About the Interest Groups
About Bearsden & Milngavie U3A interest groups
The groups meet in a variety of places, including libraries, community centres, church halls, restaurants and members' homes, as well as outdoors. Some of the groups go on visits to places of interest. A small charge is made for attendance at some groups as a contribution to room hire and other running costs.
How to join a group
You must be a paid-up U3A member to participate in the activities of any of the groups, but you are welcome to try out any group first without any commitment. You can join as many groups as you like but please contact the group coordinator first. Unfortunately some of the groups are now full because of space restrictions or other constraints. If the group you wish to join is full, please contact the coordinator to put your name on the waiting list. However, please note that the group waiting lists are only open to U3A members. As soon as there are several names on a group's waiting list, every effort will be made to start up a new group on the same topic.
New groups
Suggestions for new groups are always welcome, as are offers to coordinate them. Please contact the BaM U3A Groups Coordinator if you wish to start up a new group. Information on starting a new group can be found on the Starting a Group page. The BaM U3A Handbook is useful for members to find out more about what is involved in being a group coordinator. A list of proposed new groups and groups that have just started up can be found on the New Groups page.
Getting Involved in Research
A research guide called 'Getting Involved in Research' has been published by the U3A Central Office. It is an excellent document that will be invaluable to any groups thinking about a research project. You can access the document by clicking on the link in the Links column on the right-hand side of this page.
Car sharing for U3A activities
Please note that the U3A insurance does not cover members' car journeys. It is assumed that the vehicle’s insurance will provide this cover. U3A members can however offer lifts to other members and accept money towards petrol costs without compromising their insurance cover.
Taking Extra Care in Winter Conditions
A spate of icy weather prompted an enquiry from a group coordinator about whether they bore any responsibility for the safety of members using slippery paths at venues they had hired for group meetings. The simple answer is no, this is the responsibility of the venue owners. In a more general sense, all members, including group coordinators, are responsible only for their own safety. However, if you encounter a situation where a member appears to require assistance, please feel free to step in if they welcome it. Members who require more than nominal assistance can attend a meeting with a carer, who does not need to be a member of the U3A and who will not be charged any fees. We call on all members to exercise greater caution in icy conditions. Fuller details of our Welfare and Safeguarding policies can be found on the Documents page of our website.