We have a monthly speaker meeting, held on the 1st Thursday of the month. Doors open at 9.30am (coffee available until 10.15am) and the talk begins at 10.30am.
Dates and Speakers for 2024/5 Monthly Meetings
Thursday 5th December – St Austell u3a “Christmas Party”
Thursday 4th January – No Speaker
Thursday 9th January – Membership Renewals
Thursday 6th February – “The Work of Mercy Ships“
This talk explains how the world’s largest charity-run hospital ships take life-changing medical care to the world’s poorest.
We look at why the charity is needed in the first place, how it started, and how it operates today. The talk will cover patients treated and the type of surgeries that are performed on board ship. https://www.mercyships.org.uk/
Thursday 6th March – “Listening to the Enemy” – Mike Griffiths
The fascinating story of the Bletchley Park outstation in St Erth in Cornwall during World War 2 . Mike Griffiths our speaker, has researched the role of his father who was a radio operator at the station . He discovered his code book which was full of call signs and German and Italian radio nets used by Double Agents . The St Erth listening station was the ears of Bletchley Park that is not often referred to but played a very important role in the war.
Thursday 3rd April – Sharon Retallick from Go Beyond
A Charity that runs free of charge breaks to Cornwall at their centre in Tywardreath, Par and also at a Dales centre in Derbyshire for children who have some serious challenges in their lives. Each break accommodates up to 16 children from one of the following school key stages: Key Stage 2, ages 8-11, and Key Stage 3, ages 11-13. From splashing in the river in their wellies to braving the dizzying heights of a rock climbing wall, each Go Beyond break is packed with activities intended to encourage self-belief and inspire adventure. they operate a no-mobile phone policy for a whole week back to nature and free from technology.
Thursday 1st May – Paula Rooney
Paula is a local author who will give a talk about her solo travels, the confidence it brings and how life changes in your fifties. Her talk is about the physical solo journeys she did The places, the accommodation and the culture. She has written three travel memoirs about her solo trips. Her first life changing trip was a solo interailing adventure aged 55 which turned out to be life changing. In her second book she journals her 500 mile walk across Spain on the Camino de Santiago and in Christmas 2023 she spent a month in Andalucia enjoying the culture but also considering how Christmas has changed since her children have flown the nest. She’s recently returned from Morocco and will be writing a fourth memoir.
Thursday 5th June Michael Bunney – “The History of Cornwall.“
Michael Bunney will give his many timed cancelled talk about The History of Cornwall.
Thursday 3rd July John More – “Henry VIII and his Court in the 1530s.”
He will examine Henry VIII when he was a mature monarch, his life, his loves and his ways of governing. The King chose to spend his life in public, surrounded by members of the court – and this would have consequences – on the politics of the 1530s, one of the most important decades in English history. Some consideration will be made of the paintings of Holbein and the impact – for better or worse – of Henry’s decisions on the people of England – and of Cornwall.
Thursday 7th August – Clint O’Connor – “We Are All Made of Stardust”
Clint will give a Powerpoint presentation, on the origin of the chemical elements. In simple terms, neither A-level Chemistry or Physics mention the origin of the elements, or the processes that form them. Both the processes themselves, and the way they were discovered are fascinating. Clint will bring along a selection of meteorites, for people to look at, at the end of the talk.
Thursday 4th September – Robert Wells – “THE SEALS OF SAINT AUSTELL BAY” in aid of the Seal Research Trust ( a charity based in Cornwall)
Robert Wells who is a member of St Austell U3A will give a talk showing how seals live and use our coasts. Increasingly, human pressure and activity are affecting these wonderful marine creatures and their habitat. By monitoring and learning about them, we can help to conserve their numbers, our seashore and the rest of the marine ecosystem. Robert has been monitoring seals for the last 12 years working with Seals Research Trust in Cornwall.
Thursday 2nd October AGM followed by Tom Howe of Chaos Group
The CHAOS Group is a B Corp certified organisation based in Mid Cornwall, who specialise and deliver Health and Social Care and a range of focused community services and meaningful activities, to help individuals and families to make positive changes in their lives.
Thursday 6th November Steph Good – “Neighbourhood Watch“
Steph Good is the Community Project Manager for Neighbourhood Watch in Cornwall and Torbay will talk to us about what Neighbourhood Watch is really about, not just about Crime Prevention, but more about building stronger communities. They are with working with partners across Cornwall on youth projects, offering free training for small businesses and support existing schemes.
We meet at the St Austell Art Centre, Truro Road, St Austell PL25 5HJ
