Spring 2011
Scottish Charity Number SC 028953
Supported by East Lothian Council
Group news
For information on individual Groups contact the Group Leader.
For general Group information contact Edna Milne, Groups
Coordinator - [email protected] or telephone
01620 820835. See also the yellow ‘Leisure and Learning’
booklet and the website www.eastlothianu3a.org.uk for latest
Groups information and updates between newsletters.
READERS UNITE FOR CELEBRATION LUNCH
Our Contemporary Fiction Group invited the Bookworms Group
to join us for a lunch party to celebrate our tenth birthday.
Over those ten years we must have read and discussed eighty
books, most written within the last twenty years, though we have
occasionally gone back to the early pioneers of the modern novel.
We have tried to keep up-to-date with the latest literary fiction
and be prepared for the strange and unknown, always hoping the
books will have enough depth to provoke lively discussion.
Fortunately, we hardly ever agree on the merits of a book, so
there is much frank and free exchange of views.
The number of members has ranged from twelve to fourteen,
and, amazingly enough, eight of the original members are still
with us. The party was held in Pencaitland Church Carriage
House and was a most enjoyable occasion. After lunch, everyone
had a chance to talk about some of their favourite books, while
others said how much they hated them!!
Long live the power of books to entertain and stimulate.
Liz Strachan
Computing
IT Day As there were no takers for our Silver Surfers Day event
at Musselburgh this year (announced in last newsletter), we have
decided to cancel it. Apologies to any last minute takers.
PC Forum
This has now finished for the summer but will resume again in
September. Anyone wishing to join this group please give your
name and contact details to Ann Keppie 01620 810731
[email protected]
Beginners groups will also resume in September.
Sheila Small, Joan Houston, Liz Strachan,Maggie Waugh, Jan
Renville
After several weeks reading Twelfth Night aloud, members of
the Reading Shakespeare Group wanted to explore further this
sparkling comedy of cross-dressing, crossed love, lost siblings
and pomposity punctured. In various extempore costumes including the famous yellow stockings and cross garters - a few
members entertained the rest with a spirited performance of
how the self-important steward Malvolio was deluded by an
amusing but cruel practical joke
Liz Lockwood
Music making in East Lothian
Recorders – Playing day
Our two East Lothian U3A Recorder groups hosted an event on
Saturday 9th April and invited the two groups from the
Edinburgh U3A.
Twenty three of us met at the Bridge Centre, with Marg Hall as our
Conductor and tutor. It was a very successful day of learning new
music and playing in a larger group. Part of the time we split into
two groups and had the assistance of Bea Frances (Edinburgh) and
Tom Pitcairn and Celia Coulson (East Lothian) to lead us.
How lucky we are to have the facilites at the Bridge Centre for our
U3A activities. We all contributed to food and drink for lunch and
were able to sit outside in the garden at lunchtime and enjoy the
glorious April day.
Thanks to the Bridge Centre, and to all who contributed to make
it a great day.
Nicola Bolton
Psychology
This group has now finished a two year course and stopped for
the summer. Watch out for information about autumn plans to
be announced in the summer newsletter
Margaret Gordon
Website Revamp on the Way
Our website: www.eastlothianu3a.org.uk is the best place to go
for up-to-date information on all our activities. A full list of
Groups can be found there as well as news of up-coming events.
It’s a ‘one-stop-shop’ for everything to do with U3A.
The website is soon to be revised and ideas or suggestions on
how it might be improved are welcome. Please contact the
‘webmaster’, Richard Morton at: [email protected]
AGM of the Third Age Trust 2011.
This will be held in Nottingham University on Sunday 18th
September. If any member wishes to submit a resolution please
inform Liz Lockwood, secretary, [email protected] as
soon as possible. A proposed resolution from a U3A requires a
seconder from another U3A and must be sent to Lin Jonas at the
Third Age Trust by 30th April
The Duke of Buccleuch’s Head Gardeners
On Wednesday 9th February, David Affleck of
East Linton addressed a
crowded U3A audience
on the history of some
notable characters who
had served the Duke at
Dalkeith Palace.
The
material gathered for
this talk had been acquired during his extensive research into the
origins and history of
the Caledonian Horticultural Society.
As it turns out, these
people were no ordinary
gardeners but horticulturists who contributed
articles and served on
committees
alongside
estate owners and academics. David also covered
the life of Patrick Neill who was born in Haddington
and contributed articles on Gardening to the Encyclopaedia Britannica. He was also involved in the
draining and redesign of Princes Street Gardens.
He undertook a survey of Scottish Gardens and
Orchards in 1812 for the Board of Agriculture which
indicated his interest in East Lothian walled gardens
such as Archerfield, Stevenson, Smeaton and Amisfield. David’s lecture only skimmed the surface of
this fascinating subject and gave an indication of
the amount and depth of research that he had
undertaken.
Indeed a supplementary question
about old varieties of apples and pears yielded an
unscripted mini-lecture on fruit trees. David has
also written a series of articles on the history of the
Royal Caledonian Horticultural Society (The Caley)
for East Lothian Life beginning in the Winter 2010
issue.
Diary Dates
Photograph by Jean Fraser
Wednesday Walkers celebrated their 400th walk
with a morning outing from Gifford to Bolton,
returning via Eaglescairnie for lunch in the
Tweeddale Arms. After the lunch the group
marked the birthday of veteran walker George
McEwan with a cake and a rousing chorus. George
is enjoying a new lease of life following a knee
replacement operation and still leads walks in the
Pentland and Lammermuir Hills .
The AGM meeting will be held on Wed 22nd June
at 2:00 in the Town House, Haddington. Papers for
the meeting will be sent out week commencing
16th May. If there are any further nominations for
the committee contact Liz Lockwood 01620
826320.
Forthcoming Lecture : "John Muir, Senior Citizen Extraordinary"
by Will Collin, Dunbar.
2:30 pm Wednesday 22nd June, Town House Haddington (after AGM at 2:00)
Next Open Lecture :
"Life on the Rocks"
Professor Graham Munro, Director, Our Dynamic Earth
2:30 pm Wednesday 20th April, Town House Haddington
Comments and letters are always welcome. If you have views you wish to share, contact the Newsletter editor
Bill Rarity 28 Clerkington Road, Haddington EH41 4EL email: [email protected] 01620 823933