The U3A is a network of keen amateurs, not experts or professional teachers. Group Organisers are ordinary members, who put a great deal of time into the work of their group. Each Group runs its own affairs, decides its programme, its day and time of meeting, organises its visits, if any, and how costs should be shared. In the year 2009/2010 there will be 130 Study Groups covering a wide variety of topics.

Each Group has an Organiser, and most meet in members' homes. Some of the larger Groups, and the Science and Computer Groups, meet in local halls.

Members share in the preparation of the chosen topics. There are many kinds of Study Groups, covering languages, history and book circles, walking groups, leisure activities and several art groups and practical groups, such as garden and digital camera groups, where members share facilities and skills with each other in the self-help format which is the hallmark of the U3A.

Most Groups run on from year to year, and existing members have priority.  We cannot guarantee that any particular Group will have a space but we do give help to those members who are on a waiting list to begin a new Group, if there is enough demand.

Click on the links to find out more about some of the Groups running at present.

New members interested in joining a Study Group should telephone the Group Organiser whose name will be in the Handbook.