U3A celebrating 35 years
Hundreds of Horsham and district residents are keeping mentally and physically fit with the support of a community institution.
Horsham and District University of the Third Age, known as U3A, celebrated its 35-year anniversary on Friday.
After a COVID-19 lockdown hiatus, more than 30 classes have resumed with a vengeance and leaders are preparing to open their doors to a month-long come-and-try opportunity for new members.
There are daily opportunities to learn, maintain fitness, exercise creativity and connect with others at various venues, including the U3A base at Horsham Railway Station.
U3A publicity officer Joyce Lane’s involvement spans 25 years as an instructor and member.
She is ‘barely home’ and heavily involved in classes – from china painting on Mondays, to bookworms or reading for pleasure on Tuesdays. On Wednesday mornings, it’s off to a seated gentle exercise class before scrabble on Thursday and oil painting on Friday.
“It’s fantastic. The social aspect is the best thing about it – we need to come out and talk and see people,” Mrs Lane said.
The Weekly Advertiser visited U3A during a seated gentle exercise class last week.
Among participants was Mary Lawson, 94 – also a 25-year member of U3A.
“I used to go to other classes. There was reading and literature and different ones, but now I just do the gentle exercises, which I do enjoy,” she said.
“As well as the exercises, they’re a very friendly group. We have a talk and that’s just as important. I look forward to it.
“The exercises are easy and pleasant to do. If anything is too much, or we can’t do it, we just don’t do it. It’s our own choice.”
Carole Bethune is among the newest members, joining U3A after learning about its offerings at a community expo last year.
She retired about 18 months ago and is enjoying exercise classes, including seated gentle exercise, resistance band exercises and tai chi, along with reading and quilting.
“There were a variety of classes and they seemed a very welcoming group and easy to talk to,” she said.
Marie Anson, a long-time member and art tutor, said U3A also offered her a chance to meet and socialise with others.
“U3A is amazing. It gave me a lot of satisfaction to teach others who hadn’t painted before. I love to see them develop,” she said.
Come-and-try
U3A will offer people a chance to try classes throughout April.
The current program includes table tennis, china painting, bridge, writing for fun, cryptic crosswords, garden, local history and a lunch group on Mondays; a resistance band exercise class, art, singing for fun, solo, film classics, French or German conversation and bookworms on Tuesdays; and table tennis, seated gentle exercise, card-making, 500, Canasta, Mah Jong, nature watch, a lifestyle program and ‘grumpy old wrinklies’ on Wednesdays. On Thursdays, people can choose from sounds of music, patchwork and stitching and scrabble, and on Fridays there are table tennis, tai chi, oil painting, knitting and crochet and technology classes.
“Throughout the month of April people can come to whatever class they like. They might try this or that class, or six or seven classes, just to see which ones suit them,” Mrs Lane said.
She said U3A, like most community groups, ceased its regular operations during COVID-19 restrictions and has recognised a significant impact on its membership base since classes resumed.
She said people wanting more information about U3A, and the comeand-try opportunity, could phone her on 0400 484 018 or Carol on 0409 799 375.