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                                       Welcome to West Oxford U3A 

The West Oxford branch of the U3A, (the University of the Third Age), was created in 1995. The U3A exists for a group of people to get together to do things with everyone taking equal responsibility.

We meet on the 2nd and 4th Mondays except for July, August and December.  Our year begins in September and ends in June, with the AGM being held at the second meeting in May.  Once the membership fee is paid there is no further charge, although visitors make a donation.  Membership of West Oxford U3A does not cover membership of Oxford U3A or Headington U3A.

 

The meetings take place at Dean Court Community Centre, Pinnocks Way, Botley.   The proceedings start at 2.15 pm and (fairly short) notices are given before or after a talk as set out on your programme.  Tea and biscuits are always served after the talk. Please stay and use this time to get to know new people and meet friends.

  

What’s happening?  Recent & Upcoming events.

 

At our meeting on 14th April we received a talk entitled “Travels on the Silk Road – Across the Roof of the World”. The speaker was writer and photographer Roger Butler, who told us about a trip he had taken with a group of other travellers, some years earlier. The journey started in Bangladesh, covered Nepal and Tibet, and finished in Pakistan.  At the time, travelling in that part of the world was easier than now, in terms of rules and regulations. However, members of the group were told that there were two pre-requisites – a sense of humour and a cast-iron stomach!
 
  Silk Road

 

 In addition to his beautiful photographs, Roger had brought two props, a Yak-bell (quite tuneful) and a Camel-bell (not so much)

 

 

Our next meeting is scheduled for Monday 28th April, when Steve Dimmer will present an illustrated history of the “Carry On” Films.

  

A cheerful group of Members visited the BWM Mini-plant at Cowley on 17th March. We had our own guide and were given access to most parts of the factory (apart from the paint shop). It is an amazing place, automated to an extreme degree, where robots have taken over a large part of the production, and ‘just-in-time’ really does rule.

A huge thank-you to Ruth and Beverley for organising the event with such care.
 

 Mini Visit

 

Photography is strictly forbidden in the factory, so the picture was taken in the visitors’ centre, where there is a lovely display of Minis; these evoked happy memories for some of the visitors. 

 

For those who missed the outing, a visit is strongly recommended, if the opportunity arises.

  

The Churches & Pubs Group visited All Saints’ Church at Cuddesdon on 4th April, which was a beautiful day with blue skies and a gentle breeze. Our very  knowledgeable guide, Robert Wilson, gave an interesting talk about the  church which was built, by Abingdon Abbey, around 1180 and was substantially extended and modified over the following seven centuries.

 

Cuddesdon


Visitors and guide posing for a group photo before proceeding to lunch at The Bat and Ball.

 

 

The following week, thirteen members of the Lunch Group visited The Ferryman Inn. The pub is situated in a lovely spot by the river Thames at Bablock Hythe, very picturesque.
 
 
Lunch

               

                                                                 

 There will be no lunch meeting in May, as the first Monday is a Bank Holiday.


Contact Person: Beverley Birmingham – beverleyu3a@gmail.com 

 

 
Members of the Walking Group enjoyed a lovely walk through Blenheim Park, followed by lunch in Woodstock. The sun came out, which was a bonus and brightened their day even more.

Blenheim
 
                                                    Some of the walkers at magnificent  Blenheim
 
 

Twenty members of the Churches & Pubs Group visited the ancient and very impressive Church of St Mary the Virgin in Kidlington, where our guide was Mr Steve Handsley.

After a group photo in front of the Church, we finished the visit with lunch at The Jolly Boatman at Thrupp. 

 

 

Kidlington

                                                 

The next group visit, on 4th April, will be to All Saints Church in Cuddesdon, followed by lunch at the Bat & Ball in the Village.


Contact Person
: Lis Froggatt – l.froggatt66@gmail.com

 


 
SIGs

A list of the Special Interest Groups (SIGs) is on your programme and they are open to anyone who would like to join.  Just contact the person referred to as arranging the meetings.  If there is a group you would like to start then, if you think the Committee can give you some help, please ask. For information about each SIG, please see the Groups section.

 

Newsletter

 

The membership fee entitles you to the West Oxford U3A Newsletter which is sent out three times per year, by email or (for those without an email connection) by post. The Newsletter is also published on this website under the 'News' section. It is full of information about forthcoming events, both those arranged by this branch and also those organised by Thames Valley Network.  Please be certain to look at the notice board at the back of the meeting room for additional details of outings and study days and also on www.u3atvnetwork.org.uk as well as this website.

 

u3a National 

 

A membership subscription is paid annually to the National U3A office.

You are entitled to attend the Summer Schools and other events. Details and costs are on the National U3A website.

 

Queries

 

Do raise any queries when attending the meetings or contact the appropriate person in the 'Contact Us' section.

 

 

To join West Oxford U3A or to renew your membership:

 

The current annual subscription is £20 and subscriptions are due in September each year.

We recommend that you use our online membership facility which can be found in the Membership section.  


However, you may prefer to complete a paper membership application form which can be obtained by email or post or will be available at meetings. If you do not have a form please contact the membership secretary listed in the 'Contact Us' section.

 

Each year new members are invited to a 'welcome lunch', which gives them a chance to meet each other, the leaders of the Special Interest Groups, and other volunteers.

 

Gift Aid on Membership Subscriptions

Maximising our net income, for the benefit of members, is a consideration in everything we do.

One way a member can help us achieve this is by Gift Aiding their membership subscription. This enables WOu3a to reclaim the tax portion of the payment (25p for every £1 donated) from HMRC. To be eligible for Gift Aid, the member must:

· be a UK tax payer; and

· have paid an amount of tax (income and/or capital gains) in the current tax year which is not less than the Gift Aid claimed on this and any other such donations.

 The relevant declaration and consent box is included in the online Application Form which can be found in the Membership Section.

 

To send an email to West Oxford U3A - please select the appropriate contact from the 'Contact Us' section on this website.

 

 

More information about how the U3A started, its benefits and services, and other useful links can be found in the 'Links' section on this website.

 

 

 

 


 



 Site last updated: 24 Apr 2025


 

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