Bells ring for Third Age 'uni' (From Kidderminster Shuttle)

Bells ring for Third Age 'uni'

7:20am Sunday 26th October 2008 in News By Adam Burling

AN ACTIVITY group for people in the “third age” of their life has received a £10,000 lottery grant for its work in Wyre Forest.

The University of the Third Age (U3A) is a 160-member self-help organisation for people who have reached the stage of their life after the “second age” of full-time employment and parental responsibility.

U3A Wyre Forest district chairman, Rhydwen Foreman, was presented with a certificate for the grant by Mayor of Kidderminster, Marcus Hart.

The money has been used to buy new equipment, which includes a keyboard and 10 laptops, to be used in activities.

The most expensive equipment, costing nearly £5,000, was a set of handbells for the handbell ringing group.

Other activities staged by the university include bridge competitions, ballroom dancing classes, digital photography lessons and family history groups.

Ann Plant, group secretary, said: “We have been able to buy some great equipment with the money.

“All our members gain a lot from the university. It is a good way to make new friends and can act as a lifeline for bereaved people.

“One of our members has lived in Kidderminster for 25 years and said he had never met so many people.

“The whole idea of the organisation is sharing skills. We don’t pay anyone to hold the different groups - they all volunteer their services.

“It is surprising what kind of skills you can find and it is satisfying to learn from each other.”