About Us

WHAT IS A u3a? [University of the 3rd Age]  A u3a is not a university! It is an association in which members pool their own abilities and skills for mutual benefit. No qualifications are required of members and none are awarded. Pembury u3a is affiliated to the Third Age Trust, which offers advice, resources and other help.

WHAT DOES PEMBURY u3a DO?  Our inaugural meeting was held on 16th October 2006.  In the years since then we have grown to over 300 members .  What  we do  depends upon the skills and interests of our members and how much they are prepared to use and share them with other members. These are our interest groups which usually meet in members’ homes during the day or for some groups , at outside venues in the evening . We also  have a programme of  monthly meetings, with  guest speakers, to which everyone is invited. These are held on the  First Tuesday of each month at 2.00 pm in the Village Hall, Pembury. Further details are available either in our newsletter or in our programme. In this pack you will find a list of current activities .  Lastly we do have a programme of social activities during the year including  organised  trips and visits to places of interest and holiday breaks  .

A  regular newsletter is given out or sent to each member and an annual brochure,  They  contain details of all our activities. Pembury U3A members   also receive copies of u3a news from the Third Age TrustAll this for £17 or £30 per annum for two members living at the same address.

ARE GROUPS DIFFERENT FROM A COURSE AT THE ADULT EDUCATION CENTRE?    Yes, there is a major difference in that you are not being taught professionally. Everyone is a volunteer and group leaders put a lot of unpaid time into running a group.

HOW DO I JOIN?    By completing the application form.  and sending it with your cheque, payable to Pembury u3a to our Membership Secretary.

Membership forms are available from the Membership Secretary. Contact details are shown on the contacts page.

HOW MUCH DOES IT COST?  £17 per year [January to July] or £30 for two people living at the same address. (£8.50 or £15 for two at the same address, from Jul to Dec).  Outings will be extra. If you attend a meeting in a member’s home, you pay the host 50p each time. If a group incurs other costs, such as photocopying, the group shares those costs. Monthly meetings will be free for members and £2 for guests.

WHEN I’VE JOINED PEMBURY u3a, HOW DO I GET INVOLVED?   Once you have joined the u3a, you will be given details of our monthly meetings and our Interest Groups.  We hope you will come along to our monthly meetings and contact the group leaders to arrange to join in any groups that are of special interest to you.  There are opportunities for you to volunteer to help if you wish.  You could volunteer to help with refreshments at our monthly meetings and the Management Committee is always very happy to hear from anyone who wishes to start a new Interest Group.   If none of our Interest Groups are of interest to you, please suggest new ones and, providing we have a volunteer with the necessary knowledge or skills and who is willing to lead it, we will try to help start  a new group for you and other like minded members.