Home page Co-operative learning and leisure for those who are over 50yrs and are retired/semi retired.

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2014 

Thank you for your interest in the Totton University of the Third Age group. We meet on the second Wednesday afternoon of the month from 1.45-4pm at the Eling Masonic Hall, Lexby Road, Totton, SO40 9HD. Generally at each monthly meeting we have a speaker and members are brought up to date with group activities and can opt in to activities/new groups. We currently have groups for Walking, Theatre, Bird Watching, Lunch Club, Genealogy, French,  Book Appreciation, History, Craft, Singing, Art, Philosophy and Wine Tasting. Annual Membership/joining fee is £12. Extra costs would be for refreshments and any costs incurred from the activity eg theatre tickets. Members are encouraged to think about hosting an interest group in their home and sharing any skill or hobby they have with other members.It is a very friendly group and membership is growing all the time. Visitors can come along for two monthly meetings paying £2 per entrance fee before deciding if they wish to join.If you would like any more information, contact the Secretary, Ann 02380 867417or Sue via suelivelybird@talktalk.net We look forward to meeting you.

January Meeting

Carol Young

 Walking Landsend to John of Groats

In 2004 Carol Young set herself a challenge – walking in stages from Land’s End to John O’Groats, on her own. For someone who had only once travelled away from home alone, it was quite a challenge, particularly as it meant leaving her husband and children for weeks at a time. The journey tested Carol’s physical and mental strength, determination and her integrity, to say nothing of her understanding of maps, walking gear and survival skills. The experience proved rewarding and life changing. In over 1200 miles of plodding the lanes and tracks of the UK she met many fascinating people, whose kindness and generosity helped to make the task enjoyable. There were glimpses of rare wildlife, breathtaking scenery and several ordeals at the hands of wind, weather and water.

February Meeting

Richard Burton Life in Court

Despite the hurricane conditions many of us braved the weather to hear how speaker Richard Burton grew up at Barrington Court in Somerset where his father was Head Gardener From 1947– 1975. His talk outlines the stories of people, places and events that made  a very varied life. The picture is of Richard and our Elizabeth Taylor

March Meeting

Dave Dibden 

Coppice crafts

Dave gave a good talk that all enjoyed sharing his enthusiasm. He told us coppicing occurs during the ‘winter’ months (from Oct to Mar) when there is little or no sap in the tree. Time between cuts varies depending on the intended use of the wood, but needs to be regular so that there are always some open areas where warmth and light can reach the ground. This is normally in 8 – 10 year cycles, with an area cut each year, and this must be maintained to ensure continuity of open space.  

April Meeting

A.G.M.

No photo today as there was no speaker or her dog. We had all anticipated a talk about the use of dogs in investigating health issues. First time in nine years we lost our speaker. Despite that everybody seemed cheerful and had more time to enjoy the break for tea and a biscuit after John went through the resolutions in the process of re-electing officers and committee.

May Meeting

Ron Taylor

Spice of Life

Ron Taylor proved to be an excellent speaker managing entirely without notes. He showed lots of pictures and gave members a history of the search for the Spice Islands, which had involved a great deal of murder and mayhem to take over the southern tip of India, as well as many battles between Spain and Portugal to see who could get there first.

He told the meeting about various herbs, of which the most expensive is saffron.Care should always taken not to use the pollen of the spring crocus as it is very poisonous, possibly deadly. He started and finished with a poem that we all found amusing.

June Meeting

Elaine Foreman

clinical psychologist

No sleeping this month as Elaine had us dancing in the aisles. Elaine Iljon Foreman is a Chartered Clinical Psychologist specializing in the treatment of anxiety-related problems. Her clinical research into Cognitive Behavioural Therapy techniques, developed over 30 years, has meant she is regularly in demand by the media for her expert contribution. Elaine's research into the treatment of anxiety and particularly fear of flying has generated invitations to present her research in this field across Europe, the Americas, Australia, the Middle and Far East. 

July meeting

Doug Gregory D.F.C.
Doug Gregory joined the RAF in 1941. Ever since his first flight, in a Tiger Moth, he has been addicted to flying and to aircraft. After retiring from his post-war teaching job, Doug decided to build his own aircraft and, instead of choosing anything 'normal', he built a First World War S.E.5a. He went on to fly his S.E.5a for many years as part of the Great War Display Team at airshows all over England. Doug is  91. He held a current Private Pilot's Licence and flew his S.E.5a, although he found it more difficult to get in and out, up to last year. He has since sold his beloved aeroplane.

Aug
Cream Tea

No speaker today Myra and her poets entertained us for 40 minutes with a wide ranging repertoire of poems. The bell ringers another 20, so by the time we had looked at all the displayed art and craft it was time for our cream tea. Finally a small presentation by John from Ingrid to the Totton Garage Youth Club. 

Sept
Mike Read
Wildlife Photography

For many people, an annual visit to Scotland is a ‘must’ for their birding calendar and on clear days the scenery can be dramatic.  Mike’s presentation covers all seasons.  Winter on Islay hosts thousands of Barnacle and White-fronted Geese enjoying the warming influence of the Atlantic’s Gulf Stream.  Heavy winter snow in the Cairngorms provides a background for Mountain Hares and Ptarmigan which turn white to match their surroundings.  In spring and summer, there are many birds visiting to breed.  The presentation shows life of grouse moors, mountains, ancient Caledonian pine forest, the west and north coasts for seabird cliffs and the magical Flow Country.  This is a slide presentation.

Oct

Change from advertised speaker. We got two for one both Sandhurst trained retired officers who gave us an interesting talk. More than 80 percent of officer cadets are university graduates, but some arrive with A-levels or equivalents. Others are serving soldiers who have been selected for officer training, and some come from overseas, having been chosen by theirown country’s army to train at the world famous Academy. People cannot undertake training at their own private expense.

The Commissioning Course for Regular Army officers is 48 weeks long, including recess periods. It runs three times a year, starting in January, May and September. The Army Reserve course is shorter, as is the training course Sandhurst offers military personnel with professional qualifications in areas such as law and medicine. Training at Sandhurst covers military, practical and academic subjects, and while it is mentally and physically demanding, there’s also plenty of time set aside for sport and adventurous training.

It’s a proud day for officer cadets going into the Regular Army when they finally march up the steps of Old College to be commissioned as officers at the end of the prestigious Sovereign’s Parade.

Nov
Dave Allport
Snowballs in June

The Falkland Islands are an archipelago deep in the South Atlantic Ocean first recorded by sea captain John Davis in 1592.

With a land mass of less than that of Wales, they have a climate totally the reverse of ours. Thus Christmas Day is celebrated on June 25, hence “Snowballs in June” the title of David Allport’s presentation.

As a Royal Navy warrant officer, David served a tour of duty there compiling an impressive cornucopia of facts and figures in his leisure time.

In other times, before the Panama canal, they were a valued stop for ships to rest and revictual prior to or after rounding the Cape Horn and they are twinned with Whitby for historical whaling reasons.

Since the Argentine occupation and subsequent liberation by the British task force, the Falklands are much more in the public eye but physical communication logistics are tenuous to say the least.

The first part of the journey from Brize Norton to the Ascension Islands flies over land to a great extent, so that there is always a diversion if necessary.

The onward 12 hours of flying has only sea below before Stanley is reached with an escort of fighters through the final 200 mile exclusion zone around the islands.

Stanley is the Falklands capital and only urban area, boasting one double decker big red London bus.

Dec
Partytime productions
Puss-in-Boots

A good number of members attended on a sunny afternoon to see two young women perform the many roles as the cat, the princess, the boy and his mother aided by stuffed rabbits, mice and a ogre's head. The raffle with its almost endless stream of prizes brought in £77 clear profit.