MEMBERS of Teesdale u3a welcomed a special guest to one of their interest groups last week.
Liz Thackray, chairwoman of the Third Age Trust, the umbrella body for the u3a nationally, dropped in on the dale’s poetry group as part of a visit to raise the profile of the organisation and see first-hand how groups in the North East operate.
“The u3a is not like any voluntary organisation I know. Each u3a is independent and the trust provides a safety net.
“We are the legal entity and set standards the u3as have to abide by,” she added.
“We assist them when they get into trouble and provide training. I would say the u3a is a bottom-up organisation with the trust providing the support system.”
Ms Thackray was invited to visit u3a groups in the North East area by regional trustee Jean Cubbin.
“Visiting groups is recognition that the trust is interested in what they are doing and one of the exciting things about this is I can share information as I go around,” added Ms Thackray.
She said the one message she was keen to get across was that the u3a is open to people of all ages.
“Though the u3a was initially created with the expectation of drawing people who were in retirement or were approaching a stage when they had more time in their lives, the world has changed.
“Since Covid, people in their 40s and 50s are not returning to work full time and I want to say the u3a has no lower age limit.”
Welcoming Ms Thackray to Barney was Annie Clouston, chairwoman of Teesdale u3a and convener of the poetry group – one of 39 interest groups covering a huge range of topics.
“We have the ‘ologies’ – the sort of things you did not do in school or career and can catch up on after paid work is done – and people are also going mad for pickleball,” said Ms Clouston.
“We also have table tennis, craft groups, four walking groups covering different distances and a science and technology group.
“We all get along very well together – it is a very good social mechanism for getting people together, having a laugh and enjoying each other’s company.
“I would defy anybody not to be able to find a group of interest in the u3a'” said Ms Clouston.
“It is a fabulous organisation. I love it to bits.”
For more information, go to teesdaleu3a.org.uk.
