Special Note: SCA Annual AGM will be held at Ceddesfeld Hall on Thursday 19th June at 8pm. All welcome – do come long to get involved.

Mediaeval Fayre, Saturday 17 May - 10am to 4pm - Village Green and Ceddesfeld Hall and Lawns
Dragons and damsels will be making an appearance in a big way! The fayre will begin with a walking procession - vibrant, colourful and lively, to include children from local primary schools, nurseries, and sports groups. The parade will culminate in demonstrations and performances, with Olaf the Ice Dragon and Princess Chardonnay and some rather large bubbles!

Two SCA tombola stalls, will be full of bottles, gifts, and vouchers (donated by very supportive local businesses), whilst around the green there will be various craft and gift stalls as well as the traditional fun fair. In the showground arena, mediaeval knights will demonstrate combat skills, local groups will do battle in the tug of war and a fantastic falconry display will entertain the crowds - not to be missed. There’s country dancing too!

Ceddesfeld lawns will be open, for everyone to enjoy. Attractions include Walworth Falconry, face painting, circus skills workshops, Chi Taekwondo workshops, ACLE and Escafeld Living History, with ‘Knights Table’ and displays. True North Trades (have a go at working on the anvil) and an opportunity to develop dragon training and feeding skills, is a new attraction for this year. In the main hall, a morning breakfast of hot sausage or bacon buns, tea and coffee will be served and a cafe in the afternoon. The bar will be open from 11am.

Business Community Support and Volunteers – Mediaeval Fayre 2025
The SCA Mediaeval Fayre is organised by a small committee, who wholly rely on local people as well as various community groups, organisations, and businesses to get involved; to engage and volunteer to help in making the event successful and sustainable.

Several local shops, services and groups already do get involved every year, which is fantastic. Without donations and sponsorship as well as practical help from volunteers with setting up, taking down, manning stalls, running activities etc, the event could not take place.

Please do get in touch if you, your business, organisation, or your group, can offer any help with the activities.

We’re delighted to report that attendance at our monthly meeting is growing every month. In April, we had another 14 visitors, many of whom also signed up as members. They joined over 60 members to listen to Bob Pullen with his enthralling talk about the brain and how it governs our behaviour and personality.

We learned that brain cells develop at a rate of about 5 million every 5 minutes during the first trimester of pregnancy and that this growth stops immediately at birth.

There are three main parts to the brain, each with quite specific responsibilities; if one part of the brain is injured, its ‘duties’ are lost too. Brain cells cannot repair and regrow if damaged in any way after birth.

We learned that the human speech/language centre is held in both hemispheres of the brain in women, but only in the left side of male brains. Brain power has not actually increased since Neolithic times; we have merely increased the connections between the various cells by continually learning and reinforcing new activities and knowledge. This is, of course, an ethos of the u3a movement!

This month, our Lunch Group went to The Scruffy Duck in Norton where we thoroughly enjoyed another lovely meal with lots of chat and laughter. We certainly do cover a wide range of topics in those couple of hours!

The Book Club read Long Island by Colm Tóibín. A difficult book which several members found frustrating, being bewildered by the passivity of some of the characters. However, everyone enjoyed the wonderful lyricism of the prose; the Irish accent and voice a strong force throughout the book. A score of 7/10 was given.

The House and Gardens Group spent a lovely day in Raby Castle where they celebrated many of the women who lived there and who influenced the lives of so many others, both at home and abroad.

A visit was also made to the magnificent new gardens and grounds, the work of the current Lord and Lady Barnard. Check the Events page of our website (sedgefield.u3asite.uk/ events) for forthcoming visits, visitors, events and activities. The Groups page gives more information on their activities both current and forthcoming.

Our next meeting will be on Friday 2 May in the Parish Hall from 2pm to 4pm. If you are retired or semiretired, you are very welcome to join us. We look forward to meeting you.

Visits, visitors, events and activities in May
2 May Speaker: David Williams on The Tribulations, Trials and Triumphs of George Stephenson. Really pertinent in this 250 anniversary year of the Stockton to Darlington Railway.

7 May – Science, Technology and Industry Group visit to The Glasshouse (formerly The Sage) in Gateshead. A behind the scenes tour of this magnificent music performance and rehearsal centre. Booking required.

22 May – House and Gardens visit to Keswick. Booking required. See sedgefield.u3asite.uk for contact details.