East Midlands U3A Region

Latest News

08 May 2018

U3A Shared Learning Project with Spalding Gentleman’s Society
The Spalding Gentleman’s Society holds some 30 boxes of documents relating to Sir Joseph Banks and the Stanhope family who inherited his estate. An exciting new Shared Learning Project will work on these Banks-Stanhope papers with the support of Dustin Frazier Wood, the society’s archivist.  There is much more information in this document.  If you are interested in finding out more or joining this project, please contact the East Midlands Shared Learning Project Coordinator on emslpcood@gmail.com or 01526 833197.

07 May 2018

Regional Trustee Jane Pavier presented the Certificate of Membership of the Third Age Trust to Warsop & District U3A, Nottinghamshire on 9th April 2018. Pictured (left) receiving the certificate is Zena Inger, the chair. To view larger image click here.  To download full size image from Flickr go to the News section.

20 Apr 2018

Regional Trustee Jane Pavier presented the Certificate of Membership of the Third Age Trust to Melbourne U3A, Derbyshire on 5th April 2018. Pictured (right) receiving the certificate is Mary Atkinson-Wright, the membership secretary. To view larger image click here.  To download full size image from Flickr go to the News section.

09 Feb 2018

Regional Trustee Jane Pavier presented the Certificate of Membership of the Third Age Trust to Sutton Bridge U3A on 6 February 2018 (pictured left).  To view larger image click here.  To download full size image from Flickr go to the News section.

About the Region

U3As are organised into Regions in England, and into countries for Scotland, Wales, and Ireland.  The East Midlands Region comprises the counties of Derbyshire, Leicestershire & Rutland, Lincolnshire, Northamptonshire, and Nottinghamshire.


The Region has two fundamental purposes:

1. To enable U3As to work together to help them meet their objectives (learning, recreation and companionship) – by cooperative activities usually involving discussion and sharing of experiences.

2. To ensure U3As have the opportunities to propose and vote for their representative on the National Executive Committee (NEC) of the Third Age Trust.  The Regional Trustee provides a means of communication to the NEC.  Read more about the role of Regional Trustee under the Region tab.

Because of its geographical size the Region has divided itself into five County Networks of U3As (with Leicestershire and Rutland operating as one).   Find out more about the extent of the U3As and their Networks under the U3As and Networks tabs.  You might like to have a look at the websites for the Derbyshire, Leicestershire and Rutland, Northamptonshire and Nottinghamshire Networks to see what they do and their latest news.

The Region and Networks are about U3As (and their members) doing things together. 

About the U3A

In the UK the U3A is a movement which provides opportunities for retired and semi-retired people to participate in learning activities both educational and recreational.  It also provides companionship.   There are over 1000 U3As in the UK with over 365,000 members and each, under the umbrella of the Third Age Trust, is independently operated. The range of activities in each one is up to the members to decide and provide.

U3As provide a wonderful opportunity for retired and semi-retired people to enrich their lives by learning new skills and developing new interests. To Learn Laugh and Live is the aim of all members. Each U3A is a “university” of people, who come together to share and pursue learning in all its forms.   It is also a member of The Third Age Trust (TAT), which is the national support and advisory body and to whose aims and guiding principles every U3A member adheres.

To learn more  about the TAT aims and guiding principles follow this link to the TAT website- Vision and Mission.