Meetings are held the 4th Thursday of every month at the Tiverton Hotel; 9.45am for 10.30am. start

Date	Talk	Speaker

26th April 2012	Muchelney Abbey and the history of the area	Steven Honey
22nd March 2012	AGM - No external speaker
23rd February 2012	The Lives of Whales and Dolphins	Emma Foster
26th January 2012	Round Britain 7 (the end of the walk)	George Williams
8th December 2011	Christmas Lunch (if booked before)
24th November 2011	The Art of Deception	Marilyn Bishop
27th October 2011	Clues in the Corn	Prissie Holwill
22nd September 2011	Splendid Isolation 1: An intro to Tristan da Cunha	Richard Grundy
25th August 2011	Captured by Somali Pirates	Captain Colin Darch
28th July 2011	Members' Memoirs	Dick Woodhead & David Mitchell
23rd June 2011	Tiverton Museum of Country Life	Pippa Griffiths (Curator)
26th May 2011	Shelterbox	Jerome Lyons and David Outen
28th April 2011	Waste & Recycling in Mid Devon	Karen Abbott - General Manager, MDDC kerbside recycling service
24th March 2011	AGM - No external speaker
24th February 2011	Children's Hospice South West	Terry Rocke
27th January 2011	What the RSPB really does	Peter Exley - Public Affairs Mgr, S.W. RSPB
9th December 2010	Xmas Lunch and Entertainment
25th November 2010	Home Safety	Sean Cooke - Devon & Somerset Fire and Rescue
28th October 2010	A Taste of Italy	Desmond Gahan
23rd September 2010	Members Life Experiences	Hosted by Chairman - John Smith
26th August 2010	A County Archivist	Devon Records
22nd July 2010	Climate Change Essentials	Ian Bateman - Climate Change Program Manager, Devon County Council
24th June 2010	In Her Majesty's Service	Debbie Bean
20th May 2010	Tarka the Otter	Tony Evans
22nd April 2010	The Work of the West of England Eye Hospital	Peter Simcock
25th February 2010	Operation Henry	David Snelling

Emma Foster is in the final stages of her PhD exploring the social networks of an endangered population of killer whales in the Pacific Northwest.
Using networks in ecology is an extremely exciting and new technique and our questions about gene flow, disease transmission and information transfer can provide the knowledge vital to manage and conserve a population of such species.
Those of you who, like me, enjoyed the recent "Frozen Planet" series will discover much more about these free ranging mammals. Top of Page

Round Britain 7 (the end of the walk)

We are pleased to welcome back local speaker George Williams who will describe parts of his record breaking Round Britain walk accompanied by his collie Jack, who became the first canine to accomplish the feat and made the Guinness Book of Pet Records.
Those of you who were members in 2005 will already know part of George's walk, so he will explain the background for the benefit of newer members and focus on the many humorous exploits leading to the culmination of the trek; which will complete the story for our longer standing members. Top of Page

The Art of Deception

What a fascinating talk by Marilyn Bishop on the world’s second oldest profession; forgery.
From the pound in our pockets to the stamps on our letters, nothing seems safe from the art of the forger but one has to admire the sheer skill of the many artists, past and present, who have taken this route.
Artists like Jean Pierre Schercroum and David Stein who earned themselves thousands of pounds for their copies of well known artist’s work. Another artist employed in this pastime was Eric Hebbon who ended his days by being murdered; did his art bring him to this end? Tom Keating may be remembered for appearing onT.V. showing us how he painted his copies. He did actually paint his name on the canvas before he started so an ex-ray – one of the methods used today to examine pictures – could pick it up. John Myatt, who has already spent four months in prison for this crime, is still using Dulux Brilliant White and still producing genuine fakes!
Another modern group of forgers were known as the Garden Shed Gang. A family this time; caught out when they used something other than marble for a very lovely looking “marble” statue.
One of the difficulties of finding a fake item is caused because many of the earliest paintings were not always signed. Whilst many of our well known and prolific artists employed studio hands, who helped by filling in the less important parts, and they themselves painted the faces and hands or other delicate detail, this was not done to deceive.
So how many of you went home and carefully examined your treasured art? Top of Page

Clues in the Corn

When I introduced Denis and Prissie Holwill (of Tiverton) to the assembled 150 Members at our October Meeting I promised an informative and very thought-provoking presentation. It turned out to be just as intense as I had expected.
We visited Egyptian art, the fascinating Nasca Lines and other baffling phenomena. We heard about the work of John Leland who reported back to Henry VIII that “the country-folk repeated in their ancient dances those things that were in the grass”.
Denis and Prissie suggested many possible reasons for the appearance of crop circles and challenged us to consider our own particular thoughts and ideas as to their origin and possible methods of planning and production. We were encouraged to consider the works of such researchers as Dr Levenwood and to examine his investigations into the origins of crop circles and other rather more unpleasant phenomena such as cattle mutilation…… are we in the realm of micro-waves or even UFOs?
They prompted us to think, to consider and to try to reach some sort of personal conclusions. They asked us to open our minds to the fact that, although the “string-and-board” method would appear to be the first logical answer, the volume of effort, the need for total secrecy, the implementation timescales and even the sheer beauty and complexity of design would render this “primitive” method beyond logical possibility.
Denis went on to pose the question “Why have military organisations and advanced institutions such as SETI invested so much time and effort in exploring this enigmatic subject”? We heard about such characters as Doug Bower and Dave Corley who confessed to being hoaxers. Perhaps such deceptions simply illustrate how amateur efforts pale into insignificance when we examine the intricacy, scale, complexity and wonder of this remarkable art.
Are these phenomena important messages from elsewhere? Should we be pragmatic and seek definitive answers…or should we accede to the idea that this is a beautiful planet language to be appreciated by all?
A long time after our Meeting I could hear the discussions going on. Anyone with a definitive answer or explanation should contact Denis and Prissie…….as soon as possible. Top of Page

Splendid Isolation 1: An Introduction to Tristan da Cunha

Members who did not attend the September monthly meeting missed a rare treat – certainly one of the best presentations Tiverton U3A have had since I joined five years ago.
Richard Grundy spent over three years as the schoolteacher on Tristan da Cunha, the largest island in a small archipelago located in the South Atlantic, marginally closer to Cape Town than Buenos Aries. Many of us have some recollections of 1961 when Tristan da Cunha was in the news when it was evacuated due to a volcanic eruption near the settlement. The islanders were mostly accommodated in an old military housing area near Southampton, a few years later most had returned to Tristan da Cunha and the population level has remained static for many years at around 260.
Richard traced the history of the island from when it was discovered in 1506, through the first permanent settler, William Glass, in 1816, the first World War which the Islanders did not hear about until it was over, the second World War when there was a secret naval listening station based there, to the present day when there is a 24/7 electricity supply, most families have a vehicle to get them from home to the factory or their potato patch, potatoes being the staple diet, and satellite communications keep the Island in instant touch with the rest of the world.
There is a doctor in residence who is also a surgeon expected to cope with many areas of medicine; it could take a minimum of four or five days to transfer a patient to Cape Town.
There is no tourism; if you wish to stay you have to get prior permission. A few cruise ships call but cannot always land because of rough seas. The climate is mild, no frosts, but a great deal of wind.
He is still in daily contact with the Islanders. He produces the Tristan da Cunha newsletter and runs their website www.tristandc.com from which you can gather a wealth of information and pictures. Top of Page

Captured by Somali Pirates

Captain Colin Darch gave an extremely entertaining talk on what must have been a very harrowing and stressful time after being boarded by nine pirates off the coast of Somalia in January 2008. The crew were kept hostage for 47 days whilst negotiating a ransom for the Russian tug they were transporting from St Petersburg to Singapore.
Even prior to the piracy there were numerous issues to be managed, ranging from the lack of a cook (which resulted in “Gulag Soup” being on the menu every day) to difficulty navigating the Suez Canal (resolved with the “assistance” of 19 cartons of Marlborough cigarettes).
There were various Colditz style plans to escape from the pirates and after much discussion one was agreed and communicated to the Danish owners. This involved signalling to the shadowing US naval vessel that they could safely attack when the all the lights went out and the crew had barricaded themselves in the engine room. Darch and his crew did their bit on Day 11 but waited in vain for the Americans to attack. After 24 hours sheltering in the engine room and a partially filled sea water tank they gave themselves up. Despite the pirates admiration for their audacious plan this lost them from Day 12 onwards, their few remaining privileges.
Even after agreement was reached on a ransom amount, days were spent trying to help the pirates, without a bank account or any way of travelling outside their own country, to find a way to get their ransom money. This was eventually delivered by boat at sea with the US navy politely withdrawing to avoid any embarrassment that might be caused by observing a ransom being paid! The final irony was that Capt Darch had to take “their” pirates to a point some 80 miles up the coast to avoid them being robbed by their own countrymen! Top of Page

Members Memoirs

Dick Woodhead showed slides of his service whilst loaned by the RAF to the Belize Defence Force, post independence (1983 - 1986). Belize City is built in a swamp region and from very basic beginnings Dick obtained two "Defender" aircraft (complete with mounted machine guns, thankfully never used), two newly trained technicians and an office. After negotiating with the Belizan government a rudimentary hanger was procured, followed by a hardstanding which avoided the onerous task of taxiing the aircraft down a dirt road whilst avoiding overhead power lines. Dick showed us areas which he flew over, including the thick jungle of the Little Sierra, banana plantations, mango farms and even marijuana fields. We also viewed the various aircraft which visited the base, including the Maule M5 Lunar Rocket (which was
sadly written off by an American Pilot).
A highlight of this time was a visit by H. M. Queen Elizabeth II who was shown exiting her aircraft with the help of Angela's coffee table and a stool, carefully placed and carpeted to ensure she did not trip ! She was subsequently flown to view the area five times by Dick.
The Cookery group are keen to learn Angela's recipe for Armadillo stew, although I
believe Morrison's are presently out of stock of the main ingredient.
Thanks Dick ..... as in your words, it was UNBELIZEABLE.

David Mitchell then treated us to a fascinating slide show of his and Jill's four years in residence on Brittany's North coast (2006-2010). The struggles with language and bureaucracy, the many financial and cultural differences and the fascinating characters encountered were shown to us. We were allowed a little peek at life in No. 9 Rue Jean le Fur, Scrignac, from early days with no kitchen and much work to do, to the
finished article where Jill and David could sit and enjoy sunshine from 8.15am. to 10.00pm in their lovely garden. We visited the nearby towns. Huelgoat built by a lake, ideal for shopping and Guerlesquin for the market and some musical accompaniment with dancing. (Best not to mention the pipes).
Sadly, all things come to an end and the mounting house costs allied to the strength of the Euro proved insurmountable, so on 29th June 2010 Jill and David returned to the UK.
We are sad that their French sojourn did not last longer, but France's loss is our gain, so we are very happy to welcome Jill and David to Tiverton.

I am planning more "Members Memories" for 2012, so if you would be interested in giving a short presentation, I would be pleased to hear from you. Sue Watkins (Speaker Secretary)

Tiverton Museum of Country Life

Pippa Griffith gave a very comprehensive and interesting talk about Tiverton Museum of Mid Devon Life, which has been in existence for 51 years. She covered a wide range of subjects from how important financial donations are to items saved from the past; from how the younger generation is involved in gathering information from the older generation to educational visits by the two permanent members of staff to schools; from children coming into the museum to the setting up of permanent exhibitions and temporary specialist ones; and even extending and sourcing local items which sometimes takes up considerable time and ingenuity.
There are in excess of 60 volunteers, some with specialist knowledge, but always more are needed – so come on U3A members!!!
She concluded by telling us the breakdown of financial support; 50% coming from grants with admission fees, donations and fund-raising making up the other 50%. Top of Page

Shelterbox

Our presenters for the Meeting in May were Jerome Lyons and David Outen from the Rotary Club of Barnstaple. Their subject was “Shelterbox”, the well-known West-Country charity set up in the year 2000 by Tom Henderson. Tom is an engineer, and is still very “hands-on” at the charity‟s base near Helston in Cornwall.
Jerome and David gave us a potted history of Shelterbox, which came of age during the devastating tsunami in the Indian Ocean late in 2004. Over the last 10 years, some 106,000 boxes have been dispatched from Cornwall to every conceivable disaster around the world, each offering a temporary home and basic living essentials for families of up to 10 people when they have lost everything. Jerome described how they are able to get to stricken areas in quick time thanks to a network of groups and „volunteer-response-teams‟ – in Pakistan, for example, Shelterboxes were put in place in the mountains even before the floods hit, thanks to expert meteorological guidance in advance. Thanks to liaison between local fire-fighters in Burma (or, should I say, Myanmar) and the Cornish Brigade, Shelterbox was allowed into the country when it was hit by cyclones well before other larger and better known charities.
Even though less than 10% of all funds raised goes in administration, their systems are sophisticated enough to make it possible to track individual Boxes using their web-site www.shelterbox.org
David gave us an insight into the careful thought that goes into making up the contents of a Box and emphasised that each box is a gift to the recipient family – nothing is taken back. Of special interest was the water-purification equipment, which is capable of filtering 18,000 litres of water without replenishment.
The range and number of questions from our audience gave an indication of the quality of the presentation, and ..... uniquely for one of our meetings ..... members were invited to donate at the end of the session, and a substantial sum was contributed. The ShelterBox volunteers will show two DVD's of the work of the Charity, including scenes from the earthquake disaster in Haiti in 2010. Top of Page

Karen Abbott is the General Manager of Mid Devon District Council's kerbside recycling section. Her talk focused on the role of the service in collecting house-hold materials for recycling, highlighting how these are processed and eventually sold in order to raise income for the council.
Recycling has a history stretching back to ancient Roman and Greek times and in Britain it played a important role during the second world war, with scrap materials being used to boost the manufacture of aircraft, tanks and weapons.
In Mid Devon recycling commenced on a regular basis around 1992 and is currently operated by Mid Devon District Council with a workforce of 26 supported by 12 vehicles. Materials which are currently being collected for recycling include paper, glass bottles and jars, tins and cans, plastic milk bottles and clothing.
A primary focus of the recycling activity is the associated environmental benefits including lower energy and landfill costs as well as reductions in CO2 emissions. The council is currently achieving a recycling rate of 48% (the third best in the county) and is targeted with increasing this to a figure of 60%.
Karen highlighted some of the problems encountered by the recycling teams including vehicular access to some of Devon's narrow country lanes, the operation of an aged fleet of vehicles and lack of capacity on some of the lorries. This last point is currently prohibiting the collection and recycling of plastic drink bottles although it is hoped to address this in the future.
Her presentation has helped to increase our awareness of the importance of waste management to the broader environmental agenda and our thanks go to Karen for a most informative talk. Top of Page

Losing two children to cancer in the 1980’s was a terrible personal tragedy for Jill and Eddie Farwell. It was however their experiences during this traumatic time which proved to be their inspiration to found the Children’s Hospice South West, which finally opened at Little Bridge House, Fremington in 1995.

Our Speaker Terry Rocke took us on a slide show tour of the 5 acre site which features both recreational activities and an award winning garden. He has been involved with its development from the outset and spoke passionately about the benefits it brings to the children and their families.

The Hospice is not a Hospice in the adult meaning of the word but a Respite Care Home where up to 8 Families at a time can take a short break with the support of professional staff and volunteer carers. It has proved so successful that 2 other homes built on similar lines are in the process of being completed, one in Cornwall the other just South of Bristol.

Many volunteers have over the years contributed their time and efforts in various ways from manning the reception area to building an immaculately modelled steam train from electric wheel chairs but by far and away the greatest project has been the Nania Garden which was five years in the making and involved our Speaker at every stage. Whilst the subject could have been sombre and down-beat, due to Terry’s enthusiasm it was in fact informative and stimulating and our thanks go to him for his efforts and at the same time not forgetting Simon Slade who provided the IT support. Top of Page

With perfect timing, just two days before the annual national weekend “Big Garden Birdwatch”, we welcomed Peter Exley, Public Affairs Manager South West for the RSPB, who gave a superbly illustrated and wide-ranging talk, intriguingly entitled “Bogbumpers. Tigers and Barrages – What the RSPB Really Does”.
By any enterprise rating the RSPB stands out as a really major organisation, with an ever increasing membership now over 1 million, over 13,000 volunteers and a turnover exceeding £100m pa. Nevertheless it has a somewhat pre-carious cash flow dependent on a continual stream of donations and legacies etc, with reserves at any one time sufficient to fund only a few weeks’ operations.
Since its formation in 1889 as a reaction to the worldwide exploitation of birds with beautiful plumage to supply the European trade in women’s hats, the RSPB has captured the enthusiastic support of an increasing number of the UK public, who share a love of the fascinating and diverse world of birds.
We were expertly taken on a lightning tour of a selection of the RSPB wildlife sites and encouraged by the many successful conservation projects currently in progress throughout the UK. We learned that “Bogbumper” was an old local name for the elusive bittern – now staging a steady recovery as its favourite habitat of dense reed beds is being conserved and extended.
There are numerous diverse and interesting RSPB sites in the South West, many of which are within easy reach of Tiverton...Peter Exley particularly recommended the Exmouth estuary and reserves, Greylake Reserve (Snipe, Peregrines, Marsh Harriers etc) and Ham Wall Reserve (numerous marsh birds including the Bittern).
In the time available our eloquent guide could only cover a fraction of the vast range of RSPB activities, which now extend overseas as well, but he clearly succeeded in arousing our interest and enthusiasm. No doubt many U3A members who have not yet joined the RSPB will now seriously consider doing so. Surely none of us can contemplate the awful prospect of a “Silent Spring”! Top of Page

We had a very instructive address from Sean Cook from the Devon and Somerset Fire and Rescue Service. He dispensed a mass of sound information on fire safety measures as well as an extensive description of the work of the service. Examples of the advice for homeowners included the location of smoke alarms (check the batteries and don't "borrow" them for something else), don't throw water onto chip pan fires or throw them outside (get a fire blanket), close doors overnight (especially lounge and kitchen doors) and don't jump out of windows (unless you have to - better to have a planned escape route). Our guest touched on the Acts of Parliament which now govern the service. We also learned about the behaviour of smoke and fire in a room which can damage the top half of a room but leave the bottom half relatively unscathed.

The work of the service deals with the hazards found in a rural areas, thatched properties, barns and farms in remote areas storing diesel, chemicals or fertilizers. They also have medical training as they sometimes arrive at an incident, like a road accident, before the paramedics.

One of his most telling points was that they have a statutory duty to make home visits to give advice on fire safety in the home and I think some of our audience will be in touch to arrange a free home visit.
Despite Sean having to battle against a bad cold it was a strong and useful presentation well supported by helpful leaflets and a couple of vivifying images.
So our thanks to Sean for a wide ranging view of what the service does for the community and some timely advice. Top of Page

Desmond and Shirley Gahan presented "A Taste of Italy" as our talk for October. Two hundred slides of their trip through Tuscany and Umbria were shown and through Desmond's skilful photography, the presentation yielded some unusual information. We were able to see some of the minor canals in Venice and admire its architecture. The home of St Francis of Assisi and some rebuilt villages which had been razed to the ground by earthquake activity were shown, along with views of the leaning tower of Pisa which cost millions of Euros to reinforce over a long period of time. The couple enjoyed their stay in an apartment in the grounds of a castle in Cenerente, a hamlet in Perugia. The area produces tobacco which is used in Camel cigarettes and a large amount of the high quality Olive Oil which is used for the wonderful local food and for export. Scenes of Lake Trasimeno concluded this part of the talk, and then Desmond included some slides of their home "Poachers' Cottage" in Stoke Gabriel on the shores of the River Dart. The garden recently won Britain in Blooms' award for
most colourful garden for the fourteenth time and has featured in Devon Life.
Shirley and Desmond are now enjoying an active retirement in Devon and their many talks help them to support their chosen charity, Mercy Ships UK. Top of Page

Our September compilation of "Members Life Experiences" commenced with founder member Jillian Allen's humorous account of her wartime experience as a Naval Dental nurse. The camaraderie and protection offered to nurses by grateful Service personnel was obvious. Many young Cadets suffered dental problems, and I am sure the daily "grog" ration assisted in their recuperation.

We established that H M S Collingwood in Fareham is actually a "Stone Frigate" and we could imagine the terror as flying bombs droned overhead , followed by the sound and feel of shattered glass.

I learnt many things from Jillian, including that American forces were unaware of the strength of Devon Cider, that it is unwise to dance with a man with a wooden leg who cannot see where he is going and on a sadder note, the terrible privations suffered by returned Japanese POW's in Jillian's care.

Our second Speakers were Margaret and John Anderson, who presented some wonderful slides of their "Grand Tour "in 2009. Their first stop was in India, where they visited New Delhi, Agra and Darjeeling, (where John was able to fulfil his dream of riding the 100 year old trains of the mountain railway to Ghum - the second highest railway in the world). Margaret especially enjoyed the Taj Mahal at sunset.

Next was Western Australia then on to New Zealand with views of whale watching, geysers in Rotarua and the snow-capped peaks of Mount Aspiring.

The tour continued through Hawaii and concluded in West Coast USA, with sights of the Grand Canyon and its' Condors, Monument Valley and a final drive down the Las Vegas Strip before the flight home. Margaret and John have now caught the travel bug again and hope to undertake a similar tour in 2011.

Our third Speaker, Colin Tincknell, our regional U3A Trustee, was thankful for the opportunity to visit us and gave good wishes from the National Office. He was impressed by our growth of 17% in the last year and the quality of our Newsletter.

Colin retired in 2005 and was previously a Senior Prosecuting Officer to a Local Education Authority. He told us that there are a quarter of a million members in U3A groups across the country, although this is only 2% of the retired population. There is a challenge ahead to cope with an increased requirement, however 76% of members say that their U3A improves their social life and gives new and enhanced skills.

Thanks to all our Speakers for a highly entertaining morning and watch this space for another similar item in 2011. Top of Page

Jan Woods, a Duty Archivist presented a talk on the Devon Record Office which is based at Sowton, Exeter.

Originally from Adelaide in South Australia, Jan Wood wanted to be an archivist at an archive in England. Having completed her Master Archivists qualifications at Liverpool, in Lancashire, she has been in Devon for seven years. She told us about the facilities available at the Devon Records Office, Exeter and which sorts of records are stored there. It houses all types of historical records relating to the county of Devon, the city of Exeter, and East, Mid and South Devon, including Torbay. These include the records of the parishes, and of innumerable individuals, families, estates, businesses, societies, chapels and schools. At the moment most, if not all, of the searches made from the Devon Records Office are free.

Roy and Margaret Jenkins visited the facility on 2nd September and managed to increase their family history knowledge. You will be asked to sign in and show proof of identity. The 14 workstations are available by the hour and are also free. There is a tour and you will get to meet the staff and see how things work. The staff were helpful and there are vending machines for drinks.
Their address is:

Devon Records Office,
Great Moor House, Bittern Road
Sowton, Exeter. EX2 7NL,
devrec@devon.gov.uk Telephone No. 01392 384253
~ Roy and Margaret Jenkins Top of Page

Ian Bateman, the Climate Change Programme Manager for Devon County Council, described how activities since the Industrial Revolution have increased the amounts of carbon dioxide and methane in the atmosphere. The carbon dioxide released into the atmosphere annually is 29 billion tonnes, much of which is retained and leads to global warming. However there has been some cooling due to volcanic ash from Krakatoa and other volcanoes worldwide. Warmer oceans have increased energy and more water vapour and this has led to increase the intensity of hurricanes for example in the Gulf of Mexico.
The uncertain future is likely to result in hotter and drier summers in Britain and changes in seasonality. After 2050 the British climate will be similar to that of Portugal and Spain at present and there will also be desertification in Turkey and Greece.
To reduce the impact of global warming, it will be imperative to reduce the use of fossil fuels for homes and transport, to limit the amounts of methane from landfill sites, recycle more rubbish and increase the energy efficiency of buildings. However there will be a thirty to forty year gap before these changes have an impact.
The world needs to get back to 1990 levels at least but as the Copenhagen Conference illustrated, the world is not prepared to co-operate sufficiently over reductions in greenhouse effects. Man made activities have more impact than natural occurrences Top of Page

Debbie Bean's story of life in Her Majesty's Service enthralled us for over an hour. Her early years in the secretarial department under Martin Charteris to the post of Chief Correspondence Officer to the Queen were revealed in a non-stop presentation of fascinating facts, anecdotes and travelogues.
It soon became evident that it was necessary to be as 'strong as an ox' in order to carry out the many and varied duties of a private secretary as total commitment was required, even to the extent of remaining unmarried, with 400 Royal engagements a year, covering special occasions, royal visits around the world, entertaining heads of state, and links with the government, providing an interesting but extremely busy 40 years.
It was fascinating to hear the background to the familiar Christmas broadcasts with the necessary re-writes depending on circumstances and events at home and abroad.
In light-hearted vein we were told about the 'ups and downs' of life aboard the Royal Yacht "Britannia", and the problems of working in a small cabin but at home the Royal Year was, understandably, very organised with regular visits to Holyrood, Balmoral and Sandringham, including the Christmas and Easter 'courts', which were reminiscent of the 'Royal Progresses' from earlier times.
The Queen's love of horses lead to Ascot week, the Windsor Horse Show, and an occasional chance for Debbie to ride one of the Queen's horses, followed on one occasion by a Royal gift of arnica pills !
Supported by an impressive display of photos, awards, Christmas cards, Christmas puddings and personal letters, including the tragic story of the spilt cup of coffee, Debbie's talk was a right Royal treat.

If there's one thing better than listening to a speaker who is totally familiar with his subject matter, it is hearing one who is also in love with it. If those traits come packaged with a warm personality and an easy style of presentation, then you come close to what we were treated to at our May meeting in the Tiverton Hotel.
Tony Evans, ably assisted by his wife, Jan, told us about the life of Henry Williamson, an author familiar to many of us from his book Tarka the Otter. Although that work brought Williamson the fame and fortune he had always wanted, he felt that it overshadowed his other writings, in particular A Chronicle of Ancient Sunlight, a huge, 15 volume, largely autobiographical work encompassing the first half of the 20th century. This latter work seems to have been inspired by his experiences as a young soldier in the First World War and his resultant antipathy towards warfare and may also have led to him taking up and writing about farming in Norfolk before the Second World War. But it did not get him the recognition he had hoped for it. Although a complex character, full of contradictions and never really content, Henry Williamson was nevertheless much admired in his day and counted many famous intellectuals among his friends. In Tarka the Otter, Salar the Salmon and many other of his prolific writings, he has left a rich legacy of what rural life in Devon and Norfolk was like between the wars.
Many years ago, I read Tarka the Otter and was delighted by it. Now, I want to read it again and go on to discover yet more of what Henry Williamson has bequeathed us. But after this talk, to judge by the large number of questions that were asked of Tony Evans, there could be a long waiting list at the library. Top of Page

Mr Peter Simcock (M.R.C.S. F.R.C.S. F.R.C. Ophth.) held the attention of 160+ U3A members throughout his interesting and informative presentation. He both amused and alarmed us as he took us back to the origins of the West of England Eye Hospital describing, with illustrations, some of the seemingly barbaric approach to eye surgery.
We saw how more modern treatments demand a rigorous scientific foundation as well as the new well equipped eye unit found today within the Royal Devon & Exeter NHS Foundation Trust.
Detailed explanations of the cause and effects of three common eye problems, Cataracts, Glaucoma and Wet & Dry Macula Degenerative Disease were given.
Our awareness of early signs and symptoms was enhanced and the knowledge that current treatments are both humane and effective was encouraging. We were left in no doubt that a healthy diet, exercise and a moderate consumption of alcohol, combined with a regular visit to the optician are essential in retaining optimum vision.
Peter's professional expertise, personable manner and his patience in answering our many questions filled us with confidence that we need not be fearful if, at anytime in the future, we find ourselves referred for consultation at the West of England Eye Unit. Top of Page

The talk & PowerPoint presentation of ‘Operation Henry’ given by David Snelling was both informative and entertaining. David was assisted by Dennis Bruce a 16yr old from Ivybridge Community College, who produced the presentation and accompanies David on his talks in case of any technical problems.
The background to the charity and journey was given in the last newsletter, so carrying on from there we learnt that Henry was a Hinny, i.e. his father was a horse and his mother was a donkey, an ideal companion for accompanying David on his memorable pilgrimage, through mountainous terrain, from Le Puy en Valay in central France to Santiago de Compestela in Spain. A lightweight pannier was supplied by the British Army, free of charge, so that Henry could carry 134lbs maximum for 12 hours a day, well under the maximum weight advised by Sidmouth Donkey Sanctuary .
David stayed in a variety of accommodation, often free and, some very basic; one with no running water. Henry never went hungry as he received plenty of corn and bread. His ears were protected during high temperatures of 35°c and his hooves were also protected when walking on tarmac.

David was inspired to do the Pilgrimage;
1. To create a charity which supports people suffering from Pancreatic and Testicular Cancer.
2. To leave something for his family to remember him by and thus restore family values. And hopefully to begin a family tradition.
3. To experience the way of the pilgrims of the past and to gain the Compostela; the traditional Latin Certificate of Pilgrimage.

Completing this journey and achieving so much after having had a stroke was an inspiration to us all. He now runs a mule drawn cart service in Ivybridge for residents for visits to the Doctors, shops, weddings and as a service for tourists where he gives the history of flora & fauna surrounding Ivybridge. Top of Page