We’re Back Again!

Pembrokeshire U3A held a Monthly Meeting at Haverfordwest Cricket Club on the morning of Thursday 3rd March. Some 43 members took part, many meeting friends and colleagues for the first time since the outbreak of the COVID infection.

Jan Manning, Chair of Pembrokeshire U3A, welcomed everyone and outlined some of the events planned to celebrate thirty years of the U3A movement’s activities here in Pembokeshire.

With the current conflict in Ukraine on everyone’s mind members suggested the we held a collection to support help to the victims of the invasion. There was an enthusiastic response and a collection of £233 quickly accumulated.

The meeting concluded with an entertaining talk by Derek Church on his newly discovered family history.  Lock-down gave him the opportunity to set about researching his ancestry, and the result was finding previously unknown relatives in all parts of the UK and the world, together with many a funny and touching stories to go into his family story.

NATURAL HISTORY GROUP SPOTS SEAL PUPS ON THE COAST PATH


Half a dozen members of the U3A Natural History Group were blessed with a sunny day sandwiched between two very wet ones when they met at Abercastle on Wednesday 29th September to seek out grey seal pups along our coastline. A Natural History highlight of our county famous nationally.

Members Pete and Carol Hall shared their wealth of fascinating knowledge about seals gathered working at a local seal rescue centre as they led us along the coast path to look down on the secluded beaches shielded by high cliffs where our mother seals come in late summer and early autumn to have their pups. We were rewarded by the sight of about a dozen pups, and in some cases their mothers guarding and in one case feeding them. We also got the “once over” as we set off from a bull seal, cruising in Abercastle Harbour near the nursery beaches in the hope of fathering next year’s pups. Female seals mate soon after giving birth.

After being enthralled by the seal spectacle, on the way back our group visited the 5,000-year-old Neolithic Carreg Samson Dolmen, in a scenic spot overlooking the coast. Some then sat down on the grass by the sea in the sunshine to enjoy a picnic, nicely rounding off what was generally seen as a most worthwhile morning.

The Natural History Group will be going out for at least one more outdoor activity at the end of October. All U3Aers welcome!

Interested: contact the Group Leader: stevejbrady@hotmail.com

Steve Brady
Natural History Group Leader.

Pic 1 Pete enthrals us with his knowledge of seals.
Pic 2 A bull seal keeps an eye on us
Pic 3 Off we go!
Pic 4: Seal Beach
Pic 5: Mother and Baby
Pic 6: Carreg Samson dolmen
(Thanks to Myles Huthwaite for pics 4 and 5)

Bowling Group return after Covid

Indoor Bowls has re started but at a new start time of 9.15am to start bowling at 9.30am, this is to allow cleaning to take place before the next session ( Covid 19 precautions).

The session started with a minutes silence to allow bowlers to pay their last respects to
Margaret Lloyd who sadly passed away during lock-down.

The days remain the same Monday, Wednesday & Friday  but time is now 9.15am
We are only allowed a maximum of 16 players per session so if you wish to attend a session you will need to ring me THE DAY BEFORE ON :- 01646 663623 to book in. It will be on a first come first served basis.
Everyone agreed it was great to be back playing again as we had all missed the social and exercise elements of the game.

Below a few photos  of the resumption of play.


Stay safe
John Hodge
Group leader U3A Indoor Bowls Group.

Coronavirus/Covid-19 Information

Just a few links to articles and information sources that might be helpful and to help counteract some of the misinformation:

Covid-19 Mutual Aid UK   A resource for finding local support groups and resources. 

WHO Myth Busters  Facts to counteract some of the myths around Covid-19.

Worldometer  See how the rest of the world compares.

Video Clip  Illustrates the value of social distancing.

How Covid-19 can spread  I won’t be rushing to a buffet any time soon.

Which? on Facemasks  Where to buy and how to make them.

Warning  The next few items are for the more scientifically trained and curious minds but are not recommended for casual reading.

UpToDate  Links and information about the science and research on Covid-19.

Simulating an Epidemic  One for the mathematicians.

 

I’ll add more as I find them.

MJW – Updated 30 May 2020