Flintshire u3a is a registered charity. Our charity number is 1096025
Learn, Laugh, Live.
We are a vibrant organisation for people who are retired or semi-retired. We provide our members with the opportunity to participate in a wide variety of interests and activities. These offer a chance to make new friends, share interests and develop new skills in an informal and friendly atmosphere.
We have been going since April 2002 and now have over 800 members and over 60 interest groups ranging from Art to Walking.
u3a (formerly known as the University of the Third Age) is a mutual aid organisation to which everyone is expected to contribute. Its success depends on the willingness of members to volunteer and help out in whatever way they can by:
- putting out chairs and clearing them away after an event, joining the tea rota....
- starting new groups
- giving talks
- assisting in the running of a group
- participating actively in the groups they join
- becoming a committee member
The u3a Movement is non-religious and non-political and has three main principles:
The Third Age Principle
• Membership of a u3a is open to all in their third age, which is defined not by a particular age but by a period
in life in which full-time employment has ceased.
• Members promote the values of lifelong learning and the positive attributes of belonging to a u3a.
• Members should do all they can to ensure that people wanting to join a u3a can do so.
The Self-help Learning Principle
• Members form interest groups covering as wide a range of topics and activities as they desire; by the
members, for the members.
• No qualifications are sought or offered. Learning is for its own sake, with enjoyment being the prime motive,
not qualifications or awards.
• There is no distinction between the learners and the teachers; they are all u3a members.
The Mutual Aid Principle
• Each u3a is a mutual aid organisation, operationally independent but a member of The Third Age Trust, which
requires adherence to the guiding principles of the u3a movement.
• No payments are made to members for services rendered to any u3a. Each u3a is self-funded with
membership subscriptions and costs kept as low as possible.
• Outside financial assistance should only be sought if it does not imperil the integrity of the u3a movement.
We are part of a wider organisation devoted to learning, self-development and social enjoyment run by and for its members.
The National u3a Office provides support in management of local u3as, third party public liability insurance cover and a national magazine, u3a Matters, posted free to all our u3a members who want it.
Watch the National u3a promo video > [https://youtu.be/DgICh7ZyQDE]
For more information about the national u3a movement, click here
