Disclaimer: The inclusion of advertisements in this Magazine does not imply endorsement by the U3A of the companies placing the advertising.
(Charity No 1068271)
Honorary President Ken Hindle Telephone 787831 or email: president<a>burnhamu3a.com
Web-site: www.burnhamu3a.com
Chairman – Gail Norton chairman<a>burnhamu3a.com 328922
Treasurer - Joan Holderness treasurer<a>burnhamu3a.com 07535736734
Secretary - Geoff Banham secretary<a>burnhamu3a.com 07766670737
Website, Magazine Editor - Harriet Browne 795258 editor<a>burnhamu3a.com
Groups Coordinators vacant refer to chair - groups<a>burnhamu3a.com
Membership Sec David Spicer - membsec<a>burnhamu3a.com 07752308713
Magazine Distributor - David Spicer
Coffee Morning & Refreshments Brenda Dibley 782150 coffees<a>burnhamu3a.com
Community Centre Rep – Paul Hambleton 788452 paul<a>burnhamu3a.com
Facebook Admin - Gail Norton gail<a>burnhamu3a.com 328922
Coffee Morning -Brenda Dibley coffees<a>burnhamu3a.com 782150
Minutes Secretary - vacant
Cashier - vacant
Day Trips Organiser – Gerry Richards/Marilyn Nicholls daytrips<a> burnhamu3a.com 783372
Archivist - Veronica Richardson 773705
NSAU3As Representatives Geoff Banham 07766670737
Welcome & New Members Liaison - Rachel Rowse & team 792618
Equipment Officer - vacant
Speaker Organiser - Gail Norton gail<a>burnhamu3a.com 328922
Quizzes - Judith Betts
All email addresses must have <a> replaced with @ to be valid. This is to prevent spamming of these addresses.
6th June Table Tennis 3
13th June Table Tennis 4
20th June Ukulele
27th June Walking
4th July Yoga
11th July Brushstrokes
18th July Burnham U3A singers
25th July Canasta & Rummikub
1st August Keep Fit
8th August Cine Français & Table Français
15th August Classical Music
22nd August Creative Writing
29th August Exercise to Music
5th September French 1
12th September French 2
19th September French 3
26th September French 4
3rd October German
Coffee is served from 9:45 to 11:15 Swaps may be made by mutual agreement between groups but please let Brenda Dibley know on 782150 before the day.
The Thursday Quiz is provided thanks to Judith Betts
By the time you get this magazine, we will have had the AGM and the new Committee will be shown on here. More news will be included on our website www.burnhamu3a.com later.
It will also be close to the date of DDay, in 1944. Our long standing member Tony Winterburn was there, and we have an timely article about his experiences, written with the help of his daughter.
We have pictures of the Day Trip to Wales that had been organised by Gerry. We can only fit a few in the magazine, but if you go to the website and look at the Gallery, you will find a lot more
There is information about the Patchwork Group, and some stories and poems thanks to our members and the Creative Writing Group.
And the usual information about our Groups and of course, the Crossword.
Wishing you all a good Summer.
Harriet Browne - EditorPS: I have been requested by our Secretary to inform you that your U3A membership became due for renewal on the 1st April. If you have not yet paid a membership this year then membership can be renewed at one of our Thursday morning Coffee Mornings at the Community Centre (between 9.45 a.m. and 11.15 a.m.) by cheque (made out to Burnham U3A) or by cash. Further details on the website
If you don’t renew this will be your last magazine as we will have to delete non-payers from the list in June.
Hello Everyone,
At last we are heading towards summer and hopefully we will have more sunshine and less rain. Thank you to all those who have renewed their membership for 2024/25. The more members we have, the more we can do for everyone. We have now had our AGM and had to say farewell to some long serving members of the committee. Chris Owen, Membership Secretary, and Brenda Dibley, Groups Co-Ordination, have both stood down from their roles and we are going to miss their hard work and constant support. Brenda will, however, still be involved with Coffee Mornings and Social Events and Chris will continue to run the Supper Club, so we will still see them around! We are indebted to Olive Manning for doing a sterling job as Treasurer and ensuring our finances are back on an even keel after the difficult period we experienced during Covid. Other resignations are Judith Betts and Allison Glencross, but Judith has assured us that she will continue to organise the quiz for our Coffee Mornings, which always challenges our brain cells!
If you look at page 5 of this magazine you will see a list of all the people who continue in various roles to ensure the smooth running of our u3a and deserve our thanks.
Our thanks must also go to all the groups who provide members to make teas and coffees every Thursday. Our Coffee Mornings are important to many of our members, being a chance to get out and socialise.
So I think we can say we are moving into this financial year with a much more positive view than previous Covid affected years. We can look forward to some major events in the future, such as an Open Day to attract new members and for you to find out information about the groups we run and a Group Leaders get together, to thank them for the work they do.
If anyone has any ideas about how we can spread the word about our u3a, please let me know!
Best wishes,
Gail NortonD Day, 6th June 1944. Eighty years ago. I was eighteen years old, a junior (3rd) Radio Officer in the Merchant Navy. Three ROs were necessary for a 24 hour radio watch on a ship, but on D Day mine had only two.
Transport was needed to get armies across to Europe. The Merchant Navy, as civilians, were armed for protection, not attack. With manoeuvres controlled by the Ministry of Transport (the old Board of Trade), Merchant vessels were gathered together.
As a condition of employment I signed a contract known as 'articles' when I joined the SS Stanridge. Like the rest of the crew, I had no idea where we were going. We had all signed papers with no knowledge of our destination. Instructions were to take just one change of clothes, two of underclothes.
At the end of May 1944, there were 70-80 cargo vessels anchored at Liverpool, before moving on to Methil Roads near Grangemouth. The SS Stanridge was carrying small army lorries, Bren gun carriers and landing craft. Much work had been done on the ship. The port side bulkheads were heightened with steel plates, the bridge also covered in steel plates. On the port side of the bridge was a large, hinged board covering the ship's number and code letters 180 MT. This was information about what we were carrying, to enable the beachmasters to identify what had arrived when we anchored near the beach. As seamen we had nothing to do with the landings except to get the soldiers close to the beaches. The ship was fitted with places where the soldiers could sleep.
Orders on leaving Methil Roads were to proceed to London Docks. High ranking soldiers arrived on board, including the Quartermaster Sergeant. He had nothing to do with the ship, his job was to supervise and look after the soldiers while they were on board. He was a pleasant, middle aged man who had been in the army all his life. He had access to everything for the soldiers – food, equipment, uniforms. As crew of the SS Stanridge, we
were all given khaki battledress! Made of very stiff material, it smelled of disinfectant. This was in preparation for the battlefield. If a soldier was injured, cloth from his uniform could be taken into the wound. As we carried only two radio officers, I had a double cabin to myself and the Quartermaster asked if he could share with me.
The last thing that happened at the docks was the arrival of the soldiers. Six hundred men. They were all put below into the purpose made quarters on the ship. We made our way down the Thames to the North Sea, to anchor off Southend. There were fifteen ships there on 4th June. Radio signals (or 'traffic') were coming through and soon the Captain, the second mate/navigator, the chief RO and myself gathered in the wireless room and chart room and discovered what was going on. No one else knew. I was asked 'where we going, Sparks?' by other members of the crew.
The weather was rough, the sea very choppy. It was completely unsuitable, we could not send landing craft out in a swell. So we waited. There came news of a landing in Northern Europe but we did not know the whereabouts.
The weather quickly improved and by the following day it was possible to proceed through the Dover Straits. We received orders and followed instructions to arrive off Arromanches at Gold Beach. We travelled at night, aiming to arrive at dawn, around 5am.
The worst part of the East coast of Britain and the English Channel at that time was the large fleet of German E boats. These were fast, motor torpedo boats, each with two torpedo tubes and a quick firing gun. Ships were approaching Normandy from Portsmouth and Southampton, all finding their places as the Royal Navy drove off the E boats.
We dropped anchor off Gold Beach with our port side facing land. From West to East along the coast of France were Utah, Omaha, Gold, Juno and Sword Beaches. There were American tank carriers and larger transport as well as British Merchant ships.
To the North in the Channel were HMS Belfast and HMS Ramillies.
We could not go on the main deck for the shelling over our heads. The noise was indescribable. It was possible to look through slots in the steel plating on the bridge and we could see huge, red clouds of dust from the shelling by the warships. Most German heavy guns had been knocked out but heavy guns at Calais were still active. Fortunately we were not hit, though we were rattled by machine gun bullets.
The landing craft were now ready, coming round the starboard side of the ship and so protected from the shelling. The beachmasters made radio contact, all was arranged and organised. The soldiers, boys like me, were going ashore carrying huge packs and weapons. Their equipment included K rations –enough food for approximately 7 men in each box, including tins of self-heating soups. Half a dozen landing craft were there to take them as they scrambled down the starboard rope netting. The craft then ran down the bows and around the ship to the beach side. It was the first time the soldiers had seen the beach. All was chaos, noise and huge explosions. I remember standing on the bridge, glimpsing the landing craft and saying to the second mate, 'God, I'm glad we're not going with them.' The Captain had to report when our cargo was all gone and we were released. It was daylight, preventing us from returning to Dover Straits, so we waited at anchor until darkness, when we headed back to London Docks. My papers show five withdrawals of pay, meaning I returned with my ship to Normandy again.
Tony Winterburn, as told to his daughter, Janine Wharmby
Congratulations to all children born in the 1930s, 40s, 50s, 60s, and 70s.
We survived being born to mothers who smoked or drank while they carried us.
They took aspirin, ate blue cheese dressing, tuna from a can and didn’t get tested for Diabetes.
Then after that trauma, our baby cribs were covered in bright coloured lead-based paints. We had no child-proof lids on medicine bottles, doors or cabinets.
When we rode our bikes, we had no helmets, (mine had blocks on the pedals and I couldn’t reach the ground when sitting on the seat), not to mention the risks we took hitchhiking.
As children we would ride in cars with no seat belts or air bags. We drank water from the garden hose and NOT from a bottle. We shared a soft drink between four friends from one bottle, and no one actually died from this.
We ate cakes, white bread and real butter and drank pop with sugar in it, but we weren’t overweight because WE WERE OUTSIDE PLAYING.
We would leave home in the morning and play all day, as long as we were back when the street lights came on. No one was able to reach us all day and we were OK.
We would spend hours building our go-carts out of scraps and ride down the hill, only to find out we forgot the brakes. After running into the bushes a few times, we learned to solve the problem.
We didn’t have play-stations, Nintendos, Xboxes, no video games at all. No 99 channels on cable, no video tape movies, no surround sound, no mobile phones, no personal computers, no internet or internet chat rooms.
We had friends and went outside and found them. We fell out of trees, got cut, broke bones and teeth and there were no lawsuits from these accidents. We ate worms and mud pies made from dirt and the worms didn’t live in us for ever. We made up games with sticks and tennis balls and although we were told it would happen, we did not poke out many eyes. We rode bikes and walked to a friend’s house and knocked on the door or rang the bell, or just yelled for them. Football teams had trials and not everyone made the team. Those who didn’t had to learn to deal with the disappointment. Imagine that!
The idea of a parent bailing us out if we broke the law was unheard of. They actually sided with the law.
The past 50 years have been an explosion of innovation and new ideas, has produced some of the best risk-takers, problem solvers and inventors ever!
We had FREEDOM, FAILURE, SUCCESS and RESPONSIBILITY and we learned HOW TO DEAL WITH IT ALL.
And you are one of them- CONGRATULATIONS .
Jenny Golding
Found recently amongst old paperwork. Author unknown.
Friday 26th July - Freewheelers, Riding for life, team (Bloodbikes) talking about their work as a voluntary emergency service. They deliver blood all over our area, to hospitals and the Air Ambulance. The event start at 10.30, with coffee and tea available (£1) and the talk begins at 11.00. Tickets are £2 each.
We set off one damp Wednesday in a fine Blake’s coach to explore two Welsh market towns. On the journey fellow travellers mentioned that the market hall in Abergavenny held a flea market on a Wednesday. So when we arrived many of us set off to find the market hall.
However in my case I initially got distracted by a rather appealing hat shop, I loved their window display, and took a photo of it, but I managed not to make any purchases, although I was tempted . After that interesting diversion, I found the colourful market, and I enjoyed the eclectic mix of bric-a-brac , vintage clothes and tools, as well as Welsh food, tweed and gift items. This time small amounts of money did leave my purse!
In the town there were plenty of cafes and a Department Store as well as small independent shops, a bit of everything to entertain U3A visitors on a March day. We all seemed to find something to suit our tastes, and there were murmurs of satisfaction as we arrived back at the coach. We were all on time, so we then set off on the short journey to Monmouth.
On arrival it was immediately obvious that we were surrounded by history, as from the coach park you could see the old walls , and an amazing bridge. This sets the scene for the historic town of Monmouth. We were able to walk, or stagger ( in my case) across the only fortified Medieval bridge left in Britain to the old streets and a church. Coming back into the town past the river walk, there were historic plaques to remember the old cattle market and its traders, with benches to sit on by the side of the fast flowing river Monnow. Monmouth also has a fine Town Hall, some coaching inns, and many other interesting buildings. Plus, I noticed, at least three post boxes in its Main Street , so it was easy to send a card to a friend. Some of my fellow travellers refreshed themselves with tea or coffee, but as the sun came out, I enjoyed an ice cream, whilst sitting by the old bridge thinking about the marvellous people who built that structure all those years ago.
Niki BowdenI’ve dreamt about a tropical beach
Palm trees, blue skies, a steel band, With a coral reef and hermit crabs
The sun and miles of sand.
You visualize having a picnic
A cold white wine in your hand
A sunshade and a food hamper
And a view over miles of sand.
You fly in past the local volcano, It’s dormant so nothing to fear. But the blooming thing decides to erupt
As they lower the landing gear.
You probably want to go for a dip
In the sea so warm and so blue, But there’s stonefish and sea snakes and Man-eating sharks. They’ll be the death of you.
And then there’s the beautiful palm trees. It’s pleasant to sit in their shade. But every so often a coconut falls And into your coffin you’re laid.
There’s a stall on the beach with Rum Punches, This seems like a good idea But alas, it was made in the bath And I wouldn’t sample the beer.
The beach looks really attractive, But if you had to choose
You’d pick somewhere without the sandflies And sand, not just in your shoes.
You book a day’s jungle safari
It will be like a day at the zoo. But there’s spiders and leeches and venomous snakes And man-eating animals too.
The sun will be shining all day
But its rays are too strong for us Brits.
When you go to bed your skin’s turned bright red And you’ve sunstroke and probably fits!
You wake up with pain in your stomach
Delhi Belly and other names too. Then you spend several days in your bedroom So you are always close to the loo.
Thank God you’re returning to England. You swear never more to complain. There’s just one thing stopping perfection The bloody rain!
Brian Smith
A couple of years ago Margaret Budden who used to run Patchwork arranged with the committee to donate money to make two quilts for two Ukrainian children, one boy and one girl, sadly Margaret passed away before we finished them, we carried on the work and eventually completed them and handed them over to Julie Gilfoyle from Somerset Council who deals with all the refugees for the council. She was very pleased with them and the children who received them were very happy too.
Since then the Ladies from Patchwork 1 & 2 have made and donated Patchwork quilts, a Patchwork cushion and bag, also knitted and crocheted blankets plus a duvet and 2 pillows and 2 complete duvet sets and again handed them over to Julie Gilfoyle.
Julie and all the Ladies from Patchwork 1 & 2
The night was still and the sky was peppered with many stars, There were the usual night sounds, the haunting hoot of an owl, the bleat of a hungry lamb, the scuffle of wading birds in the rhynes. Anna had been born and raised on this Somerset farm and the sounds of the animals were what she knew instinctively, the snuggling of a badger, the squeaking of bats, the persistence of a lamb trying to find his mother. Now and again there would be a flapping and squawking from the henhouse as a fox came closer.
The day had been hot, the July sun had glinted on swords and shields as the king and his supporters slogged it out on the battlefields, challenged by the Duke of Monmouth and his rowdy rebellious followers. There had been several skirmishes roundabout, Anna had heard the noise, which although far off had carried across the levels. It was pleasantly cool outside, the moon just a sliver of a crescent, imbuing the scene with silver light.
It was an unfamiliar noise that had woken her and it was coming from the barn. She crept carefully over and listened, there it was the cry of pain but not an animal, it was the moan of pain from an injured boy. He lay listless on a pile of straw, blood trickling from a wound to his head. She tore a thin strip of cotton from her dress hem and knelt to bandage his wound. The bleeding had stopped, it had not been too deep, and he was breathing more easily.
“Are you one of Monmouth’s men?” she whispered.
“I’m nobody, just a cowardly youth that has run away from battle, left his fellow soldiers to fight. If I go back will be imprisoned, then executed. Are you for the King then hereabouts, Miss?.”
“I have to be loyal to the King, but it makes me sad, all those deaths”.
“Are you going to turn me in Miss?”
“Anna, My name is Anna.. Stay hidden and leave before sun up”. He gave her a grateful smile. The wound on his head had stopped bleeding. When it grew almost llight, he follpwed the track where withys grew alongside a rhyne. This would take him in the direction of the hamlet he came from, very few men would be returning. He had left Withy Farm as stealthily as he had arrived.
It was the bloodiest of all, the Battle of Sedgemoor on that July Day in 1685, thousands injured or killed, Many were thrown in jail for a matter
of days only to be executed by the method of the age, hanged, drawn and quartered. The trial known as The Bloody Assizes was presided over by one Judge Jefferies, noted for his harsh punishments.
Anna waited at the outskirts of the farm. She watched the sun going down across the Somerset levels. Never would Somerset ever see its like again, the ferocity and dark memories of the time would be a long time fading.
But now someone was rousing her, shaking her shoulder.
“Anna, are you all right, you fell asleep? I think we should call it a day now for our history revision. I have sent my Dad a text, he’s going to pick me up out by the gate. Don’t worry, we will make sure it’s shut”.
Anna didn’t reply, she was still reflecting on the dream and what it might mean. Weirdly, the Sedgemoor Battle wasn’t even on her revision list.
Kim Lewis May 2024 .
1) Seat for a horse
4) eg Wight, Man
8) Land north of USA
10) Xmas tree decoration
11)Animal entrails
12) Must have, require
14 Old S American people
15) Washing powder
17) Tiny water downfalls
20) Sailor’s greeting
21) Not this but
22) Nobody (2 words)
24) Ape like animal
25) Machine in a car
26) Royal chair
27) Go upwards
1) Not first or third
2) Moved to music
3) Board game
5) Earth, mud
6) Not there, away
7) American money
9) Between 12noon and 6pm
10) Orange-like fruit
13) Hold up on road
14) Incompetent
16) Child’s garden pet
17) Thief
18) Holy place for pilgrims
19) Be present at
22) Midday
23) Finishes
Veronica Richardson answers p 26
Name Leader Contact no. Meeting details Venue
Book 1
Book 3
Anne Morris 793355 Every 3rd Fri, 2- 4 pm Private address
Diane Cruickshank 787856 Last Thurs of month 2- 4 CC
Brush Strokes Sue Meads 792021 Fridays10:0 –12.00 CC
Burnham U3A Singers
Canasta
Classical Music 1
Classical Music 2
Classical Music 3 - G&S Operetta
Craft & Card Making
Marilyn Nicholls 780020 Every 2nd Weds 2 - 4
Pat Reid 780806 Every Wed 24
West
Ken Henton 641278 1st & 3rd Mon, 2 – 4 pm Private address
Paul Hambleton 01278 788452 3rd Friday Private Address
Creative Writing Kim Lewis 787022 1st Friday, 1012
Day Trips
Gerry Richards 01278 783372 At Coffee am R4 Exercise to Music David Napper 792371 Every Friday 10 – 11am
French 1
French 2
French 3
French 4
La Table Francaise
Keep Fit
German for beginners
Kathy Harrison 07899 922919 Weds 2:304:00
Colette Winfield 238583 Thursday 10 – 11 am CC
Geoff Banham 07766 670737 Tues 10 - 11 am CC
Robert Bridges 641853 Fri 10 -11.30 CC
Robert Bridges 641853 Monday 11 – 12.30 Dunstan Hotel
Rosemary Lane 786054 Thurs 10 am CC
Gail Norton 07883 005115 Tues 2-3 pm CC
Lunch’n Club 2
Maria Tucker 07515682079 2nd Monday, 12.30
Needlework Julie Challacombe 323573 Friday 2-4 CC
Painting for pleasure Jane Lee 783511 Every Wed 10-12 CC
Patchwork Julie Challacombe 07766520781. Every Tues 2 - 4 CC
Poetry etc Roger Miller 784658 Every 2nd Thurs 2-4 Private address
Philosophy 1 Katerina Gardner 1st & 3rd Thurs am
Philosophy 2 Margaret Stewart 256376 or 07980001343 Alt Fridays am Private address
Philosophy 3 Roger Miller 784658 Alt Thurs pm
Rummikub Pat Reid 780806 Mon 2-4 pm CC
Short Walks Julie Esnouf 07916517774 Monday
Spanish Sue Royle 07837957588 Tues eve 78pm CC
Supper Club Christine & Allen Owen 784500 Last Weds even various
Supper Club 2 Wendy Westwood 01278 789684
Table Tennis 1 J Robinson 787200 Every Wed 2 – 4 pm Bay Club
Table Tennis 3 Ian Nield 751533 Friday 24pm
Table Tennis 4 Carol Marriott 795773 Every Tue 9.30 – 10.30 Baptist Ch Hall
Table Tennis Beginners Peter Manning 07976408843 1st & 3rd Sat 10.30 –11.30 As above
Ukulele Terry Smith 01934 615987 Mon 2 - 4 CC
Walking Jean Fincken & Christine Preston 07939 939204 07584016622 Wednesday See prog’me
Yoga Laraine Bridges 641853 Every Tues 10 - 11:30 CC
We have been helping the community for over 5 years now
Crossword Answers
Across: 1) Saddle, 4) Island, 8) Canada, 10) Tinsel, 11) Offal, 12) Need, 14) Inca, 15) Detergent, 17) Raindrops, 20) Ahoy, 21) That, 22) No one, 24) Baboon, 25) Engine 26) Throne, 27) Ascend.
Down: 1) Second, 2) Danced, 3) Ludo, 5) Soil, 6) Absent, 7 Dollar, 9) Afternoon, 10) Tangerine 13) Delay, 14) Inept, 16) Rabbit, 17) Robber, 18) Shrine 19) Attend, 22) Noon, 23) Ends.
