U3As are self-help, self-managed lifelong learning co-operatives for older people no longer in full time work, providing opportunities for their members to share learning experiences in a wide range of interest groups and to pursue learning not for qualifications, but for fun.
Welcome to the University of the Third Age
Southend-on-Sea
The 160-strong membership of this busy U3A, one of only two in the country that meet weekly, has an interesting programme to enjoy. We meet on Tuesdays at Westcliff Free Church, London Road, Westcliff, near Westcliff Library. Doors open at 2pm; notices are read at 2.20pm; speakers start at 2.30pm. We have a wide and expanding selection of study groups covering many interesting subjects. To check out our programme, click on this link: Programme
To ask about joining, call PETER ROTHWELL on 01702 715005
To contact this website, call Mike Eldridge-Doyle on 07591 393163
Southend is safest place to live, says crime expert
Michael Holland, Community Engagement Officer of the Southend Crime and Disorder Reduction Partnership,
offered the reassuring news that, statistically, Southend is the safest place in the country to live at present. Mr
Holland, a retired police officer, told a Tuesday meeting that the CDRP forms part of the wider Southend Safer
Communities Board. He spoke of the Partnership's structure and priorities and answered questions after his
talk. He is pictured here with Southend U3A treasurer Roger Saward.
Entomologist Don is one of nature's speakers
Southend U3A member Don Down (left in the picture) gave a talk entitled An Entomologist in Essex, illustrated with
a wide selection of his own colour slides. Despite bad weather, he had a good-sized audience, many of whom
questioned him closely after his talk finished.
Group leaders meet at the Cliffs
The latest meeting of Study Group Leaders has taken place at the Cliffs Pavilion, Westcliff-on-Sea. For a picture, go to the new Group Leaders page. Click here: Group Leaders
Berlin expert recalls rise and fall of The Wall
Keith Crowhurst, pictured above, who made many visits to Berlin during his time working for the Ford Motor Company, told a well attended meeting about the rise and fall of the infamous Berlin Wall. Using our new digital projector, he illustrated his talk with a comprehensive collection of photographs dating back to prewar days.
Serenity the key in visit to Jain Derasa (Temple)
U3A members from Southend, Leigh and Thorpe Bay combined to fill a coach for a Comparative Religions
Group visit to the Shikharbandhi Jain Deraser (Temple) at Potters Bar, Herts. They went on to St Albans for
lunch and, as a complete religious contrast, a visit to the Cathedral and Abbey Church. There's another
picture here: Comparative Religions
Discussion Group marks anniversary with champagne
The Discussion Group run by Eve and Howard Marks (pictured) at their home in Chalkwell marked its first anniversary
with a champagne party before members got down to the more serious business of putting the world to rights. For a
picture of the group celebrating, go to: Discussion Group
U3A couple's romantic wedding
Following the wedding of chairman Jeanette and membership secretary Peter Rothwell, another
Southend U3A couple have tied the knot in a romantic ceremony. Irene Gildert, a committee member
and leader of our Aviation Group, married Peter Rogers in a ceremony at Porters Civic House, in
Southend. After staying at a "mystery hotel", they left for a honeymoon in Slovenia, a land of mountains,
lakes and sea, in a setting Irene described happily as "like a little Venice". Congratulations from us all!
Harmony for all in story of Girls' Choir
Musician Rosemary Pennington (pictured, left, with chairman Jeanette Rothwell) gave a sparkling talk on the life and times
of Southend Girls' Choir. She recalled its formation in 1988, following on from the worldwide success of Southend Boys'
Choir, and went on to chronicle its own impressive list of achievements to the present day, including tours to many parts
of the world and releasing well received recordings. The choir even has a Guinness World Record - for giving a concert
higher in the sky than anyone else, having performed for 45 minutes at 36,000 ft aboard an airliner flying above the
northern coast of Australia.
Smart thoughts on the impressive history of printing
Southend U3A founder member John Smart (pictured, right, in suit, chatting with fellow member Howard Marks) gave a well researched talk
on the history of printing. Using our new digital projector, he illustrated his talk with pictures marking the stepping stones of the art that has
had such a profound influence on the development of human society. He also showed off a number of printing-trade artefacts, like the one
pictured on the left.
Witching hour of tales of the Witchfinder General
Spinechilling tales of unspeakable cruelty kept a big Tuesday meeting audience enthralled for nearly an hour as David Cooper spoke
about Witchfinder General Matthew Hopkins. With his wife Pauline in witch's mask and rags, and a display of pictures and artefacts, like
the grinning skull pictured, he outlined the scandalous interrogation methods adopted by Hopkins and pursued until public scepticism
solidified and he was discredited. Could Hopkins's methods have inspired CIA interrogators? Are we even allowed to speculate on that?
David Cooper later wrote to us "to thank you and your members for being such an attentive audience" and for our "kind hospitality".
He said: "It was a pleasure to have met so many interesting people."
Aviation enthusiasts see cavalcade of WW1 planes take to the air
Three members of Southend U3A's Aviation Group made the journey to Old Warden in Bedfordshire for the Pageant Air Display mounted
by the Shuttleworth Collection of historic and vintage aircraft. Better weather than last year enabled some of the oldest aircraft in the
collection to take to the air, including this Sopwith Triplane fighter from the First World War. More pictures here: Aviation Group
Open afternoon offers much for visitors to admire
Each of our study groups had a table or half a table at the Southend U3A Open Afternoon on Tuesday 8th September, including Horticulture (left),
Painting For Pleasure (centre) and Local History (right). There were excellent displays, which were admired by a good attendance of enthusiastic
members in the back hall. Entertainment was provided by the Glee club and the Play Reading Group. During the tea break, the East End Study
Group gave a Powerpoint presentation on evacuees both in the UK and those sent abroad at the start of the war.
Natural pleasures as walkers make their way around Paglesham
DON DOWN writes: A very pleasant morning was spent walking around many of the farmland tracks in the area. I had the added pleasure to see and record many species of British butterflies. In fact it was the most rewarding occasion for many years to observe many of our commoner species. Painted Ladies were a great delight as they were the offspring of the early migrants that arrived in the spring from the Desert-Veldt of North Africa where they continually brood. I was very pleased to record my first local Small Tortoiseshells of the year. Many beautiful Peacocks were seen nectaring from the bramble blossoms along the field hedgerows. The lovely Comma butterfly was also seen together with one or two migrant Red Admirals. Amongst the grasses, Gatekeepers (picture above right) and Meadow Browns were common; whilst all three species of White Butterflies were extremely abundant everywhere amongst the profusion of wild flowers. However, I think the most excitement occurred when I found two large caterpillars of the Puss Moth (picture above left), feeding on leaves of a sallow bush, both of which have pupated and should emerge as moths next May.
I would like to thank all involved in arranging the walk and I apologise if I delayed your progress. I always caught up with you all and that’s when I had found my little surprises to show you. I think we had a very good morning. Thank you again.
More about the Walking Group here: Walking Group
Have your say with Eve and Howard
Eve and Howard Marks want users of the Southend U3A website to feel they can have their say about any topic. Together they run the Discussion Group. For more information, click here: Discussion Group
Grant cheque boosts our summer lunch in the park
The £800 cheque from Grassroots Grants for our new laptop computer and image projector arrived in time to be
displayed by chairman Jeanette Rothwell and members of the committee at Southend U3A's summer lunch at the
Park View Suite in Chalkwell Park. The delicious lunch was voted the U3A's best ever.
The menu, being keenly discussed in the picture above, included a prawn, avocado and mango stack, slow-
cooked lamb shank served with red wine sauce, and chicken stuffed with stilton, served with white wine sauce.
The lunch's organisers, John and Betty Boote, pictured middle row, right, with fellow diner Trevor Bliss (standing),
won a big round of applause from the appreciative guests.
Smiles as our study group leaders gather for regular meeting
Southend U3A study group leaders had plenty to smile about as they met at the Cliffs Pavilion, Westcliff, for their regular get-together to discuss the progress of their various projects. Pictures: John Boote
Grant comes through for laptop and projector
Southend U3A's application to the Grassroots community fund for a grant to pay for a new laptop computer and image projector has been successful. The £800 award pays for new equipment to be used at our meetings, both by our own members and by visiting speakers who have computer-generated slides to show us. Our grant has been funded by Grassroots Grants, which is funded by the Office of the Third Sector. Now we can truly say we're in the 21st century!
Publicity drive begins with story in the local press
Secretary Pat Williams's call to local newspapers to give Southend U3A some publicity in aid of a new
recruiting drive paid off quickly with this picture and report in the Yellow Advertiser. The paper sent a
photographer to one of our meetings (see picture below, right) and then published the item. Pat says
it has resulted in more than a dozen telephone calls from YA readers interested in joining Southend U3A.
Two important visitors at a single meeting
When Cathryn Corns came to give her talk "Remembering The Fallen", about the history of war graves, she was
not our only visitor. A photographer from the Yellow Advertiser brought his cameras and lenses to take pictures
of members, following a publicity approach to the paper by secretary Pat Williams. Cathryn's talk was
fascinating; the photographer went about his business quietly, barely noticed.
Photography Group descend on Burnham
Members of Southend U3A's Photography Group chose picturesque Burnham for their summer photo
outing. A friendly waitress at The Star took this picture after the group lunched there. The group took
many pictures with a nautical flavour, as well as capturing unusual aspects of the town itself. More
pictures here: Photography
New sights to see at popular outing site
Members of Southend U3A who travelled by coach to Leonardslee were rewarded with some unusual sights. On
the left is a superior dolls' house, complete with superior servants. On the right is a sculpture that is a cross between
Renaissance France and Star Trek. Enough members made the trip to enable the budget to be balanced. Such
interest needs to be maintained if Jeanette and Pat are to continue to break even. (Pictures: Roger Saward)
New chairman for Essex U3A
Beryl McDonell, pictured, vice-chairman of Maldon U3A,
has agreed to become chairman of the Association of
Essex Universities of the Third Age. She stepped forward
at the Association's AGM when Iris Mooney retired as
chairman. Vice-chairman Pat Brown also retired. Mike
Eldridge-Doyle, vice-chairman of Southend U3A, is a
member of the Essex committee.
Where codebreakers helped to shorten war
Nearly two dozen members of Southend U3A visited Bletchley Park, home of Britain's Second
World War codebreakers, where, among other exhibits, they saw the re-created Colossus
- the world's first semi-programmable computer (above). For more pictures, go to: Outings
Aviation Group visit historic WW2 ops room
Fourteen members of the Southend U3A Aviation Group travelled to RAF Uxbridge to visit the immaculately preserved Second World War undergound operations room of 11 Fighter Group. The curator, Hazel Crozier, welcomed the group and gave them a tour. More
pictures can be found here: Aviation Group
Barbara tells of royal summons
Southend U3A member Barbara Crowe told us about the day she received
a summons to Buckingham Balace to receive the insignia of the MBE. We
learned how her work over many years with the parents of handicapped
children had earned her the respect of charity workers throughout the
country and a call to meet the Queen. Sadly the Queen was unable to
conduct the ceremony and the Prince of Wales stepped in - impressing
Barbara by spending time talking to her and demonstrating a
knowledge of her work.
Look who just got married!
Romance was in the air as two leading members of Southend U3A chose the stately surroundings of historic Porters Civic House, Southend, as the venue for their marriage. Our new chairman, Jeanette Behn, and membership secretary Peter Rothwell tied the knot at the very site where Southend U3A marked its twentieth anniversary. Just under 50 people attended the wedding - about a dozen of them members of our U3A. A buffet was provided by Affinity. After their marriage, the couple travelled to the Caribbean for a sunny honeymoon. We offer them our very best wishes.
Painting for Pleasure artists illustrate their pleasing skills
These fine paintings are by Painting For Pleasure study group members. The Wolf in pastel pencils is by Valerie Smerdon, the Thames Barge is by Diane
Hamilton and Sprig in Bloom is by Annette Tidman. If you are artistically inclined and would like details of the group, call John Boote on 01702 522681.
Rita tells of battle to restore Dunkirk 'little ship'
Rita Cocks, of the Leigh Endeavour Trust, told of the battle to raise money to save and restore the cockle boat Endeavour, built in Leigh, which joined the fleet of 'little ships' that sailed to Dunkirk to rescue retreating British soldiers. She spoke for an hour and later answered questions from the many people who crowded round her display of pictures of the enterprise.
Theatre lovers entertain with anecdotes
Members of the Theatre Appreciation Study Group entertained us. They are, from left, Betty Boote, Peggy Spicer, Jan Mills, Barbara Banks, and (at the microphone) Bridget Carr. Their topics included theatre in Southend, women in Shakespeare's plays, and playwrights Noel Coward and Alan Bennett.
Sybil tells of traditions of Jewish life
Sybil Greenstein (left), known to many members as a talented quizmaster, revealed that she
is also a compelling speaker.She gave a fascinating talk entitled From the Cradle to the Grave,
a year in the life of a Jewish woman. She is pictured here with Southend U3A chairman
Jeanette Rothwell.
What's so blooming funny?
New chairman Jeanette Rothwell has added a new dimension
to our Tuesday meetings - unrestrained humour. She tells jokes.
Is her stand-up technique good? Look at the reaction of the
audience at the quiz-social afternoon in the picture below, and you'll have the answer!
Committee changes at annual meeting
At a well-attended annual general meeting (top), chairman Peggy Spicer (below, right) and secretary
Betty Boote (below, left) stepped down. They were thanked for their nine year' service on the
committee. The new chairman is Jeanette Rothwell (above, right) and the new secretary Pat
Williams (above, left). John Boote and Audrey Vincent have left the committee after seven years and
Irene Gildert has joined it.
Patchworker Maureen's stitch in time
Patchwork expert Maureen Ollett showed a large number of samples, many of them of exquisite quality, and such was the interest
she aroused, she was kept answering questions long after her talk finished.
New music website for U3A members
A new website dealing with the classical music interests of older people has been started. Constructed by Tom Holloway, who inaugurated the Southend U3A website, and Norman Edwards, it can be found here: http://u3amusicgroups.pbwiki.com/
Don't forget, there is now a website for the Association of Essex Universities of the Third Age, to which Southend U3A belongs. To check it out, go to The Essex U3A Website
Life with the EastEnders...
East End Study Group presented an excellent study of life in the East End of London in past years, including a retelling of the Matchgirls' Strike and the changing styles of Jewish weddings. Leading the presentation were group leader Pat Williams (right) and Jeanette Rothwell. Peggy Spicer and Stuart Raine also contributed. To read more about on the group click this link: East End Study Group
If your study group is due to make tea at the
next meeting, check out this page: Tea Makers
To go to the National website, click this link: U3A National Website
To learn more about U3A Southend please call Peter Rothwell on 01702 715005
To ask for technnical support, call Mike Eldridge-Doyle on 07591 393163
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