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Again this year we enjoyed our Christmas Lunch at Thornton Hall.  There were quite a lot of us, in fact 56.  We opted to have round, instead of rectangular tables as this meant we could all take part in the conversation on our particular table.  Although we were a bit packed together on some tables the atmosphere was once again excellent.

 

At the end of the meal and before the coffee and mince pies June Wilson gave us another rendition of one of her poems.  We are so lucky to have such a wonderful, witty and inciteful poet in our midst.  Thank you June very much.

 

Once again Jutta provided us with little favours that she had put together herself – thank you Jutta.

On the tables everyone was provided with a raffle ticket.  There were five lucky winners and everyone enjoyed the party atmosphere.  Ann Hillier

 

           Thank you June for your excellent rendition

 

Here we are in Wirral on Dee…

 

Here we are in Wirral on Dee

A Peninsula with many places to see

But the Mersey flanks our other side

The 3 Graces of Liverpool exhibit with Pride

The Liver Bird stands on top of its dome

It has welcomed many a sea-farer home

They say it flaps its wings some days

If pretty girls look up to the clock and gaze

Christmas lights are soon switched on

We’re asked to shop in Liverpool One

But sit back a while from the frantic fray

Relax with friends while we party today

Don’t let’s worry or find a fault

Even if were sitting below the salt

Christmas comes but once a year,

and when it comes it brings good cheer

As children we did all believe

That Santa came on Christmas Eve

In bed we’d try to go to sleep

But every now and then we’d peep

At our stocking or pillowcase hanging there

Had it changed its shape or was it still bare?

But the following morning on Christmas Day

We’d wake up early and begin to play

With the wonderful toys Santa left for us;

A Teddy, a doll, a game, a red bus                                

But today there’s a difference, the EU’s seen to that

Politically correct Santa is not free to chat

In his grotto to children who meet him with glee

They must keep their distance, not sit on his knee

The reindeer must be tethered in a specific way

Lest they eat the wrong food, or roam free and stray

If they’re found in a thicket                                                               

Santa’s fined – no parking ticket

Beware singing Rudolph with his nose so red

Discrimination rears its ugly head

Santa lies on his back with his sack on the ground

But his little green elves are nowhere around

They’ve gone off to Tesco to shop till they drop

They bring booze for Santa, they’re tired so they flop

Santa drinks up with gusto his sack on the ground

Computers and Ipods are scattered around

With his phone to his ear, he hears each request

He tells them to use e-bay for that is the best

So the elves get busy – they email like mad

While Santa looks on, just like old granddad

The pubs get quite busy from early to late

The food is quite good as folk celebrate

A lady in Wales baked Red Dragon pies

Everyone loved them and she’d won a prize

Her Red Dragon pies were famed to Niagara

Men smacked their lips, no need for Viagra

But a standards inspector called to see here one day

Her Red Dragon pies must be stopped right away

They contained Chinese beans but no real Dragon meat

He said it was fraud and really a cheat

When the inspector left

She felt quite bereft

Shed never confessed the rest of her menu

Of the other nice pies she served at this venue

Shepherds Pie and Cottage Pie, now these were her problem

How do you put them in pies? Can you help her to solve them?

 

 

June Wilson.

The University of the Third Age (U3A)

Are you enjoying having free time to explore new horizons now that you no longer have a work commitment? Or are you finding the life change somewhat of a challenge?

Research has proved that continued learning has many benefits including increasing satisfaction with life, decreasing the likelihood of depression and increasing self worth.  Happy people live, on average, 7 years longer and demand less of the Health Service.

Informal learning has recently been the focus of a government White Paper – ‘The Learning Revolution’ in which it is stated that learning contributes to the wellbeing of both individuals and communities.

The University of the Third Age (U3A) offers those no longer in full time employment the opportunity to increase their knowledge and extend their horizons by pursuing learning for pleasure. There is no lower age limit and no entry qualifications are required and none given. Learning is fun in groups where members are encouraged to join in activities, visit places of interest, hear interesting speakers and more especially to share their knowledge and life’s experiences by participating in small subject interest groups.

Oxton Prenton & District U3A is such a group which began only 18 months ago with 36 members and now has over 100 with 18 interest groups ranging from History , Music, Modern languages, Photography, Poetry to Walking and Craft.  Meetings are held fortnightly at Trinity with Palm Grove Church Hall where we have a speaker once a month or a Coffee Morning the alternate meeting with subject leaders giving a taste of what their group is about.  These mornings can also be a good time to socialize and to find out about what is on offer; for example recently we have been to the Eden Project and lost Gardens of Heligan and shortly we have another group visiting Stratford to see As You Like It .  Our latest project is to set up a computer facility for use by ourselves and the Church members at Trinity with Palm Grove.

 

Belonging to such a lively group brings new friend and develops a supportive network as well as keeping mind and body active; as an active retirement promotes healthier ageing.  If you are curious please continue to view the rest of our website.

A Visit and conducted Tour to the ATHENAEUM, Liverpool

 

Fifteen members of our group met in Church Alley, Liverpool on June 25th. Michael Corfe, one of the Proprietors, started the conducted tour outside the magnificent building of the Athenaeum, a private members Club.

 

A plaque of Athena is over the door of the building, this was the start of an extremely interesting and enjoyable tour. The Club was founded in 1797 to provide a meeting place where ideas and information could be exchanged in pleasant surroundings.

 

Due to street widening the Athenaeum moved from its original site to a specially designed elegant building in 1928 near the Blue Coat Chambers in Church Alley.

 

Famous names such as William Roscoe and Rathbone, well known to all in Liverpool, left their mark on this imposing venue.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Article by Jutta Hesketh

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The interesting elliptical staircase leads visitors and proprietors up to the News room with large windows looking out to the Blue Coat and Church Alley which shed light on portraits of notable men, amongst them, F.E.Smith; it is a very relaxing room to be in and meet with friends over a quiet drink, a haven of peace.

 

On the second floor is the heart of the Athenaeum, its famous library, one of the greatest proprietary libraries in the United Kingdom. This has grown considerably since 1848 where collections of books and pamphlets dealing with local matters are of great importance including bequests made by notable antiquarians.

 

The Roscoe Collection is housed there and arrangements can be made for researchers, if introduced by Proprietors, to make use of the Library.

 

The dining room is on the third floor, where we had soup and sandwiches and a convivial end to our time at the Athenaeum. Michael Corfe entertained us with more information on this unique venue as well as with his own  fascinating family link to the history on the Wirral.

Our thanks go to Michael Corfe for generously giving up his time to take us round such magnificent surroundings.