Meeting of the Photography Group 9th February 2026

Only 3 people attended the meeting with both Pam and Mike Liberson absent. Mike Liberson’s last e-mail indicated that they would be absent for some considerable time.

The theme was ‘One Colour – Four Photographs’. Two of all the submitted photographs were predominantly red whilst Ann Hawke’s preferred choice was white. The best picture was awarded to John Hawke’s ‘Whitchurch Ladybird’. It was agreed, as last month, to attach two photographs from each person to the updated Photography Group’s web page.

Whitchurch Ladybird – John Hawke

John Hawke questioned the viability of continuing after receiving Mike Liberson’s e-mail – i.e. removing the Photography Group from the Anton U3A Interest Group list. He had asked for new members at the U3A Monthly meeting on two occasions and, although two people expressed interest, neither attended any meetings.

Anjie Sergeant suggested a suspension of activities until new members asked to join as well as asking the Anton U3A Chairperson of our situation for her to decide whether the Group should be removed from the Interest Group Web Page. This was agreed. The Chairperson suggested that future meetings be suspended rather tha disbanding the Group John Hawke remaining as the main contact if her recommendation was to disband the Group in the hope that new members are recruited. John Hawke has agreed to remain as the contact.

So this will be the last Group News update from the Group for some considerable time.

QUESTERS VISIT TO CHICHESTER CATHEDRAL : 29 JANUARY 2026

Our group of 16 plus our driver, Robert, left Andover on time for the journey to Chichester on a cold January morning. Arriving in good time considering all the road works.

We all had a restorative hot drink at the lovely Cloisters cafe. Then made our way into the Cathedral to meet our 2 guides, Sue and Chris, for a very informative tour of this seat of Christianity. Construction began in 1075! Our tour lasted almost an hour and a half.

The Cathedral boasts uninterrupted side aisles the full length of the building.

The 1530’s Tudor paintings in the South transept are a rare and valuable example of propaganda painting anywhere in the country.

Also the 2 beautiful modern tapestries were really quite stunning. As were the stained glass windows. The south window, dated 1877, showed scenes from both the Old and New Testament. But the window which impressed us all was the Chagall Window from 1978. The strong colours and figures just shone.

We went our own way for lunch. Some of us returned to the Cathedral cafe, whilst others went into the city.

Managed to be all present and correct for our journey home. Arriving back in Andover by 4.30pm after a lovely day out Questing.

Pam Shadick

                     

Photogroup Meeting 21st January 2026

Only 3 people attended the meeting with both Pam and Mike Liberson absent. The theme was ‘What I See’. The standard of all the submitted photographs were very high with a wide range of subjects for such a wide-ranging theme from stunning wildlife to well-composed landscapes. The best picture was awarded to Ann Hawke’s ‘Tiger chasing prey’. It was agreed to attach two photographs from each person to the updated Photography Group’s web page.

Tiger chasing prey (Samba Deer) – unsuccessful – Ann Hawke

John Hawke gave a laptop slide show presentation of a November 2025 bird watching trip to The Gambia giving a feeling of warmth to an, otherwise, miserable rainy day. This was a heavy cull from approximately 800 photographs. It was interesting to note Anjie Sargeant’s comments relating to her sightings of some of the birds when visiting South Africa – relevant to the Hawkes’ impending tour next month!

The February theme will be ‘One Colour, Four Photographs’.