newsletter March 2024 Reg Charity No.1177826 Help the Hedgehogs this Spring HORNCASTLE Growing the u3a community through Friends and Friends Extra
March 2024 2 u3a Horncastle Welcome to the first Horncastle u3a newsletter of 2024. We have deliberately timed the publication to coincide with our AGM, to add some further kudos to the event. My main focus in my comments here is something of a plea for help. At our AGM this year, several members of the committee will be standing down, it will also mark the start of the last year that I can be Chair. So we really do need a few more volunteers from our membership to help out. Specifically we will need a Secretary and a Vice Chair. Neither role is onerous. The main duty of the secretary is to book the meeting rooms for our committee and full meetings and occasionally liaise with other elements of the u3a. We have a Minute Secretary so that aspect is covered. The Vice Chair is even less onerous, this year but to ensure a smooth transition I am hoping that some one will step forward to assist and learn this year and take over as chair next year. Personally I have enjoyed doing it and I am sure that many of you have had experience of running meetings in the past. The committee meetings are very friendly and usually last less than an hour on the Tuesday before the main Horncastle meeting. So please come forward if you are interested in getting involved. Our u3a can only survive if we have sufficient volunteers to carry out the main tasks, so please give some thought to getting involved. It is not difficult or time consuming and can be very rewarding. Come and have a chat with me or any of the other committee members if you want to find out more. Last but not least our hard working treasurer, Graham Hutton, is leaving the committee after serving his full term of office. I would like to express my personal thanks and the thanks of all the committee to him for doing a fantastic job in keeping our accounts in order. We look forward to working with Janet Sankey who will hopefully be taking on this role after the AGM. Mike Harrison Message from the Chairman
u3a Horncastle 3 March 2024 In this issue... To contribute to this magazine please contact the editor Dee Fletcher at [email protected] Design and print: Woodhall Photo Print & Copy, Station Road, Woodhall Spa LN10 6QL Tel: 01526 354949 Two exciting linked initiatives will be available soon; ‘u3a Friends’ and ‘Friends Extra’. u3a Friends is already available and is accessed only by signing up to the electronic newsletter - try the link below. Once you have signed up you will receive the newsletter in electronic format and have access to Friends Extra when it is fully launched. Full access to these two initiatives is being phased in with the ‘Friends’ initiative first and then the ‘Friends Extra’ in April. Anyone can join these 2 initiatives - you do not have to be a member of u3a but clearly if you are you have a head-start by being in the ‘know’. Signing up to the electronic newsletter as a Friend will give access to Friends Extra when it is launched in April. Once you have registered, which is free, it will enable you to access a variety of resources, services and benefits offering real savings and opportunities. So check out this link on the website and sign up to the newsletter. https://www.u3a.org.uk/news/newsletter You will not be able to take advantage of the offers and other benefits when they are available if you aren’t signed up to the electronic newsletter. Testing is now underway for the dedicated Friends Extra website with the launch and communications preparations underway too. Watch this space! Members & Friends Growing the u3a community through members, Friends and Friends Extra 3 Members & Friends 4 Classic Car Group 5 Financial Forum 6 Help Hedgehogs this Spring 8 Dog Walkers Group 9 Lincoln & Lindsey Blind Society 10 Ding Dong Merrily They Played 12 Strollers Group 13 Prose & Poetry Group 14 Janet Sankey New Treasurer 15 Creative Photography Group 16 Creative Writing Group 17 New Age Kurling 18 Trees, Wood, Climate and Nature What’s all the fuss about? 20 Biodiversity 21 Computer & Devices Group 22 Group Co-ordinators & Group Leaders Roles 22 Monthly Meeting Dates & Speakers Schedule 23 Classes & Groups
March 2024 4 u3a Horncastle The first meeting of the newly formed joint Horncastle and Woodhall Spa Classic Car Group took place on January 10th and met at Kirkby on Bain half way between the two centres. Ten members attended which happened to be half from each club and very enthusiastically started by introducing themselves to the others and their hopes for the group. At the end of the meeting it was agreed to meet at 2pm on the 2nd Wednesday of each month at the same location due to it being free with lots of parking. The next meeting will entail the members bringing their plan for a meeting on one month of their choice which they will run. As a group it was decided to share the load equally as we are all members even though David Leech was elected as the group leader and Peter Ellis as the group coordinator. The future ideas included visits to local companies involved with classic cars, physical help with engineering matters, tours to museums or Cadwell race track for events, summer night drive-anddine outings or just ‘natter nights’ at a suitable pub. More ideas I am sure will follow in the future. If you are reading this and thinking I would enjoy that and can help please contact the group leader, refer to the listing in the class list at the end of the newsletter. You are welcome to join us. Please contact Peter Ellis on [email protected] Classic Car Group
The Financial Forum was established some 6 years ago, initially to help its members navigate the complexities of tax, pensions, savings and other issues which confront us all in this modern world. We still discuss these and other related personal financial issues but have broadened our scope to discuss current financial events such as budgets, trade, international issues and in fact we sometimes wander off the subject where the issue is pressing and our members just want to get the subject off their chest. We do try however to keep these subjects within broad financial parameters. Being a small group of around 10 to 12 persons we can give everyone a chance to talk and make their point. Meetings are informal and a lot of fun albeit in a learning environment. Over the years we have helped our members understand the issues of writing a will, completing a power of attorney, looking at optimal savings and investment opportunities as well as avoiding the pitfalls of overpaying on inheritance and income tax. We don’t give advice just share experiences and look at relevant literature. If you want to understand personal financial issues or to bring problems for discussion, we can probably help, as it is often the case that they are common to most people. Although a few of us have some formal financial experience, most are people just like you - trying to make sense of it all in an increasingly complicated world. Simple steps can save money and some can even avoid serious pitfalls. We meet in the Stanhope Hall each second Thursday at 10am. If you would like to come along, please give me a ring or email me to discuss whether membership would be of interest and benefit. We have room for a few additional members so why not take the plunge! Neil Carter 01507 523585 or [email protected] Financial Forum by Neil Carter Cartoon by Andy Mathieson u3a Horncastle 5 March 2024
The hedgehog is consistently voted amongst Britain’s favourite wild animals. However, hedgehog numbers have been declining for many years and in 2020 were classified as “Vulnerable to Extinction”. The problem is that hedgehogs are finding it harder to find good places to live and enough food and if hedgehogs are in trouble it raises concerns about other species and the environment in general. Taking action to improve things for hedgehogs will help lots of other wildlife too. Thankfully it’s not all doom and gloom and there are lots of easy ways to help. Here’s a few ideas: n Create 13cm x 13cm square gaps in your boundary fence as a ‘hedgehog highway’ and ask your neighbours to do the same, then plot them on the BIG Hedgehog Map at www.big hedgehogmap.org n Make your garden wildlife friendly – avoid pesticides or poisons, create a log pile, and leave corners and edges to grow wild. This helps provide natural shelter and encourages grubs and insects – the perfect hedgehog food! n Offer some meaty cat or dog food, or some cat biscuits alongside a bowl of water at night. n Ask neighbours to check for hedgehogs before strimming or mowing. Check compost heaps before sticking a fork in there too! n Make sure hedgehogs can get safely out of ponds, creating sloping edges or adding wildlife ramps or steps. n Take part in Hedgehog Awareness Week, running 5th– 11th May 2024 – a whole week of activities and initiatives to Help Hedgehogs this Spring The British Hedgehog Preservation Society (BHPS) invites you to give something back to British wildlife this Spring – by helping protect our much-loved hedgehogs. March 2024 6 u3a Horncastle
u3a Horncastle March 2024 highlight the plight of the hedgehog and how we can all help. n If you see any hedgehogs out during the day looking lethargic, wobbly, injured or covered in flies, they need urgent help. Use gardening gloves or a folded towel to collect it up, bring it somewhere quiet indoors and put it in a high sided box with an old towel in the bottom for the hedgehog to hide under. Add a wrapped hot water bottle (which you will need to keep topped up so it doesn’t go cold) and make sure there’s room for it to get away from the bottle should it get too hot. Offer a small amount of meaty cat or dog food and water then call BHPS on 01584 890801 for details of your nearest independent hedgehog rescue. You can also help hedgehogs through supporting BHPS – become a BHPS supporter, give a gift card donation or consider leaving a legacy in your Will. Fay Vass, Chief Executive, BHPS, said: “We should all consider how our actions impact the wildlife around us, and how small, positive changes can make a difference to an at-risk species like hedgehogs. Whether that’s gardening in a wildlife-friendly way or ensuring litter is disposed of responsibly – every action helps. Hedgehogs are in sharp decline and it’s more important than ever that we help protect their welfare and habitats – and spring is a great time to start.” For more information contact: Fay Vass, CEO, BHPS [email protected] Tel: 01584 890 801 Imogen Buller, Communications Officer, BHPS [email protected] Tel: 07481 498583 The British Hedgehog Preservation Society (BHPS) is a registered UK Charity, founded in 1982, dedicated to helping & protecting hedgehogs native to the UK (Erinaceus europaeus). Through our campaigns, advocacy and educational projects we work to raise awareness of the practical steps we can take to help reverse the decline of hedgehogs in the wild, improve their welfare and safeguard the future of this muchloved animal. We also fund research that provides important new insights into the conservation and welfare of hedgehogs. Visit the website: www.britishhedgehogs.org.uk and follow BHPS on Facebook, X, Instagram and LinkedIn 7
March 2024 u3a Horncastle Dog Walkers The dog walking group continues to meet on the first Saturday each month at ten o’clock. The starting point varies each month. In February we took a stroll along the Viking Way from the cottage museum in Woodhall Spa, towards Horncastle. This group is a joint group with Woodhall u3a. We had five dogs and seven people for this walk, but we could do with a few more members. We often try to finish the walks close to a dog friendly cafe for a quick coffee and cake! If you fancy getting involved, then please contact Mike Harrison for further details. 8 We started the year by looking ahead to the first jobs in the garden. Now that none of our members have allotments, we are investigating growing vegetables in pots, grow bags and raised beds. As an experiment, we have each taken a seed potato (Charlotte variety, a Second Early potato) which we will grow in a pot, and compare the results. Potgrown vegetables and fruit can be very successful. As well as potatoes, members have grown lettuce, carrots, strawberries and beans (one member harvested 4.5 Kgs French beans from one plant). And the taste of newly-picked fruit and vegetables just can’t be beaten. During the year we have seed and plant shares, we visit gardens and share recipes and we also share ideas, tips and experiences. We have space for new members, so if anyone is interested in joining us, we would be able to help them through the year, advising on what to plant when, and when to harvest. We meet on the First Monday of each month from early Spring to late Autumn. If you are interested in joining our group, please contact Robin Wilmshurst on 07729 875937, or email [email protected] Edible Gardening Club by Jacky Hutchinson
u3a Horncastle 9 March 2024 I f you have a sight impairment or know someone who may be struggling with their eyesight then the Lincoln and Lindsey Blind Society may be able to help. Based in Louth, our charity is entirely independent serving visually impaired people throughout North and North East Lincolnshire, East and West Lindsey and Lincoln City. Severe visual impairment such as blindness or partial sight that cannot be corrected by spectacles is extremely debilitating, because you lose your sight and you can lose more than just your ability to see. It can feel like your world is falling apart. Those who have lost some or all of their vision always welcome empathy from people who care but they also need equipment, practical advice and training so they can get on with their lives despite sight loss. Sufferers do not have to be registered with a visual impairment or even have a referral from a doctor or optometrist to get our help. The person themselves, a family member or a friend can telephone, email, call in person or write to us and we will send a Sight Impairment Officer to visit and carry out an assessment. As well as our Sight Impairment Officers we have an army of volunteers who receive on-going support, guidance and training and can take on a range of roles, from helping at Social Groups, recording our talking newspapers, befriending, helping at Eye Clinics, or with administration, fundraising, IT support or as a Trustee. If you would like to become a volunteer please contact our Volunteer Administrator Eve Roach on 01507 605604 or email [email protected] to learn more. At present we serve 1460 people in our area, 75% of whom are over 65, with new referrals coming in every week. Many more use our services but are not on our formal register. We are a local independent charity and we receive no government, local authority or statutory funding, all our funds come from bequests, charitable donations and charitable grants. If you would like to make a donation to help us carry on this vital work please call us on 01507 605604, email [email protected] or go to our website www.llbs.co.uk for more information. We can lend a helping hand Lincoln & Lindsey Blind Society (LLBS) reaches out
March 2024 10 u3a Horncastle I n the beginning, a long time ago, before lockdown, a small group would meet once a month and attempt a few tunes on our Belleplates or handbells. For many reasons after lockdown the group did not reform and it seemed that the Belleplates were doomed forever to gather dust and never get a further chance to rattle their clangers! Ding Dong Merrily They Played by Ann Willows
u3a Horncastle March 2024 However in July 2023 a couple of the present group went on a mission to obtain some of the original music and the revival began. Word was put out at a u3a meeting that anyone interested could come along to a meeting in the Horncastle Garden Centre. I am delighted to say that we had about 16 people arrive who were willing and eager to ‘Have a Go’, ….. hence the New Bells group was born. After securing a room in Stanhope Hall for the 1st and 3rd Friday of each month we started with an introduction of what a Belleplate was, and began learning the very basic but essential counting and rhythm required. At this point I need to mention that the music comes in numerical form and not in notes. You do not have to read music to play Bells, nor is there an age restriction: one of our group members, Betty, is 91. It soon became obvious that we had a core of around 10 people who were going to put in an appearance every week. By September it was suggested that maybe, just maybe, we could start rehearsing and play carols and then just maybe put a wee programme together. This gave the group a real incentive, which led to the suggestion that why not try our talents out at the u3a pre Christmas meeting. Rehearsals began. Nerves kicked in too of course and initially we questioned if we could, or indeed should perform! A huge thank you goes to Ruth (our Musical Director) for giving us confidence and assurance. ‘WE DID IT’ . We had some lovely comments and had good feedback and now have an invitation to play elsewhere! There is very little information on the origin of the Belleplates. They were invented by Maurice Davies who had an extensive career in aeronautical engineering! He designed them to replicate the sound of bells by using plates of metal. The set we have is one and half Octave (12 Bells). More Plates can be added, but that would require a somewhat larger group, and a bit more expertise! They are lightweight and easy to use. If you want to see and hear an amazing Belleplate soloist you can search for Aidan Fozard on Youtube. Anyone who is interested in ‘Having a Go’ please contact me or simply turn up at Room 1 in Stanhope Hall at 10am on the first or third Friday of each month. 11 “You do not have to read music to play bells, nor is there an age restriction.”
March 2024 12 by Sue Stevenson & Susan Taylor The Strollers Group have concentrated more on the social and slightly less on the physical activity over the winter. Not a huge amount of walking has been done, but plenty of talking! We finished off our year with a very tasty lunch at The Blue Bell, Tattershall Thorpe. Sitting in a cosy room in front of the wood burner, enjoying each other’s company for an hour or two and having some fun. There was no walk in January but we met for coffee and together made plans for the year ahead. Proposed walks for the next few months include: • Hagworthingham in April • Hemingby and the Walled Garden Baumber in May • Tealby in July We will be going somewhere by the sea in June and hoping the weather will be good for a walk and picnic in August. As normal, we will meet at the The Wong and aim to carshare as much as possible, leaving at 10am. If anyone wishes to join us please ring either of the two “Sue’s” who will be able to give more information (phone numbers given in the Groups list). There are so many reasons why everyone loves snowdrops. For some it is because they appear every year despite the cold of winter to remind us spring will come soon. The snow was falling when we went to Edlington in February to admire the display there, but it seemed very fitting that we too had braved the elements to see them! Stroll on!
u3a Horncastle 13 March 2024 by Jenny Hutton The Prose and Poetry group was formed in 2012 by Mike Carnaby. He intended it to be named the Creative Writing Group but there was another u3a group with the same name. He therefore decided to include poetry as well as creative writing, hence the name Prose and Poetry Group. There were nine people at Mike’s house in March 2012 for the first meeting. Over time people have left the group for various reasons and now there are six of us, five of whom were at the first meeting. Mike outlined what we would be doing each meeting, and what we should prepare at home to be read to the group when we next met. Sadly Mike died in 2016, but we still follow the same format that he set at the first meeting because it works so well. Every month we write a chapter of the collaborative story, the theme of which is decided by the whole group. We all write a first chapter, at the next meeting it is passed onto another member of the group who will follow on with the second chapter. It is interesting to read the finished stories. The last story was our most difficult challenge yet because, instead of writing the first chapter, we wrote the last chapter. It is not easy telling a story backwards! We also write a short story and a poem which we read to the group at the next meeting. One person researches a poet of their choice and someone else an author, and they read out their work. We find that an interesting way to learn about people whose work is not familiar to us. As we meet at each other’s houses we can show off our baking skills too, so naturally refreshment time is an important part of the meeting! We have come to realise that six is the best number of people in the group because of seating, we can all accommodate and cater for six people in our homes. After refreshments we take on two challenges given by the host of the meeting, a ten minute challenge and a five minute one. They can range from a quiz to writing a story in five sentences and are always a lot of fun. Prose & Poetry Group This group isn’t able to offer any places for new members because of the meeting format but it does give a great example of the type of activities that can be done under the same heading - if you are interested in this type of activity perhaps you would like to start a similar group. Contact our Group Co-ordinator Marion Prickett if you are interested.
March 2024 14 u3a Horncastle Janet Sankey is our new Treasurer. She has been a member of Horncastle u3a for about two years. Janet has worked with figures and accounts for most of her working life mainly in administration for the NHS and other organisations including the WEA, the Workers Educational Association. Asked to describe herself in three words, Janet chose honest, sociable and loyal. All this makes her eminently suitable for her new role as our u3a treasurer. Janet and her husband Bob hail originally from Mansfield. Bob, an engineer, is a keen fisherman and they discovered Horncastle during holidays at Horncastle’s Elmhirst Fishing Lakes. So, when retirement (and potential mobility issues) loomed, a single storey home in Horncastle seemed to fit the bill. Janet has found Horncastle people friendly and welcoming. She likes the local services, (including having the Medical Practice just down the road from home) and independent shops, although she does miss having big city department stores and large shops nearby. The bus trip to Lincoln is not quite the same as having these facilities on the doorstep. Both she and Bob appreciate Horncastle’s location with both beautiful countryside and the coast on the doorstep. Janet lists volunteering at the Sue Ryder shop in town (a good place to meet people and make friends) among her activities. She has an interest in local history and, in the past, uncovered some interesting records from the archives of the old Mansfield Workhouse, which had been re-purposed as a hospital. Janet also enjoys domestic activities such as reading, sewing and baking (including eating the baked results!) Her garden is lovely with trees and a large pond. Janet specialises in garden supervision while Bob does the hard work! Janet Sankey New treasurer by Yvonne Mathieson
u3a Horncastle March 2024 Janet was introduced to u3a by a friend but comments that the Mansfield branch was a bit of a ‘closed shop’ with full waiting lists for many of its groups. She is keen to pursue her enthusiasm for local history and she enjoys the general u3a monthly meetings, chatting with people and listening to the speakers. She likes the Horncastle u3a organisation but feels Stanhope Hall would benefit from more comfortable seating, a sentiment echoed by many members. When asked what she gains from being a member, she cited friendship, a feeling of acceptance, and the opportunity to be involved. As one of her greatest achievements in life, so far, Janet mentioned her forty year marriage to Bob. They both have a keen interest in boats and she is also proud of her Royal Yachting Association Qualification. For several years they shared a motor boat in Spain with friends. This enabled them to enjoy trips between ports along the Spanish coast, which led to some memorable meals and exciting adventures. When asked for advice on ‘life, the universe and all that’ to give her younger self, she recommended ‘Don’t take life, or yourself, too seriously’. Wise words from our newly appointed Treasurer. We wish her all the best in this new role. 15 The Creative Photography Group continues to meet on the first Thursday of every month. At each session we review the photos that members have taken following a specific brief set at the previous meeting. Members of the group take it in turns to set the topic, we also choose two of three pictures for us all to attempt some creative editing on. The subject last time was British weather and an example can be seen here. Creative Photography Group by Mike Harrison
March 2024 16 u3a Horncastle Creative writing might be the ultimate way to keep your mind active. Ours is a lively group, a mix of poets, writers of memoirs and spinners of short stories. Every month for homework we have a new topic or prompt and produce a piece to read out at the next meeting. Always there are surprises. “At the end of the passage” brought a scary memoir of being abandoned in a cave from one member, a lyrical poem about a part of Horncastle from another and a tale about a microdot masquerading as a full stop from a third! After enjoying the readings we have refreshments then do a short exercise. Last month it was a choice of either describing a picture (chosen from among many on the table) or telling a story about what might be happening in it. We were treated to a description of walking along a narrow woodland track in deep shade from overhanging branches and bordered with flowers then, we smelled the garlic and strong cheeses at a French market on a hot summer day and all without leaving our seats! For homework we kept our picture, chose another to complement or contrast and took both away to write a piece linking them. Creative Writing Group by Helen Peters
u3a Horncastle 197 March 2024 New Age Kurling The New Age Kurling group continues to meet on the second and fourth Friday every month at one o’clock in Stanhope Hall. This activity is great fun, but also somewhat competitive. After all, the winner does go away with a magnificent three inch plastic trophy! We manage to fit in three, eight end games and have a well earned break for tea and biscuits. If you are not familiar with new age kurling, the rules are very simple. The pucks have three ball bearings underneath and are propelled using a stick along the hall to the roundel target. Nearest the middle wins. If you fancy giving this a go then please contact Mike Harrison. There is a fee of £4 per session to cover the cost of hall hire and refreshments. We are a friendly group, not in competition with each other, here for the pleasure of writing, placing thoughts on paper (or a computer screen) but inevitably we all improve all the time because writing is like that. The more you do the better it gets and we all learn by hearing how someone else tackles a topic. Currently our group has two vacancies so if you want to stretch your mind and give your imagination a little freedom or want an impetus to make sense of your memoir, why not pick up your pen (or pack up your tablet) and give us a go. We can be found scribbling away every month on the third Tuesday from two to four or four thirty at the group leader's home on the outskirts of Horncastle. If you enjoy a creative writing challenge, this month we looked at this strange ensemble one of our members received as a birthday present. Just for clarification the items in the basket are : Leather pouch with belt loop, oval copper box with lid containing a lens, 3 short pieces of jute, oval metal ring, plastic bag of hair, plastic bag of small wooden stakes, several pieces of flint, charred cloth. leather strap. Do you know what it is? If not, could you make up a use for it and come up with a short piece either of description or a story in which it is used?
March 2024 18 u3a Horncastle The presentation was a fascinating insight into the state of our woodlands in the UK. John is an experienced forrester with over 30 years experience.These are just a few headlines from his presentation which was based on a report carried out by the Woodland Trust in 2021 called ‘The State of UK’s Trees and Woods’. The Woodland Trust began recording the loss of ancient woodlands in 1999. Sadly almost a thousand of these sites have been permanently lost or damaged and another 1225 are under significant threat. The good news is that because of their work over 1100 ancient woodlands have been saved and are protected from development threats. It is staggering to learn that only 13% of England’s land mass is now covered by woodland. This compares with 18% in Scotland and 14% in Wales. Of our 13% only 7% is considered to be in good ecological condition, in other words, where there is natural regeneration of plants, new trees growing, natural open spaces, and a diverse range of plants and flowers on the forest floor. In 2015 tree maps estimated 100,000 trees existed outside of woodlands. Today only 51% of them are left and the sad fact about the loss of natural woodlands is that once they are lost, they can never be regenerated. The report also identified that because of the variation in climate conditions and the early onset of spring that the timing of natural events is some 8.4 days earlier than it used to be. This is significant because it means that events in the natural world don’t synchronise. For example, caterpillars Trees, wood, climate and nature... What’s all the fuss about? This article is generated from a u3a zoom presentation given by John Tucker, Director Woodland Creation at the Woodland Trust.
u3a Horncastle 19 March 2024 will be available earlier and therefore not necessarily available for chicks to feed on, also early flowering plants won’t necessarily be available for bees to pollinate. It has long been known that trees are an important element in climate change because they give off carbon dioxide, but absorb oxygen. It is less well known that trees can also help reduce other harmful gases from the air. John gave a particularly appropriate example for Lincolnshire, trees planted around chicken farms have been found to absorb some of the ammonia released. Trees are also very important in terms of the water cycle. They help to conserve water and rain where it falls instead of it running into rivers causing them at times to burst their banks causing flooding. The report estimates that some 2 million tons of topsoil are lost every year due to rain not being absorbed by planted grass and woodlands. Consequently the Trust is involved in a number of areas in the country investigating and monitoring water flows to see how they can manage them better and alleviate flooding events. Trees also provide shade for animals, a common countryside sight. It has even been found that tree fodder, for example willow, contains a basic constituent of aspirin and so studies are in progress around selfmedicating cows! There’s a thought. Trees are also often overlooked as a pollen source for insects, and of course it is widely accepted that for us humans being in woodland spaces has a positive mental and physical benefit. The Bowthorpe Oak is in Manthorpe near Bourne, Lincolnshire. It is a gigantic and ancient oak. It has a circumference of about 44 feet and has a hollow trunk, making it the second-widest individual tree in the UK, only surpassed by the significantly older and much less-intact Marton Oak in Cheshire. Photo: Julian Hight/WTML
by Derek Smith I was raised, as many of you were, in an age when wages were paid weekly in cash, folded carefully into a small brown envelope. An age when the postman delivered handwritten letters from friends and family in far flung places. If we owned a car it required a trip to the Post Office, selecting the appropriate form from the rack of various other application forms, completing the form, and handing the Vehicle Excise form over the counter, with the cash sum to obtain a round paper disc to affix in the car windscreen. The rent was paid in cash at the council offices, and the rent book was stamped and/or initialled as a receipt for payment. In the unlikely event we needed to make a phone call it required a walk to the nearest red phone box, with a handful of coins, dialling the number, inserting the coins, and pressing button A to Computer & Devices Group March 2024 20 u3a Horncastle I t has become clear that floods are very likely to become more common in Horncastle and the rest of our country and even the world! Every week on the news we hear of and see new ‘natural’ disasters being reported. We also hear of plants and animals at risk of extinction as a result of weather phenomena: it is truly a global issue. Our group has decided to ‘Act Local’. We are working, with others in the town and in the Bain and Waring Valleys to improve the richness of wildlife (the biodiversity). It became clear, following our study of the events of the 20th October 2023, that to protect Horncastle the only ‘option’ we have is to reduce mass flow - that is we have to reduce the number of tons of water flowing into Horncastle every second following rainstorms in the hills. The question is HOW? Much of our soil now has less organic matter (Humous) in it and so it becomes easily saturated with less rain and the excess water runs off more quickly into the watercourses and so into Horncastlle. The surging water is too much for the drainage systems designed decades and sometimes centuries ago and so the town gets flooded. Further downstream the River Biodiversity Group by Peter Irons Working to minimise flooding in Horncastle
u3a Horncastle 21 March 2024 Witham is more likely to burst its banks too. There is little chance climate change is going to be stopped in the next few decades so things will get worse. The Biodiversity Group is highly involved with farmers, landowners and others working to slow the water along the becks, so it takes longer for the rainfall on the hills to pass through the town! There are three ways that are clear to us. Working with and encouraging local landowners and farmers: 1. To change the ‘profile’ of the becks i.e. widening them then allowing vegetation to grow within them, delaying the water arrival in town. 2. To create areas along the becks where water can be held back in smallish wetlands without affecting the incomes of farmers. 3 To increase the organic content in their soils. This can take many years but many are already working to achieve this. For our group there is another bonus as these actions will dramatically increase the biodiversity in the valley and the town. Our activities are commencing this year in the catchment of the Waring and we will continue to work with others on the reopening of the old course of the River Bain past Banovallum Carr. In addition we are investigating whether the management of roadside verges and hedgerows is benefitting biodiversity in the valleys. All are welcome to come along to our monthly meetings and to join in our activities. connect the call. Nowadays, we’ve been dragged kicking, and screaming into the digital age. I can talk and see my sister in real time in Australia. My pension “appears” in my bank account, and the bills “disappear” into the digital void. Regardless of our feelings, living in this digital age requires adjustments, and learning new skills on our part, this is why the new u3a Computer and Devices group has been started. The aims of the group are to develop the skills, knowledge, and confidence in the use of our digital devices. The group meets on the third Monday of each month. Our January meeting demonstrated the use of internet browsers, backup, and storage options and assisted with device setup queries.
March 2024 22 u3a Horncastle I recently took over the role of Groups Co-ordinator from Andy Mathieson and would first like to say thank you for his efforts both in the past and making sure I know what is expected of me now as the new Groups Co-ordinator. From April 1st I aim to simplify the information kept by Group Leaders and the Groups Co-ordinator. I would like all Group Leaders to collect the names of the members of their group and a preferred method of communication for each: an email address or phone number, this is so they can be uniquely identified. This form should be updated as required and any changes should be submitted to me at two monthly intervals, preferably by email ([email protected]). If you don’t have access to a computer, tablet or smartphone you can hand it to me at the monthly meeting. Group Leaders should continue to record attendance for insurance and health and safety purposes or in case it ever arises that we need to know if a member attended. Depending on Horncastle u3a committee decisions regarding our governance it may be that attendance information will need to be recorded differently but that’s for the future. It is also my job to help groups recruit and then initiate new Group Leaders into their role, letting them know what is required, not very onerous I promise. For this I intend to produce a small booklet giving all the details. Finally, please can I request that groups volunteer to write articles for the newsletter. It is only produced four times a year and so this is an occasional task but it does help give the newsletter a fully rounded content and I know the editor, Dee Fletcher, will be grateful for offers. Groups Co-ordinators & Group Leaders Roles by Marion Prickett Horncastle u3a Monthly Meeting Dates and Speakers 2024 May 7th: Brian Burbidge From Miner to Mayor, the amazing life of our ex-mayor June 4th: Philip Caine Author of the Jack Castle series of books - Working in Baghdad July 2nd: David Gilbert Researcher for International Bomber Command Centre
Group When Time Group leader and contact details Art for Leisure & Pleasure 3rd Wednesday 2-4 pm Grace Barrett (07759) 384295 Biodiversity 4th Thursday 10 am Peter Irons (07939) 575611 [email protected] Board Game Group 2nd-4th Monday 2-4pm Vaughan Mackay (01507) 527318 [email protected] (07724) 078967 Book Worms 1st Monday 2-4pm Brenda Mumford (01507) 522447 Classic Cars 2nd Wednesday 2pm Peter Ellis [email protected] Computers & Devices 3rd Monday 10-12pm Derek Smith 07526718253 [email protected] Creative Crafts 2nd Thursday 2-4pm Shelagh Carter (01507) 523585 Creative Photography 1st Thursday 7-9pm Mike Harrison (01507) 522674 [email protected] Creative Writing 3rd Tuesday 2-4.30pm Helen Peters [email protected] Croquet (summer only) Every Tuesday 10-12 noon Wendy Cotton (01526) 352885 Dog Walking 1st Saturday 10am Mike Harrison (01507) 522674 [email protected] Edible Gardening 1st Monday 2-4 pm Robin Wilmshurst (07729) 875937 Exploring Churches 3rd Tuesday 10am Jeff Jones (01507) 588421 [email protected] Financial Forum 2nd Thursday 10-12 noon Neil Carter [email protected] Five Milers 4th Thursday Morning Debbie Ridyard (01507) 534111 Handbell Ringing 1st &3rd Friday 10-12 noon Anne Willows (01507) 343964 [email protected] Knitting for Charity 2nd-4th Thursday 2pm Marilyn Makins [email protected] Literary Group 3rd Monday 2pm Jean Preston (01507) 239761 [email protected] (07930) 039712 New Age Kurling 2nd-4th Friday 2-4 pm Mike Harrison (01507) 522674 [email protected] Pilates Every Wednesday 11-11.50 Yvonne Mackay (01507) 527318 [email protected] Prose & Poetry 1st Thursday 2-4 pm Phyll Durow (01507) 522356 Strollers 2nd Thursday 10 am Sue Stevenson (01507) 524211 Sue Taylor (01507) 533478 Sunday Lunch Club 4th Sunday 12.30pm Margaret Harrison (01507) 588298 [email protected] Supper Club 2nd Wednesday 6 for 6.30pm Carolyn Lyle (01507) 523738 [email protected] Table Tennis Every Tuesday 2-4 pm Malcolm Baxter (01507) 522220 (07788) 618290 Thai Chi for Wellbeing Monday & Tuesday 2-3pm Alison Carter (01507) 525471 6 week course [email protected] Topical Discussion 2nd Wednesday 2-4 pm Stephen Holdaway (01507) 526565 [email protected] Visiting Gardens Summer only New group leader required - contact Marion Prickett ([email protected]) if you are interested.
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