West Wolds U3A

West Wolds member Terry Francis has one of his digital photographs included on the 2018 BBC Countryfile Calendar.  OK, not on the front page, but in the collage of Highly Commended images which are included on the newly published Calendar.  Well done, Terry!

Speaking of calendars, our Digital Photography group has produced its own 2018 U3A Calendar, and copies will be available to look at and order at this year’s November Meeting and AGM, when a selection of other groups will also be showing members what they get up to.  Make sure you attend this important meeting.

Our most recent visit to the lovely Louth Riverhead Theatre found us for the first time sitting in the Studio, just as comfortable as the main auditorium but very intimate indeed – the players were almost standing on the toes of those in the front row!

‘The Shakespeare Revue’ was the evening’s entertainment, billed as songs and sketches by names including Alan Bennett, the Monty Python team, Victoria Wood, Noel Coward (a diverse range of talent!) and more.  The resultant sketches, monologues and even pantomime style songs were a witty combination of the works of the Bard of Avon and these latter day writers – many a laugh came from the audience, and one has to admire the ability of the Louth Playgoers team to remember so many lines.  What a tour de force!

For me, it brought back many memories of English Literature studies all those very many years ago, but this was so very much more humorous and enjoyable.  Well done to the performers for a great evening which left us chuckling and looking forward to the next Monday’s final edition of the Upstart Crow himself.  Like the Chairman’s comments on the scarcity of members visiting Lincoln Uni’s Open Day recently, why do so few of our members join in our entertaining visits to the theatre?  You invariably miss out on a treat.

Are you interested in and involved in research?

If so, we would love you to come to a meeting taking place at Carrs Lane Conference Centre, Birmingham at 11am on Friday 10th November 2017.  The purpose of the meeting is for the NEC and the National Office to discover what is happening in the U3A research field, to listen to discussion and ideas and to assist in facilitating all aspects of U3A research to go forward.

If you wish to attend please contact the National U3A Chairman Pam Jones (pam.jones@u3a.org.uk).   An agenda and directions will be sent out in due course. Reasonable expenses will be reimbursed.

In 1913 Edgar Henry Thorne, a Wragby carpenter, was asked by local schoolmaster Mr. Mumby to make him a beehive.  So began the business of E.H.Thorne (Beehives) Ltd. which to this day thrives at Wragby, albeit now located in much larger premises at the aptly named Beehive Industrial Estate, at Rand.  The original wooden office and showroom is now sited in the grounds of the modern premises, as a museum to the company’s humble beginnings.

Our gardening guru Mary had arranged for a group to tour the premises and to see just what was now made there.  And it’s not just beehives!  Whilst modern machinery saws the cedar wood (Canadian and British), and cuts the sections of beehives to shape, older equipment melts beeswax and produces sheets of this which go to candle makers across the country.  The shop sells everything that beekeepers need to care for their creatures, and to make honey.

We were initially given an introductory talk by Rebecca Thorne, in the restaurant where we had lunched, and then after answering questions from us, she led everyone out to meet her father, and we split into two groups to make the tour, which included ladies stitching the beekeepers suits which they sell (the ladies will also make or alter your curtains!), as well as watching other ladies thread heated wire through beeswax sheets which would go into the hives.

All in all, a very unusual afternoon, and the shop and restaurant are open to anyone to call in and visit whenever you fancy.  Thanks Mary.

For those of you who would like the answers to the newsletter crossword click here… If you would like to see another crossword in the newsletter then please contact magazine@westwoldsu3a.org

For further information on online crosswords go to:

www.alberichcrosswords.com

Following in the footsteps of our now renowned Ukulele group, our Turkish Delight Desert Dancers recently went abroad to Nettleton to perform especially for the monthly meeting of the local WI.  Those attending the meeting were met at the door by Abdul, the Dancers’ slave, who welcomed them.  The performance was introduced by leader Gillian with a talk on the history of ‘belly’ dancing (our group remain steadfastly well covered) and how she came to start this group.  Then she led Julia, Dawn, and new recruit Felicity, in a series of demonstration dances, complete with lots of jingly bits, hip undulations, tummy rolls and seductive arm movements designed to attract the Pharoahs of ancient times. Music was provided by technician Terry on the cd player.  Clarence the camel made a cameo appearance, as he tends to do!
The ladies of the WI were delighted by the evening performance and copies of our September Newsletter were snapped up by them, so who knows, more new members may result.  This picture shows our ladies performing at the Festival Hall, but shows well how colourful they look.