My Last Song

Dear Peter,

I am writing to groups of the University of the Third Age to bring to your members’ attention the newly launched website, My Last Song.

Its purpose is encourage people to address the issues they and their loved ones will face in the latter years of their lives in a positive and supportive way.

It also provides an online Vault in which people can store the information that will be required by their close family and executors. They can also store their individual details, life stories, photographs, scrapbook pages, achievements and activities so that future generations have an accurate insight of their unique lives and times.

I would be grateful if you could forward this email or bring it to your members’ attention in an appropriate manner.

Best wishes,

Paul Hensby
Executive Director

www.mylastsong.com
phensby@mylastsong.com

020 8670 5060
077 8534 2667

Making Your Own Website

Everyone who has an email address can also roam the Internet. But are you aware that you are also paying for web space?  This can be used to good effect by designing your own web page or site to show the world your ideas.
So why not use this 'free' resource?
Or perhaps you do already and would like to go further.
To this end I hope to run a class called 'Making Your Own Website'
I hope to show you how easy this is. All you need to do to make a web site is plain English.
Also we could explore other avenues to get things on the Internet such as Blogger and Flickr.
Let me know if you are interested.
I would run this on a Friday morning for 2 hours. Start on 24th September 2010.
Contact me Peter Read on 01722 501218
or by

BURSLEDON BRICKWORKS visit Thursday 1st July 2010

Sci-Tech Visit to the Brickworks is all set to go on the 1st of July.  Please note this is a Thursday not a Monday.
We should meet at 10am when we shall get some refreshments after paying the extra entry cost.  This should be £3 for most of you [some have already confused me by paying the £5].
Then an introduction before a guided tour and brickmaking demo – probably need to split the group into 2 or 3.
Bring sandwiches for lunch.  There are picnic tables.  There is also a cafe on site. Additionally there is a pub not far away. By this there is the River Hamble.  Here there is a lovely walk you may like to take after lunch if you wish.
The nearby Windmill is sadly not open on a Thursday.

Those of you who have not given me your £2 deposit yet I shall be grateful to receive it soon.
It will be a great day out.
Peter

Changes to Newsletter and Membership Cards

S P I R E U 3 A
N O T I C E S

Please note:

Your Vice Chairman, Andy Poole’s phone number is 07767 623 957

The following amendments need to be made to the groups offered:-

Mondays Science & Technology is lead by Peter Read 01722 501 218; Christopher Penfold 01722 325 220; Laurie Irons 01722 325 307

Tuesdays There is no longer the archaeology group

Wednesdays Please add

History of Music to be led by Stella Tobi at 17 Churchfield Road from 2.30 – 4.30pm starting in September held monthly on the fourth Wednesday until May 2011

Thursdays Mobile Phones led by Aslaug Abbott tel:- 01722 7126 995 is going to be held in members homes.

Exploring the Countryside led by Colin Seago tel:- 01722 510 630 is held monthly, the group is full, but it is worth phoning, as there may be the odd space.

Recording Playing for fun and Improvement meets monthly at 20 St Clair Rd.
Led by Stuart Robson tel:-01722 334 310,

Fridays Water Colour Painting held on Fridays in led by Sally Jermy 01722 333 613

Next Science and Technology talk is on the 26th April at Harnham Memorial Hall 10am

Anthrax "Plagues in past millenia; biowarfare in the past century; letters, drums and heroin in the present century; redevelopment sites and heavy metal bands; mice, cows, elephants and (of course) humans.

Dr Peter Turnbull

ANTHRAX – a kaleidoscopic zoonosis

On Being a Subject Network Co-ordinator

I have been a Subject Network Co-ordinator for about 8 years now and have found the experience very pleasant. The job of the SNC is to help other members of U3As anywhere in the country either to set up a local group or give ideas and help for existing groups.

For U3As wishing to set up a group the first contact is usually head office. Here they hold Start Up leaflets on most topics. These they will send for free.

The second thing to do is to contact the relevant SNC directly and to this end the contact details are printed in every issue of the U3A News. They will have other helpful material such as Newsletters with content gleaned from other people in the Subject Network. In my case I have not written Newsletters since my subject of Photography does not easily lend itself to this except for stories and perhaps images from network members. Instead I have attached a web site of my own to the main U3A site. This contains everything you need to run a group. There is content from members of my network here with links to their sites or pages directly on my site.

Some SNCs organise Study Days where members gather to discuss ideas and learn new methods for teaching their own U3A group. Look out for these in the U3A News.

There are other SNCs who organise conferences or seminars that can last several days. Such a one is the Science and Technology network who for the past 8 years have had an annual gathering in Abergavenny. Talks on a wide range of topics are given by members of the U3A. Also included in the 4 day conference are trips to sites of interest. Having been to this conference a few times I have now also been to see the SS Great Britain, the Big Pit, Cardiff Art Gallery, the Mappa Mundi in Hereford cathedral, St Fagans Museum of Welsh Rural Life and the underside of the new Severn Bridge.

Thus each SNC runs their Network as they wish. The minimum requirement is to produce a Start Up leaflet. I have written a Start Up Leaflet for Photography but as I said earlier I amplified this idea with my web site. This system has the advantage that I can rapidly add or modify the site. Because Sheila and I run local Digital Imaging classes we are always producing new techniques for our students and these ideas are added.

So the message is that if you need a group locally and it does not exist or is full you can start one yourself. If you have no idea how to go about setting one up then contact head office and the relevant SNC.

Help is also available from the U3A Resources Centre and from Sources magazine.

Remember that expertise in your subject is not needed in most topics. No qualifications are required - just your enthusiasm. Members will be very grateful.

Peter Read

Spire Family History Course

Another 8 week course for Family History for Beginners will start on Monday 6th Sept 2010 at 2:00-4:00pm
and subsequently every two weeks until Christmas.

Also this year we will run a follow-up session once a month for those who would like some help &/or support. This group will meet every second Monday 2:00-4:00pm.

For details ring Mike Kirby 01722 330123
or Les Hankinson 01722 321283
or see me at the monthly meetings