U3As around the United Kingdom are members of the Third Age Trust. The main purpose of the trust is to encourage lifelong learning for those no longer in full time gainful employment.
It began in France in 1972, the first British U3A being established in Cambridge in 1982 and there are now around 1000 local U3As in the United Kingdom. The aim of the U3A is to encourage people to broaden their knowledge and develop personally, to become involved in new interests and to make new friends. It is not all learning, we have lots of fun too! Take a look at our group pages. If there is nothing for you, perhaps you would like to join and start a group for your own interest.
Here is a link to the Cheddar Valley U3A Constitution
The Virtual U3A (vU3a), which went live in January 2009, is an online-only U3A, affiliated to the Third Age Trust. One of its principal aims is to provide the U3A experience for those who are rendered isolated in some way by circumstances or geography and unable to play a full part in a terrestrial U3A. More information is available on the public website www.vu3a.org where one can also apply for membership. Why not pay it a visit? And if you know of anyone who might benefit, please pass the information on.
