrated talk entitled From Pit Graves to Pyramids: Ancient Egyptian Burial Practices. We heard of evidence from 3500 BC in the form of Gebelein Man, who was simply buried in sand surrounded by grave goods, and whose body can be seen in the British Museum. In later times large structures were built over graves, then further developments led to step pyramids being constructed out of mud bricks. Finally techniques were perfected and the famous Pyramids at Giza were constructed using locally quarried limestone and granite from Aswan, using various transportation methods including sleds, levers and ramps. Neil also gave us an insight into hieroglyphics, the sophisticated writing system developed by the Egyptians 4500 years ago.

A lively Q & A session followed Neil’s talk.

2021

October 2021

If you’re irritated by the cost of renewing your passport, be grateful you were not trying to obtain one in 1858, when it would have cost you £2 7s 6d (equivalent to £266) and involved personal acquaintance with the Foreign Secretary!

A large audience attended the Speaker Meeting on 7^th October at Aughton Village Hall, to hear author, broadcaster and former Immigration Officer Martin Lloyd describe three events which have influenced the development of the passport we know today. In a vivid and detailed talk we travelled back to France in 1858 and the attempted assassination of Napoleon III, then to events Germany in 1914 which led to the inclusion of photographs, and again in Germany in 1945 when William Joyce, alias Lord Haw Haw, was executed for treason.

August 2021

An appreciative audience gathered at Aughton Village Hall on 19^th August for the first ‘in person’ Speaker Meeting since for 18 months. Author Carolyn Kirby spoke about the background to her latest novel, ‘When We Fall’, a gripping 2^nd World War thriller which was chosen by the Times and Sunday Times as one of the 10 best historical novels of 2020. Carolyn spoke movingly about the women pilots of the Air Transport Auxiliary who flew aircraft from factory to airfield with minimal training, often making 3 or 4 trips a day. In particular we heard about Diana Barnato Walker, whose obituary in The Guardian was the original inspiration for the novel, Amy Johnson, a huge celebrity of the time following her solo flight to Australia, Polish pilot and resistance hero Janina Lavandowska, who was taken prisoner by the Russians and killed at the infamous Katyn massacre, and Monique Agazarian, who after the war became a pioneer of simulator training.

Carolyn is at present working on her 3^rd novel, and we hope to hear from her again in the future.

June 2021

On Thursday 3rd June we were greatly entertained by Fool’s Gold, alias Carol and Steve Robson. Carol and Steve have been performing their unique shows for some while – long enough to rack up over 1000 performances which have been delivered to audiences all over the UK. Since the pandemic began, they have adapted their performances so that they can be delivered very effectively via Zoom. Dark Light is the new Fool’s Gold zoom show for 2021. Using a very effective combination of songs, film, photos and graphics, Carol and Steve told the fascinating story of the mysterious disappearance of three lighthouse keepers from Flannan Island in 1900. A most enjoyable performance. More details about Fool’s Gold can be found on their website: foolsgoldacoustic.co.uk

May 2021

On Thursday 6th May an appreciative Zoom audience enjoyed a fascinating and informative talk by John Whittles on Red Mason Bees. John told us how for many years farmers had been relying on imported bees to pollinate their fruit crops, due to the low numbers of native species. MasonBees.co.uk was originally a pollination service for farmers and growers, but has now developed into an educational enterprise designed to encourage us all to use our gardens and green spaces to create homes for solitary bees, which represent 90% of the bee population. We heard about the life-cycle of the Red Mason Bee which spans only 6-8 weeks in Springtime, and how the use of simple, specially designed equipment can greatly improve the chances of success, and so increase the declining numbers of bees.

You can find out more about these essential insects and their lifecycle on John’s website masonbees.co.uk

April 2021

On Thursday 1^st April a very appreciative audience was entertained once again by chocolate expert Andrew Thwaite, whose talk ‘Brilliant Brands’, told the stories behind the history and development of chocolate manufacture in York, and in particular Rowntree’s and Terry’s. We heard how the 19^th century founders of these companies were Quakers, and how cocoa was considered to be a wholesome alternative to the ‘demon drink’. In the beginning only hand-made chocolate assortments were produced, which were so expensive that the receipt of one was considered to be as good as a marriage proposal! The Kit Kat which we all know and love was first produced in 1935 as a result of a suggestion box scheme at the factory, and is now the world’s best selling chocolate bar – 6 million being made every day. Kit Kats are very popular in Japan, where they have developed flavours such as squid ink, hot dog and purple sweet potato! Andrew vividly described the early development of many of the products we still enjoy today, such as Polos, Walnut Whips (one eaten every 2 seconds, even though there is no longer a walnut on the top), and Terry’s Chocolate Orange, which started off as Chocolate Apple, then Chocolate Lemon before becoming the chocolate treat we enjoy today.

March 2021

Stephen Wells spoke about The Curious Incident of Agatha Christie

Thursday 4^th March over 50 members enjoyed a most entertaining and informative talk by professional entertainer Stephen Wells. The topic was ‘The Curious Incident of Agatha Christie’, and we heard how the famous author staged her own ‘disappearance’ in 1926, after receiving the devastating news that her husband had been having an affair. After a much publicised investigation involving Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, Edgar Wallace and Dorothy L Sayers, she was finally found 10 days later, very much alive and well, at the Hydro Hotel in Harrogate (now the Old Swan), having caused huge embarrassment to her errant husband, whom she divorced shortly afterwards.

Agatha Christie became known as the ‘Queen of Crime’ and is the best-selling novelist of all time, her books being outsold only by The Bible and Shakespeare. Stephen’s enthralling talk not only outlined her incredible career as a writer but also described how the film adaptations of her books have entertained huge audiences over the years, and continue to do so. An excellent presentation, complete with archive photos, film clips and music, added to our enjoyment of this excellent talk.

If you missed Stephen’s talk it can be viewed by following this link

February 2021

What did the Spartans do for us? Quite a lot it seems!

The first ever A&O u3a Zoom Speaker Meeting took place on 4^th February 2021, when author and historian Julia Clayton transported us back 2500 years to Sparta, the largest of 2000 separate city states in the region now known as Greece. In an enthralling talk, we heard how Spartan ideas, attitudes and culture such as constitutional monarchy, token money, team sports and the welfare state, form the basis of our modern society.  In her illustrated talk, Julia vividly described the unique social and economic system in operation at the time, where there was a ‘national curriculum’ of education for boys aged 7-30 and where the decision making was only done by people over 60 years of age. Julia commented that the Spartans would have approved of the u3a, conforming as it does to their philosophy of life long learning.

Julia’s blog can be found at: http://www.classicalclayton.blogspot.com

2020

[Speaker Meetings were paused during the first year of the Covid-19 pandemic.]

March 2020

On 5^th March we welcomed Natalie White, Community Banker for NatWest bank. Natalie’s talk was based on the Friends Against Scams initiative, which through organisations such as the U3A, aims to contact one million people by the end of the year, raising awareness of scams and how not to fall victim. We heard about many different scams: postal, phone, doorstep and online, and of how scammers are trained in befriending and grooming techniques in order to gain trust. 43% of people over 65 have already been targeted, resulting in huge financial loss and emotional impact. Natalie summarised her talk by suggesting 5 things to remember: Never disclose security details, don’t assume everyone is genuine, don’t be rushed or forced to make a decision, listen to your instincts and stay in control.

(Since the outbreak of the corona virus there have been reports of scammers attempting to take advantage of people’s vulnerability – please be extra vigilant).

February 2020

The first Speaker Meeting of the year took place on 6^th February, when a very appreciative audience heard U3A member Jane Sheehan speak on the subject of Foot Reading. After an introduction describing Jane’s career path to Reflexology and Foot Reading via Avionic Engineering and the Foreign Office, we were invited to remove our shoes and socks in order to be able to ‘self read’ our feet. We heard how wide feet indicate a hard-working mentality, whereas narrow feet suggest someone who is good at delegating. High arch? You are independent, self-reliant and enjoy time to yourself. A very long second toe suggests leadership qualities (or bossiness!). Members were invited to ask questions, all of which were competently answered by Jane. Altogether a most enjoyable and entertaining talk.

2019

November 2019

A large audience gathered on a cold, wet morning in November to hear John Winter speak about his book: Blame it on the Beatles – and Bill Shankly. John was studying medicine in Liverpool during the 60s when he became involved in the burgeoning music scene as a singer and songwriter, and his fascinating and entertaining talk brought back many memories of that time for those present. We were taken back to the early days of the Beatles (who at one time considered calling themselves The Raving Texans), and to Liverpool in the 60s, still recovering from the devastation of the war but nevertheless boasting over 300 groups. We heard about the famous Cavern Club, the Casbah in West Derby and Litherland Town Hall, where the Beatles played for the first time in December 1960. The poster for this event read ‘Direct from Hamburg’ and everyone thought they were German!

John is a keen fan of Liverpool FC, and readers of his book will note that the sky on the front cover is red, not blue! We heard how Bill Shankly joined Liverpool as manager from Huddersfield in 1959 with a mission to take his team to the top. He famously once said: ‘Football isn’t a matter of life and death, it’s more important than that’, and under his leadership the team went from strength to strength. By the mid 60s, through music and football, Liverpool transformed its image and the Beatles had the world at their feet.

September 2019

A large audience gathered in the Ministry Centre on 5^th September to hear a talk by Harold Hoggarth on the Civil War in Lancashire. Illustrated by maps, paintings and illustrations and based on the writings of 19^thcentury historian Ernest Broxap, Harold’s talk described how Lancashire at the time of the Civil war was divided into 6 regions, or ‘hundreds’, of which only 2 were on the Parliamentary side. The 2 armies were a combination of professional soldiers and ‘clubmen’, or local vigilantes, and towns quickly changed allegiance back and forth. We heard about the use of the musket, and how it was just as likely to kill the user as the enemy when the gunpowder exploded. Between 1642 and 1644 our region saw a number of conflicts, one of the most notable being the Battle of Whalley at Read Bridge, where 400 untrained men defeated 5000 Royalist soldiers. We also heard about the famous Siege of Lathom House, when the Countess of Derby, Charlotte de la Tremouille, held off the Parliamentarians for 3 months before being relieved by Prince Rupert, nephew of the King, in May 1644. The Battle of Marston Moor, west of York, was the largest battle of the Civil War, resulting in victory for the Parliamentarians and the abandonment of Lancashire by the Royalists.

Note: The Battle of Ormskirk (August 1644) was fought in our local area. More details can be found here.

June 2019

Seven members of the group attended this visit on a cold and blustery March morning.  Fortunately the rain and sleet that would dominate the afternoon held off apart from a couple of sharp showers when we were able to take shelter in one of the hides.

A pair of Shovellers through the sleet

Goosanders ignoring the rain

It was good to see the improvements that have been made to the facilities at Pennington Flash which now include a café.  A total of 41 bird species were recorded on this visit.  The feeders in front of the “Bunting Hide” always produces a good number of birds.

Click ‘Continue reading’ for the full list of 41 species seen:

Continue reading →

On Thursday 6th July at Horizons, we will welcome Dave Carlos, who will speak on the important topic of Cyber Crime.  See Speaker Meetings for details.

Saturday 29 July at Aughton Village Hall – 2 to 5 pm

Join us for afternoon tea and a glass of Sparkling Wine

Entertainment by our Music and Dance groups

Free Raffle

Tickets £5 (non refundable) available at Horizons or phone 01695 577614

Member, Julia Bate is Coordinator for the Health & Wellbeing Group which provides occasional talks on relevant topics for members to attend.

Additionally, Julia herself attends and reports back on regular meetings with the Patient Safety and the Patient and Public Involvement Groups attached to the North West Coast NHS Innovation Agency.  Interesting and comprehensive reports from these meetings are listed below. These meetings continue to be either face-to-face or via video-conferencing.

For further information, email Julia on: wellbeing@aughton-ormskirk-u3a.co.uk

Reports

2024

• March and April 2024 meetings

Fingerprick blood tests, a mental health app and pulmonary rehabilitation

• Meetings January and February 24

Happy Hearts website, patient opioid awareness campaign and a mobile phone app          for health monitoring

2023

• October and November meetings

Renaming of the Innovation Agency, review of Patient Medication Review Literature         and review of new Happy Hearts website

• September meeting
  Developing a questionnaire relating to an App into which details of home-monitoring of blood pressure etc are entered and submitted to the GP practice, a new means of befriending, and more about polypharmacy reviews.
• July meeting
  Telehealth (a home monitoring service for long-term health conditions), more information on the system for recording the improvement in response to physiotherapy following knee surgery, and the link between deprivation and health inequalities.
• June meeting
  A dementia-friendly photography group, a mobile phone app for accessing GP records, a portable ecg monitor worn for 14 days, and a system for monitoring response to physiotherapy
• May meeting
  A digital physical activity hub, a system for recording clinical consultations, enabling patients to revisit a consultation as many times as they wish, and an update on a website for people with lung conditions.
  
• April meeting
  A website providing fiction and creative writing as therapy
• March meeting
  Reducing ‘addiction’ to mobile phones, update on medication reviews and reducing opioid prescribing.
• February meeting
  Musculoskeletal pain relief via an App, an agency providing independent home carers, and a flu test and treat pilot project.

  2022

• December meeting  Ability consulting, an App that demonstrates how life is for disabled people.
• November meetings Triage for lung cancer patients, new website for patients with respiratory conditions, initial management of mental health conditions.
• October Meetings Asthma reviews, blister prevention pads an update on socks for people with diabetes, and another follow-up on Endoscopy alternative.
• July meetings – A tool for detecting deterioration in patients in care homes, follow up on Endoscopy Alternative, COPD questionnaire and training for Heart Heroes on blood pressure monitoring
• June meetings – Music therapy, Genomic medicine, Endoscopy alternative, Medication review and Self-monitoring of blood pressure
• May Meeting – self-referral to consultants using an App; spotting patients with severe asthma
• April Meeting – Update on alcohol withdrawal project; Cardiac Network and Websites helping with management and prevention of heart disease; Blood pressure testing in barbers’ shops
• March meeting – Update on Back Pain Management App; Chatbot with Mental Health Advice; Patient Safety (Opioid withdrawal and Medication review)
• February meeting – Pillow with a hole; Back pain management App; Menopause Consultancy
• January meeting – Influenza; Mental Health safety; Lipid management

2021

• December meeting – re-usable medical grade PPE; diabetic socks
• November meeting – ‘Biodose’ smart medication dosage tray; diabetic socks
• October meeting – Celsium wearable thermometer; Alcohol related brain injury; loneliness aid
• September meeting – ‘Drivernet’ transport system; ‘Tiny Medical Apps’ eg for asthma management
• August meeting
• July meeting
• June meeting
• May meeting
• April meeting
• March meeting
• February meeting

2020

• December meeting
• November meetings
• October meetings
• September Meetings
• August Meeting
• July Meeting
• June Meeting

Continue reading →

Certain Groups run events, meetings and outings where any u3a member is welcome to attend even if they do not regularly or usually go to the Group Meetings.  Indeed extra people are sometimes necessary to make an event or group viable or cheaper.   So now and then, do check out the following:

• Beer Appreciation
• Theatre Visits
• Philharmonic Visits
• Drama Productions
• Musical Theatre Productions
• Opera Appreciation

If any Leaders would like their Group adding to the above list, contact:

webteam@aughton-ormskirk-u3a.co.uk

Family friendly workshop highlights healthy ageing to combat dementia

Edge Hill University researchers and Aughton & Ormskirk u3a welcomed more than 170 visitors to a workshop to highlight healthy ageing and combat dementia.

The Healthy Brain Showcase featured talks and discussion on healthy ageing and memory, in addition to dance performances and crafting.

The event was part of the Ageing Better with an Active Mind research project which aims to encourage healthy ageing in Lancashire and Merseyside, where the elderly population with dementia is higher than the national average.

Dr Dorothy Tse, senior lecturer in psychology and principal investigator, said: “This event was a great opportunity to engage with the whole community, to improve people’s understanding of healthy ageing, promote a better understanding of brain health and raise awareness of key actions to reduce the risk of dementia.”

The co-principal investigator Dr Nicola van Rijsbergen added: “Ultimately we want to inspire behaviour change within communities across Lancashire and Merseyside and show people how they can take positive steps to improve their brain health.”

At the workshop the team presented and discussed the findings of a consultation with members of u3a which explored themes of memory and dementia, how physical activity benefits the brain, neuroscience, brain health and the active mind.

Alan Buckley, a u3a member who took part in the previous workshops, said: “Dementia affects so many people but it is so complex, so to have better awareness of the disease and how it can affect you is really useful in understanding how we can reduce its effects. We have to do something about it at an early stage instead of letting it progress.”

Fellow member Sue Buckley added: “It was interesting to focus on something which is already close to our hearts, I was absolutely amazed to find the link between physical activity and mental activity.”

Attendees described the Healthy Brain showcase as “a fabulous day”, “interesting and entertaining”, “an excellent event for the local community”, “well organised and presented” and said “the speakers were all excellent”.

Speakers included Dr Jitka Vseteckova, senior lecturer in health and social care from The Open University, Dr Jade Thai, programme manager of neuroscience and mental health at Mersey Care NHS Foundation Trust and Carol Rogers MBE, Director of House of Memories at National Museums Liverpool.

Organisations and charities also attended with stalls hosted by The Brain Charity, the Liverpool-based Women’s Health Information and Support Centre (WHISC), Age UK Lancashire and the National Museums Liverpool initiative House of Memories.

There were dance performances by u3a members, Edge Hill’s James Hewison with the Hard-Wired project, 50 Moves, Men Dancing and Base Dance Performing Arts, and the University’s Confucius Institute led crafts such as calligraphy and Chinese paper cutting.

The research project showcase is funded by Edge Hill’s Institute for Social Responsibility and the Department of Psychology.

Photo gallery

Introduction

Healthy brain research

Carol Rogers – House of Memories

Chinese Calligraphy

50 Moves

Men! Dancing!

u3a Line Dancing + audience

A wonderful day in a sunbathed Chester.

We visited some of Chester’s oldest and finest hostelries, guided by Dag Griffiths;-

• The Old Harker’s Arms
• Ye Olde Boot
• The Pied Bull
• Telford’s Warehouse
• The Bull and Stirrup

Next month’s visit is Chorley.

Chester photos

On the way to Ye Olde Boot

Eastgate clock

Lunch on the hoof

Inside Ye Olde Boot

Thoughtful customers

Back room – Ye Olde Boot

Chester cathedral

Chester town hall

Oldest Inn with its own brewery

Through the city walls to Telford’s warehouse

Telford’s warehouse. A great selection of beers in a converted warehouse, next to the Shropshire Union canal

Continue reading →

Peter Lloyd has started up a group for electric bikers.

Peter Says:

He has had long experience with our u3a cycling groups, but he thinks now is the time to enjoy some help with the pastime for “not so young legs” – pedal power greatly enhanced, let’s say.

Usually on a Wednesday, 10:30 start, local area. Very much social rides to include a cafe stop, fun and friendship. Weather permitting, of course. Not too far at 15/20 miles, with plenty of stops.

Contact Peter on 07801 106335 if interested or for more information.

Continue reading →

Seven members of the group enjoyed a good morning’s bird watching at this Lancashire Wildlife Trust site adjacent to the river Alt and a total of thirty three species were recorded.  A particular highlight of this visit was a young female Kestrel which perched, flew low and hovered quite close to us.  We noticed the bird was ringed and information subsequently seen on Facebook confirms she was ringed as a nestling on 10th July 2022 at Cockerham near Lancaster.

Click ‘Continue reading’ for the full list of 33 species seen:

Continue reading →

Continue reading →

This event was a great success! look our for a report in the next u3a Magazine.  Many thanks to all those involved both at Edge Hill and within A&O u3a. And thanks too to all those who attended – Edge Hill staff and students, u3a members and the local community.

As a follow on from the successful collaboration with Edge Hill University on the Ageing Better Project, the leaders are holding a free Showcase Event at the University on 11th February 2023, starting at 10 am in the Arts Centre. The purpose of the event is to present and discuss the findings of the workshop series attended by a number of our u3a members. The event will feature  talks about brain and ageing and will include  dance performances and a calligraphy stall.

Continue reading →

Five members of the group attended our first visit of 2023.  We started by meeting in the café to discuss the programme of visits for the year after which we visited some of the hides and the Reedbed walk before lunch.  This site never disappoints and an excellent variety of species were recorded with several raptors and many woodland and farmland birds as well as waterfowl and waders.  One member was able to stay on for a while after lunch and added a few extra species at some of the other hides we did not have time to visit in the morning.  In total forty six species were recorded on this visit.

Whooper Swans

Greylag Goose

Male and Female Pintail

Teal

Black-tailed Godwit

Male Stonechat

The Black-tailed Godwits can be quite feisty!

Click ‘Continue reading’ for the full list of 46 species seen:

Continue reading →

Continue reading →

Our u3a provides many opportunities for learning. But we also have a vibrant social dimension to our activities. They bring together people from across a wide range of special interests,  in a convivial atmosphere, simply to enjoy themselves. These excellent events are mostly organised by the Social Subcommittee.

There are  usually committee members at the weekly Horizons meetings from whom you can get more details on their events and book places or buy tickets.

2024 Events

• 5th July – Barn Dance @ Aughton Village Hall

Tickets for the Barn Dance will be on sale from 2nd May at Horizons.

Please see Paul or Mike on the Social Committee Desk

Tickets priced at £15 which includes a supper

Bring your own drinks and glasses

Dancing to “Change of  Key”

• 4th October – Quiz night @ Scout & Guide HQ
• 6th December – Christmas Social @ Aughton Village Hall

Further details of all the above events will follow nearer the dates.

Note that some Groups and individual members also organise learning and social events open to all members ie not just their regular attendees.  They are usually well advertised on the run-up to their dates in the monthly enews / the occasional magazines / at Horizons / on our u3a facebook presence and elsewhere on this u3a website such as the News page, the Groups Pages and the Front Page sidebar.   Check the various  Communication methods regularly so you don’t miss out on advertising your u3a event!

Examples of Past Events in 2023

• Friday 16th June 7pm at Aughton Village Hall
• Dancing to Rollercoaster

* Aughton & Ormskirk u3a 20^th Anniversary Celebration

• Saturday 29 July at Aughton Village Hall, 2-5 pm
• An afternoon tea and a glass of fizz; also free raffle and entertainment
• See the September 2023 Magazine for report and photos.

* Quiz Night

• at the Scout & Guide HQ on 29 September

* Christmas Lunch Party

• At the Christ Church Ministry Centre on 8 December
• Dancing to Rollercoaster

Examples of Past Events in 2022

• • Vegan Lunch – 23 March

    • at St Michaels Church Hall
    • on Wednesday 23 March, 12 noon for 12:30

  • Queens Jubilee Event – 25 June

    Click on Poster to view details full-size

• • Quiz Night with Hotpot Supper – “Battle of the Groups” – 30 September

    • • Friday 30th September
      • Venue – Scout & Guide HQ

  • Christmas Lunch Party – 9 December

    

See details and photos of this very successful and enjoyable annual event.

2021 Highlights

Click on u3a Christmas Lunch  for a gallery of photos from this social event, the first for a long time due to Coronavirus lockdown and social isolation rules.

View Past Social Highlights

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(Please accept my apologies for not posting individual reports of these visits)

13th September 2022 – Speke Hall

Four members of the group attended our first visit of the Autumn to this National Trust property by the Mersey Estuary.  A total of twenty bird species were recorded on this visit.

11th October 2022 – Leighton Moss RSPB and Morecambe Bay

Five members of the group travelled to this site, the most distant of the sites we regularly visit.  This large RSPB reserve regularly has many less common species including the bearded tits, which we only managed to hear on this occasion, and Marsh Tits.  A total of thirty six species were recorded across the two sites.

8th November 2022 – Burton Mere RSPB

This visit was called off at the last minute when several members had to pull out, however one member of the group didn’t get the message in time and recorded a total of twenty nine species.

The visit was re-arranged for 13th December but again was postponed when only two members of the group were available.  We will try again early in early 2023, hopefully it will be third time lucky!

29th November 2022 – Martin Mere

The Wildfowl and Wetlands Trust site at Martin Mere is always a good visit at this time of year and six group members were well rewarded with a total of forty two species being recorded.  A particular highlight was seeing four Marsh Harriers flying over the land beyond the mere, though the hazy conditions made it difficult to capture good photographs.  The number of Whooper Swans in ‘first winter’ plumage indicates they have had a good breeding season.

Click ‘Continue reading’ for the full list of species seen on the above visits:

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(Please accept my apologies for not posting individual reports of these visits)

29th March 2022 – Marbury Country Park

Five members of the group enjoyed a lovely morning’s birding at this extensive country park with its wide range of habitats between Burton Mere and the Trent and Mersey canal.  A total of twenty six species were recorded and a particular highlight was the good views we got of a Mistle Thrush at quite close range.

Thanks to group member Ken for this shot of the Mistle Thrush.

12th April 2022 – Mere Sands Wood

Four members of the group attended this visit on a soggy and misty morning.  It was interesting to see the on going repairs and replacements of the hides and the improvements to the main hub.  A highlight was about twenty Swallows flying low over the water.  A total of twenty six species were recorded.

10th May 2022 – Yarrow Valley Country Park

Yarrow Valley is another extensive country park with a wide variety of habitats alongside the River Yarrow and six members of the group had an enjoyable morning’s birdwatching, recording a total of twenty two species.  Highlights of this visit were the Dippers feeding their young and the Grey Wagtails.

14th June 2022 – Woolston Eyes Nature Reserve

It was good to be able to return after three years to this very special Site of Special Scientific Interest set on an island between the River Mersey and the Manchester Ship Canal close to the Thelwall Viaduct.  Five members of the group enjoyed this visit with a total of thirty species being recorded.  One of the main attractions of this site is the breeding colony of Black-necked Grebes and the timing of this visit was ideal as the adults were seen feeding their chicks.  It was also good to see many other birds with their young.  The Black-necked Grebes were at quite a distance but this one put on a good show for us as it constantly dived for food for it’s chick:

Thanks to Tony and Ken for these other pictures from this visit:

12th July 2022, Lunt Meadows Nature Reserve

Eight members of the group attended our final visit before the August break.  This Wildlife Trust reserve, alongside the River Lunt, has a good variety of habitats and always produces a good range of sightings.  This visit was no exception with a total of thirty seven species being recorded.

Click ‘Continue reading’ for the full list of species seen on the above visits:

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May 2022

Old Boilers and

The End of the Pier Show

November 2021

Death by Paintbrush

April 2019

Two weddings and a Conference

November 2019

Christmas Pudding

April 2018

A Fate Worse Than Death

October 2018

“Slim Chance” and “Commemorate and Celebrate”

April 2017

Get Staffed

and

Love and Marriage and All That Jazz

October 2017

Smalls Talk

and

Cabaret at the K P Club

April 2016

Acting – It’s Not Plumbing

and

Let’s Go To The Movies

October 2016

Death on Delivery

June 2015

Out for the Count

and

Follow the Rainbow

October 2015

S S Persephone

A review of “The Persephone Affair”

It was ‘all aboard’ the S S Persephone when the Drama Group presented ‘The Persephone Affair’ – a murder mystery – in Aughton Village Hall, which was attended on Saturday evening by the play’s author Kevin Green.
The Hall was transformed for the evening into the liner’s first class lounge thus ensuring that the audience felt part of the plot.
All the actors fully immersed themselves in their parts, taking on wonderfully the character being played. It was revealed through the course of the play that each one of them was in financial straits. A touch of humour was supplied every time the Steward appeared when the ship seemed to roll. This was achieved by a superbly choreographed swaying by all the actors who were on
the stage.
When Lady Daphne met an untimely end it was apparent that each one of them had a motive and was a suspect. Miss Marbles, an amateur sleuth, announced that the death was ‘murder by poisoning’. As she led the suspects away, the audience was left to contemplate the means, motive and opportunity for the murder, over an excellent supper.
We all left the hall having had a thoroughly enjoyable and entertaining evening.
Sally Bahia

Group members were also able to take part in other activities such as:
Sunday Social

Loitering within Tent

In 2017 the Drama Group were asked for volunteers to take part in a short film being made by
Edge Hill University students.  The film, “Take Care” is now available to view on YouTube and
stars Jackie Roscoe and Maureen Bridge. Congratulations to both of them.

Summer Social

On Parade

“Summer Serenade” with the u3a Choir

Everything in Moderation

Lost at Sea

“Acting Up”

In 2015 five of our members attended the first session of a pilot scheme called “Acting Up”.
This was run by Kaleidoscope, a Northern Ireland professional theatre company and was held at
the Royal Exchange Theatre Manchester.  Representatives of several other U3A Drama or Play
Reading groups from the North West region also attended.
There were many activities during the day including ice breakers, memory games, learning focus
and stagecraft, improvisation and acting in sketches.  The two excellent facilitators, Kerry and
Karen made it interesting and enjoyable for all.
There then followed two further workshops building on the knowledge  and experience gained
and the icing on the cake was a performance at The Lowry, Manchester on 23 rd  February.  The
Drama Group members performed three sketches, two of which were written by Kerry Rooney,
who is the Artistic Director of Kaleidoscope.
We learned a lot and everyone enjoyed the workshops, especially the opportunity to perform on a
professional stage.
This was an experience which we will remember for a long time.

Wednesday, 2nd November 2022

Emeritus Professor Dr Chris Hunt

The Neanderthals of Shanidar Cave, Iraq

Further details of Professor Hunt’s presentation will be uploaded when available.

If the scientists are to be believed, including our favourite TV presenter, Prof Alice Roberts, all of us north of the Med have a small percentage of Neanderthal DNA.

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Wednesday 21st December 2022

Christopher Wheeldon’s lively Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland transports audiences to the riotous world of Lewis Carroll’s characters, including a tap-dancing Mad Hatter and a comically wicked Queen of Hearts. Bob Crowley’s ingenious mixture of traditional and innovative stagecraft together with the pace and colour of Joby Talbot’s score make Alice a gloriously vibrant experience. Packed with clever choreography – from the memorable croquet scene, complete with flamingos and hedgehogs, to a parody of the Rose Adage from The Sleeping Beauty – this is enchanting family entertainment at its best.

Speakers:     Brian Farrimond – Peter Gateley – Peter Hatfield

Anglo Saxon Timeline  can be accessed on this link.

March 22, 2022 –  Talk  – Westminster Abbey – Part 1

On the site of a Saxon monastery, a large new building in the Norman style was ordered by King Edward the Confessor some time after 1042 and consecrated in 1065.  The building has been renewed and embellished over the years and is now largely a magnificent gothic structure, based on the major rebuild carried out under Henry III, which started in 1245.

In Part 1 we will look mainly at the western parts of this large and important building, along with its nearby associated claustral adjuncts.

April 26, 2022  – Talk – Westminster Abbey – Part 2

Edward the Confessor envisaged the new church as a place for his burial and since that time the majority of English kings and queens have been buried here.  Since the days of King Harold and William the Conqueror, in 1066, it has also been the location of the coronation of British monarchs, as well as many royal weddings.

Part 2 will cover the eastern section of the Abbey and the more far-flung buildings around the former royal palace of Westminster, associated with the abbey over many years.

May 24, 2022  – Visit – Lancaster Cathedral and Lancaster Priory.

Formerly known as the Priory Church of St Mary, Lancaster Priory is now the parish church for the city of Lancaster but began as a Benedictine priory established in 1094, though remnants of a Saxon church have also been found on Castle Hill.  The original priory church has been much enlarged, starting in 1360, and was completely remodeled in the Perpendicular Gothic style from 1431 onwards.  The church underwent a restoration as early as 1558.  Today it is a Grade 1 listed building.

The Roman Catholic cathedral church of St Peter was a parish church up to 1924, it is now the seat of the diocese of Lancaster.  The present Neo-Gothic building replaced a mission established in 1798 and was built between 1857 and 1859 to a design by the eminent Gothic revival architect EG Paley, a later baptistry was designed by Austin and Paley.  The notable tower and spire rise to a height of 73m (240ft). The cathedral is listed as a Grade 2* building.

August 16, 2022 – Visit – Beverley Minster and St Mary’s Church.

The coach excursion to Beverley, in Yorkshire’s East Riding has been rearranged for Tuesday 16 August.

Our main aim will be to enjoy the medieval glories of Beverley Minster, a former abbey church that is larger than one third of all English Cathedrals.

The coach will collect us at Four Lane Ends Mission at 9 o’clock and we should arrive in Beverley in time to disperse and find somewhere for a quick lunch. At 2 o’clock we will re-assemble at the West door of the Minster to begin our visit. If time allows, over lunch, the wonderful St Mary’s church is also worth looking into.

We would be leaving Beverley around 3.30 and arriving back around 6.30, depending ontraffic.

The cost of this trip will be £33.00p per person. If you would like to join us for thisvisit, please contact Peter Gateley on 07518 685807.

Situated over in the East Riding of Yorkshire, Beverley Minster is now one of the largest parish churches in the UK, being larger than a third of all English cathedrals.  This Gothic masterpiece, with double transepts, is the latest church on this site, originally  based on a monastery founded in the 8^th century.  There are elements of Early English, Decorated and Perpendicular Gothic all of the highest architectural quality and unified into an harmonious composition by the continuous vaulting from one end to the other.

St Mary’s was established in the 12^th century as a daughter church of the Minster.  Although some sections of 12^th and 13^th century work remain, the church was more-or-less totally rebuilt in the Decorated Gothic style from the late 13^th century up to the 1340s.  There was another major phase of rebuilding, this time in the Perpendicular style, after the central tower collapsed in 1520.  Like the Minster this church is also classed as a Grade 1 listed building.

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Martin Mere has now re-opened following the recent temporary closure after a case of Avian Influenza affected a bird in their collection.

See the WWT website for full details.

Pay a regular visit to  this brand new Page on our Website to avoid missing out on special Guests and Events at Horizons.

Local history meetings returned to our indoor venue at the S&GHQ from Tuesday, 4 October. Please see details of future talks on our webpage Local History

Now and then, during specified Thursday morning  Horizons Meetings,  Aughton & Ormskirk u3a welcomes outside Guests from whom we can learn about something relevant, new or useful to our membership.  Also at some other Horizons Meetings, we are fortunate to host special Events with our own u3a members running a demo or display.

In November 2023, we were very pleased to welcome Roger Mitchell from Southport University Extension Society (SUES). He described the types of lifelong learning opportunities provided by this long-standing local organisation and explained how our members could join in. Check out the list of upcoming SUES Lectures and Courses.

Look out for advance publicity of Horizons Guests and Events here and in the usual publicity places:

• at Thursday morning  Horizons Meetings
• in enews (emailed monthly to members)
• on various locations on our u3a Website
• via our u3a presence on Facebook   

please visit the National u3a Home Page.

Wednesday September 7th 2022

The first meeting of the 2022/23 season welcomed back retired biology lecturer, Dr Phil Smith, MBE, who gave a most interesting talk about the efforts to conserve nature along the Sefton Coast.

Study site, called The Devil’s Hole

Cancelled due to lack of numbers!

Helping Each Other Group  have planned a Tea Dance at the Sefton Park Palm House on 13th September. But if they do not get more people signed up by this coming Tuesday, 6th September,  it will regretably have to be cancelled.

Please phone  Judy ASAP on 01695 423141 if you would like to go on this outing. All welcome, even if you do not usually attend HEOG.

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BY MIKE McKENNA

Several of you are likely to have passed a fairly undistinguished looking public house en route to your regular Creative Writing Group sessions called ‘The Royal Oak’ situated near Aughton. You may even have graced its doors for a libation or two. Apparently there are about 500 so named in Britain.

But I’m in danger of getting ahead of myself and need to take you back in time. So first things first, my name is Charles, my surname is not relevant at the moment. So, Charles it is.

In the very early days of September I found myself in Worcester. I had come to meet an acquaintance of mine called Oliver. I say acquaintance, but in truth we never actually met, although our lives were inextricably linked, but we had little in common apart from deep hostility and loathing. Thirty one years separated us and Oliver had but seven years to the day before his shrivelled soul would depart from his body. You may think that ‘shrivelled’ is a harsh term for a Christian man to use, but ask any Irishman or woman and they would heartily agree to the accompaniment of curses and oaths.

But I must return to this day in early September. I think I’ve revealed enough of my opinion of Oliver.

Indeed, such was our loathing of each other that we both saw fit to surround ourselves with trusty companions. In my case there were 16,000 ‘companions’ which by any stretch of the imagination is a great deal of companions. They came mostly from Scotland and Worcester and the surroundings were to them a foreign country.

Oliver saw fit to bring 28,000 ‘companions’ with him. Almost double the amount I could call upon. And as it turned out that superiority in numbers was impossible to overcome. Even though we had right on our side. They say that God works in mysterious ways and that day was a case in point.

We toiled for many hours, too many to recall with any accuracy, but sufficient for some 3,000 of my brave supporters to perish. Many times greater than Oliver’s supporters suffered.

When the outcome was becoming ever more apparent some of my closest allies persuaded me that caution rather than obstinate and futile bravery was the only recourse open to me. I had to flee the battlefield. At first I resisted. The sight of so many doomed, dead and bloodied companions was more than I could stand. But I was eventually persuaded and seizing a lull in the skirmishes nearby, we slipped undetected off the main road and into the concealing shelter of a dense wood.

In the weeks that followed. Weeks full of terror and deprivation I became a fugitive in my own country, hunted by Oliver’s followers and sympathisers. I could trust no one.

There was a price on my head. Enough money to keep the locals in food and drink for months. And the description of the ‘tall black man upwards of two yards high’ was posted in all the surrounding towns and villages.

That brief description was sufficient to arouse any suspicion and it was necessary for me to wear borrowed, rough labourers clothing, blacken my face with soot and suffer torn and bleeding feet wearing only makeshift, ill fitting shoes. A far cry from my customary apparel.

But despite the reward for betrayal there were many, nameless for obvious reasons, who risked their lives to conceal my presence. But one family I cannot avoid disclosing were instrumental in my eventual escape. They were the Penderell brothers. Five of them and all devout Catholics. They owned a sprawling manor called ‘Whiteladies’ in Shropshire and there I hid for several tense days and nights.

But Oliver’s men were making increasingly exhaustive searches in the surrounding countryside. The Penderell’s religious allegiance was well known and they knew it would not be long before their home was exhaustively searched and my presence discovered.

And so at the Pendrell’s suggestion, along with a certain Major William Careless, later to become a Colonel, it was decided that we two should hide in the nearby Boscobel Wood until the searches subsided. And so with no more than a two day ration of cheese, bread and a flagon of beer we fled to that dense forest, more in despair than hope.

As we beat a path towards the centre of the wood we heard voices, dogs barking and the sound of bushes being beaten with sticks or clubs. Our pursuers were getting ever closer.

At Major Careless’s urging we climbed up into a large oak tree. I was too exhausted to manage it myself and but for his strength and assistance I would have remained rooted to the ground. But with some difficulty he hoisted me up onto a sturdy branch. As I mentioned earlier I was exhausted and despite the peril I was in I quickly fell asleep on my new friend’s sturdy arm.

At nightfall we deemed it prudent to climb down from our unlikely sanctuary and seek permanent safety.

And that’s how I ended up, up in a tree.

BY LIZ DIXON

‘Gillian? It’s Angela. My day’s been so much fun – I’ve been stuck in a tree! You must meet me for a glass of wine, dear, so I can tell you all about it.’

Earlier that day, Angela had shimmied into an old floral cotton dress. She glossed over the fact that the buttons up the front were straining and admired her shapely legs in the mirror. One has to make an effort, even for gardening, she mused – you never know who might pass by. Indeed, weeding progress was slow as she stopped to pass the time of day with neighbours, dog walkers and a group of youths dribbling a football on their way to the field beyond their cul-de-sac. Sadly no hunky men to amuse her today but she enjoyed the banter with those she spoke to. ‘These weeds are growing like billy-o,’ she said to Millie as the young girl from three doors down wheeled her bike along the pavement. ‘Hold on a minute – why are you looking so glum?’

‘I’ve got a list of things I want to do before I’m 10 and one of them’s riding my bike without stabilisers but I can’t do it. All my friends learnt when they were in infant school and it makes me look stupid.’ Angela was moved by the child’s disappointment.

‘Wait there,’ she said, dropping her trowel, hitching up her dress and climbing over her front wall, ‘I’ll help you.’

She demonstrated; she instructed; she held the back of the seat and jogged along for a few paces but something in Millie wouldn’t allow her to take the plunge, unaided, on two wheels.

Apparently, Millie had already crossed off things like getting her first-aid badge from Brownies and baking a cake without any assistance from her mum. She had two items to go. Angela admired Millie’s ambition to achieve her list of 10 things before she was 10 and, with only a week to go before the birthday, she worried that the girl might be crushed by her failure on the bike. ‘How about you change this item to something else? What about kissing a boy?’

‘Yuk!’

‘Okay, what’s the other thing on your list?’

‘Climbing a tree but I haven’t found a good tree yet.’

‘Your luck is in, Millie, dear! I have a large old sycamore in my back garden just itching to be climbed!’ Angela had held a secret urge to climb the tree but at 53 with a figure to match her general lack of exercise, she’d sensibly dismissed the notion. Here now was a broad smile on a nine year old face and Angela’s heart swelled. Between them they wheeled the bike into the back garden and analysed the route up the sycamore.

‘Well, what could I do? The child needed encouragement,’ she said to Gillian that evening over a glass of wine.

‘You could have offered advice from the safety of the lawn, Angela.’

‘I couldn’t help myself,’ she said with a cheeky smile and went on to describe the rest of the incident in great detail.

Millie had chosen a very sensible set of branches that would get her more than half way up. Half way was a long way off the ground and would certainly count as success. Her energy and agility more than made up for her lack of height and she showed her delight at every step. It was a good route. Angela’s long legs could manage that, no problem. She was sure she could manage it, and without thinking any further she set off after Millie. It was exhilarating. She made it to the branch below her young friend and they sat there admiring the view into other people’s gardens and over to the field beyond where the lads were playing football. But when it came time for the climb down, her foot couldn’t find the first branch on her decent. How had her leg been long enough on the way up yet too short to risk stepping back down again? She shuffled a bit, wondering whether she should face forwards, backwards or just shut her eyes and jump. Millie couldn’t get past her so they were both stuck. Better not show her I’m scared, she thought. Let’s think of something to take our minds off the problem for a while.

‘Millie, dear, you have only one more task to do before you’ve completed your 10 challenges. How about you forget the bike and make that last task singing in a tree. Millie thought it was a great idea but didn’t know Angela’s suggested song – All Things Bright and Beautiful – so they opted for Chim Chim Cher-ee from Mary Poppins. They sang joyfully at the top of their voices not caring who heard them. Angela secretly hoped that a hunky fireman would be passing and come to their rescue. Instead, Millie’s dad strolled round to take a photo of them and he helped the pair down without Angela having to admit to her scary predicament. All three of them were delighted with the achievements of the day.

Angela took another noisy slurp of wine, turned to Gillian and said, ‘And that’s how I ended up, up in a tree.’

BY SUE WATKINSON

I’ve been on my own for far too long. The litter tray is full and my bowls are empty. The cat flap is locked shut, just in case I decide to escape or that pesky cat from next door climbs in to annoy me. I gave it a good beating last time that happened and we haven’t been on good terms since then. But it might forget and try again one day. I’m going to find a look-out position to check when the car comes in. Then I’ll saunter down the stairs, turning my back on the family to show my extreme displeasure at being left all day and most of the evening too.

AT last, here they are. Action stations – top step, ready, steady go – down one by one, lazy saunter, head turned away. I can hear the calls and coos but something is amiss. I can smell – dog! And it’s in my house. It’s an instinct, a primeval response. Cat hates dog. No arguments. Whatever are they doing, why ever have they allowed a dog to come in here?  Mistress bends down to show me a bundle wrapped in a blanket.

‘Look,’ she says, all soppy baby talk voice, ‘we’ve brought a little friend for you to play with.’ couchie, couchie, coo. ‘Look Theo, here’s your big sister come to say hello.’

And there it was, a small creature smelling of dog, looking like dog but tiny, smaller than me, with a squashed tomato sort of face, hair sticking up on its ears and big, wide eyes.

Of course I reacted as only a cat can do. The fur on my back rises stiffly, my claws extend ready to fight, my eyes narrow to slits and a low growl comes from my throat. I must make my position clear.

Mistress tries again. The bundle is opened up and the contents tipped out on the carpet. She picks me up and puts me close to the creature. Without being able to stop myself I lash out with one paw, catching the material with my claws. Dog retreats looking anxious. Good, cat one, dog nil. ‘Don’t do that,’ Mistress tells me, ‘Theo is a new friend, be kind to him, he’s just left his Mummy.’ As if I care, my Mummy is a long distant memory, I make my own way in life, that’s what cats do. They walk alone. ‘Make Theo welcome,’ they tell me, ‘he’s going to live here with us.’

How could they do this to me? I’ve been their loyal and constant companion for the past three years. I’ve put up with their nauseous children: being dressed up and taken for walks in the dolls’ pram, having my tail pulled and my fur rubbed the wrong way by the clumsy, fat paws of their young son and daughter. I’ve been patient and thought of my regular meals, my warm bed, Not once have I reacted badly, no biting, scratching, yowling or, as they call it, caterwauling like that tom cat from two gardens’ away. How is he going to react to Theo? My money is on the tom. All these thoughts race through my head as I back off, watch and wait for developments, cursing gently as only a wronged cat can do.

Master is losing patience, I can tell. He goes to the back door, opens it. Then he picks me up and throws me out into the garden. The indignity of it, in front of new dog. And then, as if inspired by this unnecessarily cruel treatment, dog growls too and, on tiny legs, begins to run towards the door. He sees me outside and increases his pace.

I do, quite instinctively, what cat has done throughout millennia. I run away and reach the only tree of any size in the garden. I leap and clamber up the trunk until I reach a low branch where I sit and spit and curse. Theo puts his front paws on the trunk and makes a sound that might be an embryo bark, now more of a squeak. But I’m safe and here I’m going to stay until he’s removed from my territory. Theo can’t reach me, dog cannot climb, cat is safe. ‘Well stay there,’ shouts Master, carrying Theo back into the house. The door is slammed shut.

And that’s how I ended up, up in a tree.

BY ANN HENDERS

All week people have been talking about the visit, as if nothing else was happening here. Of course, they weren’t actually talking to me about it but as I went about my work I heard them. What day would he come? What time would he come? How many of his friends and supporters would come with him? I almost joined in myself but I didn’t. I can’t waste my time on chit chat and anyway I have to keep a professional distance. I have a very important job. If anyone thought I was interested in something like that they may use it to press for a favour. ‘A little more time please’, ‘not so much interest please’. No! I keep my own counsel. I say nothing but hear all and sometimes, I hear secrets and secrets are powerful currency. I can work them to my advantage. I have a good home, a full larder. Soon I will be asking Thaddeus for his daughter in marriage.  An offer to good for him to refuse.

So, today is the day of the visit. Some of his supporters arrived last night to prepare the way, sort out a venue, spread the word. From early this morning people were at the city gate to greet him and line the street to the main square. It was mayhem. I walked the length of the route searching for a gap but no one gave way to me. All I could see was the back of people’s heads and shoulders. The children slipped through and under the crowd, I had to resort to jumping up but that was too undignified.

 In the square is a big sycamore tree. A lot of older people and women were taking advantage of the shade, they were a bit easier to push through so I could climb the lower branches of the tree. There I waited. In the distance I heard the first roar of the crowd as they saw him approach, the sound rolled and rose like thunder through the narrow street then exploded into the square. I saw him quite clearly, this famous leader of men. What was all the fuss about? He was just a man, dark, average height, dusty feet and clothes but the crowd went wild. As he moved through the square he stopped and looked into the tree. Smiled and waved to me as if he expected me to be there.

‘Zacheus! My friend! Hurry up and get down from that tree, I will be dining at your house tonight’.

The crowd was silent, then someone shouted

‘But he’s a tax collector and he’s been cheating us for years’

The Leader looked at me and smiled and I heard my own voice say

‘Don’t worry, I will give you back four fold all the money I have taken’

The crowd cheered, the leader continued on his way and I remain, up this tree, dumbfounded by the words that have just left my mouth and wondering what I have at home to feed my guest this evening.

BY JUDY INGMAN

“No, listen, Sue, I know it sounds silly but I’ve been watching him.”

“My God Mother, don’t tell me you’ve drilled a hole in the fence. Although the way you’ve been obsessed with him, I wouldn’t put it past you! Look I’m going now, see you next week and take care.”

With that Sue blew me a kiss banging the front door on the way out.

“I knew she would be like that, Puss, I shouldn’t have told her. From now on it will just be our secret.”

Puss looked at me adoringly. After all I was the lady who fed her. Purring throatily she moved to her dish as I crept out to climb the oak tree. Luckily Sue hadn’t noticed the stepladders leaning against the first branch. I giggled out loud at the face I knew she would have made had she seen them. I could hear her teacher voice,

“Mother, for heavens sake what are you doing climbing a tree at your age? Have you no sense?”

‘What can she know about my age , anyway,’ I thought grumpily as I climbed up and sat safely down on the firm thick branch. Then I moved along slowly to heave myself onto the cushion I had strapped round it. Snuggling down into it I took out my telescope and gazed down through the leafy fronds into Mr Merryweather’s garden. I focussed the telescope onto his back door which I knew would open like clockwork at half past five precisely. Sure enough he came out as usual looking round to check if he was being watched. Then he went to the same exact spot and dug up a rather dirty looking bag, took something out of it, looking round furtively all the time and then buried it back into the earth just as he’d done on the other occasions when I had observed him.

I knew I was quite hidden behind the foliage and could not be seen, but I remembered with embarrassment the first time when I had climbed up during the end of Winter and he had looked up and seen me.

He had shouted out shaking his fist,

“You Tildy lady, you big busybody, you watch out.”

I’d done very well by promptly saying that I had a mobile phone and could only get reception from a height. I’d waved it at him to confirm the truth as I always carried it in my apron pocket. I think he believed me because he had tutted and said that I must have one of the very first to be brought onto the market!

Mr Merryweather had moved in towards the end of Winter and I, Tildy, had been suspicious from the start. As I’d said to other neighbours,

“Merryweather in itself is a funny name for an Arab and he has such funny visitors at all odd times of the night.”

Sadly the other neighbours didn’t seem interested so I knew it was all down to me to keep an eye on him. I’d tried bringing it up with Sue but she’d told me it was none of my business and if I wasn’t careful I’d be accused of being racist and then I would be in trouble.

She didn’t realise how unsettling it was having a stranger next door having visitors late at night and digging up packages in the garden. So I’d ended up confiding in Puss telling him I was convinced Mr Merryweather was a spy and the more I watched him the more convinced I was that there was something very wrong and that some day after all my observations I would be recognised as a saviour of my country. Maybe I’d even be invited to the Palace and meet the queen. That would make Sue and the neighbours sit up and realise they should have listened to me.

I’d already written an anonymous letter to the Police about him but of course as it was anonymous I didn’t know if they had acted at all and I hadn’t seen a single police car come down our avenue so I knew it was down to me. At first if I had heard a siren on the main thoroughfare near us I would put my outdoor shoes on and rush to the front door ready to discuss ‘the Merryweather case’ as I now called it in my mind. But no one came!

I relaxed into position as I quietly looked through my telescope again into his garden but while I’d been musing he’d disappeared back into the house again.

I realised the evening was darkening and it was time for me to climb down. Then, I heard a rustling through the leaves near me. I nearly fell off the branch but then saw it was Puss, who gave a leap and landed in my lap nearly over balancing me. Luckily I managed to hang onto the branch saving myself from a fall but not before my mobile phone and purse fell out of my pocket.

Rather scared and shaken I straightened myself only to hear a voice beneath me, a foreign voice, a Mr Merryweather voice.

“Enjoy your evening, I’ll be away for a while so you can spy to your heart’s content, busybody Tildy Lady. You like the tree, eh? So you can stay there all night yeah” and laughing he took my stepladders and put them in my shed.

He even turned and waved grinning at me, “ciao, busybody lady.”

I suddenly realised my predicament and wailed to Puss,

“Oh Puss, no mobile phone and Sue won’t be back until next week!”.

And that’s how I ended up, up in a tree!!

The coach excursion to Beverley – in Yorkshire’s East Riding – has been rearranged for Tuesday 16 August by the Church History Group

Our main aim will be to enjoy the medieval glories of Beverley Minster, a former abbey church that is larger than one third of all English Cathedrals.

The coach will collect us at Four Lane Ends Mission at 9 o’clock and we should arrive in Beverley in time to disperse and find somewhere for a quick lunch. At 2 o’clock we will re-assemble at the West door of the Minster to begin our visit. If time allows, over lunch, the wonderful St Mary’s church is also worth looking into.

We would be leaving Beverley around 3.30pm and arriving back around 6.30pm – depending on the traffic.

The cost of this trip will be £33.00 per person. If you would like to join us for this visit, please contact Peter Gateley on 07518 685807.

If anyone is interested in an afternoon tea cruise on the canal during July or August, please contact the  Leader of the Helping Each Other Group – Judy Ingman – 01695 423141. The boat allows 12 passengers. The cost is £22.50p per person for a 90 minute cruise with full afternoon tea. All u3a members are welcome.

On Thursday 11th August we will welcome Jeanette Lupton and Gaynor Caldwell from Macmillan Cancer Support at our Horizons Meeting. In addition to general information about the services provided by Macmillan, Jeanette and Gaynor will be telling us about the Aughton Support Group, which meets on the 2nd Friday of every month, from 9.30 – 11.30 am, in Christ Church Ministry Centre.

Film Appreciation has a new programme for the summer and early autumn months in its new afternoon slot at the Scout & Guide HQ. Come and join us for a relaxing afternoon.

To celebrate the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee, the Social Subcommittee organised a

Summer Dance on Saturday 25 June. 

This turned out to be a most enjoyable and jolly ‘do’.  The dance floor was never empty while the excellent band – the Rollercoasters – rocked out a series of old favourites from the 50s through to the 80s. The eatables – finger food on this occasion – was very suitable, tasty and plentiful. And it was a great opportunity to reunite with u3a friends and meet some new folk. So, all-in-all, this was a very successful event, with many, many thanks due to all those Social Team members involved in making it so.

(Don’t miss out on future opportunities arranged by the u3a! Take a few minutes to check out some other events that are coming soon, as advertised via the sidebar of this Front Page and elsewhere on the website.)

2019 Highlights

The Annual u3a CHRISTMAS LUNCH

(in December at Christ Church Ministry Centre)

Although the weather was quite awful outside, those at the Christmas Lunch didn’t really notice – they were generally just too busy enjoying themselves!

Click or tap on any photo in the gallery to run it as a full-size presentation.

Photos courtesy of Alan Nolan

In June:  Our ‘Antiques Road Show’ was a great success!

It was a full house at Aughton VH in late June for our ‘Antiques Road Show’ style social evening. After a delicious hot buffet supper, local auctioneer/valuer, Mike Litherland, then went through the antiques & curios that members had kindly offered to bring along for display & valuation. It was a most entertaining & interesting evening.

Mike rounded matters off by presenting some of his own items, including a pair of samurai horse spurs and that Victorian kitchen essential – a ‘serving spoon warmer’!

Click or tap on any photo in the gallery to run it as a full-size slideshow presentation.

Photos courtesy of Peter Gateley

In August:  Our ‘Song & Dance Social’ – a great evening!

Following a splendid hotpot supper, we had a great evening’s entertainment provided by local excellent guitarist/singer KEN WATERS. He played lots of our favourite songs, to both listen to & join in singing with, plus plenty of dancing too. A particular thank you to Diane & Jim Higgins for their marvellous CHA-CHA-CHA to ‘Under the Boardwalk’ – very much enjoyed by the audience!

Ken Waters, singer/guitarist…

…captivated the audience

Photos courtesy of Alan Nolan

2018 Highlights

Anniversary Celebration – 19 May, organised by the Anniversary Working Party

Summer Social 2018 – 31 August, organised by the Social Subcommittee

15th Birthday Celebration & Groups Showcase – 13 October, organised by the Anniversary Working Party

Christmas Lunch – 14 December, organised by the Social Subcommittee

Click or tap on any image below to run a slideshow.

Talented Textile Exhibits

Summer Social entertainment

Queen’s Award 10 years on

Dancing after the Christmas Lunch

The next Speaker Meeting will be at 11 am on Thursday 9th June at the Scout & Guide HQ, when David Hearne will speak to us about Sir William Brown.

Notice of the 19th Annual General Meeting of Aughton & Ormskirk u3a

Our 19^th Annual General Meeting is to be held on Thursday 30^th June, 2022 at 10.30 a.m. at the Ministry Centre, Christ Church, Aughton. Coffee will be available at Horizons at the Scout & Guide HQ prior to the meeting. The Agenda and supporting papers will be available at HQ, and published on our website after 8^th June, 2022 or available by request from the Secretary.

Nominations are invited for election to the Management Committee and for any Motion which must be received by the Secretary in writing. If you would like a Nomination Form please contact any member of the Management Committee but please note that Nominees must have agreed to stand for election and each Nomination and Motion must be proposed and seconded by a member of Aughton & Ormskirk u3a.

I would like to add that the position of Honorary Secretary will become vacant as from 30^th June, 2022 and our u3a cannot continue to run without this position being filled. The role of Honorary Secretary does not have to continue for more than 12 months unless the holder wishes to do so but it is a position, along with Chair and Treasurer that must be filled if we are to continue to function as a u3a.

Megan Tomlinson
Secretary

Computer Advice session will be suspended for the summer months i.e. June –August. Computer Advice will still be available, during this period, at Horizon sessions, or by e-mailing elearning@aughton-ormskirk-u3a.co.uk. The reason for this suspension is that there have been very few clients to make use of these facilities. If you don’t use them they may disappear altogether. For further information contact the e-mail address given above.

We had a lovely trip to Morecambe and Leighton Hall on May 12.  The sun shone for us and the wind blew – but not too strong.  We started with morning refreshments at the famous Midland hotel, a walk down to the jetty, and back to say hello to Eric Morecambe – then time to board the coach again.

Day Trip to Morecambe

From there a comfortable journey to Leighton Hall where we were given a guided tour and the history of the house and family – which was fascinating.  Following that, some of us had tea and cake or took a walk in the walled garden until the owls were ready to show us what they could do.

We were back home at a nice time around six o’clock.  A good day was had by all!

Wednesday, 4th May 2022

Eric McEvoy’s talk, “An introduction to Coastal Habitats and Marine Pollution” covered the full two hour meeting.

Wednesday April 6th

Our u3a member, Bill Hale, gave a fascinating talk about “The Galapagos Islands” illustrated as usual with his stunning photographs.

Large turtle at the sea edge on background of a tropical landscape