Lymington u3a

Contact: secretary.lymu3a@gmail.com

Set up in 2001, Lymington u3a is just one of over a thousand local u3as with a combined membership of over 430,000, organised entirely by local volunteers.

We are an association for older people who want to share their leisure and learning activities. We offer a wonderful way to make the most of life when you are no longer in full-time work or raising a family. We have about 500 members here in Lymington, and new recruits are always welcome. See our website for more details on how to join us – just search for Lymington u3a.

At the heart of Lymington u3a are our Interest Groups, where you can socialise, study, be creative and generally develop a fitter mind or body. We currently have over 40 Groups, led by volunteer members, with meetings usually held in their homes. There are Groups where you can play card or board games, speak foreign languages, study geology or Shakespeare and discuss philosophy or current affairs, as well as do yoga or play pétanque – and more besides. Covid-19 has obliged us to adapt the way we operate, with many Groups switching to Zoom, although some have sadly had to temporarily suspend their activities. See our Groups webpage for more details.

Before Covid-19, we held monthly meetings at the Lymington Centre, with a guest speaker giving a presentation to an audience of about 100 Lymington u3a members. We have now switched these sessions to Zoom, and details of future meetings are given in our latest Newsletter. Unfortunately, the pandemic means that we are not currently able to hold our monthly TED Talks either, as these convivial

occasions do not lend themselves to social distancing. To keep in touch with members during the pandemic, we have increased the frequency of our e-news and paper newsletter, now monthly. We also forward the u3a national office’s e-newsletter to our members, which is packed with online events and ideas for keeping learning. .