Month	Talk and Events
May 2026	Our member Richard Veitch started his Talk about the Kalahari by telling us about the canine unit in the Kruger National Park which forms an integral part of the anti-poaching team. The unit comprises highly trained dogs and their handlers that perform an array of functions, including pursuing poachers who the rangers then intercept, having followed the dogs in helicopters. Ranger’s dogs are often the first respondents to incidents of suspected poaching. Richard then talked about his and Carol's recent trip to the Kalahari Desert traveling around Botswana and the Kruger National Park in South Africa. Richard showed the wonderful variety of rare animals and diverse wildlife they saw, as well as the stunning landscape through which they travelled on rough roads and makeshift bridges, as well as the lodges in which they stayed.
April 2026	Our Chairman Clive Midson gave us a fascinating talk about how the members of the Beatles met and the way the Group evolved from its early incarnations including The Quarrymen. Clive talked about the significance of their move to Hamburg in 1960 where they were taken in a van by Allan Williams, their first manager, to gain invaluable experience. It was in Hamburg that they met the German freelance photographer and artist Astrid Kirchherr who saw them after her then partner Klaus Voormann heard them performing while walking down the street after leaving their flat following an argument. Astrid proved to be a major influence on their image changing their slicked-back hairstyle into the familiar mop top in which style she had cut Klaus's hair to hide his prominant ears. She also took numerous striking photographs of the Group and the individual members which then included drummer Pete Best and Stuart Sutcliffe who John had brought in after persuading him to buy a bass guitar which unfortunately he could not play. By then Astrid had left Klaus for Stuart to whom she had become engaged but never married as he tragically died at 22 from an aparent brain tumour. Klaus who is a very talented artist remained close to The Beatles after they returned to Liverpool and throughout their career, designing the Revolver album cover which was their first album sleeve not to simply feature a photograph of the Group. Astrid sadly stopped taking photographs in 1967 as people were only interested in those she had taken of The Beatles.
March 2026	We were glad to welcome back David Allport who many of us remember from last May when he gave us a nostalgic look back at the music, mods, miniskirts, films and fashion of the 1960s. David’s Talk this time was titled "What did you do during the War Mum?" in which he set out a comprehensive and well researched presentation about the wide range of work and jobs taken on by women in both World Wars along with their fight for equality starting with the Suffragettes. The many roles women took on during World War One ranged from chimney sweeps and window cleaners, driving buses, trams and trains, to working as welders and in munitions factories producing shells, working on the land for food production as well as taking on war work abroad. Women also ran postal services, joined the police force and became firefighters (overcoming concerns about displaying their ankles), often balancing their traditional home duties with these new roles. In World War Two they took on an even broader range of roles although they were no longer allowed to be front line firefighters. They were conscripted into the services wearing the uniform of the Royal Navy, Army and Air Force, The Women’s Land Army again provided food and a group of Lumbergirls worked in the UK’s forests to deliver much needed timber. Women also worked in factories building aircraft and then flying them to RAF bases and worked as code breakers at Bletchley Park. Throughout this the WI still knitted, cooked and cared for others, much as it still does. The work women did while men were away fighting was vital for the war effort and showed there were no limitations to the roles they could fill.
February 2026	We were delighted to welcome back Penelope Harris, who is a Valuer and Auctioneer and a Fellow and Diamond graduate of the Gemmological Association of Great Britain, who followed up her last Talk in October 2024 about how an object's history can affect its value. This time Penelope also looked at how scarcity can affect what buyers are prepared to pay, as was the case with some rare Cyprus bank notes and a Led Zeppelin album sleeve signed by all four members. She also showed two different coloured mugs with identical designs; the blue one of which went for a couple of hundred pounds while the yellow one sold for several thousand pounds because the buyer did not have a mug in that colour! She also discussed finding corroborating evidence that a picture of Dambuster pilot Guy Gibson was really him, and how provenance may not always increase value, as happened with an object owned by a descendent of Alexander Hamilton, one of the Founding Fathers of the United States. Finally, Penelope said she was always glad if an object went to an appropriate place, as happened when she spotted an 1851 Great Exhibition official Service Medal designed by William Wyon and presented to contributors to the event in the V&A Museum, and a historic map that was returned to where it originated from in New Zealand. Once again Penelope gave us a fascinating Talk which everyone clearly enjoyed.
January 2026	Our Chairman Clive Midson gave us an engaging talk and slideshow showing what the Photography Group has been doing and the locations it had visited throughout the past year, illustrated by photographs taken by the Group. Clive mentioned that each month's trip ended at a cafe or pub, and the final slide showed the members at the Nosh box cafe in Portsmouth after our photoshoot in Victoria Park.
December 2025	Our December meeting had a Christmas theme with a quiz, raffle and some seasonal music in the background to set the mood. There was also some festive food served with the usual tea and coffee.
November 2025	Our guest speaker was Neil Hanson who told us about his time running and restoring the World Famous Tan Hill Inn, Britain’s highest pub, situated in the stunning scenery of Swaledale, high in the Yorkshire Dales during the 1970s and 1980s, first as tenant landlord and then as owner. Neil shared stories of grappling with tight-fisted farmers, eccentric characters, bizarre local customs, naturist weekends, lates and lock-ins, police raids, rats in the attic, close encounters with magistrates and planners, and the shooting of the Everest double-glazing commercial after he persuaded the company to replace all the pub's windows on the basis that it would show how resilient they were in the very windy conditions.
October 2025	We welcomed Hiro Taylor from Thames Valley Police Cyber Crime Unit who delivered a presentation called “Protecting You from Cyber Crime”. Hiro's Talk included advice about securing our accounts and showed how people can be fooled into giving away security information by very convincing phone calls from someone pretending to be someone else. He also said that paying with a phone is more secure than with a contactless card as card details are hidden and it cannot be used without the phone’s password. Cards are also vulnerable to skimming and the risk of unauthorised transactions if lost or stolen. For more information about how to get secure online visit https://www.ncsc.gov.uk/cyberaware/home This month twenty five members went on a coach trip to Bletchley Park which was the principal centre of Allied code-breaking during World War 2. Rosy Stone's comprehensive report on the trip and the code breakers including Alan Turing who worked there is on pages 16 to 17 of the Winter 2025-26 Newsletter which you can find on the Members page of the website.
September 2025	Our speaker was once again the funny and lively Judy Theobald who took a light-hearted look at “Life and its Problems”. We were very glad to welcome Judy back after we enjoyed her last Talk on 'Christmas, Life and Problems' last November.
August 2025	We enjoyed some hot and sunny weather for our summer Garden Party in the grounds of Merchistoun Hall for which the theme this year was “Flower Power”. There was music from the 1960s, a lighthearted quiz, a cash raffle, delicious tea and cakes plus a prize for the best themed Flower Power outfit, for which there was some stiff competition!
July 2025	The Annual General Meeting of Horndean & District u3a took place at Merchistoun Hall on 5th July 2024 at 2pm. The agenda, reports, accounts, and minutes of last year's AGM can be found under the relevant links on the Events page. Tea, coffee, and a wonderful selection of cakes were provided following the meeting.
June 2025	Andrew Negus gave us Part 2 of his series of Talks titled Around the World…..the Weird……The Wild and the Wonderful which covered his travels around China over 40 years ago. At that time, China was still isolated from the rest of the world which was unaware of the discoveries and advances it had made well ahead of other countries. Andrew also noted characteristics and behaviour that he initially found disturbing but which he soon realized were just different to ours. He was also enthralled by the time and work that would have been involved in ancient times creating the amazing sights he saw, such as the Leshan Giant Buddha near the city of Leshan which is the largest and tallest stone Buddha statue in the world, and the 7,000 steps up Mount Tai which took six hours to climb and takes you to the highest point in Shandong province. At the end of his extensive Talk covering all the other places he visited, he compared an areal view of the country with one his daughter took 25 years later when Chine had opened up to the world and had been totally transformed.
May 2025	Dave Allport MBE gave us a nostalgic and lighthearted presentation about the 1960s in which he captured the spirit of this iconic decade which started with Louis Armstrong and the jazz era and ended with the moon walk of Neil Armstrong. Dave talked about the most successful films and actors of that time as well, as how music and the artists that made it evolved during those years, along with changes in clothes and fashion lead by Mary Quant and Twiggy. He also covered the darker events including the effects of thalidomide, the Aberfan disaster, and the battles between Mods and Rockers in Brighton. Dave also noted how attitudes had changed by looking at advertisements that portrayed women solely as housewives delighted by being given a new fridge or other household appliance! Dave's talk was very well received by members whose memories were jogged by it and who reminisced about their own recollections and experiences of this decade during which so much changed.
April 2025	Andy Thomas, who writes and gives lectures about unexplained mysteries, gave us a fascinating talk about the phenomenon of crop circles which he illustrated with many examples of the mysterious patterns and amazingly complex designs that are seen in fields around the world each summer. Andy also looked at their history and discussed the many intriguing and imaginative theories that have been put forward to explain them over the years, showing that the vast majority cannot be man-made because of the enormous amount of time it would take to create them and the geometrical precision involved in their design. He also discussed similarities between the locations in which they are found, such as on chalk land. It was a very interesting and thought provoking talk.
March 2025	Our speaker was James Lower who is the Southern Water Field Customer Engagement Officer for Sussex, Hampshire, Kent and the Isle of Wight. Southern Water deal with our waste water and the Talk dealt with the challenges they face, particularly sewer blockages which are caused when fats, oils, grease and wet wipes are flushed down the toilet, as well as increased pressure on the waste water system from new housing and climate change. James also covered the current and ongoing work being carried out Southern Water and their plans for the future which the coming steep rise in our bills is required to fund after several years of restricted increases. The Talk which had been well received elsewhere was interesting and informative. A couple of things I learned was that grease should not be mixed with washing up liquid as this increases blockages but should be mopped up with kitchen towel and binned, and soap powder does not dissolve well in a 30 degree wash. Unsurprisingly, the Talk gave rise to some probing questions at the end!
February 2025	Steve Herra gave us an intriguing talk about the disappearance of the Irish Crown Jewels in 1907 which still have not been found. The jewels were being kept in a safe in the library of Dublin Castle and there was no sign of a forced entry. Information about the police investigation by Scotland Yard also disappeared. We were delighted to welcome Steve back after enjoying his previous talks about the history of Cunard in September 2023 and The Body Through The Porthole in February 2024.
January 2025	We were delighted to welcome The Pompey Pluckers who played their ukeleles and encouraged us to join in the singing. We were glad to learn that their member who was taken ill at the start of the meeting is getting better and we sent our best wishes to them and the band.
December 2024	This was our Christmas Party with refreshments, a raffle, a quiz plus Tony Dudley’s Jazz Band.
November 2024	Our speaker was Judy Theobald who gave us a brilliant and very entertaining Talk titled Christmas, Life and Problems in which she related her experiences of dealing with these matters and the husbands involved!
October 2024	Our speaker Penelope Harris gave us a Talk about Pricing and Provenance - the difference the history of an object makes to its value.  Penelope is a Valuer and Auctioneer and a Fellow and Diamond graduate of the Gemological Association of Great Britain.  She was willing to express an opinion on any object she is asked to look at after the talk. We also had an outing to Chatham Dockyard this month, details of which can be found on this page.
September 2024	Our speaker was Richard Veitch and his Talk was entitled "Tiger tiger" a photographic exploration of Northern India.  Richard very kindly stepped in at the last minute as our original speaker was in hospital.
August 2024	We had a garden party in the grounds of Merchistoun Hall. As well as food and drink, there was a tombola and the Croquet Group set up its equipment to enable people to have a go. For those of you with a creative bent there was a Hat Competition. The fun started at 2pm.
July 2024	The Annual General Meeting of Horndean & District u3a took place at Merchistoun Hall on 5th July 2024 at 2pm. The agenda for the meeting and the minutes of last year's AGM are under Links on the right of this page. There was a short review of the past year's activities which was followed by a vote to agree the following items shown in the attached documents: 1) Minutes of the AGM held on 7th July 2023. 2) Accounts for the year ended 30th April 2024 and reappointment of auditor. 3) Committee members for the next 12 months. An en bloc vote was sufficient as there is only one candidate for each post. There was tea and cakes at the end of the meeting.
June 2024	Portsmouth up to date. Andrew Negus gave us his final presentation on the city, which was as informative and entertaining as his previous talks have been.
May 2024	The Humour and Art of the Picture Postcard. Dr James Taylor FRSA gave us an insight into the history of the picture postcard as an art form, as a mode of communication, as propaganda and as a vehicle for humour. He will bring samples of postcards that illustrate these features.
April 2024	Coastwatch…the eyes and ears of the coastguard. Joe Marsden, the Station Training Officer at Gosport National Coastwatch Institution ('NCI'), spoke about the role and work of Coastwatch. The NCI is a charity set up following funding cuts in 1994 which resulted in the closure of coastguard stations, lightships and manned lighthouses. Volunteers keep watch and when danger is spotted report it to the relevant authority. The NCI initiated 353 incidents in 2022. Joe was formerly a Squadron Leader, Flying Vulcans. Comments about Joe include ‘an enthusiastic and competent speaker who brought to our attention this little-known but vital service’.
March 2024	"Anyone can do it…a Beginner’s Guide to Science". David Gane looked at why we need science, the simple steps that scientists follow and how to tell good science from bad. Should we have confidence in results published in the press?
February 2024	The Body Through The Porthole. Another something different - a Whodunnit this time! Steve Herra told us the true story from 1947 when a young actress sailing from Cape Town to Southampton aboard the Durban Castle had a liaison with a deck steward. During one such liaison, she died and he pushed her body through the porthole! The ship was 90 miles from the nearest land and in shark infested waters. The audience act as jury and decide if the accused was guilty or not guilty of murder. Steve toured the room listening to our discussions before taking a vote and telling us what the outcome was!
January 2024	Songsmiths and Storytellers The Driftwood Troubadours, who are singers and guitarists Gordon Charlesworth and Dave Mitchell, presented their unique folk songs as a journey through imagination. From sea to downs and into the clouds.
December 2023	Our Christmas Party included a raffle, a quiz and of course refreshments, as well as musical accompaniment from Tony Dudley’s Jazz Band who played two musical sessions.
November 2023	Andrew Negus presented part three of his highly amusing and entertaining talk on the history of Portsmouth (warts and all!!!).
October 2023	The Amazing Mr Dickens! David Allen gave us an affectionate romp through the 'rags to riches' life story of the world’s greatest storyteller, Charles John Huffam Dickens, from his early childhood working in a factory, to his illustrious life as a writer and social reformer, including his scandalous affair and daring escape from a train. With readings from some of his most popular works, including Oliver Twist and Great Expectations. David had given us two Zoom presentations during Covid on 'Manners Please Dearest! The Do's and Don’ts of Victorian Etiquette' and 'The Weird and Wonderful World of the Law' and so it was a pleasure to meet him in person!
September 2023	Our Speaker, Steven Herra gave us a fascinating talk about Cunard’s history and the glamorous stars who sailed on its liners from 1840 to the present day. Steve is the 3rd generation of his family to work for Cunard and when he retired, he was purser on the QE2.
August 2023	Our speaker is u3a member Richard Veitch who gave us a presentation about his and Carol's most recent trip to South Africa which this time involved a safari adventure to Zambia & Zimbabwe.
July 2023	Annual General Meeting. An important item on the agenda is the election of the Committee for the coming year. Although the current committee members are willing to continue in their roles, there is a limit on the time members can serve and for the sake of continuity it is vital that new people put themselves forward.
June 2023	Portsmouth's History Part 2: Harlots, Dung and Glory. Following his Talk in February, Andrew Negus gave us the second instalment in his series of very entertaining and informative Talks exploring the darker side of Portsmouth's history.
May 2023	Coronation Tea Party. We arranged a social event with a cake competition in place of our normal monthly meeting.
April 2023	Running Fawlty Towers. So many people think running a hotel must be fun but Susan Howe who has led a wildly varied life, including being a Blue Badge Guide, gave us a light-hearted look at what goes on behind the scenes. She will enlighten us about the mishaps and unforeseen dramas, including knives flying in the kitchen as well as some of the strange guests, such as the escaped convict who stayed long enough to run up a large bill and then did a bunk with silver under his arm. This meeting was a week earlier than usual as 7 April is Good Friday.
March 2023	Forecastle to Footlights. David Allport gave us a talk about his life as Warrant Officer, working as an event manager / performer with television, theatre and major events promoted by the Royal Navy, including the Trafalgar 200 and International Festival of the Sea events of 2005.
February 2023	Harlots, Dung and Glory. Andrew Negus gave us another instalment in his series of very entertaining Talks exploring the often-darker side of Portsmouth's history.
January 2023	Our guest speaker is Graham Horn who gave us a Talk about Anniversaries of 2022. Graham is a specialist and fully qualified Blue Badge tourist guide for southern England who also gives talks on a range of subjects. Many members will remember Graham’s excellent talk about his Coast To Coast walk along the Macmillan Way from Lincolnshire to Dorset at our meeting in November 2021.
December 2022	A Christmas Party
November 2022	Featuring a talk by Pauline Rowson on Crime writing and Crime novels set in Portsmouth. Pauline is a very good speaker who will bring copies of her books to sell and will sign them. So stock up on special Christmas presents!!
October 2022	Bears of the World - A talk by Alan Key. We learned about the many different bears encountered on Alan and his wife Deryn Hawkins’ journey from the Arctic to Antarctica. Alan’s brilliant presentation included many superb photos and stories.
September 2022	This month’s speaker was “The Bee Man” who comes highly recommended from other u3a’s. He was bringing a virtual bee hive with him to support his talk.
August 2022	Convoy of Hope by Ronald Howes. Back in 1994 Roland had a phone call out of the blue from someone he had met at a picnic in Essex a year earlier. ‘Would you do a driving job for me please, it’s a seven-and-a-half-ton lorry.’ ‘Here in Hampshire or in Essex?’ ‘From Essex…to Bosnia…’  (then at war). And that was just the start… Roland comes very highly recommended and of course there is great relevance between his adventures and the present situation in Ukraine.
July 2022	Annual General Meeting 2021-2022
June 2022	Horndean u3a Queen's Jubilee Party - Cancelled
May 2022	The speaker Kevin Little gave us a talk entitled “Fishy Tales".  Kevin was a fishmonger in Reading for 45 years
April 2022	Malcolm Nelson talked about the tricks people use when attempting to smuggle.
March 2022	Ben from Dylans Ice Cream told us all about his ice cream business. Ben has had a lifelong love of ice cream and a continuing interest in finding new flavours. He brought two big tubs of samples which we all enjoyed at the end of his talk.
February 2022	Madeleine Salvetti talked about Mistresses and their influence on history. She said that this was highly appropriate in the run-up to Valentine's Day!
January 2022	After enjoying his Talk about the Weird and Wonderful World of the Law last January, we were all delighted that David Allen agreed to step in at the last minute and give us a talk entitled Manners Please Dearest in lieu of the party which we regretfully postponed because of the Covid situation. And what a talk! David had us on our feet taking part and thoroughly enjoying ourselves. I would not have believed it if I had not seen it with my own eyes and indeed been drawn in to take part myself! We attended a Victorian school for young ladies and Gentlemen and are now thoroughly informed about the Does and Don’ts of Courtship, calling cards, dinner party etiquette and the mysterious language of the fan… Here are a couple of the comments I received:- What a lovely way to spend an afternoon! What fun it was!! He is a really clear speaker…Everyone joined in! We will certainly ask him again!

Detailed reports on Talks in earlier years can be found by following the links on the attached page.