News

The latest magazine for Mar/April 2014 has been published on this website. To access the magazines, either go to the Magazine page using the main menu, or click this link.

A few events have been added to the Events List.

You can now subscribe to this web site to receive an email automatically when a new news item is posted.

All you need to do is enter your email address on the Subscribe page. The Subscribe page can be accessed using the link just shown, or from the main menu.

The Skittle Group held their end of term Christmas Party on the 20^th December at their ‘headquarters’ The Crossways Inn, West Huntspill.

This last meeting of the year includes a celebration of the member’s ‘skills’, when the silver ware is presented, followed by a sumptuous Christmas lunch.

The award for ‘Best Overall Player’ for 2013 went to the Club’s Vice Chairman Bernard Martin and that for the ‘Best Lady Player’ for 2013 to Betty Worthy. Prior to taking lunch, and to build up an appetite, the members have a competition to see who can get the highest score and Billy Conibeer won the ‘Best on the Day’ cup.

The Group meets at the Crossways Inn on the first and third Fridays of every month from 11.30 am until about 01.00 pm when everything stops for a pub lunch.  The playing of skittles is not taken too seriously because the group comprises a jolly socialable crowd and one thing you can be sure of is a good laugh. If you are interested in playing skittles and perhaps having a few ‘jars’ why not drop in ; there is a good car park, it is also easily accessible by bus.

U3A of Highbridge are pleased to support the Highbridge Festival of the Arts for 2014. A fundraising film “Quartet” will be shown on January 27th at the Ritz Theatre in Burnham-on-Sea (see image below for more details).

More details on all the upcoming activities of the Highbridge Festival of the Arts can be found by visiting the official web site at http://www.highbridgefestival.org.uk.

We wish to thank all the members who braved the atrocious weather conditions we experienced on New Year’s Day in order to attend the usual  Coffee Morning; it was great to have the support from so many brave souls. This was the first time, in 10 years, that we have had to cancel a Coffee Morning because it clashed with Christmas Day, we will need to make alternative arrangements should it happen again, it upsets our routine?

This trip is on Saturday 26th April at the Weston Playhouse.

The musical is based on the story of a refined Cockney gentleman named Bill Snibson who learns that he is the heir to the 14th Earl of Hareford. The action is set in Hampshire, Mayfair and Lambeth.

Diane (781009) and Brenda (787963) are accepting provisional bookings, so if you are interested, please contact them soon.

Joy Daine, a member of the Thursday Art Group has an exhibition of her work in the Art Centre at the Princess Theatre in Burnham-on-Sea. It starts on the 24th December and runs until 11th January.

On Wednesday 15th January we will receive a visit from David Hill of Somerset Road Safety. He will be giving advise on how we, who are considered to be the elderly, can keep ourselves safe on the roads. The theme of the talk deals with those of us that are still able to drive; tips on how to be prepared for any unforeseen problem.

Dancing & Dining at the Ritz is on Saturday 1st March. This Social & Supper is being organised by Pat Clipstone. The all-in price will be £10.00 and it is from 7.00pm until 12.00am. If you are interested please let Pat know as soon as possible so that the catering can be arranged.

We have two new groups starting in January. On Wednesday 8th January the newly introduced Keep Fit Group meets for the first time. Roger Cross, its Leader is a Registered Boxing Coach and he has assured us that the exercises will not be too arduous, no pumping iron or weight lifting.

Another new group starting up is the “Happy Snappers”. This starts on Wednesday 22nd January and will be led by Kevin Gainford; he will be instructing members on how to improve their camera techniques.

The U3A Photography Group were interviewed on 10Radio by Richard Tomlinson (Ignite Somerset) on 10th December 2013.

Listen to the full show below.

In October at the U3A open day the Crochet & Knitting Group raffled over 30 hats, scarves, etc.  that the group made to raise money for Hounds for Heroes, which netted £45 to help their cause.

Members are in the process of providing items for the U3A’s Christmas Hamper that will be the top  prize in a raffle to be drawn on Wednesday 11^th December, the proceeds of which will be donated to the Children’s Hospice South West.

Following the recent successful exhibition, held at the Burnham-on-Sea Princess Theatre Art Gallery, that showed  portraits members, the Photography Group members have now gained some more valuable experience by being the official photographers for the traders during the recent Burnham-on-Sea FoodFest. They also photographed the crowds and illuminated carnival floats during the Highbridge & Burnham-on-Sea Carnival that was held on Monday 4^th November.

Following the retirement of the Keep Fit Group leader a ‘new’ group is to be formed under the leadership of a member who is a registered Boxing Coach. He has offered to lead the new group on the understanding that members will not be required to ‘pump iron’ or resort to any form of fisticuffs.

A recent weekly Coffee Morning held by the U3A raised a total sum of £430.00 for Macmillan Cancer Support Fund, this particular coffee morning,  held in conjunction with the annual Macmillan BIG Coffee Morning, was organised by Pearl Price. She had arranged for there to be a cake stall where members would sell their homemade cakes and other homemade goodies, there was also a raffle and an auction, these were held to sell off any unsold cakes.

By Janet Raine (Creative Writing Group).

“MALE MEMBERS WANTED”  a radio play by the Creative Writing Group

Last Spring the Creative Writing Group was challenged, by Somerset Film & video (which exists to promote film and digital media making in Somerset and the South West), to create a radio play for broadcast on local radio.   10Radio broadcasts on 105.3 FM and www.10radio.org out of Wiveliscombe to the 10 parishes, hence its name.

The Creative Writing Group were rather bemused by this request since we were in the habit of producing mostly prose and poetry.  It seemed a monumental task for 7 disparate writers to cooperate in the production of a radio play.  Fortunately Grace came up with a scenario:  a local Amateur Dramatic Group looking for new male actors in order to put on their next performance.  We were all allotted characters and worked on our own lines.  A lot of extra meetings, revision and discussions were involved and our efforts were being pooled by Linda.  Finally it all came together and Richard Tomlinson, from Somerset Film came to one of our meetings to record the play.

This was an unusual experience for most of us:  having to raise our hands when our character was about to speak,  then having the woolly microphone shoved under our noses to catch these lines.  Kathy having her part recorded separately as it is mostly ‘asides’ and incorporating sound effects of hoovering, tea making and so on.  In fact, the afternoon’s recording session might have produced a wittier play than all our efforts as playwrights.

A few weeks later we were invited to meet Richard at the Engine Room in Bridgwater, headquarters of Somerset Film & Video.  We were treated to coffee and a tour of the premises, where we noted portrait photographs of some U3A members ,  taken by the photography group.  Then Richard drove us over to Wiveliscombe to record an interview and broadcast our play.  Only five of the group were able to attend but this was just as well since the recording studio was so small I felt quite claustrophobic.

The programme of events for 2013 is almost complete and details for 2014 are being discussed prior to final agreement, availability of transport, etc.

A few Social/Festive activities have yet to be held, they are:-

• Luncheon Groups Christmas Lunch at the Huntspill Arms on Wednesday 4th December.
• On the same day there is another lunch, it is:-There is a holiday planned for 2014, this is to be at Daish’s Barrowfield Hotel in Newquay Cornwall from Monday 4th February until Friday 7th February. There is still available one Single room and one Twin/Double room.
• Strollers Christmas Lunch at the Sharpham Tea Rooms.

The annual U3A of Highbridge Open Day was held on the 15th October 2013 and was attended by the Mayor of Burnham-on-sea and Highbridge, Cllr Martin Cox.