FOR ENQUIRIES PLEASE RING BETWEEN 9AM-6PM MONDAY TO FRIDAY ONLY

NAME PHONE/ EMAIL MOBILE

CHAIRMAN

SECRETARY

TREASURER

SPEAKER ORGANISER

NEWSLETTER EDITOR

MEMBERSHIP SECRETARY

GROUPS COORDINATOR

SOCIAL EVENTS ORGANISER VICE CHAIRMAN

FOR ENQUIRIES PLEASE RING BETWEEN 9AM-6PM MONDAY TO FRIDAY ONLY

CATERING/REFRESHMENTS

www.u3asites.org.uk/canvey-thameside

CANVEY THAMESIDE U3A

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projector, loud speakers, notice boards, etc. and cannot man the doors to check members in before that time.

Many thanks.

Continued……

SAFEGUARDING POLICY & PROCEDURE AND

U3A MEMBER CODE OF CONDUCT

The Committee has agreed that our Safeguarding Policy and Member Code of Conduct will be available for our members information.

These documents can be found on the ‘INFO’ page of our website:

ttps://u3asites.org.uk/canvey-thameside Those members who do not have internet access can obtain copies of these documents from Janice.

Years over-running, well over budget and had to be shut and partly rebuilt….. Not the A13/A130/Sadlers Farm roadworks, though it applies to this as well, but the Caledonian Canal in the Great Glen of Scotland. We welcomed Bob Theobald to talk to us about this part of Scotland. He told us the Great Glen is caused by plate movement and stretches over 60 miles from Fort William to Inverness. The Caledonian Canal was built by widening and deepening existing streams and rivers, adding 22 miles of canal between the lochs. At its deepest point, where lies Nessie, in Loch Ness, it is over 700 feet deep down in the murk. The canal was needed as a quick route across Scotland as sailing ships struggled in the bad weather going round the top of Scotland. James Watt’s ideas in the early 1700s were taken up in the later 1700s with construction by Thomas Telford. The estimation of Watt of a 20 feet deep canal costing £130,000 was upped to £360,000 and only 15 feet deep by the time Telford started. The eventual cost was £1.4 million, it ran 12 years over time, had to be shut due to shoddy workmanship and partly rebuilt, was not completed until 1840, when it was already redundant as new steam ships could navigate the Scottish waters more safely. Much history lies along the route and close by. The misty, dank moors of Glencoe are famous for the Glencoe Massacre. The leader of the MacDonald clan was late pledging his allegiance to the new Dutch King William III (of Orange fame) and his wife Mary II. This lateness led to a visit of the rough militia led by the Campbell clan and the eventual betrayal of a warm welcome that led to 38 MacDonalds being killed, though many escaped. At long last, the local pub that prohibited Campbells and dogs has relented and now allows dogs in! Ben Nevis also lies close by, Britain’s tallest mountain at 4406 feet, the scene of numerous student stunts, but also the scene of many deaths, especially in winter, with 5 fatalities already this year.

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SPUTNIK

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On the route, lock gates from the canal take you into the first loch. Neptune’s Staircase has 6 locks to raise and lower boats, with all the hand-cranked locks (and the fun!) replaced by pushing a button! This set of locks and the canal itself provided paid work for unskilled highland cattle drovers, likely to disappear at any stage and go back to their real work. At Spean Bridge is the famous commando memorial, marking where the commando units trained in World War 2. The canal has many landscaped features, well trees, planted on the spoil banks of the canal. At Laggan, tough digging conditions meant the navvies got rid of their traditional shovels and brought in steam-powered diggers. The local laird, not content with a £10,000 bribe, objected to the noise and sent armed men in to scare them off. The canal has to be regularly dredged, as heavy Scottish rain (and has anyone ever been to Scotland when it didn’t rain?) leads to silt being washed in from surrounding streams.

On the route are many monuments, bridges, roads and Urquhart Castle on Loch Ness, from General Wade’s time, built so lowland forces could get into the highlands quickly to squash rebellious highlanders. The most famous highland rebellion came in support of Bonnie Prince Charlie (Catholic

claimant to the British throne), though, despite getting as far as Derby, the rebellion came to grief at Culloden in 1746. Only one hour saw the defeat of a shattered Scottish army, with Butcher Cumberland slaughtering villagers for miles around after the battle. (In the pub mentioned above, don’t go with friends called Campbell or Cumberland!) (The Skye Boat song is about part of Charlie’s escape from Scotland, as is My Bonnie lies over the ocean and many others.) Loch Ness is famous for and actively promotes of course the monster legend. A new road opened up the area in the 1930s and sightings increased with many faked or could be anything pictures. Over 2000 alleged sightings have occurred (probably most after going to the afore-mentioned pub), but Loch Ness is a unique setting, due to very deep fresh water at a constant 4-5 degrees C, with unusual wildlife, real and imaginary.

At the end of the route you emerge in Inverness, One of many claims to fame, was the record of selling white goods in the 1980s and 90s, as Russians came over to buy them up and take back to Russia.

This concluded, with a few questions, a fascinating 45 minutes on the Great Glen.

Paul

THE CANASTA GROUP MEET ON

ALTERNATE TUESDAYS AT 2PM

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION PLEASE CONTACT THE GROUP CONVENOR JAN PARIS

PARKING AT ST. NICHOLAS’ CHURCH

We appreciate parking can be tight when we have a full Friday meeting, especially if you arrive close to 10am. Although most members do park sensibly, we have been asked by the church to remind members again not to double park or block people in as not all the cars in the car parks are for our meeting and to take special care if parking on the road by the side particularly to leave plenty of access room for prams etc. to get down the middle. Sensible parking prevents embarrassing interruptions to the meeting asking people to move cars.

We would also like to ask our members not to arrive at the car park until after 9.30 please.

Many thanks, Jackie.

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If you have put your year of birth on your membership form we would like to acknowledge your important birthdays. If you DO NOT wish your landmark birthday to be publicly acknowledged please let Jan know.

Not all of our members have included their year of birth on their application form and we are therefore unable to ascertain if their birthday is a special event.

If your name is not shown here your birth date was omitted from your membership form.

Please let Jan know your birthday and year to add to our records.

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WE ARE A FRIENDLY AND ENTHUSIASTIC GROUP AND ENJOY DIFFERENT TYPES OF CRAFTS.

COME ALONG AND JOIN US FOR A CUP OF TEA AND A CHAT. EVERYONE IS WELCOME.

WE MEET AT MORRISONS COMMUNITY ROOM (next to Timpsons) ON ALTERNATE THURSDAYS FROM 1.30 - 3.30PM

2nd Ann Hardy 4th Ray Jenkins 4th Doreen Welch 5th Derek Draper 6th Ann Scanlon 7th Philip Smith 11th Fred Bradshaw 14th Maureen Bradshaw 23rd Pat Plant 26th Linda Braysher 26th George Carter 29th Margaret Hawkins

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The Darts Group holds regular meetings on alternate Tuesdays at the Conservative Club, Long Road.

Yvonne

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Our next lunch is the following;-

Gambero D’Oro Italian Restaurant Near Benfleet Station

Thursday 21st March 2019, Midday

Price for 2 courses £12.00 ( inclusive of tip)

Please see Jeanette at our March meeting to book your place. Payment in full please.

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TICKETS ON SALE AT

APRIL MEETING PAYMENT IN FULL PLEASE

The Indoor Games group meets every other Wednesday at the Jubilee Hall from 1.45pm till 3.45pm.

We play a variety of games - mostly board and card games.

We are a small very friendly group and always have lots of fun and laughter. It also keeps our brains very active.

New members are more than welcome to join us.

Regards, Jan & Joan

The Ladies Club meets at the Morrison’s Community Room

Our lovely group had a great meeting this morning and discussed lots of potentially exciting new ideas/events for this year.

Next meeting is 20 February at Morrison’s community room 10 am to 11 am.

Many thanks Love Marianne and Anne xx

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These are the 2019 Friday monthly meeting

dates for your diary

We would ask that our members do not arrive at

the car park until after 9.30 please

➢ The sum of all the numbers on a roulette wheel is 666.

➢ Starfish are more closely related to humans than they are to jellyfish.

➢ There is eight times as much energy in a pound of chocolate chip cookies than in a pound of dynamite.

➢ More Americans were killed by gun violence (including homicide and suicide) between 1968 and 2015 than have been killed in all the US wars in history (including the Civil War, both World Wars and Vietnam).

➢ Fireflies are beetles not flies.

➢ The loss of a male praying mantis’s head does not prevent its body from completing sexual intercourse.

➢ A female greenfly can give birth to a daughter and a granddaughter simultaneously. This is because a female greenfly embryo may be born with another even smaller embryo inside her.

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Next talk:

Date: Wednesday 20th March 2019 Venue: St Anne’s Church Hall, St Anne’s Road, Canvey Island. Time: 2pm Speaker: Paul Bancroft (U3A Member & Group regular) Title: The Life & Times of Lt Col. Fielder – A Canvey icon. Cost: £2

ADAPTATION AGAINST THE ROPES ALIEN ALONG CAME POLLY AMADEUS ANNIE HALL BABE BASIC INSTINCT BEN HUR BIG FISH BRAVEHEART CABARET CASABLANCA CHICAGO CONFIDENCE DAREDEVIL DIE HARD DR ZHIVAGO EVITA GHANDI GHOSTBUSTERS GLADIATOR GOLDFINGER INSOMNIA IRIS JAWS LANTANA, LOST IN TRANSLATION MAD MAX MIRACLE MR DEEDS NETWORK PEARL HARBOUR PLATOON PSYCHO ROCKY SIGNS STAR WARS THE LORD OF THE RINGS THE STING

Can you find the hidden movies? They may be horizontal, vertical, diagonal, forwards or backwards.

Down 1. Flexible / Inflexible (7) 2. Vague / Obvious (7) 3. Modern art / Martial art (6) 4. Part of a jacket / Part of a shoe (5) 5. Snow runner / Athlete (3) 6. Burn with steam / Freeze with ice (5) 8. Burst out / Became dormant (7) 12. Carelessness / Introspection (7) 15. Fanciful / Humdrum (7) 16. Breathed in / Breathed out (7) 17. Surgeon / Attorney (6) 18. Bird / Fish (5) 19. Encourage / Discourage (5) 22. Insect / Mammal (3)

INTERESTING FACTS

The PC/Laptop and Photographic groups meet regularly every two weeks, from 1.30–3.30pm, at B.O.P.H, Charfleets Close.

Please check the online diary for future meeting dates.

If anyone has old photos they wish repaired or transferred to disc, we are willing to do this.

A small donation would be welcome for this service, if possible. (Please see page 16)

Doreen, aged 79, finished all the shopping on her weekly list at the supermarket. She walked determinedly towards her car which she had left in the car park. There she saw four youths about to drive away in her car. Doreen became agitated and dropping her shopping to the ground, she drew a handgun from her bag and screamed as loud as her lungs would allow at the four miscreants, 'I have a gun and I know how to use it. Get out of the car you horrible little men.'

The four lads didn't wait around for a second invitation but got out and ran helter-skelter as far away as they could, whereupon Doreen, somewhat shaken, proceeded to load her shopping bags into the back of the car and get into the driver's seat. As hard as Doreen tried she could not get her key into the ignition. Then it began to dawn on her why.

She came across her own car a few moments later in another row nearby. Putting her bags now, into her own car, she drove hesitantly to the nearest Police Station. As Patricia was recounting the tale to the Duty Sergeant she wondered why he kept giggling and smiling. Eventually he pointed to the end of the counter where dear old dizzy Doreen saw four young lads, faces extremely pale, who were describing how a little old lady, some 5 foot tall, wearing glasses and with grey hair had stolen their car by waving a gun at them.

Doreen was not charged with anything.

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We are a lovely friendly group who meet in each other’s houses once a month from 2.30 – 5pm. We have space for new members so if you are interested please contact me. We all have fun and we use the dictionaries (it is called cheating, but we see it as learning!!!!!!) Please check the online diary for future meeting dates. Linda

In this crossword there are two clues for each word. Can you work out which is true and which is false?

Across 1. Security device / Sonar device (7) 4. Deducts / Enumerates (5) 7. Actions / Notions (5) 9. Copy / Opposite (7) 10. Financial arrangement / Flower arrangement (7) 11. Clear / Unclear (5) 13. Golf course / Main course (6) 14. Coniferous tree / Deciduous tree (6) 18. Started / Finished (5) 20. Introduce / Get rid of (7) 21. Gruesome / Beautiful (7) 23. Validate / Invalidate (5) 24. Go in / Go out (5) 25. Advanced / Retreated (7)

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The first members support meeting last Wednesday seemed to go alright, so we will continue alternating these with the talks. The support meetings are great for beginners or seasoned pros, where you can seek help and share ideas. A different pair of eyes on a problem and access to Ancestry and Find My Past may help. We meet fortnightly, Wednesdays, from 2pm to about 4pm in Morrisons Community Room. 13th March: Using sources to construct life for my paternal grandfather in 1901. Another classic tale of hard times and little surviving of Sheffield's industrial past. 27th March: The next members support meeting. 10th April: More insights into the life and times of the merchant navy, this time at the start of the war (when Val's dad was 15). The mule ships and zebras were later in the war and we also looked at his post war airline service out of Salisbury, Rhodesia. 24th April: Members support meeting. 8th May: Transport for the People 1, an overview. 22nd May: Members support meeting. 5th June: Transport for the People 2, sharrabangs (charabancs). 19th June: A proposed Local History Group trip to Southend will mean no meeting if it goes ahead. Alf is currently recruiting via email. Many of our members go to Local History. If the meeting does not go ahead, it will be members support meeting. 3rd July: Transport for the People 3, with I do like to be beside the seaside... 17th July: Members support meeting. 31st July: Transport for the People 4, with London, Commuting and Essex. 14th August: Members support meeting. (I won't be here) 28th August: Captain Charles Campion of Scarborough in 1861. (My wife's ggg grandfather.) 11th September: Ellin/Ellen Bond, a child mill worker near Burnley in 1861. (Sister of my wife's ggg grandfather, other side of family). 25th September: Members support meeting. (I won't be here again.) 9th October: Lily Crosby, 1901, a sad story. 23rd October: Members support meeting. 6th November; John Bond in 1901. 20th November: Members support meeting. 4th December: Our 9th members stories, where you come and tell us about the latest rogues, heroes, dodgy characters et al. that you have unearthed from your research. 18th December: Christmas Impossible Quiz and meeting where we discuss next year. Bear in mind, I started this when the U3A started in summer, 2014, so I really am totally run out of ideas for new series etc., so I do need ideas and some help. I don't mind doing the research. The resumption date after Christmas would be the 15th January. I have planned this far ahead to help you plan your diaries. Also tell me of any other possible clashes, as we can always re-schedule. I hope we continue with the decent turnouts next Wednesday. Please bring tablets etc., as we will need them for one bit (map comparison). Regards, Paul.

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See if you can re-assemble all the pieces by filling in the letters and blocks into the correct positions in the grid.

The result will be a symmetrical 15x15 crossword. One 3x3 piece has already been entered.

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We hope to have another show booked soon for some time in September

Watch this space

You will need to make your own way there

ONE SEAT LEFT

Our recent talk, 20th February ’19 was presented by Martin Lepley, who is very active with the Cast & Crew theatre group and Bay Museum Group as well as being an ardent Canvey History researcher. Martin talked of early Canvey including the growth of the population from about 1911 onward with figures taken from the census taken each 10 years. In addition he had early photographs that most of the 22 attendees had not seen. In all Martin has produced a talk of some 3 hours so we had to condense that for our 2 hour schedule and therefore he concentrated on the detail and history of the Canvey servicemen killed and or injured that led to death following WW1. As is normal with this period many instances of tragedy, heroism and family heartbreak is involved and Martin did so well in bringing these elements into his talk. It is difficult to estimate the 100s of hours he has dedicated to this talk and we are most grateful to him for a wonderful experience. Our thanks to the group members for the wonderful attendances we have achieved these past 5 events. Many Thanks – Brenda & Alf

SIDNEY BRIGNULL

WILLIAM

BURBRIDGE

REGINALD McLEAN

SCOTT

HENRY LAZELL

ALFRED DEDMAN

We have a full quota of players at the moment as we meet at people’s houses and therefore have limited space. However if you are interested in coming at odd times when people are on holiday, etc. please contact me. Regards Den

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We meet every Wednesday at the Conservative Club, Long Road

between 10am and 12pm

We welcome everybody who wishes to play the ukulele and have fun.

Please contact Margaret for full details

Our regular meeting place is the Labworth car park every Tuesday at 11am.

We walk locally on Canvey Island and hope to plan future walks to Langdon Hills and other interesting places in the future.

We look forward to welcoming you all ~ in your sensible shoes!

MINION MOMENTS

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At the moment we have three confirmed and booked events:

Anne has arranged an evening at Pitsea Leisure centre featuring The Glamour Girls on 22 March.

Jan has booked a Pottery Day at Barleylands on 24 April.

Frances has organised an evening with The Dreamboys at Cliffs Pavilion on 7 June.

Future ideas include:

Pauline would like to find out further details of Tiptree in Spring.

Yvonne says she is happy to book up another trip to the dairy farm (this is after a very successful first visit last year).

Marianne will arrange another outing to Waitrose for a food testing/tasting but we have been advised that the charge for this has now risen to £10 and we need 20 ladies to keep it at that price!

Jeanette is willing to arrange any restaurant outings for ladies only, any suggestions would be welcome and we already have Spoon as a front runner!

Margaret can find out more about open air concerts and other outings in London but we must have some interest please.

If anybody is interested in the Strollercise Group, it is Strolling/Dancing to the sounds of the 50s, there are six different venues and the phone no is 07913 068604 speak to Denise or you can find out more on Facebook. PLEASE NOTE OUR NEXT MEETING IS 3 April 2019 and we look forward to seeing you again then.

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WE HOLD MEETINGS ON THE FOURTH FRIDAY OF EVERY MONTH BETWEEN 2PM AND 4PM IN THE RAINBOW ROOM, ST. NICHOLAS’

CHURCH, LONG ROAD.

WE ARE A FUN AND FRIENDLY GROUP – NO DOUBT DUE IN PART TO THE WINE!

OUR NEXT MEETING WILL BE 22nd MARCH

We hold our meetings in the War Memorial Hall on the High Street. The hall is nice and large and we have

plenty of space, so if anyone else would like to join us please let Sandy know.

We meet every Monday from 12-2pm

WE ARE LOOKING TO EXPAND OUR SMALL FRIENDLY GROUP.

NEW MEMBERS ARE WELCOME AT ALL SKILL LEVELS INCLUDING BEGINNERS.

YOU DO NOT NEED A UKULELE AS WE HAVE UKELELES AVAILABLE TO USE SO THAT YOU CAN SEE IF YOU

WOULD LIKE TO JOIN US

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Half term took its toll on the February meeting, numbers were down, consumption was

therefore up. Would this be a glass half full or a glass half empty moment

SOME FRENCH EXPRESSIONS USED BY THE BRITISH

à la carte "on the card, i.e. menu"; In restaurants it refers to ordering individual dishes rather than a fixed-price meal. aide-de-camp "camp helper"; A military officer who serves as an adjutant to a higher-ranking officer, prince or other high political dignitary. aide-mémoire "memory aid"; an object or memorandum to assist in remembrance, or a diplomatic paper proposing the major points of discussion apéritif "[drink] opening the appetite", a before-meal drink.[3] In colloquial French, un apéritif is usually shortened to un apéro.

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THE LADIES OF THIS GROUP HAVE BEEN MAKING CUDDLY TOYS FOR THE PATIENTS OF THE SOUTHEND HOSPITAL DEMENTIA

WARD. BELOW ARE SOME PICTURES OF THEIR LOVELY CREATIONS.

The Islander Fish and Chip Restaurant was our venue for February.

The food and value for money was excellent. Everyone enjoyed the lunch and I think we will definitely revisit in the future.