SEE THE EVENTS PAGE FOR 'DATES FOR YOUR DIARY'

LETTER FROM THE CHAIR

Season's Greetings and welcome to our December Newsletter!

The Coffee Morning was a great success. Very well done to all the Groups and their teams. Read the report ‘inside’ from Duncan, our Groups Liaison.

The new Friends Extra is available to enjoy the exclusive benefits, opportunities and savings through the hub. Just sign up via the Friends newsletter at u3a.org.uk/u3a-friends. Loads of items for health, shopping, adventures and IT kit.

The winter is certainly here so keep well and warm.
Remember- keep moving every hour or so and wiggle your toes.
- eat well and regularly
- get your flu jabs: they are FREE
- wear lots of thin layers rather than one thick one
- hot water bottles are cool!
- use a stick when walking to help your balance
Finally, check that your neighbours are OK!

A very Merry Christmas to you all,

Richard Lewis Chair Furness u3a 

Furness u3a Christmas Social on 9^th December

Furness u3a Coro Coffee Morning

This Coffee Morning was very much an experiment by the committee to see how much support we would get from group leaders, u3a members and the general public. We as a committee were gratified to find that all three factors contributed to what we thought was an unqualified success.

Group leaders in particular gave this event their time and effort and we as a committee can't thank them enough.

The Coffee Morning will be repeated and there could be spin-off events such as get togethers for group leaders as this was mentioned several times by some of the group leaders.

All in all a success featuring enthusiasm and team spirit which we as a committee intend to nurture to the benefit of all.

Duncan Platts - Group Liaison

VOLUNTEERING

Help to make a difference to your u3a

Furness u3a is a volunteer-led charity and, at all levels, volunteers are dedicated to bringing learning opportunities to its members. Furness u3a is run, and activities delivered, by volunteers. This involves being on our friendly committee, running interest groups, organizing meetings and events, taking on smaller roles and tasks to facilitate the smooth running of our u3a. It is vital that we have a substantial pool of volunteers with varying skills and experiences who are willing to get involved. If you are interested in playing a significant part in this thriving organization, please visit the Furness u3a website Volunteering tab, email the membership secretary here or through the Furness u3a website or speak to the Membership Secretary at the Membership Desk at the monthly meeting.

Committee Roles and Vacancies

As a registered charity we are required to have incumbents for the four core roles of Chair, Vice Chair, Secretary and Treasurer. Without members in these roles, we are unable, under charity rules, to operate as an organization. The other eight roles performed on the Furness u3a Committee are Membership Secretary, Group Liaison, Publicity, Speaker Finder, Hospitality, and Welfare and Inclusion. The Committee can co-opt two more members who do not have a named role but who contribute by attending Committee meetings each month. Any Furness u3a member is welcome, with notice, to attend a monthly Committee meeting to get a feel for what is involved in being on the Committee. Also, the minutes of previous Committee meetings are available on the website (bottom of the page) .

Currently, there are five vacancies: Publicity, Speaker Finder, Welfare and Inclusion and the two co-opted roles. In March 2026 the role of Hospitality will become vacant. This means that the Furness u3a Committee will be at only 50% capacity. Please ensure the future of your u3a by making a difference. The full Job Descriptions for all roles are available here.

GARDEN TRIP

The Visiting Gardens group are organising a trip to the Himalayan Gardens at Ripon, Yorkshire. It's on Tuesday the 26th May 2026. It will be with Dave New coaches. So far they have about 20 names, but if they can fill the coach they can hire it cheaper and control they go straight to the gardens. They don't have a exact price probably around £36 coach and entrance fee. If any other u3a members would like to join them on this trip please contact Sabina Garnett asap. They will collect the money at the February monthly meeting in the Coro.

Sabina Garnett

THEATRE TRIP

On 28th May next year the Theatre Group are going to see The Beekeeper of Aleppo in Blackpool. Some of you may have read the book by Christie Lefteri. A powerful reminder of the human capacity for love and resilience in the face of unimaginable loss, it describes the journey of a Syrian family fleeing the war and how the main character keeps bees, a metaphor for his desire to hold on the past and the life he once knew.
They have some tickets available to u3a members, cost is £56 which includes the ticket, coach and drive's tip. If you would like a ticket, or just want to join the group, please let Liz Hill know.

Liz Hill

PUBLICITY OFFICER VACANCY

For all of this year we have not had a Furness u3a Publicity Officer after our previous Publicity Officer, myself, stood down from the role after many years. We have had to depend on committee members carrying out the actions which would have been carried out by a Publicity Officer.

Given the importance of this role we need to fill this post so we can pro-actively promote Furness u3a to potential new members and the broader community in which we live. Please do not leave it to others but consider yourselves for this role. You can talk to me about the role and what it entails and I hope you will take that opportunity. I will also be happy to provide ongoing support to a new Publicity Officer to help them develop this important role. The full role description is available here.

Harry Knowles

GROUP NEWS

Merry Christmas from the Craft Group!

SEQUENCE DANCING - A new Group

Two of our members are thinking of starting a new group, Sequence Dancing....

Dancing makes you feel good! It’s a proven scientific fact!
Sequence dance takes ballroom dancing to a new level, an easier level, where the routines are already worked out for you.
Whether you have danced before or not, why not take advantage of the wellbeing benefits of dancing by joining this new fun group.

All are welcome, but please tell us the following information on your expression of interest:

• Part of a couple, or single?
• If single, would you be a leader (traditionally man's steps), follower (traditionally lady's steps) or either?
• Do you have any previous experience of sequence dancing, or any other form of dancing?

The aim of the group is to have fun dancing. We are not getting you ready for appearing on Strictly Come Dancing. There are no judges and if you go wrong, what the hey… it's about being active and taking advantage of all the wellbeing benefits dancing brings.

So why not 'come dancing' with this new fun group. What's the worst that can happen!

Dawn & Adrian Morris

If you are interested in being part of this new group, and would like to know more, please contact Groups Liaison

QUESTERS

Twenty four Quester members had an informative and interesting visit to Ulverston Brewery, in Lightburn Road, this month which was arranged by Sheila Bull (thanks so much Sheila).

We were greeted with a hot drink and biscuit, very welcome in the cool brewery.
Anita, one of the two proprietors, and brewers, talked through the change in lifestyle and employment which resulted from their passion for real ale and the intricacies of brewing it.

They began on a very small scale and with borrowed premises and equipment, even using a Burco boiler in first attempts, before taking a leap of faith and buying part of the old auction mart and equipping it with purpose built stainless steel tanks and pipe work .
We were offered a sample of their signature brew, Laughing Gravy, and a lighter brew named Flying Elephants. Paul and Anita run the brewery alone and supply Booths, several local pubs and other pubs across the Lakes. It's a true success story borne out of 'sweat, blood and tears' (as Anita said)! Our group felt proud that a lovely hardworking couple from Ulverston were making such a good product and having success with it. See the attached Photos of our group, Anita and Paul, as well as the brewery equipment.

Quite a number of our group bought Christmas gifts in the form of Ulverston Brewery's presentation pack of beer at the end, and we all agreed that the visit had opened our eyes to what interesting businesses we have in our town.
It was a very enjoyable morning.
Most of the group, and with a few additions, then descended on Honeysuckle Cafe and Bistro in Market Street to enjoy a delicious lunch, to round off our Questers' Visit.

We now look forward to our Christmas Lunch at the Abbey House Hotel.
This has again been arranged by Sheila Slack for 12 noon, WEDNESDAY December 17th and proves to be yet again, the highlight of the Questers year. Forty five Questers wishing to attend, has already been finalized with each Quester selecting their Christmas meal and paying for it thanks to Sheila's forwards planning. All that is left is to show up and enjoy.

Best wishes to you,
Sue and Tim

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

WORLD HISTORY

Thirty Years War 1618-1648 and Hanseatic League

Picture shows soldiers looting a Farm during Thirty Years War

We then looked at the Hanseatic League which was a powerful commercial and defensive confederation of merchant guilds and market towns in Northern Europe. It dominated Baltic and North Sea trade for several centuries and played a major role in medieval economic development. The League started to emerge in the late 1100s as German merchants from cities such as Lubeck and Hamburg cooperated to secure safer trade routes. In the 14^th Century the league became the dominant force in Northern European trade. It built a network of trading posts in cities such as London, Bruges, Bergen and Novgorod. Collective bargaining allowed the League to secure major trading privileges from rulers. The league declined in the 15^th to 17^th Century due to the rise of strong nation-states, changing trading routes and increasing trading competition. The League effectively dissolved in 1669 at its final diet at Lubeck. Its legacy survives in the commercial, legal and architectural traditions of many Baltic states. Remains of Hanseatic League buildings can seen be seen under Canon Street Station in London and in Kings Lynn.

Harry Knowles

If you would like to join us, please contact Rosie Kyles

LOCAL HISTORY GROUP

U3A Local History Group Meeting report 10 November 2025

Sue opened the meeting and welcomed our guest speaker Martin Cooper.  Martin came to talk to us on the remarkable life of Revd Capt Theodore Hardy VC, DSO, MC CF, Chaplain to KGV.  He was the most decorated non-combatant of the 1st World War'; An awe-inspiring tale of Christian witness by a Westmorland Vicar.

Martin’s talk was a comprehensive account of his life from his earliest years and showed how a tragic family background shaped him up to be the man he became.  During his early years and even into his early twenties Martin demonstrated in the lack of a Father figure at home how his teachers and others became Father figures to him and how this benefited him and he took up teaching as well as eased into ministry eventually becoming a full time vicar of Hutton Roof near Kendal.  Tragedy struck again when his wife died early shortly before war broke out in August 1914.  Hardy, with children away from home and no ties at once volunteered but at 51 was considered too old and was turned down.  He was later accepted as a temporary Chaplin after he had gained skills in First Aid which were needed all to often.  On the front he was there going out with stretcher parties to recover the injured and at times stayed whilst still under fire with a dying man until the end.  His early fitness and daily cold baths helped him endure the physical hardships that would have killed most men his age.  Well respected, instead of coming back to base with the men he cared for he remained when the replacement troops arrived realising that he could do more good despite the personal risk remaining rather than ministering to the men at the camps behind the line.

A modest man he found the praise he was given and the medals he deservedly won an embarrassment and did not want his VC.  It was awarded personally by the King in July 1918 and in September 1918 he was made Chaplin to the King, a high honour.  Sadly eventually he found himself shot on October 10^th 1918, one month short of the armistice and died of his wounds in Rouen a week later.

Throughout the talk Martin talked about the war history in context to Hardy, from the lead up to war and the terrible times during its duration to the armistice 3 weeks after Hardy died.

A talk I hope to attend again next month in Barrow and the 65 mins taken to deliver it passed all too quickly.  I intend to order the book on Hardy and learn more about this unassuming hero.

This month on Monday 8^th December we welcome Peter Laird to give us his talk “Barrow: Born of villages, built by industry.’

Based on his new book it covers the major era of transformation of a tiny harbour village into an industrial town in a very short time and how a diverse group of hamlets and villages became the Barrow we know today.

Geoff Holme, Joint leader

VISITING GARDENS

Our next event will be our annual planning meeting on Tuesday 20th January at the Ulverston Golf Club from 10.00a.m. - lunch. Further details to follow.

Jeni Sarson

INDUSTRIAL HISTORY GROUP

We had to find a new venue for this year’s Christmas meeting and lunch, because the owners of our usual one had retired.  Jo did a great job finding a suitable alternative in Ulverston and 26 members met at The Mill, Ulverston.

Barbara reminded the group of the talks and visits that had taken place during 2025 and thanked those members who had contributed.  Without their help and willingness to organise events, the Industrial History Group could not exist.  A big thank you also, to our members who regularly attend these events.

The group was given a brief description of the incomplete programme for 2026, and people were asked to indicate which visits they preferred from a list of five possibilities.  Some members recommended other places that could be suitable for next year. With the talking out of the way, we were then able to tuck into some very tasty food.

The January meeting – Gleaston Village Hall – Stephen Cove talking about Coniston copper mines.

Jo White

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 November 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 November 2025 - January 2026 copy.