Looking to the future after u3a groups embrace Covid lockdown
As the country begins to ease out of lockdown, many people have continued to benefit from belonging to Arran’s new u3a - University of the Third Age.
There have been a number of ongoing activities and regular phone calls have been keeping people in touch leading to a surprising number of new friendships. Local history group
The local history group, led by David Scott, has met on Zoom every couple of weeks, with eight members sharing their enthusiasm for the history of the island. They have had the good fortune to enlist the help of experts on topics including the story of an abandoned settlement at Kilpatrick, the Darien expedition, the clearances on Arran and the history of ArCaS.
The main focus of the group has been to share interests and research. It has delved into a wide range of topics including shipwrecks around Arran, lighthouses, minerals and mining, the Holy Isle and newspaper reports of the island in the 18th and 19th centuries. Sessions have been lively, informative and fun but everyone is looking forward to meeting personally again and organising some outdoor activities.
One story the group has investigated is the paddle steamer the Red Gauntlet which ran aground in bad weather on an excursion round Arran. Islanders waded into the water to rescue the passengers, all of whom were saved. The steamer was floated off and requisitioned in 1916 as a minesweeper. It was sold in 1919 to a French company registered in Algeria.
Genealogy for Beginners
The Genealogy for Beginners group, led by George Christie, has met regularly during lockdown by Zoom. Members have had a thoroughly enjoyable time, solving each other’s problems, learning about using DNA to trace new relatives, laughing together at unbelievable errors in other people’s published family trees including children born before their mothers, following the stories of relatives and enjoying each other’s company.
Useful links and copies of informative articles have been emailed to the wider group as some people have not joined in the Zoom sessions. This enabled them to keep up their interest and involvement. Everyone is looking forward to meeting again face to face.
Ukelele Strummers
The first Arran u3a Ukelele Strummers, led by Tim Howarth, have just started and are sure to have lots of fun learning and hopefully playing at u3a events in the future.
Book group
The book group, led by Helen Mcintosh, only had one face-to-face meeting before lockdown but has since had three Zoom occasions. The first book they read was To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee which led to a lively discussion. Under lockdown it was impossible for everyone to get a copy of books, so one or two people would read a book then tell the others about it.
Two members read Lama Yeshe Rinpoche’s book about his flight from Tibet and his eventual setting up of the Holy Isle project. Everyone joined in the discussion, even if they had not read this fascinating book. In all, a dozen books were read and, despite the difficulties, members found it an enjoyable opportunity to meet virtually and bond during this strange and difficult time.
Italian language group
The u3a Italian language group, led by Paul Fletcher, has also met on Zoom with two-hour sessions each week since last July. The nine members, the majority of who are beginners, are all enthusiastic. Everyone has made good progress and the vast majority can now converse in basic Italian and write simple sentences.
Members enjoy using interactive materials designed by the leader and find the sessions challenging, interesting and enjoyable.
All members are included in the learning and the social benefits of the group, as with all the u3a groups, is invaluable. Members look forward to meeting in person again to practise their newly-acquired language skills.
Photovisions
Photovisions members, after a break and more than 100 photographs, celebrated their second spring with varied and colourful photographs to cheer everyone up. Their work can be seen on the u3a website.
Tom’s Big Quiz
All u3a members are invited to Tom’s Big Quiz which meets once a week and provides a wide variety of questions, chat and even more fun.
Normally u3a would hold monthly meetings which promised to be large social events with a speaker at each. A number were held on Zoom so that members did not miss out, despite having to make
their own refreshments at home. As well as some mentioned by the history group, talks have included: Temples of Cambodia and Angkor Wat; In and out of Tam O’Shanter – a Robert Burns special; A Virtual world tour – fantastic bridges, incredible buildings and super superstructures and The wonderful world of guide dogs.
Other groups, which have not been able to meet during lockdown, are waiting eagerly to re-start as soon as the regulations allow.