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Penzance u3a Monthly Social Meetings
Upcoming Socials for 2024
VENUE: Penzance Football Club, Alexandra Place, Penzance
(off Alexandra Road, 3rd turning on the right from the sea)
Time 2.00 for 2.30pm
To help cover the cost of the venue and speaker we are now having to make a small charge of £1.50. Tea and cake will be available.
Monday 18th November 2024
Monday 21st October 2024
Anna McClary, a well-known tour guide of Penzance, gave us a talk about ten of the best loved historic buildings in the town.
Monday 16th September
The speaker at our social on Monday, 16 September was Barbara Kirk, the well known local auctioneer based at The Harbour Saleroom, Penzance. Barbara has had a 40 year career in antique dealing and auctioneering. She spoke about her career and brought along a few items that have a special significance for her.
Please note: There is no social meeting held during the school holidays in August.
Monday 15th July
Ian Vinnicombe, the Station Manager of NCI Gwennap Head, will be talking about the history and development of The National Coastwatch Institution, and in particular NCI Gwennap Head, and the work that is done as part of the Search and Rescue organisation. The institution was formed in 1994 and is celebrating the 30th anniversary this year. There are now 60 Coastwatch stations around the UK with over 2,700 uniformed volunteers involved. Ian has an enjoyable PowerPoint presentation with plenty of photos to show the audience.
Monday 17th June
A talk given by Vickie Hugh-Jones.
Vickie Hugh-Jones took us on a journey through the Antarctic wilderness. Having skied to the South Pole in 2004, she brought to life what it’s like to be on expedition in the coldest and windiest continent on earth.
Monday 20th May
A talk given by Richard Cockram, Chair of the Newlyn Archive.
NEWLYN TIDAL OBSERVATORY
In the late 19th Century the Government became aware that the quality of our maps was falling behind the accuracy needed in an age of road and railway building. Heights and gradients need to be based on a well- recognised base or datum and that is Mean Sea Level. In order to establish that, regular readings of sea level were taken at three sites between 1915 and 1921 and were averaged. This is the story of why Newlyn’s data was selected as MSL for mainland UK and how the Newlyn Observatory has been maintained ever since, resulting in one of the longest, continuous records of sea level changes in the world. On Ordnance Survey maps, MSL is referred to as Ordnance Datum Newlyn.
Monday 15th April
A light-hearted and amusing talk given by Stephen Bennetts about a notorious doctor put on trial at the Old Bailey for murdering a patient, and he may even have murdered over a hundred and sixty more!
Monday 18th March
This talk was given by David Gregory who is in charge of our local Penzance Memory Cafe.
Monday February 19th
AGM followed by a quiz.
Monday January 15th
Reprising their Literary Festival presentation, Penwith Local History Group presented a medley of topics from 1217 when trial by jury replaced its grisly predecessor, to 1946, when children arrived in Penzance from war-torn Holland.
Previous 2023 Social Meetings
Monday December 15th
Christmas Social where we were entertained by Val Ruddle and her ukulele group.
Monday November 20th
West Cornwall Women’s Aid – presented by Sam Fitzpatrick
Monday October 16th
Introduction to Cornish Crosses. A presentation by Andrew Langdon, who has spent all his adult life recording, researching and helping repair, restore and conserve these iconic monuments.
Monday September 18th
A presentation by Bernd Weinberg of ancient sites in Penwith mirrored in selected photos and
clips, and garnished with some prehistoric titbits.
No social in August
Monday July 17th
Seal Research Trust:
Monday June 19th
BBC Radio producer Karen Pirie revealed what it takes to make a great programme. A
journalist for more than 35 years, Karen has worked in radio for 20 years having made 100s
of programmes for Radio 4.
Monday May 15th
Turning History into Theatre – Camidge & Stringer – Presented: Jessie Borlase – Florence Nightingale The Second
Monday April 17th
Syd Trudgeon gave an illustrated talk on his experiences in Georgia.
Monday March 20th
Presentations by the Groups. We learnt what each group has to offer.
Monday February 20th
AGM plus a quiz
Monday January 16th
Trevor Smitheram gave a talk entitled: “Rick Rescorla 9/11 – A Hayle Hero”.
All the Socials, of course, included tea, cake and chat!
Previous Socials in 2022
Monday December 19th
Choir “One and All” – with a selection of festive songs. Mulled wine and cake were served.
Monday November 21st
Nick Taylor, Penwith Landscape Partnership
Monday October 17th
Working Guide Dogs (plus dogs) Liz Hargreaves
Monday September 19th
CANCELLATION OF SOCIAL because of the Queen’s funeral. Instead we held an informal social the following day.
Monday August 15th 2022
Summer break.
Monday July 18th 2022
A display of photos, demonstration of line dancing, and information on groups by group leaders, made for a very enjoyable social……lots of chat, laughter, tea and cake.
Monday June 20th 2022
James Green, Director of Newlyn Art Gallery and The Exchange
Wednesday 1st June 2022
JUBILEE PICNIC in Penlee Park.
We celebrated the life and contribution of a remarkable third-ager….!
In true picnic fashion, we brought our own flask of tea, (alcohol is technically not allowed in the Park), a few nibbles to share round (though there was also a mouthful of special Jubilee cake), a folding chair or ground cushion, and an umbrella (just in case….). We wore the royal colours and scoured our lofts for bunting and flags, and also provided of course, the party spirit!
We proposed a toast to Her Majesty at 3pm in the presence of the Mayor of Penzance, Cllr. Jonathan How, and sang the National Anthem. It was a wonderful afternoon, and a great way to celebrate a great life.
Monday 16th May 2022
Poets and short story writers from our members entertained us with their own compositions, followed by tea and cake
Monday 18th April 2022
“The Fool and the Liar” a small selection of original work in verse and song. Followed as always by tea and cake.
Monday 21st March 2022
CANCELLED
The committee took this difficult decision because of the rising number of Covid cases in this area.
February 21st 2022
AGM Followed by a talk on Tall Ships (and tea and cake of course!)
January 17th 2022
“Charles Dickens and Wilkie Collins – A Writing Bromance” .
A lighthearted talk by Jak Stringer and Linda Camidge.
When Wilkie Collins was recruited into Charles Dickens’ amateur theatre group in 1851, they
immediately took to each other. Dickens, at 39 years old, was in need of a good time, and
Collins at 27, was the man who could provide that much needed excitement.
In a friendship that lasted until the death of Dickens in 1870, Jak Stringer will reveal the stories
behind their relationship: kite flying in Paris, Vesuvius walks in sulphurous smoke, coastal
walks in Cornwall – and secret women they loved.
Plus tea and cake.
November 15th 2021
SOCIAL and QUIZ at Penzance Football Club – where we met other Penzance u3a members and enjoyed a cup of tea!
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Monday 18 October 2021
Tea and Cake – and chat – at Penzance Football Club
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Monday 13 September 2021
September saw us returning to meeting up indoors……! For the first time since February 2020! It felt unbelievable! Tea and biscuits, and chat. Drop in and out, no speaker, with groups displaying what they do, and with ideas being shared for new groups and themes…
Monday 19 July 2021! TEA and CAKE in the PARK
We came and celebrated–being alive, the outdoors, socialising, whatever….
As with the very successful U3A Day social we had on 2 June we met in Penlee Park at 14.30 at the tennis court end (entrance by Penlee carpark). It was more open there, and with some steps to sit on as well as a useful bench, but we also brought our own seating – folding chair or stool, or groundsheet and cushion. We also brought our own thermos flasks as although the Penlee cafe do takeaways they get very busy. And there was cake on offer…
Each of us decided whether to wear a mask (when not sipping tea) and to judge the social distancing. If anyone felt uncomfortable where they were sitting, no one felt offended if they decided to move away.
We had a U3A board to identify where the Committee was, and they wore name badges. New members were very welcome.
Persistent rain might have scared us off, but umbrellas can cope with a shower…
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June 21 2021 via Zoom A Trip by Yacht through the French Canals
May 17th via Zoom – A talk about “My Life in Africa – Reminiscences of 57 years”
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April 19th 2021 Anna Renton-director of Penlee House Gallery and Museum. An Introduction to Laura Knight “A Celebration” via Zoom.
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Monday 15th March 2021 Sex in the City–A family planning doctor remembers via Zoom From caps to coils, pills to prostitutes!
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Monday 18 January 2021 Kites and Kite Flying via Zoom- This was a talk about flying and photographing kites in
the U3A Kite Group, starting with personal photographs of kites, about the main types of kite, the camera used, and what it is like for a beginner with the U3A kite group at Rosudgeon. There was then a talk about other aspects of kites and about the kite group.
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Monday 21 December 2020 A seasonal eclectic mix of art, music, poetry, drama and audience participation… all presented by our own members via Zoom.
- Old favourites with Shakespeare and Dickens
- Musical memories from the 60s and 70s
- Art from the 1600s and the 1800s
Aquarius. (Image by OpenClipart- from Pixabay) - Poetry and Duologue and Quizzing
Backed by the Extreme Efforts of the Technical Team to meet the Aspirations of the Social Team !
Why is this date special?
This is the start of Astronomical Winter defined by the position of Earth compared with the Sun. The Sun has reached its most southerly extreme, relative to the celestial equator on the celestial sphere.
This day has the fewest day-light hours, so we can celebrate the coming brighter days. People have been talking (and singing) about the dawning of the Age of Aquarius for decades now, and many astrologers believe that the monumental “great conjunction” taking place on December 21, 2020 is the cosmic event that officially heralds it in. Each Astrological Age lasts 2000 years and this is the Age of Aquarius. (Meteorological Winter is based on the annual cycle of temperature) In December of 2020 we are at the beginning of a new age as Saturn and Jupiter will be aligning in the sign of Aquarius, representing innovation, technology, and revolution.
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Monday, November 16th 2020 -2 pm – ZOOM
Art World Tales: Museum and Auction Anecdotes with Vaughan Allen
‘For this month’s talk. I have been invited to recount some experiences during my career which began at the British Museum, in the Turner Society and as an art director at Sotheby’s. I hope those attending find this informal illustrated discourse both interesting, informative and amusing as there will be some surprising anecdotes along the way’.
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Monday, October 19th on ZOOM
Margaret Riley, Chairman of Marie Curie Helston and Lizard Fundraising Group will give a talk: ‘How Marie Curie plays an important role in end-of-life care’.
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Monday 21st September 2020 “From telegraphy to optical fibre communications – a Cornish tale”. A talk by Gareth Parry –Brief biography Gareth Parry is a volunteer at the Telegraph Museum Porthcurno
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Monday, August 17, 2020 Social: Tea and a chat on Zoom 2.00 pm followed by Entertainment by members from 2.30 pm
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Monday 20th July 2020 Zoom Social Hidden Lives Illustrated Talk with Diana Wayne
What secrets do families keep? And why? This may be a personal search into my grandmother’s life, but there will be echoes into the lives of many women of that time, including the people that you remember. What provoked Dora’s reticence? Did I find the answers from unearthing some family secrets and solving some puzzles? The last one hundred years have seen the fastest changes in all aspects of life than ever before. We learn about the major events, but what about the things that have changed our home lives? Finding out about real lives can be extremely difficult, once memories have gone with you, especially for women.
How can our next generations find out about family history? First, I had to explore the things that were known. Only after that could I reveal the mystery of her behaviour -The Why is another story.
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Monday 15th June 2020 at 2.30 pm. Be Curious! The Joy of Lifelong Learning. by Judith Kingdon
Judith Kingdon is founder of Star Shapers and is a People Builder. She is a trained Counsellor, Coach and Adult Education Teacher passionate about self-discovery and lifelong learning. She loves to inspire, empower and motivate people. Join her for this experiential activity to discover how learning never stops.
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Monday, May 18th Jonathan Kersley gave a talk about Skulls on Zoom
