1. sports
2. rugby

Newsletter APRIL 2015
Newyddion EBRILL 2015
From the Chairman
Illness has prevented me being as active as I would like to have been this month but members have kept me in touch,
so I know that as usual our March programme was hugely successful. Our interest groups and talks were stimulating
and informative, and our social events and visits were all well organised, well supported and very enjoyable. Although
we are not meeting during Easter Week, you will see from this newsletter that there is much to look forward to in our
April programme and beyond. I am certain that few organisations in the whole of South Wales offer such high quality,
varied and exciting opportunities. And they are all made possible by the hard work, skill and dedication of our fellow
members. Let’s thank them for what they do for us, let’s continue to support enthusiastically everything they provide
and let’s tell our friends and relatives about this wonderful U3A and let’s encourage them to join us.
I would like to express my thanks to the 100+ Club for their very generous donation of £600 towards the purchase of
equipment and items which may be required by our Interest Groups. Would convenors please contact our Treasurer
Jeff Perren (tel. 788093) if there are any items which you require.
Finally, thank you all for your good wishes and support during my illness. Have a Very Happy Easter and come back
ready to enjoy our summer session.
Handel
Wednesday 1st April: Our Annual U3A Gala Coffee Morning and Spring Fair
st
Our Annual Gala Coffee Morning and Spring Fair is on Wednesday 1 April at the Hi Tide beginning at
10.30am. There will be Bric a Brac, Tombola, Bottles, Books, Cakes, Raffle and Art and other items for the various
stalls are welcome.
Pam Munro (tel. 783751)
Holiday Trip to Scotland - 14th to 20th October 2015
Our coach has 49 seats. Some members have already reserved theirs. For those who either missed our notice or who
have misplaced it, we have attached full details and a booking form to this Newsletter. Forms and deposit cheques by
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May 7 please to:
Rowena Millward (tel. 785000) or Sally Corbett (tel. 07773 181467)
Learn to love your iPad or Android Tablet
We are pondering the need for a short course to help get newcomers to these devices up and running, and
even loving them. If you’re interested please contact any of us specifying which device you have (or plan to get) they are quite different. If there’s enough demand we’ll try to run something before the summer.
Geoff Henderson 786 790, Martin Patten 786 745 or Lawrence Parry
Sunday Lunch Group
Would you like to have a pub lunch on the last Sunday of each month with a small flexible group? A different venue
will be used each time. Places will have to be booked well in advance and numbers will be limited. If you would like
to come to the Grove Golf Club on Sunday 26th April please phone me without delay.
Caroline David (tel) 771657.
News from the Porthcawl U3A 100 + Club
The committee members of the 100+ Club would like to thank everyone who attended the spring event and who were
thoughtful enough to express their enjoyment. We hope that you will support the summer event which is being hosted
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by David and Pat Parry. It will take place on the 14 June and will take the form of a garden party with a strawberry
tea. If the weather is kind the event will be held in their garden: however, should the weather not be cooperative we
shall hold the event in St David’s Church Hall in Nottage. Full details of our plans will appear in the May and June’s
newsletters but please make a note of the date in your diaries now.
Our invitation to convenors to submit bids for equipment to the 100+ committee resulted in very few requests and we
have turned over the surplus (£600) to the U3A committee. Convenors are invited to pass their requests for equipment
to the U3A Treasurer Jeff Perren.
Elizabeth C Bower (tel. 786234)
Wednesday 15th April 2.15pm at the Hi Tide: Talk by Dr Richard Lewis
‘The Challenges facing the Medical Profession’
Formerly a GP in Caerau, Dr Lewis is now the General Secretary of BMA Cymru. One of his responsibilities in this
important role is to represent the views of Doctors in Wales to the Welsh Assembly Government at a time when Health
Services are constantly in great demand and funding is restricted. Dr Lewis will tell us about the challenges faced by
the medical profession and how they are met. This talk will deal with issues of great importance to all of us and to our
friends and families. Do come along if you can.
Handel Davies (tel. 788364)
Friday 17th April: Series of Evening Talks on the Professions Today
This month's talk on the professions is from Canon Nevill Cahill on ‘The Church’. In common with others in the series
it should prove most interesting and thought provoking. Friday 17th April at 7.30pm in the Y Centre - all are welcome
including non-members (donations welcome) so bring a friend!
Andrew Collier (tel. 784939)
Tuesday 28th April 2.30pm at the Hi Tide: The Annual Gwyn Petty Memorial Lecture given by
Ceri Joseph:
‘The Waterloo Story – the people, the battle, the aftermath’
The late Gwyn Petty worked tirelessly to help many organisations in Porthcawl and the surrounding area and the
Porthcawl Museum and Historical Society, Porthcawl PROBUS and our own Porthcawl U3A were among those who
benefitted greatly from Gwyn’s dedicated work and support, and these three organisations have worked together to
establish an Annual Gwyn Petty Memorial Lecture in his memory. This year the lecture will be given by Ceri Joseph
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and it is certain to be highly successful. Her subject is particularly apt as this is the 200 anniversary of the Battle of
Waterloo, and Ceri is a fine historian and a most engaging speaker. It will be another excellent afternoon and a most
fitting tribute to Gwyn. Do come along if you can. Tickets are now available from Doug Jones (tel. 657571) at £4
each to include refreshments after the lecture.
Handel Davies (tel.788364)
Thursday 21st May at the Hi Tide: Our U3A Special Study Day on LEADERSHIP
The theme of this Special Study Day is leadership, examining the demands of leadership in various institutions and
organisations. The first speaker in the morning will be Dame Rosemary Butler, the Presiding Officer (“The
Speaker”) of the National Assembly of Wales. She will be followed by Paul Canning, a Senior Officer of Wales
Air Ambulance. After lunch, the first speaker will be John Walmsley, the Principal of Atlantic College, and we
hope that the final speaker on the Day will be a senior army officer who will describe how the Army selects and
prepares leaders at all levels to meet the challenges they face. The detailed final programme will be given in our May
newsletter. The cost of the Day, to include coffee on arrival, a two course lunch and the four talks is £12. If you would
like to come along please send me – Doug Jones, 84 Heol West Plas, Coity, Bridgend CF35 6BA a cheque for this
amount made payable to Porthcawl U3A. It is adviable to book your place soon because we have invited members of
U3As throughout the south of Wales to attend .
Doug Jones (tel. 657571)
Saturday 18th April: Visit to Cardiff Flower Show and / or Shopping
The coach for this visit will leave the Atlantic Hotel at 10am and Sainsbury’s at 10.15am approx. If you are not
getting on at the Atlantic please tell me what your pick up point is and give me your phone number. The cost
of the visit will be £8 for the coach fare. You can buy your own ticket for the Flower Show on arrival. If you would
like to come along please send me – Handel Davies, 5 Skokholm Close, Porthcawl CF36 3 QJ - a cheque for £8
payable to Porthcawl U3A as soon as possible.
Handel Davies (tel. 788364)
Wednesday 22nd April: Visit to Madresfield Court near Malvern
The coach for this visit will leave the Atlantic Hotel at 9.30am and Sainsbury’s at 9.50am approx. Built originally
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in the 12 century and enlarged and extensively re-modelled over the years, the house contains outstanding
collections of furniture, pictures, porcelain and objets d’art, and a wonderful library. The Chapel is regarded as the
most complete, and perhaps the loveliest of all British Arts and Crafts achievements. The house has strong
connections with Evelyn Waugh and it is claimed that he used the house and the family as a model for Brideshead
Revisited. After lunch together nearby we’ll go on to the house for a guided tour. The cost of this visit is £24.50 to
include coach fare, entry charges and guided tour. If you would like to come along please send me – Dorothy
Jones, 84 Heol West Plas, Coity, Bridgend CF35 6BA - a cheque for this amount payable to Porthcawl U3A by
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Monday 13 April at the latest because numbers have to be given well in advance Dorothy Jones (tel. 657571).
.Saturday 27th June 2015: Visit to Ledbury and the Malvern Theatre
We will leave Porthcawl in the morning and aim to be at the pretty market town of Ledbury by 11.00am. You will then
be free to explore its shops and timber-framed buildings, including the Market House built in 1617, and have lunch
before the coach returns to take us to Malvern where the play begins at 2.30pm. This is a thriller called ' The Business
of Murder ' which ran in the West End for 7 years and received excellent reviews including "The most intelligent thriller
for a decade" The cost including ticket and coach is £30.00 p.p. and cheques made payable to Porthcawl U3A should
be sent to me at the address below as soon as possible. Judith Hillman 1 Seawinds Rest Bay Close Porthcawl
CF36 3UN. Tel: 07981 869066 or email: [email protected]
Tuesday 21st July: Visit to the Welsh Proms at St David’s Hall
This concert will be given by the Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra with Owain Arwel Hughes (conductor) and John Lill
(piano). The programme is Wagner: Overture Tannhauser; Mendelssohn: Scherzo from A Midsummer Night's Dream;
Rachmaninov: Piano Concerto No 2; and Elgar: Enigma Variations. Prices (to include tickets and coach fare) are Stalls and Tier
2 £27.50; Tier 3 £18. if you would like to come along please send me a cheque payable to Porthcawl U3A. To take
advantage of these discounted ticket prices and be sure of getting tickets at all I must have your cheque by FRIDAY
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24 APRIL at the latest. Please print your name, telephone number and pick up point on the back of the cheque. My
address is 25 Sandpiper Road, Porthcawl CF36 3UF.
Janice Lloyd (tel.786532)
Porthcawl Jazz Festival
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On Saturday 18 April The Temperance Seven Jazz Group will perform at the Grand Pavilion Porthcawl at 7.30pm. Tickets
are available at the concessionary price of £18. If you would like one please send a cheque payable to Porthcawl Jazz Festival to
me - Chris Smart, 25 Esplanade House, The Esplanade, Porthcawl CF36 3YE. It will be an excellent evening.
Chris Smart (tel. 783547)
Porthcawl Lions Club
The Club would be pleased to welcome anyone interested to know more about their activities supporting the Community, around the
world (and enjoying each other's company) to a Wine and Cheese Evening at 8.00pm at the Y-centre, John Street on Tuesday
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28 April.
Meetings of Our Interest Groups in APRIL
Group
Archaeology
Time & Venue
10.15am at the
Holiday Home
Date
Tuesday
21st
Art History
2.15pm at the
Holiday Home
2.15pm at the
Holiday Home
Monday
th
13
Monday
th
27
Book Club 1
10am at Stella
Maris
10am at
132 New Road
Friday
th
24
Wed.
th
15
Information
Having looked at some of the archaeological evidence
for the Roman occupation in South Wales we are going
to learn from Chris James the when, how and why of
this occupation. It wasn't an easy task, as the Italians
found out on Saturday!
Some examples of sculptural ideas in Art College of the
‘70s followed by paintings of a later date.
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Frans Hals – the first great artist of the 17 century
Dutch School and one of the most brilliant of all
portraitists, his most famous work being ‘The Laughing
Cavalier’.
Discussing Stoner by John Williams
Contact
Ian Hutchinson
tel. 654418
Graham Cross
tel. 785876
Bridge
2pm at
Awel y Mor
Tuesday
th
th
14 & 28
Presentation by Tony and advice and assistance
from Pat.
Barbara Miles
tel. 783291
Annie Rance
tel. 711848 or
07788 243552
Caroline David
tel. 771657
Canasta
2pm at the
Rugby Club
10am at the
Coast, Dock
Street,
Porthcawl
Monday
th
th
13 & 27
New members welcome but please phone Deidre
first.
Deidre Wilkins
tel. 773277
Monday
th
20
Drop-in and help service to make the best use of
all kinds of electronic gadgetry. All members and
all gadgets welcome. The coffee's good too.
Geoff
Henderson
tel.786790
Martin Patten
tel.786745
Laurence Parry
Book Club 2
Computers,
tablets and
other gadgets
Discussing Yacoubian Building by Alaa al Aswary
and / or Nocturnes by Kazuo Ishiguro
Please also see note on Page 1.
Conversations
(Discussion)
2.15pm at the
Holiday Home
Thurs.
nd
2
Discussing:
‘If Britain is a meritocracy, what’s the case for a
hereditary monarchy?’
‘Is it still true that ‘we have never had it so good?’
‘What are the worst unpunishable crimes?’
th
16
th
30
Crafts
Drama – Origin
& Development
2pm at the
Y Centre
2pm at the
Rugby Club
Thursday
th
th
16 & 30
Monday
th
20
A warm welcome for members interested in any
type of craft
We intend to start studying Ibsen's The Doll’s
House.
Food in Britain
2.15pm at the
Rugby Club
French
10am at the
Rugby Club
10.15am at the
Rugby Club
Tues.21
Tues 28
Continuing our study of Manon des Sources
Please note that we will not meet
th
th
on 7 and 14 April
10.15am at the
Rugby Club
10.30am at
Stella Maris
Tuesday
th
28
Thursday
nd
th
2 & 16
Kay Boswell will talk on Garden Design
10am at the Y
Centre
Wed
st
1
th
th
15 & 29
Last chance for this April fool to master the technology
and finish with New Zealand's story.
Chris will be explaining what DNA tells us about the
Gardening
German
History
Tues.
21st
I will lead a session on Cockles, Sewin and
Laverbread
st
th
Doug Jones
tel. 657571
Pam Munro
tel. 783751
Elizabeth
Bower
tel. 786234
Margaret
Williams
tel. 665128
Work based on our Course Book & other material
Looking at all things German and Germanic
including conversational language and grammar.
early history of Britain (topical but!)
Merial Hewson
tel. 786240
Handel Davies
tel. 788364
John Murdoch
Tel.
07583570891
Andrew Collier
tel. 784939
Group
Latin &
Ancient History
Time & Venue
RAFA Club at
2.15pm
10.15am
Date
Monday
th
13
th
th
20 & 27
Information
Ancient History: Philosophers of Ancient Greece
and some other civilisations
Grammar Revision and translation from and into
Latin
Listeners’
Guide to Music
2pm at the
Rugby Club
Wed
st
1
Programme includes Haydn’s Cello Concerto No
1 and Mozart’s Symphony No 40.
Brian Nelson
tel. 742159
Mah Jong
2pm at the
Rugby Club
Thursday
rd
23
A fascinating game of skill and chance. We have
room for more players. New members welcome.
Movement to
Music
Painting
Workshop
2.15pm at the
Rugby Club
10am at the
Y Centre
Simple exercises, stretching and some aerobics
Philosophy
and Ideas
10am at the
Y Centre
Tuesday
th
th
14 & 28
Thursday
nd
th
2 , 16 ,
rd
th
23 & 30
Friday
rd
th
3 & 17
Elizabeth
Bower
tel. 786234
Liz Sumner
tel. 772314
Steve Jarvis
tel. 649165
On April 3 Roger will re-introduce us to the
connections between Science and Philosophy and,
assuming we distract him as usual (with brilliant
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comments and ideas) is likely to continue on 17 If not
we have more capitalism, anarchy and big bang
chances in the pipeline.
Andrew Collier
tel. 784939
Photography
for Everyone
Play Reading
10.30am at the
Holiday Home
10am at the
Rugby Club
10.15am at the
Rugby Club
Monday
th
20
Wed
st
th
1 & 15
Monday
th
th
13 & 27
Learning and developing skills in digital, still and
video photography
Continuing our preparation of new work
2.15pm at the
Y Centre
10.30am at
Awel y Mor
1pm at the
COAST CAFÉ
2pm at the
Holiday Home
Monday
th
20
Tuesday
th
th
14 & 28
Testing mind and memory, and above all good
fun.
New members welcome but please phone Judith
first.
David Morgan
tel. 740605
Liz. Sumner
tel. 772314
Elizabeth
Bower
tel.786234
Andrew Collier
tel. 784939
Judith Evans
tel. 650084
10am at the
Holiday Home
2.15pm at
Stella Maris
Monday
th
th
13 & 27
Tuesday
th
th
14 & 28
A game, a chat and a cup of coffee. Members of
all abilities welcome.
We will continue our study of Shakespeare’s
Troilus and Cressida
2pm at the
Holiday Home
Friday
th
th
17 & 24
Enjoying singing together
Poetry
Quiz
Russian
Language &
Culture
Science
Scrabble
Shakespeare &
other great
writers
Singing for Fun
Table Tennis
2pm at the
Y Centre
Walking
New U3A members wishing to join this group
please phone me beforehand.
We shall continue our perusal of Piers Plowman
Contact
Doug Jones
tel. 657571
st
21
Monday
th
20
‘Our Microbiome’. Are your bacteria keeping you
well? Martin Patten explores this latest
breakthrough in science. Please note the date
Gwyn Davis
tel. 654766;
Brian Nelson.
tel. 742159
Pat Parry
tel. 784211
Barbara Miles
tel. 783291
Jillian Davies.
tel.859033
Veronica Rees
tel. 784718.
Pam Munro
tel. 783751
Friday
th
24
Come and join in our relaxed and friendly games.
If you have a bat please bring it along. Please
wear suitable shoes. PLEASE NOTE THE TIME
2pm at the car
park of Ogmore
Castle
Friday
1st May
This is our very enjoyable BLUEBELL WALK
around the Merthyr Mawr area with the popular
Farmhouse Kitchen beckoning as an end of walk
reward. Please wear suitable footwear. If the weather
is doubtful please phone me to check that the walk will
take place. We walk at our own risk. Please note date.
John Pearman
tel. 782133;
Welsh
10am at the
Rugby Club
Thursday
rd
23
We will make you welcome in this group whether
you are a beginner, an improver or a fluent
speaker.
Writing for
Pleasure
Groups 1 & 2
10am at the
Rugby Club
Friday
th
17
We write simply for the pleasure of writing and to
receive friendly advice. The Groups will meet in parallel
but separately. We hope that members who could not
be accommodated in Group One will now join Group
Two
John Pearman
tel. 782133;
David Parry tel.
784211
Marcia
Humphries
tel. 772895
Wilma Walker
01639 635696
Holiday trip to Scotland - Wednesday 14th –Tuesday 20th October
We are proposing a 7day/6 night holiday to Scotland on a ½ board basis with Edwards Coaches. We will be staying in
three different hotels, all with WiFi. Each hotel provides some rooms on the ground floor. Travel will be in a 49 seat
executive coach with toilet, video/DVD, drinks facility, temperature control, seatbelts and an experienced driver. Apart
from the main journey no trips should be more than 2 hours.
Day 1 – We will travel from Porthcawl to Gretna Green. Our longest journey (a 6hr trip) with a stop for coffee and
lunch on the way and will stay the night in the Gables Hotel there.
Day 2 - We will continue on our way north to Edinburgh, where we will visit the Royal Yacht Britannia. We will then
have some free time in Edinburgh before continuing to Dryman where we will be staying at the Winnock Hotel for the
next four nights. Porterage is provided here and we are promised entertainment, including one Scottish night, each
evening. There is also an inclusive bar each evening from 7.30-10.30.
Day 3 – Today we will travel over the Trossachs to the village of Luss where we will take a boat trip on Loch Lomond
before we head off to Inveraray where we can choose to visit the Jail or the Castle (entry fees not included here) or just
do some sightseeing around the town.
Day 4 – Today will be our Driver’s day off, so we will spend the day quietly in Dryman, the village is small with a local
shop and a lovely cosy pub. There is a local bus service that runs to Baloch on the shores of Loch Lomond where the
town has shops, bars, restaurants, a sea life centre and a bird of prey centre. The bus journey will take 20 minutes and
runs every hour and a half from 9.30am.
Day 5 – Today we will visit the Falkirk Wheel in the morning followed by a visit to the Glengoyne distillery before we
return to our hotel for our last evening in Dryman.
Day 6 - Today we start our journey home by visiting the Lake District. We will spend the night at the Great Western
Leyland Hotel in Preston where we can chill out in the pool, sauna, or bar.
Day 7 – After breakfast we will make our final journey (5 hours) home to South Wales to be back in Porthcawl in the
early afternoon.
Cost £599 pp plus £117 single room supplement. Up to 11 single, 10 double and 12 twin rooms are available.
A non-refundable deposit of £35 pp is required by May 7th, with the balance being due by July 30th.
The Agents advise that we ensure that members of our party have adequate insurance, they offer this at £25 subject to
policy terms and conditions.
Questions or queries to Rowena Millward ~ 01656 78500 or email ~ [email protected]
or Sally Corbett ~ 07773 181467 or email ~ [email protected]
BOOKING FORM
Please detach and send to Rowena Millward, Flat 3 The Links, Lock’s Common Road, Porthcawl, Bridgend, CF36 3DZ
or Sally Corbett, 55 Ffynon Y Maen, Pyle, Bridgend, CF33 6JE
With your deposit cheques made payable to EDWARDS COACH HOLIDAYS Ltd by May 7th
Please reserve room(s) as follows: (No):
Single, (No)
Double and (No)
I/We enclose a non-refundable deposit of £35pp
Total deposit
Please print ~ Name(s):
Contact No(s):
£
Twin