NEWS & EVENTS
Regular meetings are held at the Spa in Bridlington. Members and non- members are invited to join us at our once a month meetings, where we have a speaker, raffle and refreshments available. They are held on Monday mornings at 10:00am for 10.30am. Entry is one pound.
Dates for this year are:
2024
October 7th
November 18th
December 9th
PREVIOUS SPEAKERS/EVENTS
June 2024
Last Monday at the Spa saw a hugely successful June Showcase for Bridlington U3A. Over 30 groups were represented from Allotments to Art, Silver Dream Bikers to Science and Technology and Flower Arranging to French. The event was opened by the Mayor Rick Arrand accompanied by his wife Kim, who, along with many visitors during the morning, were entertained by Ukulele players, Tap Dancing and Show Dancers. Chair Diane Arthur said “It was wonderful to welcome so many people to our event and have the opportunity to share with them some of the many activities we have to offer. We had lots of new members joining on the day, and there was a real buzz. Just fantastic!”
May 2024
What a great turn out for this month’s speaker – Sarah Tomkinson, the Yorkshire Chocolatier! Her talk, All Things Chocolate, took us through the history of chocolate – from its early roots with the Mayan people who prepared a beverage from cocoa beans, using it both as a ceremonial drink and as currency, calling it the food of the Gods (some of us would agree with that sentiment today!) and the Aztecs. It initially reached Europe in 1517 but didn’t reach England until 1650 when it became a very expensive favourite of Charles III. Milk was added in 1687 and the first solid bar of chocolate was made by J.S. Fry and son in 1847. In 1849 Cadbury held their chocolate exhibition and the rest, as they say, is history! Sarah became a chocolatier very gradually, starting with a chocolate making course in 2011 after which she made chocolates for her sister’s wedding. These were such a success she began making them for friends and family, then started to sell them at a farmers market. From working in her kitchen Sarah now has a self contained workshop in Cleckheaton and sells her chocolates on-line as well as at farmers markets in the area. If you would like to find out more please check out her website www.yorkshirechocolatier.com
April 2024
Due to a last minute cancellation we had a change of speaker at this month’s meeting. A huge thank you to Keith Kaye for stepping in at the last minute and delivering a truly wonderful insight into the history of the Opera Houses of Scarborough, Harrogate and York. Taking the Grand Tours of the aristocracy as his guide Keith gave us lots of fascinating glimpses into the past, along with a recently recalled childhood memory of his own of seeing the iconic Laurel and Hardy in Leeds during their last tour of the UK.
March 2024
Paul Robinson’s talk on spring flowers was, as always, informative and amusing in equal measure with lots of jokes and funny stories along the way.
Paul’s knowledge of horticulture has developed over the years beginning as an assistant gardener in Filey, training at Askham Bryan College near York and also working with people with learning disabilities in Harrogate and at Sewerby Hall.
He gave our members lots of useful tips and advice including what to plant and when, how to take cuttings and how to deal with those well-known pests of all gardeners – slugs!