Superstitions surrounding solar eclipses still exist today. Many people believe that solar eclipses can be a dangerous to pregnant women and their unborn child. In India, some people fast during a solar eclipse because they believe that any food cooked during the time will be poisonous, and in Italy it is believed that flowers planted during a solar eclipse are more colourful than those planted at other times of the year. A solar eclipse can only happen at new moon, when the moon directly blocks sight of the sun from certain places in the world. It can take place up to five times a year, though according to Nasa, only 25 years in the past 5,000 have had five solar eclipses. In the last 500 years there have only been eight total solar eclipses that could be seen from the UK. The last one was in 1999. The UK will not see another eclipse until 2090 (some of us may miss that one too!). In case you missed it: this is the photo I took from my back garden in the 3 minutes that the clouds moved and it was visible. Until then I was getting excited that a badly timed street light near my house turned itself back on. It has got to be said that I am easily entertained! A reminder the clocks go forward next Sunday, 29th March.
Mandi Simons
SPEAKER: Our next meeting on Thursday 26th March is Captain William Wells talking to us about the ‘Life and Times of a Ship’s Pilot’.
COMMITTEE MEMBERS REQUIRED. A couple of brave souls have forwarded their names for consideration to join the U3A Committee in April. This is the last call for other interested persons. If you are aged between 10 and 110, physically and mentally alert, active and functioning (scrub that last bit, I have just remembered who the chairman is! Mandi) and you wish to influence the direction of this U3A and how it runs please contact either Dave Johnson (Chairman) or Glynn White (Secretary) for further information.
MEMBERSHIP RENEWAL – 2015/16: We are now accepting membership renewals. The cost remains the same £15, cheque made payable to “Weston Turville U3A”. If you are unable to attend the meetings, you may mail your renewal to Mary Duly, 1 Bridle Manor, Halton, Aylesbury. HP225PQ.
SUGGESTION BOX: There will be a suggestion box strategically placed at the U3A main meetings. This is for your suggestions on how to improve this U3A. So if you have any bright ideas and do not know who to tell them to, there is now a place for you to put them!
Dave Johnson.
TRIPS: BBC / Wallace Collection trip 6th May Payment of £32 per head is now due for this trip, can you please pay at this month’ meeting (See Mandi there) or send you cheque to me at 1 Bridle Manor, Halton. HP225PQ. Thanks. Mary Duly
THEATRE: I am taking bookings for JERSEY BOYS – the story of Frankie Valli and the Four Seasons. This will be at the Waterside Theatre in Aylesbury on Thursday 24th September at 2.30. Price of tickets in circle one is £40.00. If you are interested either email me on mrswills31@gmail.com or see me at the monthly meeting next week.
Rosemary
GARDEN VISITS: There are still spaces for our garden visit to Turn End on Wednesday May 13th afternoon visit. Cost £7.50p cheques with booking please. Times to be confirmed. I will be taking bookings for our garden visit to Steane Park Gardens on Thursday June 18th by coach. Coach cost £10.50 Leaving Weston Turville shops at 12.45pm arrive at 2pm. Entry to garden and tour £4.50. Homemade cream tea (which is highly recommended at £4.50p) which I can pre-order for everyone. This can be taken under the copper beech tree or if it rains in the chapel of St Peter in the grounds of Steane Park. Leave at 16.45pm back in Weston Turville approx. 6pm. The total cost is £20.00. Update on our visit to Perch Hill, Sarah Ravens Garden and Cookery School on Tuesday July 14th. We will leave Weston Turville shops at 7.45am, this will be an all day visit. I will arrange for us to have coffee or tea on arrival at Perch Hill, pay on the day. I have also been able to arrange for us to have lunch in the Conservatory during our garden visit. This will be a cheese ploughmans with homemade pickles and incl. drink of elderflower cordial, all produce locally sourced. Lunch cost will be £10.00. We will have a guided tour by one of Sarah Ravens team at a cost of £12.50p. The shop at Perch Hill will be open. Coach cost tbc. Hope to see you at the monthly meeting.
Gaynor Edwards.
VISITING CHURCHES: Our first visit for 2015 will be to St Peter & St Paul church, Great Missenden, on 15th April. This is on the third Wednesday of the month which is now our regular spot. We shall meet at the rear of the Five Bells car park from 1.00 pm to leave by 1.15. A speaker will give us a short introduction and afternoon tea will be provided at the end of the visit. £5 per head all inclusive will be collected before leaving the Five Bells. New members and returning members are very welcome and are invited to confirm their names at our table at the monthly meeting on Thursday 26th March.
John Richardson and Margaret Baynes
EXTREME GOURMET: Jazz picnic: Wednesday 17th June 2015; 2pm to 5pm; Aylesbury Rugby Club; £10 deposit on booking. Join us for an afternoon of relaxation with good music by the Dixieland Swing Kings and a Hog Roast from the King’s Farm shop. Salad and rolls will also be on the table. Bring your own favourite tipple with a glass and cutlery. Subject to weather conditions the event will be held outside so you may want to bring along a fold-up chair for your comfort. In the event of inclement weather it will be held indoors. If you care to take to the floor for a dance or two then please do. For further details of either event or to book a place contact Rosemary Williams, Mary Duly or Pam Wilson at extreme@WTU3A.org.uk
EXTREME VISITS: Trip Report – Ice Sculpture 13th March 2015
They have a different sort of “day at the office” at Hamilton Ice Sculptors. An amazing set of skilled individuals working on all sorts of commercial projects. Perfect hosts and a very enjoyable visit, which included some hands on experience. As you can see from the photo of Damian, it’s easy to make a beautiful sculpture in minutes without training!
Trip Report Solar Eclipse: No more words necessary!
Trip Report Nurbergring 24 Hour Race Simulation 28th Feb 2015.
“During the Awards ceremony, the WT U3A team was mentioned numerous times by other teams in what can only be described as utter positivity! To that note we had a trophy ready for you which is ‘The Race Hut Spirit’ award, for the team that entered and competed with greatest team spirit and all for the right reasons. After saying who won the award there was a massive cheer and round of applause. The important bit is what you did for the event and charity, so thank you so much for that.”
David Goode (Of The Race Hut)
WTU3A has contributed around £300 to the Brain Tumour Charity. Well done to all who took part.
AirKix Indoor Sky Diving 5th June 2015
10:30 Airkix in Milton Keynes; £29.99 cheque to “Weston Turville U3A (Travel) now due! Max 26 skydivers, places still available.
Contact Adrian or Trevor email extreme@wtu3a.org.uk
Abseil the Spinnaker or simply visit Portsmouth for the day
15th May 2015 : Following our coverage in Third Age Matters, there are now U3A members from across the country joining us. We have reached our minimum required but could accommodate another 5 if you are interested. If you have friends or relatives that may be interested – we’d love to hear from them, even if they are not U3A members. £85 to abseil to Spinnaker (£105 for GoPro video). £25 for return coach trip from Weston Turville, leaving at 08:30. If you put your name down for this adventure and haven’t received any Logistics email, it’s either in your spam folder of I’ve transcribed your name incorrectly – get in contact. Cheque to “Weston Turville U3A (Travel)” now due! Contact Adrian or Trevor email extreme@wtu3a.org.uk
OVERSEAS NEWS:
Ken Satterthwaite of the Aylesbury Vale U3A writes …Possible New Group ‘Military History’ for the AVU3A. I am willing to start a new group on this vast subject. I anticipate we would meet monthly in a local hall for a couple of hours where we would have self-generated talks, discussions, outings to military sites and possible outside speakers on this subject. So if interested please contact me direct ken.satterthwaite@hotmail.co.uk 01296 583578. All are welcome.
Jan French is organising another holiday in the sun for next winter. She has forgotten to pass on the details to me so if you want to know more please speak to her directly on 01296 708663 or catch her at the monthly meeting.