Maidenhead has around 50 interest groups: some are quite academic, some artistic or musical, some physical, some practical, some recreational, some social, or a combination of these. They are described individually in other parts of the website. Most members find they are fun, informative and play a valuable role in contributing to their mental or physical well-being.
The interest groups are at the heart of the u3a concept and most of them have a leader and a convenor, who may or may not be the same person, but they are all highly participative, and each member is encouraged to contribute their own knowledge and expertise.
Many are held in members’ houses, but a few of the larger groups receive subsidies to hire larger rooms. Different groups meet weekly, fortnightly or monthly, depending on their members’ preferences. To keep out u3a vibrant and growing, we encourage the formation of new groups, based on the suggestions of our members and help is available in the early stages. A list of interest groups is included in each monthly newsletter along with meeting times and the convenor’s name and telephone number, so all you have to do to join a group or obtain more information is to give the convenor a call. You can belong to as many groups as you wish, with no change to your annual subscription.