2pm The Woodlands Centre, Woodlands Avenue, Rustington BN16 3HB
Entrance FREE to Arun East u3a members. Please bring your membership card. Guests £2
Meetings are held on the 3rd Wednesday of the month.
We start with refreshments and u3a notices at 2pm followed by the speaker at 2:30pm.
You will have the opportunity to meet other members and sign up for Arun East u3a activities and events.
SIGNING IN
It is important that you sign in with your membership number.
Guests will need to provide full contact details.
2026
February 18th IAN EVEREST – Women’s Land Army – Cinderellas of the Fields
Often referred to as the Cinderella’s of the Field, Ian will explain how he first became interested in the Women’s Land Army and how it led to many years of research and collecting hundreds of photos of the girls and women working on the farms. The talk will look at its history – how it started, its role during two world wars and its recognition in more recent times. A wide range of photographs will show the women at work and look at the huge contribution they made to feeding the country in times of war.
March18th IAN GLEDHILL – From Oklahoma to Phantom of the Opera – The Modern Musical
This talk looks at the development of the modern musical after the Second World War. It begins with the ground-breaking Oklahoma of 1943 and goes through to Andrew Lloyd Webber’s long-running Phantom of the Opera – one of the most successful shows in the history of theatre. On the way there will be plenty of musical examples to enjoy.
April 15th KATHRIN LEAVER_FIELDING – Forever Young: Nutrition for Healthy Aging
We all want to live forever, but the aim is to live well as we age, and different life stages require different nutrition requirements – what teenagers need to eat is very different to what men and women over 50 require for good health.
So, what does that look like on our plates? What foods support healthy bones, what should we be eating for heart health – and to boost our memory? BANT-registered nutritional therapist Kathrin will discuss foods for healthy ageing, including how lessons from the Blue Zones apply in Rustington and why it’s never too late to introduce healthy habits. If you’d like to find out more about how we can change how we feel through the foods we eat, whatever our age, come along!
May 20th WILLIAM AVENELL – What is a view? What makes a view so special?
This talk selects some of the iconic views of West Sussex and explores their geographical origins, their historical significance, their artistic value and other factors that make them so popular. Delivered with some humour and local knowledge.
June 17th COMMUNITY SAFETY & WELLBEING – West Sussex C.C. – Online Fraud: How to avoid being Scammed and what to do if you are
More than ever before, we have been relying on technology to enable us to work, learn and connect with each other. Inevitably, criminals have exploited and used our increased digital lives to their advantage. This has resulted in a rise in scams including: telephone, phishing and text scams which have all become an increased concern in West Sussex. Not only is there the financial impact on victims but the emotional impact can be even more significant.
To help raise awareness of these types of scams, this talk will provide you with the knowledge on how to spot them, and what to do if you or your family become a victim of online fraud.
July 15th GILL WALBY – Jenny Wren to R.N.
This talk will cover a little of the history of the Women’s Royal Naval Service and also the changes experienced when the WRNS were fully integrated into the RN.
Gill will describe her own training and postings to various UK and foreign bases.
August 19th GUY BARTLETT – History of The Red Arrows
Red Arrow pilots are amongst the most highly-qualified and experienced within the RAF.
During the display season the Red Arrows perform between 75-85 air displays and more then 100 fly-pasts. Each pilot is hand-picked and only a very few will be given the privilege of representing the RAF both in the UK and abroad.
Guy Bartlett is an aviation historian who has given presentations to numerous groups, including French Air Traffic Controllers, Officers at RAF Brize Norton and the Royal Aeronautical Society. Join him, as he shares some of the Red Arrows’ history with you.
September 16th ARUN EAST u3a AGM (Members only)
October 21st STEVE WEBSTER – A Day in the Life of a Ranger
Since volunteering at the age of 14, all Steve Webster wanted to do was to work in conservation.
His talk describes his passage into the industry and explores the many different roles he has had during a 40- year career with local authorities, Wildlife Trusts and the RSPB. Illustrated with many of his own photographs and punctuated with anecdotes and humorous happenings, he explains just how varied being a Countryside Ranger and conservationist can be.
Highs, lows and how he became one in a million are all topics Steve will share.
November 18th PETE ALLEN – The Morse Code: Deciphering Britain’s Favourite Detective
Has there ever been a more perfect tragic hero than Inspector Morse?
Someone who, as his creator Colin Dexter noted, was somewhat of a loner by temperament…though never wholly happy when alone, was usually slightly more miserable when with other people, probably down to the knowledge that he was smarter than everyone else in the room. This talk, a companion piece to ‘Watching the Detectives’ explores the world of Morse from his first appearance in literature to his investigations on-screen, stage and radio.
December 16th – u3a XMAS SOCIAL
2027
January 20th 2027 Colin Turner – THE 1960s
This talk is a nostalgic, thought-provoking and enjoyable reminder of all that went on in the decade of the 1960s. We take a look at royalty, people, current affairs, politics, crime, health, theatre, film, sport, comedy and more…..including music. It is not unknown for audiences to join in with a singalong, but this isn’t essential!
17th February 2027 Ian Worley – AN ATLANTIC ODYSSEY
In 1967, Ian qualified as a Chartered Accountant and got marries. A busy year! Then, in 1968, having fully prepared his yacht, Ocean Minx, for the adventure ahead, he set off with his wife his 6 month old daughter and younger sister, to sail across the Atlantic to the Caribbean, via Gibraltar and the Canary Islands.
Ian recounts this experience illustrated with many photographs, when they endured storms aplenty, a collision with basking whales, sharks eating the baby’s nappies and a near sinking, all with baby Samantha aboard!
17th March 2027 Fran Sandham – A SOLO WALK ACROSS AFRICA
Critically acclaimed author an public speaker Fran Sandham took on the challenge of a lifetime, by walking across Africa, from Namibia’s Skeleton Coast on the Atlantic to the Indian Ocean near Zanzibar. He was completely alone, no back up, no support team, no one to carry his gear, no sponsors, no film crew, no journalists, no fuss, no cheering crowds, and no strings attached.
Above all, it had to be on a one way ticket – no safety nets, no get-out clauses and nothing to fall back on…..
21st April 2027 David Bickerton – MY PARENTS’ WARTIME EXPERIENCES
David was drawn on a journey of discovery after finding nearly 150 letters that his parents had exchanged between 1942 and 1945, before they were married. With the help of the letters and extensive research he has been able to piece together a details picture of their wartime experiences.
David discovered how his father was in the crew of HMS Devonshire when she took part in the pursuit and sinking of the Bismarck. David’s mother was a radar operator in the WAAF and found herself tracking enemy aircraft on their bombing missions.
19th May 2027 Nicky Taylor – YOU COULDN’T MAKE IT UP! – TALES FROM BEHIND THE SCENES OF BRITISH TV
What really happens when the cameras stop rolling? From canal boats with Timothy West and Prunella Scales to caravanning with Tony Blackburn and motor homing mishaps with national treasures, this is a light-hearted look at life behind the lens.
Expect celebrity chaos, production disasters and stories that never made the edit – plus a few surprising experiments along the way.