Monthly newsletter - June 2025

In this newsletter:

  • Dates for your diary
  • Last membership renewal reminder
  • General information/notices
  • Spotlight on group spaces
  • Group news
  • Other information
  • This month's short story

Dates for your diary

How to Avoid Scams: Friday 13th June, 10.30am HICCA – John Perry will be giving a talk on the latest scams and how to avoid them. Let me know if you wish to attend.

Next Monthly Meeting: Thursday 19th June 2025, 2pm HICCA – Roger Browne will give a talk entitled: “The Great American Songbook.” He will talk about the fascinating lives of Gershwin, Kern, Porter, Rodgers, Berlin, Carmichael, Fats Waller and beyond - and their wonderful music. More details here.

Last monthly Meeting: The u3a meeting was entertained by a most interesting account of the whys and wherefores of the water flowing through the Solent. Our speaker was Steve Russell, a professional engineer and ex RNLI Lifeboatman who has experience of two tsunamis. One of them took the form of sudden overwhelming waves which washed the helmsman of the lifeboat overboard before disappearing without affecting the nearby shores. A timely reminder of the power of the sea!

Last membership renewal reminder

Most members have now renewed or let us know they do not intend to renew. As we go into June memberships not renewed will be lapsed so they will no longer be members of groups or receive u3a emails. As last year, the fee is £15 for full members and £10 for associate members.

Click/tap to find out how to renew

Ways to renew:

  • Online via the front page of the Hayling u3a web site (you might need to scroll down when using devices with narrow screens) - or use this link to go direct to the renewal page. Follow the simple instructions you find there. You can pay online by bank transfer or card. You can make a single payment covering two members if that's appropriate.
  • In person at a monthly meeting by card, cash or cheque.
  • By post. Sent a cheque payable to 'Hayling Island u3a' or cash, with member name and SAE to:
    The Membership Secretary
    c/o 18 St Mary's Road
    Hayling Island
    PO11 9BY

Online or in-person renewals save the treasurer and membership secretary time. Your early attention is always appreciated.

General information/notices

Volunteers required: For Tea and coffee monitors at our monthly meetings.

Group Coordinator: Our current coordinator wishes to stand down from her post, so we are looking for someone to take over. Much of the role requires the candidate to access our website to set up new groups etc.

Please let me know if you are willing to help with either of the above.

Spotlight on group spaces

The following groups have spaces for new members:

Click/tap any group name for more details and to contact the group leader(s).

Group news

Embroidery and tapestry

We had the very first meeting of the Embroidery and Tapestry group on Tuesday May 6th. Although there were only two of us, we had a very pleasant afternoon chatting about our different projects and having coffee. (Two other ladies who expressed an interest in coming, unfortunately couldn't make it that day.)

If anyone else would like to join us, they would be very welcome. The next meeting will be on Tuesday June 3rd. More details here.

Ann Strachan

Photography

We welcome new members. If you are not sure if it’s the group for you, please do come along to one of our meetings, held on the last Wednesday of the month from 10.00am -12.00noon, In the Sinah Room Hayling Golf club. More details here.

We have a topic every month and the following month we do two printed photos on that subject. In April our prints were Black & White.

Some of us have DSLR cameras while others use their mobile devices as technology has moved forward.

Sue Wakely

D’ukes Of Hayling

Nee Ukulele Thursday - The Ukulele Thursday group continues to thrive, having risen in number to 32 members who play popular music from the sixties onwards. Although we do get asked for the occasional George Formby number! Music you might hear on Boom Radio in other words. We meet at the Barley Mow on the second and fourth Thursday mornings of the month with some of us having breakfast first.

Additionally, over the last year we have played at the Langbrook Farm on the first Thursday morning of the month and are made very welcome with coffee cups ready for us free of charge. Some of us breakfast there too.

We are invited to perform gigs locally from time to time and these include the Chit Chat group at the Community Centre, the Beach Babes WI, Sam’s Sunflowers, Guide Dogs for the Blind fundraisers at Fareham and Havant and care homes as well as participating in festivals on Hayling and Chichester and not least at our own AGM. We already have bookings for Christmas so it’s Christmas song practice from October!

We have a mix of abilities from complete novices to graded musicians, a range of different ukuleles, a cajon and bass guitar but we sing and play for fun and are happy to try something new. Members make welcome contributions in all sorts of ways. With some of the sounds we make ,we can’t help but smile, and those that see and hear us say we look happy.

If you are interested in joining the group, please register your interest via the website and although we are full at present, spaces do become available regularly.

Peter Haskell

Petanque 1

We had a very good BBQ after our game on 15th May. Seacourt kindly allowed us to use their BBQ and seating area. It was attended by 20 playing members. A very big thanks to the following:

  • Gareth for doing the cooking and sourcing the food.
  • Liz and Peter for providing the plates and cutlery and washing them all up.
  • Liz, Wendy, Elissa, Lorna & Roger B, Verity and Sue for the delicious desserts.

Bill Tait

Science and technology

Our meetings are held in St Patricks Church Hall on the 4th Thursday in the month, this year we are closed for June, July and August, returning in September. The Hall opens at 2.00pm for tea and biscuits, presentation starts at 2.30pm. These presentations are open to everyone in HIU3A, so if you are free then please come along, you do not have to be a boffin and it is good value for a £2 donation towards refreshments and the hall hire.

In April’s Meeting we had a very interesting presentation given by Dr Rod Wing, from Fishbourne Science Group, all about ‘Why air crashes improve safety’.

Click/tap to find out more about Dr Wing's presentation

The main thrust of his presentation was about metal fatigue, and he gave two examples of this phenomenon which caused early jet powered aircraft to crash and the ensuing improvements to inspections on airframes and engines as a result.

His first example was the de Havilland Comet aircraft. This was a world leading aircraft in its day and the pride of British Aircraft building, it was the first commercial jet powered aircraft and had a major impact on reducing the time for long distance travel.

However, after several disastrous crashes around the world, it resulted in the aircraft being grounded whilst investigators tried to discover what had caused them. Post flight inspections of the aircraft were carried out as part of normal routine but the one thing no one was aware of was the flexing of the fuselage as the aircraft climbed from sea level up to 38,000 feet and back again. This change of height and pressure on the fuselage caused minute fatigue cracks to appear at the corner of the cabin windows which were square in shape. These minute hair line cracks could not be seen by any normal inspection, because they were so small. The technology which would have enabled the detection of such minute cracks was not then available and by the time the crack had been noticed it was too late, and the crack had spread along the fuselage thus causing the fuselage to fail and the aircraft to fall out of the sky and crash. When the cause of these crashes was discovered major improvements of the inspection equipment were made. New techniques and equipment were developed such as using X-rays, electron scanning microscopes and ultra-sound so that the inspectors now had the equipment to find any fuselage fatigue cracks.

As aero engine developments improved giving increased thrust which allowed larger aircraft to be built and fly at faster speeds. This resulted in greater rotational speed and heat cycling of the turbine/compressor blades in the aero engine, where minute cracks formed at the foot of the turbine blades causing the aircraft engine to catastrophically fail with the broken blades flying into the cabin. Whilst post flight inspections were made on the engines, the inspectors were looking for any bird strike damage or debris at the input to the engine. It was very difficult to see deeper into the engine and especially at the root of the turbine blades. Unfortunately, the technology was again inadequate for the close inspection needed at the root of turbine blade to identify whether cracks were developing. New inspection equipment was developed to carry out this type of inspection and it has helped to capture cracks at an early stage of development and get the engine replaced before it can fail.

These examples show how the technology of the day outstrips inspection techniques and available equipment to keep aircraft safe. These lessons learnt have been carried forward to every new aircraft that has come off the production line, with improved inspection equipment being made available at the launch of the new aircraft, rather than waiting for a crash to happen before anything is done.

Robert Hornby

Walking group

Bus walks, where we take the 700 Coastliner to the start point for the day, are continuing to prove popular. For the next one, we will get off the bus at Chichester bus station and walk to the lakes formed by gravel extraction on the South Eastern edge of the city before returning to the centre for lunch and the bus back.

Several members of the walking group have wondered whether it would be possible to organise a short walking holiday away. The Isle of Wight, Dorset and East Sussex have been suggested as possible destinations. We would publish the list of guided walks then all make our own arrangements for accommodation. If you are potentially interested in joining a walking holiday, contact Richard North, and he will set up a meeting for us to discuss ideas and start to make plans.

Richard North

Island shanty

The Island shanty group has set out its stall for a busy summer season. A small group entertained guests at Sinah Warren hotel on the 25th May which judging by audience reaction was enjoyed by all.

In June we will be supporting the Hayling Island Horticultural Society with a performance at their show in the afternoon of the 28th.

July is a particularly busy month starting with the ever-popular 'Fish and chip shanty' evening at the Newtown House Hotel on Friday 11th which proved to be a sell out last year. This is swiftly followed with a performance at St Patrick's Church centenary celebration which we are pleased to support on the afternoon of the 12th. We will be performing on both days of Hi Fest. Firstly, at Seacourt Tennis Club on the 26th July and then at the Inn on the Beach on the 27th. Both performances at 12.00pm

Moving into August we are pleased to have been invited back to the ever-popular Sam's Sunflowers for lunch time sessions on 3rd August and 24th August.

We have expanded our repertoire over the last few months and introduced some instrumental backing which has given us some really fun sessions. The group is currently at its membership limit of 40 but if you think this might be for you, please register your interest via the u3a web site particularly if you can play a penny whistle or similar, or a squeeze box.

We look forward to u3a members supporting our events. Fuller details will be on our Island Shanty Facebook page.

John Cushion

Other information

Janine (Jan) North - art exhibition – on now - Jan, who helps organise our visits, has an exhibition of nearly 80 of her paintings and other work at the Oxmarket Contemporary Gallery in Chichester (off East Street, behind M&S Food) until the 8th June (gallery open every day except Monday). The name of the show is “Crazy Ideas” and the focus of the exhibition will be Jan’s “Crazy” series of neurographic art paintings. This technique combines creativity and neuroscience to help individuals explore their inner world, reduce stress, and promote emotional healing. Jan is donating a share of the receipts from sales to the charity, Say Aphasia.

Reminder of South East u3a’s summer school – 1-4 September 2025 University of Chichester. u3a summer schools are organised by individual regions and nations, giving you the opportunity to spend a couple of days getting to know other members, learning new things and exploring topics our u3a might not usually offer. If you are interested further details can be found here.

Holiday to Chatham Kent – Last year Bill Biggs organised a successful group holiday to Cornwall. This year Bill is planning a holiday to Kent, the garden of England, in September 2025. Staying in Bridgewood Manor Hotel in Chatham, the plan is to visit: Chartwell, Faversham, Chatham Dockyard, East Sussex Railway and Canterbury. The cost of two sharing will be £707 for NT members and £727 for non NT members. Further details contact Bill Biggs 023 9246 8789.

This month's short story

A Day to Remember!

Myself, my husband Dave, and our son Phil had just moved to Strood in Kent. Phil was going on 7 years old, and it was the start of the summer holiday. None of us knew anyone in Kent, and both our families lived a long distance away; so I was determined to make this summer as good as it could be for Phil. Dave would be working long hours to get a grip of his new job.

Phil loved animals and so I thought a day at London Zoo would be a good start. I read that Phil could be a member of the Zoological Society and attend special lectures and petting session, plus entry for both of us was reduced by 50%. I joined for him and here we were at the zoo. Phil was shepherded into a small hall and gazed around. There were a number of small animals both loose and in cages and many of the keepers. I was told that I could either come back in an hour or there was a room at the back where I could wait for Phil.

Phil informed me he would be fine and started stroking an enormous Rat and asking about her.

I smiled at the zookeeper and said I would sit in the room if she would give me a call, should I be wanted. She nodded cheerfully. I went out of the hall and opened an adjacent door and looked around there were a number of chairs, with a few boxes and large canvas bags stored under the chairs. I presumed other mums had left them while they waited for their children.

I took a book out of my knapsack and immediately lost myself in the “Other Bolyn Girl” which I had started. My peripheral consciousness could hear a number of noises and rustling, presumably from next door. I shut my mind to it and fell further into King Henry’s Court.

The rustling grew louder. I looked around the room specifically at the floor on my right. The canvas bag was moving and the zip top sliding back. The blunt nose of a snake was immerging, and it was not small. I sat very still as the head emerged and it slithered out.

I was wearing trainers and jeans, the snake leaned back, by this time the head was just below my shoulders and a lot of it was still in the canvas bag. I know little about snakes and tried to remember what to do. I did not move it was looking at me in the eyes. You cannot believe how still I kept. I prayed it was a python as I thought they didn’t bite. The huge snake dropped his head of my lap and slithered up my body until his head was nestling between my breasts. I gingerly put up my hand and stroked his head. Its skin was warm and dry. Using the same techniques, I use on kids and animals I started to whisper nonsense to it very softly. At which time the zookeeper came in.

“Oh, I am sorry, I didn’t realise we had some of the public waiting. Good job you like snakes.”

She expertly lifted the snake off me and took it into the hall to show the kids. I shook from head to foot and had to hang on to the chair. As I went to find Phil, he was looking at a small Red Panda.

“Can we get something to eat now?”, he asked.

Wendy Coates