Hayling Island U3A - July Update 2

In this update:

  • Can you help with the Changing Years project?
  • Booking is open for December's Salisbury visit

Can you help with the Changing Years project?

Mike Burnham writes...

We are now at the stage of beginning this new project to explore and document life on Hayling between the ends of the first and second world wars - the changing years. I thank the many members who have offered to become involved in a range of ways.

I am calling a meeting for all members of Hayling Island U3A who might be willing to become involved. The meeting will be at the Royal British Legion, Legion Road, Hayling on Friday 22nd September at 2pm.

The range of help required is comprehensive; for example, we need people who would be willing to talk with Hayling residents whose families lived on Hayling during those years. It may well be that you live next door to such a family and could encourage them to tell you of their family stories which could be included in a future publication, or have interesting artefacts which they may be willing to lend to an exhibition in 2019. We also seek any members who would be willing to assist in the writing up of the stories and research information gathered. You may be able to help in researching the services available to Hayling residents including:

  • the Southdown Motor Company and transport
  • the demise of the Gas works
  • the Fire Service
  • the Coastguards
  • RNLI
  • the 2 golf clubs
  • the story of the bridge and its effect on Island life
  • the change from Agriculture to becoming a predominately holiday Island:
    • camping
    • railway carriages
    • holiday estates, and the beginning of the holiday camps
  • schooling
  • life as a child during the War
  • the demise of the large summer holiday homes of the wealthy which led to the growth in residential schools

We are fortunate that Janet Coates-Jones has again undertaken the mammoth task of recording the men and civilians who lost their lives within the sequence of major events during WW2. Janet will appreciate any help in tracing these families to enable her to record accurate stories attached to each casualty.

We have over 450 members in our U3A and this is a great opportunity for you to become involved in a project which covers so many areas of everyday life, It is our hope that in taking part you will discover new interests and friendships. We will be offering help and advice to everyone and small groups willing to become involved. No matter how tentative you may feel on reading this I am sure that once you become involved you will find the experience rewarding and enjoyable and you may make new friends along the way.

Our application for funding from the Heritage Lottery Fund is now being re-submitted following discussions with the HLF, and we are hopeful we shall be successful in due course. The funding will help us to publish a quality publication and mount an Exhibition which will tell the story of Hayling Island during those formative years.

In any case, if you'd like to be added to the project mailing list, or if you have something to contribute, please let me know via email address: changingyears@haylingu3a.org.

Thank you,

Mike Burnham

Booking is open for December's Salisbury visit

We'll be visiting Salisbury Cathedral and the Salisbury Christmas market on Wednesday 13th December. The visit will cost £10 plus an optional donation to the Cathedral. Click here to learn more about the visit.

The easiest way for you to book a place is to go to the visit page and follow the instructions shown under 'Your bookings' at the end of the description. You will need to log in to the members' area to complete your booking. Your username is log in to the members' area to see your user id. No-one can tell you your password; if you've forgotten yours you can get a new one - click here to find out how.

Alternatively, you can send a cheque for £10 to Debbie Wilsher. To see her address, click here to log in to the members' area.

We send an update email on the week-end before each monthly meeting. If you have something you'd like to include please let me know.

Andy Henderson
Web site editor, Hayling Island U3A