groups

This group will focus mainly on providing members with the opportunity to develop and improve their knowledge and skills in the use of the Spanish language, through practice in conversation and discussion. It is most suitable for those with some knowledge i.e. advanced beginners to intermediate learners but not absolute beginners.

The group coordinator has provided no information about this group.

The definition of anthropology is the study of various elements of humans, including biology and culture , in order to understand human origin and the evolution of various beliefs and social customs.

The Architecture Group meets at Bayston Hill Methodist Centre Hall for its monthly meetings. These are usually on the first Tuesday afternoon of each month. In the winter meetings are 13.30 to 15.30. In the summer meetings are 14.00 to 16.00. To pay for the hire of the hall group members at present contribute £5 each every six months. With a significant number of new members in recent months the group is full, but prospective members are welcome to contact the Coordinator and to come along to a Bayston Hill meeting as a (free) guest to try us out. The group studies buildings and gardens, architects and architectural styles through different periods of history. This includes building techniques, methods and materials. We also look at developments such as energy efficiency and Passivhaus designs. The works of individual architects and movements are explored, and in the warmer months we may undertake local field trips organised by group members. Participation is the key and, if possible, group members are expected to contribute presentations (which might be joint presentations by two or more members) or to help arrange and support meetings, events and activities in our programme. There is time for refreshments and discussion after presentations. Our 2024 programme started with Weird and Wonderful Buildings at our January 9th meeting. In February we looked at 50 years of Telford. In March we had a presentation about Harewood House and Palladian Architecture and on April 9th we had a presentation about Renaissance Architecture of the Low Countries. Our meeting in May looked at Edwardian Shrewsbury. In June we had a presentation about the home remodelling, improvements and modifications made over about 25 years and 5 houses by one couple who are in the group (and whose home members of the group had the opportunity to visit). The July meeting looked at Edwardian Architecture, including garden design, beyond Shrewsbury. In the Spring we also had the opportunity to join the RIBA Shropshire Society of Architects monthly evening meetings at the Hive in Belmont. A number of us attended the February 14th meeting when Jamie Fobert of Jamie Fobert Architects gave a presentation entitled Working in Art: From Exhibitions to the National Portrait Gallery. The work done at Tate St. Ives, Kettles Yard, Cambridge and particularly the transformation of the National Portrait Gallery was both fascinating and impressive. Some of the group joined the March meeting when Ceri Edmunds of Alison Brooks Architects gave a presentation and the April meeting when Alex Ely of Mae Architects (winners of the 2023 Stirling Prize) gave the presentation. At the final meeting of this series Magnus Strom of Strom Architects gave a presentation about \'High-End Residential Homes\'. Future u3a Architecture meetings will include the Work of Marches Energy Agency (MEA), Canal Architecture, Milton Keynes, Lighthouses, and Architects Frank Lloyd Wright and Marion Mahony Griffin. We have no meeting in August. Our next meeting will be on Tuesday September 3rd at 2.00pm at Bayston Hill Methodist Centre in Lansdowne Rd. when Marches Energy Agency who work in Shropshire, Telford & Wrekin and Derbyshire will be talking about measuring and improving home energy efficiency and ways to get help with retrofitting improvements.

The Art Appreciation group studies art history up to the beginning of the 20th century. We focus on a theme for a September-to-July programme, such as Dutch and Spanish Golden Ages, French painting, Italian art, British painting and Russian art. Group members are invited to contribute, introducing an artist or theme illustrated by relevant paintings. Usually there are three volunteers per meeting so preparation is not too onerous and we like time for discussion. We use a digital projector and screen to show pictures at meetings. It is helpful if volunteers have computer access to collect illustrations they want to show us, but this is not essential. This year, the Art Appreciation group is studying Spanish art. It has been truly amazing when many of the artists have been unknown to us and it has been great fun, with, on occasion, some hilarity in discovering about their lives and types of painting. We have therefore learnt a lot about Spanish Art but also about Spanish history, culture and geography as well. We always welcome new members. There is a small charge to cover the hire of the room and refreshments.

Our group has been running since 2017 and continues to thrive. We survived Covid and managed to continue playing together via an online site which was secure for all of our Backgammon members. However, there is always room for more members. We currently have a lovely group of ladies and gentlemen who have a wide range of experience of playing Backgammon. New members are always welcome to join us for a trial session/s before comitting. Those more experienced players do a great job of sharing their expertise and improving our beginners. If you are interested in coming to join us or just to see if this is 'your thing' please contact me. It is always great to welcome new members. It is a very relaxed group and lots of fun. Our group meets three times every month 2nd and 4th Monday and on the 1st Thursday of the month. Each session runs from 10am until 12 noon and is held at Inn on the Green, Radbrook. Parking is available adjacent to the pub in their private car park or in Radbrook Green Shopping area (go to the far end of the car park near to the recycling point). You do not need to pay for parking. How to get there: If you are travelling by bus: Number 20 bus for Radbrook leaves Bus station 9.35 goes out over the Welsh Bridge, Frankwell island. Bus stop just opposite Inn on the Green and Co-op. Return journey: Buses leave from opposite the Co-Op: Number 20 at 12.21pm going back into town. (please check times for accuracy as they do change periodically). Coffee and tea are provided by the venue for a contribution of £1 per person or soft drinks can be purchased from the bar. If you are interested in joining our vibrant, friendly group please do get in touch. I look forward to welcoming you. Members are asked to bring along a board, if they have one. But don't worry if you don't have one. We always have enough to share. Novice players to more experienced... all levels welcomed! Hope to see you soon!

The group will be meeting to play twice a month on the 2nd and 4th Mondays at Shrewsbury Sports Village Sundorne from 3.00 to 4.00pm. For further details, please contact the Group Coordinator Cynthia Hedley on cmhedley85@gmail.com.

A group which will appeal to enthusiasts of board games such as Carcassonne and Ticket to Ride and many others.. The group meets at The Nerdy Cafe, Mardol on the second and fourth Fridays of the month.

Breakfast at Shrewsbury’s is a Shrewsbury U3A study group formed in July 2018. Group members arrange to meet on the first and third Saturdays in the month to enjoy a breakfast at one of the many independent cafés in Shrewsbury town centre. There are currently 30+ members of the group (November 2023) with about 12-18 members attending on any particular occasion. The group members meet at the chosen establishment and you can either order a full English breakfast but our more sensible members pick a lighter or healthier offering. The aim of the group is simply to enjoy good food in good company, support local trade and start the Saturday in the best possible way. The group will always choose locally-run establishments and aim to steer clear of national chains. As a Shrewsbury U3A member, you don't have to formally join the Breakfast at Shrewsbury’s group, just turn up if you are in the mood. Members are notified monthly by email, there’s no need to send your apologies if you can’t make it, nor reserve a place if you can. We always welcome any Shrewsbury u3a members and their friends to join us.

The Bridge 1 group consists of people with a variety of card play ability. Some have played bridge for forty years, others for one or two years. Acquiring the bridge skills may have started at university or college, or by learning from friends, joining a club, and buying a book, or just simply joining a U3A group following retirement. Our group started very small some years ago, and met in members homes but numbers increased so we now meet in a set venue. We are relaxed and easy going, taking pleasure sometimes in analysing the hand played, to see how it could have been played better, and partners are randomly selected so we increase our knowledge and experience. Some of our number want a more competitive play, so in addition to the group, they join a club as well. Others take lessons to enable them to improve and then impart their new experience to others. We learn from each other. Bridge is not just about skilful card play, it is about understanding the complex mode of communication between partners called the auction in which players vie with their opponents to take control of the dealt hand and become declarer. A defender, however, if clever and with card distribution in his favour, can outwit the Declarer. No two hands are ever the same. We welcome new members, especially those who just want to come and give it a go and see what we\'re like.

Players of some experience meet to play Bridge. The group is not really suitable for complete beginners.

We are a friendly, welcoming group who play duplicate bridge. Picking partners allows us to experience playing with a variety of players. Most players are improvers and happy to discuss bidding after play has finished. We are not accepting new members at present.

We are a very friendly group who were beginners but are now improvers who are confident in the principles, bidding and playing of the game. Pre pandemic there were about 20 of us in the group. We have now reached our maximum number of members for the venue we use. We pick for partners, play duplicate and score. Picking for partners gives us all experience in playing with and against a variety of players.

Meeting from January, 2024 will be at Radbrook Community Centre on the second Tuesday 9th Jan and every two weeks . From 10-12 with a few date exceptions The dates will be : Jan 9th and 23rd., Feb 6th and 20th. March 5th and 19th. April 2nd, 16th and 30th. , May 14th and 28th. And every two weeks until early Dec.

This group has been set up for anyone who is a Category Leader but not a Group Coordinator. It gives them the necessary permissions on Arda that allows them to become proficient at what Group Coords need to be able to do, so that they can provide instruction. It also links the Category Leaders for ease of comms.

The Cinema group is a fairly small, friendly group, who enjoy going to films, and then discussing what they have seen. We dont necessarily see the films together (although members often do make arrangements with each other), but when it suits each of us, and then we meet up to discuss what we have seen. We choose 2 or 3 films each month which we all try to see. We use the Old Market Hall programme primarily, but also keep an eye on what is on at Cineworld, including the National Theatre screenings. Occasionally we find that we are virtually all in agreement about a film, but more often there are varying views and this makes for a lively and interesting discussion and the opportunity, perhaps, to consider aspects of a film which we had not initially appreciated. Discussions range from aspects of cinematography, actor and director, through to wider issues raised by the storyline.

This group is for those of us who would like to breathe life back into "old" mechanical mantle clocks - we are hobbyists not professional clock repairers and we learn knowledge and skills from and with each other. You do not need to have lots of tools or a workshop - just a wish to have fun and experience the joy of hearing a broken clock ticking again. Pendulum clocks, whether spring or weight driven, can be tackled but those with balance wheel escapements where the escapement mechanism is damaged are beyond our capability.

The Computer Club

The computer club exists to share knowledge and help those people who are wishing to learn more about their computer/s

A few of our group are keen enthusiasts with a lot of knowledge, but we find that everyone has something to contribute. In general, the first half of the meeting is often a presentation covering some aspect of computer use, either from a guest speaker or from within our own members, but our most valuable feature is the open session where we ask questions and share ideas. Please note we do not offer one to one tuition, but we will all try and help you fix a problem. It is not unknown for one of our more experienced members to take over your computer at home to help solve any issues.

Bring your laptop, notebook or tablet as generally we try to make part of the session a practical session, note though that they should be charged up in readiness, as the number of plug sockets is limited (although we do have a pile of extension leads).

The Memorial Hall (where we meet) provide free internet access so you can get online if the session requires it. There is a boiler to make tea and coffee for our mid session break. We pay to use the hall, so consequently there is a monthly charge to cover these fees. Currently our membership is at a maximum but fear not, our sister group \"Computer Club 02\" does have spaces. They meet on the 1st Thursday of the month at the Tesco Community Room.

Computer Club 2 meet on the first Thursday of each month in The Shrewsbury Tesco Community Room at 2pm. Currently room use is free, and there are tea and coffee making facilities. Members are asked (if they wish) to bring their laptop computer, iPad, Android Pad, or smartphone. The room has access to Tesco’s Wi-Fi network so all equipment can be connected. No prior IT knowledge is required to join the group; indeed, we welcome members across the whole spectrum of knowledge from expert to novice! Topics covered are largely driven by what members request. For example, members may want to know more about word processors, spreadsheets, email, basic photo editing, etc. The meeting format will take the form of a presentation in the first half, a refreshment break, and then an ‘open forum’ where members’ IT problems can be discussed, and hopefully resolved. We are open for new members and look forward to seeing you!

The group aims to create a convivial environment in which to learn and develop the skills of contract whist. The number of players in a playing group is between 3 and 7. The group meets for 1-2 hours twice a month at The Inn on the Green, Radbrook at 2pm. In contract whist players compete individually. An understanding of the rules of ordinary (partner) whist is required.

We are a small group whose aim is to improve our writing skills and try out new forms of expressing ourselves in the written word through a monthly assignment and (friendly!) criticism. We have been meeting for more than 14 years now so we must be doing something right... Our writing reflects our different life experiences and differing attitudes. The discussion around our contributions to the topic of the month is often as much about the nature of the content and the ideas behind it, as it is about its style and form. In other words, we learn more than just writing. Creative writing makes you think, but since the subject is the same for everyone, it is instructive and interesting to compare one\'s thoughts and interpretation with those of the other members of the group. Logged in members of Shrewsbury u3a can view samples of our work by visiting our Group Page and then clicking the Documents tab. We hope you enjoy reading them and we welcome comments! If you are interested in joining us, please do get in touch with the co-ordinator. Our group can cater for up to 7 members.

The group meets at the Coordinator’s home every 4 th Wednesday. The Coordinator selects a variety of cryptic crosswords from moderate to difficult from publications such as the Daily Mail and Daily Telegraph.

We formed in July 2017 and since 2020 it was agreed to meet every Wednesday instead of alternate weeks. Currently we meet at The Stop Cafe, Greyfriars, Shrewsbury at 10.00 am. Members suggest routes and so far they have included ones to Upton Magna, Attingham, Haughmond, Longden, Pontesbury, Wellington, Hadnall. We try to factor in a coffee stop en route. We are of mixed cycling experience on average cycling about 20 miles mainly on quiet roads. Sometimes we venture further clocking up 30+ miles. We are always looking for new routes and recently we cycled to the Potting Shed at Crew Green. During lockdown a couple of members decided they would not carry on so we were able to add a couple of new people and look forward to them joining us soon.

The group will be open to mixed ability cyclists, the fastest among the group always waiting at key points for slower members to catch up, ensuring that no one gets lost or left behind with the aim being social as well as for exercise. Coffee stops are mandatory! Please note that members are responsible for their own safety and maintenance of their bicycle and for wearing suitable easily visible/bright clothing - a helmet is recommended.

Our Group is currently at full capacity and is not accepting new members. If you are interested you can be entered on our Waiting List but, regrettably, it is impossible to predict how long you might have to wait there.

The Digital Photography group covers all aspects of the subject, from the technical and aesthetic basics of taking good photographs to the use of photo-processing software to enhance our pictures. There is a debate about computer “enhancement” as some consider that this is “cheating” by altering what the camera saw, but others see it as a way of improving a picture. This can be by “cropping” the edges to remove unwanted and distracting background from a picture or by altering the brightness or contrast in the picture. Interestingly these techniques and many others are not recent innovations as a result of the digital revolution but have been used in dark rooms since photography began in the nineteenth century!

The group meets monthly to view and discuss pictures that members have taken on an agreed topic. We also have training sessions led by members or talks on subjects of photographic interest to the group.

We discover towns and places in Shropshire . We visit pubs and restaurants for lunch with a small group of up to 16 people. Good food and great company once a month. We meet on the last Wednesday of the month from 10.30am for a coffee and then explore the area and join back together for lunch until 2.30pm. This group is now full.

Our group is a follow-on from our successful Sunday Lunch Group 1. Group members asked for a weekday lunch once a month to travel further afield in Shropshire to discover the many excellent pubs dotted around the county. Occasionally we venture over the border into Wales especially in the Summer months. We have a maximum of 8 members in the group to enable everyone to participate fully in the conversation. At the present time our group is up to strength so unfortunately we cannot accommodate any new members. Carol M, co-ordinator

Discover pubs and restaurants for lunch throughout Shropshire with a small group of up to 12. Good food and great company once a month.

The focus is on our own work, in any medium, regardless of whether people are total beginners or not. Ideally we shall have a still life object to help provide subject matter. There is no teaching; we just enjoy doing our own thing in relaxed company. We meet in Drapers Place, near the Abbey, 10 - 12 on the third Wednesday of the month.

Dance with the U3A! Everything from Elizabethan Galliards to Argentinian Tango, and everything in between! You don’t need a partner, just a sense of fun. If you want to know more, contact Robin on 07773 558682 or by email at rbenie@aol.com

The Economics group meets to consider any aspect of economics, with some emphasis on the basics, and current economic topics.

This music group is aimed at people who have dabbled in electric music playing electric guitars, keyboards, synthesisers or other instruments. Members will contribute ideas for songs to play, including their own self written pieces or ideas for musical pieces. The aim is to play and arrange music collectively and record it, thus learning and understanding the recording process along the way. The Group Mission Statement is:- At the heart of our group is creativity. We welcome musicians of all abilities and musical backgrounds. We are group which improvises and creates music forms by collaboration. There will be an infinite number of starting points and ideas which arise and which can be developed by the group. We can explore new territory and be out of our comfort zone without fear of being judged when making \"mistakes\"! Musical styles will change according to the mood of individual pieces. Being a democratic ensemble, we aim to respect the offerings, no matter how small, of every member.

We begin with a 10/15 minute meditation. Members are invited to share their understanding of what they believe mindfulness is. This can allow some clarity to be shared on any misconceptions. We often share a piece from book or website we have seen, that allows a discussion on what we understand is being said and how helpful it was. We will explore together how we feel it can be used in our daily life. Occasionally an issue is brought that is present and how meditation and mindfulness can bring some calm to our constant questioning in our minds. There could be a short enjoyable experiment with the group to demonstrate how mindful or not we really are. We are full,presently, but invite those who maybe interested to contact me and come along to see if this is something you may like to do on a regular basis. We can then look at the current numbers and see if a waiting list is now necessary The group meets fortnightly on Tuesday afternoons at 2pm til 4pm. You can contact me Irene on... 07971431116 or email isteele171@btinternet.com

The aim of this group is to learn about and enjoy the English language in all its quirkiness! This is a generally light-hearted look at such topics as: history of the English language and how it\'s changed down the centuries; foreign influences; new \'fashionable\' words and expressions; dialects; toponyms (place names); spelling and punctuation (featuring the wandering apostrophe).

For beginners and those with experience alike. Discover your family's past. We meet at the Peach tree, Abbey Foregate on the First and third Wednesday of the month. 1000 for 1030. Starting Sept 6th., 2023. Co-ordinator: Phill Yeend

A discussion group about inspirational women, exploring how feminism has developed to meet the changing needs and issues through time. A historical perspective. This is broadly about women, with lots of scope to explore the historical contexts that surround social change, resulting from the actions of numerous wonderful women and their allies, from 19th Century to today. Discussions are stimulated by prior knowledge or from a little individual research, sharing what we find, undoubtedly leading to interesting chat. There may be the option to access Podcasts, YouTube or other, as an alternative way of exploring the impact of some amazing women.

We are a friendly group who enjoy playing, singing and listening to traditional music from the UK and around the world.

Some members of the group play (or attempt to play) a variety of instruments at differing standards, ranging from near beginner to expert but no-one is judgmental. Those who sing also differ widely in ability but everyone in the group is supportive of the others. You don’t need to play or sing to come along; you just need to enjoy folk music and its stories. If you do want to improve your playing skills, you may also wish to join the Folk Tunes Workshop.

Songs and tunes played or sung include traditional songs from the UK, America and elsewhere, including industrial, political and social songs and broadsheet ballads, sea songs and shanties, Christmas and seasonal music, songs from the sixties’ “folk revival” and more modern songs in the folk idiom.

Our meetings take the form of “open mic” sessions without a microphone(!) and discussion. For about half of our meetings we choose a theme; for the other half members are free to play or sing any song or tune of their choice - (almost) anything goes!

Frequency: Meetings take place twice a month on the 1st and 4th Mondays of each month from 11.15 a.m. to 1.15 p.m.

Venue: Radbrook Community Centre Committee Room, Bank Farm Road, Radbrook (near the Co-op Store and Radbrook Shopping Centre and adjacent to the Inn on the Green). The meeting venue is accessible for the disabled and car parking is available in front of the Community Centre. The venue is also easily accessible from Shrewsbury Town Centre via the No 20 bus.

Cost: There is a charge of £2 for each meeting to include tea or coffee.

We are a new Folk Music group which, it is anticipated , will play and sing folk music of differing genres. As the definition of folk music is so wide and, at the time of writing this description, the group has only met a couple of times, it is not possible to be more precise. The group is still finding its feet and if you are interested in folk music do come along to one of our meetings.

You may be a child of the 60s, like many of us, who enjoyed the folk revival then and are just trying to relive your youth; you may have an accademic interest in the history of folk music or you may just enjoy playing or singing along to traditional tunes and songs. Wherever your interest lies, if you are interested in folk music of any sort and would like to be involved in playing or singing (playing and singing, however, is NOT compulsory), do come along to our meetings and help mould the direction in which the group develops. It really does not matter how well or badly you play or sing (or even if you just want to listen) do come along. The group will be very supportive and noone will be marked out of 10!

The aim of the group is to have fun and enjoy ourselves through the medium of playing and singing tunes and songs we all like and there will be a short break half-way through each session to enjoy tea or coffee and a chat.

It is hoped that the opportunity will arise, from time to time, for members to join with the other u3a folk music group and if members want to improve their playing skills, they may also wish to join the Folk Tunes Workshop group.

Frequency: Meetings take place twice a month on the 1st and 3rd Wednesdays of each month from 14.00 p.m. to 16.00 p.m (or in old money from 2.00 to 4.00!)..

Venue: During term times: Community in Good Hands, 88/89 Frankwell, Shrewsbury. SY3 8JR (Facing the Frankwell Traffic Island) . Car parking is available close by in Shrewsbury\'s main Frankwell Car Park. During school holidays, the venue will be The Prince of Wales, Bynner Street, Shrewsbury. SY3 7NZ. The pub has a small car park and, during the day, there should be available on-street parking in its immediate vicinity (although the streets are very narrow).

Cost: There will be no charge for the sessions at either venue as the rooms are being made available at no cost. However Community - In Good Hands is also a cafe providing food and beverages as well as alcoholic and non-alcoholic drinks. It is hoped that members will buy food and/or drinks as a token of our appreciation of the venue\'s hospitality. The Prince of Wales is, of course, a pub and, again, it is hoped that members will partake of refreshment there. Drinking Songs, though appreciated, will not be compulsory!

Playing level/standard

The Folk Tunes workshop is for “improvers” who know their way round their instrument & can play a tune, after practice (however hesitantly). Proficient & experienced players would be welcomed to help others progress to their level.

Players will gain the opportunity of playing with others & may progress in time to play in pub sessions. It is hoped that the group will be able to join up periodically to play with the other u3a folk music groups.

Session Format

In the first half we will warm up with the tune “Salmon Tails Up The Water”. Then, 2 tunes, chosen at the previous session for members to practise at home, will be played slowly three times. There will follow the 2 tunes chosen for the previous session in similar fashion but, perhaps, a little faster. A conscious effort will be made to manage a compromise between the group holding a tune together & not being tedious. If any member finds the group is playing too fast, they may have to do the best they can, shrug their shoulders & keep practising. All the tunes will be gathered together into a “Tune Book” to be played again in the future.

In the second half of each session, after a break for coffee or tea & a chat, members will work their way through the ever increasing “Tune Book”. During the second half of each session the two songs for the next session will be chosen.

Until the group is established & a substantial tune book has been built up the two halves of each session will be similar.

Members will then playing “The Oyster Girl” as a closing tune.

Speed

The group will have a “no blame” culture, will be supportive of all members & no one will be marking anyone’s homework! The purpose of the workshop is to have fun whilst improving our playing, Most members will be self-taught, having picked up their instruments far too late in life. The workshop will not be concerned with “technique” or technical skills but will seek to accommodate new players by not just “bashing” through known tunes without concern for new starters.

Hopefully, as members will have been practising the tunes regularly at home, we will be able to play tunes in the second half of each session at a slightly faster pace.

Tunes

The tunes played will be typical “English” traditional folk tunes including tunes from England, Wales, Scotland & Ireland. Most will be traditional; others will be modern tunes popularised in pubs and clubs. Some tunes will have crossed the Atlantic & come back as traditional American tunes. Most tunes will be those commonly played in pub sessions & will be in the key of “G” or “D”. All will be scanned from copyright free sources &, hopefully, links will be available to players and/or singers on the web or on You Tube for those who play by ear & don’t use the “dots”. Members will be free to suggest tunes which can be accessed through “open Source” collections.

Resources

The workshop will be paperless and copies of the tunes can accessed/downloaded using Shrewsbury u3a Arda.

Reaching the venue

The Radbrook Community Centre is on Calverton Way off Bank Farm Road, Radbrook SY3 6DZ. There is parking available outside the hall. It is also on the No 20 bus route.

Cost

A small charge will be made to cover the cost of room hire and refreshments which will work out at about £2.50 per month.

The group coordinator has provided no information about this group.

The group meets every week on Wednesday afternoons at 2pm in members' homes and enjoy chatting informally in French and reading topical articles. Founder members of the group include retired French teachers, people who have lived in France as well as one or two native speakers.

The members of French Conversation 1 are mostly at the level of rusty \"O\" level French but we do our best to be disciplined and speak French throughout the meeting. We start with general conversation and then perhaps read and translate an article or play a word game. We finish with coffee and biscuits.

This group meets fortnightly to improve our French speaking skills through discussion in an informal and friendly atmosphere. Our members have different levels of ability and we aim to support each other.

This is a small, friendly group who meet to converse in German. There is usually a short German text to read followed by discussion.

A conversation group for intermediate/advanced speakers who are prepared to maximise their use of spoken German.

The Golf Croquet group was formed in 2011 and we have all enjoyed learning a new skill and had some good laughs. It is not like the strict game of croquet with lots of rules but more of a fun game. Each season starts in April and we play on the 2nd & 4th Thursdays of the month from April to the end of August, starting at 6 pm each evening.

This group is intended for members who would like to learn and /or improve their Greek language skills. Suitable for beginners onwards.

A group for those keen to put their free bus pass to use. Our first outing to Ludlow on Monday 30th April was a wonderful success. On Friday 1st June we enjoyed a terrific day out in Bridgnorth. This new group now arranges a monthly excursion to foreign lands (beyond Shrewsbury) by encouraging you to make use of your free bus pass. We meet at Shrewsbury bus station (although, depending on the destination, you may be able to board at a more convenient bus stop) and travel together to a strange and distant town (in Shropshire, or a neighbouring county). On arrival, we typically go for a coffee and share ideas about what to visit or where to shop and some of the group members also arrange to meet again for a spot of lunch at a chosen time and venue. We equip ourselves with the bus return timetables and the group members decide how long they wish to stay at the destination town and catch their preferred bus back home to Shrewsbury. We have tremendous fun, there is great camaraderie, and the group members are free to be with others and spend time alone when they wish. As a Shrewsbury U3A member, you don't have to formally join the Have Pass Will Travel Group, just grab your 'twirly' bus pass and join us on our next outing that takes your fancy. Our group photos can be found at: www.shrewsburyu3a.com/have-pass-will-travel1.html Our travel documents can be found at: www.shrewsburyu3a.com/have-pass-will-travel.html

The History 1 group decides on a period of world history and members choose a subject relating to it that they would like to research. Their discoveries are shared with the group and everyone joins in with questions and discussion. History 1 is a long-established group interested in all aspects of world and local history military, political, philosophical, economic, social, biographical and the arts. Together we decide on an area to study and each choose topics to present to the group. The presentations always lead to lively discussion. Over the past couple of years, we have been looking at the eighteenth century, presently concentrating on the second half the Enlightenment. This continues to be a rich source of subject matter which we have not yet exhausted.

At the History 2 group, each person takes it in turn to present a historical topic of their choice. Recent topics have included Constantinople - decline and fall, Four Medieval Queens, a history of Ellis Island. Presentations are followed by refreshments and discussion. In July, the group went on a walking tour of Shrewsbury, with members taking it in turn to give a potted history of a landmark. In December, we had a historical quiz, with members giving clues around the theme of Who/What/Where am I? Group size is limited due to the size of venue. At present, we are full. Previously the group has chosen to study the historical period 1815-1871. We have now decided to broaden our scope to include topics from any period. Topics can cover political, social, economic, military history of Britain or anywhere in the world.

Meetings of the History of Science and Invention group are held at premises having disabled access. Members make presentations on the development of science and technology through the ages which may be specific scientific discoveries and invention, the lives of eminent scientists and inventors or aspect of any science or technology subject in which they have an interest. Presentations in recent times having included ‘Henry Cavendish’; ‘A History of Seamarks’ and ‘Women in Crystallography’. The mood is lightened or made pensive by topics such as \'Merrily we roll along – A History of the Wheel’ and ‘Journalism and Climate Change’. If you would like a ticket to ride on the monthly missions of this space-time star ship, you need to know that it docks monthly on the morning of the first Friday each month to take on board its intrepid crew. No previous knowledge of history, science or interstellar navigation required, just an enquiring mind and possibly, for the anxious, a packet of Kwells!

Sessions are held each week on a Thursday at the Indoor Bowling Centre at Sundorne Sports Village for 1 hour from 12 noon to avoid clashing with league games, held during winter months October - March.

This is a new group that will welcome those with some existing knowledge and those who are interested in addressing a new academic discipline. The founding members met in June 2023 to decide how best to operate. At the core of our activities will be to take turns in studying chosen aspects/events (Group members can choose) of the post 1945 period. They can then present, or lead discussion on, key aspects/events. For example, we might decide to look at the various aspects of the Cold War in Europe, conflicts outside Europe or international economic and political developments. Some subjects may well be broken down into bite sized chunks and covered over a period of several meetings. The best medium for presenting the results of research is likely to be Power Point and our chosen venue has all the necessary audio visual facilities into which members can connect lap top computers on which their materiel is installed, if they choose to lead on subjects in that way. Meets: Once every month on second Monday of month, at 2-4 pm Venue: Drapers Place, Abbey Foregate Current membership: 11 registered on Arda. Waiting List: 0. Accepting new members Coordinator: John Lucas 07711566502 Group Page: None

The Italian group is suitable for those at an intermediate level of Italian. The aim of the group is to enjoy improving skills in all aspect of the Italian language. Members have studied Italian for a number of years and are at a level described as \\\'intermediate\\\' (B1-B2)

During our weekly meetings (Tuesday 2.00-4.00pm) we engage in a variety of interesting and engaging activities to help us learn the language and about Italian culture. The first half of each meeting is usually spent reading, translating and discussing an Italian short story or other text. After a short coffee break we then usually look at an Italian vlog, a piece from Easy Italian News or use material from another source. We aim to have fun but at the same time to be enthusiastic about improving our Italian language skills. We try to speak Italian throughout the whole of each meeting.

If you are interested in joining the group please contact the coordinator who will be able to provide more detailed information about the activities of the group. At the moment, the group is full, but we are operating a waiting list.

We are a small group who enjoy brushing up on the Italian language. We are making steady progress but with strictly no pressure; the emphasis is on making learning a fun activity. At our meetings, keeping to a basic level, we follow text book exercises, revising vocabulary and useful verbs. We translate passages from various publications and devise other activities to make learning interesting and to help in expressing ourselves in the language. We use a laptop to listen to native speakers. This is also a social group and we meet for lunch once a month at a local restaurant. The group is full at the moment.

Italiano

The Italiano Group focus is mainly on building confidence with conversation plus bits of reading, listening and grammar at intermediate level to enable everyone to keep making progress. Meetings on the 1st and 3rd Thursdays 10 -12 noon, initially at Coordinator\'s house.

We are sorry but we are not accepting new members at the moment. We have to limit the size of the group to enable meetings to be held in members\' houses.

You can ask to be added to the waiting list.:

If all three Italian groups have people waiting, or if the current groups are not the right level for you, we will willingly help a new group to get started with support from the New Groups Co-ordinator.

The Jazz Appreciation group meets once a month to listen to and discuss a wide range of Jazz. Our sessions are quite varied and involve contributions from all of the members. We generally pick a topic and the members play something from their collection that typifies the topic subject. Recent topics have included reviews of some of the famous Jazz Record Labels, Blue Note, Prestige, Riverside for example. We have had sessions featuring specific instruments like the tenor and alto saxophones. The music we listen to is selected by the group members and as a result we cover various time periods from the back catalogue of Jazz releases. Mainly we go from the 40’s through to the 2000’s. There is plenty of informative and enjoyable discussion regarding the music we listen to and love. We are actively looking for new members from within the U3A and beyond. We have our own Facebook group, this is the link; https://www.facebook.com/groups/644584129080941 Here you can get an idea of what we listen to and find topical Jazz news and local events.

The Latin group began over six years ago. The group is led by our esteemed and knowledgeable coordinator Sue. We are a small group of 11 dedicated and lively members. Our introduction to Latin began with Cambridge Latin Course book 1. We are now at the end of Book 111, ready to start on Book 1V. The course has taken us to the city of Pompeii, Roman Britain, Egypt and Imperial Rome. Learning Latin is fun but hard work sometimes. We have adopted a light-hearted approach with plenty of friendly discussion to keep the spirit high. We are often asked, why Latin? Latin is a superb educational tool and one of the best ways of learning about Language. It provided the means by which Greek and Roman ideas and culture could spread throughout the west. It has had a powerful and lasting effect upon nearly all European languages including our own English language. If you have desire to learn this great language, you will find it a rich source of enlightenment and pleasure. We all get our refreshments from the bar and then spend about two hours studying. This will include digressions on Roman history, aspects of Roman society such as slavery, imperialism, the army and religion, among others. We also trace the origins of English vocabulary in the Latin, which is always fascinating, when contributions from group members are very welcome. We have a lot of fun but when brain death seems to be ensuing, we stop.

Beginner\'s Line Dancing Group

is for those wishing to learn beginner\'s line dances, so no experience needed.

Dances will be learned \"from scratch\" and we are lucky to have one of our members to show us the steps. Come and have some fun exercise which isn\'t weather dependent. You work as hard as you want and can take a break whenever you wish during the meeting - so bring a drink with you. Plenty of free parking at venue and there\'s a regular bus service. It\'s a lovely floor and the hall is well ventilated, with drinking water and toilets available.

We aim to meet on the first and third Mondays of the month, but if it falls on a Bank Holiday, we may hold the meeting on a different day/week. We do not hold any meetings during July and August. We started again on 2 September 2024 and have 8 meetings booked until 16 December 2024.

We pay a hire charge for the hall at the start of our block booking - so members pay a small charge (in advance) for a block of meetings - regardless of how many times they attend. We aim to keep to a maximum of 20 members as beginners need plenty of floor space.

If you are interested in joining our group please email/ring the Co-ordinator to be added to the waiting list as the group has reached its maximum membership.

u3a members will find co-ordinators\' contact details on the Shrewsbury group list at the bottom of the screen when they log in on the website.

NUMBER OF MEMBERS ON WAITING LIST: 4/p>

updated 3 SEPTEMBER 2024.

The Local History group features talks from local historians on Shrewsbury and other places in Shropshire. Visits to places of local interest are organised as a follow-up to the talks.

Unfortunately this group is full and cannot take any new members at present. We meet on the third Friday of the month to research and discuss the local history of the town of Shrewsbury, its buildings and people. In addition to the monthly meetings we arrange visits and walks to places of interest from a local history point of view.

This Group meets at 10am on the first Friday of each month in the Bradbury Room at Drapers Place, Horsefair, Abbey Foregate, Shrewsbury. We are a friendly, participative group who enjoy helping each other to find out more about the history of Shrewsbury and Shropshire. Members research a topic of their own choice, either alone or with other members, and we share our findings in a variety of ways, e.g. by giving a talk, showing photos, a computer presentation or perhaps a quiz. There are occasional guest speakers and visits to places of local historical interest, but the emphasis is on group members learning from each other. Anne Cousins is the Group Co-Ordinator.

This group has been formed to meet the demand for membership of the 3 existing Local History groups, each of which has a slightly different approach to the subject. Members have agreed to take an informal approach to begin with using research and discussion, combined with occasional speakers and visits, through an evolving programme which will be discussed at the first meeting.

Looking at Art is a small group that has been meeting since April 2012. Individual members take turns at researching an aspect of their chosen subject, either painters or a particular period of art, and then present their findings to the other members usually by PowerPoint. Currently each member in their turn has a free choice of subject for their research which makes for a interesting mix

We meet at Churchill's in the Conservative Club on the second Thursday each month. Timing is: 1200 for 1230.

Lunch Club 2 aims to provide the opportunity for members to meet together and socialise over lunch. Lunches will be organised at a variety of restaurants, cafes and pubs in Shrewsbury at a range of prices.

This is very much a social group with members having input into the choice of venues in and around the Shrewsbury area. We meet for lunch once a month on the second Thursday.

This social group visits pubs, restaurants and cafes in Shrewsbury town centre (or within easy walking distance). We'll sometimes have a traditional 'roast dinner', but we also explore the many other different types and nationalities of cuisine available in town. Options could include, for example: tapas/mezze; late breakfast/brunch; early afternoon tea; curry buffet, 'bring and share' picnic... and whatever other suggestions group members may have. Start times could vary accordingly.

We meet to learn and develop our skills in this fascinating game. It is often thought that mahjong is a very difficult game to play. In fact, it is like a card game except you use tiles and build walls - experiencing it is the only way. The group usually play regularly each Monday afternoon at Meole Brace Bowling Club. The current group play a Hong Kong Chinese version of the game. This has reduced the number of combinations from the Western version often played by ex-pats and has a scoring system that is more simple. Our enthusiasm as a group has led to the following: 1. Social festive lunches arranged around play at Xmas ,Easter and summer 2. Creative talents. One member has hand-embroidered several tablecloths to match individual Mah Jong sets. 3. A few members also play, calling in Chinese. 4. Members have volunteered to pass on their skills to set up a group playing at the main library in Shrewsbury.

The Management Committee has developed a five year strategy, and associated plan, to deliver significant benefits for all our members. [See Dec 2023 for more information.] This Group is for volunteers who will work with the MC on specific activities and projects that have the potential to transform our u3a

This group will focus on reading and interpreting Ordnance Survey maps. It is likely to be of special interest to walkers. It was agreed that the course would last for 6 meetings and to be held every 2 weeks from 10:00 - 12:00hrs. Topics covered during the course include: Understanding types of OS maps, OS map symbols, grid references, contours, measuring distances on a map, using a compass, planning and following a route using a compass, the use of digital software apps on Smart Phones to plan and follow a route.

Aimed at u3a members with no maths since school. Fun or "recreational" maths, at a level we can all cope with. Our opening session looked at the curious behaviour of the Collatz sequence. Someone with a calculator, pad of paper and a pencil, who is keen to try out ideas and contribute as is usual in u3a groups. Most of the content is not formal maths and will include looking at interesting topics on the fringes of maths making it fun and enjoyable. We plan to meet once a month and we plan to rotate the speaker. Biographies, stories, sit alongside the maths sessions.

Our monthly meetings usually comprise of a presentation by a group member, on a topic of their choice, followed by an informal quiz when members each ask two or three questions and provide the answers. We don't keep score or mark results. We are here to enjoy ourselves. We meet at Pimley Manor in Sundorne and details of how to find us will be sent on request. Pictures from our group can be found at: www.shrewsburyu3a.com/military-history.html

The Modern Art History group began meeting in 2005 with aim of looking at movements and artists from Impressionism onwards. Over the past 15 years, we have worked our way up to contemporary artists. However, the addition of new members each year means that a number have missed artists and art movements that they would have liked to have studied. The result has been the development of a more eclectic programme. Since 2015/16, half the meetings are on post 1945 artists and half on revisiting earlier artists. In a typical meeting, 2 members will volunteer to talk about a particular artist/movement and show pictures for the whole group to discuss. Time allowing, another member will also talk about a particular picture/art work. With the aid of a laptop and projector, members of the group introduce various artists and movements to the rest of us as a basis for lively discussion. No previous knowledge is assumed and all are welcome. Our coordinator will be delighted to talk to anyone interested in joining us. Documents relating to our group can be found at: www.shrewsburyu3a.com/modern-art-history.html

For people who enjoy the fun of listening to and sharing their most loved Motown, Soul and Funk tunes! Enjoy discussion about musicians and songs, including the influence of social change along the way, as well as sharing personal anecdotes, memories, knowledge and personal reactions to music. This is a broad topic with lots of scope to explore different musicians, producers and the historical context of the music - social change, art, politics, fashion, culture etc Our discussions can also be stimulated by a little research and sharing what we find. We can view YouTube clips and listen to a Podcast some weeks, an additional way of exploring.

As none of the group members of Music Appreciation 2 come from a trained musical background we prefer to use the title 'The Enjoyment of Music Group' as it is a more accurate portrayal of what happens at our meetings. We enjoy the sharing of personal musical favourites in the hope that they will also become the favourites of others. Some sessions are entirely led by individual group members, such as 'An Afternoon with Mozart' or 'The Beauty of Combined Voices'. At others everyone brings one or two pieces they like and which they associate with the theme of that particular meeting. 'Music in Films', 'A Musical Tourist to Vienna' and 'The Satanic and the Angelic in Music' are three typical examples. The group has enjoyed another varied and interesting year out at Yockleton. Some extremely well researched and well-presented sessions have been led by individual members, including a wonderful insight into Greek Music and its links with 20th Century history, a fascinating examination of brass in orchestral and band repertoires, also music from the Wurlitzer and its significance in popular culture. Other sessions have included Music & Revolution, Sir Thomas Beechams wit and lollipops, and favourites from one members collection of CDs. Last year's Christmas lunch at The Yockleton Arms and a group visit to the live screening of The Nut-Cracker Ballet, together with a variety of home-made cakes are indications of why this is such a popular group. It currently has a full complement of ten members.

The Nature Watch (NW) Group has a different experience every month but all are about learning together and sharing our experience and interests. Indoor meetings (arranged for the inclement months of January and November) are built around illustrated talks, often led by invited specialists. Outdoor meetings take us in our shared cars to a wide range of locations, each fascinating in its own way. We stroll through some surprisingly rich habitats and discover what supports or damages them, what plants and creatures thrive in them and how they came about through or despite the behaviour of mankind. We have ample opportunity to use binoculars and cameras to see more and make a durable record of sites visited. When people choose, there can be a stop for coffee or lunch on the way home. Very occasionally it is possible to organise a coach trip to somewhere not so local. The group is full at the moment but do not be put off registering your interest as vacancies can arise and you would always be informed if a special coach trip were on the horizon.

We are a newly formed group with the hope to explore natural areas - initially locally, but hope to travel a bit further as we grow. We would like to see, birds, wild flowers, fungii, geological areas, fish etc. Whatever our members are inspired lead us to! Our anticipated programme for 2024, which subject to change and time adjustments, is:- 7th February Venus Pool - be in the pool cark park by 10am 6th March - Beavers new home at the Old River bed. 3rd April - Ellesmere & Colemere. 1st May - Llanymynech Golf Club sssi- with Simon Spencer, project co-ordinator. 5th June - Severn Valley Country Park, Alverley. 19th June - Margaret & Richards garden. 3rd July - Prees Heath. 7th August - Oswestry Racecourse. 4th September - Whixall Moss. 2nd October - visit to Attingham Park. 6th November - revisit Venus Pool for Autumn/Winter viewing. 4th December - Revisit the Rea Brook for winter viewing. The Naturewatch 1 group are to hire a coach on 22nd October to visit RSPB Conwy and are inviting us to join them.

A group for U3A members who live on their own. The group aims to provide opportunities to socialise, share strategies, and to provide support to those who enjoy their own company but appreciate involvement with others.

This French conversation group will do what it says on the tin. If you can speak French at a conversational level and wish to chat with others over a cup of coffee on a variety of subjects, this group might be for you. A friendly, supportive group where we can interact with each other to improve our fluency and learn new vocabulary along the way.

The u3a Petanque group meets at the Shelton Cricket Club car park on alternate Tuesdays from 10am until 12 noon and play all year round, in the summer and throughout the Winter, weather permitting (members are notified). Members are required to bring their own boules, jacks and scorers, although there is a set available to enable new participants to try out the game. Toilet facilities are not available. It is recommended that players bring a garden chair, if required, as there is no seating. A donation of £1 per player per session is requested as a donation to the Cricket Club for providing the venue.

Philosophy! Don’t be put off. If you are like me - someone who has always had a casual interest in Philosophy and read the occasional book but always wanted to learn and understand more - this group is just right for you. Firstly let me say that none of the group has any academic expertise in philosophy - so no need to feel intimidated by the thought of joining a group of academic philosophers. We simply use the book \'Western Philosophy: An Anthology (Second Edition) by John Cottingham as the starting point for our discussions. We work through the book section by section. We have spent the last 12 months completing the section Authority and the State in which we read about The Social Contract and various philosophers’ thoughts on the matter. We have discussed topics including :- Our obligations to respect the law : Plato - Crito The Just Ruler :Thomas Aquinas - On Princely Government Sovereignty and Security : Thomas Hobbes - The Leviathan Consent and Political Obligation : John Locke - The Second Treatise of Civil Government Against Contractarianism : David Hume - Of the Original Contract Society and the Individual : Jean-Jacques Rousseau - The Social Contract The Unified State : From Individual Desire to Rational Self-determination- The Philosophy of Right Property, Labour and Alienation : Karl Marx and Friedrich Engels - The German Ideology The Limits of Majority Rule : John Stuart Mill - On Liberty The Minimal State : Robert Nozick - Anarchy, State and Utopia Social Co-operation and Rational Self-interest : David Gauthier- Why Contactarianism Liberalism, Resources and Equal Worth : Ronald Deorkin - Why Liberals Should Care about Equality How the group works. Prior to each meeting a question is set to form the basis of our discussion. Each member then reads the appropriate section (5-6 pages of text) together with any additional references supplied by the group coordinator( YouTube video or website link) or researched by the individual member. Members prepare a very brief summary, perhaps one paragraph of their understanding of the section and then we compare notes and discuss as a group. The discussion usually broadens out into present day issues related to the subject matter discussed. We meet at 2pm at The Shrewsbury University Centre in Frankwell on the second Tuesday of each month for two hours. The room hire fee is split between members which works out at £2 – £3 per member per session and there is a café on site. Please feel free to contact me. Kevin Nester kevinnester@adm-group.co.uk 07711 764768

This Group plays pickleball for fun on Mondays 1730 to 1900 at Meole Brace school, Shrewsbury.

A poem is 'a machine made of words', according to the American poet W.C.Williams. At Poetry Appreciation 1, sometimes we've found the 'machines' judder and halt - as in our sessions on Chaucer and Emily Dickinson, though the cogs, levers and pulleys of their poems were running more smoothly after our discussion. In the past few months, our verbal spanners and screwdrivers have been at work on the poetry of Carol Ann Duffy, Pablo Neruda, Tennyson, Owen Sheers, Simon Armitage, Milton, Shakespeare, Elizabeth Bishop, and poems about such topics as towns and cities, growing up, travel and birds. We also have a regular 'mystery poem' and 'desert island poems' sessions. We have argued a lot. But, as someone once said, "Poetry will find consensus where politics never can".

We meet in a friendly, informal atmosphere to discuss poetry and share our own work. We offer constructive criticism hoping that this will develop and improve our work. But it is non-threatening; supportive and encouraging. We try to write something new each month and either send it to other members of the group in advance or bring copies to the meeting. Inevitably, as well as a critique of the poems we discuss more general aspects of poetry and often a poem leads us to a discussion about the context or focus of the poem.

Philosophy originally meant ‘love of wisdom’. Philosophers have sought to provide guidance on how to live a ‘good life’ and make responsible decisions. The Practical Philosophy Group will involve: • considering and discussing the moral implications of actions and choices for ourselves and others, • thinking about concepts of justice, fairness, equality of treatment for all individuals, and whether those contribute to the common good. Everyone has an opinion. It is interesting to hear what other people think and shine a light on our own thought processes, with a view to having a more coherent way of looking at real-world problems and situations. Topics may be as simple as “Is it better to be rich or poor?” or we may want to look at topics such as sending immigrants to Rwanda, or the pros and cons of social media and many more ….’’

We are an informal group of amateur but enthusiastic photographers. We concentrate on getting the best results from our cameras rather than software manipulation and enhancement. We have a theme every month and some of the photo subjects being covered this year include Night Shots; Waterfalls; Local Wildlife; Sport; Sunsets; Waves; Weather, and Street Scenes. We also discuss a photo topic each month which is related to the next months photo subject. In addition we have a closed Facebook group and we also arrange several field trips and visits as well. Generally we share experiences and techniques, learning from each other.

From a choice of books offered by Shrewsbury Library members of the Reading 1 group select 12, aiming to read some books outside our comfort zone to broaden our horizons. Each month we read one of these before the meeting then, on the day, we discuss its strengths and weaknesses. It is stimulating, and revealing when we are not in agreement. It reinforces the argument that while our individual thoughts are invaluable, they can often be prejudiced too. Discussion of the book leads us naturally on to the issues it has highlighted. We're a friendly, relaxed group and we have lots of laughs.

Another twelve months of interesting reading and enjoyable discussions has passed by for the Reading 2 group. When asked by the Shrewsbury U3A Editor to put together a \"piece\" for the newsletter we initially said, \"What do we do, we just read!\" But then \"what do we read?\" An interesting discussion followed and from titles and names put in we suddenly realised that we have considerably widened the scope and style of our reading choices since we first got together, some years ago now. This year we have learned a lot from reading books such as \"Colour Bar\", (recently a film), about politics in Southern Africa; \"The Story of Lucy Gault (William Trevor) about the troubles in Ireland; how to collect marbles in \"The Marble Collector\" by Cecilia Aherne; the gossip about Charles Dickens\' secret mistress in Claire Tomalin\'s \"The Invisible Woman\"! We try to keep up to date on the latest reviews and take it in turns to suggest titles, which we decide on by consensus. We may not always like the same topics but the sharing of our ideas means we have a good variety of things to talk over. We were sorry to lose one of our long-standing members early this year when she left to live in France but we keep her in the picture and enjoy her emails. What will we read this coming year? Who knows yet, but I am sure it will be well worth making the effort.

Russian is a very rich, flexible and important language spoken widely in Eastern Europe and beyond. Once a basic knowledge of the alphabet, pronunciation and a mobile stress system has been mastered, the delights and pleasure afforded by getting to grips with this new world are endless. Since the need to write Russian is remote, any classes would concentrate on speaking, listening and reading. It is important to say what your level is so that classes can be planned accordingly.

The purpose of the group is to enable like minded members to participate in a range of craft activities such as embroidery, quilting, dressmaking techniques, knitting and crochet, sharing knowledge and skills in a social setting.

This is a group for Sunday pub lunches and the first Shrewsbury U3A group to make use of a Sunday. We keep our group to 8 maximumso that everyone can hear and join in the conversation. We aim to support local pubs especially those not belonging to a national chain. At the present time we are at our maximum membership and unable to accept new members. Group Coordinator, Carol M

We meet 10am-12noon every Friday at Bicton Heath (known as Gains Park) Community Hall.

This is a popular mixed ability group although it is a fairly active one.

We play doubles on three tables. The losers join the end of a waiting queue and winners stay on their table for a further game but take new partners. The turnaround is fairly quick so that people in the queue don\'t have long to wait to play.

We have a chance to socialise at our coffee break, halfway through the meeting.

All members are expected to help arrange furniture (set up the room) or serve drinks or wash up after the coffee break.

Although the waiting list is open, the wait may be a very long time. (updated Dec 2023).

This is a small group who want to play singles as opposed to doubles, and due to the nature of this activity we restrict our numbers so waiting time is minimised. Contact Hugh Ashworth hughashworth2000@yahoo.co.uk

This group meets fortnightly on Tuesdays, 10:30 to 12:30 at Bicton Heath (Gains Park) Community Hall. We play doubles on three tables. It\'s a mixed ability group and although we play to win we try not to be too upset when we don\'t.

This is a mixed ability group although it is a fairly active one. We play doubles on three tables. The losers join the end of a waiting queue and winners stay on their table for a further game but take new partners. The turnaround is fairly quick so that people in the queue don't have long to wait to play. Please note the group will meet every Friday from 12 noon until 2.00pm.

Two or three times a year we arrange a trip to a theatre within a two hour coach journey from Shrewsbury. We choose matinee performances so that we arrive at the venue in time for lunch and get home again for supper. Recent performances have included \"Constant Companions\" at the New Vic Theatre, Newcastle-under-Lyme and \"Noises off\" at the Festival Theatre, Malvern. We still have a few spaces for our next trip on June 26th 2024 to see \"Party Games\", billed as a hilarious send-up of current politics. If you would be interested in this trip, please email one of us at the addresses below. Tickets will cost £37 pp, to include the cost of the coach. Trips are advertised at the monthly U3A meetings, in the Newsletter and on the U3A Facebook page. A contact list of people interested is also maintained by the coordinators to give advance warning of a proposed trip, but the trips are open to any Shrewsbury U3A member. If interested please contact the Coordinators gillian.mortimer1@gmail.com or gilltrelawney@gmail.com

The Topical Discussion group began in March 2014. There are currently 10 members, so anybody wishing to join will go on a waiting list.

Touch Tennis

Touch Tennis (sometimes called “Short Tennis”) is played on a badminton size court., but with a lower net.

You play using a child sized tennis racquet and a soft sponge ball. It has all the benefits of playing normal tennis such as gaining and maintaining flexibility, coordination, competitiveness and agility, and of course it is great fun. It is great for anyone who can no longer run round a full size tennis court but still enjoys hitting a ball. Scoring is slightly different to normal tennis, such as only one serve a point, no ‘let cord’, no advantage point after deuce (next point wins).

Touch Tennis is quite addictive and a great sport for someone new to the game, as the rules are easy to pick up and obviously it is a much slower game than normal tennis which makes it perfect for those wanting to maintain their overall fitness levels in a socially fun environment with like‑minded people.

We play at Shrewsbury Sports Village Sundorne Road.

Regular trips and outings are arranged for Shrewsbury u3a members. Details of the forthcoming trips are advertised in the monthly newsletter and on the Shrewsbury u3a Facebook website. Members interested in attending a particular outing should contact Seeven Thandrayen, the Group Coordinator at trips@shrewsburyu3a.org.uk

We walk between five and seven miles on the first and third Thursday every month and we also walk when there is a fifth Thursday in the month. We meet before the walk to arrange car sharing in order to minimise the number of cars being driven to the start of the walk. Most walks end with a pub lunch for those who like to stay on for it although sometimes, on longer walks or in the summer, we take picnic lunches. The walks vary from flat to hilly and members of the group take turns in leading. We still have space for a few more members who would like to explore with us the glorious Shropshire countryside we are so lucky to have on our doorstep.

The Walkers 2 Hill Strollers group meets at the Meole Brace Park & Ride. We try to combine good scenery, a goodly trek (6 to 8 miles with some hills) and an interesting lunch, preferably at some suitable watering hole for the weary traveller. We are now almost fully subscribed but you are welcome to come along for a testing little trek with a small but perfectly formed gathering of convivial folk. Remember, there is no such thing as bad weather - only inappropriate clothing. Pictures from our group can be found at: www.shrewsburyu3a.com/walkers-2-hill-strollers1.html Documents relating to our group can be found at: www.shrewsburyu3a.com/walkers-2-hill-strollers.html

Walking football is a variant of association football that is aimed at keeping people aged over 50 involved with football if, due to a lack of mobility or for other reasons, they are not able to play the traditional game. The game is suitable for both men and women, is non contact and great fun. The group play at the Monkmoor Recreation Centre each Tuesday evening.

This is a friendly group which walks on the 5th Wednesday of the month (4 walks per year), to fill the gaps when Medium Hilly Walks Group doesn't operate. The walks will be between 6 and 8 miles with varying degrees of difficulty details of which will be made available before each walk. Some of the walks might be on the edge of the county or a little bit further. A coffee and picnic break will be taken. It is not a requirement that members need to lead a walk. We will usually meet at Meole Brace Park and Ride at 9.15 for 9.30 am and leave as a group sharing vehicles. Alternatively walkers can make their own arrangements for car sharing.

The Just Walking group has been appropriately named because, unlike the other walking groups, we do not finish with a pub lunch, instead taking a picnic en route This enables us to be more flexible not having to rush the walks to meet a pub booking time. We meet most Mondays in the year except some bank holidays. We walk between 5 and 6 miles, sometimes a bit more, at a steady pace, stopping to take in views and many objects of interest. We try to make the walks interesting and varied. We have enjoyed a number of walks in the past year including walks starting from Hope, Pulverbatch, Cheswardine, Grinshill, Bayston Hill, Coalbrookdale, so we spread ourselves around! Although we have been rained on, we have always managed to eat our picnic outside. We meet either at Meole Brace P and R or at the walk start to begin walking before 10am. We are always interested in members who will walk regularly and lead walks . Pictures from our group can be found at www.shrewsburyu3a.com/walks-just-walking.html

The Walks Medium 1 group consists of around 25 members who enjoy walking together and having lunch afterwards. We walk for about 5 miles enjoying the countryside and conversation, then go to a country pub. We like a bit of a challenge to raise our heart-rate. We value members\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\' contributions to our knowledge of the wildlife, industrial archaeology, local history and geology as we go. Our numbers are of a convenient size for lunch at small characterful pubs. Pictures from our group can be found at: www.shrewsburyu3a.com/walks-medium-1.html

Members of the Walks Medium 2 group walk for approximately two to two-and-a-half hours covering an approximate maximum distance of five miles. Walks normally take place within the county but we have been known to stray over the border into Wales. The pace of walking can be described as fairly leisurely and we tend not to do any too strenuous walks involving hills and mountains, generally sticking to low undulating areas. All walks are planned, organised and led by individual members or jointly with another. On average this would result in members organising at least one walk per year. If members commence at the Park and Ride they share lifts to minimise expenditure and to enjoy one another\'s company. Rates payable to the drivers are in accordance with those set out by the U3A. The best part of the day for many members is that, on completion of the walk, we participate in lunch and some light refreshment in a local pub before returning home. To summarize: members enjoy getting out and about in the countryside, participating in a reasonable amount of gentle exercise, visiting some good pubs and, above all, enjoying each other\'s company. Pictures from our group can be found at: www.shrewsburyu3a.com/walks-medium-2.html

We walk on the 1st and 3rd Wednesdays each month, meeting to car share at Meole Brace Park & Ride or directly to the start point for the walk, usually within 40 minutes drive from Shrewsbury. Car sharing is encouraged to save cost and parking is sometimes limited at the start of the walk. The walks offer a variety of terrain usually 5 - 6.5 miles in distance, with ascents and descents. Rough terrain and stiles may also be encountered. We walk at a steady pace but always have time for a coffee break as well as pauses to allow the group to keep together and take photos. We ask for volunteers to choose and to lead walks. The leader chooses a route and we stop during the walk for refreshments. The leader will decide if we end the walk with a pub lunch. Details of distance and other details are emailed out to members a few days in advance. We are a friendly group and if you’d like to know more, please get in touch with Jonathan Mutch, our group coordinator We invite you to try a walk with us before you commit to joining the group. We are currently full but, do enquire if you\'re interested in joining our waiting list.

We walk leisurely for about 3 miles in and around Shrewsbury, We try to limit hills to ones that are not steep and to avoid difficult stiles, and we take time to enjoy the views and appreciate nature.

Some of the places we have been to are: Loton Park, various bits of the Montgomery Canal, Craven Arms and Stokesay, Bridges walk over the Severn at Shrewsbury, Eastridge Woods, Nesscliffe and The Cliffe, Longden, The Ercall, Haughmond Hill, Welshpool and Powis Castle. When members feel ready they undertake to find and lead a walk.

We no longer organise a pub lunch after the walk but some members arrange this between themselves. Some people bring a flask of coffee for when we take a short break.

The group is currently full, but we are operating a waiting list, so please let us know if you are interested.

U3A Members – pleae visit our Forum page for more information

This new group has been proposed to enable interested members to learn the basics of the Welsh language. The existing Welsh language group has been running for some years now and is unable to take beginners.

This group is a self-study group, using DVDs and tutorial materials. We have been going now for more than 5 years and have moved on from Beginners Welsh