Mayor to open u3a celebrations in Marlborough

Wednesday June 2 is National u3a(University of the third age)Day and u3a in Kennet are joining in the celebrations in Marlborough. The Mayor and Town Crier will open proceedings at 10 am at the Town Hall. Following this there will be a series of activities throughout the day showcasing the different interest groups in u3a Kennet. Everyone is welcome.

Following the opening there will be a parade around the High Street. Every hour the Classic Car Group will park one of their interesting vehicles.  The Cycling Group will circle the High Street and members will be on hand to answer any questions members of the public may have.  Coffee and Tea will be available. The event will run all day, closing at 4.00pm.

Formed to support people to make the most of life when full time working is over, u3a is a UK-wide movement which brings people together to explore new ideas, interests and activities in a friendly and informal environment.  Formed nearly 40 years ago, it is a self-help organisation which provides educational, creative and leisure opportunities through a series of interest groups.  Across the county there are over 1,000 u3as with thousands of interest groups and more than 400,000 members.  u3a in Kennet was formed in 1992 and has around 600 members in Marlborough and the villages around with over 60 interest groups as well as a regular programme of speakers and a monthly Coffee Exchange meeting.

David Hammond, Chairman of u3a in Kennet, explained: “As we come out of lockdown, this is a wonderful opportunity to show the support which is available to everyone to make the most of life as we get older.  We all look forward to a long and healthy life. Research for the New Economics Foundation suggests five key things we can all do to help to achieve this:  connect with people around you, be active, take notice of the world around you, keep learning and get involved in activities.   u3a offers support in all these areas.  During the lockdown we have found new ways of interacting with our members and, as a result, most of our groups have continued operating.  Outdoor activities have restarted and we will increasingly be able to meet face-to-face once more.”