THE RETIREMENT OPPORTUNITY
Retirement brings unique opportunities to spend more time enjoying established interests, and/or to take up new ones, while making new friends. The challenge may be to get started. Shrewsbury u3a enables access to many hundreds of people and a broad range of subjects that can provide enriching experiences throughout retirement years. Most of our members have retired from full time work but some join in the run-up to retirement as part of their transition to a different lifestyle.
OVERVIEW OF u3a
Shrewsbury’s University of the Third Age (u3a) dates from 1992. Like all u3as, it is a mutual self-help organisation, open to all, regardless of education or attainment. The purpose of u3a is to provide educational opportunities for those no longer in full time, while contributing to their social and recreational fulfillment. The u3a moto is; “learn, laugh and live (life to the full).”
WHAT IS ON OFFER
Shrewsbury u3a offers exceptional value for money. Members are welcome to participate in as many, or as few, activities as they wish, all for a single annual fee of £15 per member (not inclusive of any costs that might be incurred by groups). The current offer is:
• High quality talks on a range of subjects at Theatre Severn (Shrewsbury Town Football Club in Dec and Jan) on the Third Monday of each month except August. Talks start at 10:30am but doors are open from 10:00am.
• Tea/Coffee drop in afternoons at Palmers Café on the last Friday of each month from 2:00pm until 3:30pm. This is always attended by officers of the committee who are available to meet potential new and current members, hear their views and answer questions.
• An annual, day time, social event.
• E mail connectivity to everyone in the Shrewsbury u3a
• A large number of groups that form around specific interests, hobbies, pastimes and studies.
GROUPS
Much of u3a activity is conducted by groups who meet to enjoy subjects of mutual interest. These range from study into academic subjects, to outdoor activities, to purely social interactions. A list of all the current groups, and synopsis of their activities, can be found on this web site.
Groups are supported by the Management Committee. Current groups are looked after by the Groups Coordinator. Where there is demand for a new group to be established, this is facilitated by the New Groups Facilitator.
BENEFITS OF BELONGING TO SHREWSBURY u3a
There are a number of benefits of belonging to Shrewsbury u3a. These include:
• Opportunities to develop established interests and to explore new horizons.
• Access to a large social network.
• Access to stimulating talks and social activities.
• An informative Monthly Newsletter.
TO MOVE FORWARD
Having explored this web site, anyone interested in learning more about the opportunities on offer is welcome to drop by for a chat at one of our monthly meetings at Palmers café and/or come to a talk (free of charge for the first one) at Theatre Severn. If you want to make contact with our secretary straight away, you can send a message via our green contact form at the bottom left of the screen.
New members can join our u3a at any time by clicking on the green ‘join’ button at the bottom right of this page, or by visiting us at Palmers Café or Theatre Severn. If you need help with Joining online, we have a wealth of information in our Support pages. (Select “How to Join” from the Non Members section in the left hand menu). Existing members should click the Login tab and use their membership number and password to access the Arda website. For your information we currently have 1190 members and 114 active groups.
