Plymouth U3A was founded in 1998 and has since gone from strength to strength, with now over 700 members.  In 2007 the U3A celebrated  25 years  since its inception in 1982.  Although the U3A Trust is a national organisation with over 270,000 members and with 820 local area U3A's., each local U3A is autonomous and is independently  run by its Committee and members.

To celebrate our 10th anniversary in 2008, Plymouth U3A produced a small booklet about our history. This has been made possible by our success in obtaining an "Awards for All" grant, which is available for smaller community projects.  
See their website "Awards for All" for full details.

What is the U3A?
The U3A is a self-help group of people who are no longer in full-time employment and this gives members time to exchange and share educational, creative and leisure activities during the daytime.  This provides new social contacts when work is no longer the main social environment, as well as giving people the opportunity to take up new interests.  Over 40 different groups, ranging from Architecture to Yoga cater for a wide variety of interests and the groups are run by members, for members.  This means that the costs of running courses are on an 'expenses only' basis. See the link to 'Group News' for further details of our groups.

A monthly meeting is held in central Plymouth, with many interesting speakers and the chance to meet friends and find out more about group activities and trips. The venue for most of the General Meetings is the Salvation Army Hall, Armada Way.
Meetings start at 11.00am, with tea and coffee served from 10.30am.
The next series of talks are:-

13th. February	Marilyn Bishop - International Art Theft
12th. March	Joanne Higson - Seeking Safety in Plymouth
2nd. April	Mary James - Age Concern
Wednesday 29th. February 2012	Advance Notice.   This is our "Study Day".  To be held at the New Continental Hotel, Millbay Road.  Guest speakers are - Ann Widdicombe, Dr. Tod Gray and Alexander Langland, plus Folk Singers "Bedlam Bess" Kate Thomson and Sue King.  There is a finger buffet lunch and the ticket price is £14.00 per person.  Strictly U3A members only.  Contact Sylvia on 01752 660455 for application form.
Aims of the U3A The University of the Third Age (U3A) is a learning co-operative of like - minded people that enables members to share educational, creative and leisure activities.  Nationally there are more than 800 branches of the U3A with over 270,000 members. For further information on the Third Age Trust look at  www.u3a.org.uk. Aims and Guiding Principles of the U3A 1.    To encourage and enable people no longer in full time employment to help each other to share their knowledge , skills, interests and experiences. 2.    To demonstrate the benefits and enjoyment to be gained and the new horizons to be discovered in learning throughout life. 3.    To celebrate the capabilities and potential of older people and their value to society. 4.    To make U3As accessible to all older people.
The Virtual U3A.  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.
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