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Chudleigh & District U3A
February 2020 Newsletter
The Gardening Group
The Gardening group has drawn up an ambitious programme of garden visits for the year ahead. In February and March we will be meeting in members gardens (Feb: Margaret Parsons; March: Joy Anderson), but from April onwards we will be taking advantage of the wonderful range of gardens open to the public.
In April we will be visiting Forde Abbey (near Chard); in May we plan to visit the Wildside Nursery in Buckland Monachorum; in June it is Lukesland Gardens in Ivybridge; in July we will be having a picnic at Fast Rabbit Farm near Dartmouth; in September we go to High Garden in Kenton, and finally to Stone Lane Gardens near Drewsteighton on October.
We would be delighted if any members would like to join us on all or any of our visits – please contact Mark Macnair for further details.Mark Macnair [email protected]
February MeetingWednesday February 19th at 10.00 am.
Our next monthly meeting will be on 19th February at 10.00am in the Woodway Room. Our speaker will be Dr Eirene Williams, who worked at Seale Hayne College for many years. She is an ecologist and conservationist, and her title is “Eight tough weeks in Mexico” – an account of her experiences with Operation Wallacea. The Wallace Trust, named for Alfred Russell Wallace, who co-authored the first paper on Natural Selection with Charles Darwin, organises Conservation Expeditions across the world, led by Academics from Europe and North America. These projects work closely with the local people, and provide opportunities for students to join the expeditions. It will be fascinating to hear first-hand how successful these projects are!
January MeetingWilliam Morris – A True Victorian Polymath
Our first monthly meeting of 2020 saw the return of Matthew Denney, who spoke to us last year about why brown furniture has such low value. This time we heard about the various interests and talents shown by William Morris.
He was a man of independent means and was therefore able to pursue whatever took his fancy. He is perhaps best known for the fabulous designs he created for wallpaper and textiles, many of which are still in use today. But he also worked in many other genres, including stained glass windows, decorative tiles and he revived the art of tapestry.
William Morris was inspired to revive the skills of craftsmen following a visit to the Great Exhibition in 1851. He disliked all the fashionable things on display which had been made using machines and resolved to return to handmade arts and crafts. He despised furniture made with veneers, seeing it as “dishonest” preferring instead pieces made from solid wood decorated with paintings – some by artist friends, including Rosetti!
Once he had “solved” a perceived need he would move onto another project. His final years saw him involved in the Socialist League (a forerunner of the Labour Party). William Morris was a source of inspiration for Tony Blair. Although he died at the early age of 62 he left us a wonderful, varied legacy.
Craft GroupSince Christmas, the craft group have been developing and learning new paper craft skills to create some beautiful cards.
We are planning to try origami animals, making big paper peony flowers from crepe paper and mosaic pots.
We usually meet twice a month and if you want to join us please contact Leah Stirrat (coordin-ator) so we can be sure we have enough space and equipment.
Art Appreciation GroupNewly formed, we will meet on 3rd Thursday of the month, the venue to vary, but mainly at members’ homes. The format for the meetings will be that we will choose a different artist each month and we will all do some research and come to the meeting to share our thoughts, talk about our favourite works and learn from each other. The possibility of visits to local exhibitions was also discussed. No ex-pertise or prior knowledge required! Just come along to share an interest.
We agreed to choose Giotto as our first artist, perhaps an appropriate choice as he is regarded as the father of European Art, and the first of the great Italian artists, and the most important of 14th century.
We will choose our subject for the following meeting at our get to-gether each month, so our range of artistic interests knows no bounds! Angela Cameron
Longer Walking GroupSince the October rains which seemed to cut out all but the most hardy walkers, including our shorter walking group (!), the longer group have been very busy. In November, we set out from Ipplepen for a circular walk, taking in Tanyard Lane and Brownscombe Hill. As can be seen from the image, there was still plenty of mud in evidence. At one point, we were fortunate to have a convenient detour of half a mile rather than 20 yards of bog snorkelling! The walk continued via Stoneycombe Quarry and Dainton before our return to Ippleden and welcome lunch at ’The Wellington’.
December saw us joining up with the Teign U3A group for a circular walk from North Bovey. Initially, we walked in an easterly direction to Barnecourt. We then descended to the River Bovey at Foxworthy Bridge and climbing back out of the valley to Neadon. Our return to North Bovey was via Aller Mill. We then enjoyed a very pleasant pre Christmas lunch at the Ring o’ Bells.
The New Year saw us joining with the Teign Group once again for a New Year’s Day walk based around East Ogwell. From the village, we walked to the River Lemon, at the site of The Old Mill. Following the river in a westerly direction, we reached Morley Bridge via Chercombe Bridge. A nearby path led us down to West Ogwell Church - well worth a visit, and a coffee stop. We then continued to Start Cross via Peartree Cross. The
Armchair Travel
Armchair Travel 11th February 2020 at 1400hrs in the Con Club
A working Tourist
by Mary Anne McFarlane
path around the prison was flooded (formation of a moat?!) and we continued back to East Ogwell on the lanes.
Our January walk seemed to come round in no time. With the continuing rain and muddy conditions, a walk along some of the many lanes around Chudleigh seemed in order. Setting off from the Church, we compromised slightly and used the field path on Station Road to help our ascent to the 'Ridge Road’. We followed this beyond Biddlestone Cross to where we could turn down to Whaddon Spring. Continuing via Amberley, we used a second field path at Lower Upcott to reach Hams Barton. Chudleigh was reached using the lane from Brimley Corner. Lunch was at The Phoenix.
In February, we hope to walk in the area of Ayiesbeare Common with a lunch at Newton Poppleford.
If you are interested in walking around 5 miles then you would be most welcome to join us. Fell free to contact Bernard on [email protected] or 01626 859450 for more details.
Calendar for February
Below is the Schedule of meetings for February, correct at date of writing! Please check website for latest version.
Contact Details for CommitteeChairman Vicky Macnair [email protected] 01626 853490 and AccessibiltyVice Chairman Martin Farrant [email protected] 01626 854208and PublicityTreasurer/Finance Andre Turnbull [email protected] 01626 853211
Secretary Tony Ducker [email protected] 01626 852233Membership Mark Macnair [email protected] 01626 853490Webmaster Len Wilson [email protected] 01626 859465Newsletter Jillian Butchart [email protected] 01626 854387Groups Pat Langman [email protected] 01626 854592Minute Secretary Tom Edmunds [email protected] 01626 853635
Contact Details for Group Coordinators
It has been suggested that it would be helpful if everyone could have the list of current groups, and the contact details for their coordinators. Further details of the groups (where and when they meet, and a brief description), can be found on the website.
Armchair Travel Andrew Turnbull [email protected]
Art Appreciation Group
Angela Cameron [email protected]
Book Club Sue Edmunds [email protected]
Bridge Tony Ducker [email protected]
Cookery Vicky Macnair [email protected]
Craft Leah Stirrat [email protected]
Croquet Mark Macnair [email protected]
French conversation Patricia Langman [email protected]
Gardening Mark Macnair [email protected]
History Helen Turnbull [email protected]
Mah Jong Libby Farrant [email protected]
Photography Andrew TurnbullAlan Winn
[email protected]@theuniversody.co.uk
Science and Natural History
Vicky Macnair [email protected]
Scrabble Arnold Cade [email protected]
Spanish Conversation Patricia Langman [email protected]
Theatre Rita Foreman [email protected]
Visits Marion Thomas [email protected]
Walking – Longer Bernard Groves [email protected]
Walking – Shorter Andrew TurnbullMartin Farrant
[email protected]@gmail.com
