newsletter Presents with Pizazz! December 2023 Reg Charity No.1177826 Lincoln Cathedral Maintaining a Monument The Day the Floods Came Exploring Churches A Walk in the Woods
December 2023 2 u3a Horncastle In this issue... Dear Members of Horncastle u3a Welcome to our winter edition of the Horncastle u3a newsletter. Another year has nearly passed us by and I was reflecting upon what the u3a means to us. You will hopefully all be aware of the u3a motto/slogan ‘Learn, Laugh, Live’, and I thought I would focus this time on what this means. I looked at our groups and activities and realised that if I so wished, this week I could; • attend the Book Worms group and do Tai Chi on Monday • play table tennis on Tuesday, (or croquet in summer) • do Pilates on Wednesday • get creative with Photography and Prose & Poetry on Thursday • create music with hand bells on Friday • explore the local area with the dog walking group on Saturday No one can say that we don’t offer a diverse range of activities to allow us to Learn, Laugh, Live. To finish I thought I would develop the laugh theme and share a joke with you. A weasel walked in to a bar, the landlord asked him what he would like to drink. ‘Pop’ goes the weasel. Don’t blame me, blame Tony Blackburn! Can I wish all of you a very Happy and Healthy Christmas and New Year. Mike Harrison Message from the Chairman 3 Gift Aid... a big thank you! • New Aviation Group takes off 4 Presents with Pizazz! 5 Can you Lend a Hand? 6 Lincoln Cathedral - Maintaining a Monument 8 Stroll On - Mushrooms, conkers and a lovely cup of tea 10 The Day the Floods Came 12 Jeff Jones - Man of many talents 13 u3a Podcast - Have you heard it yet? 14 Pedigree Lincoln Red herd at the heart of the community 16 The Power of Pilates 18 Check this out... A wide range of interests is catered for at u3a 20 Exploring Churches 22 Dates for your Diary 23 Classes & Groups 24 Lose with Lorraine To contribute to this magazine please contact the editor Dee Fletcher at [email protected]
u3a Horncastle 3 December 2023 We are delighted to announce that our registration for Gift Aid is complete and our claim to HMRC based on last vears membership records has been recognised. This is in no small part thanks mainly to our Chairman, Mike Harrison’s persistence. Forms are still available at monthly meetings and on our website - Horncastle u3a/ Membership (scroll to Links/Gift Aid). Very little information is necessary, just a signature to confirm you are a taxpayer. Please consider it as it is financially beneficial to your u3a. This year 61 of our members have signed up so far and you have until 31 December to be included. Please remember that it's worth 25% extra to us. That's £228.75 so far - equivalent to a rise in membership fee of nearly £2 next year. I'll be handing the books to our new Treasurer next year having completed six years in office. I would like to say thank you all, it's been a very rewarding experience in meeting some lovely people. Let me just add the wish for a Happy Christmas to you all. Graham Hutton, Treasurer Gift Aid ... a big thank you! For those of you interested in all things aviation the East of England region recently embarked on a series of presentations relating to aviation. One of the presenters is Stowmarket u3a member Don, a former US air force pilot posted at RAF Lakenheath during the Cold War. He subsequently became a commercial pilot and his enthusiasm is boundless, as is his knowledge of all things aviation. Don and Barbara Cordina, who is a past u3a trustee, set up an aviation group which now has 140+ members. It is a group open across the UK and they meet monthly on zoom for a presentation and discussion and they have also started visits to airfields and museums. They recently visited the Stow Maries Great War Aerodrome near Maldon with about 50 members in attendance. “It was a beautiful day and a great chance to meet folks instead of on the 'TV thing,” Don commented. If you would like more information or have an interest in joining this group please contact Don Mobley at [email protected] New Aviation Group takes off!
u3a Horncastle As craft lovers we are tempted with a whole range of decorations, accessories and materials and it’s possible to be overwhelmed by the choices. My advice is to keep it simple and not over power gifts with too many elements, the following hacks will make your gifts look more luxurious. Tie in jingle bells with ribbon, these small decorations are easily available from craft shops and immediately scream Christmas. Their delicate sound will also add another sense and everyone loves them from small children to grandparents. Introduce some papercraft ideas in to your wrapping. The art of origami is huge in Japan and is making an appearance now in Europe. fans and pinwheels can easily be made with pretty wrapping paper and these make great decorations stuck on to gifts with double sided foam. Foliage out of the garden makes a perfect decoration too. Grab a metallic gel pen and write the recipients name on a large ivy or bay leaf. This makes a natural gift tag and will raise your green credentials. We are often reluctant to throw things away and if you have collected small decorations from crackers etc these can easily be tied on to gifts to give an eye catching feature. Even plastic holly and mistletoe look classy when used in small amounts! Personalisation is still a huge trend and continues to be a firm favourite. The great thing is that any colours and patterns go well at Christmas and you can soon transform your wrapping into a personalised mecca with these few tips. Sustainability is also now a key factor so Presents with Pizazz! Jane Means is a gift wrapping expert and runs courses worldwide, she has made TV programmes with Alex Polizzi and Kirstie Allsop and her business is based locally. www.janemeans.com
u3a Horncastle 5 December 2023 shoppers are a lot more cautious with expense and materials. Think of the recipient their hobbies and likes, you can soon tailor wrapping for them. Travellers could have their gifts wrapped in maps with some foreign coins glued on, and sewing addicts would enjoy a homemade wool pom pom attached on to a gift with some haberdashery remnants. Those who love to read and write poetry, or enjoy music may appreciate their gift being accessorised with a wax seal, and antique lovers could have a rusty or decorative key tied on with ribbon. The opportunities are endless when you get your crafty head in gear. As you know your u3a is run entirely by volunteers and we are in need of some extra goodwill from someone so that we can continue to run effectively, grow our membership and enjoy the varied programme we have. We need a new Group Cordinator. This person manages the registers for each activity, responds to group leaders if they need help and guides new group leaders who want to start a new activity. If you are interested in volunteering for this please contact our Chairman Mike Harrison at michael.harrison9 @sky.com Mike Harrison Can you lend a hand?
December 2023 6 u3a Horncastle Lincoln Cathedral is unique amongst English Cathedrals in being built on the stone from which it is constructed: Lincoln Stone. This building stone comes from the lower section of the Lincolnshire Limestone Formation, which was deposited over 170 million years ago when Lincolnshire bathed in shallow sub-tropical seas! Whilst many prestigious buildings in London and ‘Oxbridge’ are built of Lincolnshire Limestone building stones such as Ancaster, Barnack, and Ketton, Lincoln Stone is unique to Lincoln Cathedral, having been quarried since 1872 from the Dean and Chapter Quarry on the northern outskirts of the city. However, in 2021 the quarry was decommissioned and the ready source of stone for the ongoing restoration programme was lost. The impending closure of the quarry triggered two actions: the search for an Lincoln Cathedral – Maintaining a Monument Dr Michael Ashton is a Cathedral Volunteer Geologist who completed his Ph.D on the Lincolnshire Limestone
7 alternative source of stone to supplement existing stocks and a review of the Cathedral’s external fabric. The Cathedral’s Works Department had long recognised that Lincoln Stone occurred in two varieties: Silver and Red. The former is a fine-grained limestone that can be carved whereas Red is a coarser grained limestone with common burrows and fossils, and is suitable for basic masonry only. Interestingly a review of the Cathedral’s fabric revealed that as many as ten building stones have been used, including French stones, although Lincoln Stone is predominant. For a 900 years old monument this realisation is perhaps not surprising, especially when you consider that for the last 300 hundred years various architects have brought their own ‘style’ to the guardianship of the Cathedral. One of the more intriguing discoveries was of Bath Stone – to the disbelief of the Works Department and the long-standing Cathedral archaeologist, who subsequently was able to tie its use to John Loughborough Pearson, a Victorian Architect renowned for his love of Bath Stone; the coming of the railways to Lincoln undoubtedly played a part too. More broadly the routine 100-year restoration cycle that forms the backbone of the maintenance of the u3a Horncastle December 2023
December 2023 8 u3a Horncastle The Strollers have continued with their lucky Thursdays in the midst of a very variable summer. In September we made a visit to Moor Farm Nature Reserve. This was to have been a guided walk by a Ranger from Lincolnshire Wildlife Trust but, at the last minute, the Ranger was called away so we will try again next year. We carried on with the walk regardless and were the only walkers there and enjoyed the peace and tranquillity of the location. Our walk in October started at South Thoresby. A proper off-roading country walk which had us negotiating stiles with some amusement. (It must be noted by the leaders for future walks that not everyone has long legs!). We walked at a leisurely pace taking time to admire and appreciate our surroundings. It is often said there are benefits to health and well-being just by spending time in nature and enjoying it; when there are such lovely places to walk in this area it’s not hard to see why. The mushrooms and conkers were admired and there were reminiscences of how best to harden the conkers for fighting. Tea and coffee, cheesy chips and sandwiches big enough for a full meal were thoroughly enjoyed at Claythorpe Watermill. At the beginning of November we Stroll on! Cathedral’s fabric is overlain by a series of projects that address larger scale restoration challenges; such projects put additional demands on the type and volume of stone required, and particularly timeframes for stone supply. For example, the Chapter House on the NE side of the Cathedral is currently undergoing major restoration. Here the replacement of finely carved pinnacles has necessitated the use of a French stone, Lavoux, which provides a suitable surrogate for Lincoln Silver being geologically similar and available in the necessary block sizes. This multiphase restoration is also demanding of the conservators’ and stonemasons’ skills: stone carving, block shaping and an array of stone cleaning techniques. Whilst some of those activities can be conducted in the workshop ultimately the masons and the conservators face the elements, commonly high on scaffolding, to clean or replace degraded stone. Ultimately the new stone source has to meet the demands of arguably the finest Gothic Cathedral in England matching the honeyyellow majesty of Lincoln Stone that has for centuries crowned the historic city of Lincoln. The creative work on the photographic montages by Andrea Redgwell is gratefully acknowledged.
went to Hubbards Hills in Louth. A location we have walked in before, but not for a long time. Once again the sun shone for us with the lovely glow you only get at this time of year and the mature trees looked beautiful in their autumn colours. After all the recent rain the stream was flowing full and fast. Tea and coffee was had in town and plans were laid for a lunch in December to see out the Strollers’ 2023. We hope everyone has enjoyed the variety of walks and company of other members throughout the year. In January we will take a break but if group members are around we may meet for coffee in town. In February we will get together to plan walks for 2024. Walks led by other members and suggestions from all group members will be greatly appreciated, please bring them with you! Sue Stevenson & Susan Taylor u3a Horncastle 9 December 2023
On October 26th the Biodiversity Group met to analyse the causes of the serious flooding that occurred in Horncastle and surrounding areas on 20th of October. Our discussion tried to make sense of what had happened and then to decide on how we could assist the community in reducing future risks of flooding. It became clear that the events had been a consequence of several separate components. • Problems at Hemingby flood management, reported originally at 9.00am to the Environment Agency (EA). • The closed sluice at the old Bain confluence near the swimming pool. • The exceptional extreme rain event which had been predicted the day before and, • The exceptionally high flow rate along the Thunkers Beck running through the new housing areas on the outskirts of Horncastle. The flooding at the bottom of Stanhope Road was, we believe, a The Day the Floods Came by Peter Irons Above: Looking up the Waring/South Basin before the swimming pool sluice was opened. This photo: Looking at the Waring Bain confluence from the weir near the swimming pool.
u3a Horncastle December 2023 consequence of the water being unable to pass quickly enough through the bridge over the Waring. The water flow was at a rate that exceeded the bridge’s ability to cope. Consequently the water bypassed the bridge through SeaView Antiques. The vast amounts of water arriving per second from the Waring and Thunkers combined was just too much for the system. Beyond Stanhope Road the same situation occurred at the Town Bridge next to the Ship Inn traffic lights. The water flowed over the banks and down East Street and Banks Street. When the sluice at the swimming pool was opened at 3pm (about 30 minutes after the flood gates on the Bain were operated) the water levels in the concrete channel dropped allowing the water to pass through the two bridges leading to a rapid return to more normal flow rates and the end of the overtopping into Banks Road and East Street. Over the last eighteen months the group has been studying the way our rivers work and ways of improving the biodiversity. This includes longer term planning on topics such as soil management and organic content. In addition we looked at what is referred to as Natural Flood Management. We all know that the extreme rainfall event, which was the main driver of the floods, is going to happen again. As a result of the changing climate it is likely that future events will be more extreme and more frequent. Only by being proactive and improving the ability of our valleys to absorb more water during extreme rain events can we be more resilient. We have to work together in the Bain and Waring catchment to achieve this. • The soils and watercourses need to be able to cope with the extreme weather events at even greater levels and frequencies than we are experiencing now. Not only will it benefit the town it will also create a better, more resilient agricultural economy more able to withstand droughts (the flip side of extreme rain events) which are likely to become more extreme and extensive. • More organic content in soils means better water holding capacity during droughts as well as during extreme rain events. • Slower flows in our rivers after extreme rain events and more consistent flows during periods of drought. The Biodiversity group needs more interested, experienced, skilled people to be involved - please join us. Flooding around the sluice before it was opened. 11
Jeff will be a familiar face to many of us as he is currently our u3a Membership Secretary. He says this role was a steep learning curve at first but he was guided by the helpful outgoing position holder, Robin Wilmshurst. His earlier career followed a scientific path. He qualified as a chemist then, after working for British Gas, he set up his own company dealing with Analysis and Environmental Monitoring. This kept him occupied and interested until retirement. The three words he chose to describe himself are relaxed, content and happy. He has lived just outside Horncastle for five years. He and his late wife, the much-missed Alison, used to live in Birmingham and travel to this area for short holidays. In retirement, the short holidays stretched from days to weeks, until it reached the point when they decided to move here, and holiday in Birmingham. Jeff finds the positive aspects of Horncastle to be the friendly people, relaxed atmosphere and beautiful countryside. The adjustment to country living and the lack of nearby shops necessitated some adjustment for town dwellers used to a more convenient big city environment. Jeff has a multitude of interests, including star gazing, music, electronics, aircraft and all things aviation. The photo shows him in his music room, sitting at the keyboard he made himself, under his proudly displayed certificate of qualification as a Chemist. The room contains Jeff Jones Man of many talents December 2023
u3a Horncastle December 2023 more keyboards with sound and electronic equipment and would be worthy of a tour in its own right. Jeff had a gentle introduction to u3a and Horncastle life in general when he bought his house from Neil Carter, an ex Chairman. He had not been aware of u3a when living in Birmingham and feels that there is a need for more awareness raising nationally. The most effective introduction seems to be by word of mouth so it is up to us all to mention u3a at any appropriate moment, so more people can benefit from this organisation. At the moment Jeff, a committee member, is leader of the Exploring Churches group, and enjoys Creative Photography and Music Appreciation. He also enjoys listening to vintage Radio Comedy. He described his own u3a experience as positive, supportive and friendly. As far as suggesting any improvements he feels a name change could achieve a wider membership. The word ‘University’ can sound a bit challenging for people who thought their formal education ceased long ago. On the other hand the name needs to hint at the wide range of activities on offer. His retirement move to Horncastle has provided him, through the u3a, with a solid friendship network. When asked about his greatest achievement in life so far, he said that he was most proud of achieving his Private Pilots Licence, a most difficult and challenging enterprise encompassing regulations and technical aspects, in addition to physically flying the plane. His advice to a younger self would be that whatever you do, the sun still rises and sets each day, so ‘Don’t take life too seriously’. u3a Radio Podcast Did you know that the u3a has its own radio podcast? You can listen to it on your smart phone, tablet or computer via the Youtube channel. Type Youtube u3a radio podcast into your search engine to find it. Created by a team of u3a members with radio experience, the radio podcast comes out on the 17th of each month. It showcases the amazing things happening across the u3a movement. Check it out if you haven’t already found it. 13
December 2023 14 u3a Horncastle Brook House, Hemingby, is home to Michael Read and his prestigious herd of pedigree Lincoln Reds. My great grandfather was the first farmer in my family in 1870. He took the tenancy of The Poplars Farm, Low Toynton. His three sons all became farmers, with my grandfather, Ted Read, the eldest, taking on the family farm in Low Toynton. His two brothers farmed near Alford the other near Louth. Their descendants are still farming these farms today. My grandfather also had three sons all of whom became farmers. He bought Brook House in 1911 when a local estate sold up and my father, Frank Read, moved here in 1929, when he was 20 and started farming on his own in 1934. It was Frank who founded the pedigree Hemingby Lincoln Red herd in 1941, having lost virtually all of his first herd in 1937 due to a Foot and Mouth outbreak. He sold his first Pedigree bull in 1943 for 130 guineas, and started showing his Lincoln Reds in 1950 at the old Horncastle show, which was then held on the Wong. In those days it always involved athletics, and cycling! He started showing at the Lincolnshire Show in 1954, and it took him 7 years to have his first winner there. We have had a lot of success since then all around the country, including the famous Royal Smithfield Show, London. In the decades following we have had an impressive 67 Supreme Champions, and won 543 first prizes. I left school at Christmas 1961 knowing nothing about farming. Within 2 years I was trying to run the farm as my father had been rushed into hospital. He ended up struggling with emphysema for the last 19 years of his life, but with his advice, and the great help of our foreman Arthur Everton, we survived those early difficult years. I never went to college or sat anymore exams after leaving school so all my knowledge has been picked up from our staff and my experiences on the farm. My great love has always been the cattle, especially the pedigree side and I have done a lot of research over the years on the history of the Lincoln Red breed. The first Herd Book was produced as far back as 1895. A Herd Book contains the records of Pedigree Lincoln Red Herd at the Heart of our Community by Ade Edmondson
u3a Horncastle 15 December 2023 the Sire and Dam of each calf so you end up with a giant family tree for each animal. Many of them have 30 or more generations. I have 7 female lines in my Hemingby herd. They are always named after that family’s historic name, it’s year letter and a number sequence. So, the year letter in 2023 is C, the number sequence has reached 1449, which gives the first calf born this year the name Hemingby Treasure C 1450. The dam for this calf was Hemingby Treasure Y 1239. We have also exported cattle, semen and embryos all round the world over the last 60 years, and have currently a semen order for South Africa being processed! We are now supplying our Lincoln Red beef to the new Butchers in Horncastle Market Place, trading as The Busy Butcher. If you are interested in sustainable, low carbon footprint and verifiable provenance of your food they are well worth a visit. Ade Edmondson Frank Read
December 2023 u3a Horncastle What brought me to Pilates over 20 years ago was pain; from getting out of bed in the morning tightness in my calves would mean I was walking on tip toe for around 20 minutes until I could get my heels on the floor and walk upright. Painful neck and shoulders and increasing limited range of movement across all of my joints meant regular visits to the massage therapist. At the time I enjoyed teaching high impact aerobics, dance and step, I had taken part in active sports all my life including horse riding, skiing, cycling, swimming and running, along with bringing up my two boys. I loved movement but the pain in my body was stopping me enjoying doing what I loved in life. If movement was painful what could I do about it? Pilates was the buzz word at the time so I began training in 2000 and took subsequent courses with Modern Pilates between 2002- 2004 and qualified as a Level 3 mat work and 1-1 Pilates Teacher. The method itself was founded by Joseph Pilates, he was a sickly The Power of Pilates “Change happens through movement and movement heals.” – Joseph Pilates December 2023 16 u3a Horncastle The u3a Pilates group takes place at Queen Street Methodist Church on Wednesday led by Tracey Job
child with asthma, rickets and rheumatic fever but he was determined to overcome this and trained as a gymnast, diver and skier. When interned during WW1 he developed his physical fitness further and later worked as an orderly in hospital and devised equipment and rehabilitation exercises for soldiers who were unable to walk. Pilates then became popular, it offered an opportunity to aid rehabilitation and recover from injury. Joseph Pilates based his work on three principles: Breath, Whole Body (mind, body, spirit) Health and Whole Body Commitment. Pilates is not just a movement method it becomes a whole way of being that is constantly evolving whether it’s 10 minutes a day, an hour a week or anything in-between it offers you a space to “get to know yourself, from the inside out” As we age loss of muscular strength, endurance and flexibility affects co-ordination, stability and balance which can result in stiff hips, aching back and tight neck and shoulders, therefore, regular targeted movements become more essential to maintain our mobility. I created a Pilates class which is accessible for everybody of all abilities, my aim is to give you the opportunity to receive the many benefits of this movement practice that will, over time and when practiced on a regular basis, enrich all other activities in life and help to keep you moving well. What can you expect if you join a class? A friendly welcome, a kind caring and inclusive space where you will learn functional and practical movements, these include standing and mat work exercises with optional use of the Chi Ball or Thera band. Movement demonstrations and hands on adjustments are made when required ensuring optimal alignment and technique. When combined with the breath these movements can help to relieve joint pain and stiffness, improve core strength, balance and co-ordination resulting in an increased sense of ease and relaxation. Pain free smooth flowing movements are encouraged and alternatives are given if required. The members of the group are supportive of each other and sharing their experiences is an important part of the class. If you would like to join the u3a Pilates Class please contact Yvonne McKay, all you will need is yourself, a mat, a small cushion and a sense of fun! u3a Horncastle 17 December 2023
I ’m truly amazed at the variety and level of skills available throughout the national community of u3a. A member who has professional skills in indexing is creating the first u3a Index of The Rare. To be included in the index, subjects had to be unusual and offered by fewer than 20 u3as. It is not currently finished but will be placed on the u3a website when it is complete. It should make interesting reading. One of the more off the ‘wall’ groups is The Peaky Wallers. It was set up 8 years ago with the cooperation of the Ranger Service of the Peak District National Park and they work closely with them maintaining walls on the North Lees Estate based in the Peak District, There are way too many interesting groups to list but I wondered if there were any areas of interest you would like to see in our u3a. Perhaps you Check this out... December 2023 18 u3a Horncastle
have a yen to be part of a fishing group, a french group, a real ale group, a bus pass group or calligraphy might be your thing. If you have any suggestions for a group that you would like to see added to our provision or, as importantly, be a leader of such a group, please let me know. Bear in mind that while it is great to have lots of suggestions for new groups, we also need to have individuals who have the skills, interest or expertise to lead them. (Please contact Newsletter Editor Dee Fletcher - [email protected]) The topic that the creative photography group were challenged with recently was ‘Mechanics’. This proved to cause more than a little head scratching, but as usual the group rose to the challenge and produced some magnificent images depicting this subject. Some of the links were perhaps a little more tenuous than others but it provided a very entertaining evening. A few of the pictures are shown below. If you are interested in joining this group which meets monthly on the first Thursday then have a word with our Chairman, Mike Harrison as he leads this group. Creative Photography Group Writing Group proves popular Helen Peters has just started a new creative writing group which was very quickly fully subscribed although if you are interested Helen is taking names with a view to creating a possible second group. “Along with the Prose and Poetry group it would suggest Horncastle is quite the creative hotspot. There must be something in the Lincolnshire air!” says Helen. u3a Horncastle 19 December 2023
December 2023 u3a Horncastle St Peter and St Paul, Old Bolingbrook is very close to Bolingbrook Castle and its history was influenced by it. The existing structure is a small part of a much larger 14th century church, two thirds of which was destroyed during the siege of the castle in 1643. According to our guides a French prisoner was being held at the castle and he enjoyed his time there so much that he paid for the reconstruction of the bell tower. While we were there we were also given a guide to bellringing by the Bell Tower Captain. 20 St James, Spilsby is a very impressive church. It contains a chapel in remembrance of the Willoughby family. Taken as a whole this is probably the finest collection of medieval monuments in Lincolnshire. The earliest tomb is that of John Willoughby, 2nd Baron (1304-1349) with effigies of John and his wife Joan. The finest memorial is that to Katherine 12th Baroness d’Eresby, Duchess of Suffolk who died in 1580 and her husband Richard Bertie. The monument blocks up the whole south wall of the chapel. The last tomb, Sir Peregrine’s, was built in 1600 and may be the first English tomb to feature a standing effigy of the deceased. It is made of alabaster and marble. St Peter and St Paul (another one) Langton by Spilsby is a rather plain looking brick built Exploring Churches The group visited four churches recently, each one completely different and interesting. Jeff Jones describes what they found. St James, Spilsby
u3a Horncastle 21 December 2023 building but inside is most impressive with wooden box pews facing each other, a three decker pulpit and a gallery at the western end. There are said to be only three parish churches in England which share the same arrangement of facing box pews. The head of a small stone cross which has been dated as early 13th century was found in a nearby wood at the end of the 19th century and is now fixed to a wall in the porch. St Andrews, Sausthorpe Is notable for the large, ornate spire which is a prominent local landmark. It resembles the spire of St James Church, Louth but on a smaller scale. The church was constructed in the early-mid 19th century. Inside there is the grave of The Honorable Edward Dymoke who was a King or Queens champion. All of the above churches are kept going by donations and the hard work of volunteers. It seems strange to me that all of these listed churches are not supported by organisations dedicated to the preservation of buildings. Owners of listed buildings have to go to great lengths to ensure that any works are acceptable to local authorities yet churches are only kept going by volunteers with many closing due to lack of funds. We risk losing part of our heritage. St Peter and St Paul, Langton by Spilsby
December 8-9th Horncastle Christmas Tree Festival, St Mary’s Church, Horncastle December 9th Woodhall Spa Christmas Market December 9th Christmas Fair 08:30–15:00 Coronation Hall, Spa Rd, Woodhall Spa Fabulous stalls, great food. Free entry and parking. December 10th Horncastle Christmas Market December 14th Age UK Lindsey Christmas Fete Horncastle Community Centre, Manor House Street, Horncastle 9.30 -12.30 Join us at this year’s fete featuring a fantastic selection of gifts, books, Christmas cards and clothing from our shops. Try your luck at the tombola and raffle to win one of the fantastic prizes on offer. Coffee and cake will also be on sale and there will also be information and advice on our services. If anyone is interested in volunteering at any of our events or helping us to fundraise, please contact Lin Wood Volunteer Coordinator on 01507 524242 Ext 1567 or email [email protected] December 16th 5-8pm December 20th 5-8pm Christmas Wreath Making Workshops Bardney Manor, with Samantha Wright, award-winning BBC Gardeners World Garden Designer. All the materials to make the wreaths are included in the price along with Scrumptious Christmas treats and Festive drinks. Available, Cost per person £55. Enquiries to bardneymanor@ outlook.com December 19 19:30–20:30 Christmas Carol Concert, Lincoln Cathedral - Minster Yard, Lincoln Join Lincs & Notts Air Ambulance for a celebration of Christmas music and readings, set in the beautiful Lincoln Cathedral. You will need to be quick as tickets sell out fast. Dates for your Diary Horncastle u3a Monthly Meeting Dates and Speakers 2024 ..................................................................................................... January 2nd: Paul Vickers - The History of Magic .................................................................................................... February 6th: June Bounford - Mazes & Labyrinths ..................................................................................................... March 5th: Stephen Brown - Hell on Wheels - Life as a Driving Instructor December 2023 22 u3a Horncastle CLASSES & GROUPS If you are interested in joining a group please contact the person listed to ensure there are places available and for any other details such as location. Please remember you can only join the group if you are a paid up member of u3a.
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 Creative Crafts 2nd Thursday 2-4pm Shelagh Carter (01507) 523585 Creative Photography 1st Thursday 7-9pm Mike Harrison (01507) 522674 [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 Alison Carter (01507) 525471 [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] Creative Writing 3rd Tuesday 2-4.30pm Helen Peters [email protected] The visiting Gardens group urgently requires a new leader. Please contact Andy Mathieson [email protected] if you are interested.
After working for twelve years with an international weight loss company, Lorraine Cadel began Lose with Lorraine to help people achieve their ambitions, not only to lose weight but to maintain that loss. Lose with Lorraine concentrates not on selling products but on giving support, guidance and motivation to help members achieve their weight loss potential. Lorraine’s program is calorie based which makes it simple and easy to understand as calorie content is now shown on nearly all products available in the shops. Major restaurants also show calorie content on menus. Lorraine will calculate a personal daily calorie budget for you to help you reach and maintain your ideal weight. Everyone loves a success story! Just look at Mike Harrison your fabulous chairman. Mike before he joined the Lose with Lorraine programme Mike after he reached his target! Four stone lighter and successfully maintaining this weight. A true success story! Lose with Lorraine Lorraine has just opened her latest group in Horncastle. It takes place in Horncastle Community Centre, on a Thursday morning at 9:30 am-10:30 am in the Tennyson room. No monthly subscription, only a weekly fee of £6. It is a small and friendly group so why not come along and learn how to achieve your potential and be the next success story. Contact Lorraine on 0771 5328306 or email [email protected]