Welcome
Welcome to The Ruddington and District u3a. u3a stands for “University of The Third Age,” where retired and semi-retired people make new friends, keep active and learn together. Of course it’s not a university in the usual sense. It’s a university of life.
Our members are older people who’ve had years of experience in work and education, and now that we’ve retired from all that, the u3a is a way of using this knowledge for our own enjoyment. Each local u3a is a charity run entirely by its own volunteer members, but we’re all part of a national organisation providing educational, cultural and social opportunities for people who are retired or not in full-time employment.
There have been u3as in Nottinghamshire for over 30 years. There are currently 28 u3as in Nottingham and Nottinghamshire. The idea for a u3a in Ruddington was first suggested by local residents who had joined other u3as outside our village.
At our inaugural meeting in March 2018, attended by more than 80 potential members, it was overwhelming agreed that we should establish our own village u3a.
Since then our membership has gradually increased and several interest groups started. At the beginning for 2024 we have 18 groups and 180 members.
At u3a, we share learning, fun and friendship in a vibrant, enjoyable and varied way. Members suggest and organise interest groups in a wide variety of subjects, both educational and social. We have a wide range of groups from walking to trips and visits, gardening to book clubs, theatre to petanque. No qualifications are required and none are given.
In addition to groups, every third Monday of the month is a speaker meeting, where we have a guest speaker and social time with free tea and coffee. Details of topics and dates for our monthly meetings can be found on the Events page.
So come along and learn all about us! If you enjoy making new friends, the stimulation of learning new things and passing your knowledge on to others, you’ll be made very welcome.