U3A

Should have been if so

Hi
Creative Writing and Music Makers, tried French Conversation ( beginners ) but it wasn't !!!

Am thinking of giving it a go but not sure what to try. Is it a good way of making friends?

DON'T join a U3A whatever you do !
Unless :-

You want to know so many people that you are always out eating and getting fat.

Wan't to try things that you never bothered to do before.

Wan't to have a minute to spare for yourself.

We joined Heybridge U3A a few years ago, Tiptree U3A 2 years ago when it started and Stanway U3A last year.

Linda is at one of her two book groups at this very moment.

DON'T DO IT !!!

Oh yes, subjects we partake in :-

family history
book group x2
woodturning
ukulele x2 (one of which I run)
card making
calligraphy
garden group x2 (one of which I run)
social group
theatre group

& Linda does the catering for the monthly meetings & I manage their web site.

Gosh you really do keep yourself busy. Is there a wide age group in most of the classes?

The age range can never be that wide, to be a U3A member you must be retired from full time employment at on end and still alive at the other !, So typically 55 > 90

I do German with my U3A. I also belong to the gardening group and until knees let me down I went out with the walking group.
I'd say there are fewer people at the lower end of the age scale and at some of the open meetings (for example talks given on various subjects) people do tend to be quite a bit older. If you are thinking of joining, do give it a go.

Of the three groups We belong to, one has an average age of about 10 years older than the other two. You can go along to a monthly meeting without joining, go along and see if it suits you.
Most interest groups require you to be a member as you would not be insured otherwise.

I'm learning to play Bridge (very slowly!) at our U3A. Very nice people.

Agree with Bella; give it a go, you don't have to stay!!

Quite fancy bridge. Never played it though

When I read through what the latest U3A I joined offer, I think --- I fancy that, and that, and that ............... but where are the free days?

I go to Rummykub and just love it. For the uninitiated this is a game played with tiles and based on the card game gin rummy.

Some of you are very lucky - my local U3A has a very limited variety of activities to choose from, a lot of them involving walking/rambling which I can join other clubs for.

The beauty of U3A is that if a group doesn't exist, you can start one.

Fair point, pompa.

We had 34 groups at the end of last year and there are several groups run by neighbouring U3As which are open to us and some of ours open to them, including our writing group.

I have started 6 groups since our village U3A started a couple of years ago.

Model boats -- sunk without trace
Fly tying -- never got a bite
Woodturning -- wow a success
'Ukulele -- yet another success
Picasa -- short course
Gimp -- longer course

A group can be started with just 2 members, meeting in someone's home. You don't have to have knowledge of the subject (but it does help) as self learning is the buzz word.

U3A just started in our area of North London and the initial membership is over 400. 30 people signed up to read plays, 8 want to learn quilting and over 100 want to attend the computer group. Other groups include beginners Bridge, supervised Bridge, book group, gardening, historical walks, 7 mile walks, knitting, history, opera, outings, theatre trips, watercolour painting. You can be busy every day of the week and build a new social network.

I belong to the walking group, Mah Jong,table tennis,cycling and Watersports. Love it!