Tower and Town, April 2020

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Polymathic Pleasures For Older Residents

The March issue of Tower & Town was devoted to how to develop skills and train the body and mind. It described how mastering different skills and keeping learning keeps us interested in life.

U3A in Kennet is part of the national U3A movement which encourages lifelong learning and staying active for those who have finished full-time work and raising a family. It offers over 60 interest groups to over 600 members on subjects ranging from American History to Website Management and activities ranging from Backgammon to four different Walking Groups. Members come from Marlborough and the areas immediately around Marlborough. There are also U3As in Pewsey Vale and Devizes as well as Swindon and Hungerford.

Across the UK, the movement has grown since its inception in 1982 and there are now over 1000 U3As and over 420,000 members.

In Marlborough, new members are always welcome at the monthly Coffee Exchange held on the last Thursday of the month at the Wesley Hall. Members can enjoy a short talk on a local subject and an update on group activities as well as a cup of coffee (or tea!). The Kennet U3A Talks are held four times a year at the Kennet Valley Hall in Lockeridge.

In May U3A in Kennet is hosting a Special Interest Day on behalf of U3As from across Wiltshire on the subject of Climate Change and Sustainable Futures. This will feature four experienced and knowledgeable speakers and will be held at Marlborough College. Over 200 places have been taken up and the event is currently full.

On 3rd June, U3As across the country will run a series of events under the umbrella title of “U3A Day”. In Marlborough there will be a showcase event in the Town Hall demonstrating some of the activities on offer.

To find out more about U3A in Kennet, go to www.u3ainkennet.org.uk.

David Hammond