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I am happy to report that we are in a much better financial situation

than we were at this time last year. Our overspend is down from £9,588 last year to £3,964. This compares with a forecast deficit of about £15000. This was mosty down to the efforts of Enid Bose and Rhoda Luer in reducing classroom hire costs. Next year we expect to have a surplus and can be building up our reserves against possible eventualities. Our current membership is just under 1200. We have lost some members but we are continuing to recruit new ones and I would expect our membership to be something like 1400 at the end of the year. We have been very privileged to have a newsletter 3 times a year of a very high standard, complete with a calendar of events. I commend our new Newsletter editor, Morris Jones, and our Diary Secretary, Anne Gerrard, to you for their labours together with their back-up team of proof-readers and “stuffers”. I counted 98 different groups or classes in the current diary which is a wonderful provision. We have between 6 and 10 classes from Monday to Friday at HAC alone, let alone at least 40plus held in people’s homes. We have 5 new classes running on an annual basis and 5 new shorter courses, So, despite our financial difficulties, we have not cut any classes and have been developing new ones. I would like to thank Rhoda Luer for all her efforts. I believe this shows a positive and thriving association. I have singled out the new courses because we have too many courses to mention them all. We have many continuing and successful courses. We have to thank the group leaders and their helpers for giving up their time, and for their expertise and effort. Without them, we wouldn’t have such a successful Harrow U3A. We are a self-help organisation and I am glad that so many people are involved. It was the 30 anniversary of the formation of the National U3A last year. 3 members of your committee, Georgina Butcher, Lynne Dorff and myself, attended the AGM in Cirencester. We drove there and back on the day so we kept the costs down to a minimum. Barbara Lewis from Hertfordshire is the new National U3A Chairman. There was considerable criticism of the National U3A website and there is to be a review and a makeover. We held 2 new members’ meetings, the most recent in January with the aim of trying to integrate and involve new members. This also involved some prospective members. These were a great success and we are again grateful for the support. We are learning from our mistakes and next time we will have a larger room and will not ask tutors to come so early. It has been a privilege working on your behalf. Thank you.

May – August 2013 Issue 70 Registered Charity 1009872 (HARROW) NEWSLETTER & DIARY

CONTENTS Cover page : The Chairman’s Message 2 Editorial 3 AGM Report 4 Monthly Speakers 5 U3A Notices 6 News about the classes 7 More News about classes 8 Sunday Club 9 Country Walks 10 U3A Yahoo Email 11 Day visits 12 More day visits 13 Tours & Visits Members 14 Recent Outings 15 Diary 16 Diary 17 Diary 18 Diary 19 Management details 20 Photocall

Harrow U3A web page

www.harrowu3a.co.uk

Summer is nearly here !

THE CHAIRMAN’S MESSAGE

Did you spot this magnificent stained glass window in the Elliot Hall ?

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EDITORIAL

Hello dear U3A Member, I’m starting my second year as your Newsletter Editor and, hopefully, I have eliminated many of the problems that I have encountered during my first year and I have a policy of continued improvement ! A number of members did not receive their newsletters on time. This was partly due to the Christmas post and partly due to a “Glitch” in the labelling system. This has resulted, in some cases, in Membership renewal notices going astray, so please check that your Membership subscription is up to date. A notice will go out on the U3A yahoo email when the Newsletter has been despatched and, if you have not received your copy within 10 days, please contact either myself or the Membership Secretaries who will send a replacement copy. ( Do first check that your membership fees have been paid up to date ! ) 2012 was an interesting year with the Diamond Jubilee celebrations, the Olympics and Paralympics and many other interesting happenings. Let’s hope 2013 will also prove to be an interesting year.( in the nicest possible way !!) Our finances are, at last, on an even keel and your Committee will continue to work hard to keep them that way. Your support has been much appreciated and we look forward to providing many more interesting activities during the year. Morris Jones

( I had to find a space for this great trip !! I’m sorry it’s out of order ) THE GARDEN OF ENGLAND (on a low budget!) 12th to 14th June

Two nights on half-board in a seafront promenade hotel in Hastings and THREE full days visiting villages, gardens and houses in beautiful Kent and East Sussex. Hastings means 1066 country and the “old town”, a short walk from our hotel, looks much as it must have done when the Normans invaded. We start the tour on a high note — a visit to The Red House, designed by Philip Webb for William Morris in 1859 located just inside the Kent border and described by the artist Burne-Jones as “the beautifullest place on earth”. Among other outstanding properties in the itinerary are Sissinghurst Castle, made internationally famous by Vita Sackville-West in the 1930s when she created what is still the most visited garden in Britain, and Penshurst Place, a perfectly preserved example of a Tudor fortified manor and the ancestral home for six centuries of the Sidney family. In addition to these grand venues we will visit smaller gardens in lovely locations. The drive alone through this countryside of picture-book villages, cottages and oasthouses is an important part of

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the tour. Participants are advised to bring comfortable shoes and clothing -those who like a morning dip should bring a costume — the beach is just across from our hotel! COST: £245 per person in double or twin room. Single supplement £20. Further details from Inga Stone Tel. 020 8868 0543, e-mail: ingatours@aol.com

Summary of HARROW U3A Annual General Meeting

5th March 2013

Mike Allen, the Harrow U3A Chairman opened the meeting and welcomed the Members in attendance. Apologies for absence were read out and then the minutes of the last AGM were read, amended, approved and signed. The new Constitution was presented by the Chairman with the help of a Power Point presentation showing the salient details very clearly. This new version was based on the recently released Constitution from U3A Head Office. Copies of our new version are available from our Secretary, Lynne Dorff. Various clauses have been adjusted or revised; These covered voting rights for Trustees, removal of Committee Members in exceptional circumstances, Right of Appeal for members if their membership is terminated, all Committee members are now also Trustees, terms of external proxy voting, and clarification of some ambiguous areas. The new Constitution was passed ” Nem Con” (None against.) The Chairman expressed his thanks to Alan Klein and his sub-Committee for their work in preparing, typing and producing the New Constitution and the various versions of it. The terms of a quorum for the AGM were raised and it was confirmed that this is 10% of the membership or 100 members present. A question was also asked what would happen if the Chairman reached the end of his term of office and no replacement was available. It was felt that would be an unlikely scenario but if it should arise then the outgoing Chairman could be co-opted for a short term to fill the gap. The Chairman was asked who qualified for membership of the U3A and it was reiterated that the terms to qualify for U3A membership was unaltered and was summed up as follows. “Membership of the U3A nationally is open to anyone not in full time employment” There are no age restrictions as this would be against the current law. The Chairman then presented his annual report. He introduced the Committee Members and thanked them all for their hard work during the year. He then stated that our financial situation was much improved since last year and we could now see a probable surplus for this financial year and no rise in annual subs was forecast. Much of this was due to the hard work of Rhoda Luer and Enid Bose who had saved over £3000 in room hire fees by tighter controls of the occupation times and room useage. He finished by saying that we now had 1200 paid up members and expected this to rise to 1400 by the years end. Mr Cecil Cherns, our Treasurer, presented the Financial report. There had been an alteration in the report due to Tours and Visits now being shown separately. The explanation was somewhat complicated and Jeremy Harrod clarified the situation. There was an overspend of £3964 during the year in question but he forecast a surplus for the current year. The CAF bank was now going to make charges for accepting cheques and other services so a search was being made for an alternative bank to continue the free services we have been enjoying up to now. The report was accepted “Nem Con”.

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Presentations were made by some Group leaders about forthcoming tours etc, and a point was raised about alterations to Morrison’s car park, where an extra floor should be in place by November. The Chairman closed the meeting at 11.35am

MONTHLY SPEAKERS

Talks are on the last Thursday in the month and are held in the Hatch End Suites 1 & 2 at the Harrow Arts Centre, Uxbridge Road, Hatch End, HA5 4EA. For further details please check the Harrow U3A notice board or website or at the HAC Reception notice board. These meetings provide an opportunity for members from all groups to come together and welcome non-members to meet and hopefully join us.

Thursday morning at 10.30 – 30th May 2013

David Allen: The weird and wonderful world of the Law

With over twenty years’ experience as a solicitor David Allen’s talks are based on his career and worldwide travel experiences. They are funny, light hearted, but always meticulously researched , well informed - not to be missed. At the end of his talk you will have learnt something from Victorian history through to film set gossip about Hollywood greats.

Thursday morning 10.30 – 27th June 2013

Peter Maggs: Smethurst Luck

A return visit by popular demand on another of Peter’s topics. You may remember he gave us a fascinating talk about Henry’s Trials in the 1850’s.

Thomas Smethurst, the subject of Peter’s new talk, was a retired middle-aged doctor. He was tried for the murder by poisoning of Isabella Bankes, his bigamous wife. The Victorian public were captivated by the case. If you want to know the outcome you’ll need to come and see this presentation.

A note for your diary. The next Monthly Speaker event will be on Thursday 26th September

************************************** An Important message to all Members

and Group Leaders

Please remember to switch off mobile phones or select “silent ring” during lectures, talks and other activities as “ ringing and bleeping” is very distracting to other members. If a member is not well, has been in hospital, or they have not attended meetings for a while, please let me know so that I can check on their welfare. Please do not remove them

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from your register until we know if they will be returning. Also, Please let me know if a member has been bereaved. Thank you. Susan Field- Members’ Liaison Officer. You will see the change of my title but my email address is as before – careofficer1.u3a@yahoo.co.uk or Telephone: 01923 819162

Thank you

E Harrow U3A Send blank E-mail to HarrowU3AML-unsubscribe (empty subject line and no text). This E mail must be sent from the E-mail address on which you are currently subscribed.

HARROW U3A NOTICES

THEATRE GROUP’S INFORMATION We book visits to theatres in London, Richmond and Watford at advantageous group prices up to six months in advance. You can receive notification of these bookings by sending 3 first class stamped & self-addressed envelopes to: Toni Waxman, 17, Sherbourne Place: 57 The Chase: Stanmore: HA7 3UH.Telephone: 020 8954 8671

***************************** The Tours & Visits Committee are holding a Reunion Party at 12.OO noon on Wednesday 24 July in the Hatch End Suite 3. We look forward to seeing many of you who have participated in our various outings and would like to share experiences. Those of you who have photos please let Morris Jones have them with details of where they have been taken and marked with your name and phone number on the back. If you want them returned also enclose a s.a.e. These will be displayed on the day. Aime Levy will also show videos he has made. Cost will be £5 to include a finger buffet lunch and drinks. Please use the tear-off slip in the middle of this magazine together with your cheque and an s.a.e. TW

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STARTING UP NEW GROUPS

Harrow U3A are very fortunate that we have a large amount of classes due mainly to the group leaders who give up their time and volunteer to start, take or teach a class. Sometimes members suggest subjects for a new class which I can try to arrange. However I would require someone to be a group leader responsible for running the class. This doesn’t need to be on one person’s shoulders. If you would like to start a class on a particular subject, you don’t need to do it on your own. Perhaps you can share the responsibility with one or two other friends or interested members. I would certainly do all I can to help you. So if you have a good idea for starting up a new class please let me know. We will publicise it in our Yahoo email account and our newsletter. Once we have enough interest, the class can be up and running. I look forward to hearing from you if you have any suggestions for new classes. For example:

DO YOU PLAY A MUSICAL INSTRUMENT ? Are you interested in forming a musical group?

If so, please let me know what instrument you play and I will do all I can to arrange a regular class.

Rhoda Luer — Study Group Coordinator - 020 8861 0022- studygroupcoord.hu3a@yahoo.co.uk

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NEWS ABOUT THE CLASSES

Twelve Dates in History

There are many significant dates in the history of any country. In 236 years since the Declaration of Independence, the United States has experienced many such dates. In six two-hour sessions, Dr. John Matlin will choose twelve dates and examine their cause and effect. He will consider subjects as diverse as the Louisiana Purchase and 9/11. The sessions will be conducted as seminars, not lectures. Therefore, class participation will be welcomed. John is running the course weekly. It started on Monday 8 April and continues on 15th,22nd, 29th April, and l3th and 20th May at 1O.OOam in the Canon Room at Harrow Arts Centre. No booking required. Rhoda Luer

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BRITAIN IN THE SIXTIES AND SEVENTIES

A booking has now been made to replace the January session that had to be cancelled due to the snow and also an additional one at the end of April. The five dates are thus as follows: Fridays starting next week, February 15th, then March 1st, March 15th, April 12th, April,26th at 10.15, all in the Belmont Room at the Arts Centre. I hope that there is no more disruption due to severe weather. Some of you will have recalled the winter of 1963, fifty years ago when icy conditions went on and on. Now thankfully, we have our central heating and insulated windows. Tony Richardson

STOP PRESS * STOP PRESS * STOP PRESS * STOP PRESS *

Tuesday 6 August — afternoon Canal Boat trip.

By coach to Pitstone where we board the boat to take us on a 3 hour round cruise to Tring passing through several locks and Chiltern Hills. Enjoy a cream tea of scones and jam and VictoriaSponge cake and as much tea & coffee as you desire. If you wish to walk between the locks you may do so as the boat travels at less than walking speed. For more information please ring Toni Waxman on 020 8954 8671 or e-mail toni2bee@talktalk.net ( there is no tear-off slip for this outing) Cost £24.00

PLEASE NOTE : THERE IS NO TEAR-OFF STRIP FOR THIS LATE ENTRY TRIP

TO BOOK TELEPHONE TONI WAXMAN ON 020 8954 8671

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COMPUTER COURSES E mail and Internet for beginners

This popular course covers the range of computer activities including basic knowledge for absolute beginners and improvers and includes email, use of the Internet, digital photography, use of Skype and any other areas of particular interest to you. Computers are provided and tuition is also given on ipads (also provided). You work on a one-to–one basis with the senior girls at Bentley Wood Girls’ School and the next course dates are to be held on the following Wednesdays at 4.00pm until 5.30pm.: 12th June.19th June. 26th June. 3rd July and the 10th July Apply to: Morris Jones Tel. 020 8954 4229 or email: morrisjonesuk@gmail.com

Troubleshooting and servicing computers. This course is to prepare us for when things go wrong or when our only option seems to be to take our computer to a technician to put it to rights and paying for the service! It will cover computer crashes, viruses, blue screen of death, BIOS, computer slowing down, changing a hard drive adding some RAM and a list of free programmes to protect your computer and keep it clean. For full list of topics email: aimelevy@talktalk.net This 3 day course will be held at Bentley Wood Girls’ School, Clamp Hill, Stanmore on June 5th. 6th.and 7th. Your tutors will be Aime Levy and Mike Allen. To join this course contact Pam Gonsal email: pamela@van-dort.fsnet

Digital Photography If you have recently bought a digital camera or just wish to improve your results then this is the course for you. Using the latest programme, Adobe Photoshop Elements 10, the topics covered will be as follows: Transferring photos into your computer, cropping, cleaning and cloning photos. Creating folders to save your pictures. Use of tonal and colour correction, layering and blending. To facilitate this course each participant will need to contribute £3.00 for a course CD and a practice CD. The course will be held at Bentley Wood Girls’ School on Tuesday afternoons between 4pm and 5.45pm. There will be six sessions starting on Tuesday 11th June (see diary for other dates) To enroll contact Pam Gonsal by email : pamela@van-dort.fsnet.co.uk

EVERYDAY WORD PROCESSING The Everyday Word Processing course is for those who wish to extend or refresh their skills in using a PC to prepare letters and all other kinds of documents. While based on Microsoft Word the course will also be of value to users of other word processors, such as the free alternatives Open Office and Libre Office. As well as the basics such as how to correct mistakes, change or re-arrange words and paragraphs and then produce an attractive layout prior to printing the finished document, the course will cover useful advanced features. Equally important, it will also show how to save and file documents for easy retrieval at a later date. The aim is to meet people’s needs so it will be interactive and there will be the opportunity for individual problems or questions to be addressed. To enroll on this course, which will be held from 10.30 a.m. to 2.30 p.m. on 30th & 31st July and 1st August (Tuesday, Wednesday & Thursday) Bentley Wood Girls’ School, Bridges Road, Stanmore HA7 3NA: Pam Gonsal : pamela@van-dort.fsnet,co,uk

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Summer 2013

This group is intended for members who may be alone on a Sunday. YOU DO NOT NEED TO BOOK A PLACE but we ask members to phone Jean Jones on 020 8866 7237 by the Thursday preceding the visit if they wish to come. If you are new to our group, please carry something that will let us know that you are a Harrow U3A member. DUE TO UNDERGROUND CLOSURES, WE CANNOT GUARANTEE THAT THE SUGGESTED ROUTES WILL OPERATE. PLEASE CONTACT JEAN JONES NEAR TO THE DATE OF AN OUTING, TO CHECK ON ANY CHANGES OR CANCELLATIONS. If the weather is fine we will picnic at or near the venue each time. otherwise, we will eat somewhere near to the venue, to be decided on the day SUNDAY MAY 19: The CARTOON MUSEUM. The Cartoon Museum exhibits the very finest examples of British cartoons, caricature, and comic art from the 18th century to the present day with over 2,300 original cartoons, caricatures and comic pages. There are also special exhibitions which cover a particular artist or theme. Cost £4.00 concessions. Travel: From Tottenham Court Road Station (Northern and Central Line) Come out of Exit 3 (Dominion Theatre and the British Museum). Turn right once you come out of the exit and walk around Dorothy Perkins (Centre Point will be on the opposite side.) Walk along New Oxford Street until you come to Coptic Street. Turn left down Coptic Street. The Cartoon Museum is beside Pizza Express at the corner of Coptic Street and Little Russell Street. From Holborn Station (Central and Piccadilly Line) When you come out of the station, cross Kingsway and High Holborn at the lights. Continue down High Holborn and then New Oxford Street until you come to traffic lights. Cross New Oxford Street and Bloomsbury Way and go down Museum Street. Take the first left down Little Russell Street and the museum will be beside The Plough pub. Meet at 12.30 at the venue or at 2.00 for the visit. SUNDAY JUNE 16 MUSEUM OF DOCKLANDS. Housed in original Georgian warehouses, the museum has many permanent galleries, including some which show the Port from earliest times to the 19th. Century; Slavery; Wartime docklands; and Victorian Wapping. There will also be new exhibitions to see. The Museum is free; there may be a charge for special exhibitions. Travel by DLT to West India Dock, or by Underground to Canary Wharf or catch a Thames Clipper. Meet at 12.30 at the Museum. Or at 2.00 for the visit. SUNDAY JULY 21 SOMERSET HOUSE As a centre for the visual arts, few cities can boast a better venue. Housing the Courtauld Galleries, as well as other exhibition spaces, we will have the chance to explore modern art and sculptures in a riverside setting. There is no news available as to the special exhibitions that will be there for our visit. Please phone Jean Jones for up to date information nearer the date Cost £5.00 concessions to the Courtauld exhibitions, extra charge possible for the visiting exhibitions. Meet at 12.30 or at 2.00 for the visit. SUNDAY AUGUST 18th. GUILDHALL ART MUSEUM AND ROMAN AMPHITHEATRE Discover the art collection of the City of London Corporation and visit Guildhall Yard, a tranquil and historic square in the middle of the City. The Gallery was established in 1886 as, ‘a Collection of Art Treasures worthy of the capital city’. See works dating from 1670 to the present, including seventeenth century portraits, Pre-Raphaelite masterpieces and a fascinating range of paintings documenting London’s dramatic history. Step into the ruins of London’s Roman Amphitheatre, in which crowds would once have gathered to watch wild animal fights, public executions and gladiatorial combats and were rediscovered by archaeologists working on the site of the new Guildhall Art Gallery building. . Travel via Bank, Mansion House, Moorgate or St Paul’s. Meet at the Museum at 12.30 or at 2.00 for the visit. There is no charge for the Museum. Special exhibitions may have a charge

U3A Sunday Club

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COUNTRY WALKS 2013 Thursdays, once a month, 6-8 miles

16 May A largely flat 8-mile walk from Garston to St Albans with a pub lunch near Colney Street. Meet at Harrow & Wealdstone Station for the 09.46 to Watford Junction (or make your own way there) from where we take the 10.24 train from platform 11 to Garston. Note: We will need to buy train tickets at Watford. Leaders: Matthew and Sandra Rouum Tel 020 8952 0479 Mobile 07854 754369 20 June Circular walk from Wendover Station. Please note early start time. Meet at Harrow-on-the- Hill Station at 08.50 a.m for the first Chiltern Line train after 09.00 a.m The walk will start from Wendover station at 09.50 and go via Coombe Hill and Chequers. Lunch stop at the Swan in Great Kimble. Leaders: lan and Jane Green Tel 020 8868 8465 before the day, or Mobile 07913 383342 on the day. 18 July Circular walk from Amersham Station with pub lunch in Little Missenden. Meet at Harrow-on-the-Hill Station at 09.45 for the 09.54 Chiltern Line train, arriving in Amersham at 10.20. Walk starts at approx.. 10.30. Leaders: John and Pat Wiseman Tel 020 8868 1465 Mobile 07939 478026 15 August Linear 8-mile walk along the Chiltern Link from Chesham to Wendover with pub stop for lunch. Meet at Harrow-on-the-Hill station for first Chesham train after 09.30 am. Walk starts at approx 10.45. Leader: Brian Murphy Tel 020 8866 6056 Mobile 07814 644013

Come and join us for an enjoyable and social day out in the fresh air. Please phone the leader in advance if you are new to this walking group.

FOR GENERAL ENQUIRIES ABOUT WALKS, PLEASE CONTACT BRIAN MURPHY.

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FOR LONGER WALKS TRY THIS LOVELY TOUR OF YORKSHIRE

NO PLANS FOR THE LATE MAY BANK HOLIDAY?

HERE IS A LAST MINUTE CHANCE TO JOIN OUR YORKSHIRE TOUR

Depart May 22 and return evening of May 26 (Bank Holiday Sunday). From our central York hotel, Radisson Park Inn, we visit the Minster, the Castle and Jorvik Viking ‘settlement’ in the City and tour the countryside from the Brontes’ Haworth in the West to Whitby on the East Coast. Also in the itinerary are: Newby Hall, known for the longest herbaceous borders in Europe, and a scenic train ride through the North Yorkshire Downs. In between our visits there will be time to explore York independently; maybe take a walk on the city wall or spend some time in the Railway Museum. The fun isn’t over when we leave for the drive home. It is Bank Holiday week-end and we will stop at the delightful Coton Manor in Northamptonshire where the garden café will be open for light lunches and snacks. It will give us a chance for a good leg-stretch beside one of the many streams and ponds in the Spring flowering gardens. A nice last visit of the tour! Tour cost includes 4 nights on half-board, return coach travel to York from Harrow Arts Centre, touring and visits as listed above. Further information from Inga Stone Tel. 020 8868 0543, e-mail: ingatours@aol.com. COST: £495 per person in double or twin room. Single supplement £100. £40 deposit with the booking form. Full payment for the tour due by l8 April.

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Another New Members Meeting will be arranged in January. Details will be announced nearer the time

Harrow U3A Yahoo E-mail List

As a member of Harrow U3A you are entitled to join the Harrow U3A Yahoo E-mail list. It is used to announce breaking news, make announcements, disseminate study/activity group news, cover local and national events as well as news about tours and visits and more. Every Internet connected Harrow U3A member is encouraged and urged to register his/her name for inclusion on this completely confidential and secure E-mail list. THE HARROW U3A YAHOO GROUP E-MAIL LIST For those members who wish to join, this is how to do it: New subscribers: 1. You can join the HarrowU3AML group using any email account by just sending an E-mail to HarrowU3AML-subscribe@yahoogroups.com from your email account. Please put your full name, address and membership number in the email you send. 2. You will next receive an E-mail from Yahoo Groups, which you need to open - (also check your SPAM or JUNK folder) and 3. Choose OPTION 2 and click on REPLY to send an E-mail, confirming that you wish to subscribe to the HARROWU3AML list. You must reply to this message within 7 days or the invitation will lapse. 4. Once you have sent that E-mail, the Harrow U3A moderator will receive your request to join the HARROWU3AML list and will verify that you are a paid-up Harrow U3A member, prior to accepting your application. 5. When your application has been accepted, you will receive a further E-mail from Yahoo Groups saying “Welcome to the HarrowU3AML group at Yahoo Groups”. 6. You should receive this above E-mail within a few days, depending on the volume of applications the moderator has to deal with at any one time. If you have not received this “Welcome” message within 7 days, your application has not gone through and you should then carefully repeat the above procedure Change of E-mail address: Visit the website http://uk.groups.yahoo.com/group/HarrowU3AML/join It will say you are already subscribed and show your existing email address,.Next to this is “Add New email address” click on this and you are given the option to add your new address, and delete the old one. Unsubscribe from the E-mail list Send blank E-mail to HarrowU3AML-unsubscribe@yahoo groups.co.uk (empty subject line and no text). This E-mail must be sent from the E-mail address on which you are currently subscribed.

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Wednesday 22 May 2013 - Woburn Abbey and Safari Park, Bedfordshire A full day trip by coach. At Woburn, our coach will take us around the Safari Park where we will be able to see all the animals, including lions, tigers, monkeys etc. Following that, we drive to the Abbey where we can eat in the restaurant (lunch not included in tour price) or bring your own picnic lunch. After lunch, there will be time for us to view the Abbey and all the treasures inside. We also learn about the Dukes of Bedford and the many interesting and historic personalities who have lived there for over 400 years. Cost: £34 - A SMALL NUMBER OF PLACES STILL AVAILABLE–BUT HURRY!! J&M Thursday 20th June - Greek Orthodox Church, Kenton Road In the past we have visited interesting places of worship belonging to all the main religions. Now there is an opportunity to see a remarkable building in our own locality. The new Greek Orthodox Church is an impressive architectural addition to the rather mundane background of Kenton Road. The Byzantine style St. Panteleimon Church was completed in 2012 and caters for the 10,000 adherents of the religion in this area. This is a morning visit. We will have an introductory talk by one of the senior clergy, followed by a guided tour of the building. Cost: £3.50 M&G 26 August 2013 — Stonor Park House & Gardens, Henley-on-Thames, Oxford. This has been the home of Lord & Lady Camoys and the Stonor family for over 850 years. The house is of considerable architectural interest built in 1190 and contains a remarkable collection of Old Masters Paintings, European sculptures, stained glass etc. The trip includes the Chilterns Craft Show where around 250 artist craftspeople will be showcasing their handmade gifts, ornaments, jewellery, glass and ceramics, plus much more. You may see deer, pheasants, and hares as well as the ever graceful Red Kites, Buzzards and other birds whilst walking in the beautifully tended gardens before visiting the Manor House in the afternoon. There is a Food & Drinks Marquee serving delicious food as well as Beers & Spirits, Handmade Cheeses, Jams & Chutneys etc. There is a Tea Room — but I am unable to say what is available or you can bring along a picnic. By coach from Sherbourne Place, Stanmore or Harrow Arts Centre leaving at approximately 9.00-9.3Oam Tickets (to include visiting all of the above venues, coach and gratuities) are £24.00

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MORE DAY VISITS

DAY VISITS

Concert outing Thursday 11 April 2013 to Cadogan Hall to listen to the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra,

Tchaikovsky Romeo & Juliet Fantasy Overture Rachmaninov Rhapsody on a Theme of Paganini

Rimsky-Korsakov Scheherazade Conductor Alexander Shelley. Piano, Peter Jablonski

The irresistible selection of Russian scores begins with one of Tchaikovsky’s most famous compositions, his beautiful Romeo and

Juliet Fantasy Overture. Peter Jablonski takes to the stage for one of Rachmaninov’s most exuberant works, the Rhapsody on a Theme of Paganini. Rimsky-Korsakov’s Scheherazade, his interpretation of the

Arabian Nights, rounds off the programme. Coach from Hatch End. Tickets to include gratuities @ £32.00

Tickets available from Jack Kushner email; j.kushner17@gmail.com or phone 020 8954 8671

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THE ROYAL NAVAL COLLEGE AT GREENWICH

A LONDON TRANSPORT ADVENTURE or “Maximise your FREEDOM PASS”

We use the Jubilee Line, Docklands Light Railway and the River Bus for a day’s outing to GREENWICH on the 7th of June. There is much to do and see in Greenwich and on this occasion we chose to have a private tour of the famous PAINTED HALL, often described as “the finest dining hall in Europe”. It is part of the Old Royal Naval College. which was designed at the end of the 17 century by Wren and his pupil Hawksmoor with beautiful wall and ceiling paintings by Thornhill, for which he received a knighthood. This hall is where Admiral Nelson lay in state before being buried in St. Paul’s Cathedral. After the tour, free time for lunch and maybe an independent visit to the Maritime Museum to see the “Death of Nelson” painting of the great man’s last moments on board his ship, HMS Victory. There is also a chance to have a close-up look at some of the beautiful Royal barges on display there. For shoppers —the very tempting covered Market awaits you. To return home we catch a River Bus at Greenwich Pier to the Embankment Pier then the Bakerloo Line .... changing to the Jubilee Line at Baker Street station. A round trip adventure from Harrow - at a modest cost for the day. COST: . £12 p.p. For details contact Inga Stone, 020 8868 0543 or e-mail: ingatours@aol.com

************************************ JOIN HARROW U3A ON A STUNNING CRUISE TO NORWAY

Fred Olsen’s ” Balmoral” 8 night Cruise to the Fjords and coastal towns of Norway departs from Southampton on 19 September 2013. Coach from Stanmore and Hatch End where the driver will take your luggage and you will see it again in your cabin. The first day is spent at sea allowing plenty of time to settle in to the comfortable and well-appointed en suite cabins, and to enjoy the many great facilities the ship has to offer. There is a full daily programme of activity and of evening entertainment which means that there is plenty to occupy guests while at sea, but everyone can choose to do as much or as little as they please. Fine dining all together every evening on our reserved tables with a five course or a Ia carte meal. There will also be a private welcome aboard cocktail party for our group with drinks and canapes where we will be able to get to know each other. The first port of call is to the little Norwegian port of Haugesund. This is a great introduction to Norwegian heritage, with its working reconstruction of a Viking farm, close to St Olav’s church, and the history centre which provides a more detailed insight into Norway’s Viking past. We then cruise into the mighty Sognefjord to visit the tiny picture-postcard village of Flam, famous for its railway, a masterpiece of engineering that climbs to almost 900 metres giving ravishing views over the glorious fjord scenery. The next port is another tiny and gloriously pretty village — Olden; set in pretty meadows it nestles beneath the towering cliffs that flank the deep, clear waters of the fjord. The scenery is a panorama of tumbling waterfalls and sparkling glaciers, which is truly unforgettable. Balmoral next visits Bergen, Norway’s second city, where you will visit the attractive timbered houses and bustling fish market. The town can be viewed in a spectacular fashion from the top of a funicular railway or take a trip to the lovely lakeside home of the composer Edvard Grieg and enjoy a piano recital of his music. The final port of call is Stavanger a charming town of narrow winding streets, good restaurants, cafes and museums.

To book a place please contact Jack Kushner by e-mail j.kushner17@gmail.com or phone 020 8954 8671.

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RECENT OUTINGS

RECENT OUTINGS

Dorset and the Jurassic Coast 24th - 29th June 2013 (6 days 5 nights) 5 days coach holiday based in Bournemouth at the Best Western Hotel Royale. With visits to Exbury Gardens, Jurassic Coast, Lyme Regis, Brownsea Island, Poole Pottery, Beaulieu Motor Museum. Salisbury, and National Trust properties. Price includes coach travel throughout, half board and entry fees for some venues. If you are interested please send a stamped addressed envelope with the appropriate booking slip for further details or contact Write mobile No. & e-mail address on reverse of slip Cost: £509.00 per person (single room supplement £40.00). Contact Pat Bays 020 8866 9274. 15 Woodhall Avenue. Pinner HA5 3DY

M&J PB JK PG AL DS IS M&G TW RR

Judith & Malvern Barnett Pat & David Bays Jack Kushner Pam Gonsal Aime Levy Daphne Singer Inga Stone Mary & George Vulcan Toni Waxman Roy Rae

27, Wessex Drive, Hatch End, HA5 4PX 15 Woodhall Avenue, Pinner, HA5 3DY 17 Sherbourne Place. 57,The Chase, Stanmore,HA7 3UH 16 Latimer Gardens,Pinner, HA5 3RA 21,Greystone Gardens,Kenton, HA3 0EF 58, Fontwell Close, Harrow Weald, HA3 0EF5, The Dell, Pinner, HA5 3EW 18, Mount Stewart Avenue, Kenton, HA3 0JP17, Sherbourne Place, 57 The Chase, Stanmore, HA7 3UH 5 Barn Way, Wembley. HA9 9LE

020 8428 9387 020 8866 9274 020 8954 8671

020 8868 4291

020 8907 1267 020 8954 5823 020 8868 0543 020 8907 3951 020 8954 8671

020 8904 1981

TOURS AND VISITS COMMITTEE MEMBERS

HOW TO BOOK AN OUTING

For two weeks after the Newsletter appears, only postal bookings are accepted in order of arrival. If you are booking at a later date, first check availability. To be included on a trip, fill in the relevant slip from the Tours & Visits Reservation Form. We do not accept bookings by e-mail. Enclose a SAE and a separate cheque for each event, payable to Harrow U3A, unless otherwise stated. Post cheque and slip to the organizers of the outing. (See addresses and phone numbers above.)

BOOKING CONDITIONS CANCELLATIONS: Where we are able to re-sell your ticket, we will make a refund less an administration charge. Tickets will always be offered in the first place to members on a waiting list for the outing. DISCLAIMER: Please note that only trips advertised in our Newsletter or paid for via Harrow U3A are under the auspices of Harrow U3A. Harrow U3A and the organizers cannot be responsible for any loss or injury, however caused.

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RECENT OUTINGS

VISIT TO THE SHARD ON 14 FEBRUARY 2013 On a cold February morning 32 members met with Inga Stone at the entrance to The Shard inside London Bridge Station. After handing each of the ladies a red rose (as it was Valentine’s Day) we proceeded through an airport-like security check and then on to the lift which took us to level 33. Here we changed into another lift to the main viewing gallery on level 69. The lifts travel at 6 metres per second and thus take 60 seconds to reach level 69. Happily the sun came out to greet us and everyone got busy with their cameras soaking up the magnificent views. There were also 12 telescopes for visitors to use which enabled us to identify 200 famous landmarks at the press of a button. Some of us then went up to level 72 which is 244 metres (800 feet) which makes it the highest viewing platform in Europe. This visit , run by Inga, who had previously given us explicit instructions as to how to find the correct entrance from the tube station nearby ,was extremely well organised from beginning to end, in her usual efficient style. Jack Kushner

Tour of St Pancras Renaissance Hotel Three groups from Harrow U3A were given a tour of the St Pancras Hotel in January. The guide for our group, Royden Stock, gave an entertaining and informative talk on this splendid example of Gothic Revival architecture. He had worked there since 1996 and was clearly a great fan of the building. George Gilbert Scott won the competition, set up by the Midland Railway in 1865, to design a hotel for the station even though his reputation as an architect rested solely on his work as a church designer. The building was finally completed in 1876. Scott’s previous background is highly evident in many features of this work. The great pointed arch which is the current main entrance to the lobby and a similar arch further east in the façade are just one example. Likewise the l8ft high ceilings and the corridors which are as wide as the nave of a great cathedral. The interior design matches the exterior in being highly decorative and ornate. From the tessellated ground floor a wide double staircase with an intricate ironwork balustrade by Frances Skidmore which leads up to the grand rooms on the first floor. The walls are red with gold fleur-de-lys scattered across. The hotel was a great success and made a very significant contribution to the railway company’s profits for many years much to the delight of the shareholders. In the interwar years the railway company lacked funds to protect the fabric from deterioration and a long period of decline followed leading to closure as a hotel in 1935.The building survived some bomb damage during the Second World War and in 1948 was the headquarters of British Rail. By this time Victorian architecture was deeply unfashionable as architects favored clean uncluttered lines to their buildings and any form of decoration was an anathema! If any U3A members are interested in staying there, a night in one of the best rooms on the first floor is available at £600 plus, or £295 for a smaller room. David Donaldson

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CAR PARKING

Visitors to Harrow Arts Centre are permitted, indeed encouraged, to park in MORRISONS

Supermarket car park.This is open from 8.00am until 11pm.Whilst no guarantee can

be given , it is considered safer than the overcrowded Arts Centre car park.

Please park within the parking lines at the Harrow Arts Centre and PLEASE do not block the ramp to the Hatch End Suite

Harrow U3A Management Committee Life President: Georgina Butcher 020 8428 2665 butcher560@btinternet.com

Chairman Mike Allen 020 8868 0335 chairman.hu3a@yahoo.co.uk Vice-Chairman Pat Rae 020 8904 1981 vicechairman.hu3a@yahoo.co.uk

Hon. Secretary Lynne Dorff secretary.hu3a@yahoo.co.uk

Hon. Treasurer Cecil Cherns 020 8428 1114 cecmil@eastcotechase.freeserve.co.uk

Membership Secretaries Jacky Gordon Kathy Westhead

020 8868 9067 020 8422 9895

membership.hu3a@yahoo.co.uk

Study Group Co-ordinator Rhoda Luer 020 8861 0022 studygroupcoord.hu3a@yahoo.co.uk Premises Officer Enid Bose 02089072446 premisesofficer.hu3a@yahoo.co.uk Newsletter Editor Morris Jones 020 8954 4229 Hu3anewslettereditor@gmail.com Tours and Visits Jack Kushner 020 8954 8671 j.kushner17@gmail.com Publicity Officer Bill Garvey 020 8868 5030 bill.garvey@btinternet.com Speakers’ Secretary Alan Klein 01923 824837 a2zk@theKleins.co.uk Enquiries Officer Sheilah Lowe 020 8861 3821 sheilahlowe62@sky.com Members’ Liaison Officer Susan Field 01923 819162 careofficer1.hu3a@yahoo.co.uk Diary Administrator Web Master

Anne Gerrard Dennis Kersh

020 8954 4110

study2.hu3a@yahoo.co.uk webmaster.hu3a.yahoo.co.uk

U3A National Office Third Age Trust

The Old Municipal Buildings 19 East Street

Bromley Kent . BR1 1QE

020 8466 6139 National.office@u3a.org.uk

www.u3a.org.uk

Harrow U3A web page www.harrowu3a.co.uk

VENUE DETAILS The area location of groups held in private homes is listed in the “venue” column. Please telephone the Group Leader or Host for

address details.Groups held at Harrow Arts Centrein the Uxbridge Road at Hatch End are shown as HAC,followed by the letter codes of

the room being used as follows: HAC-B Belmont room HAC-L Lowry room HAC-C Cannon room HAC-N Neil room HAC-CN Constable Room HAC-R Roxeth room HAC-EH Elliot Hall HAC-RY Rayners room HAC-G Gobey room HAC-S Stanmore room HAC-GD Grimsdyke room HAC-T Turner room HAC-GR Greenhill room HAC-TB Travellers bar HAC-HES Hatch End suite HAC-W Weald room (rooms 1, 2 & 3) HAVS The Lodge HAC-K Kenton room 64 Pinner Road Harrow. HA1 4HZ HAC-P Pinner Room

DEADLINE FOR ENTRIES INTO THE NEXT ISSUE OF THE HARROW U3A NEWSLETTER

IS :

SATURDAY 6th July 2013 Items to Morris Jones- Details

in above panel

20

Busy reception at St Pancras Hotel

Tower Bridge

Three Graces at the Shard The “Belfast” from The Top of the Shard

The Royal Naval College at Greenwich

An honorary U3A member joined us at the Shard !

U3A PHOTOCALL

Sail into the sunset on the Fred Olsen

“Balmoral” Full details page 12

Or contact Jack Kushner