In this edition:
Notices/Upcoming Events
News from the Speakers’ Team
Our next Monthly Meeting will take place at 2.00 p.m. on Thursday, 18th June, as usual, at the Assembly Room, The Council House, North Street, Chichester. Doors are open from 1.15 pm and you are warmly invited to stay after the talk for free refreshments in the adjacent Crush Bar.
Our speaker is Jools Lloyd, who was the Surveillance Team Leader working alongside The Flying Squad on their investigation into what became one of the most famous attempted robberies in criminal history – the attempt to steal the DeBeers Millennium Star and Blue Diamonds on display in a vault at the Millennium Dome in November 2000.
The robbery has been subject to documentaries by ITV and Netflix (both of which Jools took part in), and has always been a fascination of the media. Jools will outline how the gang were identified after two vicious armed robberies and put under surveillance in order to arrest the gang at their 3rd attempt.
Tea/Coffee Morning Tuesday, July 7th, 10-12
Always on the First Tuesday of each month, so please mark your calendars!
Our Tea/Coffee Mornings are held in the Bar at the MINERVA THEATRE building, opposite the Chichester Festival Theatre. You can chat with our groups team and learn about current and new offerings, meet old friends and make new ones!
Please note that the Members Monthly Meeting due to take place on Thursday, 10th December will start at 3.00 p.m. instead of 2.00 p.m., in order to give members the opportunity to enjoy a Christmas Lunch at Chichester College before they come along for the talk. Details of Christmas Lunches will come out later in the summer.
Groups Notices & Events
Here’s Looking at Yew!
A famous German botanist visited West Sussex in 1911 and pronounced we had the finest ancient yew forest in the whole of Europe ….and on our doorstep, just three miles northwest of Chichester! The Practical Science Group assembled in the Kingley Vale car park to visit this unique area.
Britain’s first nature reserve, Kingley Vale, was formed in 1952. A few years later the well known naturalist Richard Williamson (the brother of Henry Williamson, famed author of Dandelion Days and Tarka the Otter) became its first warden.
As we walked along the footpath to the yew tree forest, Helen Dignum gave us an informed commentary on the wide variety of chalk downland plants present in this typed of habitat. Yellow nipplewort decorated the hedgerows, along with wild privet. At the field edges we learned to differentiate several different types of thistle. As we entered the forest the ground was covered in dogs mercury and the occasional stinking iris, still in flower. We spotted a few unusual insects including the broad bodied chaser from the dragonfly family.
We saw some stunning yew trees, with their curious warped growth and pendant branches often taking root in a penumbra around the main trunk. After a picnic lunch by the dew pond, fitter members climbed to the upper meadows to be rewarded with a display of common orchids in flower.
Spanish Conversation 2
Looking to improve your conversational Spanish? We have vacancies if you would like to practice your Spanish in this intermediate level discussion group on a regular basis. We meet weekly on Tuesdays, 11am-12.30 in members houses. More information via this link get sender’s email…….Any responses, please use this link putting “Spanish” in the subject line for forwarding to the group leader.
Watch the Birdie(s)
There must be plenty of birdwatching U3a-ers (if that’s a word) who are interested in the peregrines at Chichester Cathedral. The chicks – no longer fluffy and immobile – are now identifiable birds of prey. It’s far more interesting than tuning in to look at the mother peregrine sitting on her eggs. They will be flying in no time. Watch them by following this link: www.chichesterperegrines.co.uk
New Bus Walking Group
Since there is now a sizeable waiting list for the two current bus walk groups, feelers are going out to see if someone would be interested in becoming a leader of a third group. The group meets centrally and then takes a bus to a walk that has been planned in advance (usually around 5 miles). There is the option for refreshments at the end of the walk. The new group would walk at a moderate pace.
The original group leaders would be happy to help a new leader set up a third group and are also happy to share walks. Being a group leader is really rewarding and enjoyable so why not give it a go?
If you are interested, please follow this link)
A Day at the (motor) Races
Six members of Social Teams 1 and 2 visited Brooklands Motor Circuit and Museum on May 27, when they enjoyed exploring the many fascinating exhibits, one member even experiencing a quick hill-climb ride in one of the vintage cars.
The visit took advantage of a special reduced u3a admission price (under £20) which, following discussions with Brooklands, has been extended for the remainder of 2026.
Members wishing to take advantage of this offer can obtain further details and make bookings by contacting bookings@brooklandsmuseum.com
Impressionist Art Group Film
The Impressionist Art Group is showing the film Pissaro; Father of Impressionism on Tuesday 7th July from 2 o’clock at the Friends Meeting Hall, Priory Road, Chichester.
Tea and coffee are provided but we ask for a £3 contribution to the hire of the hall. For more information you may use this link putting “Art” in the subject line for forwarding to the group leader.
Politicos…..
A quick update from Gill Oldham, who has a vacancy in her Monday morning politics discussion group. Unfortunately she supplied the wrong telephone number in the last Bulletin, which should have been 01243 527373.
Solo Travel…
Petra Ralph was pleasantly surprised by the number of replies received regarding here appeal in the last Bulletin for fellow UK travellers. However, the size of the responsibility having become clearer, rather than be an organiser she is instead referring interested parties to travel companies that can better offer UK breaks for single people.
Says Petra, the following companies cater for solo travellers, both at UK and abroad:
www.justyou.co.uk, www.onetraveller.co.uk, www.solosholidays.com
Local and National
National u3a
There is a wealth of information on the National u3a website – www.u3a.org.uk , including online groups, u3a Radio podcast, upcoming events, and the latest issue of Third Age Matters, the monthly national u3a magazine.
The link to this version is: https://www.u3a.org.uk/what-we-do/u3a-matters
The next bulletin is due out on July 3rd, so if you have an item to submit, you may use this link.
Links to our Website
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(btw the dating convention at the top of these Bulletins has now changed to the conventional British, so today’s publication date is 12.06.26.)
Best wishes,
Steve Painter
The Constitution of the Chichester U3A is available to view here, and its Terms of Use here.
Enquiries: If you wish to contact the Chichester U3A, please call 07490 654524 (and be prepared to leave a message if not answered), or contact the membership secretary.