MUSIC+

Classical Music
Cecily Hughes Concert Goers group is going to meet at 2pm on Monday 27 April in the Civic Centre in preparation for a forthcoming concert. This time the talk will be given by Chris Weeks who lectures on music for DACE. The cost will be £2 as usual and the fact that it is held in the Council Chamber of the previous West Glamorgan administration is recompense enough! To judge from earlier presentations which I have attended it will amply reward the time spent by improving your enjoyment of the event.

The concert itself is by the BBC National Orchestra of Wales in the Brangwyn Hall for £11.50 to £14.50 at 7.30pm Saturday 9 May, under Tadaaki Otaka. They will play Beethoven's lesser played Symphony 4, perhaps my favourite after the ninth, and Mahler's Das Lied von der Erde with Birgit Remmert and Jon Dasak as mezzo soprano and tenor soloists.

Mumbles Jazz and Blues Festival fills the period in between the above talk and Brangwyn concert with four days and 18 concerts of different genres. My particular interest is in the jazz side of this combination and I have pencilled in the two concerts featuring Mornington Locket on saxophone. He visits Jazzland, St James Crescent at least once a year and always excites with his wonderful bebop style and slow ballads. He worked for many years with Ronnie Scott. The first for £12 at 8pm on Saturday 2 May with his quartet including Laurence Cottle, who hails from Mumbles. The second for £8 at 1pm on Sunday 3 May with Dave Cottle trio, the fine rhythm section who back visiting professional soloists weekly at Jazzlands, featuring Morninton Locket and well known British jazz singer Tina May. Another attractive concert is the opening one one for £12 at 8pm Friday 1 May by the Snake Davis Band which should get the festival off to a 'funky' start.

If your interest is on the Blues side then the last for £10 at 8pm on Monday 4 May by Brian Breeze's local Rhythm and Blues Band catches my eye.

Many of the other Jazz or Blues concerts cost £4 or £6. Tickets can be purchased from The Mumbles Tourist and Information Centre 01792 361302 or from Swansea Jazzland on 07802 912789. Doors open 45 minutes before the concerts so be early to get the best seats. Given the demise of internationally known Brecon Jazz after 25 wonderful years there is a big opportunity to build something really important at Mumbles. Its success depends on your support.

U3A Network Jazz Study Day at Narberth on Wednesday 20 May features a concert by the Ken Collier Legacy New Orleans Jazz Band. When I was a student in London in the mid fifties Trad Jazz, sophisticated Coffee Shops, Lonnie Donegan's skiffle and students parading with T-Chest Bass and washboard, were all the rage. My particular favourite was Humphrey Lyttelton who performed every week at the newly opened 100 Club in Oxford Street. His idol was American trumpeter Louis Armstrong, innovator and the first international jazz star. But my next door neighbour in hall raved about Ken Collier.

Ken believed there was a pure New Orleans sound and his mission was to keep this sound alive. The basic tenets were no solos and no showing off, so all his tracks feature ensemble playing and so restrained his his playing you would scarcely know the band was led by a trumpeter. Whether there ever was such a style in an idiom which grew up with marching bands and then turned to red light clubs, environments which sound chaotic to me, is open to question but preserving that tradition was Ken's crusade, and he would have considered Louis Armstrong, let alone Humphrey Lyttelton (with his ever so slightly modernist alto saxophonist Bruce Turner) as turncoats.

The day will cost £14 including lunch, coffee and tea. To book please send SAE and cheques, £14 payable to Narberth U3A, to Tudor Thomas, 11 Beechwood Place, Narberth SA67 7EE. Further information from Graham Goodeve on 01437 741391 or email jggoodeve@tiscali.co.uk, or our Margaret Massey on 01792 205028
The venue is the Nant-Y-Ffin Hotel, Llandissilio. It sounds like a really good day out. I won't be there but that shouldn't count against me as I shall be en-route to Bali that very day.

SMILE TRAIN CHARITY BARN DANCE
Joy Gillard, a U3A member, is organising this event on her own bat at Ostreme Hall on Friday 8 May at 7.30pm. The calling and the music will be provided by the same expert. Profit will go to this deserving charity founded in 1999 who provide free hair lip operations in less developed parts of the world. In addition they have currently trained 23,00 medical professionals in 76 countries including India, Philipines and Brazil.

Please support her fund raising effort, tickets are only £5, please bring your own drinks, though refreshments will be on sale, they will not be free as indicated on last Wednesday's slide show. Various Swansea U3A members have tickets for sale or call Joy directly on 366376. It sounds like a fun evening.

U3A ACTIVITIES for WEEK STARTING 27 APRIL

MONDAY
CHESS and ITALIAN will NOT meet again until OCTOBER
(READING 4 continues on second Mondays, next 11 May at 10.30)

TUESDAY
NEW PHOTOGRAPHY GROUP meets for second time at 10am in the annexe of the Vivian Hall at Blackpill. They hope to include a photo-shoot in Clyne Park so please bring your digital camera and a laptop could be useful.
ART APPRECIATION have hired a coach to Cardiff to visit the Sisley in South Wales exhibition, some also hope to take in the Origins Exhibition run by Elisabeth Walker who gave the Wednesday lecture on The Red Lady of Paviland. The bus leaves Wellington Street opposite Swansea central Tesco at 9.30 and leaves Cardiff for the return at 4pm. As far as I know the trip is fully booked, contact Mo Ellard 363465 to check for cancellations.

WEDNESDAY
JIVE as always at the Monkey Cafe at 10.30
LECTURE at 2pm is 'Diet and Behaviour throughout Life' by Professor David Benton

THURSDAY
FRENCH is cancelled, the group will restart in October.

FRIDAY
TAI CHI at 9.30 and 11am at Hazel Court in the Exercise Room
ARMCHAIR TRAVEL will meet for a talk by Margaret Massey on Petra in Jordan (corrected from earlier issues).

AFGHANISTAN and THE GREAT GAME
The Tricycle Theatre in London have a very special offering until14 June which I find so tempting that I am wondering how to fit into an impossibly tight schedule, that presumes that tickets are still available after a highly positive Newsweek Review on Friday and a four star review by The Guardian's senior critic Michael Billington in today's paper.

They are presenting 12 half hour plays by different authors writing from different perspectives on Afghanistan, covering from the massive British Army defeat at Kabul in 1842 to the present day. Rudyard Kipling was writing about The Great Game in 1900. It covers, British Diplomacy in the early years and our support for the Opium trade, present day Foreign Office at work, USA unwitting supporting the Islamist cause when supplying them with anti-Russian aid, Kabul lost to The Taliban in 1996, 9/11 and present day NATO action.

It is a trilogy with a single part for £13 on weekdays, but the whole trilogy is given at weekends for £36, Part 1 - 10.45am , Part 2 - 2.30pm, Part 3 - 7.30pm. Box Office 020 7328 1000 or www.tricycle.co.uk. It runs daily until 14 June.

It is easy to envisage power theatre can illuminate more economically than any other medium the reality which is Afghanistan, and it does so the viewer to draw his own conclusions, but all leave with a far more comprehensive view of the country, its politics and its history.

I cannot do better than quote the last sentence of Michael Billington's review. 'Something remarkable is happening at the Tricycle, where Afghan history and culture are being made manifest in a uniquely challenging, theatrically exciting way.'

PHOTOGRAPHY +

Photography
Laurence Hopes 362113 contacted me some months ago now with a suggestion for no less than three new groups, but at the time he did not feel confident enough of his own knowledge to lead any of the groups. So he turned to extra mural classes on Photography and armed with new knowledge and a view of formal education he is now to lead a group. A very good example of how to proceed with your pet project.

The group will meet for the very first time this Tuesday 21 April between 10am and 12 at the Vivian Hall, Blackpill, and will continue to do so throughout the summer. At least three people who joined the U3A following the Life Begins at 50+ event have indicated their support. As I understand it, one of the the suggestions is to go out as a group on Photo Shoots and then to study and discuss every ones results. How the group develops is of course in large part decided between the people who join. However it seems likely to be largely complementary to Digital Media which is largely concerned with the digital computer manipulation of photographs, and should be ideal for those whose interest is to improve the quality of photographs they take on trips and holidays, and of family.

U3A Science-Technology Summer Seminar
This is being organised by the Science, Technology and Society Network of The U3A. For those new to the U3A I should explain that certain Groups work as Regional or National Networks. Geology is a popular group which operates across South Wales with a fair proportion from the Swansea U3A. The science seminar is being held at the Ty'r Morwydd Environmental Study Centre at Abergavenny from Monday 17 August to Thursday 20 August and any U3A members (not just members of that Network) are welcome to attend. Anyone interested should contact Nic Griffin 01747-855720 nicgriffin@hotmail.com , or Peter Rockwell 020 8445 3574 peter@rockwell.net

The total cost will be £180 for residents or £120 for day students, including wine for those socialising in the evenings. They are expecting contributions, of general rather specialist level, on Aeronautical Engineering, Navigation, Secret Message Technology in WW11, Polymers/Plastics, Blood Transfusions and the Properties of Light. The main visit will be to SS Great Britain in Bristol Docks.

Politics and Citizenship
Much information was given this month on the European Union ahead of the forthcoming Elections to the European Parliament by Roger Knight and Marjorie Vanston. Most of the discussion was held over until the May meeting.

Margaret Hammond (tel 883680), not for the first time, gave notice of relinquishing the post of convener after the September Meeting with Edwina Hart. She of course is one of the pillars of the U3A, who has also run the Research Group for years, but who now considers the load too heavy - having reached her 85th year. She pleaded for a replacement, and whispered to me that it should not by default land up with the overloaded willing horse Roger Knight.

It is a discussion group which anyone with keen interests in current affairs, moral dilemmas (eg euthanasia or religion), Welsh, UK or European politics, would find stimulating. The next convener would ideally come from the current group, but there is absolutely no reason why it should not be one of the newer and generally younger members. I have attended several sessions, and enjoyed them all. There are clearly many members willing to lead particular sessions, so the main task of the convener is to Chair the meetings and guide the meeting in the choice of the next topic and appropriate leaders.

New members would be welcomed at the meeting on Tuesday the 12 May in the West Cross Community Centre which will be just ahead of the European Elections. There is no other way to find out whether groups are to your liking than to attend and form your own judgement, it is courtesy to contact the convener beforehand.

Roger Knight emailed me details of two web sites relevant to European politics http://euobserver.com/#

http://europarl.org.uk/

Painting for Pleasure
Mary Lane proposes to start a new group under this title for NON-BEGINNERS ONLY on Tuesday October 6 at All Saints Mumbles. Her current group is for Water Colour for Beginners

GROUPS ACTIVITIES
MONDAY
Chess meet for the last time until October at 10 am in Hazel Court.
Italian meet at 10 am at Hazel Court, also for the last time until October.

TUESDAY
Photography first meeting 10.30 at Vivian Hall West Cross
Writing 2 meet this week at 10am at Hazel Court to consider what they have written on 'The Essence of Spring'
Welsh Language/Culture meet every Tuesday until July at 10am in the Vestry St Mary's Church, central Swansea.

WEDNESDAY
Astronomy will meet in the Grove after the lecture to see some film
Art Appreciation Please note that Mo Ellard will be collecting £3 in payment for the trip to Cardiff 28 April after the lecture.

THURSDAY
French will meet at 10am until the end of April. Celia Roberts is taking the group at present due to the illnesses of Steve Johnson and Beryl Edney, who have our best wishes for speedy recoveries. The topic for discussion this week is The Environment.

FRIDAY
History meet at 2pm at the Dolphin on the theme King George 2nd and the Development of the British Empire.
Tai Chi meets 9.30 and at 11am at Hazel Court. Convener Susan Hutson 391058.

MONDAY 27 April
Concert Goers meet at 2.15pm in the Civic Centre to hear Chris Weeks in preparation for the concert with works by Beethoven and Mahler at the Brangwyn Hall on Sat 9 May.


Reading Group 4 Earlier versions of this blog suggested they would be meeting a week Monday, that was incorrect. Their next meeting is 10.30 in Hazel Court on Monday 11 May.

EASTER MONDAY

LIFE BEGINS AT 50+
It is pleasing to report that several of the people at this event subsequently contacted me on receipt of the blog link, and that I was able to deal by email with their queries.

I was also approached by Gill Illingworth the Publicity Manager for the Grand Theatre who wondered about the interest of our members in the hour long lunch theatre on Saturdays in the Arts Wing. Joan and I went last Saturday to try it out, adding it to a week long exposure to theatre including Bath and Bristol of which more later. The play 'Confessions Off Broadway' was written by Louise McLeod who has a Masters in Creative and Media Writing from Swansea University. It was well performed by a cast of four an hour thoroughly well spent dealing with the tensions in a theatrical family reunited in New York preparing for production of their play. Those who read this blog may remember me reporting earlier how my love of theatre was influenced by the beginnings of the Off Broadway Theatre In The Round movement in the late 50's. A production of Arthur Miller's The Crucible made a huge impression. It was written as repost to the vicious McCarthy anti-communist witch hunt which pervaded the States for a decade, of whom Paul Robeson, well known for his connections with Wales was one of many high profile victims.
Details of the Saturday and other daytime programs can be obtained via the Grand and they are also published in 'What's On'.

RED LADY OF PAVILAND
Elisabeth Walker who delivered an excellent lecture recently on this topic informs me, via Esther Searle, of a related lecture which may well be of interest on 14 May at 6.30pm in the Reardon Smith Theatre of the National Museum of Wales in Cardiff. The speaker will be Professor Jim Kennedy, Director of the Oxford University Museum of Natural History. His subject will be 'William Buckland', who Elizabeth described as the man who would eat anything - like me who sought after live raw Sago Worms in Borneo, considered a delicacy! - with the sub text 'The man who ate the Heart of a King and discovered the Red Lady of Paviland'. We are welcome to attend, further details at
http://www.museumwales.ac.uk/en/whatson/?event_id=3561

OPEN UNIVERSITY LAUNCH
Mike Wiseman sent details of free multi media based on-line learning about Wales, its history, coast, BBC Radio Wales archive material, David Lloyd George etc. For details follow the link to www.open.ac.uk/openlearn/wales-cymru .

U3A NEWS
All groups are likely to have made special arrangements for Easter Week so I will report only where I am sure of my facts.

POLITICS and CITIZENSHIP will meet as usual at 2pm tomorrow Tuesday 14 April in the West Cross Community Centre. The topic for discussion will be 'Contacts with Europe'. It may not be of general knowledge that the two members of the group, Roger Knight and Marjorie Vanston, who will lead the discussion are active in the local branch of Support for European Movement. It should develop into the group's usual well informed discussion.

TAI CHI is back on Friday17 April

DISCUSSION Rob James is taking over next year from Roly Govier.

CHRONICLE Don't forget that articles are required for 13 May deadline.

BACK TO THEATRE
MOTO may go drinking water in Shrewsbury but Joan and I indulged in food and theatre for a short break, which in part explains why there was no posting last week.

THE TEMPEST
First stop Royal Theatre Bath for an absolutely outstanding production of Shakespeare's last play. It is often said that the lead character Prospero was Shakespeare, directing matters throughout but at the end taking his last bow, forgiving all his enemies, admitting it was all done by mirrors, and in the final words of the play asking for just a simple reward, the applause of the audience.

It had 5 star reviews at Stratford and is now on tour, but unfortunately Bath is the closest such really good theatre gets to Wales! The production however originated with Janice Honeyman as director at the Baxter Theatre Centre in Capetown , which even in the days of apartheid was allowed to play to mixed races - being part of the university.

It was a very African production, a setting which seemed absolutely appropriate and served to underline the timelessness and reach of Shakespeare whilst illustrating the significance of the plot. Being African meant it was every bit as vivid as the Lion King. The scenery was simply the branches of a tree on which five spirits with full body paint and richly coloured textile clothes move around like monkeys. The spirit world so alien to today's sophisticated westerners is so natural and believable in an African context. A serpent of Zulu cosmology and Chinese dimensions helped spirit Ariel draw up the storm which caused the usurpers to be shipwrecked on the island. There was much use of huge colourful puppetry, but non more effective than a huge Picasso like image of the witch Sycorax (Caliban's mother), a pair of eyes here, a pair of breasts there, a mouth and two giant hands which entrapped Ariel, from whose grasp he was released by Prospero, after his mother had died, and for whom he then controlled the events of the plot.

John Kani a black South African was superb and just right as a symbol of slavery to a colonial power. Anthony Sher a white South African who has spent a lifetime with the Royal Shakespeare Company was equally superb as Prospero the symbol of ruthless colonial power. Atandwa Kani as Ariel, a part often taken by a petite woman with wings, but so much more realistically portrayed here as a powerful young male spirit of the forest. Tinarie Van Wyk Loots was equally as impressive as Prospero's daughter, never more so than in her delight at meeting the first attractive young males of her life and soon becoming Queen of Naples.

Wayne Van Rooyen played the jester beautifully in such a relaxed style with such a broad Africaans accent, as did Elton Landrew as Stephano the shipwrecked drunkard. They too enslaved Caliban and the three plotted to overthrow Prospero. Previously I could not have conceived of Shakespeare spoken in such a accent, but rhythm was perfect and the comic impact was unforgettable.

Four African musicians with voice, guitar, percussion and cello were as essential to create the atmosphere as any cinema sound track.

I have seen it perhaps four times previously and always struggled with the way events were controlled by a colonial tyrant and a spirit. I never expect to see the equal of this production but in my mind I will be able to paint them white and black, colonial europeans and enslaved natives, humour and an underlying spiritual dimension.

ANTONY and CLEOPATRA
On via a very pleasant day at the Fox Talbot Museum in the National Trust Village of Laycock, to Bristol. Then our second visit this year to The Tobacco Factory and a style which could not present a starker alternative, for theatre in the round is minimalist with no scenery and few props where everything rests on the text, the actors skill in speaking and projecting the work of the playwright.

On that first occasion we saw Julius Ceasar which was superb if not quite the equal of last year's unbelievably good five star production of Hamlet (Jamie Ballard) directed by Jonathan Miller. This one lacked a little in comparison with both but we tend to think the fault was in ourselves (as Shakespeare might have said) for neither of us had previously seen a production of this complex play of sexual emotion, political intrigue and empire, neither had we studied it at school, nor even looked for guidance on the Internet. You get out what you put in, and we should have prepared better by reading through the text.

It is easy to find informative discussion of Shakespeare's most popular plays on the Internet, plot, characters, and issues, We would always advise this course as being time well spent, as essential as advance familiarity is to the enjoyment of complex classical music or opera, or modern jazz (well I would say that wouldn't I).

I would find fault only with the pace of some of the speeches where newcomer to Shakespeare roles Alun Raglan, as Mark Antony, struggled with his diction in the crescendo climax of some of the interchanges, and Cleopatra and Octavius Ceasar spoke at the limit of my ability to comprehend fully what was being said. That said it was a very enjoyable production.

The story of The Tobacco Factory goes back only to 1999 when George Ferguson the architect-owner bought the derelict building with a view to opening the following year with a Shakespeare season. In 2000 they duly opened with King Lear with almost no pre-booking and a few days later a cast of fifteen played to an audience of twelve. Toby O'Connor Morse of The Independent gave them a half page rave review and by the end of the five week season all shows were sold out and they achieved a total audience of 8,000. Support faltered in 2006 with Titus Andronicus at 40% capacity and Love's Labour Lost and they closed early. But in 2007 Jonathan Miller agreed to direct Hamlet in 2008. That season with The Taming of the Shrew as well as the wonderful production of Hamlet the total audience reached 22,000 a record and close to capacity. We will be back in 2010 whatever the choice of plays or the economic climate.

APRIL FOOLS

BREAK FOR SUMMER
The study groups demanding regular homework for effective learning will be assessing their viability over Spring/Summer. It is for the members of each group to decide. For my own part I will not continue with either French or Italian (weekly meetings) after April, preferring to devote my time to the outdoors including making the most of a large garden.

Chess Group have already decided to close down after April (Hazel Court 1st and 3rd Mondays of month) until the start of the new U3A year in October.

Book Reading 4 also Hazel Court will not meet in April because the 2nd Monday is Easter Monday. They will however meet in May at least.

Italian Group also Hazel Court weekly on Monday morning will discuss continuation beyond April. They will be unable to share the room cost thereafter as it stands, though a quite separate Painting Group I assume will still share costs for the 4th Monday.

French Group have decided to run weekly until the end of April on Thursdays at 10am in Hazel Court and will review shortly any extension.

Tai Chi Hazel Court every Friday will run on except only for Good Friday.

Wednesday Lectures run weekly from 22 April to the AGM on the 24 June.

Outings are scheduled for 8 July and 30 September

The Established Groups will by now have an accepted time scale

LIFE BEGINS AT 50+ in Leisure Centre
This was judged by those with experience to have been more successful than similar events in alternate venues. Our records show we talked to over 100 people showing an interest, a sizable underestimate as I for one was guilty of not always adding to the count. I did however persuade 31 callers to leave their email addresses and have sent them all the link to the blog and that has triggered several pleasant responses, it will be interesting to observe how many later join.

PROSPECTIVE GROUPS
NEW PHOTOGRAPHY GROUP?
Laurence Hopes and Pat Herbert are trying to form a Photography Group which would meet in the Vivian Hall but go out on Photo-shoot expeditions. This sounds an excellent variation for the summer months, and could well feed into a second Digital Media Group to edit the photographs next year. I personally find the photographic emphasis attractive and the improvement of such records, my background is of course travel photography which decorates our walls with our travel memories, non more poignant than the group of celebrating school leavers near Tapaktuan (West Coast Sumatra) who were almost certainly wiped out by the Tsunami.

Would anyone interested please contact me via this blog or get in direct touch with Laurence Hopes on 362113 or hopes123@tiscali.co.uk

NEW GERMAN GROUP ?
Dorothy Little who already runs Book Group 4 and is a keen contributor to MOTO (Members om their Own) writes to ask if others are interested in forming a German Group. Thoughts to me or direct to Dorothy Little on 511127 or dorothylittle@ntlworld.com The big problem with such groups is finding a tutor, (I must ask if she was a German teacher), and finding a compromise knowledge level. There is lots of experience amongst our membership, though not all are willing to share it even in a self help organisation like this one.

LECTURES for 2009/2010
Barbara Ellis reports that it is more difficult than previously to find speakers from increasingly demanned organisations like museums. She, one of three committee members planning next years lectures (the others are the Searles and Helgi Opik), would be interested in hearing from any member who is willing to offer a lecture.

ARMCHAIR TRAVEL

Joan will give a Power Point Slide show illustrating our month long backpack across GUATEMALA by CHICKEN BUS, 2.30pm Friday 3 April at the Sketty Park Evangelical Church immediately south of Hazel Court on the same road Maes y Gollen.

READING GROUP 2
Barbara Ellis (894030 or wgellis@sky.com ) writes to tell me that this home based group has vacancies for a few more members. They meet in members homes at 10.30am on the 3rd Monday of the month, but willingness to host a meeting is definitely not a requirement for new members, nor for several existing ones. She also tells me they share cars and would be prepared to give lifts to those with transport problems, current members live in Mayals, Gowerton, Sketty and even Burry on Gower.

The book for April is 'The Bend in the River' by V S Naipaul, no meeting in May, then 'When will there be Good News' by Kate Atkinson for June, 'The Reader' by Bernard Schlink for July, and, 'Somewhere Towards the End' by Diana Athill for August. Like Mo Ellard's Book Reading Group 1 they obviously plan the book selection well in advance.

DISCUSSION GROUP
Roly Govier writes to say that next year Rob James will take over as leader of this group. He can be contacted on 822508 (I don't see the need to add the area code to 01792 numbers) or rob3james@btinternet.com

It is very encouraging to see volunteers to take over groups, each will I am sure be able to add something new.

APOLOGIES
Last week's poem came from Don Mason. It was bad enough assigning it to ANON without getting his real name wrong.

One of the worst signs of mental ageing I suffer is the recall of names of people and places. I have developed a particular fault in that I no longer remember Christian Names and Surnames together. Once upon a time if you said Hutton I would automatically think Len; or Compton would link easily with Denis - but a little thought would produce Leslie his brother, a fine Centre Half for Arsenal. But nowadays Brian is difficult to link with Corbett , so I'll sign off this week as Brian Shakespeare - you will understand why when I bore you all in a couple of weeks time.

I must apologise too for MOTO because the party of around eight who went by the Mid Wales Line to Shrewsbury for a couple of nights obviously thought they had travelled by steam train, and developing the theme they phoned to say they were water drinking in Shrewsbury. Perhaps with water from one of those refuelling tower tanks along the line, I muse!!

Third apology for the absence of photographs, I am just too tired to bother! There, I feel quite humble!

LIFE BEGINS AT FIFTY+

On Thursday the 26 March the Leisure Centre is hosting a day dedicated to demonstrating the range of facilities available to the over fifties in Swansea, between the hours of 10am and 4pm.

The Leisure Centre itself is offering free tasters of some of their activities mostly in hour long slots with bookings on arrival at the Leisure Centre. In the Water Park they offer a Splash in Pool from 11.30 to 2pm and three Aquarobics sessions. In Studio A they offer a session of Yoga, then Aerobics, Pilates, Easy Line Exercises and finally Yoga Stretch. Bring swimwear or suitable footwear for exercises.


The Life Long Learning organisation are offering tasters in the Sports Hall, Digital Photography, IT, Water Colour Painting, Calligraphy and Mobile Phones.



SPA treatments are offering, File and Polish, Scalp Massage, Reflexology and Hand and Arm Massage.

In addition there will be 70 exhibitors with topics like Health, Safety, Benefits, Social Care and Housing.

Swansea U3A will be there throughout in an exercise coordinated by our Publicity Secretary Marilyn Croft, who will ensure we have an impressive display and demonstrate the range and friendliness of this organisation. It is vital to us to
continue to attract new members because that is the life blood of any dynamic
organisation.




We now number over 650 members but just as importantly over 150 joined for the first time this year. As Groups Coordinator, responsible above all for the creation of new groups and the strengthening of weaker ones I have learned how important this new blood is. Val Lawton now an enthusiastic member of many groups, and determined to run one of her own once she has recovered her mobility following an operation, told me it was this event last year that sold this organisation to her.

Think of the success of new member Gerwyn Thomas and the hugely pleasurable and effective way he has formed a Jive Group in the Monkey Cafe on Wednesday mornings and The Members On Their Own Group (MOTO) for those who have lost partners. MOTO have an ever increasing range from events in Swansea to overnight trips and were even promoting a short Baltic cruise until the company Travelsphere pulled out for lack of sufficient overall support. A lot of their ideas originate from group discussion over coffee in the Monkey cafe on Jive mornings.

Then think that the French Class was failing as its tutor had died. Along come three new members Steve Johnson who had lived in Paris for 30 years, followed by Beryl Edney who taught our kids French, then Celia Roberts with a degree in French and an interest in teaching, all three joined this year. Think Italian and my chance meeting with Carolina Rosati-Jones who had taught me at DACE, she hadn't even heard of the U3A and is now both a member and a tutor.

Remember how the Chess Group was set up by a hugely enthusiastic new member, and then how Ken Huntley, a school coach, has helped the embryo group with coaching. Think how Lawmary Champion is well on the way to revitalising the Literature Reading Group after its original leader had died, with new members joining to add to a solid core, as well as creating another group in Cards for Pleasure.

Don't forget either how Cecily the Chairman's wife has brought to fruition her idea to have high quality lectures in advance of classical music concerts in the Brangwyn presentations. Concert Goers Group is helping people to enjoy the concerts even more. This added to her last years successful inauguration of a wine group and a third book group with a fourth this year.

The latest group of all, Tai Chi taught by Mike Hart, arose from a contact direct to the Chairman Bob Hughes and has now been split into two classes at 9.30 and 11.00 on Friday morning, so as to allow members of the Digital Media Group (digital photographic editing techniques) run by Anthony Hughes to attend Tai Chi as well.

I am often asked what lies behind this expansion and diversification and I usually answer luck, ie chance meetings and contacts, but though my wife Joan would find this almost impossible to believe I would add 'listening'. Listening to the ideas of strangers at events like this one, and listening to the ideas of established members. Lastly I hope and think this blog has provided vastly improved communication of activities and developments. No less than two first time jivers last week said they were encouraged to try thanks to this blog. The Internet is undoubtedly a technology to be seized. I am prepared to put effort into this publication because I know the information is being potentially shared by 250 members. Think of the effort and cost of producing and mailing an equivalent weekly newsletter. This blog costs the U3A nothing, and me but a few hours of my time each week, usually till after midnight!

Dynamic long term members also contribute on their own initiative. Two years ago long time member Mo Ellard was running the one and only book reading group. Last year she decided with Margaret Winter to establish an Art Appreciation Group with lectures by a respected tutor. This year she has further diversified, with two coach trips to the National Museum of Wales in Cardiff and to an Art based 5 day holiday in The Netherlands. Likewise Marjorie Vanston who has run the Welsh Group for years, also organises trips for instance to the outdoor theatre at St Fagan's, and keeps her eyes open for other events and lectures of interest. The Politics and Citizenship Group also organise trips, this year a guided trip to Swansea's Synagogue and the Mosque in St Helen's Road. Astronomy have projects including hiring a time slot to use a powerful international telescope.

SWANSEA U3A












If you believe that life begins at fifty you will believe anything! BUT being fifty truly does offer a new beginning. There is a life after raising a family, one which opens new opportunities, so does retirement, and though it must be hard to believe at the time there is even a life after losing a loved partner. The Swansea U3A will help you make new friends, widen your interests by helping you pursue new ones and develop present ones, and always in a relaxed, friendly atmosphere - unfortunately often not envisaged from our full title University of the Third Age. Above all this is a self help organisation, run by members freely giving their time to help others pursue an ever wider range of interests. Here then is a departure from the normal style of my blog so as to provide some appreciation of our activities for anyone enquiring at our stand.

There are basically three strands to our activities

1) Weekly Lecture in term time. On Wednesday afternoons, usually in the large Grove Lecture Theatre at Swansea University. The program varies each year and always covers a wide range of topics of general interest - think Radio 4 rather than a university lecture.

2) Interest Groups. There are over forty Groups, say of between 10 and 40 members, with specific common interests.
Physical Activities like Walking (and lunching!), Geology field trips, Jiving, Tai Chi, Short Mat Bowls and Gardening.















Other Activities like Watercolour and other Painting, Singing, Bridge, Craft & Design, Scrabble, Cards for Pleasure, Chess, Calligraphy and Creative Writing









Study Interests like Welsh, French and Italian, Concert Going, Music Appreciation, Art Appreciation, Astronomy, Climate Change, Digital Media, History, Local History, Research, Literature and Travellers Tales






Discussion groups like Roly Govier's Discussion Group, Politics and Civilisation, and, Book Reading
Social Groups , like Wine Tasting, Sunday Lunches and MOTO.

3) Miscellaneous Events, like the Jill Govier's Pantomime in the Dolphin Hotel on only its second year, a real fun event for actors, audience and even those who are only there for the cream tea.

An Official Outing just returned from Tintern Abbey.

The St David's Day Lunch for 100 and the Christmas Lunch in the Greyhound. Then there's Taste of World Food where Lyn Holt and Team cook to a theme for 50 - this year's themes were Celtic (Whisky, Haggis, Laverbread etc), then the American Confederacy, finally last week's Asian Food.

The Quiz in St David's Hall, the Open Day in the Dolphin where my year began and the possibilities started to unfold.




















Don Mason sends this poem to amuse elderly PC Buffs
The computer swallowed grandpa
Yes, honest it's true!
He pressed 'Control & Enter'
And disappeared from view

It devoured him completely
The thought just makes me squirm
He must have caught a virus
Or been eaten by a worm

I've searched through the recycle bin
And files of every kind;
I've even used the Internet
But nothing did I find

In desperation, I asked Jeeves
My searches to refine
The reply from him was negative
Not a thing was found on-line

So, if inside your Inbox
My grandpa should you see
Please Copy, Scan and Paste him
And send him back to me.

by ANON or was it DON? who adds

We do not stop playing because we grow old
We grow old because we stop playing.

SOUTH WALES & SEVERNSIDE NETWORK of U3As

Margaret Massey is our Network representative. As an organisation they target improved coordination between individual U3As, like this one at Swansea. They also have several meetings a year attended by representatives of all the constituent groups, and the next one is Wednesday 8 April 10am (until 3.30pm) at the University of Glamorgan at Trefforest.

The cost including a buffet lunch, tea and coffee breaks is 10.50. If anyone wants to go they should contact Margaret on 205028 before the end of March. There is a full program of lectures from a Keynote Address by Ruth Marks, Commissioner for Older People in Wales, a hour discussion on 'Sharing Ideas', in the afternoon Angela Fish, Director of the university's Intergenerational Unit will lead contributions on 'Spanning the Generations', and finally to conclude Network Business session.

Margaret handed me this information a month ago but I held onto it seeking a better time to publicise. That time of course was yesterday, before the bog update emails went out. Sorry Margaret.

Many already know that the Geology Group operates across the Network with site visits from the Pembrokeshire west coast to beyond Wales eastern borders, for instance including the Malverns. If interested contact Yvonne Thomas on 01554 832337 or better still email her on
yvonne@lunn-thomas.fsnet.co.uk
and ask her to email a poster of the next visit. One of the beauties of studying geology is the beauty of the sites you have to visit! We are indeed privileged to live in such a wonderful part of the world.

Computer Storage and this Blog
Some people are worried at how large this blog is getting, but you will rarely want to read back further than the last two postings, there is always some editing in the week before the next posting, the Network section above is a case in point.

However be assured that the bulk of the blog is held on a Google server computer on the web. When you bring up the blog only the most recent sections will be downloaded to your PC and the memory they temporarily use will be released the moment, when having finished you shut the blog down. In this respect it is no different to any other time you access the Internet.

INAUGURAL LECTURE by PROFESSOR VANESSA BURHOLT
She is the Professor of Social Gerontology and will lecture on 'Is home where the heart is? The affinities between people and betwixt places in later life'. It will be held in the Taliesin Theatre at 3pm on 1 April, and members are invited to attend.





s

SPRING IS RIZ

SPRING AT LAST
For the first time this year I have been enticed to start the years labouring on my garden, the first day I felt it warm enough and dry enough that I could actually do more good than harm, to both the garden and myself, by digging the vegetable plot - well a quarter of it but the rest is now free of annual flowering seeding weeds which should give me a head start.



Saturday I came in tired but happily announced to Joan that my heart had miraculously gone back into rhythm, well it was pulsing strongly but further investigation by her showed it was as irregular as usual. Still that gave me a thirty second lift. The crocus of St. David's Day are now giving way to a field of
golden daffodils.

Field is the best way to describe my lawn, well paddock would be better the result of frequent visits by my eldest grand-daughter on horseback with assorted friends like mother, boyfriend, girlfriends, acquaintances and even her young brother.



Joe was into Rugby rather than riding until he was kicked unconscious, complete with broken nose, by his own scrum half. He even praises the said scrum half for not being afraid to put his boots into a ruck to win the ball. How the world changes! At that age I was just an innocent beginning grammar school and Rugby, whilst he is already a veteran. We English of the day described Rugby as 'a game for hooligans played by gentlemen'. Did you see them play France off the park in the nicest possible way? Tally-ho Ireland!



TAI CHI
Such a success that from this Friday it has been decided to split into two groups, the first 9.30 to 10.30, and the second 11am to 12am. One of the advantages of Hazel Court not before exploited is that the rental pays for a half day. Of the twenty five present last week twelve opted for one course and thirteen for the other, that means there is ample space for further members at either session. The charge remains at £3 per session.



MOTO
Janet Jones who is co-ordinating, but not booking, for the MOTO 6 day cruise party going to Stockholm and St. Petersberg leaving Heathrow on 6 June is now looking for an extra male as a previous one has booked but now finds himself unable to go. I assume he will be the second male in a shared cabin, but for this or other details lease email Janet at
janeteileenjones@hotmail.com

CREATIVE WRITING 2
Jill Govier writes to say that John Barber has agreed to take over as convener of this group, he has been standing in for Tony Crisp for several weeks already.
His address is: 86, Rhodfa Fadot/ Morriston/ SA6 6NB/ Tel:01792 774741/ e-mail: barberjay@aol.com.

LIFE BEGINS AT FIFTY
This free event will take place on Thursday 26 March between 10am and 4pm at the Swansea Leisure Centre. The U3A will be amongst the organisations promoting our wares in an effort co-ordinated by our Publicity Secretary Marilyn Croft. The Leisure Centre are also offering free a Free Splash in the Pool, Aquarobics and Exercise tasters, and Health Checks. There will be Learning Tasters on Computers, Water Colour Painting, Digital Photography and Calligraphy. Contact Ann or Richard on 636703/636745, or text/phone 01792 636733 for further information.

ART APPRECIATION
Mo Ellard is organising a coach trip to the National Museum of Wales on Tuesday 28 April. There will be free guided tours of an exhibition of Alfred Sisley's paintings of South Wales. The coach leaves Wellington Street (opposite Tesco Swansea Central) at 9.30 and leaves Cardiff for the return at 4pm. The cost is £3, all U3A members welcome but please contact Mo, tel 363465 to book places.

EVERYMAN OUTDOOR THEATRE at St. FAGANS
Marjorie Vanston 296375 is organising her usual coach trips to St Fagans to see:-
The Gondoliers on 11 July
King Lear on 1 August
The price will be £11 per ticket plus a share of the cost of the coach. She is asking for Names of those wanting to go by this Wednesday, but money later once the cost of the coach has been determined.

THIS WEEK'S NEW GROUP ACTIVITIES
MONDAY 16 March
ITALIAN at 10am in Hazel Court with CHESS sharing the Craft Room.

TUESDAY
LITERATURE at 2pm in St. Mary's Vestry with Mary Webb's Gone to Earth.

WEDNESDAY
JIVE as usual 10.30am at the Monkey Cafe in the Centre of Swansea opposite the Castle. Come and try. A good time to pick up the latest news on MOTO activities, eg Janet Jones is a regular attender.

NO WEDNESDAY LECTURE until 22 April

THURSDAY
French Conversation as usual at 10am in Hazel Court.

FRIDAY
TAI CHI First Class at 9.30am and Second Class at 11am.
Taste of Singapore 6.30pm at Sketty Park Community Centre. Lyn Holt goes Asian for his last meal of the U3A year.

ST. DAVID'S DAY

St. DAVIDS DAY LUNCH
Although not present and thus unable to give my own impression of the St David's Day Lunch, the feedback I have heard is that the switch to Pennard Golf Club was a big success. I have Chairman Bob to thank for a fine selection of pictures, some of which are included here.










TAI CHI
This new group continues to flourish having completed four weeks with a turnout between 22 and 29. The higher number is certainly at the limit of capacity for this room at Hazel Court. If demand grows there will be a clear case for running two groups probably in succession on Friday morning with a 30 minute interval and thus avoiding the choice between Digital Media and Tai Chi for those who want to attend both groups.

LITERATURE
I went to last week's meeting for the first session on the new book 'Gone to Earth' by Mary Webb to see how Lawmary Champion would tackle a novel. You may remember I previously attended the reading of the last act of the play 'An Inspector Calls'. She had prepared information sheets on the background to the book (Mary Webb apparently owes her success to the advocacy of Prime Minister Baldwin) but we moved on rapidly to a group reading of the first few chapters, each being discussed in turn. A technique which involves everyone in the group and I found stimulating. The group were full of praise for the way Lawmary is re-directing this group. All nine members were there, a considerable advance on the uncertain start at the beginning of the U3A year when it faced collapse. Members are now expected to read the next few chapters and discuss them next time before progressing with the group reading.

They tell me that in their heyday there were 20 members of this group. I would certainly advise you to join, you will be welcome and I expect like me you will find the session pleasant and informative. They meet in the vestry of St. Mary's Church at 2pm on the 1st and 3rd Tuesdays, a very convenient location close to the Quadrant bus station.

CONCERT GOERS
Joan attended last Monday's talk by Clive John on Dvorak's 8th symphony, although as you will see later we were unable to attend the concert in the Brangwyn Hall. She returned full of praise for the lecturer.



THE WEEK AHEAD for this year's new groups.

MONDAY 9 March
ITALIAN at 10am in Hazel Court at which new members are welcome. A few more would be highly desirable.
READING GROUP 4 sharing the Craft Room is now full and anyone wanting a reading group should contact Cecily Hughes on 363875.
GETTING STARTED with INTERNET, I will have another session for a few at home in the afternoon. I have now offered help to all those who signed the lists, albeit at a shorter and more basic level than originally envisaged.

TUESDAY
CARDS FOR PLEASURE, another venture by Lawmary will meet in the Taliesin Bar Restaurant at 11 am. They meet the 2nd and 4th Tuesday of the month, thus dovetailing with her Literature group.

WEDNESDAY'S LECTURE in the Faraday Theatre on the ground floor of the Engineering building looks fascinating. Elizabeth Walker, Archeology Curator at the National Museum in Cardiff will talk on 'The Red Lady of Paviland and The Early History of Gower'.

Before that the JIVE GROUP will meet in the Monkey Cafe at 10.30. It's the one U3A Group which attracts as many men as women and is always good exercise and fun. Welcome back to Julia Huntley now thankfully recovered from vertigo - not caused by Jive I assure you!! John and Val Day, who run the Art/Painting group in Fforestfach, came for the first time last Wednesday. Before them it was new U3A member Mike Lewis who has led walks for the Gower Society for years. They are already dancing like us group veterans and illustrate how easily new members can be taught and integrated. Gerwyn's cry of 'Round One Lady' ensures that every one gets to know the others quickly. We are not short of members but there is room on the dance floor for more. It is also the place where a hardcore of the MOTO group go to plot future activities.

MOTO
Anyone interested in the 6 June cruise from Stockholm to St. Petersberg should scroll back to last week's posting, because the entry has been changed significantly.

THURSDAY
The French Conversation Group meet at 10 am, when those who have done their homework will talk, in French, of their feelings about Winter and the advent of Spring.

FRIDAY
TAI CHI in ground floor room at Hazel Court at 10.30 under the excellent direction of Mike Hart.

NATIONAL U3A The Third Age Trust
FIRST ASSIST provides free legal advice to members who phone 01455 251 500. You apparently need a Code Number from our Swansea Committee (news to us!) in order to access a service available 24 hours a day. When I have additional information I will clarify this entry on the blog, so watch this space.

2009 U3A PHOTOGRAPHY COMPETITION
We are being reminded that the theme is 'Eccentric Britain' and that the closing date for entries is 5 May 2009. A quirky humorous look at British Society is required with suggested topics being Places, People, Pets and even the Weather.

A good colour print minimum size 7" by 5" is required with each entry for judging purposes even though the source may be a digital camera. I take it the 300 dots per inch resolution asked for on the print implies a resolution of at least 2100 x 1500 pixels, which is less than 4 mega pixels. The prints are not returned and up to three different pictures may be submitted in a single entry.

This is merely a reminder, full details will be found in your U3A magazine.

EVERYMAN OUTDOOR THEATRE at St. FAGANS
Marjorie Vanston 296375 is organising her usual coach trips to St Fagans to see:-
The Gondoliers on 11 July
King Lear on 1 August
The price will be £11 per ticket plus a share of the cost of the coach. She is asking for Names of those wanting to go by this Wednesday, but money later once the cost of the coach has been determined.

JULIUS CAESAR
(SHAKESPEARE AT THE TOBACCO FACTORY or SATTF)
Joan and I went to the matinee yesterday in Bristol and enjoyed it so much that we are booking for the second half of their Theatre in the Round Shakespeare season, which will be the better play Antony and Cleopatra. We can also recommend the rustic cafe in the same building for Tapas, light lunches or meals. It passed my criterion for finding good restaurants across the world, that is to be obviously popular with locals and free of large parties, it passed with flying colours and from our experience trying only one plate of tapas each the reputation was well deserved.

We rate last year's performance of Hamlet directed by Jonathan Miller as the finest theatrical experience we have ever had. Julius Caesar needed to be good or it would have suffered dismally by comparison. If not in the same class it was still a very enjoyable performance.

Both Joan and I had studied Julius Caesar for 'O' levels so the numerous long speeches were very familiar. Almost the whole cast had trained at the Bristol Old Vic Theatre School, a number many years ago. Brutus (Leo Wringer, an outsider who has often performed with the RSC) and Cassius (Clive Haywood) were excellent and the play came to life for me with a stunning short intervention by Brutus's wife Portia (Dani McCullum), pleading to be told what they were plotting. Dani last year won a prize at the school and represented them with the BBC. Alun Raglan was ill and so script in hand Peter Clifford played the role of Mark Antony, though he interpreted the role exceptionally well and never had to refer to the script in sight of the audience. (Just as well since by the end his script was covered in blood, and he just shook hands with the murderers!).