A big WELCOME to the October edition of Chatterbox. I hope you enjoy it.

In this month’s newsletter: -

• Information about our next Virtual Open Meeting.

• Sandra Burton shows us some pages from her delightful Garden Journal

• News about what the Guitar; Walking There; Golf; and Practical Gardening groups have been doing.

• Steve Wright talks about his new Health and Wellness group.

• Enjoy a tour around Norfolk with our Picture Quiz.

• Find out what Ted Says about Covid-19 tests.

I plan to publish next month’s newsletter on Thursday 5th November. If you would like to contribute to it then please

email your article to me by noon on Tuesday 3rd November.

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OCTOBER VIRTUAL OPEN MEETING

THIRTY YEARS OF TRAVEL IN CHINA - Chris Forse Thursday 15th October @ 11.00am

A Hong Kong resident for over 30 years Chris has travelled widely in China since 1978 when only one city, Guangzhou, was open to foreigners. In that thirty years Chris witnessed the astonishing transformation of China from an insular rural peasant society where cow dung was a common source of fuel to a global economic superpower in just one generation. Chris has seen the Chinese travel industry grow from fixed itinerary group visits, through bespoke tours to individual travel. From a time

when a visit to China was limited to one city, Guangzhou, to today when provinces formerly closed are now open to the adventurous, most notably Tibet and Xinjiang. His travels, often alone, have taken him along the Silk Road and on part of Mao’s Long March. His journeys, including to the remote regions of China and across distant borders, have provided him with a bank of memories and impressions of this vast country and its many peoples. He is also a gifted photographer who has captured the beauty of the country and its people in a remarkable series of photographs. Chris invites you to take a tour around China with him covering 30 years of remarkable memories and photographs. The link for you to register for this talk is https://mirthy.co.uk/u3a-chatteris/ . All you need to do to join the talk is to click on the link, fill in your name and email address and you will receive an email back from Alex Ramamurthy within minutes and definitely within one hour with details on how to join the talk. If you have not received the email, please check in your Junk/ Spam email folder in case it has been put there by your software. If you have not received an email, try re-registering. Mirthy sends out reminder emails twice more before the talk, one two days before and the last reminder 15 minutes before the talk. These reminders also include the link and instructions on how to join the talk.

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CHATTERBOX The Official Newsletter of CHATTERIS U3A

OCTOBER 2020

Edition No. 95

INTEREST GROUPS

PAINTING & SKETCHING / PRACTICAL GARDENING - Sandra Burton

My Garden Journal

Like most members, I have found my garden a great relief and comfort during these difficult times. However, as I have been unable to do much physical gardening this summer, I have spent my time adding entries to my garden journal, enjoying individual 'members’ of my garden family.

GUITAR GROUP – Steve Wright We conducted our first meeting last month after the national 'Lock Down' was eased. We can now continue to meet every third Thursday in the month (unless restrictions are tightened). Therefore, a meeting is scheduled at the King Edward Centre (KEC) for Thursday 15 October from 1.00pm until 3.00pm. Covid 19 protocol guidelines for the Guitar Group are in place; copies are available at the session and prior to the meeting upon request.

This group is for absolute beginners and for those who have attained some proficiency with their playing. Playing music should be fun so we encourage & support each other to learn, improve and enjoy the journey. If you wish to explore the idea of playing a guitar you are very welcome to join us at our monthly meeting.

Due to the unavailability of certain people last month we will conduct the demonstration of the SA Squire 105 (by Fender) and the Yamaha F310 at the October meeting. You could then vote on these two acoustic guitars that are produced by rival manufacturers to compete with each other. There will also be the opportunity to view a Hofner Senator Guitar, built in the 1950's plus another vintage guitar built in the 1950's. These are unique guitars which were very popular in their day; but now, a very rare find. You will see a very different build on these guitars as opposed to modern acoustic guitars.

Anyone who is deemed vulnerable in respect of Covid-19 is reminded to follow the Government’s guidance, only returning to social activities when it is right and comfortable to do so. There is no pressure to return. Everyone’s health, wellbeing and safety are the priorities. If you wish to discuss anything further about the group or wish to purchase a guitar please contact me. Next meeting: Thursday 15 October. KEC from 1.00pm until 3.00pm. A warm welcome awaits everyone.

WALKING THERE – Brian Windsor On Wednesday 16th September we went on our first walk as a group since March. Unfortunately, we could not car share so only members with their own transport were able to join us. It was only 2 days after the rule of six had been introduced so we had to split into 2 small groups with staggered starting times. Despite all these obstacles, 9 of us went on a 4.5mile walk from St Ives to Woodhurst and back. It was a wonderful sunny and warm day for a walk, without being too hot to walk. The ground was dry and the blackberries plentiful. We left St Ives through a housing estate, crossed the main road, and walked out into the countryside. A gentle climb around ploughed fields brought us to an old green path on the approach to Woodhurst beside long narrow fields created for strip farming in medieval times. This path had a field edge made by hedge laying, a traditional country craft rarely seen these days. We walked through Woodhurst, which is one of only 3 remaining Anglo Saxon ring villages, to the village pond where we had a short stop. We walked back down more ancient green lanes bounded by trees and bushes, through small woods and past a Via Beata way station. This is one of many stations along an old pilgrim’s route from Lowestoft to St David’s head in Wales. We burst out of the old green and leafy paths into open fields with views over many miles to walk back down to St Ives. A very enjoyable walk with time to catch up with friends. On Wednesday 21st October, John and I will lead two 4.5mile circular walks from Ramsey to Bury and we are meeting at 9:45am in Furrowfields Car Park. Anyone wishing to join the group should contact either John Parry or Brian Windsor for further details.

Yamaha F310

Hofner Senator

GOLF – Stuart Newman

By following government guidelines, our small golf group has been able to get back to playing again since the end of lockdown.

PRACTICAL GARDENING – Clive Chandler & Michael Turner Cain

IN PRAISE OF ALSTROEMERIA

At the moment I am in love with Alstroemeria! The flowers come in a glorious rainbow of bright colours and make wonderful cut flowers; in fact, you do not cut them as they should be pulled from the base to encourage further flowering. Just put them in a vase with a drop of bleach in the water and they will give you a good two weeks of cheerful colours in the house. The Summer series grow to 30” and the Inticancha series to 18”, so different sized vases are required. They flower from June to the first frosts and just need a fortnightly feed of Tomato type food. Finally, they spread naturally and if you grow them in pots, they will need splitting in late Autumn or early Spring every two years. The one downside is that slugs and snails like them too! If this article interests you then look at HW Hyde & Son’s website. (MTC)

HEALTH & WELLNESS – Steve Wright

Some may remember that I mentioned about starting a 'Health & Wellness' Interest Group back in the May edition of Chatterbox. I did not appreciate how long we would be in 'Lock Down' and even now we continue with restrictions due to the Covid 19 virus. Anyway, the King Edward Centre (KEC) can now accommodate groups as Covid 19 guidelines have been produced in order to keep people safe and comfortable whilst using this venue.

I have decided to start this new group next month. The first meeting will take place on Thursday 5th November at the King Edward Centre starting at 1.00pm and concluding at 3.00pm. It is a coincidence that this date happens to be Guy Fawkes Day or Bonfire Night. We will not be burning anything at the KEC, blowing any building up and you will not be asked: "Penny for the Guy". If we survive the 5th November, I propose, thereafter, that this group will continue to meet on the first Thursday of the month at the KEC from 1.00pm until 3.00pm.

I am planning to conduct the first session on 'The Assertive Bill of Rights'. The session will cover assertiveness and will include Questioning Skills, Listening, Use of Words, Tone of Voice and Body language. There are a number of fun exercises to enjoy with an invitation to express your own thoughts on these topics. Assertiveness should form the foundation to explore many other topics. At the end of the session we will decide on the subject for the second meeting. You can review the list of topics originally suggested by visiting the Chatteris U3A website and viewing the May edition of Chatterbox. May I also suggest that you bring a notepad and pen to take your own personal notes and record any illustrations you may wish to reflect on after the session.

If you wish to show an interest and/or attend the 'Health & Wellness' group, you will be made most welcome. I will have a hard copy of the Covid 19 guidelines available at the meeting, however, I advise you to contact me before and I will send you a soft copy of the Covid 19 guidelines for your perusal. We will use the hall at the KEC, therefore, please come directly into the hall and select the chair you wish to use for the session. These chairs have no soft furnishing so you may wish to bring your own cushion to sit on. If you want to discuss anything further relating to this group, you contact me. Take care, keep safe and have fun.

Steve

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Six of the group met at a member’s house while we still had nice weather in September. Notice the immaculate social distancing! (CC)

Alstroemeria Indian Summer (Peruvian Lily)

PICTURE QUIZ Contributed by Mercedes Dulson

KNOW YOUR

NORFOLK

Name each town,

village or city from

the picture clue.

1 2

3 4 5

6 7

8

9 10

Answers at the

bottom of the

last page.

TED SAYS….

NHS Covid 19 Tests – Ted Croucher

With stories in the news and social media of people having to drive long journeys to get a Covid-19 Swab Test, imagine our horror when we were recently told that we had to obtain a test for ourselves. Rosemarie had started a cold recently that went through the usual symptoms and had left her with a chesty cough. As we were due to have our flu jabs on Saturday, October 3rd and she had a blood test booked for Monday, she rang the doctors, on Friday afternoon, to ask should she come. She was immediately told to self-Isolate for ten days and obtain a Covid Test for herself. I also had to take a test and self-isolate for 14 days. Looking online to see how to book a test, we found that there were only four slots left at Downham Market, that afternoon, but not within the time it would take us to get there. The second option was to either book further away or book a test online to be posted to us for free. We chose this option. After filling in a form online with name; address; date of birth; NHS number; National Insurance number etc., we ordered two tests to be posted. These tests arrived delivered by Amazon on Saturday morning, in one of their boxes so not obvious what was inside. Reading the information book enclosed, showed that we needed to return the tests by post in a Priority Post box. (one marked with an NHS sticker) as soon as possible. Checking online for such boxes showed that all collections on Saturdays went by 12 noon, not allowing us time to do the test and return them, so we had to wait until Monday morning when we completed the task. We are now awaiting the result which should be available in 2 - 3 days after receipt. Online tests, posted to your home, are available from https://www.gov.uk/get-coronavirus-test All in all, apart from the shock of being told to take a test and dealing with it, the whole matter was painless. Of course, Rosemarie blames me for possibly bringing the virus into the house, as apart from two visits to the Doctors Surgery, she has not been out. She has become a little agoraphobic since lockdown, having spent 140 days in doors. Who knows?

Ted

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Answers to the Picture Quiz

1. Norwich (Pulls Ferry) 2. Potter Heigham 3. Kings Lynn 4. Reedham 5, Cley

6. Wells next to Sea 7. Happisburgh 8. Thetford 9. Wymondham 10. Diss (Mere)