You may think the art of handwriting (calligraphy) and the ability to analyse the hidden meaning of handwriting (graphology) are obsolete skills in the modern digital age. Not a bit of it!

Sandra Grayson, who runs a school of calligraphy in Honeybourne, told an attentive Pershore U3A audience at their July meeting that both these skills are very much in demand. Young children in particular are delighted to be shown examples of calligraphy and Sandra works hard to ensure that the legacy of centuries of such artistry is not lost to future generations.

When Sandra gave examples of how to analyse someone’s handwriting that her audience was intrigued. She said one can obtain a good idea of a person’s personality type, energy levels, health, mood, reliability and suitability for a particular job by studying samples of their handwriting. The audience were shown samples of handwriting and of signatures from a number of well known people including the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge, Michael Jackson and Donald Trump and Sandra explained what she could see.

Apparently someone whose handwriting slants to the right is likely to be forward thinking and ambitious; someone whose writing slants to the left is likely to be guarded, stubborn and resistant to change; someone whose writing is straight suggests stability and prudence.

Sandra completed am interesting afternoon by answering a host of questions from her appreciative audience.

BRUCE WILSON