LANCASTER & MORECAMBE U3A

Who can belong?.

This U3A is for retired and semi-retired people mostly living in Lancaster, Morecambe, Carnforth or any of the surrounding areas including Arnside, Silverdale, the Kellets, Wyresdale, the Fylde and the Lune and parts of the Kent valleys. There are no age limits either way and no geographical limits. People of all background, ethnicity or beliefs are equally welcome to join.

All who have a wish to study any aspect of human interest or socialise with like minded people are welcome. Most groups cater for non-specialists but vary in standard depending on the wishes and capabilities of members. The members themselves decide what activities they wish to pursue. Some members join in many groups, others in only one or two.

Lancaster and Morecambe U3A is a thriving organisation, currently with over 500 members.  Although affiliated to the national Third Age Trust, the U3A is run on an entirely independent basis with a committee drawn from within the membership itself.  The committee is elected at the Annual General Meeting held in February each year.

The committee for 2008/9 –

Gordon Bagnall         Chairman     

John Harman            Vice Chairman and Publicity and Membership

Margaret Kennon      Secretary

Dorothy Swarbrick    Treasurer

John Ellison               Groups’ Co-ordinator

Alan Gregory             Links with other educational establishments

Margaret Maslin         Social Secretary

Pat Ormesby              Renewals Secretary

Chris Pogson              Database Manager

How is Lancaster and Morecambe U3A  financed?

Our annual membership fees are kept very low. This is made possible by the contributions in voluntary work the members make to the organisation. Grants and donations also help particularly with equipment purchases. 

We have had several grants from the Lottery fund ‘Awards for All.'

Single membership costs £15 for a year running from 1st September. Dual membership is £28 provided the monthly diary and newsletter and any other information are shared. Those who join after 1st March pay £10.00/£18.00 for single/dual membership.  The fee covers our affiliation to the national organisation (The Third Age Trust), insurance, monthly circulation and administration costs. All work is done on a purely voluntary basis, but we ensure that nobody needs to be out of pocket on necessary expenses. Application forms for new membership and other information are available from the Membership Secretary (see JOIN US for contact details) 

Data Storage

We keep our membership records on the PC’s of two of our officers. These are never divulged to outside individuals or organisations with the sole exception that, unless individual members tell us to the contrary, we send a mailing list 3/4 times a year to the Third Age Trust so that they can send out direct mailings of the national U3A News. They undertake that this data will be used exclusively for this purpose.