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Vitality!
Nov
2020
Official newsletter of the Syston and District U3A CHARITY No 1180152
FROM OUR CHAIRMAN
Last month we were planning a cautious return to group meetings. We were exploring ‘covid secure’
premises and designing user friendly risk assessment checklists, however, our elected leaders moved the
goalposts again. Not to be deterred we decided to do a survey of our group organisers to see which groups
were managing to keep running and were pleased to find that 10 of our groups are still functioning by secure
meetings or electronic methods. In addition, some were keeping in touch with their group members by
email or phone calls just to maintain contact. Again, I would like to extend my thanks and that of the
committee to all our group organisers for hanging in there and trying to keep the groups together.
We have now produced new Risk Assessment forms and a Guidance Document that can be found on our
‘Grp Organise’ page of the website for anyone who is thinking of starting their group, and of course our
group coordinators will be willing to provide advice as necessary.
Our AGM with a difference was held in October, that difference being, no one was there! Well at least we
didn’t get any heckling. You will recall from the EGM held earlier this year that we changed the constitution
resulting in some committee members coming to the end of their job tenure and I wish to extend my thanks
to Gillie, our Refreshments Organizer, Jackie our Assistant Treasurer, and Pat, our Speaker Finder, for their
work and dedication to the committee over the past 4 years. We’re especially grateful for their contribution
in helping to establish the u3a as a successful and thriving organisation.
Refreshments and Assistant Treasurer positions remain vacant, and Cynthia Baker will be our new Speaker
Finder.
We have been cancelling speakers for our monthly meetings one at a time for several months now in the
hope that we would return to a degree of normality, but we now realise that’s not going to happen.
Accordingly, we have decided to try another approach. Our first ‘ZOOM’ General Meeting will be held in
December. It does mean for those of you who wish to take part, you will have to download the app to your
laptop or other device and we realise some of us will be unable to participate, but at present, it may be the
only way forward. We will be providing more details shortly and do hope many of you can join us in this new
approach.
Stay safe
Michael
See the next page for an update on the situation with face to face group meetings. Essentially, they
cannot go ahead for the time being.
~1~
WE WANT TO LET YOU KNOW
GROUPS REOPENING
As most of you will be aware Charnwood went into Tier 2 of Covid restrictions, but that has been
overtaken by announcements on Saturday evening.
COVID LOCKDOWN FOR 4
WEEKS FROM THURSDAY
ND
UNTIL 2 DECEMBER
NO GROUPS CAN MEET
REVISED COMMITTEE
AGM RESULTS
Michael Assistant Groups Co-
Chair Janet Downes
Wherton Ordinator
Vice-Chair Clive Iliffe Speaker Finder Cynthia Baker
Secretary Brian King Public Relations/Newsletter Julie Johnson
Christine Webmaster John Winter
Treasurer
Ringrose Meet & Greet Leader Dottie Clarke
Membership Secretary Margaret King Access & Equalities Lead Susan Alexander
Groups Co-Ordinator Sheila Driver Committee Member Norma Grimes
~2~
Below I have reproduced a circular from Leicestershire Police about online scams –
Online Shopping Fraud
During ‘Lockdown’, Online Shopping fraud has increased and it is really important people know what to
look out for and how to protect themselves from this type of crime especially in the run up to Christmas.
How does online shopping fraud happen?
Online shopping fraud happens when you discover a problem with something you’re buying or selling in an
online auction or marketplace, such as eBay, Gumtree or Etsy.
Online auctions and marketplaces have become a very popular way of trading online, but fraudsters are
using them to take advantage of your trust to sell poor-quality or non-existent items. You may find that
something you’ve bought online arrives late or never at all. In some cases, the products you’ve paid for are
less valuable than shown in the advert, different from the original description, or you weren’t told crucial
information about the product or terms of the sale.
What can be done if you are a victim?
If you paid via bank transfer, debit card or PayPal this guide from consumer rights organisation
Which? explains how you might be able to get your money back after you have been scammed.
www.which.co.uk/consumer-rights/advice/how-to-get-your-money-back-after-a-scam
How to shop online safely
• Before you enter your payment details into a webpage, ensure that it’s using a secure connection. Look
for a small padlock symbol in the address bar (usually next to the web address). The web address of the
payment page should begin with https. The ‘S’ stands for secure. Avoid carrying out any financial
transactions over unsecure connections, such as public wi-fi.
• Remember, when you’re making a payment online, you’ll be asked for the 3-digit security (CVV) number
on the back of your card; but you should never be asked for your card’s PIN or any internet banking
passwords.
• If you’re buying something online that costs between £100 to £30,000, credit cards offer increased
consumer protection over debit cards.
• If you’re unfamiliar with a site you want to buy something from, do some research first and look for
ratings and reviews from customers that have previously used the site. Always be cautious about offers
that seem too good to be true, or if a site or seller requests payment via a bank or money transfer service.
• Always ensure that you install software and app updates as soon as they’re available for your device.
Install anti-virus software on your devices and remember to keep it updated. Some forms of malware can
intercept and steal the payment details you enter into online shopping or banking sites.
How to shop safely on online market places
• Check the item description carefully and ask the seller questions if you’re unsure of something.
• Know the terms and conditions of the auction website, including its dispute resolution policy.
• Pay on the auction site every time and don’t click on links the seller sends to you. Never pay by
money/bank transfer – use a recognised service such as PayPal which protects your money until you’ve
resolved any problems with the seller.
Be suspicious if:
• The buyer or seller has a bad feedback history or has only recently set up a new account to avoid a poor
reputation.
~3~
• You get a private message or email offering to buy below the current bid or reserve price or to sell a
similar item after an auction has ended.
• You find an expensive item for sale at an incredibly low starting bid. If an offer sounds too good to be
true, then it probably is.
If you have been the victim of a fraud please report it to Action Fraud www.actionfraud.police.uk or call
0300 123 2040
You might also be interested in a Met Police booklet
“The Little Book of Big Scams” that goes into the
subject in more detail, it can be found here
GROUP NEWS
Here is a rundown of which groups are active in some way. Where they are using email and/or zoom you
can always contact the group organiser with a view to joining in.
BRITISH HISTORY
Has been circulating items by email; but is dipping PHOTO/DIGITAL IMAGING
a toe in the water of zoom this month. Email, but considering zoom going forward.
WHODONEIT BOOK GROUP GARDENING
Operating online. Newsletter circulation.
QUIZ GROUP BEADING
Email circulation. What’s app being used.
CURRENT AFFAIRS POETRY READING
Email circulation. Was due to meet at the Community Centre for
the first time this month.
FAMILY HISTORY
Zoom sessions BRIDGE
Considering going online over winter.
GENTLE YOGA
Sessions at the Community Centre – max. of 6 WALKING GROUP
Considering meeting in a socially distanced way.
SINGING
Zoom sessions. UKULELE
Using What’s App, but informal group not strictly
BOOK GROUP under U3A umbrella
Email circulation.
~4~
Some groups have been unable to meet due to the fact that they share equipment, those involving trips
and outings obviously cannot function, others have various reasons for not using zoom or other apps. But
many such groups are keeping in touch by phone and email.
If you want to contact any group organiser you can do so via the groups page on our website here
The next pages have the usual news of what some of our groups have been doing (or not).
WILDLIFE PHOTOGRAPHY GROUP
I led a workshop for a small group who wanted to be able to learn more about the controls of their
cameras, to be able to get off automatic and to take control.
I am pleased to say that this was well received and group decided that they wished to continue to meet
monthly. This we did but with variable attendance. Eventually we decided to wind up the group as it was
proving impossible to find mutually convenient days and times that could give us a worthwhile time
together. They were all heavily committed to other activities, many of them U3A activities, which meant
that in reality, they had little available time.
Having been contacted by the committee to ask about our activities, I explained the situation but said that
I would contact the group members to see if there is any ongoing interest. I have had one conditional
reply. I conclude therefore that, like the parrot, this group is no more.
I was, and am, sorry to lose contact with a very nice group of people whose company I enjoyed, but I wish
them well in their photographic and other endeavours.
Incidentally, if any other members would like to, I am quite willing to repeat the workshop on getting your
camera off the automatic settings and learning how to take control. If interested, please let our groups
coordinators know.
FAMILY HISTORY
Along with some general chat on genealogical matters, we also looked at a case study that highlighted the
fact that just because you have found an entry bearing the right name, doesn’t mean it’s the right person.
Even if you are dealing with a less common name, there can be more than one person in an area with that
name. A death registration in 1891 was actually a different person, a point only picked up by finding the
burial entry, with an address for the deceased that didn’t match the address for her “husband”. The study,
relating to a family in the Portsmouth area, threw up some other interesting items, like the marriage
record where the groom’s place of residence was a Royal Navy ship.
~5~
U3A SUPPORT GROUP
Having made contact with those members who are not on email we are continuing to check in on them.
However, the group is not just there for that purpose. Those of us on email, social media, and the like, may
welcome to chance to speak with someone other than immediate family and friends. We can provide that
opportunity.
Lockdown eased then was tightened again because levels of cases are increasing. The fact that several
areas, including our own, have had further restrictions imposed or may soon have them imposed, means
that various members may still need support. I believe the group still has a place for a while yet. If you
think we can do anything else for any member, just drop me an email: sadu3aed@gmail.com or call me on
0116 2609012.
BRITISH HISTORY
Getting well into the living memory of most group members the 1970’s was the focus for October.
The IRA Bombing Campaign – This refers to the bombings on the mainland of Britain
Some military actions gained more notoriety than others: The first IRA team sent to England included
eleven members of the Belfast Brigade, who hijacked four cars in Belfast, fitted them with explosives and
drove them to London via Dublin and Liverpool. The team was reported to the London Metropolitan Police
and all but one of them were arrested. Nevertheless, two of the bombs exploded, killing one man, and
injuring 180 people. Thereafter, control over IRA bombings in England was given to Brian Keenan from
Belfast. Keenan directed Peter McMullen, a former member of the British Parachute Regiment, to carry
out a series of bombings in 1973. A bomb planted by McMullen exploded at a barracks in Yorkshire,
injuring a female canteen worker.
Some of the most indiscriminate bombing attacks and killings of the IRA's bombing campaign were carried
out by a unit of eight IRA members, which included the Balcombe Street Gang, who were sent to London in
early 1974. They avoided contact with the Irish community there in order to remain inconspicuous and
aimed to carry out one attack a week. In addition to bombings, they carried out several assassination
attempts. Ross -McWhirter, a right-wing politician who had offered a £50,000 reward for information
leading to the arrest of the bombers, was shot dead at his home. The group later made an assassination
attempt on Edward Heath. They were eventually arrested after a machine-gun attack on an exclusive
restaurant on Mayfair. Pursued by police, they took two hostages (a married couple) and barricaded
themselves for six days in a flat on Balcombe Street before they surrendered, an incident known as the
Balcombe Street Siege. They were sentenced to thirty years each for a total of six murders. At their trial,
the group admitted responsibility for the Guildford pub bombings of 5 October 1974, which killed five
people (four of whom were off-duty soldiers) and injured 54, as well as the bombing of a pub in Woolwich,
which killed another two people and injured 28.
Other events that you may recall -
22 February - 1972 Aldershot bombing The Official Irish Republican Army carried out a car bomb attack at
the headquarters of the British Army's 16th Parachute Brigade and was claimed as a revenge attack for
Bloody Sunday. Seven civilian staff (mostly female cleaners) were killed and 19 were wounded. February
1974 - Coach carrying soldiers and families in northern England is bombed by the Irish Republican Army
(IRA). Twelve people killed, 14 hurt.
~6~
8 March - 1973 Old Bailey bombing - The Provisional IRA conducted their first operations in England
exploding two car bombs in the centre of London. One bomb exploded outside the Old Bailey Courthouse,
injuring 180 people and one man later died from a heart attack, the bomb exploded near Whitehall
injuring about 30 other people, bringing the total injured for the day to over 200. Eight members of the IRA
team were convicted for their roles in the bombings & received long prison terms, including Gerry Kelly
and sisters Marian and Dolours Price.
The Northern Ireland troubles, which were very complex, are referred to as a fight for a united Ireland
rather than a religious war, although it can be seen that people from the two main religions were generally
opposed to each other. The Bombing of the UK Mainland I guess was designed to bring closer to home to
the UK government the demands of the terrorists. It is up to us to form our own opinions as to whether
this was successful.
Internment is the detention or imprisonment of individuals without a trial or due process. It is usually
implemented during a period of war or conflict, to detain suspected combatants. Internment was
controversially imposed by the Northern Ireland government during the Troubles. It was introduced in
August 1971 by Unionist prime minister Brian Faulkner, under the auspices of the Special Powers Act.
Operation Demetrius as it was known was a British Army operation in Northern Ireland on 9–10 August
1971, during the Troubles. It involved the mass arrest and internment (imprisonment without trial) of 342
people suspected of being involved with the Irish Republican Army (IRA), which was waging an armed
campaign for a united Ireland against the British state. It was proposed by the Northern Ireland
Government and approved by the British Government. Armed soldiers launched dawn raids throughout
Northern Ireland, sparking four days of violence in which 20 civilians, two IRA members and two British
soldiers were killed. All of those arrested were Irish nationalists, the vast majority of them Catholic. Due to
faulty intelligence, many had no links with the IRA and after 24 hours 100 detainees were released. Ulster
loyalist paramilitaries also carrying out acts of violence, which were mainly directed against Catholics and
Irish nationalists, but no loyalists were included in the sweep. We are left wondering why intelligence was
so bad and who was responsible for it.
Operation Demetrius (or internment, as it was known) began at 4.30am on Monday 9 August 1971, when
the British Army began arresting those identified by the RUC. Of the 342 men arrested, 116 were released
within 48 hours. Some 226 men were detained: 86 from Belfast, 60 from County Derry, 20 from the Newry
area, 20 from Armagh and 40 from Fermanagh and Tyrone. Internment continued until 5 December 1975.
During that time 1,981 people were detained; 1,874 were Catholic/republican, while 107 were
Protestant/loyalist. (This figure differs depending upon source). Shortly after the first arrests, many
internees were held in an internment camp built on a disused RAF base at Long Kesh near Lisburn, Co.
Antrim. Of the 160 men in Crumlin Road prison, no more than 80 had anything to do with the IRA, and of
these only four were senior officers (none of them the top men). The rest of the internees were political
opponents of the Unionists—like People’s Democracy and Northern Ireland Civil Rights Association
members, old retired IRA ex-internees, militant trade unionists, public speakers and, in some cases, people
held on mistaken identity.
The interrogation techniques used on some of the internees were described by the European Commission
of Human Rights in 1976 as torture, but the superior court, the European Court of Human Rights (ECHR),
ruled on appeal in 1978 that while the techniques were "inhuman and degrading", they did not, in this
instance, constitute torture. It was later revealed that the British government had withheld information
from the ECHR and that the policy had been authorised by British government ministers. In light of the new
evidence in December 2014, the Irish government asked the ECHR to revise its 1978 judgement. The ECHR
declined the request in 2018. The policy of internment lasted until December 1975 and during that time
~7~
1,981 people were interned; 1,874 were nationalist, while 107 were loyalist. The first loyalist internees
were detained in February 1973.
A serving officer of the British Royal Marines declared: It (internment) has, in fact, increased terrorist
activity, perhaps boosted IRA recruitment, polarised further the Catholic and Protestant communities and
reduced the ranks of the much needed Catholic moderates.
Probably not our finest hour. It is easy to look back with the benefit of hindsight but I would like to hear
the views of some of those people who were involved in making the decisions at that time to better
understand why they did what they did; there may have been issues that we are now unaware of. It is easy
just to criticise those engaged in torture, but this was not the preserve of one side, although we know that
two wrongs do not make it right. The Good Friday agreement which eventually paved the way for peace
continues to influence political decisions in the British Isles today.
Rhodesia - We learned about the fall-out of the British decision to withdraw from one of its colonies. The
progression from UDI in 1965 through the Bush Wars, a conflict that pitted three forces against one
another: the Rhodesian white minority-led government of Ian Smith (later the Zimbabwe-Rhodesian
government of Bishop Abel Muzorewa); the Zimbabwe African National Liberation Army, the military wing
of Robert Mugabe's Zimbabwe African National Union; and the Zimbabwe People's Revolutionary
Army of Joshua Nkomo's Zimbabwe African People's Union. Ultimately Ian Smith was forced into making a
settlement agreement with the collapse of one of his principle supporters, Mozambique, which itself was
fighting a war of independence. In addition, the combined, although not harmonious, forces of Mugabe
and Nkomo were slowly bringing the country to its knees. The Lancaster House agreement of 1979 led to
control of the country reverting to British control until elections were held which Mugabe won. This was
followed by a falling out between Nkomo and Mugabe that saw Nkomo dismissed, leaving Mugabe to
begin his long reign as President.
IDI AMIN AND THE EXPULSION OF UGANDAN ASIANS
Having spent several years in Africa Norma & Colin Grimes had
personal experience of this period.
In June 1972 Uganda’s military dictator, General Idi Amin,
caused consternation in London when he declared that 50,000
Asians with British passports were to be expelled to Britain
within 90 days.
Speaking in the Ugandan capital Kampala, General Amin said
the Asians were “sabotaging the economy and encouraging
corruption” and that “We are determined to make the
ordinary Ugandan master of his own destiny, and above all to
see that he enjoys the wealth of his own country. Our
deliberate policy is to transfer the economic control of
Uganda into the hands of Ugandans for the first time in our
country’s history”.
A British Home Office official, expressing surprise at Amin’s move, said: “We always thought that Amin
was a decent chap. After all, he served in the British Army for more than 15 years.”
~8~
The Asians formed the most prosperous community in Uganda and had been settled in the country for
over a century. “I have lived here the whole of my life and thought it was my own country”, was a quote
from one and echoed by many.
During the late 19th Century mostly, Punjabi Sikhs were brought into East Africa on 3-year contracts to
build the railway, from Mombasa to Kisumu by 1901 and to Kampala by 1931. Some returned to India at
the end of their contracts, but others chose to stay. They were joined by Gujarati traders – free migrants
who came to capitalise on the economic opportunities.
In September 1972, many Asians expelled from Uganda arrived penniless at Heathrow airport after having
been robbed by General Amin’s soldiers and officials. Reports told of the airlift to London coming to a halt
after a day of chaos and panic caused by Amin’s troops running riot. Asians queuing for passports outside
the British High Commission in Kampala fled at the sight of troops coming down the road in lorries. Many
Asian families with passports and exit visas were afraid to run the gauntlet of army roadblocks on the 20-
mile drive from Kampala to the airport at Entebbe.
Some 23,000 Asians had had their application for Ugandan citizenship both processed and accepted.
Although ultimately exempted from the expulsion many chose to leave voluntarily. Some 27,200
emigrated to the U.K., 6,000 went to Canada, 4,500 ended up in India and 2,500 went to nearby Kenya.
There was much jubilation and celebrations following Amin’s initial takeover. He was considered to be a
gregarious, charismatic leader and was portrayed by the International Press as a popular figure. To boost
his popularity, he allowed King Mutesa’s body to return for burial in his homeland, abolished Obote’s
secret police and granted amnesty to political prisoners. Unfortunately, he was not the benevolent ruler
he appeared to be and there was no premonition of how violent and tyrannical the next decade would be.
Once in power Amin launched a ruthless eight-year regime of mass executions, particularly upon the Acholi
and Lango, Christian tribes that had been loyal to Obote and therefore perceived to be a threat. He also
began terrorising the general public through the various internal security forces he organised – The State
Research Bureau and the Public Safety Unity, whose main purpose was to eliminate those who opposed his
regime.
At the same time as announcing the 90-day expulsion order, Amin’s government issued a decree which
stipulated how much currency could be transferred out of the country. Of course, there were many Asian
families who could not afford the air fare out of the country, so this was paid by more wealthy individuals -
in return for use of their “spare capacity” within the stated limit.
Asians owned a life-time accumulation of goods which could not be sold, but only given away, so Ugandans
found themselves owners of property beyond their wildest dreams, even keys to cars were handed over.
(Whether they could afford the petrol to run them was immaterial.) There were rumours that currency
was hidden in biscuit tins and buried underground in case there was a possibility of return. However, that
idea was thwarted as the government, a short time later, then changed the currency overnight. Some
5,655 shops, factories, businesses, ranches, farms, and agricultural estates were reallocated, mainly to
Amin’s troops, along with vehicles, homes, and other household goods.
The expulsion of the Asian population, which numbered between 50,000 and 70,000, resulted in a collapse
of the economy as manufacturing, agriculture and commerce came to a screeching halt without the
appropriate resources and expertise to support them.
~9~
After 70 years under British rule, Britain severed all diplomatic ties with Uganda in 1977 and Amin declared
himself “His excellency President for Life, Field Marshall Alhaji Dr Idi Amin Dada, VC, MC, CBE” – the latter
standing for “Conqueror of the British Empire”.
In 1979 Amin’s reign of terror came to an end as Ugandan exiles and Tanzanians successfully invaded and
took control of the capital, Kampala, forcing him to flee. He fled, first to his friends in Libya, taking four
wives and more than 30 children with him, and later to Saudi Arabia. Never brought to justice for his
heinous crimes, well-deserving his nickname of “The Butcher of Uganda”, Amin lived out the remainder of
his life in comparative luxury, dying in 2003 after multiple organ failure.
We had lived seven-and-a-half years in Uganda and were about to finish our third “tour”. We were to have
gone home on leave in May of 1972, returning in September. However, with the deteriorating situation,
we decided that we would not return and were given permission to extend until September and bring out
our two oldest children from school in England for the final time. That decision was made before Amin’s
announcement to expel the Asian population, which is how we came to be leaving at the same time.
The British High Commission withdrew all British expatriates from Uganda in February of 1973.
Many Asians were invited back or returned of their own accord in the 1980s and 90s. They were needed
once again to manage the cotton plantations, the textile factory, the sugar plantations, the banana
plantations, Owen-falls dam and the hydro-electric plant, the brewery, the copper smelter, etc. Once
again, they have gone on to dominate the economy. Despite making up 1% of the population they are
currently estimated to contribute up to 65% of the country’s tax revenue.
The 1976 IMF Crisis was a financial crisis in the United Kingdom in 1976 which forced James Callaghan's
Labour Party government to borrow $3.9 billion ($17.5 billion in 2019) from the International Monetary
Fund (IMF), at the time the largest loan ever to have been requested from the IMF.
While Britain’s balance of payments difficulties were greatly exacerbated by the rapid increase in
commodity prices in 1972–74 and the marked shift in the terms of trade that this occasioned, the pressure
on sterling in 1975–76 reflected a more general loss of confidence in Britain’s prospects and policies. The
fact that the external account had so often been out of balance was taken to be the fruit of feeble and
irresolute domestic policies. Inflation had got out of hand, it was alleged, because of failure to control the
Budget deficit, the money supply, and the level of wages.
Only half of the loan was actually drawn by the UK government and it was repaid fully by 4 May 1979.
Dennis Healey the Chancellor of the Exchequer at the time, went on to state that the main reason the loan
had to be requested was that public sector borrowing requirement figures provided by the treasury were
grossly overstated. Despite this all terms required by the IMF were fully implemented.
The IMF loan meant that the United Kingdom's economy could be stabilised whilst drastic budget cuts were
implemented. Even with the loan's security, the Labour Party had already begun unravelling into camps of
social democrats and left-wing supporters, which caused bitter rows inside the party and with the unions.
Many believe this may have contributed significantly to Margaret Thatcher's 1979 Conservative victory.
Economic crises cast a long shadow, not least because they shape for the rest of their careers the instincts
of the politicians and officials who experience them. Of the many British economic crises over the decades,
the necessity of borrowing from the International Monetary Fund in 1976 inflicted one of the deepest
scars. The memory of chancellor of the exchequer Denis Healey turning back from Heathrow airport to
deal with the autumn 1976 crisis still lingers. It was the climax of decades of weakness.
~ 10 ~WHAT’S ON NEXT
VIRTUAL GENERAL MEETING
Hooray!! Something of our own to report in what’s on next. In December we
will have a virtual general meeting on Zoom.
A speaker we had planned to have visit us to talk, will do so using zoom instead, from 10.30 Wed Dec
9th. He is going to book "Zoom" time for us for 10 a.m. onwards so that we can all have time to join in and
he will be available to sort any problems.
His name is Paul Robbins, and his talk is "Great British Eccentrics"
This is an extremely popular talk! Have you ever wondered why Britain has had so many eccentrics? Great
British Eccentrics & Rogues is a highly amusing talk which looks at some of the World’s great eccentrics &
Rogues who just happened to be British! Paul takes you on a light-hearted journey that looks at some of
the great characters from our past like the Duke who lived in a converted fish tank, to more recent times
and some of the great eccentrics of the last 30 years. Audiences descend into fits of laughter when hearing
about these great characters!
More details about Paul can be obtained from his website entry
on https://speakernet.co.uk/speaker/1077/paul-robbins-bsc-hons-ba-iseb-cert-cons-services-phf
This will only be available to paid up members, if you haven’t renewed and want to take part, you have
time to do so before December. Contact our membership secretary at sadu3amembers@gmail.com for
more details. You will receive more details if you appear on our current year membership list with a valid
email address. If this session goes well, the plan is to use other speakers to do “zoom” presentations.
Your editor and some other members have had experience of large zoom meetings with speakers. They do
work. So long as those attending can see and hear the speaker, whether their camera and/or sound is
working doesn’t matter too much. For most, the issue is simply that they haven’t turned these functions on.
You may have protective software that requires you to turn your camera on or give permission for it to
operate. On some laptops there is a protective cover on the camera lens that needs to be removed. Ed
U3A WINTER LEARNING PROGRAM
All initiatives are available at: https://www.u3a.org.uk/learning/national-programmes . Initiatives are
intentionally released on a stagger to keep people’s interest and participation over the winter. Events
which require members to book are at: https://www.u3a.org.uk/events/educational-events . The website
will be updated regularly so members should keep checking these pages.
1. National poetry competition. Nationwide search to find the best poem penned by a u3a member.
Launched 12th October. 20th November deadline, then judging. Winner announced January 2021.
2. Programme of free talks delivered by members (currently being sourced). Talks are released on a
stagger, so people don’t bulk book. Talks confirmed to date:
~ 11 ~• Mayan civilization,
• How to write your living history
• Yoga (booking not yet released)
• Bridge tutorials for beginners and improvers (booking not yet released)
• Crown green bowling (booking not yet released)
• Philosophy (booking not yet released)
• Cryptic crosswords (booking not yet released)
• Japan (booking not yet released)
3. Made it! Make it! gets a Christmas update – people will be encouraged to send in pictures and
explanations of how they have made decorations/items for Christmas and the festive season. This will use
the same pages with updated wording and a push on social media. From 12th October, regular weekly
updating.
4. Poetry reading. Encouraging members to read their poems aloud. Led by a u3a member. First session
14th October, 2:30pm. Second session TBC. Booking at: https://www.u3a.org.uk/events/educational-
events .
5. Winter Watch. Members send it pictures of winter gardens, scenes, animals etc. Launching 20th
October, regular weekly updating.
6. Battle of Britain and the Blitz. Members are encouraged to send in their stories of their experiences/
those of their families and friends. Stories will go up on the website. Launch date by 23rd October.
7. Paint or Draw (POD) - The monthly art challenge. Similar to u3a Eye. Members send in pictures of their
original artwork on a monthly theme. Up to 15 images are chosen for the online gallery. No prizes, just
prestige. Launch date: 26th October.
8. U3A Maths Week (“Don’t retire from maths – count yourself in!”). Three events planned (publicity
released 8th Oct including a prize draw) and booking at: https://www.u3a.org.uk/events/educational-
events : • Monday 9 November 2020, 2pm to 3.30pm Online talk by Rob Eastaway, “Maths on the Back of
an Envelope.”
• Wednesday 11 November 2020, 2pm to 3pm Maths problems and puzzles workshop.
• Friday 13 November 2020, 2pm to 3pm Maths activities and games.
9. U3A Radio Podcast – Second programme to be released 17th November.
10. Friday watercolour painters - A series of five workshops led by a u3a member where participants are
shown how to produce a to produce a finished piece of artwork at the end. Pictures of the final artworks to
go up on an online gallery. Starts 20th November. Advertised at:
https://www.u3a.org.uk/events/educational-events .
11. Programme of ‘external’ talks. Includes to date:
• National Gallery – Life and paintings of Artemisia (£5) on 24th November
• Guildhall Art Gallery – Pre-recorded talk about the Romans. Date TBC
• National Trust – History of the National Trust (free). Date TBC
• British Library – Christmas literature (free). Date TBC
• Southwark Cathedral – TBC
• National Army Museum - TBC
~ 12 ~12. Christmas Choir – Group carol singing led by the U3A member who led the previous choir sessions.
10th December. A new weekly choir initiative, working towards a recorded song to start in January 2021.
13. Ongoing initiatives at: https://www.u3a.org.uk/learning/national-programmes
• U3A Eye – Fortnightly photograph challenge on a different theme each time.
• Maths challenge – weekly
• Quiz – weekly
• Birdwatch – Continuous with weekly updating
• Creative Covid Collaboration – Members create ‘squares’ to form a digital patchwork. Continuous
• Ideas to keep learning – weekly
• Diary – now closed, submissions for each week to the end of July available to read
• Creative Writing Competition 2020. Winners announced. The 13 regional winners’ stories are available to
read
14. January - A series of Winter Schools are planned for 11th Jan – end of Feb 2021
The above was received from U3A HQ, I will remind you of some of the events that are a little way ahead in
future newsletters, but I thought I’d publish the complete article so that you can get an idea of what’s
available over the coming months. ED
Here are a few other online events that might spark your interest –
Book here
~ 13 ~Book here
Book here
Book here
Several of the above events are available on different dates, so please have a look if something interests
you but the date is a problem.
This is just a sample of free online events advertised here
If anyone has found/finds any other sites or individual online events that might be of interest to
members, please do get in touch with your editor so that I can share them with others.
FROM OUR MEMBERS
YOUR GARDENS AND WILDLIFE
The stand-alone wildlife and garden photos have dried up this month.
I’m inviting photographers to send to some Autumnal pictures for next month’s edition. Anyone taking up
the challenge please send your offerings to sadu3aed@gmail.com
That said the next article has some photos and beyond that we have some autumn inspired artwork.
~ 14 ~Acorns by Pierre Castille
Those of you who spend some time walking in
the countryside or city parks might have noticed
the abundance of acorns this year. I estimate
that there are more than thirty times the
normal crop of acorns. This is a rare event,
occurring perhaps once a decade. Furthermore,
it is not just one oak tree producing acorns in
abundance, all the oak trees are doing this.
How does a biologist explain this rare event?
The first question to ask is ‘what advantage do
oak trees get from producing so many acorns?’
Acorns on Sessile Oak (Quercus petrea)
Here is a clue…
Grey Squirrel collecting nut
Squirrels, and birds such as Jays, spend the autumn
collecting huge quantities of nuts (acorns are nuts) which
they carry away and hide underground in small
collections that we call caches. These animals are storing
food to tide them over the winter when food will become
very scarce.
Oak trees gain some benefit from having their seeds
collected and buried. These acorns, sitting on the ground
beneath the tree from which they fell have no
opportunity to grow into a new tree unless they are
collected, moved away and then buried.
Other animals, such as pigs or deer eat acorns, but this
brings no benefit to the oak tree. The oak only benefits
when the seeds are buried. To deter animals such as
cattle and horses from eating them, acorns contain
poisons that harm many animals, though of course pigs,
deer, squirrels, and jays are immune to the poison.
~ 15 ~European Jay with acorn Once it was taught that squirrels weren’t very
good at remembering where they had buried
their acorns, so some would survive, germinate
and produce the next generation of oak trees.
Observation has shown this is not true.
Research has shown that animals that cache
seeds regularly check their larders and move
seeds to more secure locations if they have been
interfered with. The scallywags also dig up seeds
buried by another animal and rebury them
somewhere else.
In a harsh winter all the buried seeds will be
recovered and eaten, leaving none to produce
the next generation.
Most years, most acorns will be eaten, but then, once in a while, such as this year, the oak trees produce a
superabundance of acorns. The squirrels and jay go into panic caching mode (wouldn’t you if Tesco was
offering bumper amounts of food at low cost?) and as a result there are too many acorns for the jays and
squirrels to dig up and eat. Expect a bumper crop of oak seedlings next year as the surplus acorns survive
uneaten and germinate.
Well, you might think, why don’t oak trees produce extra acorns every year? Nature would respond by
producing more squirrels and jays because there is more food to support a larger population. Next year, I
predict, there will be far fewer acorns and accordingly the bumper crop of squirrels and jays will starve as
there will be less food, and their numbers will not increase, to the benefit of oak.
Now this very clever trick employed by oak only works if all the oak trees produce a bumper crop at the
same time. The unanswered question is how do the oak trees synchronise their reproductive effort. What
generates the signal and how do the oak trees detect it.
It is not an easy question to answer as these abundances are rare events so a researcher might have to
wait thirty or forty years to collect the needed evidence.
There are two possibilities. We now know that plants can communicate with each other in two separate
ways. Chemical messengers can pass from one plant to another through connected roots. We also know
that plants communicate by releasing perfume like chemicals that spread through the air.
More likely, it is that all the oak trees in a particular area sense the same environmental trigger. We can
only speculate what that may be. Perhaps a particular combination of drought and cold, or flooding and
mild winter weather. Without research we will never know.
I once worked with a fellow biologist who was investigating the effect of weather conditions on the
flowering of beetroot. Normally beetroot flowers after two years, the first year’s growth producing the
large taproot you buy at the greengrocer. Sometimes the weather conditions trigger the beetroot to
flower in the first year, leaving the farmer with nothing to sell. My colleague obtained a grant from the
Royal Society to investigate the exact conditions needed to make beetroot flower in the first year. The
results had commercial value.
Obtaining a grant to investigate flowering of oak would have far less commercial value.
As a small child, on a farm in Devon, my mother grew a large amount of beetroot. I remember her boiling
vast quantities to bottle and sell. My younger brother and I tucked in and ate far more than we should
have done. The District Nurse was called when my mother noticed the bright red colour of my younger
brother’s urine. I have probably written enough already.
The next time you come across nut producing trees, such as oak, beech or chestnut (both varieties) check
out how fruitful they are and, if you can spare several years, you could do some useful research.
~ 16 ~AUTUMNAL ART by Helen Disley
~ 17 ~DECLUTTER DEN
Declutter Den is open again – but I have no items for this month
I am pleased to say that all of the furniture on offer over the last 2 months found new homes with
renovators, and much to my surprise, I had several people after the bench grinder. I will have more items
to offer in the coming months as I clear out 2 sheds ready for demolition in the Spring. If anyone else has
items from covid clear outs do let me know - Ed
Do you have anything sitting in a cupboard, or on a shelf, that you no longer want? Might one of our
groups be able to use it? Might one of your fellow members be able to use it?
If you have something that you are prepared to give away – strictly
no items for sale! Let me know and I’ll put it in declutter den and
hopefully we can help each other free up some space, whilst giving
others something they have a use for, even if we don’t.
Email: sadu3aed@gmail.com
Rehoming Request Spot
Are you looking to give something in particular a home? Is there something you are looking for that
another member might have sitting doing nothing when it could be doing something for you?
Why not let me know and I will put it in the newsletter as a “Rehoming Request”. The same email address
as Declutter Den applies.
Other recycling options
Some of you may already be aware of “WasteNot Leicestershire”
Charlotte Ryan began WasteNot Leicestershire in 2016 for people based in Leicestershire to share ideas
and resources, reusing and recycling.
Since then it has developed from a facebook page to try to stop unwanted items going to landfill, to a
network of people offering clothes and other items to be given to others who are in need.
https://www.facebook.com/groups/617599888422969/
“The Leicestershire Community Cupboard” is the associated group
https://www.facebook.com/TheLeicestershireCommunityCupboard/
~ 18 ~POETRY CORNER
ACORN by Robin Perry
Down, down he fell Winds rise in the coming days
out of parent’s trunk and stir the leaves around.
nestling deep among leaves A passing child aims his foot
and sheltered between roots. and scores an acorn type goal.
He takes time to check There are no cheers to witness this
his location snug in the wood. but the acorn finds an empty space
Cold is not a problem - near leaves and twigs, no other trees
no ice encroaches here near by to check his growth.
nor frost fingers fondling earth The soil is rich, leaf-fertile, warm
and curling the orange leaves. as he starts to spread his shoots
A grey squirrel, a greedy predator and through the winter he emerges
if ever there was one, slowly through the shell.
sniffs on past the roots By March he drops his root
without the joy of discovery. into soft soil around him
He is distracted by walkers and tells the listening earth
with their wandering dogs he has a home here for always.
which chase him to an ash
and high bough security. The earth responds claiming,
Just as the acorn sighs relief enclosing him as its own
a Jay alights ten yards away and welcoming the occupancy
and cautiously looks around in this otherwise bare terrain.
searching the ground for supplies.
There’s nothing here for Jays, Our lives can be like acorns
he thinks, twisting his head - tumbling rashly into life
strange for an old oak tree, in need of shelter, warmth and food
maybe too old, seen better days. but always close to danger.
With his harsh customary “kraak” Is it design or accident
he lifts away into yellow foliage that leads us to a shelter,
to search in other trees; searching out security,
below the acorn lives again. the safety of a home?
And no, there was no collaboration between Pierre and Robin, it was just serendipity that led to them
both producing “acorn” items.
And finally…….
The following has I think appeared in slightly different versions over several years, but as the member who
sent it to me commented, it’s still funny, I have edited it slightly to fit on one page and removed some
content that was a little sensitive.
~ 19 ~Dear Mum,
Our Scoutmaster told us to write to our parents in case you saw the flood on TV and got worried. We are
okay. Only one of our tents and 2 sleeping bags got washed away. Luckily, none of us got drowned
because we were all up on the mountain looking for Adam when it happened.
Oh yes, please call Adam's mother and tell her he is okay. He can't write because of the cast. I got to ride in
one of the search and rescue Jeeps. It was great. We never would have found Adam in the dark if it hadn't
been for the lightning. Scoutmaster Ted got mad at Adam for going on a hike alone without telling anyone.
Adam said he did tell him, but it was during the fire so he probably didn't hear him. Did you know that if
you put petrol on a fire, it will blow up? The wet wood didn't burn but one of the tents did and also some
of our clothes. Matthew is going to look weird until his hair grows back.
We will be home on Saturday if Scoutmaster Ted gets the bus fixed. It wasn't his fault about the crash. The
brakes worked okay when we left. Scoutmaster Ted said that with a bus that old, you have to expect
something to break down; that's probably why he can't get insurance. We think it's a super bus. He
doesn't care if we get it dirty: and if it's hot, sometimes he lets us ride on the bumpers. It gets pretty hot
with 45 people in a bus made for 24. He let us take turns riding in the trailer until the policeman stopped
and talked to us.
Scoutmaster Ted is a great guy. Don't worry, he is a good driver. In fact, he is teaching Horace how to drive
on the mountain roads where there aren't any cops. All we ever see up there are huge logging trucks.
This morning all of the guys were diving off the rocks and swimming out to the rapids. Scoutmaster Ted
wouldn't let me because I can't swim and Adam was afraid he would sink because of his cast (it's concrete
because we didn't have any plaster), so he let us take the canoe out. It was great. You can still see some of
the trees under the water from the flood.
Scoutmaster Ted isn't crabby like some scoutmasters. He didn't even get mad about the life jackets being
left at camp. He has to spend a lot of time working on the bus so we are trying not to cause him any
trouble.
Guess what? We have all passed our first aid merit badges. When Andrew dived into the lake and cut his
arm, we all got to see how a tourniquet works - he looks really funny with one blue arm.
Steve and I threw up, but Scoutmaster Ted said it was probably just food poisoning from the left-over
chicken. He said they all got sick that way with food they ate in prison. I'm so glad he got out and became
our scoutmaster.
I have to go now. We are going to town to post our letters and buy some more beer and ammo. Don't
worry about anything. We are fine.
Lots of love and hope to see you soon.
Bobby x x
~ 20 ~You can also read
