sustainable [email protected] 01903 245343 history american archaeology maria...
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THIRD AGE MATTERS / SPRING 2020 / 41
SUSTAINABLE LIVING
Plastic bottlesand other
rubbish ona beach
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sourcesA YEARN TO LEARN. IN EACH ISSUE, WE LOOK AT A DIFFERENT
SUBJECT OR SUBJECTS TO INSPIRE AND EDUCATE
When Sue Foy set up A Life Less Plastic at Chester U3A, she thought it would be a “tips and tricks” group. Now, she says the things she learned are “horrifying”.
The group, which ran for 12 sessions, started from Sue’s curiosity. She wanted to know more about our use of plastic.
“I had an uneasy feeling that plastic wasn’t good for us, but I couldn’t say why,” she explains. “I wanted to find out the facts rather than make assumptions.”
What she discovered transformed the
lives of Sue and her family. “I don’t put out any rubbish anymore because I don’t make any,” she says.
The U3A group visited a waste recycling site, a commercial waste recycling facility, a waste incinerator and talked to the local council and supermarket managers.
“We found that only 9 per cent of plastic gets recycled, and a large part of the plastics we send to recycling are actually burned, which the group found shocking,” says Sue.
Chester U3A has many scientists – its science group has more than 70 members, many of whom worked in the petrochemical industry. Sue was encouraged by their response to her research and gave a talk to them on plastics.
Other members of the dozen-strong plastics group included a swimmer who noticed increasing amounts of plastic in the sea, a retired chemist and a former negotiator of waste and recycling contracts for the local council.
They wanted answers to questions such as: “What is plastic good for?” “What is the good news?” and “What can we do?”
Plastic keeps food fresh and minimises food waste – another big environmental issue. However, Sue argues that plastic packaging can make some foods, including mushrooms and potatoes, go off more quickly. Rather than reducing waste by customers, she says, supermarkets use plastic packaging to marginally
FOR MORE INSPIRING STORIES, VISIT SOURCES.U3A.ORG.UK
‘I wanted facts on plastics’Sue Foy tells Eleanor Mair how setting up a group looking at sustainability changed her life – for the better
CONTENTSP43 Litter-picking in the Lake
District
P45 U3A national Subject Advisers
P46 Landscape history and sustainable living tips
P49 Beewatch
P51 Upcycling and rag-rugging
P52 Meet your new U3A Subject Advisers
THIRD AGE MATTERS / SPRING 2020 / 43
SOURCES
HOW PLASTIC GETS INTO OUR OCEANSl Thrown in the bin when it could be recycled. Plastic in bins ends up in landfill; during transportation it can be blown into drains and rivers and then into the sea.
l Littering. Rainwater and wind carry plastic into rivers and drains.
l Products containing plastic such as wet wipes flushed down toilets and microfibres in clothing that are too small to be filtered out by waste water processing plants are eaten by marine life and get into the food chain.
Source: World Wildlife Fund
Sue Ashley, Vincent Nolanand Bill Richardson clearing the car parks in Keswick
Reduce plastic useby shopping locally
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reduce their own waste and to allow the use of self-service checkouts.
Sue no longer shops at supermarkets: “I can go to my high street and buy completely plastic-free. It’s all about local,” she says.
She also found that simply posing the question can get results.
At a Japanese market where food was wrapped in plastic, Sue asked for her food in a container she had brought from home, sparking a conversation that led to all stallholders now being plastic-free.
Sue is as “single-use plastic free as possible”. But it is sometimes impossible to avoid – medication, for instance, comes in plastic. She uses plastic items she already has, such as containers, rather than throwing them away.
Sue maintains that being plastic-free is not as hard as one might imagine. “The easy way to do it is pick one area at a time and tackle it,” she says. “I started with tea and coffee and thought ‘How can I do that plastic-free?’” She now uses leaf tea in plastic-free boxes.
Her U3A now uses paper cups at meetings, although “those paper cups do still have plastic in them, but 60 per cent of the audience bring along their own cups. That increases every meeting.”
Limiting the group to 12 sessions was important. “It was really important to have an end in sight – it’s such a large topic we could have gone on researching and learning forever,” she said.
Since the course ended, Sue has spoken to other U3As about what she learned. Now that she knows the truth behind her assumptions, she wants to pass it on to more U3A members.
“My whole aim in this course was to get people to think and learn facts.”
It is reported that 8m tonnes of plastic pollute our oceans every year and, since David Attenborough’s documentary Blue Planet II, people are becoming more aware how problematic litter can be for landscapes and wildlife.
Litter-picking groups, which are popping up in many U3As, can make
a difference. One of these, Litter Free Lakes at Skiddaw U3A in the Lake District, began in 2018 after convenor Sue Ashley became tired of seeing rubbish on her walks.
After going litter-picking with her husband around Lake Buttermere, Sue realised the activity would work well at her U3A. “I know lots of people go out and do it individually, I thought it would be nice to do it as a group. You feel you’re doing something useful. There’s the social side too, of coming together when you have a common ground.”
More than 40 people registered an interest. Ten to 12 people show up on most walks, which Sue thinks is the perfect number, allowing the walk to be social and also manageable.
The local council encourages the group, providing it with litter-picking equipment and collecting the large amounts of litter it picks up.
The group tackles footpaths, parks, lake shores, river banks, car parks, quiet roads and even mountains.
Members are motivated by a desire to maintain the beauty of the place they love, along with the knowledge that what they are doing is environmentally important.
“If you’ve collected great big bags of litter, you can see the difference and you think,‘That looks great’,” says Sue.
Litter-picking groups Litter-picking groups that make a differencethat make a difference
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subject advisersHELP WITH STARTING A NEW GROUP AND ADVICE FOR ESTABLISHED GROUPS
ALL SUBJECT ADVISERS HAVE A PAGE ON U3A.ORG.UK UNDER RESOURCES
ARTSCOMEDY & HUMOUR Geoff Futcher [email protected] 0115 845 1886FILM Mike Johnson [email protected] 01943 605282JAZZ APPRECIATION Michael Rance [email protected] 01252 616937MUSIC APPRECIATION (CLASSICAL) Roderick Winfield [email protected] 01278 238583OPERA Paul Foss [email protected] 0117 957 0045POETRY Ray Solly [email protected] 01303 250144SHAKESPEARE Ray Waterhouse [email protected] 07808 928826
CREATIVECRAFTS Kelly Benton [email protected] 01824 702624CREATIVE WRITING Marcia Humphries [email protected] – SINGING AND PLAYING Diane Ford [email protected] 01482 343199PAINTING AND DRAWING TECHNIQUES Gail Lea [email protected] 01304 206892PHOTOGRAPHY Peter Read [email protected] 01722 501218PLAY READING Ann Anderson [email protected] 01539 533696STAGE PRODUCTION Andrew Ings [email protected] 01376 322884STORYTELLING Elizabeth Toon [email protected] 01903 245343
HISTORYAMERICAN ARCHAEOLOGY Maria Chester [email protected] 01890 781500ARCHAEOLOGY Marilyn Palmer [email protected] 0116 231 4657BRITISH HISTORY Ian McCannah [email protected] 01707 870142GENEALOGY Stephen Dyer [email protected] 07557 134343GERMAN HISTORY Michael Austin [email protected] 07792 892578LIVING HISTORY Jo Livingston [email protected] 01322 440539MILITARY HISTORY Mike Fox [email protected] 01737 350452
LANGUAGESLANGUAGES Heather Westrup [email protected] 01923 283577CLASSICAL GREEK Steve Addis [email protected] 01570 434691FRENCH Sylvia Duffy [email protected] 01584 872807
GERMAN Alastair Sharp [email protected] 01903 856397LATIN Trevor Davies [email protected] 01925 261030RUSSIAN Dorothy Newman [email protected] 01993 778402WELSH Gareth Williams [email protected] 01443 451517
PASTIMESAVIATION Clynt Perrott [email protected] 01793 695149BALLROOM DANCING Gill & Greg Greenhalgh [email protected] 01900 267051BIRDWATCHING Mary Gibbons [email protected] Jack Rouse [email protected] 07930 983214CANASTA Roy Wilkinson [email protected] 01733 615402CHESS Rob Kruszynski and David Castle [email protected] and [email protected] CROSSWORDS Henry Howarth [email protected] 01202 760478CYCLING – SOCIAL Les Jarman [email protected] 01730 261349ENGLISH FOLK DANCE Ann Taylor [email protected] 0151 327 4667FASHION Ruth Lancashire [email protected] Chris Bonanni [email protected] 07760 490889MAGIC Mac McKechnie [email protected] JONG Hilvary Robinson [email protected] 01590 672825METAL DETECTING Sue Fletcher [email protected] 07725 404515PHILATELY Jeff Armstrong [email protected] 018907 81400PUPPETRY Beryl Stevens-Field [email protected] 01483 892138QUIZZES AND MURDER MYSTERIES Chris Wright [email protected] COUNTRY DANCING Sue Petyt [email protected] 01723 864111WINE APPRECIATION John Scottow [email protected]
RESEARCHRESEARCH Rodney Buckland [email protected] 01732 820031SHARED LEARNING PROJECTS Jennifer Simpson [email protected] 01702 712922
SCIENCEASTRONOMY Martin Whillock FRAS [email protected] 01347 821849CLIMATE CHANGE Frances Halliday [email protected] 020 8886 3773GEOLOGY – EARTH SCIENCE Ros & Ian Mercer [email protected] 01245 441201GEOGRAPHY Jeff Armstrong [email protected] 018907 81400MATHS AND STATS David Martin [email protected] 0115 877 6488PSYCHOLOGY Jane Bellworthy [email protected] 07974 406959SCIENCE Mike Hollingsworth [email protected] 0161 439 2865SOCIOLOGY Lora White [email protected] 01271 870171
SPORTBOATING Nick Hoskins [email protected] Sally Slater [email protected] GREEN BOWLING Andy Cowan [email protected] 01543 274966GOLF Martin Pugh [email protected] Andrew Lloyd [email protected] 01666 861037RACKETBALL Terry Wassall [email protected] 01274 617963TABLE TENNIS Tony Shapps [email protected] CRICKET Mac McKechnie [email protected]
THOUGHTCURRENT AFFAIRS Bill Garvey [email protected] 020 8868 5030EXPLORING WORLD FAITHS Peter Rookes [email protected] 0121 477 2282PHILOSOPHY Shri Sharma [email protected] 0121 711 4568THEOLOGY Keith Anderson [email protected]
WELLBEINGLEARNING TO BE RETIRED Carol Ellis [email protected] 020 8462 4849MEMORY MAINTENANCE Arthur Maltby [email protected] 0151 342 5775MINDFULNESS AND MEDITATION Nancy Taylor [email protected] 07847 547125TAI CHI AND QI GONG Pat Ryan [email protected] 01142 368749/ 07840 191720WELLBEING WITH NATURE Susan Collini [email protected] 07799 892900YOGA Peter Burton [email protected] 07885 907662
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SUBJECT ADVISER
At the summitof Castle Bank
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Britain is a comparatively small island with natural landscapes widely varied in form and nature – and humans have lived in them all. Today, it is hard to find our “natural landscape” because there is hardly a piece of ground that has not been worked on, lived on or fought over at some point in history.
Landscape can tell us about our history when we recognise the evidence it holds. I was introduced to this way of seeing history when I joined the U3A in Ludlow and its long-standing landscape history group.
My first outing with it was to Heath Chapel – a tiny, unspoilt Norman building in deepest Shropshire, described by Prof Mary Beard as “a gem”. Visiting it was like walking into history. We huddled around our leader outside it … in falling snow!
From the churchyard we scanned the neighbouring field for evidence of early settlement, such as lumps and bumps.
I looked around and thought “What are we doing?” But it was a thrill to find a group of people as enthusiastic as me. We were still together 10 years later when I moved to the Llandrindod Wells area in the Land of My Fathers.
Wales has a landscape, history and culture quite different from Shropshire and I was keen to explore it. Llandrindod Wells U3A did not have a landscape history group, so I thought: “Why not start one?” – a touch of “How hard can it be?”
The U3A is a brilliant way to meet people, learn more and, in this instance, get to know the area. With the blessing of the interest group secretary, I found a venue, established a likely regular slot in the busy U3A schedule (which I imagine saved a lot of discussion) and an initial meeting was announced.
More than 30 people put their names on a list of interested parties and they were all invited to attend. The introductory
meeting explained the study of landscape history, and the tools and books most helpful to us, such as Ordnance Survey maps, a list of useful websites and – in our case – a Welsh speaker among us. A reasonable fee and the date and time were agreed for our first meeting.
The group settled down to 22 regular members and is now embarking on its second full year.
We are fortunate that among our number is Julian Ravest – a passionate drone archaeologist and a wizard at photogrammetry (the science of making measurements from photographs – the result is usually a map).
Another local associate is Vic Pardoe, a superb craftsman and experimental archaeologist who makes prehistoric artefacts from the materials and processes used by our ancestors. He has talked about his work for us and shown us some of the items he makes.
Terry Couzens, group leader of Llandrindod Wells U3A’s landscape history group, looks at the effects of human activity on our natural landscape throughout time
Land of my forefathers
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HARROW U3A SUSTAINABILITY FACEBOOK GROUP
MANAGEABLE WAYS TO BE MORE SUSTAINABLEZero waste means reducing, reusing, repairing, recycling and upcycling
● Eat more plant-based foods, avoiding palm oil products, which have been linked to deforestation ● Shop locally to avoid plastic
packaging ● Plan meals to avoid food waste ● Plant wildlife-friendly trees
and bushes, and allow natural areas in your garden to encourage wild flowers ● Consider renewable energy
sources like heat pumps, solar power and ethical green energy suppliers ● Walk, cycle, use public transport
or electric vehicles. Switch off car engines when stopped to improve air quality ● Swap clothes rather than buy
new ones ● Carry a refillable water bottle
or travel mug to avoid single-use plastic ones ● Replace plastic straws, cutlery
and stirrers with reusable stainless-steel versions ● Compost kitchen and
garden waste ● Avoid pesticides in your garden
St Brynach churchNevern, Pembrokeshire
The more one knows, the more
one sees
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Nick and Carol Ward started the sustainable living group of Ruthin & District U3A in North Wales on the premise, they say, that “even if we change one person’s thinking in the smallest of ways then that is still a positive step to help combat climate change”.
Nick and Carol believe the U3A is a powerful resource to raise awareness about climate change.
“Our remit is to help people make informed choices about a more sustainable lifestyle,” says Carol. “Many of us may be concerned about our grandchildren’s future. With 435,000 U3A members, including retired professors, engineers and politicians among our number, just imagine what a positive, practical influence we could have.
“I’m not advocating climbing on train roofs or chaining ourselves to railings, but rather using our wealth of resources to bring about some change.”
The group has visited a local hill fort known as Castle Bank and some of us made a day out of visiting Castell Henllys iron age village, Nevern church and Nevern castle, all within a stone’s throw of each other in Pembrokeshire.
Individual members have also followed up sites discussed at the group, including the Bury Ditches hill fort in Shropshire, and the Great Orme and Parys Mountain copper mines in North Wales and Anglesey.
We were delighted to have the acclaimed archaeologist Bill Britnell talk to us about his work at the Walton Basin – a local area that has revealed a continuous human history spanning millennia.
One of the wonderful things about Wales is that it is mostly undeveloped. In addition to its beauty, we have many areas that still contain even surface evidence of our early ancestors’ presence. There are plenty of small churches reflective of Celtic Christianity that existed before Augustine came to Britain from Rome.
Being close to the English border, we inevitably have numerous sites reflecting the tumultuous years of Marches conflict.
We also have Offa’s Dyke, one of the most classic examples of landscape history. It is the combination of recognising features created by humans in the landscape, together with the history behind them, that makes landscape history a fascinating subject.
For example, who would instinctively know what lynchets are? These terraces on the side of hills were shaped to increase crop production. Winding S-shaped country lanes exist today
because of the turn made by a team of oxen and a plough at the top of a field. An unnatural round, flat-topped mound was probably the base for a Norman motte and bailey castle.
Some famous earthworks, particularly sections of Offa’s Dyke and Wansdyke in
Wiltshire, would be baffling if one came across them without knowing their history. In places where there has been little development, our history is tangible! The more one knows, the more one sees.
In preparing the subjects – as I hoped – I am learning so much. What I did not expect was that this study would give me, personally, such a welcome sense of identity and belonging.
Positive stepsCastell
Henllys iron age village
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Bombusmonticola,
the bilberryor mountainbumblebee
Dr NikkiGammanswith U3Amembers
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What could be nicer than strolling through countryside on a summer’s day, recording the number of bumblebees you come across?
Each month, from March to October, members of the bee watch group of Meopham U3A in Kent follow fixed routes through different habitats, recording the bumblebees they spot for the Bumblebee Conservation Trust’s BeeWalk recording scheme.
Bumblebees are great pollinators, helping to produce much of the food we eat and pollinating wildflowers, which are the basis of complex food chains.
But they have been declining in the UK over the past century. The Bumblebee Conservation Trust says this is largely due to changes in the way countryside is managed, reducing the numbers of flowering plants bumblebees feed on.
Since World War II, 97 per cent of wildflower meadows in the UK have been lost, and in the last century two species of bumblebee became extinct in Britain, with a further eight of the 24 remaining species on the endangered list.
The first U3A group of its kind, Meopham’s began in 2017. It devised three local walks. Each is divided into sections through different habitats and on flat ground to enable as many people as possible to join in. The walkers identify the
bumblebee’s species and whether it is a queen, female worker or male.
Group convenor Chris Hague-Smith explains: “If one person does the recording and you walk as a group, you’re supporting each other, you’re learning together and you’ve got this social element. We’re trying to tag it as ‘a walk with a purpose’. We think it works rather well.”
The group was trained by Dr Nikki Gammans from the Bumblebee Conservation Trust. Now members train those who are new to the group. Resources, help and courses are available from wildlife groups.
Bumblebees, with their “bumbling” flight and distinctive buzz, pollinate on a huge scale. Unlike honeybees, they do not make honey; the queen hibernates over winter and emerges in spring.
The walks mean that the group gets a snapshot of how bumblebees are doing. “In 2018, the Beast from the East had quite an effect on bees, but they do recover,” says Chris. “Later that same
year, we saw 176 bumblebees in one day – it took us about two hours for one walk – the best day we’ve ever had.”
For those thinking of setting up a bee watch group, choosing the walking route is very important: “Don’t be in a hurry, try several walks first, get yourselves a route that works.” Individuals can also be more bee-friendly, says Chris. “You can grow bee-friendly plants – the Bumblebee Conservation Trust will give you advice.”
Meopham U3A’s bee watch group records bumblebee sightings as part of a national monitoring scheme, writes Eleanor Mair
A walk that is the bee’s knees!
TO FIND OUT MORE ABOUT BEEWALK, GO TO BUMBLEBEECONSERVATION.ORG/BEEWALK
GARDENING FOR BEESAim to have at least two bee-friendly plants, such as lavender,
foxglove, verbena, cosmos and honeysuckle, in your
garden, allotment or window box, flowering from March to October. The Bumblebee
Conservation Trust website
has suggestions for bumblebee-friendly plants, from herbs and flowers to trees and lawns.
bumblebeeconservation.org
Make yourgarden bumblebee
friendly
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Examples ofthe work of
South Lakes U3Arag-ruggers
Jenny Johns runs a rag-rugging group at South Lakes U3A based in Kendal, Cumbria. Here, she talks about the craft and how it helps the environment
“Rag-rugging is a type of weaving using recycled fabric,” says Jenny. “Our group grew through word of mouth. People joined having read about the group in our U3A newsletter and having seen examples of our work at our open day. We have eight to 10 regular members.
“There are two methods of rag-rugging – proddy, where short strips of material are pushed through a hessian backing, and hooked, in which long strips of material are pulled through the hessian backing in short loops.
“The tradition of rug-making may have come to the North
of England with Scandinavian settlers. Even in recent memory, the working of old clothes into rugs would have been seen as a sign of poverty.
“While some modern rag-rugging groups use new materials, the traditional craft uses old fabrics. For us, the sustainability of recycling materials is an unintentional benefit, and cost is another factor.
“Everyone in our group feels that rag-rugging is a great therapeutic craft. We enjoy the challenge of accessing and using recycled materials.
“It’s easy to talk and create at the same time. There is satisfaction in creating a new object of use and beauty from old materials.
“We have all produced some great pieces, many of which we have given as gifts.
“If you’re intrigued by rag-rugging, find a group and join!”
I was interested in recycling
materials but never did anything
about it – until now
From rags to riches
Tips to revamp your wardrobeAfter finding that all the craft groups in Grantham U3A were full, former professional sewer Jill Ginns started an upcycling clothing group in April last year, giving her the opportunity to do what she had wanted for many years and experiment with recycled clothing, writes Eleanor Mair. The group has six members of mixed ability and experience, and they all want to give clothes that no longer fit a second life.
“I joined the U3A in January 2019,” says Jill. “I wanted to make some friends, and craft was what I was really interested in. I was at a coffee morning talking to another woman who said she’d be interested and the groups’ coordinator said I could do a sewing group.
“I started sewing in my teens. I couldn’t find clothes that fitted me as I was rather tall, so I started making clothes for myself. I took dressmaking classes and worked in London for a year before teaching sewing at Grantham College.
I stayed at home to look after my children for a few years and by the time I came back to work, sewing was out of fashion. I started making clothes for people – I had a market stall and did curtain alterations.
“I was interested in recycling materials but I never really did anything about it – until now. For lots of members, there are loads of clothes in their wardrobe and they just want to get them to fit,” says Jill.
“I draw attention to various aspects such as techniques and fabric. But it is very often a collaborative process. It’s a very happy group. It’s not just the sewing aspect but people just like going along.
“My favourite part of the group is the recycling aspect – seeing garments recycled instead of just being put in landfill. I feel strongly about landfill – for years I’ve thought I would like to recycle fabric. Now that recycling is in vogue, I can start looking into recycled fabrics more.”
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Ruth Lancashirewith fashion icon
Zandra Rhodes
“I worked as a computer programmer in the 1960s, then taught programming in a college, followed by a third career as
a financial adviser before running a small business with my husband. I set up a new U3A in Waterlooville, Hampshire, then a new U3A for Palmers Green & Southgate in North London, where I started a climate change group. For the past six years, I’ve worked as an office volunteer for an international development charity that is also involved in campaigning in the UK for action on climate change. I am not an expert, but since I took on the role of Subject Adviser, I have discovered many who are passionate about the issue. My vision is to promote debate on climate change issues, encouraging U3As to set up groups and run study days.
“I retired from a career in education as a specialist trainer and consultant in
autism and challenging behaviour. I had previously been headteacher of a residential school for young people with autism. I have two children and a six-year-old granddaughter. Strolling in our local park, we saw croquet being played, thought it looked fun, gave it a go and were hooked! I started playing golf croquet, then association croquet and now play in regional and national competitions.When I retired, I joined Chester U3A. I thought it would be great to encourage more people to discover croquet. Get in touch, I’d love to help!”
FRANCES HALLIDAY is the new Subject Adviser for climate change
SALLY SLATER is the new Subject Adviser for croquet
“I have been fascinated with fashion all my life. I love beautiful fabrics, skilled designs and craftsmanship, which I share with our fashion groups.
“Over seven years, our Leigh Estuary (Essex) group gained a lot of experience by going to fashion events, having good speakers, visiting fabric houses, the Royal Opera House costume department and art and design colleges in London.
“We put a notice in TAM asking if any other U3As had a fashion group, but got no response. However, I mentioned it to members at the U3A national conference last year. Many were interested and I was asked if I’d be a Subject Adviser.
“I would urge anyone newly retired to join a fashion group to avoid sliding into ‘I needn’t bother anymore, I’ll just wear something comfy’. “We are all here to help each other to look as good as we can.”
Meet your new Subject AdvisersRUTH LANCASHIRE started a fashion group with another member of Leigh Estuary U3A. She is now Subject Adviser for the topic
WHAT U3As ARE DOING ● Currently there are 37
U3A groups related to the environment ● Several U3As have run
study days. Thames Valley Network of U3As is planning a Biodiversity and Climate Change study day in July and Kennet U3A in Wiltshire is
organising a Climate Change and Sustainable Futures study day ● U3A members are
increasingly bringing reusable cups to meetings instead of single-use plastic cups – Cheadle U3A in Greater Manchester uses china cups ● U3As are celebrating
second-hand fashion – Foyle
U3A in Northern Ireland raised £2,000 through a fashion show and sale of second-hand clothing, while Leigh Estuary U3A in Essex put on a fashion show of clothing from charity shops ● There are litter-picking
groups, such as Rubbish Friends at Up Holland & District U3A in Lancashire
SCOTTISH COUNTRY DANCINGA piece in the February issue of Sources about Scottish Country Dancing was written by special adviser Sue Petyt and not Mervyn Short, who has stood down as adviser for Scottish Country Dancing.