Wimborne u3a

The monthly illustrated talks are normally held in the Wesley Hall at the Methodist Church in King Street (opposite the back of the Minster) and begin at 10:30. Teas and coffees are available from the counter on the ground floor from 10:00. Cost is £2 for members and £3 for non-members.

22 January - Sheila Ward
“Saving the Forest”
A small group of people in the mid-nineteenth century became seriously worried at the steady increases year on year in the enclosure of land in the New Forest for timber production, and in 1867 decided in very British fashion to set up an association to rescue it. In 1871 the government placed a Bill before Parliament ‘to disafforest the New Forest’, which would have left just 100 of the 60,000 acres for the Commoners to exercise their rights and for the public to enjoy. The New Forest Association, only the second conservation society to be set up in Britain, saved the New Forest for the nation. It has fought numerous campaigns to combat threats to the Forest over 150 years through to the present day.

18 February - Roy Norton
“50 years in television production - uncensored!”
Roy, an ex Senior Producer/ Director BBC/ ITV, looks back at some of the great milestones in television history, from pioneers of the 1920-30’s to exciting present day technology. Roy goes behind the scenes, with some hilarious “off camera” anecdotes, including gossip, scandals and some memorable “cockups”. Hear about his experiences working on Churchill’s funeral, Charles/ Diana Wedding, Sir Harry Secombe, World Cup ’66 and many major outside broadcasts, plus a special item - television coverage of the assassination of Bin Laden. Something for everyone - not to be missed.

18 March - James Power
“The war to end all wars”
This talk will touch briefly on the sequence of events leading to the outbreak of what was to become known as ‘the war to end all wars’, and the Somme offensive of 1916, the objective of which was to bring the war to a swift and decisive end. The outcome however resulted stalemate and British Empire casualties exceeding 400,000. If time permits, James’ presentation will also include a brief overview of how the dead of the Great War came to be memorialised, and the birth of what was to become the Commonwealth War Graves Commission we know today.