August 2009

I did intend to take a break from the blog until September however there are several events I would like to publicise as well as try out the email addresses of the latest to join Swansea U3A . So welcome if you are seeing this blog for the first time.

Joan and I took a six week holiday travelling around Bali and Lombok (Indonesian islands). Some of you followed the Blog as it was being written around each of the ten locations in which we stayed. I have now edited that Blog, added around a hundred photographs, and since that diary is complete I have copy/pasted each posting and reissued them so that they appear in chronological order. Anyone interested can access the blog at the very slightly different address below.

http://rgoldbali.blogspot.com (the 'r' merely indicating the revised order)

It might well be of interest to someone contemplating a holiday in Bali or Lombok, and be of especial benefit to anyone contemplating independent travel.











Balinese Dance at Ubud


















Guests at a Hindu Wedding












Crossing the Wallace Line between Bali and Lombok












Landfall Gili Trawangan, Lombok

















Grupuk, fishing village Lombok






CHANGING POLITICAL LANDSCAPE
Normally an avid reader of a daily broadsheet, I make a point of cutting off from world affairs on holiday and immersing myself in new surroundings. How the world had changed in six weeks, yet as always plus ca change, plus c'est la meme chose applied. Decades ago management speak in the USA was 'What is Good for General Motors is Good for America' and as a naive young man I found that hard to doubt of the world's most powerful industrialist. Recently GM collapsed into Chapter 11 bankruptcy, and the rump is now largely nationalised by not one but two countries, USA and Canada, a giant who like the banks could not be allowed to fail.

As for UK news I was amazed to find that MP's expenses were still the big story. How about talking millions instead of thousands of pounds and getting after Investment Bankers instead, they make their money from the volatility of stock markets (up or down) and boy have they created a bonanza for those that survived, a monumental collapse followed by a (too?) rapid recovery since March. Without government bale outs across the world they would all have collapsed and taken the rest of us with them.

Are newly soaring banking profits a candidate for a new windfall tax? No, that would be wholly counter productive whilst we are helping the banks to recover, but how about a windfall tax to the extent of the aggregate of salaries and bonuses paid above say £250,000 per person? Perhaps that would stop the rot, and make them change. Some action has been needed for the last two decades to stop the remorseless rise in salary differentials between finance ant the rest of society. Have the politicians, with both main parties so unthinkingly supporting a free market in financial rewards, begun to learn that action is needed now in order to restore trust, and to re-balance our economy?

SKYDIVE for ACTION for CHILDREN
Rita Read-Jones wrote to me a month or so ago to tell me she was doing a parachute jump (skydive) at Swansea airport on 22 August 2009 for the charity 'Action For Children'. Advertised as the Intrepid Granny she is looking for sponsorship from U3A members and others. I for one was very pleased to contribute to this project - rather her than me. Please contact her on 510806 or mobile 07789 153008 after 17 August, and please sponsor this gutsy woman's jump for a very good cause. Donations can be sent direct to her, or via a website of which we have both lost the full details.

MOTO (Members On Their Own)
Next up was Gerwyn Thomas, the leader of the Modern Jive and MOTO (Members On Their Own) groups. Rita is an enthusiastic member of both groups. Moto's latest venture was a day's walk from the Mountain Centre in the Brecon Beacons National Park. It was organised under the auspices of Age Concern instructor Glen Little who hails from Cardiff. There were two walks, one short and one several kms, but both were preceded and finished by exercises under Glen's direction. Gerwyn said he was pleasantly surprised to find himself without stiffness the following day after the longer walk, which he ascribed to Glen's Warm Up and Warm Down exercises. There will be further walks from the same venue starting at 10.30 on 15 August 2009, for further details contact Glen on the Monday to Friday daytime number of 02920 431555.

MODERN JIVE
Gerwyn also told me that Modern Jive was starting up again at 10.30 in the Monkey Cafe on Wednesday mornings from 2 September. From personal experience I can tell you there is no easier way of starting involvement in U3A group Activities. Only last week Val Day was telling me that she had three more participants for her Painting Group as a direct consequence of her attendance at the Jive Group. The hard core belong to a variety of other Groups. Jive is an particularly easy entrance into the MOTO Group, because of a big overlap in membership. If jive is not your cup of tea you can make contact during the coffee break downstairs in the Monkey Cafe, around about 11.30am to midday.

GEOLOGY, SOUTH WALES NETWORK
The Geology Group which operates across South Wales has an outing on Thursday 3 September at 10.30 meeting in the Car Park of Garn Fawr in Pembrokshire (Grid Ref OS Sheet 157 SM899 388). The topic is The Geology of the Pwll Deri Area of North West Pembrokshire, and is being led by Dr Dyfed Elis-Gruffydd. Bring packed lunch. For further information please contact the Secretary Yvonne Thomas on 01554 832337, or better still email her on
yvonne@lunn-thomas.fsnet.co.uk
,declare your interest and ask her to email the relevant poster.

POLITICS and CITIZENSHIP
September sees a resurgence of activity in many groups, non less eye catching than The Politics and Civilisation Group on Tuesday 8 September at 2pm in the West Cross Community Centre.
Edwina Hart, Welsh Assembly Member for Gower will be attending. She is Minister for Health and Social Services, topics which interest us all, and is enthusiastic about meeting and discussing the issues of the day with the electorate.
It is also the very last time that Margaret Hammond will be in the Chair, as she is handing over to joint new Convenors, Marian Howells and Marjorie Vanston. Let's give her a good send off. Last time she accused me of under-stating her age in this Blog, though she was the one who miss-led me, I now understand this is her 90th year - and she is still leading the Research Group! They work on archive records at the original Swansea Library. Her age sets us all a challenge. Both of these long standing groups deserve an influx of new members to ensure continuity.

CARDS for PLEASURE
Will meet in the Taliesin at 11am on Tuesday 8 September, and again on the 4th Tues 22 September. Ring Lawmary Champion for details on 299828.

READING LITERATURE
Will be reconvening at St Mary's Church Vestry at 2pm on Tuesday 15 September, thereafter on the 1st as well as the 3rd Tuesday of the month. They will be starting with the play 'A Doll's House' by Ibsen.

TAI CHI
After a months break this group is restarting in the Exercise Room Hazel Court on Fridays from 4 September. As before there will be two 1 hour classes 9.30 to 10.30 and 11.00 till 12 midday. There are currently vacancies in both.


















ITALIAN
Carolina Rosati-Jones will teach next year from 5 October, but she will be in Italy on holiday for 10 days up to 31 September.

FRENCH
Susan Johnson writes to say Steve is now having heart tests in Swansea and hopes to have an catheterising operation later this year. I'm sure we all wish him well. They both offer to help with little tasks to assist the running of the U3A, a splendid gesture.

CHESS
Theo Joannides, a member. writes to invite U3A members to attend the one hour long sessions of the Mumbles 'Chess Mates' club at the Ostreme Hall held on the 1st and 3rd Saturdays starting at 11am. Tuition will be available and as he observes chess has been regarded too long as a boys game and it is time this attitude changed. The charge is £1 per session. He would like to be informed of attendance in advance by email to
theo.joannides@virgin.net

This is an additional option as I intend to continue our sessions at Hazel Court on Mondays. Last year we were 50:50 male:female.

BRECON JAZZ FESTIVAL
This is being in part organised by the Hay Festival, through whom on-line bookings are made for the 7, 8 and 9 August. On each day there is a full programme of very good concerts at £5, £8, £10 and £15. For full details follow the link
http://www.breconjazz.org/index.html
then the link to 'Events & Booking' which leads to the programme listing on the Hay site.
Sorry, I only became aware of this at the last moment from the BBC and apologise for early comments that it was unlikely to go ahead this year, made at the time of promoting the Mumbles Jazz and Blues Festival in May. I was just in time to get tickets for Sunday 9 August to hear Abdulla Ibrahim, a wonderful South African pianist with his trio in the market hall. If you catch this amendment to the posting early enough there is still time for Saturday or Sunday 9 August.

Report from Brecon Monday 10 August
Just the drive up reminded us of how much we had missed in recent years, for though the Gower and Pembokshire coasts are beautiful there is nothing to compare with the Brecon Beacons in South Wales when it comes to walking country. It took us back many years to the time our Sundays were spent on long challenging walks with the Swansea Ramblers and the Gower Society.

As for Brecon Jazz we were directed to the theatre along a river path from the street where we had left our car by a chatty man walking his dog. He said the festival was much quieter than usual, probably due to the last minute arrangements by the Hay Festival, who he hoped would put it on a successful financial footing. We both agreed the first and early festivals were excellent, with the streets full of colour and good nature, but the later festivals, in spite of continuing world class performers, had been spoilt by a drunken element on the streets, and by financial overstretch. The festival stopped in its tracks this year when HSBC withdrew their funding, to be rescued at the last moment by Hay with the support of the UK jazz men.

He was right in saying the streets were quiet, for there was nothing except a few street shows, including a pair of young men who were 'Walking through Great Britain and Singing for their Supper'. Dressed as minstrels might have been years ago, with small camping gear as though to emphasise their low running costs, and singing old folk songs in close harmony, they held the attention of the crowds - and certainly wouldn't have gone hungry that night. A very young violinist and several saxophone players including one entertaining the crowd outside the theatre, who reportedly used to play in one of the big name rock bands (I forget which band and his name, though he obviously is well known in town for his gigs). Gone were the coloured canopies that used to cover the space outside the Wellington Hotel in the town centre, where, at the very first festival twenty odd years ago, we ate wonderful pancakes sold in fours with different fillings including seafood, cheese and tomato, and curry as I recall. Gone were the outdoor venues under coloured canvas, gone too were the Stroller Tickets, though a few pubs kept up the tradition using bands to attract custom, gone thus was the outdoor ambiance but also the unruly element and a visible police presence. The church still sold excellent teas on their lawn, but so many alternate venues had not opened, including one large town house we remember with fondness which sold teas to eat in their back garden.

As for the music it was wholly concerts, the ones attracting large audiences were in the Market Hall, the Theatre where the Studio was in use as well as the main Auditorium, but we didn't go to the Cathedral, which featured for the first time, or to the Castle Hotel. Neither the Guildhall or Christ's College were in use, hardly retrograde steps.

We were determined to hear Abdullah Ibrahim and chose between hurrying on Saturday to hear him playing solo piano and then a concert by Courtney Pine, or to make a leisurely start on Sunday and hear Abdullah with his trio and an unknown quantity called 'Quantic and his Combo Barbaro', whose description in the programme included the misleading adjective psychedelic - which almost put us off. We opted for Sunday and a experienced day of contrast beyond our wildest expectations.

Abdullah and his trio played non-stop for 70 minutes, without verbal introduction and interrupted, seldom and briefly, by applause. More than that the music was incredibly slow, quiet and delicate, very beautiful, relying almost entirely on his original melodic themes as they rippled onto the shore. The programme stated that the aim was 'to explore his musical heritage from Arabic and Moorish roots, township jazz, his work with Ellington and Monk, and the canon of classical piano virtuosity'. There was something about his work, the timing and harmonics, that made it jazz rather than classical for me, but others would argue. Only for a brief period did he sound conventionally jazzy in a musical reference to Theolonius Monk. His accompanists Belden Bullock on double bass and George Gray on percussion (who on occasion made his quiet cymbals shimmer) blended perfectly with the mood. They held a capacity audience (800?) spellbound in the Market Hall - hardly an ideal location for a performance of such finesse.

In spite of the confusion stirred by the programme notes, Combo Barbaro turned out to be Latin American as we had hoped. Apparently they had been formed rapidly for this tour and were playing together for only the second time since arriving in the UK on Friday.

A Peruvian pianist, several Colombians - one on electric bass, Cubans and others based in London made up the band. There were three percussionists, one on bongos, another on a couple of drums and special effects, the third with a complete drum kit produced the Latin feel. Single trumpet and saxophone players added the melody and the jazz. Two singers, the first West Indian born but now from Panama added the 'pop', whilst the second, a little lady from a remote Colombian village in a beautiful voluminous dress, alternately sang and danced, swinging her hips in provocative Latin style.

The band was knitted together by Quantic on guitar and accordion, often with his back to the audience as he directed his band of strangers. He was introduced only as Harrison from the UK who had been living and working in Columbia for three years. Together they belted out loud, up tempo, exciting Latin music, and got rapturous applause at the end from an enthusiastic audience that barely filled the stalls of the theatre. A few had used the empty space in the Dress Circle to dance.

When I mentioned today that our West Indian from Panama with the black skin and long pony tail reminded me of Tom Jones, Joan asked 'was it the leather trousers?' But, no, for me it was his stature and his delivery of songs, albeit with a pronounced Latin rhythm.

Summer Break, Research Group and European Elections

This is the 29th and final posting of Brian's Blog this U3A year, the next will be heralded by the usual Update email probably in September. I have enjoyed doing it, and believe it has made a difference. The pleasure expressed by so many at the crocus and daffodils of earlier posting encouraged me to use the diary to keep a record of Joan's lovely flower garden.

Thanks for all the words of support I have received during the year, the latest from Susan Hodge, at their second home in Brittany, who says The Smugglers at Port Eynon 'is a favourite place'. Unfortunately Steve still has some health problems and I am sure his friends from the French Class and other readers of this blog want to join me in wishing him well. Susan would have liked a trip to Wells and enthuses about the embroideries on the walls of the Nave, so don't miss them!

Internet is a wonderful thing as far as communication at least. I first started blogging to keep a diary of my travels in China and then Chile/Argentina which had the additional advantage of letting friends in the UK know what we were doing and thinking as we travelled. All you need, anywhere in the world, is a computer with Internet access, say an Internet cafe or your own laptop and wi-fi access. E-mail is OK but Blogging is better if like us you otherwise kept a hand written diary. If anyone wants to try blogging then sign on free at Google for your own blogspot (a rather long winded pain but the main issue is to choose the type of blog( either a private blog which is accessible only by those to whom you release the address (like this one), or a blog accessible to every-one via an Internet search engine like Google. Once set up a blog is far simpler and thus easier to use than say Microsoft Word - which is too clever by half for the likes of me.

BILL MASSEY
We all wish him well as he prepares to celebrate his 80th birthday, little dreaming of the kick in the tail.












BEWARE OF DEVIOUS AMAZON
Joan has just been taken for £47.97 by Amazon in payment for a Prime Membership which she didn't even know she had asked for.
It appeared on the monthly bank statement with the following unhelpful details

10 April Prime Member Fee 8002796620 £47.97
(Recurring Visa Transaction)

Not even a whisper of which company it had come from. Nationwide (any bank) could not help and because it was a Visa transaction, so we would have to contact the firm issuing the authorisation, but Nationwide at least could point out that the number was a contact telephone number when you added a leading 0. It turned out to be an out of date number for Amazon but the recorded message gave the modern number. Yes she said it could be cancelled and we would be sent details by email. That email gave a web link top Amazon's Prime Member site where we discovered that there was absolutely no way it could in fact be cancelled, though they did say that had stopped the charge recurring in future years.

We could not even find an email to register a complaint, though we did lodge one on an irrelevant order number - probably futile.

UPDATE 18 MAY (one day later original posting)
In response to the email complaint we were sent a link to details of Joan's Prime Membership and apparently given a second chance to cancel and a refund if the service had not been used, clicking 'cancel' led to the same old page asking 'do you really want to cancel?' But providing absolutely no opportunity to confirm and thus complete the transaction.

Even worse the offer of a 'month free'was shown to mean she had been given 13 months for the price of 12, from 9 March 2008 to 9 April 2010!! (the first time we realise about the charge was 16 May). SO BEWARE OF DOUBLY DEVIOUS AMAZON. COM, I say.

END of UPDATE

HOW DID IT HAPPEN?
Our best guess that on a recent order, probably 9 April, Joan was confronted with 3 delivery options something like the following

Free Delivery
Another forgotten option
A month's free trial of express delivery

The form would not accept choice of Free Delivery, so she opted for the Months Free Trial. A month and a week later, just a few days after receipt of the bank statement we could not Cancel, even though the few books we had received were obviously delivered by camel!

ADVICE TO READERS
First be very careful on the Internet and remember there is no such thing as a 'Free Lunch'.

You need to be especially careful with so called free software which is often only a free trial. Some like AVG anti-virus have a good free version called 'avg_free', but even they attempt to persuade you to try a unnecessary professional version on a free trial.

More helpful instead of shopping at Amazon go to the book comparison site where you will find listed possible sources for the book you require and will find that Amazon is by no means always the cheapest supplier.
For instance try
http://www. booksprice.co.uk

RESEARCH GROUP
I had a talk with Margaret Hammond about the functioning of this group. All the current work is carried out on the archives in the old Museum by two groups of four under the direction of museum's own researcher. There are currently two vacancies and it would be ideal to get new members in place to ensure continuity of the group so that it eventually passes seamlessly to a new generation. Anyone interested to know more should contact Margaret Hammond on 883680.

They are rightly proud of their achievements. The Research Group was set up in the early days of Swansea U3A in the late 80's at the request of their first President who asked for a team to help Professor Maurice Broady catalogue the archives of Swansea Celtic Studios , manufacturers of stained glass windows from 1948 to the mid 1990's. He had acquired an extensive archive of 1o00 plus files. The documentation of that company, included informative, and sometimes very amusing, correspondence from across the world. In 2000/1 cartoon designs for 450 stain glassed windows for delivery abroad, especially Canada, were added to the team's resources.

Maurice was determined to write a book on the subject, but as some of you may know he is severely afflicted with the aftermath of a stroke. However the cudgels have now been taken up by the County Archivist Kim Collis, who directed the initial exercise, Maurice's daughters Alison and Elsbeth, and Alan Adams who was our excellent stand in lecturer earlier this year on the topic of Stained Glass. It looks as though a book will finally be published.

The research essentially consisted of reading, understanding and cataloguing the interesting information with clear references to the location of the source material. In this they were aided by the first U3A Computer Group led by Roger Knight.

By then fully conversant with the techniques needed to research archives, they were asked by the old Swansea Museum who had as a multi-faceted project to research the history of Social Life in Swansea to choose a topic. They elected to study Swansea Markets using material held by the Royal Institution (museum), University Library, University Archives and Press clippings. That project finished a couple of years ago when they handed over the catalogued information to the Swansea Museum staff. It concluded with the publication of 12 copies of the now structured information and photographs three of which they were able to keep as personal memoires.

The third project was to research and catalogue the history of the Swansea branch of The Royal Institution (the founders of the museum). There were vast archives, including many boxes which had never before been opened, of the proceedings of the Royal Institution of South Wales. Students are now editing of this material.

Research has now turned to the study of Scrap Books mostly dating back to 1880-1920. Marjorie Vanston explained the material as cataloguing boxes of cuttings from newspapers, photographs and documents which had been donated by individuals or organisations to the museum. I keep a few boxes of a similar nature, mostly concerning my interest in non-party politics, world events, travel and sport, which I will bequeath to the U3A if they still have a Research Group!!

There must be younger members who would share their enthusiasm for this type of study, and I do hope they will contact Margaret. It would be a shame to lose the experience of the group handling archive material, which has played - should continue to play - and is recognised by the museum as playing a very valuable role in recording key aspects the history of Swansea.

SMILE TRAIN BARN DANCE
This event was run on her own bat by Joy Gillard. It was not an official U3A event, though perhaps more than half those attending and a large proportion of those helping were our members. The proceeds went to the charity Smile Train who treat patients with hare-lip and other facial deformities in 76 of the less prosperous parts of the world. She collected £800 for the charity by the way of entrance tickets, refreshments, raffle and donations, that is after expenses for the hire of the Ostreme Hall ecetera.

She is to be congratulated on the success of the event, which must be very satisfying considering she had initially been warned of the danger of making a loss.

EUROPEAN ELECTION HUSTINGS
Last Tuesday Gabrielle Suff led the second phase of a discussion on the EU in the Politics and Citizen Group with an excellent exposition of the workings of the EU. Contrast the unreasonable and uninformed hostility, led by virtually the whole UK press, to the European Process. She pressed people to exercise their democratic right to vote, whether for parties intent on co-operation or withdrawal from the EU.

The following discussion was concerned with how to decide which of the twelve UK parties to vote for, which ranged from UKIP to Arthur Scargill's Socialist Labour Party, via Conservative, Liberal, Green, Plaid Cymru and The Labour Party. It highlighted the lack of information on the issues, with the press, the main UK parties and the EU itself to blame. I got an amused response when I pointed that in the past few days I had received a flyer from the Liberal Party (the one party apparently unwavering in its support for the EU process), which did not mention Europe at all!

Marjorie Vanston circulated details of Hustings at which the main contenders including UKIP will be represented by candidates. The meeting headed 'Come and Meet the Candidates' takes place at the Swansea Guildhall on 19 May at 7.30pm. Which one hopes will not be drowned by controversy about the current expenses corruption in our parliament. Surely the current expenses debacle, a 20%+ devaluation in our currency, and failure of banking practices in the USA and UK should allow the thought that there may be a better way - maybe there is merit in Euroland after all.

French and German banks and financial firms were largely non contributory bystanders to the banking crisis, but neither they nor other blameless countries of the world have been able to escape the consequences of the banking crisis - a global recession and unemployment brought about by the 'credit crunch'.

The fury which was directed at bankers is now being directed at MPs. These expenses had been treated as an entitlement which came with the job by far too many. I see them as minor (albeit dishonest and wrong) if only because it is necessary to multiply by a thousand or more to reach the similarly 'within the rules' backscratching and tax avoidance by directors and senior officials in the finance industry. Our 'winner take all' society is displaying a lack of moral underpinning. I fear an angry undiscriminating voting backlash which could open the door to increased support for fascist parties such as the BNP, and that could start the sort of popular revolt which led Germany to Hitler.

PAINTING FOR PLEASURE
Mary Lane is starting a new group next year with this title which is definitely not for beginners. She is going to keep it to twelve members and envisages there will be plenty of applicants from her original beginners classes.

This emphasises the demand for painting and the necessity to find other Group Leaders. If you are interested in taking such a role please let me or anyone on the committee know.

WEDNESDAY LECTURE SLIDE SHOW
Nick Hill the Treasurer and the Convenor for the Astronomy Group has agreed to take over from me the production and display of the slide show of U3A activities for the last five Wednesday Lectures in the Grove Theatre Swansea University.

Group Leaders should notify him by of any activities they want to publicise by email
hill_n_j@hotmail.com

BUILDING UP SQUAD of PLAYERS for SWANSEA U3A
By choosing to go on extended holiday I have highlighted the paucity of our reserves. Ideally my tasks should not have to be picked up by hard working members of the committee like our Treasurer and Astronomy Group Leader Nick Hill who has taken over the Wednesday slide show.

What applies to me applies even more to Chairman Bob Hughes, who has recently taken on production/communication by regular printed newsletter for dissemination by the Group Convenors plus the editing and assembly of the Annual Report which will go out before the AGM, on top of his heavy commitments as Chairman. I add too a well deserved recognition of the very dedicated and time consuming work by Pat Herbert (and husband Mal) in her role as Membership Secretary.

People, especially younger members, prepared to commit to assist with some of these roles, outside formal membership of the committee, will become evermore essential as this organisation grows at its present rate.

People with experience in specialist IT tasks would be exceptionally valuable for that undoubtedly is the efficient way forward to ease everything from membership records to pamphlet production. We ought to have a good informative Web Site and the maintenance needed to keep it up to date.

GEOLOGY GROUP
They are arguably the most attractive of the Network groups in South Wales. They have revised their proposals for their June Meeting which will be an 8 mile return coastal walk from Dunraven Bay to Nash Point, leader Tom Sharpe. Meet at 10.30am on Monday 22 June at Dunraven (Southerndown) public car park, Grid Reference OS Sheet 170 SS 885 732. Take a packed lunch.

If you leave your email address with Yvonne Thomas (01554 832337) she will send details of subsequent walks direct to you.

DISCUSSION GROUP
Roly Govier writes to say that the next meeting of the group scheduled for 26 May has been cancelled as St Mary's Church is celebrating th anniversary of the Post War Rebuilding. The next meeting will thus be 23 June, and an extra meeting has been arranged for 25 August.

LOCAL HISTORY GROUP
Bob Hughes sends the following

Local History Group Outing is on 14 July:

Tour & Tasting at Penderyn Whisky Distillery (£3.50).

Lunch at The Glancynon, Hirwaun. Visit Brecon.

Coach £9. Deposits of £5 to Barbara Brimfield a.s.a.p. please.

NICK Please make a slide of this for Wednesday 20 May

APPLE and ELM BLOSSOM TIME

The apple is in the foreground but the light green behind is Elm in flower (not yet leaf). Dare we hope it will continue to defy the beetle which killed off the majority of these beautiful trees.












MUMBLES MOSTLY JAZZ and BLUES FESTIVAL
Who would have been aware of music let alone an important new departure for Mumbles and Swansea. We walked along the sea front from West Cross on Sunday and saw hardly any sign of such an event. The one poster tied to a signpost in the square did acknowledge the festival with pictures of some of the main attractions, but absolutely nothing gave a schedule of four days of concerts, not even the time, location, price and where to buy tickets. Nor was there any sound of music or any sense of festival, though there were times when it sounded like the venue of a motorbike rally. Tickets and details it appeared were available from the Tourist Office, but the Tourist Office is closed on Sundays.

Yet we already had tickets for the festival marquee, purchased earlier from Jazzlands in Swansea, to one of the most enjoyable concerts we have ever attended, everyone we spoke to seemed of the same mind. Jazz is the one arts idiom in which Swansea has shone during my forty years here, this concert was amazing.

Tina May sang beautifully with a style reminiscent of Cleo Lane. Tina stage managed the event so joyfully that she got the very best from her supporting four piece band, mostly interweaving her singing with solos from all the instrumentalists and the drummer Dave Owm. They were improvising on well known standards up to Duke Ellington's time.

Like her tenor saxophonist Mornington Locket is a top British jazz star and nothing surpassed the duet between her voice and his sax towards the end of the concert, passing by even her duet with bassist Alun Vaughan which showed off her low register, plus songs with conventional accompaniment from Dave Cottle on the keyboards - a skill I have never heard from him before. The Dave Cottle trio (keyboards, bass guitar and drums) are the backbone of weekly Jazzlands concerts, and they emphasised how lucky we are to have them here in Swansea.

It made up for the disappointment of the Saturday evening concert in the Ostreme Hall, when Laurence Cottle, who featured in this months Jazz UK magazine, backed Mornington Locket and excellent front line guitarist Paul Stacey. They were let down by a poor sound system in the Ostreme Hall, where even the magnificent bass voice of Jazzlands announcer Berry Ray was unrecognisable. Laurence's bass was scarcely evident, contrast the excellent sound for Alun Vaughan the following day in the marquee.

OUTDOOR THEATRE at ST FAGANS
Marjorie Vanston as usual has organised tickets and buses for groups to attend firstly The Gondoliers and a second day for King Lear. Having taken the bookings and paid in advance for the party she is now collecting £20 from those who signed up, which covers coach and entrance tickets.

CREATIVE WRITING 1
Jill Govier's new group have now transferred to Hazel Court and meet the 4th Monday morning of the month in the Exercise room. She is looking to consolidate this group and would welcome additional support. A non-U3A Art painting group normally share the Crafts and Hobbies room with U3A Italian on the 4th Monday.

POLITICS and CITIZENSHIP
The second session on 'Contacts with Europe' will be held at 2pm in The West Cross Community Centre on Tuesday 12 May. Gabrielle Suff will lead the discussion. The topic is very timely for those who, like me, are confused about the issues and importantly need to decide which party to vote for in June's Election of the European Parliament. The Credit Crunch and the resulting world recession has highlighted the scale of global interaction. International cooperation is vital in the modern world - what better place to start than Europe. You disagree, then come and argue your point in a well mannered forum.

This is a group with a large and keen membership but one which would benefit from the injection of some new blood. Come, I think you will find the discussion stimulating - I did.

The AGM
Is just around the corner and the committee are calling for nominations for Officers and Committee members. This year there has been a supportive influx of new members, who number about 20% of the total membership of 688, it would be wonderful to see some encouraged to take a more formal role. There are three vacancies on the committee, but all posts are up for election.

VOLUNTEER HELPERS required.
Maybe you have specific IT skills like Desk Top Publishing, Web Site Design, Relational Data Base Design, or are prepared to help maintain the website. Maybe you would be willing to help in less specialist ways like preparing the content for newsletters, stuffing envelopes ready for posting, or help with social events. In all cases please make yourself known to me or any other member of the committee.

THE CHRONICLE
Publication has been put back since posting will now be with the request for membership renewal at the end of August, which seems more appropriate than original plan of rushing it out for the AGM. In consequence the last date for contributions has been put back to 30 June. Please submit articles to

derrick.jenkins@ntlworld.com

or by conventional mail to
Derrick Jenkins
122 Belgrave Road
Gorseinon
SA4 6RB

OUTING TO WELLS on 8 JULY
Organised by Barbara Garnham, the committee member responsible for Outings. The cost will be £11, but make your own arrangements for lunch. Until the coach leaves Wells the time will be entirely your own to visit the cathedral, market, or any way you choose. The coach will return after the nominal lunch break and stop at the Clark's Outlet in Street, where there will be an opportunity for shopping.

To book a place please contact Barbara Garnham on 773072 after 6pm
or Mo Ellard on 363465

NARBERTH U3A JAZZ DAY 20 MAY

Featuring New Orleans Jazz study plus performance by the Ken Colyer New Orleans Heritage Band.
Cost is £14, including lunch, coffee and tea at The Nant-Y- Ffin Hotel, Llandissilio. If you wish to attend please contact Margaret Massey on 205028 who I feel sure will also try to arrange group travel by car. This is the final call for this event.

SUNDAY LUNCH?
With our 50th wedding anniversary coming up we have been looking around for possible venues for a small family gathering. In the course of which we were advised to try out The Smugglers Haunt Restaurant at Port Eynon which is run by no less than three young chefs. That advice came from my daughter but she got it from a friend whose mother turns out to be the wife of Steve Johnson (French Tutor). Anyway it was good advice though we finally opted for Welcome to Town in Llanrhidian, for its restaurant rather than gastro-pub ambience.

A beautifully cooked set lunch at the Smuggler's Haunt is £10 for two courses or £12.95 for three. In place of which there is a choice of fresh local fish on the blackboard outside, in fact they specialise in using local ingredients. The meal I chose was from simple, cheap ingredients but all beautifully cooked with subtle flavours, freshly scrambled Gower eggs with baked red peppers and herbs (it's been added to our weekend breakfast menu), then a risotto of sherry, spring onion and ginger, and finally lemon posset, in fact all three deserts offered were outstanding. Between the three of us we sampled 75% of the whole lunch menu and only Joan's choice of rump steak was found wanting - as an avid red meat eater that would normally be my choice of main course, but I thought it was better avoided at the price. I normally drink red wine with anything, but thank goodness on this occasion I went for the subtler taste of white wine or I would have swamped the delicious cooking. Highly recommended, they offer a more traditional set menu at a slightly higher price for Sunday Lunch, and of course serve evening meals.

We intended to take visitors yesterday (the Tuesday after Bank Holiday Monday), but found they were unexpectedly closed due to staff shortage, so phone first on 391257.

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!