1. science
2. social science
3. linguistics
4. translation

BRIDLINGTON U3A NEWS
January/February 2015
Issue no.46
Registered charity no. 1138214
www.u3abridlington.me.uk
Chair: Lynne Stanley (01262 606545) [email protected] 6, The Glimpse, Bridlington YO16 6ZA
Acting Vice Chair: Dr. George Sheeran (01723 891893) [email protected]
Business Secretary: Christine Latham (01262 851313) [email protected]
Treasurer: Pat Beales (01262 851813) [email protected]
Membership Secretary: Paul Carroll (07969031002) [email protected] Flat 3, 45 Horsforth Avenue, Bridlington, YO15 3DG
Centre and Assets Manager: Jennie Copley (01262 604729) [email protected]
Group Co-ordinator: Terry Buckle (01262 601551) [email protected]
Hunmanby Group Co-ordinator: Yanina Sheeran (01723891893) [email protected]
Committee members: Jill Carroll [email protected] Sue Gollop (07577700042) [email protected]
Facebook: [email protected] Website: wwww.u3abridlington.me.uk
U3A Office: c/o The Community Resource Centre, 4-6 Victoria Road YO15 2BW (tel. 01262 670001)
Letter from the Chair: A Happy New Year to you all.
The Christmas festivities are over and the
New Year is upon us. 2015 promises to be
a
notable year for Bridlington U3A
because several of our founder members
are leaving the committee after seven
years of service, as you will know if you
attended the AGM or the Christmas
Concert. What a remarkable achievement
to have grown our organisation from
nothing to well over 800 members and 94
groups in that time. We can only applaud
their efforts and offer them our grateful
thanks for all the hard work and dedication
that they have put in on our behalf.
Presentation to retiring officers:
Speaker Secretary Rosie French, Chair Sue Gollop, Secretary
Wendy Brayshaw, Treasurer Christine Latham
Inevitably things will change. They must,
because their initial jobs have become so
large and complex that we are splitting
them between several members of the
new committee. To make it easier for you
to understand what is happening we have included details of the new committee, with their photographs, on
the next page. So there are no excuses for not knowing who we are!
Our plan for this year is to try to open up communication with our members because this is your organisation
and we are running it on your behalf so we would like to know what else you would like to do. There will be a
suggestion box at every meeting so that you can let us know what you have in mind - new groups, new trips
and new activities. We are also hoping to recruit members to take part in various sub-committees and working
parties and will be asking for volunteers for these as we set them up. Don’t expect things to happen
immediately. Slowly and surely is out motto!
I know that I speak on behalf of the new Committee when I say that we will do the best we can to move
Bridlington U3A forward, hopefully with as much success as our predecessors.
Lynne Stanley
(Chair)
INTRODUCING YOUR NEW COMMITTEE!
CHAIR: Lynne Stanley. I spent most of my career working for the Dyslexia Institute in both
administrative and educational roles, running the Hull Centre, developing teaching materials,
delivering teacher training courses, liaising with local schools, universities and training agencies,
fundraising for bursaries and supporting both pupils and parents in their fight to improve the quality
of their lives and opportunities.
ACTING VICE CHAIR: George Sheeran. I have been employed in teaching for most of my career. I have
worked for the Workers Educational Association and, for the past 25 years, at Bradford University
teaching architectural history, urban history and geography. I still maintain links with the university
but as an honorary member.
BUSINESS SECRETARY: Christine Latham. Christine is one of our founder members having held the
post of Treasurer for two terms of office. She will be staying on the committee in a different role whilst
also supporting Pat as she takes on the complex duties of Treasurer.
TREASURER: Pat Beales. I spent the first 30 years of my career working for Lloyds bank in a variety of
roles including admin and customer service. I left the bank in 2002 and worked for the Home Office
for 6 years in a male prison, first in finance and then in the custody department, which involved
working out sentences and parole dates.
MEMBERSHIP SECRETARY: Paul Carroll. I have spent my life in the building trade for most of the time
running my own joinery business. I moved to Bridlington with my family in 2002. In my spare time I
belong to a group that plays at gigs around the town.
CENTRE AND ASSETS MANAGER: Jennie Copley. I began my career in nursing but a back injury
forced me to change direction and so I trained as a dental nurse until leaving to have a family. Since
then I have worked with the general public which is why I enjoy my job as Group Co-ordinator so
much. I am now working with Terry to help him to take over this role.
GROUP CO-ORDINATOR: Terry Buckle. I worked as an Environmental Health Officer for 40 years,
specialising in food hygiene inspections, food poisoning investigations and monitoring hygiene in
slaughterhouses and poultry plants. I then became a Health and Safety Advisor for a company
specialising in residential care homes & retirement housing. I retired to Bridlington for a quiet life!
SOCIAL SECRETARY: Gerald Ewing-Nicholls. After taking early retirement from British Telecom, I
joined Channel 5's engineering department on a 12 month contract. This was followed by two years
working at "Beside the Seaside" tourist attraction. Then I spent 10 happy years at Sewerby Hall. I now
work at York racecourse, during the racing season.
HUNMANBY CO-ORDINATOR: Yanina Sheeran. I have worked in various sectors of education:
teaching, lecturing, teacher education, research and writing, and widening access to higher education.
Latterly I was responsible for Access courses for adults preparing to go on to university. My main
interest is in the social sciences. Now in retirement I am involved in local politics and tourism project
work.
COMMITTEE MEMBER: Jill Carroll. I grew up in Leeds and began my career in the fashion industry.
However, I have worked for most of my life as secretary to my self-employed husband. We lived for
a while just outside York and then moved to Bridlington in 2002. I run the monthly Coffee Mornings
at the U3A centre and will be helping Paul in his role as Membership Secretary.
COMMITTEE MEMBER: Sue Gollop. Sue really doesn’t need any introduction as she is one of our
founder members, working tirelessly to make Bridlington U3A a thriving organisation. She will be
staying on the Committee until Easter in a supporting role before resigning to devote more time to
her various School Governor roles and to take up new studies.
Success of Hunmanby Inaugural Wrangham Lecture
An appreciative audience of 65 people, including many U3A members,
came to the inaugural lecture held in honour of Hunmanby’s illustrious
early nineteenth century vicar Francis Wrangham on Saturday 22 nd
November. The public lecture was held at the community centre, where
internationally renowned Professor Kate Pickett of York University, who
co-authored the influential book ‘The Spirit Level’ with Richard
Wilkinson, spoke about her research on the effects of inequality in
society. She argued that once countries reached a certain level of
Dr. George Sheeran welcomes Professor Pickett
development, chasing increased output and wealth did not result in
better levels of health and happiness.
With evidence from numerous countries, Professor Pickett suggested that very unequal distribution of wealth within
a society led to higher levels of discontent and social distress. Societies with greater equality such as Sweden and
Japan showed better outcomes in life expectancy, social mobility, better mental health, higher literacy levels and
had lower prison populations. When asked how unequal societies like the UK and the USA could achieve more equal
distribution of wealth, Professor Pickett suggested that there were no simple answers. Countries did not necessarily
have to take the same path. They could legislate to increase low wages or limit top salaries, or use taxation and the
welfare system to try to reduce extremes of inequality.
George Sheeran, who helps co-ordinate the U3A activities in Hunmanby, said: “We were delighted by the public
response and the opportunity for people to meet Kate Pickett, who gave her services free for the event. The audience
found her research and ideas very thought-provoking and there were lots of questions. It made an impressive start
to plans for a yearly lecture on humanitarian and literary themes to honour the memory and reforming
work of Francis Wrangham.”
Note from our Membership Secretary
We have just completed upgrading and
automating the U3a database of
members. Hopefully this will run
smoothly. However as with all new
systems we may come across some
teething problems. If we have any of your
details wrong, then please let us know!
Paul Carroll
Yorkshire and Humber Region U3A (YAHR)
POETRY COMPETITION
The competition is open to all the U3A members in the Yorkshire
and Humber region. Members may submit up to three poems on
any topic. Poems may not exceed 40 lines including the title. They
must be original work and should not have been previously
published. They should be typed and in English. The closing date
is February 28th 2015. Entries should be sent to: YAHR Poetry
Competition, Ivy End, The Green, Long Preston, Skipton.
Christmas Concert
2014
What a splendid
concert we had
again this year.
Great to see our
newest
dance
group perform; The
Folk Dancers. Well
done to you all!
GROUP INFORMATION SUMMARY
Tuesday
Wednesday
Thursday
Friday
Orchestra
Short Walks
Getting There in Italian Yoga
Allotments
Art Acrylics
Family History
Art Watercolours
Trim Intentions
Medium Walks
Art Watercolours
Art Portrait Painting
am
Knitting & Crochet
Card Making
Chantons! Let’s Sing!
Pedal Pushers
Intermediate French
Spanish intermediate
Folk Dancing
Conversation
Art Watercolours for
Poetry Appreciation
Spanish for beginners
beginners
Dinner Party Dishes
Spanish for beginners
Advanced Spanish
Advanced French
Conversation
Medium Walks
HUG Yorkshire Studies
Longer Walks
Sociable Strolls
Canasta
Music: learn to play
French refresher
Getting going in Italian
Radio Play Writing
pm
Singing for Fun:
Canasta
Intermediate Spanish Getting Started in
Play Reading
The Entertainers
Hearing Loss
Progressive Whist
Italian
Recorder Group
Art Acrylics
Writing Memories
Calligraphy
Technical Discussion
Carpet Bowls
pm
Computers for
Let’s Make a Band
Ballroom Dancing
A Little More German
Outdoor bowls
all abilities
Yoga
Arts Appreciation
Reading
Digital photography
Beginning German
Paper Craft
Wine Appreciation
Ballroom Dancing
Jazz Ensemble
Elocution
Canasta
For Beginners
Beginning French
Intermediate German Meditation
Dinner Party Dishes
Fun Galore Board
Drama
Canasta for Beginners
Games
German for beginners
Outdoor bowls
Book Group
Acoustic Guitar
Intermediate Ballroom
Dancing
Literary Studies
Beer and Bridge
Living History
Discussion Group
HUG
Write On
Variable - BUGG GROUPS: Conservation Group, Geology, Wolds Churches, War Graves Research, Archaeology Group, Long
Walks, Trips, Theatre, Silver Dream Bikers, Pub Lunches
Monday
Monthly Open
am
Meeting
Music Appreciation
Short Walks
Spanish for
beginners
Discussion Group
Knitting &Crochet
Tap Dancing
INTERESTING FACTS ABOUT PUB LUNCHES 2014!
 Average attendance was 45.88 people
 We have eaten more than 780 meals during the year
 We have paid over £8000 into the local economy
 We have consumed something like 1.3million calories!
Pub Lunches will be on the LAST THURSDAY of each month
in 2015, and it is hoped that we will be able to publish a list of venues
and dates at the January meeting
Next Pub Lunch: Ferns Farm Hotel January 29th
Next Coffee Morning:
January 29th
Resource Centre
10.45am to Midday
Come and meet old friends
and find new ones!
Spa Meetings 2015
10.00am to start 10.30am
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January 19th
February 23rd
March 23rd
April 20th
May 18th
June 22nd
July 13th
Trips:
Grand Opera House York
Wednesday March 11th
Matinee Performance
Expressions of interest Jan. 19th
‘One Man, Two Guvnors’
Cost = £25 for coach and ticket
(£10 for coach)
STOP PRESS: Following the success
of the German trip, Ray is planning a
6 day trip to Amsterdam via Hull
Ferry on April 23rd to see the tulip
fields. Approx. cost = £420. Details
and expressions of interest at the
January meeting or contact Ray on
01262 673255
No previous experience needed!
We are looking for a couple of
volunteers to continue the wonderful
work done by Bob Wood and Margaret
Croft in fundraising for us by selling
books at our monthly Spa meetings. If
you are interested, please contact the
Chair, Lynne Stanley