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Welcome to our website

What is U3A?

University of the Third Age is an international organisation which promotes active learning, research, community services and social and recreational activities to those no longer in active full time gainful employment. It has over 760 branches around the UK with a membership of over 247,000.

What is The Third Age?

The First Age is childhood.
The Second Age is full employment and responsibility.
The Third Age is retirement - a time of creativity, fulfilment and enjoyment.

University of the Third Age takes its name from the Université du Troisième Age, which was founded by the Toulouse University in 1972. It rapidly spread worldwide to become the International Association of Universities of the Third Age. The UK became a member of IAUTA in 1982 under the name of The Third Age Trust. This is a charitable organisation devoted to education in the broadest sense of the word and more information can be obtained from its website: http://www.u3a.org.uk/

Why University?

The title chosen by the French has been retained, but the word "university" is used in its original sense, ie "a co-operative of people devoted to a particular kind of activity." No academic qualifications are required, none are awarded, and professional tutors are seldom employed. Study groups are very relaxed, non-competitive, and they frequently create new friendships. The U3A motto is "Learning with Pleasure."

Local branches

These are affiliated to the Third Age Trust, and in the UK all local U3As are autonomous. Our strength is that we decide what we would like to do and then we arrange it.

Every four months branch members may receive through the Trust a copy of the Third Age magazine; this contains information about travel, events, and nationally organised courses.

The Sidcup & District U3A branch

The Sidcup & District branch was founded in 1994. Our principal activities are focused around special interest groups, of which we have 41. The subjects we cover include languages, culture, literature, history, crafts and recreation. Each group is small in size and determines its own course of study under a chosen leader. There are no formal lectures and members are encouraged to share in a joint process of learning and discovery. We also arrange special holidays, annual lunch, day trips and occasional outings to the theatre, ballet and opera.

We hold general meetings in the deconsecrated Community Church (which has wheelchair access and a loop system), in Station Road, at 2.00 pm on the 3rd Thursday of every month to which we invite guest speakers. Refreshments are available after each meeting and the proceeds from their sale, plus those from our raffle, are donated to an annually selected charity. New members are always welcome to join - but please arrive about twenty minutes before we start. Alternatively, you may email our Membership Secretary by clicking on the link to the left. Membership is open to everyone falling into the category described under "What is U3A?" above and is not related to any faith.

All of these activities, together with reports of previous events, are covered in a printed monthly newsletter which is available to all members. It can also be downloaded from the Meetings page. The annual membership fee for 2010 is £15.00 and this entitles you to attend meetings and as many courses as you wish – provided there are vacancies. Separate charges apply for holidays and outings. When the desired course does not yet exist, or a group is fully subscribed, members simply create a new one.