Welcome to Pershore & District u3a
Welcome to Pershore & District u3a, a friendly and supportive group open to all people in their 'third age' who live in Pershore and the surrounding areas.
There is no minimum age at which you can join, but the focus is on people who are no longer in full-time employment or raising a family - that is how we define 'third age'. After working all our adult lives, the transition to retirement poses its own challenges - how to occupy yourself, keep your brain active and make new friends. The u3a provides a way to develop your interests, learn new skills and even pass existing knowledge on to others in an informal and enjoyable setting.
We offer a welcoming, sociable environment where members come together to share educational, creative and leisure activities. Our vision is to make lifelong learning, through the experience of u3a, a reality for all third agers.
Interest Groups - At our heart are our many and varied interest groups, all of which are organised by members on a voluntary basis, and cover a huge range of topics. We have around 75 interest groups that normally meet regularly for members to teach and learn from each other. There are no exams to pass or qualifications offered; simply the opportunity to pursue your interests or try something completely new, purely for pleasure. You can explore what might be of interest to you on our Interest Groups page.
| - | Following pandemic, most of our groups are meeting as normal, although a few continue to meet via Zoom or other means. |
| - | Please see our Group pages for details. |
Monthly Meetings - The Committee organises a meeting every month, to which all members are invited. We arrange a speaker to talk about a topic of interest and meetings last for around an hour. Many of our members stay afterwards for refreshments and to catch up with friends. The meetings are very well attended and a lovely opportunity to socialise. For information on our future timetable, please go to our Events page.
| - | Our Monthly Meetings are taking place as normal, with a Zoom link for those that prefer to participate from home. |
| - | Please see our Events page for details. |
Keeping in Touch - We send out a newsletter, which is published 11 months of the year. It has details of our forthcoming monthly meetings, as well as highlighting one-off events and featuring news from our interest groups. The newsletter is delivered by e-mail, but for those without, or who find this difficult to read, a paper copy can be posted to their address.
Our Facebook group helps members to keep in touch with each other and share photos and videos. It is a CLOSED group and only members of our u3a are allowed to join. If you use Facebook, search for Keep Connected – Pershore and District U3A and press the “Join” button.
As part of your membership, five times a year you will receive a copy of the national magazine, Third Age Matters.
The Wider u3a - Pershore & District u3a is a member of the Cotswold Link, the u3a West Midlands Region and the Third Age Trust. Follow the links for more information.
What our Members Say - Recent research by the Third Age Trust has shown that u3a membership has a positive and sustainable impact on the wellbeing of retired people in the UK. The many benefits of being a u3a member go far beyond those of lifelong learning. As well as offering stimulation and improving mental health, members refer to being able to attend on their own, avoiding isolation and loneliness, feeling part of a caring community, finding a sense of purpose and a new future with new opportunities and challenges. Here are some real member quotes:
- u3a is an ideal way of meeting new folks, stretching yourself and having fun along the way
- Changed my life for the better giving me a place to come on my own and try new things without any fear of being judged
- It provides opportunities to use skills acquired earlier in life in ways that are useful and does wonders for one’s self esteem
We would love to welcome you into Pershore & District u3a so if you like what you have read, go to the Join Us page where you will find details of our membership categories and costs. Or you can come to one of our Monthly Meetings (once we are back to normal meetings), talk to members and pick up an application form there.
If you want to sample an interest group before committing to membership, use the Contact page to email the Groups Co-ordinator.
We very much look forward to meeting you!