Norton Radstock U3A are hosting a U3A Regional Conference at the Somer Centre, Midsomer Norton on Thursday, 17th May.

National Third Age Trust (TAT) Officers (the overarching body for U3As in the UK) will be joining this prestigious event, which will be attended by U3A members from the twelve U3As in the local Network, which ranges from Bridgwater to Bristol.

The U3A movement started in France in 1972, and has since spread worldwide. Formed in the UK thirty years ago, there are now in the UK over 1,000 U3A groups, thousands of interest groups with over 400,000 members nationally. The movement is growing every day.

Everyone who is no longer in full-time employment can join, and beside a warm welcome, new members are given full information on what is available when they join.

The Norton Radstock U3A group has over 550 members, with 36 interest groups, and meets at the Somer Centre, Midsomer Norton, twice per month for a speaker meeting and a coffee morning, attended by over 150 members on each occasion.

Interest groups meet during the month, and various trips and events are organised to further members’ enjoyment.

The Conference will be opened, and delegates welcomed to Midsomer Norton by the Town Mayor, Paul Myers. After which, National Officers will make presentations and answers members’ questions. The afternoon session of the Conference will be presented by Simon Nash, the Chief Executive Officer of the Somerset Wildlife Trust, who will speak about the work of the Trust with reference to the challenge facing local wildlife because of global warming and human activity.

The Conference will conclude by hearing about the projects, termed ‘Shared Learning’, which Norton Radstock group members have worked on, which include focussing on cataloguing the Beau Street Bath Roman Hoard Coins discovered some years ago and currently the work carried out with Downside Abbey on items which are rarely seen and which form part of the Abbey Library. This work has proven to be extremely interesting and educational.

Members of the public interested in the event or wishing to learn more about the U3A movement are welcome and invited to attend, but advance booking must be made by contacting Joyce Poulton on: 01761 471265 or Barbara Brophy on: 01761 436198. Non-members please advise your intention to join us by 5th May. The Conference runs from 9 a.m. to 4.15 p.m.

Ginny Edwards