APRIL MEETING “SMILE PLEASE – SAY CHEESE” We were royally entertained at our April meeting when Ian Rogerson talked to us about cheese and brought a large selection for us to taste. There are apparently over 700 different types of cheese made in the UK, but as a nation, we tend to eat only half as much cheese as our European neighbours. Ian reminisced about bygone days when food was bought in specialist shops around Leicester market. Coming from a butcher’s family he then took over a cheese shop in Loughborough and after his first encounter with Stilton cheese he was hooked. In his own inimitable way he encouraged us to experiment with new cheeses and to vary the accompaniments we serve with them, such as apples, strawberries, oils, chutney and even jam. As he said, enjoying food is a social activity and we should open up our palates to embrace new flavours and to pair a strong cheese with a creamy mild one. After the talk we were able to taste a wide variety of cheeses including “Mexicana” with chilli peppers, “Yarg” with a rind made of nettle leaves and “Bowland” flavoured with apples raisins and cinnamon. His informative talk was peppered with amusing anecdotes and full of infectious enthusiasm for his theme.
SUMMER BARBECUE AT LUTTERWORTH GOLF CLUB, SATURDAY JULY 30TH 2016 FROM 3 P.M. As announced at our March and April meetings we have decided to hold a Summer Barbecue on July 30th 2016 at Lutterworth Golf Club as a change from our Picnic at Misterton Hall. The menu includes: beef burger, sausage, chicken and chorizo skewers, lamb kofta kebab, char grilled vegetables, tossed mixed salad, fresh crunchy coleslaw, sauces relishes and chutneys, soft bread rolls, strawberries and cream and tea or coffee. Vegetarian options are vegetable burgers, sausages and skewers and whole filled mushrooms. The cost will be £15 per head and a list for signing up will be available at the May meeting. Confirmation and payment will be required at the June Meeting. We hope for clement weather but at the Golf club we do have the option to be inside if necessary and at least this time we don’t have to bring tables, chairs and a picnic!
Group Reports (in alphabetical order)
ART APPRECIATION Co-ordinator: Ursula Kanetis 01455 553563
For our April Meeting we met at the New Walk Museum to view “OPEN 27”, Leicester and East Midlands Open Art Exhibition. This is the city’s annual showcase of artistic talents of our region, from established artists to recent graduates and first time exhibiting artists. In addition two new categories were on show: one for children and one for youth. This is a very popular and diverse Exhibition, featuring a wide range of media: from Painting and Drawing over Photography to Collage and Sculpture. We divided our visit in two parts with a very lively discussion in the middle. After viewing at individual pace, we tried to decide, which piece of work did we like. Would we hang it in our house? Everybody saw and felt quite different things. So, after a short tea break it was helpful to be guided back to the discussed exhibits for another deeper look. Most of the prize-winners, we concluded, would not have received our votes. We disagreed profoundly. Again, it was so obvious, that what each of us sees, is influenced by a whole host of assumptions. That, however, makes talking freely about pictures so exciting and inspiring for our group.
Next Meeting: 13th May 2-4pm. At my house. Subject: “GARDENS"
BOOK CHAT Co-ordinator: Mick Curtis 01455 554504
This month's book was The Cairo House by Samia Serageldin. This was a fictionalised autobiography set, unsurprisingly, mostly in Egypt. It covers her early life and into her adulthood in America. The book covered a time span from King Farouk, through the upheaval of the Nasser regime to the early 21st century. Members found that this book taught us a lot about women's lives and the political changes in Egypt in this time and shed new light on the Arab Spring that came later. As a story some of us found that it really did not "go" anywhere in the sense that although her life had many dramatic changes, she went to England to finish her education, she returned home and got married, she had a son whom she left when she left her husband and went to America, we were left at the end of the book with a feeling that we didn't really know her. As a fictionalised autobiography perhaps we were expecting more.
ENGINEERING SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY GROUP Co-ordinator: Chris Ridley 01455 209920
Group visit to MIRA Proving Ground.
Most people have heard of MIRA (which stands for Motor Industry Research Association) and linked it with the road safety aspect of cars and trucks etc; however as our group of 11 members were to learn from our two excellent graduate guides, there are now numerous facets to the MIRA business, under new ownership from last year by the Japanese Company Horiba but which is still located near Nuneaton.
Because of prestige companies like JLR, Triumph and Aston Martin who now have locations on site, Security dictates that we have our phone cameras blanked out.
After reception, we board a MIRA minibus for a site tour which includes views of the various road surfaces and obstacles designed to test vehicle suspension/adhesion to the limit and we end up on the famous high-speed banking ! - Albeit at modest “minibus" speed. Close by on a one-in-three hill we see cars with caravans attached, this is where they are testing for "towing car of the year" for a client. Second call is to the Climatic Chamber where, inside the control room we witness through the chamber window, a car on a rolling road complete with driving snow all at a temperature of minus 15 Deg C to simulate driving in Sweden. This facility can also be reversed and used to test cars in hot temperatures of 60+ Deg C.
On to the Future transport facility where we see a modified Ford Focus and a New Refuse Cart both of which are entirely electric. The cart, however, is driven by individual motors on each wheel hub resulting in roughly twice the mileage for the equivalent diesel fuel consumption. There are of course lots of other test labs and facilities on site including rollover crash testing but these are in use today.
Heading back to the main reception building which was opened by Dr Vince Cable in 2012, we are given a presentation showing MIRA’s history from its inception as a proving ground in 1946. Apart from the familiar wet and dry surface handling, corrosion Chamber, off road circuits etc, our guides explained other key areas of growth since the early days.
A recent addition has been the Facility for "Test Engineering” now with skills available ranging from Aerodynamics, component testing right through to designing of complete vehicles. A topical subject at present is Intelligent Mobility…..or what you and I call "driverless cars” for which MIRA have developed an internet based system which is being trialled on a special course in the middle of the site designed to replicate urban road layouts.
Members where able to have a Q.& A. session with the guides during the buffet lunch kindly provided by MIRA.
Ambitious expansion plans for the MIRA site means it's future will be in the form a Technology Park but it will still be retaining the Automotive proving ground for which it is known world wide.
A big thank you goes to Chris, Rick and Shani at MIRA for their time taken to show our group around and my thanks to Howard G. for arranging the visit.
CMBR
ETHNIC DINING Co-ordinator: Jill Graham 01455 557117 email: grahjill@hotmail.com
Wednesday 27th April 2016 – Hai Tian Chinese Restaurant, Church Street, Lutterworth
Not sure what happened in what passes as my brain as I see that I had Hai Tian down for June (Venue yet to be decided). In fact 7 of us went to Hai Tian and enjoyed a sumptuous meal. We did try to limit our intake by asking for a meal for 6 to be served to us but still ended up unable to eat absolutely everything. They were exceptionally helpful and I think we will be back there before too long.
Wednesday 25th May 2016 – Rossini at its new Venue - The Crescent, Hinckley – sign up and pick up a Reminder Slip and a map of how to get there.
FRENCH CONVERSATION Co-ordinator: Sue Hicks 01858 880273
We began by talking about the many different ways in which we had spent Easter. This was followed by an exercise on useful expressions with multiple-guess answers. We then started to translate a further article on the ancient game of “Go” following our January meeting to see how the world champion fared against the DeepMind computer.
The next meeting will be on Thursday, 26 May, when Pearl and Tony Sleeman are kindly hosting us to watch a French film.
GARDEN GROUP Co-ordinator: Sue Creeden 01455 557888
Our trip to Winterbourne Gardens in Birmingham at the end of April had a rather chequered start. First we were slowed up by a lorry breakdown in the underpass and then the minibus and both cars ended up in the wrong place! We all went to the Botanical Gardens instead of the University of Birmingham Botanical Gardens. However, once we were at Winterbourne - and had found the refreshments – the rest of the day was delightful. The house is an Edwardian Suburban Arts and Crafts Villa built in 1903 for the Nettlefold Family (the ‘N’ in GKN). It is pleasantly light and airy and the reception rooms, bedrooms, nursery and kitchen are beautifully furnished and decorated. John Nettlefold was very interested in social reform, improving housing and charitable and philanthropic movements. His Wife, Margaret designed the garden.
Abbie, our guide on the garden tour was extremely enthusiastic and knowledgeable both about the plants and the history of the garden. She led us through the walled garden, glasshouses and alpine areas, the Japanese/Chinese section, the nutwalk, rock garden and showed us where to find many other areas of interest. Although we had witnessed brief snow showers in the morning, thank goodness we successfully completed our afternoon in the dry. A very enjoyable day out.
The next meeting will be on Tuesday 24th May when we will visit Leicestershire’s new National Trust property, Stoneywell Cottage and Garden, just up the motorway at Ulverscroft. The minibus will leave Lutterworth at 1.30 p.m. We will have to split into groups to tour the cottage (it’s very small with narrow staircases) and, all being well, we will have a guided tour of the garden. Refreshments are available in the small café. Just a word of warning, the garden is hilly in places and the paths can be uneven. We should be back in Lutterworth between 5.00 and 5.30 p.m.
The cost will be £5.00 for National Trust members and £12.60 for non-members. If you are not a member but would like to join the National Trust on the day, you will then be entitled to free entry.
Space on the minibus is limited but it may be possible that some members could travel by car. If you are interested in joining us, please contact me as soon as possible by email sueandpeter.creeden@talktalk.net or phone 01455 557888. Please let me know if you are a National Trust member.
GARDEN LUNCHES Co-ordinator: Jill Graham 01455 557117 email: grahjill@hotmail.com
Please e-mail me with your details – Name etc - if you wish to stay on my list. My e-mail Provider deletes contact details if I delete an e-mail I have received and haven’t had the sense to put the sender’s details in my Contact List.
Tuesday 19th April – Caffe Crema, Alma Park, Woodway Lane, Claybrooke Parva, LE17 5BH
An interesting venue. They coppice the trees to heat all the units. The ladies are so friendly and will do any variation of meals. Quite a few of us had baked potatoes – but all with different fillings and salad if we wished. While they don’t have the range of soft drinks a pub would carry they have sufficient. Most of us stuck to a drink and a “Main” and paid about £5 each – terrific value for money.
The Dates and Venues for the next 2 Garden Lunches are as follows:- Tuesday 17th May – Nemo’s at Stoney Stanton Cove Tuesday 21st June – The Malt Kiln Farm Shop, Stretton-under-Fosse The Pick Your Own Season will have started and you might be able to buy or pick strawberries!
HISTORY GROUP Co-ordinator: Viv Weller 01455 557136 email (preferred method of contact) vwellerz@aol.com
We looked at two very different topics in our April meeting. Sheila led the first part, completing our theme on Gender history. Sheila highlighted the impact of several 19th and 20th C. women who led the way on women’s rights, including both well known leaders like Mrs Pankhurst and her daughters, Sylvia and Cristobel Pankhurst and also influential but less well known local pioneers who dared to speak out, like Alice Hawkins, Annie Stretton and Ruth Banton. We also touched on the impact of other groups such as the early Labour party, Methodism and Trade Unions in changing attitudes as well as the impact of improvements in education. It became clear that the movements associated with gender equality were very varied indeed and there were many strands of opinion even within apparently united groups like the Suffragettes. We concluded the session with a discussion of more contemporary issues of equality in the workplace, pondering how far modern men have been affected by all the changes relating to gender equality in the 20th century. This theme has proved to be a stimulating and interesting topic and it has made everyone think about some of the deeper issues in our society. Our thanks go to Sheila for all her hard work in preparing it for us.
The second part of the meeting offered something different. Viv ‘s presentation was on ‘Population from Domesday to modern times’ and she highlighted some of the far-reaching effects population changes have had over time. After a brief overview of national trends over 1000 years, we concentrated on the local area. The Domesday Book of 1086 recorded households and from this we estimated that Lutterworth had about 140 residents. Figures from the Domesday records of other local villages brought a few surprises. Who would have guessed that Husbands Bosworth would be more than twice as big as Lutterworth? Some nearby places like Cotes-de-Val, Pultney, Starmore and Bittesby are now ‘DMV’s (deserted medieval villages) although the names sometimes survive in farms and roads. Viv traced some information that can be found about our local population through a variety of later records, from the infamous Poll Tax of 1377, some 16th and 17thCs. Diocesan surveys, from the Hearth Tax of 1670 and then through more direct data from national censuses, starting in 1801 up to 1911. Viv used some of her own research on Bitteswell’s history to show the group how the raw material in old records like parish registers can be used to develop our knowledge of past societies. This included what were the most popular names in Bitteswell from 1701-1906 (William and Anne) and how many people managed to live to the grand old age of 90!
We concluded by briefly noting the impact of some of the big changes in population over the last millennium. Without the terrible impact of the Black Death in the 14thC, would we all still be serfs? The great strains put on society by rapid population growth in the 16th and 17th centuries forced governments to confront the social problems like poverty for the first time but also brought in strong control by a small wealthy elite which blocked change. The next dramatic rise in population in the 18th and 19th centuries. did not result in disaster, as Malthus had predicted, but instead a massive population shift to the North and the West during the Industrial Revolution brought new lifestyles for all. As the control of the old landed elite weakened in the new urban landscape, the first steps towards democracy and equality were made.
Our next meeting will be the trip to Geddington and Lyveden New Bield on 6/6/16. The minibus will depart from the One Stop Shop car park at 11.30am.
Is the BBC Trust operating with licence fee payers interests at heart?
Most of us felt that the Trust was unable to act in the interest of the licence payers for a variety of reasons. Firstly the licence fee has been frozen for several years, thus restricting the budget available, secondly the Director General, Lord Hall, has been coerced into taking on the cost of free TV for the over 75s which was a policy introduced by politicians and thirdly most younger people watch and listen on line and do not pay the licence fee reducing income even further. The first two problems are caused by political interference – a very worrying trend since the BBC is supposed to be independent. The current BBC Charter expires at the end of 2016 and is renewed every 10 years. Now that general elections are routinely every 5 years this adds to political pressure.
So what to do about all this? The original mission of the BBC was to inform, educate and entertain when it was founded by Lord Reith in 1922. The Trustees are still quoting this as their mission and their stated vision is ‘To be the most creative organisation in the world’. The BBC’s Executive Board led by the Director General, Tony, Lord Hall, is responsible for the operational delivery of BBC services and the direction of the BBC editorial and creative output in line with the framework set by the Trust. There are 12 Trustees and 13 Board members including the DG. The DG is appointed by the Trustees, and they are appointed by Her Majesty - in other words by the government and they report to Parliament. Where this is to a Select Committee there is political balance, but not otherwise.
It seems to us that having 2 committees is not required. There is conflict between the Executive, and the Trustees who didn’t deal with Savile or the Russell Brand and Jonathan Ross situations at all well. Also work is duplicated and some salaries are as high as £450,000, more than earned by Sky executives. There aren’t enough media specialists in the mix, only 4 out of 12. However, in the light of John Whittingdale’s proposals to appoint half the members of the new governing body, our biggest concern is the politicisation of the BBC. Especially since Margaret Thatcher tried to bring the BBC in line with Tory policy some years ago and this looks like another attempt. On the other hand the BBC’s crushing bureaucracy has caused problems for progress into the digital age. Tony Ageh, one of the creators of BBC iPlayer has left the BBC after 14 years because, amongst other things, he had to negotiate 84 meetings before launching in 2007 (now watched more than 10 billion times), and says ‘everything I told the BBC to do they didn’t understand or do. There’s no shortage of ideas, but it’s about whether that idea survives the BBC’s power-testing.’ U Tube has more viewers than the BBC.
Allister Heath of The Telegraph says ‘The real answer is not to strangle the BBC, arbitrarily narrow its remit or fiddle with the way it is financed by the taxpayer, but to reform and unleash it, while making sure that it no longer unfairly competes against its commercial rivals. Britain is lucky to have the BBC, for all its flaws: it is an astonishingly powerful global media brand with an extraordinary back-catalogue. There is no reason why a reinvigorated, liberated corporation couldn’t take on and beat the likes of Netflix, the US giant, helping to reinvent content for the digital age and conquering the world.’
Everyone in the group acknowledged the excellent quality of programmes such as Wolf Hall, The Night Manager, News, The World Service and Wimbledon coverage etc. The BBC is rightly admired and respected around the world we want to see it properly funded and not politicised. We support the Finnish style of paying for media services where all adults are means tested and pay accordingly. This would mean over 75s get free licences if necessary and everyone pays - whether viewing or listening on line or in the traditional way. In our view it should definitely not introduce advertising as the source of income. Many of the excellent big budget programmes are sold around the world and this should continue. Ofcom, and possibly a smaller Trust should hold the BBC to account. This would support independence. Executive Board salaries should be brought into line with the rest of the industry. Finally we think the BBC Charter should be extended to 11 years to further reduce political pressure.
Future topics:
May: Should the Communications Data Bill (Snoopers’ Charter) pass Into law? June: How effectively does the government manage the nations finances?
The themes for April were sex and religion although the vast majority of poems were in fact about sex, and of those, the majority were very funny, some of them very, very funny.
Dot opened the proceedings with a tribute to Victoria Wood, the "Ballad of Barry and Freda" (spoken not sung), which I think anyone who enjoyed watching Victoria would probably know and find hilarious. We then continued with Pam Ayres, Wendy Cope, Roger McGough and some less known, even anonymous writers who made us laugh. One of the best was "Fifty Shades of Grey" read by Jill.
I interrupted the mood a bit with Robert Browning's "Meeting at Night", one of my favourite poems which teems with understated sexual imagery while so intensely conjuring up a sense of place that you believe you can see, hear, smell and feel. We also had some thoughtful sex themed poems from D H Lawrence, Gillian Clarke and Rosemary Tonks.
Religion was not entirely neglected, we read Wendy Cope's poem celebrating the 10th anniversary of the ordination of women, and expressing her anger at discrimination. Matthew Arnold's "Dover Beach" depicting the author's sorrow at the decline of religion, Francis Thompson's intense and evocative "Arab Love Song". We ended with Philip Larkin's "Aubade" which I suppose is an atheist's lament on dying.
Overall though, lots of fun, and special thanks to Margery for reading a very good limerick that she composed herself.
The next meeting will be on May 26th at 2pm and the themes, chosen by Hamish, are "Science, Industry, Engineering and Transport"
Please e-mail me with your details – Name etc - if you wish to stay on my list. My e-mail Provider deletes contact details if I delete an e-mail I have received and haven’t had the sense to put the sender’s details in my Contact List.
Wednesday 6th April – The Shires, Peatling Parva This is always a very popular venue and they have a wide range of meals on offer from the Specials Board, the Carvery and choices from the Main Menu. The fact that so many people turn out each time we book there speaks for itself.
Considering the size of our Party and the fact that a coachload of other “Golden Oldies” arrived just after us, the Restaurant did very well to serve us in the time they did.
Wednesday 4th May – The Shambles, Lutterworth – report next month. This is the first time we will have eaten there as a Group.
Wednesday 1st June – The Wharf at Welford
QUIZ GROUP Co-ordinator: Joan Coiley 01455 558658
Almost all the members of the group were present at the April 5th meeting, which, as usual, saw plenty of good humour as well as the huge range of knowledge. Joan set and presented the questions, hopefully, as varied and challenging as those to which we have become accustomed. There were no ‘outside’ quizzes, this month, on which to report but there are two in the pipeline.
SNAILS PACE GROUP Co-ordinator: Sheila Eggleton 01455 554397
May 20th Snail’s Pace Walk: Kenilworth Viv will be leading this walk, which is now full. The directions below are for those members who have already booked their place with Viv. Viv will meet you at the Queen and Castle car park and set out for the walk at 11.30. The car park postcode is CV8 1ND. This is a pay and display car park and it’s situated next to the Queen and Castle Pub on Castle Road. It’s in the old part of Kenilworth.
Getting to Kenilworth EITHER, the country route, avoiding Coventry and road works at the Toll Bar (c. 23 miles) From Lutterworth on the B4027 through Pailton. Turn LEFT at the T junction in Brinklow to Bretford. After Bretford Bridge traffic lights, turn RIGHT toward Wolston. Keep going to meet the big roundabout on the A45. Turn RIGHT. After about 2 miles turn LEFT at the roundabout and go through Ryton. Continue towards Leamington. Turn RIGHT at Bubbenhall (signed Stoneleigh). Go through Stoneleigh, over the A46, straight on at the roundabout. After about a mile turn LEFT at traffic lights towards Kenilworth. This brings you into Kenilworth old town. *Go straight on at the traffic lights. It’s signposted to the castle. Continue down the hill until you see the castle ahead and the car park is on the right. OR, via Coventry. (c. 22 miles). Note, the Toll Bar road works are extensive and ongoing although the bridge should be open by May. It’s quite busy round there and you might get caught up in queues. Start as above up to Bretford but turn RIGHT before Bretford Bridge traffic lights and continue through Brandon and Binley Woods. This meets the Eastern Bypass (A46). Turn LEFT. Continue on the dual carriageway until you come to Toll Bar Island. Turn RIGHT onto the A45 (Stonebridge Highway), go straight on at first roundabout (you’ll see a big garage here) and after about a mile, turn LEFT at the major traffic lights (on the brow of a hill) onto the Kenilworth Road. Continue down this long, straight, leafy road to Kenilworth. This comes out at the same point at the edge of Kenilworth old town. Continue as above *.
Early Notice: June 17th Clifton upon Dunsmore I will be sending out details of this walk nearer the time, including how to get to the start. However I have booked lunch at the Bull Inn, Main Street, Rugby CV23 0BH. Tel 01788 552237. Please check their website for menu details: www.thebullinn.co.uk. I will collect food choices at the U3A meeting on June 9th. If you are not able to attend this meeting please email your food choice(s) after May 27th but before the 11thJune.
April Walk: Foxton
Despite showery skies two groups, one led by Dot and one by Judith, followed an historic trail around Foxton. If you have only ever visited the locks I would highly recommend that you take time to walk around the village, a Leicestershire gem. We set out from the car park of the Black Horse, where as early as 1900 an inn has stood. Opposite the pub there remains an orchard. At one time Foxton had many where an apple known as the Foxton Pride was grown. Foxton also had its own brickworks which not only were used in local buildings but some were used in the building of the original St Pancras railway station. There are far too many local sights to write about but if you do visit try to view the horse and cart weighbridge, Black Horse Bridge and the many glorious buildings such as Orchard House, the hunting boxes in Swingbridge Street and The Old Vicarage. If you have time you can also combine a walk along the canal...given the weather and mud we gave this a miss. Our thanks go to Dot and Judith for organising and leading the walk and Dave for his photographs. Sheila Eggleton
1st WEDNESDAY WALKING GROUP Co-ordinators: Roger Watmore 01455 552431 Julian Hargreaves 01455 557704
Date of Walk: 1st June 2016. Walk Organiser: Tony Allen 01455 552087 mob 07770 580 828 & Paul Butler 01455 699437 Meeting Point and Time: Lutterworth Coventry Road Recreation Ground at 9.15 to leave at 9.25. Directions to Start Point & Time :- The Bell Inn, Gumley LE167RU, they do a 2 course lunch for £6.95. Walk starts at 10.00 am. Take the A4304 to Market Harborough, after passing Theddingworth take the left SP to Gumley. There is a very small parking apron at the Bell Inn but the wide main road should accommodate us all. Return mileage 26.5 miles. Route and Distance: - A circular 6.25 mile walk of 3 hours, including break, between the Domesday villages of Gumley and Saddington, and through Laughton (pronounced Lorton). A mix of minor roads, tracks, meadows and one arable field. There are 5 stiles and 3 two feet high step-overs. It will be hilly and provide a good workout. The walk follows the Leicestershire Round at high level over two steep hills offering splendid views, before falling and rising to Saddington. We then leave the Round and dip over Saddington Brook before dropping again on a track to Laughton Brook for our break. We then rise to Laughton and re-join meadows before climbing steeply to Gumley. There are road options should conditions dictate.
April Walk: The rain was pouring steadily down at 8am and the forecast was not too good. It was pleasing therefore to find 22 walkers assembling at The Old Lion car park in Harborough Magna prepared to face whatever nature threw at us. We set off under clearing skies across field paths to the canal at Newbold where we had a coffee stop under a sunny sky. We followed the canal through Newbold Tunnel and along a very muddy towpath and then across farmland where we were caught out by a sharp sleety shower before returning to the pub. 17 of us stopped for lunch and enjoyed a variety of well prepared and presented dishes. Those who opted for the generously proportioned home baked pizzas did well to clear their plates. George
2nd WEDNESDAY WALKING GROUP Joint Co-ordinators: Julian Hargreaves 01455 557704 Mike Chapman 01455 209972
Date of walk: Wednesday 8th June 2016 Walk organiser: Julian Hargreaves 01455 557704 Meeting Point: Lutterworth Recreation Ground car park at 9.20am to leave at 9.30am Start Point and Time: Village Green Car Park, Overstone Road, Withybrook. Leave at 10am. Directions to start: From the Magna Park roundabout take the Pailton Road. After Pailton where the main road turns to the left go straight signed to Withybrook and Nuneaton. Follow the road through Withybrook past the pub, turn right into Overstone Road where at the top you will find the car park. Route and Distance: The walk is across fields to Hopsford Hall where we pick up the canal and then return to Withybrook via Mobbs Wood and more fields. About 4.5 miles and only 1 stile.
April Walk 17 walkers set off on a 4 mile walk from Peatling Magna on a glorious warm sunny spring morning. From Peatling Magna we took the Leicestershire Round, turning left along a track and a quiet country road for 1.5 miles towards Peatling Parva then returning to Peatling Magna across meadow grass fields via the Parish Church. I was given a virtual yellow card for underestimating the number of stiles on the walk but it was still enjoyed by all.
Future Walks We still need walks for Sept 14th and October 12th. If you would like to organise a walk, up to 5 miles max., with no need to find a pub for lunch, please contact either Julian or Mike (on the numbers above) who will be pleased to help with any details.
4th WEDNESDAY WALKING GROUP Co-ordinators: Sue & Peter Creeden 01455 557888
Wednesday 25 May 2016 Walk Organisers:- Julian Hargreaves 01455 557704
Meeting Point and Time:- Lutterworth Recreation Ground car park at 9.15am to leave at 9.20am (Note: A little earlier) Start Point and Time:- The Saracens Head, Little Brington (post code NN74HS) to leave at 10:00am Directions to the Start:- From the Magna Park roundabout follow the A5 south to Kilsby and then after another 5 miles take the second left, after the New Inn, signed to Little Brington. Follow this road until you see Little Brington signed off to the left. The Saracens Head is on the left in the centre of the village. Route and Distance:- This is a very pleasant walk through the rolling Northamptonshire countryside with no motorway or road noise. From Little Brington we do a loop south and back through Nobottle and onto Great Brington. Across the fields we get a really good view of Althorp House when we stop for coffee. From Great Brington we return across the fields to Little Brington. The distance is about 5 and a half miles with 5 stiles and one very short steep hill. Lunch Arrangements:- The Walkers menu includes sandwiches and grilled bagels as well as hot dishes starting at £6.95 April 2016 Walk Report
The April walk attracted 28 ramblers to set off from Fleckney. I don’t know if Gill and Roger Watmore have developed divine powers or we were a `righteous” bunch but there appeared to be some control over the weather. Whilst the sun shone on us for most of our walk the surrounding area was experiencing the weather going through its repertoire of sun, rain, snow and sleet. Once clear of the houses we then crossed fields, surprisingly not very muddy, to reach the Wistow Garden Centre, where some enjoyed the luxury of a loo stop (far better than behind a bush) and then on to Wistow church for a stop. The return journey picked up the Grand Union Canal for a while before crossing fields back to Fleckney. Most stayed for lunch at the Old Crown.
Peter Creeden
Joint WYCLIFFE LUTTERWORTH and LUTTERWORTH U3A GROUPS
TUESDAY WALKING GROUP Co-ordinator: Gordon Jones (Lutterworth U3A) 01455 556192
Date of Walk: Tuesday 17th May 2016 Co-ordinator: Gordon Jones Tel. 01455 556192 Walk Organiser: Gordon Jones Tel. 01455 556192 Meeting Point: Meet at the car park by the Leisure Centre Meeting Time: 09.20 to leave at 09.25. Route and distance: Starting from the church at Nailstone, a loop of about six miles of field paths and tracks and a bit of road. Directions to the Starting Point: Lutterworth to Magna Park, A5 to Dodwells Island above Hinckley, A47/A447 round Hinckley, stay with the A447 to Nailstone and park in the wide road behind the church. Lunch: The Gate Inn at Osbaston Hollow just a short distance back on the A447. Order on return from two for £10 or the full menu. Return Mileage from Lutterworth: 40
GOLF GROUP (with Lutterworth U3A) Co-ordinator: Peter Moore Tel :- 01455 552594 e-mail – peter79moore@googlemail.com Organiser- Mike Harrison Tel: 01455 209064 e-mail - mike@mhyarns.orangehome.co.uk
Next Golf Day will be at – Ullesthorpe Golf Club on Thurs 9th June 2016 Meet 12.15pm in clubhouse for coffee and bacon sandwich 12.45pm – Draw for playing partner 1st Tee time – 1.12pm 18 holes of golf – full handicap Stableford Prizes: 1st + Hartopp Trophy : 2nd : 3rd : Ladies Prize Nearest pin – 12th hole Cost: £30.00 player all inclusive (dependent on numbers) Guests welcome to join us for dinner - £10.75 Dinner – 6.30pm in clubhouse Steak and Ale Pie, chips and veg, etc. Salmon with Greek Feta salad, and chips etc. Cheesecake or ice cream Coffee or tea Please confirm your attendance by 26th May, including meal choices and extra dinner places.
Result at Lutterworth Golf Club 28th April:- 1st Fred Milson 2nd Alan Kemp 3rd Peter Williamson 4th Ray Godfrey