SS Sept 19 Web

seaford U3A News
September is a time of new beginnings; new
term at school; new weather – new season’s
temperatures, golden leaves and autumn fruits;
new courses at the U3A.
This term there are 40 courses on offer at U3A ranging
from languages, literature and opera appreciation
through the playful (fancy a game of Mah Jong?) to
keeping up with the world in current affairs. The old
favourites of book groups and travel are still there
with cookery, painting and music so there is plenty to
encourage members to take part and meet each other
in social surroundings. The annual membership runs from
1st August and is only £10 per year with a small extra
sum payable for joining a course.
This month’s Coffee Morning will be on Wednesday
18th September between 10am and 12 noon at the
Constitutional Club, Crouch Lane, Seaford where nonmembers
as well as members will be made welcome.
At a cost of £2 for coffee and nibbles this opportunity
to socialise can’t be missed. There is no booking – just
come along.
Over the past year U3A members have been on several
interesting outings. In July members visited the Chelsea
Physic Garden in London and this month we have space
for a report to do it justice.
Our coach dropped us in Battersea Park and from
there we walked over Chelsea Bridge and along the
Embankment. Entering the Garden from Swan Walk
was blissful, the noise receded to a distant hum and
it felt cool and calm. We had time to eat our picnics
comfortably on benches in the shade until our tour
began.
The garden was founded by the Worshipful Society
of Apothecaries in 1673 to grow plants to be used
as medicines and in the 18th century the garden was
leased to them by Sir Hans Sloane (who acquired it
along with the rest of Chelsea Manor) for £5 a year in
perpetuity and some good plant specimens were to be
provided to the Royal Society. Directors ensured the
gardens were stocked
and developed over the
centuries, introducing
a seed exchange
system and adopting
the Linnaeus system
of naming plants, much
simpler and clearer
than the previous
Latin ones. They have
5000 different edible,
useful, medicinal and
historical plants, 100
species of trees and
it is still one of the
most important centres of botany in the world. The
garden lost its riverbank access in the 1870s due to the
development of the Embankment which provided the
sewers designed by Bazalgette. In 1984 it was ‘saved’
by becoming a registered charity and the Swan Walk
door was opened to the public. The Pond Rock Garden
(pictured) is Grade ll-listed, dating from 1773, made
with basalt, clam shells from Tahiti and masonry from
the Tower of London. Teak glasshouses built in 1902
house a Tropical Corridor, Atlantic Islands, Cool Fernery,
Southern Hemisphere and others.
Time was pressing. Some of us decided a beer or tea
was a necessary lifesaver, then a quick look round the
lovely shop and suddenly it was time to make the noisy
walk back to the coach.
For more information about Seaford U3A and
also about its linked organisations, Sussex U3A
Network (SUN) and SE U3A Region, see the
website www.u3asites.org.uk/seaford. To find
out about membership check this website or
ring 01323 899572 or come along to a coffee
morning and have a chat.
Photo: Chelsea Physic Garden, London.
OCTOBER ISSUE DEADLINE:
FRIDAY 6th september
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