On Saturday 1st February a group of enthusiastic U3A members along with two very well behaved, beautiful dogs, went on a nature walk from Potterne Park into Moors Valley.  The morning dawned without any of the  previous days rain and by the time we arrived at the Park the sun was shining and it was quite warm.

After assembling at the car park we set off at a business like pace and walked round the new pathway that had been constructed so that we kept our feet dry instead of walking over sodden grass. We duly  arrived at the railway station, no coffee to be had there or even a train ride just one engine to look at with three very large children enjoying letting the whistle blow – I think they are actually called men letting off steam! They all had a cheery smile and wave for us though.

We arrived at the main cafe and had a welcome cup of coffee before the walk back again.  The walls had some interesting photos displayed to look at and thank you all for some interesting conversations.

On the return journey we passed the lake and some beautiful swans with last years youngsters, who decided my trouser leg looked interesting but unfortunately for them I was not to their taste.

John told us about the decoy airfield and there is a board explaining all about this interesting fact from world war 2.

Other people encountered on the walk greeted us with a cheery hello and smile which was so uplifting and made the walk even more fun.

We continued on to the next lake where there were plenty of ducks and swans to admire as well as some beautiful cream and brown bull rushes, with the sun glinting through the bronzed tree branches it was a peaceful and restorative walk after the grey skies and rain.

It was a very friendly group who mixed about enabling some great chats and hopefully make some new friendships.

Regards
Margaret Holden

On Friday 17 January a group of the U3A members met on a slightly chilly but dry and sunny morning, at the Whitchurch silk mill for a guided tour of the working mill.

We started off with a welcome cup of tea or delicious coffee and biscuits, served by very smiley, chatty, ladies. A good start!   We were divided into two groups one on a tour inside the mill and the other outside to hear about the  history of the building and people who owned the mill, and why it was built on this particular piece of land. The days previous wet weather had left the rivers nearby in full flow so one could understand why it was the ideal place for a watermill of any kind.

Our group was not too observant as we were asked what the mistake was on the clock face and no one appeared to spot the fact that the roman number 4 was only shown as a IIII  but  nobody has found out why this had  happened.

After the fresh air we went inside and were informed about the history of silk production, how it is harvested, dyed and how the looms are threaded to acquire the various patterns. And how millions of silk worms are boiled alive so that we might have the pleasure of the beautiful fabric, a fact I personally did feel rather sad about, but there is no denying the colours and fabrics are very tactile and desirable to wear.

We had the added bonus of an exhibition of beautiful and imaginative embroideries to enthral us after the mill tour.  There was a small shop with some very good quality British made products for sale and also a little snack area which quite a few of the group took advantage of with bowls of steaming, tasty soup, toasty sandwiches,  and jacket potatoes all freshly prepared – delicious.

An interesting talk, and demonstration by a very knowledgeable and enthusiastic guides.

Shire Hall Historic Courthouse Museum uncovers moving and important stories of everyday people’s interactions with the justice system since the late 18th century. It shows how the law affects all of us, and how we can also affect the law. The Museum makes this extraordinary building and these fascinating stories available and enjoyable for all.