NEWS for ...
Petersfield u3a members

Welcome to our latest e-newsletter, giving a quick summary of what’s happening within Petersfield u3a. To find out more, simply click on the blue links to be taken straight to our website.

Around 5,000 New Forest ponies, a native breed, roam freely across the Forest. Their browsing encourages wildflowers, which in turn support insect and bird species. The ponies are not wild but are owned and cared for by New Forest commoners like Dr Gale Pettifer.
(See below for details of Gale’s talk on 14 September)

Dates for your Diary

2.30 pm – Monday 14 September
General Interest – New Forest Ponies
This illustrated talk will be given by Dr Gale Pettifer, a writer, history lecturer and practising New Forest commoner with the historic right to graze free-roaming livestock in the Forest, a tradition which has continued for over 900 years. Gale will describe how the ponies are cared for and the interaction between them and their environment.

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2.00 pm – Tuesday 15 September
Health Matters –The Building Blocks of Health – how (HDRC) Portsmouth is working to help people live longer and happier lives
Sharon Court, a Research Facilitation Lead with the Health Determinants Research Collaboration (HDRC) in Portsmouth, will talk about why health inequalities can have such an impact and ways that you could get involved.

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2.30 pm – Wednesday 16 September
Arts and Heritage – Petersfield Physic Garden
Chairman of the Friends of Petersfield Physic Garden, Duncan MacCallum, will tell us about the history of the Garden.

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2.00 pm – Tuesday 22 September
Science and Technology – Medicine Transformed – At a Price
This talk by Dr Peter Ball will focus on recent developments in cell and gene therapy and the challenges posed by cost and ethics when advancing from the experimental to the mass-production stage.

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10.00 am to 12.00 pm – Wednesday 30 September
Welcomers Coffee Morning – All new and existing members are invited to join us for the next bi-monthly coffee morning to be held at Petersfield Community Centre. Please come along and meet fellow members, get help with any IT issues, meet members of the Committee and make new friends – all while enjoying a drink and unlimited biscuits!

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“Expand your Horizons” from 19-27 September with u3a Week

u3a Week is an annual event to showcase the activity, learning and fun which takes place across the movement every day. From 19-27 September, we’ll be celebrating positive ageing with a programme of online events, as well as encouraging members to try something new just for fun. Visit the u3a website page to book your place at an online event and discover ideas for getting involved.

People of Petersfield u3a

Titian Fleming – Speakers Secretary

Titian re-joined Petersfield u3a in 2023 and became involved as a volunteer after the EGM, when it became clear there was a serious shortage of volunteers to keep our u3a running. 

She originally worked in the Middle East department of a city merchant bank and, post-motherhood, did voluntary work including 17 years as chairman of a fund-raising group for Naomi House (children’s hospice) and 36 years (!) with Riding for the Disabled. Within our u3a, she attends various Open Meetings, plays pickleball and is hoping that an Italian group will start up! She enjoys “trying to arrange interesting talks and” – like all our volunteers – “meeting new people”.

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Doreen Challen - Secretarial Team

Doreen Challen – Secretarial Team

Doreen was first lured into the u3a in 2019 by the Scrabble group – “a great group” –  and she still plays. When the committee needed new members, she volunteered to join the secretarial team, something she felt comfortable with. She writes minutes, tidies up documentation and, over the last year, has been working with Peter Lake on the Learning Grants Scheme. Outside the u3a, she’s busy gardening, exploring the countryside, birdwatching and lots more.  Doreen says, “What I like about volunteering is being able to meet, work and have a laugh with people, with a purpose quite unrelated to my past life in education”.

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A tribute to Esther Jones

Joan Shepley writes: It is with sadness that I have to announce that Esther passed away on Wednesday 26 August 2026.

A longstanding member, Esther was a very active participant in the running of Petersfield u3a. I met her in 2009 when I joined the Management Committee; she had already served on the Committee for a number of years and, at that time, was acting as Vice Chairman in addition to her role as Speaker Secretary. Esther was also the go-to person for organising the social events and open days: she particularly enjoyed organising the Christmas parties!

Over the years I knew her, she became a good friend and was very supportive when we set up the Arts and Heritage Group, as she organised all our speakers and was still a valued member of our little steering group.

We knew Esther had not been in good health for a while now, but it is still a shock to lose her so suddenly; she will be very much missed by all of us.

(Obituaries are not habitually included in Connect but, in recognition of Esther's outstanding service to Petersfield u3a, an exception has been made.) 

Have Your Say

‘Connect’ always welcomes news and feedback from Petersfield u3a members via The Editor

To ensure the e-newsletter is easy and enjoyable to read and that the style is consistent, the copy is likely to be edited.

The next issue of ‘Connect’ will be emailed to you on Friday, 25 September, with a copy deadline for all contributions of Monday, 14 September.