We welcome other U3A's to make comments on our website or advertise trips and events being organised within our district

Please contact Ron Lapthorn email:

To whom it may concern,
  
We are the The Rosso Ensemble, a 4th year wind quintet studying at The Royal Welsh College of Music and Drama.  

On the evening of Friday 20th January, we will be performing a concert at Dewstow Golf Club. We perform a mixture of repetoire ranging from classical to popular film music.

Last year we did a concert in Caldicot Choir Hall, and we had a few people mention the U3A to us, and said we should contact you about our next concert.

If you would like more information, or a flyer to see please feel free to contact us.

I hope this is of some interest to you and your members.

Regards

Bethan Keeble

The Rosso Ensemble. website link: www.rossoensemble.co.uk

 

 

 

Hello there,

I am a member of Holmes Chapel & District U3A in Cheshire and am interested in setting up a Drama Group.  However I have no experience of actually doing this, despite being involved with amateur theatre in the past.

I saw your website recently and was very impressed by your Drama Group and wondered if someone there could possibly give me some pointers on setting on up.  I would be much obliged if you could pass this request on to whoever is in charge and I would be very grateful for any help received, no matter how small,

Thanking you in anticipation,

Best regards,

Anne Gerhard
Holmes Chapel & District U3A

Hi Anne
I have passed your enquiry to the Drama group, good luck with your group.

Regards (Editor)

 

Its taking  place on the  8th -9th -10 September over 3 days.

Bill, Sue and Jim are riding from St David’s in Pembrokeshire, to Chepstow in Monmouthshire, a distance of 190 miles.

The ride is being done to raise funds for the Charity Action for Children, which celebrates its 100th anniversary, of working in Wales, this year.

The charity was founded in the Victorian era originally to house homeless children in London. Until twenty years ago it was known as The National Children’s Homes as this was what it did.

In more recent times children’s homes have become a thing of the past and the charity now concentrates on providing the largest Fostering service in Wales, which is based in Newport. The Charity also runs counselling centres for vulnerable children and their families covering a very wide range of problems. These centres are spread all over the country, the nearest being in Newport and Caerphilly

To Sponsor = www.virginmoneygiving.com/team/bigbikeride

Editor: A brave ride Sue, Bill and Jim. We wish you well and hope you raise a few pounds for such a good cause.

 

THE BLACK ROCK LAVE NET HERITAGE FISHERY

*please click the photograph above to access our webpage on the fishermens activities.

Hello Ron

Sorry I was in a bit of a rush yesterday but many thanks for coming down to Black Rock and taking some pics.
 
As promised a short report of the season to date.
 
For the 1st time in many seasons all 8 Black rock lave net licences have been taken up by the fishermen from our local town and villages. The average age of the fishermen has dropped quite considerably with the retirement of Bob leonard, John Harris and Den Lee all of whom fished in to their late 70s.
 
The season has been average to date with poor weather during June and July keeping the salmon catch down to 3 fish.we have however taken mullet, flounder and a few conger eels to keep interest up with the new members.
 
At present Matt Fox has the Best salmon a fish of 12lb and is in line for the "Doug Brown shield " presented for the largest salmon of the season. 
 
The new Valantine warner series featuring our fishery, coast to coast has been shown on tv and was a great success. The fishermen have also exhibited at st Fagans museum of welsh life at the end of July and spoke to people from all over the world about lave netting.

The author Jon gower has visited the fishery prior to a book being published on the coast of wales to corespond with the opening of the coastal foot path. The fishermen will exhibit at the Chepstow agricultural show on Aug.13th.
 
Our fishery end of season open day will be held at Black Rock picnic site on sat 27th Aug . 2pm -6pm.there will be a demonstration and exhibition of lave net fishing and also a film .Refreshments will be available and all are most welcome.
 
Remaining fishing dates  where the fishing can be watched from the picnic site are
 
August. 12th, 12.30pm  / 15th ,2.45pm / 16th ,3.20pm / 17th ,3.50pm /18th ,4.15pm /19th ,4.30pm /29th 1.45pm /30th 2.30pm /31st 3.15pm . 
 
Many thanks once again Ron for your help and support,
 
Regards, Martin

 

Subject: Chepstow U3A: Amsterdam Adventures in Art Appreciation

Hello Caldicot, Monmouth & Fod U3A's I convene the Chepstow U3A Art Appreciation Group. We are planning a trip to Amsterdam in November and, as we have a few spare places on the coach, we would be delighted to welcome any of your members who would be interested in joining us. Regards Mike Ingleby

If any of our members are interested I have all the details including price and contact numbers Editor Ron Lapthorn.

 

 

CAN YOU HELP.

Abandoned cat, needs a good quiet home.
This cat needs plenty of love and understanding.
She has never had affection given to her and responds to a gentle hand. 
A house without dogs and young children would suit  her.
 
A house with not too many neighbours maybe a large garden ,
small holding or farm where she can have a bit of freedom , but
this is not necessary.
 
Contact  rosandrog@hotmail.co.uk

 

 

Hello Ron

Thank you for sending the information regarding the charity boards in your local church. These boards offer an insight into village life in the past and are often fascinating and these are no exception. Interesting to see that an orchard was amongst the gifts. Often the donations are of bread or clothing, much more basic items. There is an interesting example of a bread charity at Axbridge in Somerset where the church still has the special bread cupboard on the wall.

Thank you for getting in touch and bringing this to my attention.

Regards
Ann Williams

---

Hi Ann

I found this sign some years ago in a side room of our church and at last I took a photograph of it today (one or two) just in case you were interested in the contents on it. I also took a photo of the church and attached a copy of a note about the sign from one of the ladies from the church, Pauline Heywood.

If you read the text on the entrance board just inside the church gate you will see Llanthony Secunda Manor mentioned it is only a stones throw from the church and is still standing. With help from past historians notes I wrote an article for BBC Wales website and supplied photographs of the inside and outside.

I hope you find the attached information interesting.

Regards Ron Lapthorn

Hi Ron

The information in the guide book does not have much information about the board, however what it does say is as follows:-
 “ secured to the wall of the vestibule is the Charities Board, describing the terms of the Charities of Francis Herbert and Katherine Kemeys, 17th century benefactors of this church and parish.  Francis Herbert bequeathed £60 for the ‘relief and maintenance of the poor of the Parish forever’, a fund which still assists people of Caldicot today.  Katherine Kemeys left a barn, orchard and one and a half acres of “arable Land in the Parish of Ifton”, the income from which is used for Christian Education.  The Board, made in 1911 by W J Mills of Newport for £10 is an “exact copy of the old” (Minuta Book) and was restored in 1983.

Charities Board

*please click the image above to access a photo slideshow of the Charities Board

As I said the charities are both still in existence and continue to do what they were intended to do.  That initial £60 must have been invested well because it pays out considerably more than that in a year, though not a vast amount.  Katherine Kemeys also established a school in Caldicot in January 1680 to ‘educate poor children so as to read the Bible perfectly and to write a legible hand’.  There had been a school as early as 1665 and this may have been the one held in the church where Katherine Kemeys opened a school room above the South Porch.
 
Hope you found that interesting.

Pauline

Ron Lapthorn goes on a brisk historical journey through the 800 years of this
12th century building.

*please click "here" to access a BBC website acticle about Llanthony Secunda Manor

*There is also an article on our History Group Archive website about the subject

 

Scrabble

Hello

I am the convenor for the Scrabble group at Usk U3A. On 9th November 2011 we are holding a special Scrabble afternoon at the Sessions House in Usk. There will be refreshments and we intend to bring other board games and puzzles so that non-scrabble people will be encouraged to join us. This is a free event. We extend a warm welcome to all U3A members and would be delighted if anyone from your U3A would like to participate. I shall be in touch nearer the time with more details. Please would you extend this invitation to your U3A members. Many thanks - Rosemary Evans

To all Caldicot & District U3A members - if you are interested in this event please contact Adele our Scrabble Convenor - Editor 

 

Subject: thanks to striders

Dear Ron

While I was in Wales I was able to spend some time with the "Striders" group of walkers and I would like to give them my thanks for making me feel so welcome. I therefore have penned the following if you could place it in an appropriate place on your website. Yours sincerely

Pam Dickson

 

Hi to all Striders I met on my visit to Wales

I’m back home now and thought I’d drop you a line to say thank you for letting me share your walks, talks and pub lunches (sausages and mash like no other place on earth). The excursions and your company were definitely highlights of my time in Wales. Furthermore, the “getting lost” or “temporarily being displaced” was, I thought, particularly well planned and impressed this Aussie girl so much so that I thought it was for real??? It has provided me with a great story for my friends together with the incident of the sweet lamb. I have certainly elaborated the facts! What a great group you are and I can understand Wendy being so keen on her Tuesdays. I will continue to watch your website and look forward to reading further reports on your excursions. I have already downloaded some of the photos from the Brecon walk. Continue to enjoy and create memories for yourselves and others who like me are lucky enough to join you. Particular thanks to Marlene who played Mum and prevented me from getting run over, Roger who many times kept me company and kept me going at the back and Cindy who is looking after one Aussie export Blue Heeler “Toby”.

With fondness and thanks,

Pam (Wendy’s friend)

 

Hello!   

I belong to the Retford U3A.  We, all my extended family, are coming on our annual holiday together to Caldicot in July.  We are staying at Llanthony Secunda Manor.  There are 13 of us, with children and dogs.

Finding information about the area was an effort until reading the U3A magazine and finding  Barbara Davies' postcard!    I then had the bright idea to try your website - which is not only brilliant but full of information about the area, walks, and links to other sites.  The ages of our group range from 5 to 81 years, and we are walkers, cyclists, castle and wildlife enthusiasts too.  I have been cheered up by reading all the info, and have copied some walks and castle stuff for our family.

I would love to send them all one of your special postcards to welcome them to your area -which at first  seemed a bit urban!    My husband and myself have previously stayed at a lovely B&B and grape-growers north of you, and loved that area!!

If I can buy a few postcards [5 or 6] to send to our three daughters and their families, I would be delighted.  I have attached my details.  I will send a cheque, let me know whom to put as the recipient.   Also, is there a bus timetable covering the area, so the three Third Agers can take trips about on some days?  The younger members drive too far/fast for us!!

Finally, congratulations on the website-someone should  get a job!!    Best wishes to all the hard-working people in the group -artists, historians, walkers, wildlife watchers, photographers.....  Many thanks!

Margaret Charles

Thank you Margaret for your enquiry and kind words and we look forward to you visiting our very friendly Town and beautiful part of Wales. A write-up about Llanthony Secunda Manor can be found on BBC Wales website. Llanthony Secunda Manor was built for the Monks and is as old as St Mary's Church, Caldicot but having toured the Manor it is a wonderful building and I envy you your stay. 
Editor. June 2011.

 

 

Subject: HAPPA images

Thank you so much for allowing us to view the images you took whilst on a recent visit to our Rescue Centre at Brockweir.

I would be grateful if you would allow us to reproduce some of the images for our next newsletter and to display in the Visitor's Centre, we would of course credit you as the photographer.

If this is acceptable, please let me know.

I hope your group had an enjoyable visit and perhaps will find time to join us again in the future.

Kind regards, Kay Brandist

Editor.
Permission given to Happa - A slide show of the visit can be viewed on our Science and Natural History Page

*Please "click here to access the HAPPA images"

 

Subject: I've found my Caldicot relatives!!

Hi Ron, I just had to share the great news with you. On Friday I received a reply to the letter I`d sent to Longcroft Road.

It had been passed on via a neighbour to David Ward whose father Lance had lived in the house with my grandmother.

David wrote a very interesting letter and sent photos of my grandmother and my aunties and uncles.

Sadly they have all passed away but through David and other cousins I will be able to `get to know them`.

David has offered to meet me when I next visit my cousin in Bettws and take me to see our grandmothers grave.

David also seemed to know about Lionel Bowen who ran the Tippling and said that he`d been an active member in the local British Legion until his death fairly recently.

I`ll certainly pass on regards from Caldicot U3A when I go to my Gardening and Family History Groups next week.

Thanks for your interest Ron and if any else with Ward family connections gets in touch with you please let me know.

Best wishes, Cyndy

 

Hello,

Having seen the photograph of Barbara Davies in my copy of U3A News I am hoping that you will be able to tell me where I can purchase copies of the Caldicot Postcard.

I am a member of the Addlestone, Surrey U3A Family History group and have recently discovered that my maternal grandmother lived in Longcroft Road, Caldicot in the 1950`s.

Also another family member used to run a pub called Ye Olde Tippling Philosopher and I wondered if it is the one featured on the postcard.

I do hope that you will be able to help as I have very few details of my grandmothers family, their surname was Ward, and a Caldicot postcard would be a great addition to my research.

Kind regards, Cyndy Smith

 

I hope someone in Caldicot reads this and may know of the Ward family. We are happy to pass on any information.

 

Editor... Thank you Cyndy for your email and a suitable
reply is on it's way with four various photographs attached.

As for your family interest in Ye Olde Tippling Philosopher,
I have found a photo from the turn of the 20th Century and another as it is today.

For those visiting our Guest page who wish to view Caldicot postcard it can be viewed under the "Information" banner
on our Home page and "We want to promote Caldicot"
All enquiries for cards please email the contact address for
this website.

 

*please click on the images of the Ye Olde Tippling Philosopher above to access
larger photographs

 

 

MERCY SHIPS COFFEE MORNINGS

Ken and Coralie want to say a big 'thank you' to everyone who supported their two coffee mornings over Easter, raising money for Mercy Ships. We were thrilled to raise £302.30 for the charity which goes to the ministry of much needed surgery for the poorest of the poor in West Africa.  

Once again, THANK YOU

 

Dear Editor,

Please pass on our heartfelt thanks to Pam and her colleague for giving their time to present information about U3A on 4th March at Caldicot Day Hospital.

The information was very positively and gratefully received.  We had no idea there were so many activities on offer!  Hopefully it will lead to new additions to an obviously already thriving organisation.

 

Thank you so much,

 

Joanne Thornton - Staff Nurse

Caldicot Day Hospital

 

Hi Ron .

 

I would appreciate it if you are able to garner support for our group. We are seeking a membership base with a £5 annual donation; the financial bit may not be everyones cup of tea but every little helps.    

For those who are not in a position to be a member and who do not wish to donate, physical support may be needed and appreciated at times.

Thank you for taking the time to read this request and we hope some U3A members fancy the challenge and would like to join us.

I have attached a form for any of your members to use. 

*please click here to download form in pdf format or word document

Please return to Tony Easson via post or email.

 

Regards Tony Easson

at email:    tonyeasson@o2,co.uk

01291 421250  -  07703165095

60 Castle Lodge Crescent.

Caldicot, NP26 4JS

 

Dear U3A

We are a local Voluntary Group and we provide a very valuable service to the community, hospitals, chaplaincy teams and people who are generally in need

Could you please view our web site and if you feel we can be of use then would you please place a link on you web site to ours and we will also put a U3A link on our web site

We have also attached a handout brochure for your attention so you may print it off. We can send you some brochures if its easier

Here is the link to our web site  www.helping-hands.yolasite.com

We are also looking for volunteers of all ages and actively encourage retired people to become volunteers so they may help others and make a contribute to the community

We look forward to hearing from you

Kind Regards

Mary Jane

Helping Hands

helpinghnads@who.net

Tel 0845 0950091

 

CALDICOT SIGN

*please click the image below to access a larger photograph

Hello Ron

Thank you so much for spending so much time on my
query and providing so much material backing things up. It is clearly not an easy task bringing a decorative sign project to such a satisfactory conclusion. As a retired teacher I am not surprised to hear the schoolchildren found he project fascinating and they certainly have plenty of images to help them appreciate the story of where they live. The sign is very much in the spirit of the original signs produced in Norfolk.

Rest assured that all the documents could be opened easily and I found them most interesting.

We are members of the Village Sign Society and one of the frustrating things about finding village signs is being unable to gain information about the elements illustrated. I hope you would not mind our passing on this information for the benefits of others through our newsletter.

Once again I should like to thank you and others who have provided information in response to my query.

Regards
Ann Williams

Hello again Ron

Many thanks for the further information you have provided on the various aspects of creating a sign. I can see there is much more to it than having the idea and raising the money!

I have been photographing signs around the country for around twenty years but it is far from being our only interest as we travel around the UK for whatever reason. We long ago realised that many things common just twenty years ago were disappearing so our interests widened to milestones, inn signs, and many more areas.

One which would probably overlap your own experience is that of adverts that were painted onto the walls. Many of these have been lost due to demolition, buildings being placed in front of them, being painted over or simply fading away. They are often referred to as ghost signs now but many give fascinating glimpses into our recent past. Some of the examples we have found have been true works of art and should be preserved for that alone.

I have written articles for county and national magazines on some of these topics (you can find more on my web site, www.adbwilliams.co.uk) and it is surprising how many people get in touch afterwards with fresh sightings. That has been particularly true for the Queen Victoria Plaques I mention on the site. Some of the most recent have been examples in Kent that were new to us.

I had a look at a picture of the Biggin Hill sign. Our son would love that one. He does not share our interest in all these areas as such but does have an interest in the RAF and the Second World War and has been known to photograph the odd sign if it carries aircraft images. He  works in South Wales hence our visit at the New Year but it was our daughter who first spotted the Caldicot sign when visiting the Castle with her family.

I was actually given John Timpson's books on village signs for Christmas. They were in fact the only two non-fiction books by him that we did not already own. Like us he enjoyed the original and quirky things found around Britain and produced many fascinating books with different themes. Sadly most are now out of print but trawling the second hand and charity shops eventually paid dividends in completing the collection.

Will continue to keep an eye out for signs in Wales now. We had found a few in the Ogmore area quite recently and it would be great to find they are being adopted more widely in Wales, too.

Regards
Ann Williams

 

Good Morning,

I happened upon your website and loved the variety of articles and photos.

I spent a lot of time in Caldicot visiting my relatives the Colletts, June and Mostyn.

It was such a pleasure to be able to view many of the places I walked and enjoyed.

Thank you for such a wonderful website.

Cheryl Adamson Schramm

 

Your Trip to Weymouth and the Fleet Observer - last June.

Hello,

 

This is Roger – a party of you came on the “Fleet Observer” with Angela and myself, when you were visiting Weymouth, last June. I discovered your photographs and kind words whilst surfing for some historical information!!

 

Talking to Angela, we wondered if you had any other photographs that you wouldn’t object to us using for PR purposes?

 

Look forward to hearing from you in due course.

 

Kind regards 

 

Roger Moody & Angela Thomas

 

Note:-  Permission given - The photographs can be viewed on our Science and Natural History page - Editor

 

 

Subject: David Evans

Hello - I have been reading on your website about a talk given by David Evans about his father the Revd Vincent Evans and the secret auxiliary unit of world war two.

I would very much like to get in touch with him, in connection with a radio programme I am making for BBC Radio Four, and wonder if you might be able to give me a contact number or email for him, or alternatively pass on my contact details to him.

Many thanks for your help

Best Wishes

Maggie Ayre
Producer, BBC Radio 4
Birmingham
Tel: 0121 567 6717
maggie.ayre@bbc.co.uk
www.bbc.co.uk/radio4

www.bbc.co.uk/radio4/ramblings/
www.bbc.co.uk/radio4/opencountry/

Monday, October 04,

 

Hello Maggie

 

I would be pleased to help you in any way I can with your forthcoming radio programme. I have been interviewed previously about my father for the Radio Wales programme "Secret Army - The story of how in the 1940's three Welsh vicars, a farmer and an undertaker formed a secret resistance movement in preparation for the expected German invasion" which was broadcast in December 2004 having been put together by Martin Kurzik for the BBC.

 

Best Wishes David Evans

 

 

Dear Sir,

I read with interest your report of a talk given by Peter Strong, entitled 'Ted Gill - a Working Class Hero' on your web-site.

I wondered if you had any contact details for Peter.

My grandfather John Henry Hutchings was the half brother of Edward Gill's wife Elizabeth Ann Gill (nee Hutchings).

All the Hutchings family were heavilly involved in politics in Abertillery.

I am collecting information for a family history project and would love to share information etc with Peter.

Hope you can help.

Please feel free to pass my e-mail onto him.

Best Wishes
Mike

Wednesday 18.08.10

 

 

There’s plenty of help at

www . Mah Jong British Rules . com


It has a clear, illustrated explanation of this fascinating game
and a gentle introduction for those who have not met it before

The web site also gives lots of other information about Mah-Jong
Web sites to visit - Where to buy sets - U3A Mah-Jong clubs
Here’s a winning hand...

Mah-Jong is a charming, late nineteenth century, Chinese game played
with engraved tiles. Although the rules are quite intricate, the rudiments
of play are surprisingly easy to master. It’s a bit like rummy.

For more information: email PGregory @ talktalk.net
(Peterborough U3A Mah-Jong group)

or write to Peter Gregory, 10 Muskham, Peterborough, PE3 9XU

(Book and playing aids also available)

.

.

website link: www.flintshire-u3a.co.uk