The first branch of the University of the Third Age (U3A) was founded in Toulouse in 1973 and rapidly spread inside and outside France, the
Third Age Trust (the national representative body for U3As in the UK) being established in 1982. U3As are self-help, self-managed lifelong learning co-operatives for older people no longer in full time work, providing opportunities for their members to share learning experiences in a wide range of interest groups and to pursue learning not for qualifications, but for fun.
The Buckingham & District U3A was established in 1998 just one of over 780 throughout the UK and currently has over 600 members. It is estimated that there are over 250,000 individual members in the UK, so for a town the size of Buckingham, 600 is a fair percentage.
Our financial year runs from October until September the following year. The annual subscription is £13 (including U3A affiliation fee), reducing quarterly to £10.50 from January and to £8.00 from April. From July the subscription reverts to £13.00 being next year’s subscription in advance, giving the remaining part of the current year for free.
We hold open meetings at 14:30 on the fourth Wednesdays of January, February, March, April, May June & September, in the Large Hall, Buckingham Community Centre, Cornwall's Meadow, Buckingham. Each meeting, at which prospective members are welcome, has a guest speaker. Time is allocated for members to investigate the wide variety of outings, visits and study groups.
At the Open Meetings we have speakers who educate or entertain on all manner of subjects, including most recently the treasures in the Bodleian Library, the life of Nelson, the work of the NSPCC, the Air Ambulance and the history of Claydon House where Florence Nightingale lived for a while. There is a charity stall at the Open Meetings and this year, the Buckingham U3A is supporting Street Life Project and the Citizen’s Advice Bureau.
A major feature of the Buckingham U3A is the large number of study and interest groups, which are open to members free of charge - although there may be some costs for materials and a small contribution towards venue hire etcetera. They normally meet once or twice a month, either in members' homes or in public meeting rooms. There is no limit to the number of groups members can join.
The various activities take place during the day as it is an organisation for those who no longer work full time. New arrivals to the town who fall into this category may feel lonely to start with, but in joining the U3A they will find a friendly organisation with a wide range of activities to stretch their minds and exercise their bodies. New members are initially welcomed at a coffee morning, where they are shown a DVD of the type of activities the U3A has to offer.
Each activity has a group coordinator, who arranges a programme, be it Singing for Pleasure, Play Reading, Folk or Square Dancing, Hand Bells, Walking, Gardening, Local History, Creative Writing, Handicrafts, Philosophy, Scrabble, or Bridge. There are groups who learn a language and go on holiday visits to those countries to experience the life there or attend special events where they sample food and wines.
Groups are primarily mutual-help rather than tutor-led. Any member is welcome to start a study group; assistance is provided in setting up new groups. No formal qualifications are necessary and likewise no qualifications are awarded.
We also arrange a number of outings and visits each year to places of interest to the general membership.
Revised 13 Feb 2012