Kenton & District u3a (founded in March 2014) is part of the University of the Third Age, abbreviated to “u3a”.
What is the u3a?
u3a is a UK movement of retired and semi-retired people – people in their “third age” – who want to meet with others to share a wide range of educational, social and creative interests in a friendly and informal environment.
Why Join?
It’s local, welcoming and open to all. It doesn’t matter what your previous experiences, e.g. jobs and qualifications, are. The focus is on fostering new interests and experiences, or reviving previous ones, through group meetings with other local people. Our members also report major benefits in terms of staying active, creating new friendships, building confidence, combatting loneliness, feeling supported and, perhaps most important of all, feeling valued, having fun and enjoying life.
Who can join?
Anybody who is no longer in full time work can join u3a. Most of our members live in Kenton (Brent and Harrow boroughs), Canons Park, Kingsbury, Sudbury, Preston & Wembley. All our interest groups meet during the day, so any local person who is retired or semi-retired can join if they have some available time.
What Activities are on offer?
Members of Kenton & District u3a can take part in a whole range of local mostly weekly, fortnightly and monthly classes, interest groups and activities. The groups our members get involved with are wide ranging. They include some that have an educational slant (such as English literature and art history), some that are primarily practical (e.g. cookery, painting) and all are unashamedly social. Other popular activities include visiting speakers, magic of musicals, current affairs discussion, healthy living discussion, rambles, creative writing, board games, music appreciation, play reading and French conversation, London outings and film club. You can join as many as you wish for the same fee. Our EVENTS PAGE includes the full list of current interest groups.
Who runs the interest groups?
Our interest groups are chosen, set up and run by members, for members. Members with experience, expertise or know-how in professions, occupations or through hobbies are encouraged to form study or interest groups for other members to come along to whether that is English literature or cookery, music appreciation or rambling. All our activities are run by volunteers.
Who runs Kenton & District u3a?
A Management Committee is elected annually from the membership. Committee members and individual members who run interest group activities act on a purely voluntary and unpaid basis. It is on their willingness and service that the whole idea of the u3a depends.
Where do the groups meet?
Kenton and District u3a groups mostly meet at the Harrow District Masonic Centre (HDMC), Northwick Circle, Kenton HA3 0EL and a few meet in members’ houses. The Masonic Centre has a range of rooms and halls which provides great flexibility for large and small groups. It is also close to public transport, has ample free parking and disabled access.
Who pays?
Kenton & District u3a receives no direct funding from central or local government. It is financially independent and relies solely on members’ subscriptions, currently just £40 a year (mostly to cover hall hire and publications). There are no further charges for most interest group activities.
Are there other u3a groups?
u3a is a worldwide organisation. In the UK there are more than 1000 local u3a groups with a growing total membership, now in excess of 450,000. For more general information regarding the history and present day running of the u3a, visit The Third Age Trust website.
