SEE THE EVENTS PAGE FOR 'DATES FOR YOUR DIARY'

LETTER FROM THE CHAIR

Greetings and welcome to our September Newsletter.

I hope that you all have had a lovely holiday looking after the grandchildren, gardening or just enjoying our beautiful countryside, not forgetting the constant watering needed for our plants! Our thoughts go to our friends and family down South who have severe water restrictions.

In our area we look forward to our special celebrations and events with our regular meetings. Details inside!

A reminder for the more athletic of us is the close of applications on 18th September for the London Marathon next year on 25th April 2027– such a brilliant charity fund raiser.

See you soon,

Richard Lewis
Chair

Richard Lewis Chair Furness u3a

20th Anniversary Celebrations

This month sees our celebration of 20 years of Furness u3a on Tuesday 29th September, starting at 10am and carrying on into the afternoon. You will be able to drop in and out of the event using your ticket.

Tickets are needed but the event itself is free.
Tickets are available at the September monthly meeting.
Ex-members are very welcome too.

We hope it will be a day of remembering and celebrating. Between us we have created a vibrant organization with over 600 members and over 40 interest groups. We should be very proud of our achievement.

The day will consist of speeches (short), presentations and exhibitions by various groups. There will also be an opportunity to share your special memories with others. If you would like to share a memory please contact Carol Green.

Lunch will be a Jacob's Join consisting of sweet and savoury finger food. ( See your ticket to know which to provide. )

NOTE - Those with dietary restrictions should bring their own food and not take part in the Jacobs Join

Programmes will be provided on the day, so you can plan ahead. These will give you the approximate times for events and lunch etc.
We look forward to seeing you there!

Provisional schedule of Presentations

10.00 am - Introduction by our compere Neil McLaughlin Cook
10.10 am - String Chickens – Ukulele Group
10.40 am - Origins – Diane Hill
10.50 am - The French Group
11.20 am - Mayor of Barrow
11.30 am - Sequence Dancing
12.00 pm - Mayor of Dalton
12.10 pm - Lunch – Jacob’s Join with Digital Photography Presentation
12.45 pm - English Country Dancing
1.15 pm - Mayor of Ulverston
1.25 pm - The Uke Troupe
1.55 pm - The Folk Group
2.25 pm - Drama duo
2.45 pm - Memories – Carol Green
2.50 pm - Break with cake
3.10 pm - David Blanchflower
3.20 pm - Memories – Tim Evans
3.25 pm - Barrow Male Voice Choir
3.55 pm - Final Word – Richard Lewis

COMMITTEE NEWS

There will be a new Committee Table at the September Monthly Meeting.

Would you like to ..... ?

Speak to a committee member, find out who they are, what their roles are and view the latest available committee minutes
Find out about how you can help to make Furness u3a grow and flourish
Find out about Furness u3a grants and loans
Look at a group list and find out how to start a new group
Check out risk assessments for walking groups and visits and how to complete an incident report form.
Know more about National u3a, its vision for the next three years, online courses, the u3a Festival in York, the Northwest Region Summer School in Manchester and the availability of subject advisers.
and much, much more….

GROUP NEWS

For help and support with starting or running groups, please contact
Duncan Platts Groups Liaison

BIRDWATCHING

Osprey Safari Esthwaite Water

This summer, a few members of the Furness U3A Birdwatching group had the pleasure of watching the ospreys at Esthwaite Water.

The Osprey Safari run by the Boathouse café took us twice by boat on the lake where we moored up about 200 metres from the osprey nest to observe the birds and their 3 chicks with their very knowledgeable ornithologist, who gave us lots of background information.

The ospreys return from West Africa each Spring where the lake and surrounding areas provide everything they need to successfully breed and raise their young.

The female has been known to nest there for the past 21 years, and the current male for 10 years, during which they have successfully raised 2-3 chicks each year. This year there have been reports of some of their previous chicks settling at Kielder Forest in Northumberland to breed.

The male returns first each year in April and awaits the female. Once she arrives, they will mate and lay eggs which the female will incubate, during which the male can be seen fishing over the lake and as far away as Poaka Beck reservoir and the Kent estuary behind Foulshaw Moss.

There are plenty of trout and perch in the lake to feed the chicks.

In June, the chicks were well grown but hadn’t yet fledged. We saw the male making several sorties but he wasn’t successful whilst we were there in bringing fish.

By the time we returned in August, the chicks had fledged and were practising flying between the trees. Mum was keeping a close eye as she perched on the nearby dead tree. The male flew off down the lake where soon he returned with a catch which he deposited on the nest for a hungry chick, his arrival greeted by calling from the chicks. He also saw off an interested heron and a herring gull attempting to steal his catch.

The parents will stay until the chicks can feed themselves reliably and then they will set off in late august on their return journey across Europe to West Africa for the winter. The chicks will follow on a few weeks later and stay in Africa for 3 years before they return to breed.

As well as the ospreys, we saw several families of Great Crested Grebe, Buzzards, a Red Kite and also a pair of North Carolina Wood Duck – a first for all of us.

Thanks to John Houldsworth in the group for his amazing photos.

Tisha Scott Furness U3A Birdwatching

VISITING GARDENS

Visit to Levens Hall

Our August visit was to Levens Hall, where the gardens were holding up well to the series of heatwaves this summer, and still had plenty of colour, particularly in the beds around the ancient topiaries. Our group also enjoyed the café and bakery, where they had some unusual and tasty cakes. Thanks to Liz Harrison for organising this trip.

Our next trip on Tuesday 15^th September is a change to our programme. We are now going to Hylands House, Brigsteer Road, Kendal, LA95DY. This is a new listing for the NGS yellow book. The garden is over 2 acres and includes formal gardens, kitchen garden, orchard, exotic and woodland areas . This a private garden which will be opening solely for our group. We will be meeting in Victoria Road cul-de-sac at 9.45am for car sharing. The costs are £10 for the gardens, drink and cake and £5 for a lift. Diane Hill is organizing this trip.

To book your place please contact Jeni Sarson by 7^th September at the latest, stating whether you are a driver or will need a lift.

Jeni Sarson Visiting Gardens

INDUSTRIAL HISTORY GROUP

Industrial History Group visit to Arnside on Thursday the 27^th August 2026

A short, rail journey from Ulverston took 15 of us to Arnside Station, the start of our guided tour of the town.

Neil described the history of the railway, the viaduct and the Hincaster branch line. The one-time fishing village of Arnside stands on the side of the Kent estuary where the river enters Morecambe Bay. Before the coming of the railway, it was a small hamlet of a few farms, fishermen’s cottages and inns. The railway arrived in 1857, and the station was built by the Ulverstone and Lancaster Railway in 1858. The red brick building on the south bound platform was once the ticket office which replaced the more ornate, original office. It is no longer used by the railway.

The viaduct across the Kent, connecting industrial Barrow to distant Lancaster, was built in 1857. Originally, it was to have been constructed of wood, but a shortage of timber, caused by the Crimean War, meant it was built of steel. It is 505 metres long and has 50 supporting piers. It was rebuilt in 1915. Brickwork was added to the steel piers to support the extra weight of munitions trains. More recently in 2011, the deck and upper portion was completely replaced. On the original plan an opening section was included to allow ships to pass through, but this was not constructed. Ships could no longer reach the port of Milnthorpe at Sandside, so a pier was built at Arnside on a site adjacent to the current pier. The original one was destroyed in a storm. A “compensation road” was built between Arnside and Sandside in 1870. This road and the station gave holiday makers greater access to and from the village. Guest houses and a promenade were built.

We walked to the end of the station platform to the start of the Hindcaster branch line. Built in 1876 by the Furness Railway, this line connected the Cumbrian coast main line to Hincaster Junction on the Lancaster and Carlisle Railway (now the West Coast Main Line). It passed through the stations of Sandside and Heversham. The main reason for its construction was to carry coal and coke from County Durham to the blast furnaces of Barrow without the trains having to reverse at Carnforth. A passenger service from Grange to Kendal, via Arnside, ran from 1876 to 1942. Durham coal miners would have travelled on this line when going to and from the convalescent home at Conishead Priory near Ulverston. Freight transport and a short stub to Sandside quarries lasted until 1971. Only the embankment exists now, but members of our group could remember seeing the old rails.

Julia was our guide along the promenade from the railway station to the Coast Guard Station. She pointed out “The Old Fighting Cocks”. The original inn was built in 1660. When the Victorian holidaymakers started to arrive, the inn was extended and the name changed to the more upmarket name “The Crown Hotel”.

At one time, Arnside Port traded with Liverpool and Ireland, but eventually lost its trade to more accessible harbours. We saw the former Old Customs Warehouse, now occupied by the Sailing Club. Julia showed us a photograph of the Custom Office which stood opposite the warehouse. Until 1850, it was occupied by the Inland Revenue Coast Waiter. The customs and excise officer was responsible for monitoring, inspecting, and controlling domestic coastal shipping and cargo movements. They collected the taxes for the Port of Milnthorpe. In 1925 the office and other storage buildings were demolished to widen the road.

Arnside has a long history of sailing and regattas in Victorian times. The Crossfield family had boat and house building businesses. They built fast, shallow-drafted fishing boats and yachts. The boat builder’s yard is now unoccupied.

After a very pleasant lunch, some of the group walked along part of the branch line embankment, and then returned to the station before the heavy rain started.

The group really appreciated all the hard work and research done by Neil and Julia, and also the organisational skills of Jo who made sure the visit went well.

Future visits are:
September 24^th – Threkeld Quarry and Mining Museum
October 22^nd - Speaker at Gleaston Village Hall
November 26^th - annual review and meal at Gleaston Village Hall

We will invite speakers to Gleaston Villag Hall in January, February and March

April 22^nd - The British Commercial Vehicle Museum, Leyland
May 27^th - Kath Walley is leading us in Kendal, including a visit to the Lord Mayor’s Chamber.

There is also a visit to Oxleys, waiting for confirmation of the date.

If you would like to join us on any of our visits please let Jo White know.

Barbara and I are already gathering ideas for next years programme, so if you could lead a visit or have an idea please let Jo know.

Jo White Industrial History Group

WORLD HISTORY GROUP

World History – Korea Under Pressure

Our presentation this month focussed on the period between 1860 and 1910. In this time period Korea went from being an isolated “Hermit Kingdom” to being colonised by Japan.

In the late 19^th century numerous attempts were made by foreign nations such as Britain, USA, Russia and Japan to forge trading links with Korea. Korea was always resistant, wanting no contact with foreign countries. They did already have limited trading connections with China and Japan.

Eventually, Japan managed through “gunboat diplomacy” to get Korea to sign an uneven treaty with them. This was the Gangwha Treaty of 1876. This gave Japan more influence in Korea and allowed them greater trading opportunities

Within Korea some attempts were made to reform, especially after a series of peasant rebellions. The peasants were so successful that King Kojong called in help from China. This upset the Japanese who sent in their own troops. The result was the Sino-Japanese War 1894/5. After they defeated China, Japan had even more influence in Korea.

King Kojong and Queen Min of Korea were eventually put under arrest. They began asking Russia to help them. Queen Min in particular wanted foreign help, so as to reduce Japanese influence and eventually she wanted to oust the Japanese from Korea.. The Japanese Government thought Queen Min was such a threat to their expansionist plans in Korea, they arranged for her assassination and she was murdered in 1895.

King Kojong sought Russian help again and Russia were also gaining influence in Manchuria. This concerned the Japanese who decided to deal with the Russians and they defeated them in the Russo-Japanese war of 1904/5 . The Japanese hold over Korea was now even stronger and Japan had gained significant power as a nation.

After the Taft – Katsura agreement between America and Japan in 1905, America allowed Japan to continue to have a strong influence in Korea, whilst Japan agreed to leave the Philippines to America.

In 1907 Emperor Kojong was forced to retire. His son Sunjong became Emperor but he was just a puppet of the Japanese and had no real power. The Japanese dominated the Korean Parliament. Emperor Sunjong too was eventually forced to resign in 1910 and the Japanese completely annexed Korea making it a colony of Japan.

If you are interested in joining the group please contact Rosie Kyles or via World History Group on the Furness u3a website.

QUESTERS

Questers Visit to Gleaston Water Mill

On Thursday 20th August, twenty Questers visited the Water Mill at Gleaston. If you've never visited this hidden gem, and you have the slightest interest in mechanics, local history and its people, this water mill is a real treat!

Firstly, we were given a talk on the history of the Mill by Michael the owner. He is very proud of its history in that a mill has been on that site since some time in the 1100s. After researching the families that have rented it and owned it, Michael is full of stories about its genealogy!

The buildings and driving mechanism have gone through a fair few iterations and modernisation. (A bit like Doctor Who I suppose).

During the introduction, the computer sound for the presentation, didn't work, so Michael had to give the commentary himself. We all thought this was a much better introduction than was planned.

So, after a long chat with Michael, we had a tour of the Mill with Vicky, Michael's wife.

She explained that when they bought the mill, it came complete. That's to say, their purchase included all the tooling to maintain the building and everything to go with it. They "inherited" an absolute treasure trove not only of the mill and its buildings, but a huge amount of old tooling.

It became clear that a "Miller" in yesteryear had to be a "Jack" of so many trades, including being a blacksmith, carpenter, mechanic, builder, hydrologist, stable hand and accountant. (I'm sure there are a few more I've not mentioned!!)

There are fantastic displays to make the information about the mill so very clear to see and understand.

The apprentices from B.A.E have carried out renovation work on the main drive wheel in the past, which is now a mix of wooden frame and metal teeth. (Although there is a strong suspicion it also contains discarded submarine parts such as its the drive shaft!)

It is the true passion of Michael and Vicky for this mill that makes a visit so pleasurable. We finished by having lunch at Dusty Millers Cafe next door. It was great!!

Next up!!

Our next Questers visit will take place on September 17^th and was initially arranged by Doreen Daniel, but due to her being unable to join the visit, final arrangements are now being made by Sue Whibley.

The visit is to the Victorian Woolen Mill turned art and craft centre, not far from Sedburgh. It has displays depicting the history of the mill and it also has original working looms. The main exhibitions focus is on textile art, but it is now an establishment that promotes art and craft from the immediate area. It includes handcrafted items of metal work, glass work, and leather work to mention just a few.

We've spoken to a couple of Questers who have visited and it promises to be a very interesting visit. Should you wish to join this visit please contact If you are interested in joining the group please contact Sue Whibley

Sue and Tim

Please see the Questers Group page for details, or contact Tim Evans

SEQUENCE DANCING

Sequence Dance Group Update

In last month’s newsletter we promised a new format starting in September to enable dancers to continue to grow and create a safe space for new dancers to start their journey. This change will now commence on Wednesday 7^th October.

Here are the details…

From 7^th October

Every Wednesday 14:30 – 17:30 at Croftlands Community Centre, September to May.

The first hour will be dedicated to Beginners. Learning the basics and creating a foundation to build on.

From 15:30 there will be a Social Dance until 17:30, with a tea break in there too of course. During this session we will gradually introduce more dances to increase our repertoire.

We are happy for dancers to come to all of it or part of it.

As always, the focus is on fun, being active and learning a new skill.

Please get in touch if you fancy giving it a go.

And if you need any motivation, here is just one of the many scientific facts about the benefits of dancing.

Wow, what a stat that is!

We are super proud of our dancers, and you can see some of us perform at the 20^th Anniversary Celebration Event on 29^th September.

As always, keeeep dancin’

Dawn Morris and Adrian Morris

WELFARE AND INCLUSION UPDATE

Change

Life is full of changes. Some are expected and some are not.

As a child, we expect to grow up, go to school, have a job, get married, have a family, live a long and happy life. Sounds idyllic, doesn’t it. The reality can be very different, and the universe can throw you a curve ball or 2, or 3, or 4…

It can be easy to get down about things that happen in your life which you were not expecting or want, OR, you can choose to find the silver lining and embrace a change of direction for your life.

I have changed direction in my life many times, so I am speaking from experience, and also with a new curve ball I’m dealing with at present.

Being part of the u3a helps, giving me focus to ensure I am active and that I socialise. I am also blessed with a fantastic circle of family and friends.

We all need to help each other through life’s drama and find the positive you never knew was there.

Dawn Morris

Welfare and Inclusion Officer

SOME OTHER SOURCES OF WIDER U3A NEWS

There are several places where you can catch up on U3A news from further afield.

There is a U3A Friends Group who send out a regular newsletter. You can see the August edition here, and if you would like to subscribe there is a link at the bottom of their newsletter.

There is a U3A YouTube channel U3A

The North West Region of the U3A have their own website, and a quarterly newsletter.
This is the August - September 2026 copy. The North West Region's Council Representatives also have a Newsletter read it here.

You can access the national Third Age Matters magazine on line here, including screen read editions.