One of Gainsborough and District u3a’s groups has recently visited the Energy from Waste Centre in Lincoln and members were most impressed by the arrangements not only laid on for visits, but also the high-tech operations which are carried out there. It is a very carefully planned and executed system. All our black bin contents are reduced to next to nothing in a self-contained building. This is carefully monitored by a team of three in shifts which keep the plant operational at all times – except for the annual maintenance week.
This waste is almost negligible and most of it is ultimately reused: some finds its way as core for such things as road building; a small amount of metal is isolated and reused. During the process some electrical energy is also produced, used to run the plant and the surplus fed into the national grid. A small amount of gaseous waste is also produced which is treated to reduce any harm to the environment.
September also saw a visit to Tuxford to The Walks of Life Museum and The Museum of the Horse. The Walks of Life Museum has so much to see and is still a work in progress. The original collection was set up by a rather eccentric lady who collected anything and everything. The Museum of the Horse artefacts were collected by the lady who owns the museum today. It is fascinating to see everything from the Post Carriage to riding costumes and incredible saddles from all the continents through the ages.
The group’s original speaker for September was ill, but quickly replaced by a return visit from Kenneth Moore. He has spoken to members before on animal related subjects, but this time he took them back to tank manufacture in the First World War. Kenneth has a vast knowledge about Lincoln and was able to bring all sorts of interesting stories about Lincoln and Lincolnshire into this topic.
In October Gainsborough and District u3a heard from Bernard Bale on his subject of ‘Hot Off the Press’ and local farmer Craig Williamson will be with them in November, talking about life on the farm.