York

Groups

York U3A offers a wide range of groups and activities - there are now over 140 to choose from, all run by members, for members. Our Group Leaders take on the organisational role of a group.

Most group pages feature a pigeon logo which you can click on to send a message to the Group Leader. On mobile devices this logo may be at the bottom of the page.

Groups traditionally begin or renew their membership in August each year. New groups can begin at any time - perhaps because a couple of members chat about their interests and realise that others may be interested, too - it's that easy and a great way to make new friends, especially with several group members helping! That's what U3A is about - not leaving it to others, but each giving and sharing in whatever way we can. We can provide help and support to help get things going, contact the Groups Co-ordinator.

Bear in mind that the groups' information will be more current here than in our Annual Groups Booklet.

Scroll down for our current list of Interest Groups, open to York U3A members only. These appear in sections where the first letter gives a category:

Group titles shaded grey are FULL, or yellow are new within the last month.

On each group page, wherever possible, venues with access for disabled users are indicated with "D". Groups particularly suitable for the visually impaired have a "V" and groups where the venue has a loop system or are aimed at those with a severe hearing impairment have a "H". However, these are just an indication. If you have physical, visual or hearing impairments please contact the leader and discuss with them whether the group is suitable for you. The U3A's Fell and Woolman Meeting Rooms are fully accessible via the lift from the Friends’ Meeting House.

Proposed New Groups Seeking Interest:

Proposed new Backgammon Group

Backgammon is an exciting game of skill for 2 people, with random dice rolls ensuring frequent swings of fortune. It is combination of games: a race like Ludo as the first player around the board is the winner; a strategy game like chess as the race involves tactical manoeuvres; a board game like draughts as the checkers are the same and move in opposing directions to get home.
If you are interested in joining a Backgammon Group, whether as a beginner or a more experienced player, then please send an email to me - Mike Barnard - at backgammon@yorku3a.com

Proposed new Economics Group

Are you interested in Economics? The objective of this proposed new group is to raise awareness of the subject by focussing on what is topical. The context would be discussion. I certainly do not envisage a series of lectures, nor theory. An explanation of what is topical is the centrepiece. 
Materials would derive from quality newspapers, extracts of reports from official bodies on topics which they research. For those interested in reading there is a mass of information on economic data on the web. The group would analyse the materials and contribute its own input. One meeting’s focus would be carried over to the start of the next meeting.
I envisage it would be necessary and helpful to have a few diagrams and documents in reserve which explain terms, and some simple models to illustrate basic concepts such as national income, labour markets, economic growth and monetary policy.
I envisage meeting twice a month in the first instance, starting around June. If you are interested, please contact me, Bob Forrest via email: economics@yorku3a.com

Proposed new Ballad-Writing Group

Ballads have had a long history in the canon of English Literature, but are now mostly forgotten, and pretty well neglected as a poetic form. In recent times I have enjoyed writing them, and would like to share my enthusiasm with others in this new group.
To give you a taster, here is the start of one I wrote earlier, entitled The Ballad of Adam Goodapple:

I dreamt last night of Adam, a barrow boy was he.
He'd had enough of London town and longed to go to sea.
He lacked the cash to buy a boat and fit it with a crew.
How was he to make enough? He really had no clue.

This one is pure fiction, but others have a historical basis such as The Ballad of Alfred the Great.

This group will take place once a month in the Woolman Room on the fourth Friday of the month, starting 24th April at 2.00 pm for a couple of hours.
Please contact me, Nick Morrice, on ballads@yorku3a.com if you feel you might be interested.