Issue No. 70 March 2014 A MESSAGE FROM THE CHAIRMAN: AYLESBURY VALE U.3.A. On our many outings, Aylesbury Vale U3A often visits sites which come under the purview of 'English Heritage'. According to its own web site “English Heritage exists to ensure that the best of the past is kept to enrich our lives today and in the future.” One of its policy statements says that it wishes to ‘...maximise the number of high quality cultural educational opportunities for children and young people both in and out of school'. You will see that it doesn't mention education for adults. We have had several queries about the educational role of U3As. In fact on a visit to Walmer Castle we were clearly told that they didn't normally welcome U3A groups, as they were really not educational outings. For me that misses the whole point of adult education where there is a choice of what to learn and how to learn it. I looked at a clip from a short video made by their Education Director about 'educational visits' but again that was all about 'school visits'. Now to be fair, there may be a whole section about informal adult learning which I missed – there were a lot of sites – but judging by our experience its qualities are not appreciated. The English philosopher John Stuart Mill defined education thus: 'Education in the largest sense is any act or experience that has a formative effect.' Surely that is what our U3A activities are all about. We know what we want to learn, and we use our own methods to enjoy that learning. I don't know about you, but I have never have liked those stately homes where one is herded from room to room, attended by a well-meaning guide who proceeds to explain every detail of a painting I may not be interested in, but ignores a piece of tapestry or embroidery, or the books in the bookcases, which may fascinate me. It always reminds me of early visits to the USSR with groups of teenagers, when visits to the Hermitage involved me giving the youngsters ten minutes off every now and then, while the accredited guide told us very earnestly and at great length how many bricks made up the building or how many tons of a particular material were used in its construction. Perhaps if our experience is typical this is an issue which the Third Age Trust could take up. Education should be a joyous and life-enhancing experience and not necessarily a classroom lecture, although we know from our monthly meetings how interesting and informative straightforward talks can be. I want to go on visiting new places and learning more about new (and old) interests. So come on English Heritage, make us older learners more welcome and broaden your interpretation of ‘education’ to be the whole-life thoroughly enjoyable experience that it is for many of us. Shirley Stokes A LETTER FROM THE CHAIRMAN
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Issue No. 70 March 2014
A MESSAGE FROM THE CHAIRMAN:
AYLESBURY VALE U.3.A.
On our many outings, Aylesbury Vale U3A often visits sites which come under the purview
of 'English Heritage'. According to its own web site “English Heritage exists to ensure that
the best of the past is kept to enrich our lives today and in the future.” One of its policy
statements says that it wishes to ‘...maximise the number of high quality cultural educational
opportunities for children and young people both in and out of school'. You will see that it
doesn't mention education for adults. We have had several queries about the educational role
of U3As. In fact on a visit to Walmer Castle we were clearly told that they didn't normally
welcome U3A groups, as they were really not educational outings. For me that misses the
whole point of adult education where there is a choice of what to learn and how to learn it. I
looked at a clip from a short video made by their Education Director about 'educational visits'
but again that was all about 'school visits'. Now to be fair, there may be a whole section
about informal adult learning which I missed – there were a lot of sites – but judging by our
experience its qualities are not appreciated.
The English philosopher John Stuart Mill defined education thus: 'Education in the largest
sense is any act or experience that has a formative effect.' Surely that is what our U3A
activities are all about. We know what we want to learn, and we use our own methods to
enjoy that learning. I don't know about you, but I have never have liked those stately homes
where one is herded from room to room, attended by a well-meaning guide who proceeds to
explain every detail of a painting I may not be interested in, but ignores a piece of tapestry or
embroidery, or the books in the bookcases, which may fascinate me. It always reminds me of
early visits to the USSR with groups of teenagers, when visits to the Hermitage involved me
giving the youngsters ten minutes off every now and then, while the accredited guide told us
very earnestly and at great length how many bricks made up the building or how many tons
of a particular material were used in its construction.
Perhaps if our experience is typical this is an issue which the Third Age Trust could take up.
Education should be a joyous and life-enhancing experience and not necessarily a classroom
lecture, although we know from our monthly meetings how interesting and informative
straightforward talks can be. I want to go on visiting new places and learning more about
new (and old) interests. So come on English Heritage, make us older learners more welcome
and broaden your interpretation of ‘education’ to be the whole-life thoroughly enjoyable
experience that it is for many of us.
Shirley Stokes
A LETTER FROM THE CHAIRMAN
NEWS FROM THE GROUPS
2
Scottish Country Dancing
For some six years, the leaders of this group, Greig Sneddon and Lynne
Dawson, have organised a Burns Night Supper in January to raise money
for charity and to introduce other U3A members to the traditions of Scot-
land. This year some 100 members and friends enjoyed a night of haggis,
singing and dancing. They raised £1,152 for their chosen charities, mak-
ing a total of over £6,000 over the six years that they have arranged this
event. They are to be congratulated, along with all those many U3A members who served
supper, sold raffle tickets, helped with seating plans and the myriad of other tasks that had
to be organised. Greg’s accent and Rabbie Burns’ poems made a rare combination – en-
joyed by all.
These photos were taken by John Harwood at the Burns Night Supper. In the first
Greig Sneddon welcomes the Haggis by reading out Robbie Burns’ famous ‘Address to
a Haggis’, described as the ‘Great Chieftain o’ the puddin-race’. In the second dancers
take to the floor at The Hub in Aston Clinton.
WE REALLY DO NEED YOU !!
Elsewhere in this newsletter you will see a full
page plea for help written by our Secretary,
Peter Gasson, but the Executive Committee
wanted to stress the very urgent need for a vol-
unteer for the role of Vice-Chairman. The cur-
rent Chairman may wish to stand down at the end of
our 2014 year. In any case she will have to resign at the
2015 AGM having completed the maximum term of 5
years. Now is the time for a potential vice-chairman to
shadow the role for a few months – so please give it
some serious thoughts. This is a post which must be
filled.
Thought for today:
You know you are
getting old when your
bank sends you their
free calendar – one
month at a time!
3
Those of you who are suffering mild road rage caused by the traffic build-ups in Aylesbury
will appreciate these lines composed by Cyril Reed, and the following one penned by
Vivienne Makin.
MY HOME TOWN:
Pot holes, road works, floodlit nights; often iffy traffic lights,
Shapes and lines in sharp relief, colour coded – added grief.
No go areas, restricted zones; drivers on their mobile phones.
White knuckle rides – calming humps; roundabouts. Oops! Gazumped!