We have a guided tour of Wilton house booked for 15 people on the 23^rd June at 12:00. The tour will last about an hour.

The guided tour will include access to the house (famous for the double cube room with its Van Dyk paintings) and gardens. The cost will be £16.50 for concessions (over 65) and £19.00 if this doesn’t apply. Please let me know If you are 65 or under or I will assume you are entitled to the concession.

This is a self-drive trip, if you need a lift please indicate in your response to me and I will endeavour to arrange a lift with the U3A members attending.

There is no organised lunch for this trip but there is a café onsite and a sample menu at this Wilton House site is at this link

There is also a Blue Diamond Garden Centre nearby which also has eating facilities. More information can be found at this link

If you wish to come on this trip, please advise as soon as possible as the trip is restricted to 15 persons it will be on a first come, first served basis. No money should be paid just now but I will send the successful applicants details of how to pay by BACS.

If you have any questions on this trip, please contact Kevin Barter at kevin.barter2@ntlworld.com or 07974 111551

VISITS TO FULHAM PALACE  

 Thursday 18^TH and Monday 22^nd September 2025

Following the successful tour of the visit to Wells Cathedral and Bishop’s Palace in 2024, we have made arrangements to travel by minibus to Fulham Palace, the former home of the Bishops of London.  The plan is to take a guided tour of the Palace in the morning, followed by lunch in the cafeteria, and a guided tour of the riverside gardens in the afternoon. Because of the large number who expressed interest initially we are repeating the tour.

If you are interested in going on this trip please contact Chris, saying whether you would be free on either date, or which date would suit you best.

As this is some way ahead, we are only asking for expressions of interest at this stage. Payment of £24 per person, to cover both minibus and the two tours, will be asked for nearer the time.

Interested, or any queries?          Please contact Chris Coffin  –  kriskoff@gmail.com

A total of 11 Questers visited the above museum on Monday, 14^th April and Robert who was driving (as always) did us proud by arriving at the Guardroom at the appointed hour safely and without incident.

I say “(as always)” because he is currently the only driver registered to drive the minibus.  Remember, we are all getting older so there will be a time when either Robert does not want to continue driving or can’t drive but I hope it doesn’t come to that!  Or the U3A would have to hire another bus driver to take us on our trips or everything would be self-drive. To that end, think if you could give something back to the U3A such as volunteering to drive the minibus or even volunteering to do the coffees and teas!

The museum was very interesting with lots of items of equipment on display. Of particular interest was the many and varied selection of medals awarded to Corps members for either service or bravery awards. Paul (our guide) gave us the history of the Corps relating many interesting facts associated with the displays.

The picture below shows part of the Questers on the visit. (I was also looking for any reference to the R Signals unit I served with for 2 years in Shetland but that also was not in evidence, probably due to the nature of the work undertaken by the troops there.)

All in all, a good visit enjoyed by most I think.