Newsletter April 2019

1 of 4    Website:​ ​www.flintshire-u3a.co.uk​ ​Email:​ [email protected] Volume 14 Issue 2 April 2019 Diary Dates:​ M​ ay 8​th ​The All Wales U3A Conference 2019. This event is open to ALL U3A members.  May 22​nd​ Closing date for the submission of articles for the June newsletter.  June 6​th​ ​ Open Meeting Connah’s Quay Civic Centre​ ​10am for 10.30am start. Speaker TBC      Gardening Group  The March meeting was a most informative and enjoyable talk on Bonsai, given by a local  expert, Dave Yarranton, who has been awarded an RHS medal for Bonsai.      Philip Johnson  Welsh Improvers: Dydd Gwyl Dewi Sant    The Welsh Improvers Group were joined by Kevin Matthias for a special serving of leek and  potato soup. Kevin gave a very interesting talk, in Welsh, on the Mold riots which happened 150  years ago. Following a dispute with the English management, two miners were sentenced to  hard labour. Several hundred people gathered to protest as they were taken to Mold railway  station to be taken to prison. Four people died and dozens were injured when militia opened fire  on the crowd.​ T​ his 150th anniversary is set to be celebrated in the town later this year, so look  out for opportunities to participate!    Susan John    1 

2 of 4  Message from the Chair    May I thank you all for giving me the opportunity to attempt to give back to the U3A what it has done for  me in completely changing my life. I will endeavour to carry out the duties of the Chair to the very best of  my ability.     Thank you  Colin Lewis  Neges gan y Cadeirydd      Hoffwn ddiolch i chi am roi cyfle i mi geisio rhoi yn ôl i'r U3A yr hyn y mae wedi'i wneud i mi wrth  newid fy mywyd yn llwyr. Byddaf yn ymdrechu i gyflawni dyletswyddau'r Cadeirydd hyd eithaf fy  ngallu.     Diolch o galon.  Colin Lewis ​ T​ ranslation provided by Jane Owen  Advanced French 2  The thought of power went to the heads  of FU3A’s Advanced French Group in  January. After reading the French  Revolutionaries’ 1789 Declaration of the  Rights of Man, they leaped at the chance  of running for the post of Mayor of Mold.  Group A won with promises of banning  the use of mobile phones whilst  crossing the road, increasing the  signage to the park to encourage greater  use of the facility and reducing the rent  for shop keepers in order to attract more  businesses to the town. Not content  with that, they then drew up their  manifestos to be Prime Minister and  even the leader of the world!! Finally, they relaxed by listening to (and singing!) a protest song.  People of Flintshire might need to watch out!    Mary Ann Cameron  More Dates For Your Diary   Thurs 16​th​ May Coffee morning at the Grosvenor Hall in Mold 10am - 12pm Please drop in. An  especially big welcome for new members with a chance to get information about interest  groups and meet other members.    Sunday 8​th​ September Late Summer Social with afternoon tea at Gwernymynydd Village Hall  2.30pm. More details nearer the time.    Marie Edwards  Interest Groups Handout  There is no handout this month because the groups information is unchanged from February.     2 

3 of 4  Discovery Courses at Ty Cwch  Quiz  Courses are aimed at people approaching or  newly retired. For interest in the new courses  If you enjoy engaging those ‘little grey cells'  or the Ty Cwch bunkhouse and boathouse on  then come along and test your knowledge.  the Welsh Coastal Path search on Ty Cwch or  contact Nigel Humphrey.      3rd Friday of the month 19.30, Grosvenor Hall,  Mold  Tel: 07535149130 Email:[email protected].      Diane: 01244 544284    Wine Group 2    This was unanimously the best red from our last meeting and believe me it’s well worth trying.     MONTE CAO ALENTEJO DOC 2017 14% ALDI £5.69  Monte Cao (The Dog House) is home to this intense, deep and ever-so-slightly quirky red wine  from this famous wine producing region of Southern Portugal. Ripe and generous, with an  easy-going fruit-forward appeal. Cunningly made using the very best of Portugal's indigenous  grapes: A​ ragonez, Trincadeira & Touriga Nacional.​ Aromas of red fruit, violets and flowers, with  a smooth and long mouth feel and persistent finish. Great with all red meats, pork and a BBQ.  Veg/Vegan suitable.     John Tiplady  ​Walking Group  A NEW GROUP  MID WEEK        Nothing deters the Friday Walking Group:    January 2019  The third Wednesday of the month  (Photograph by Mary Katerega)  If you are interested, please contact us for a  preliminary meeting    Philip and Mary Johnson  [email protected]   Exploring Science Group  Armchair Travellers    May 14​th -​ ’Nansen, the Arctic and UK Severe    Weather’ with Dr. Tom Rippeth, Bangor  University. Ticket £2.  April 11​th​ - Colin does Europe (part of it!)        May 9​th ​ - Adelaide to Melbourne (along coastal  drive) (TBC)  If you are not a member of the Group and  We meet on the second 2​nd ​ Thursday of the  would like to attend any of the talks, please  month, from 2 to 4pm at New Brighton  contact C​ hris Hill:​ ​[email protected]  Community Centre.      3 

  4 of 4      Crown Green Bowls ​New  Diaries - ​There are still some 2019 Diaries  season starts Thursday  18​th​ April 2019  available. Please collar me at a U3A meeting or  event, or email s​ [email protected]​ if you  would like one. They cost £2.50 and I will probably  have them about my person. ​Stuart Murray  Enhance Your Photos (Digital Image Manipulation)  The best way to turn snaps into a great photograph is to fine-tune your image, and it's not as  difficult as you may think. Image manipulation is to digital photographers what the darkroom  was to film photographers.    The Group meets every other Monday 2-4pm at Rhydymwyn. A course based on Adobe  Photoshop aimed primarily for intermediate users is provided.     Members use Adobe Photoshop, Elements and Affinity, so there is always helpful advice. There  will be something for everyone. However if you are brand new to image manipulation email me.     Brian Pringle [email protected]  Social History    The Group meets on the first Monday of the month at Ewloe Social Club 10.15 am start.   May 13​th​ Iron Mad Jack Brian Gresty  June 3​rd​ A Pioneers Paradise Jennifer Watson     Brian Bennett- FU3A Social History Group Coordinator  Researching Family History    If you are interested in tracing your family history then come along and learn the art of  researching the lives of long lost relatives.    We meet on the 3​rd​ Monday of the month from 2-3.30pm in the Training Room (1st floor) at  Mold Library.    Steven: 01352 754893 eMail [email protected]  U3A All Wales Annual Conference and Celebration - ‘Endings and Beginnings’  Wednesday 8​th​ May 2019 at The Metropole Hotel, Llandrindod Wells 10.30–15.30   £13 per person, coffee and lunch included     The conference will mark the end of the Coastline and Border Celebration. It will celebrate the  collaboration that has taken place between U3As across Wales over the past year. We will hear  from some of the U3As and members that have contributed to the project. An exhibition of  examples, taken from the huge body of the work that was produced, will be on display at the  conference, before it begins its journey around Wales. Building on the success of the Coastline  and Border celebration, the afternoon will see a beginning of a new shared learning project  focussing on ‘Castles’. To start us off - Bill Zajac, Legislation and Policy Officer from Cadw, will  talk to us about the Castles in Cadw’s care. Please complete the booking form by following the  link on the Wales website www.u3asites.org.uk/walesu3a   This edition of the newsletter was edited by Martin Hampstead, Susan John and Muriel Vernon    4