Welcome to Ringwood U3A, which was formed in 2012. We are a friendly club with some 200 members and more than 20 interest groups. Please take a look around the site to discover what we can offer to those who are no longer in full time employment. New members are always warmly welcomed.
Monthly meetings take place on the 3rd Thursday of each month from 2-4pm at Greyfriars. Please click the 'Meetings' button for more information.
All groups are organised and led by members with most taking place in members' own homes so that they are small and friendly. Full members may join as many interest groups as they wish at no extra charge unless the group has to hire a room when there will be a small additional cost.
Please click the 'Group Info' button to see details of all groups. If you would like to know more or after joining wish to join a particular group please contact the Group Leader - contact details are on the Group Info pages.
Please contact any of the Committee Members for general information.
Latest news
PLEASE BRING YOUR MEMBERSHIP CARD TO THE NEXT MEETING. In response to a suggestion left in our Suggestion Box we have purchased badge holders with both 'clip' and 'pin' forms of attachment that our membership cards will fit into. Please bring your card to the meeting and you will be given a badge holder which you can wear at subsequent meetings to avoid having to write out a name badge every time. Visitors will be given a temporary badge so members will be able to identify them easily and make them welcome by using their name.
Time is running out before our AGM on 18th April when a new Committee will be elected. Current Committee Members standing down after serving for 3 years are Ros D'Albert, Hazel Taylor, Valerie Grant and Barbara Colman. We now have volunteers for most of the vacant roles however we still need to fill the post of SPEAKER SECRETARY and an additional committee vacancy (no designated role but could possibly cover Social, Website Admin or Publicity). If you would like to be more involved in the club please do come and talk to one of the Committee.
Following the AGM on 18th April our speaker will be Roy Norton talking about his '50 Years In Television'.
Our May speaker will be Steve Roberts 'Dad's Army, Fact and Fiction'.
Please note that we have a change of speaker for our June meeting when unfortunately, due to a photographic assignment, Sam Stewart is unable to talk on his 'Year in Alaska'. Instead we will have Tony Stafford former Yeoman Warden (Beefeater) at the Tower of London for 20 years giving us his talk on 'The Sex Lives of Kings' !
The current leaflet can be found on the website (last updated 11.03.19). Printed copies are available at monthly meetings and from Greyfriars literature display although the latter may not always be the latest version.
All contact details for Group Leaders and Committee Members can be found on the Current Leaflet.
If you have a mobility issue, either short or long term, that is preventing you from coming to the monthly meetings or attending a group please contact a member of the Committee to see if we can find a local member who could provide a lift.
The next walk will be 2.5 miles on Tuesday 26th March at 10.00 am from Cafe Riva on Boscombe Overcliff at the top of the cliff railway almost opposite the Commodore Hotel (BH5 2EL). Plenty of free road parking nearby. Walk along cliff top, down to Boscombe Pier and back along the prom. Easy except for final return up the zig zag. Led by Christine
The full Spring walks programme can be found on the website.
Our next pub lunch will be on Friday 29th March at 12.30 pm. This will be held at The Three Legged Cross (previously The Old Barn Farm) BH21 6RE. Remember this is open to members and non members, so if you are thinking of joining Ringwood U3A why not give it a try, but PLEASE contact Margaret and Maureen beforehand (by Wednesday 27th at the latest) as they must know numbers in advance to ensure there is sufficient allocated seating. Lunchers who attend without booking in may have to sit elsewhere.
RMDS Show - Evita - Thursday 18th April at Ringwood School. 11 Tickets have been purchased and will be available to collect at the April meeting.
The next event on the Mens Group Programme is 25th April when they will be visiting the R.N. Submarine Museum in Gosport (a must for any fella's who've been watching "Das Boot"). In May the trip will be to The Ghurkas/Royal Green Jackets Museum, Winchester. June is Lunch at The Inn on the Furlong. If you are interested in any of these please contact Roger.
The New Forest and Beyond Group are planing to visit the Hinton Admiral Estate gardens on Sunday 12th May when they will be open for charity. Hinton Admiral is the Estate and Ancestral home of the Tapps-Gervis-Meyrick family. The house is Grade I listed but not open to the public. The walled gardens to the north of the house and the wall to the terrace in front of the gardens of the house are both Grade II listed and are open to the public by arrangement and certainly worth a visit. If interested please contact Jo.
On Sunday 19th May an Art Study Day "Beyond The Impressionists" is being organised by Xch U3A at The Village Hotel (opposite Bmth Hosp). From 10.15am to 4.15pm including refreshments and lunch £34 - free parking. If interested please email Hazel who will forward full details.
New Forest and Beyond Group are planning a trip with guided tour of the beautiful Grade II listed 1793 'Cottage Ornee', Houghton Lodge and grounds on the river Test near Stockbridge. This will now take place on Thursday 4th July. Lunch can be booked and car sharing is recommended. Contact Jo if interested.
Good news if you would like to take part in a Book Group but thought they were all full - thanks to Mary Brindley we now have a 4th group who will meet on the 1st Wednesday of the month at 2pm. If interested please contact Mary on 01425 489710 or marybrindley1126@gmail.com
'Singing for Fun' group continues at Greyfriars from 1pm on the 1st and 3rd Wednesdays. All members are welcome to join - no audition required! Men would be particularly welcome to bolster up the deeper tones! Feel free to just turn up on the day for a 'taster' session. A small charge per 'term' is made to cover room hire and refreshment costs. If interested please contact June.
Unfortunately our Bridge Group is unable to continue at present however anyone who still wishes to play Bridge within a Ringwood U3A Group is asked to please register their interest by contacting Audrey Salter along with any thoughts, ideas or suggestions they may have for continuing the group, particularly if you would be willing to Lead or simply provide a venue for the group.
Judith has advised that unfortunately both our Art History and also Travel Groups will be taking a break.
Unfortunately we no longer have a Spanish group as no-one has come forward to lead either group. If anyone would like to take on this role please contact Audrey Salter.
There has also been interest in a French group but we need a Leader to come forward. If anyone would like to take on this role please contact Audrey Salter.
Interest has been expressed by several people regarding a Theatre Group - to do so we will need a Group Leader - please talk to Audrey Salter if you think you might like to do this.
New photos of group activities are always welcome for the website so if you can take a nice picture when you are part of a group or event please do (having first established that everyone is happy to have their picture published) and email them to Hazel.
Please remember that we have a RED Suggestion Box at our Monthly Meetings? We would love to hear any of your ideas. We'd love to hear from you.
Don't forget to look at the Members' Only Page (Noticeboard) on our website which gives members the opportunity to publicise non-U3A events that they have a keen interest in or to invite others to join them for something particular like a cinema trip or garden visit etc. It will not be used for 'selling' items. If you would like something posted to the Noticeboard please email full details to Hazel via the contacts page. Inclusion will be at the discretion of the Committee.
How to join
If you are no longer in, or looking for full time employment you may join Ringwood U3A by downloading a membership form using this link or by emailing our Chairman, Pete Jackson.
When you have completed the form you may take it, and your £24 membership fee, to the Thursday monthly meeting.
Please also read the
RINGWOOD U3A CODE OF CONDUCT
Ringwood U3A strives to be a friendly and welcoming organisation, available to all who are no longer in full time employment. Our main aim is that our members enjoy the experience of being a member. We do realise, however, that problems sometimes occur and, whilst we do not want to control every potential difficulty with a raft of rules, we have prepared the following statements to cover any situation that may arise.
If any member or prospective member's behaviour or presentation causes distress or offence to other members, the Committee have the right to ask for that behaviour or presentation to change. If this change does not take place the Committee will have the right to rescind or refuse membership to that individual. In order to maintain our informal and friendly atmosphere, we would strive to deal with problems of such nature in a quiet and discreet fashion. If a member feels that certain behaviour is detrimental to our organisation or themselves, please raise the issue with a member of the Committee.
Pete Jackson
Chair
June 2018
Sorry, the we are not able launch your local email client. Please copy and paste this address - - into the To address box of your normal email & send the message from there.