Swanley And District
Swanley and District u3a
Welcome to the Swanley and District u3a website. I hope you will enjoy looking through
these pages and discovering more about us. We are an energetic and cheerful organisation
with many study and interest groups. These groups offer a variety of activities for members;
for example - country walks, bird watching, history, photography, French, creative writing,
wine appreciation and more. They are organised by volunteers usually in members’ homes.
We recently celebrated our tenth anniversary. It was pleasing to see that many of the
members attending our birthday gathering were also present at the very first meeting in
2013.
What makes the University of the Third Age (u3a) unique? It is probably best captured in the
u3a motto - “learn, laugh, live”. Members are encouraged to pursue learning opportunities
in a fun and enjoyable way. This is what makes us different. We promote active group
participation. We also support any members wishing to start a new group. This is especially
true if there is a subject or activity not currently available. Expertise is not always necessary,
but enthusiasm is a distinct advantage!
Our monthly general meetings are open to all members and take place on the first Friday of
the month at the Alexandra Suite in Swanley. We start at 10:30 a.m. and usually finish at
midday. We always have guest speakers who talk on a variety of topics.
Our main channel of communication with members is through our monthly newsletter. It
contains news and information, reports on group activities and details about future events.
Members also receive regular editions of the Third Age Matters magazine published by the
national u3a. Throughout the year visits to places of interest are organised.
Anyone interested in joining us is invited to come to a meeting to find out more. We simply
request a donation of £1 to cover refreshment costs. The annual membership fee is £20.
This equates to about 38p per week. Very good value for money!
Come and pay us a visit. We will be pleased to see you.
John Baker
Chairman