Monthly Meetings

We meet at 2 pm on the fourth Tuesday of the month at the Congregational Church, Kilwardby St, Ashby.
There is normally a guest speaker or, in December, musical entertainment.
This is followed by tea, coffee and biscuits and a chance to meet and talk with other members.

We remind you that we cannot guarantee that all members or other participants at u3a meetings or gatherings will have been vaccinated nor that they are virus-free and that it is up to individuals to decide whether or not they are comfortable with the risks of mixing in groups when the virus is still very much at large.

Tea Rota and Reporting Groups

24th September

With several committee members unavailable for the monthly meeting due to holidays and other commitments, it fell to Yogi, Glenys and Mike to run the meeting with help from many non-committee members. Everything was under control until Yogi received a phone call early on the Tuesday morning to say that our expected speaker Andrew Barson of Leicester County Council was not well and wouldn’t be able to give his talk on ‘A co-ordinated Ashby’.

Yogi stepped admirably into the breach and not only hosted his first monthly meeting but gave an impromptu talk as well. Despite having only a few hours to prepare, he talked about Change, in particular how change has affected us though our lifetimes.

He recalled how as a child the NHS was entirely free including prescriptions and dental treatment, how he went to university to study to be a teacher and received not only a grant for his education but also free digs and free meals. At the end of his time at uni, he had actually saved money. Compare that with today and the students who leave university with debts of thousands of pounds.

He went on to say how once married, he and Janet moved into a 3 bedroom flat above Owen Jones with rent at just 4gns/ month (£4.20 in decimal money).

He described teaching methods at Newbridge School in Coalville where he started his career. How corporal punishment was common and meted out harshly and frequently. How ROSLA (the Raising of School Leaving Age from 14 to 16) meant that many children were there against their wishes when they had expected to be starting work and earning a wage and what the teachers had to do to keep them under control.

Yogi gave us many other examples of how life has changed in our lifetimes, sometimes for the better, often not. An interesting talk particularly for being created and given at such short notice.

Annie Scotney and Sharon Woodland gave amusing and interesting reports on Wine Appreciation and Crafting respectively, before we all adjourned for tea, coffee and biscuits as usual.