Activities and Events within Ledbury u3a

Monthly General Meeting

Our Monthly General Meeting ('MGM') is held on the third Thursday of each month (except August), 2.00pm to 4.00pm, at Ledbury Community Hall, Lawnside Road, Ledbury. Most months a speaker is engaged to present a talk, lasting about one hour, often illustrated with slides or music. There is a nominal charge to members attending this meeting.

Tea, coffee and biscuits are served from 2.00pm to 2.20pm, and each month members of our various interest groups help in the production and serving. For a list of the groups providing this service in 2024 and details of the procedures click on the appropriate links below.

For the latest list of talks scheduled for 2025 click here

Newsletter/Bulletin

Every 4 months our Newsletter Editor produces a comprehensive guide to what is happening in our u3a, with particular reference to the activities of our Groups. She would love to accept contributions for the next issue and can be contacted by clicking here Newsletter Editor .

Open Enrolment

The September meeting takes the form of an Open Enrolment Afternoon where existing members and potential new members can see what the various groups offer and put their names down to join. Where groups are full then lists of interested members will be kept and if there is sufficient interest new groups can be started. Ideas for new groups can also be put forward here. And you can pay your subscription to the Treasurer.

Annual General Meetings

Annual General Meetings are held in November each year, combined with the usual 'MGM'. The 2024 AGM was held at 2:30 pm on Thursday 21st November 2024 at Ledbury Community Hall, Lawnside Road Ledbury, HR8 2AE. For the minutes of the 2023 AGM click AGM Minutes 2023 . The minutes of the 2024 AGM will be available in due course.

Christmas Meeting

The Christmas Meeting, which is held on the 3rd Thursday in December like the normal MGM, usually includes mulled wine, music and entertainment by our members.

Outings

Outings are arranged from time to time, often by Interest Groups for their members, but sometimes more general outings are arranged, often following one of the monthly talks.

Occasionally unofficial theatre trips are are arranged which are for u3a members plus their friends.

Ledbury u3a in the Community

Our u3a plays its part in events in the local community. Members have responded by knitting teddies for the local hospice and for the local police to help children facing difficulties.

Ledbury Community Day This is the town's platform for clubs and societies to demonstrate to residents, the activities that are on offer and to encourage participation. Our u3a is a regular participant.

The Walled Gardeners (16 members of the Garden Group) work in groups on beds at the top of the Walled Garden and the rose bed outside the garden. See their Group page for more information.

Our Recorder Consort gives free concerts in the Master's House and we hope you will support them on dates to be announced. The Master’s House lends itself to recorder music and the “minstrels’ gallery” is perfect!!

Activities by other u3as

Cotswold Link This is a network of 27 u3as covering Gloucestershire, Herefordshire and Worcestershire.

Cotswold Link reciprocal arrangement

In the interests of sharing and perpetuating the aims of the u3a movement, the Link has set up a reciprocal arrangement between its member u3as. Any member of a Link u3a may attend one group activity in another Link u3a, without having to become a member of that other u3a. General meetings of the u3a do not count as a group activity. Session fees for the group activity will still apply. This is an entirely voluntary agreement between Link u3as and although it hoped that all will participate, the independence of any dissenting u3a is recognised.

Cotswold Link offers occasional Special Interest Days open to all members of all u3as affiliated to the network. The subject for this year was Our Brave New World. Three expert speakers spoke about Artificial Intelligence, Cyber Security and our interface with computers using Human Factors. The event was held at The Pavilion, Hatherley Lane, Cheltenham on 4th June. For a report on the meeting click on the link below.

For more information click Cotswold Link u3a .

West Midlands u3a. This is a network of 85 u3as. The region is very diverse, from rural village to city metropolis, from agriculture to service industry, and the members are diverse too! The region supports u3a groups by enabling members to share ideas and information about u3a. See their website West Midlands u3a for more details..

National u3a (The Third Age Trust) offers events, residential/non-residential courses, on-line courses, tuition, etc for u3a members and has a link with the Open University. Details of these facilities can be found on the National u3a website .

Interest Groups Online (abbreviated as IGO) is an online u3a community that gives you the opportunity to join groups, talks and courses from the comfort of your home.

As with a u3a, the activities are run by members and are a great way to meet people from all across the u3a movement. For more details, click on Interest Groups Online

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