u3a

Odiham District

Useful Information

The "maximising your u3a" information is u3a-member-fueled. If you have any tips you'd like us to put on this page, then please email us at Mike Shaw.

Disclaimer : all information on this page is suggestions by u3a members. In no way are they official endorsements of either the National u3a organisation or the Odiham and District u3a.

In this document:

Keeping in touch

There is a Monthly Meeting for all members in the 16th century Cross Barn in Odiham on the first Wednesday of every month.

It features a programme of lively and interesting speakers as well as announcements of future events and group news. The meeting starts with a cup of tea or coffee and biscuits, and enables members to engage in relaxed conversation and exchange of ideas before a talk on anything from beekeeping to climbing Everest.

Our Odiham District u3a newsletter is an excellent way to keep in touch with all that we do. When you become a member, you are automatically registered to receive the newsletter by email.

Volunteering opportunities

Hart Voluntary Action is a local charity supporting the voluntary and community sectors in Hart District by offering one-to-one information, guidance and training; as well as information updates, networking opportunities and volunteer recruitment.

Mental Health

  • You can typically do a mental health self-referral at health centres. For example, if you are a member of the White Water health centres, then this will tell you how.

Going beyond u3a groups

Are you in a u3a group, but would like to perhaps go deeper into the subject? Or, is there a subject that the Odiham and District u3a doesn't yet offer?

  • Alton Community Centre : The Alton Community Centre offers a range of courses - French, Italian and Spanish, Tai Chi, Yoga, Mindfulness and various art classes.

  • Badminton : On Monday afternoon and Thursday morning, at Basingstoke Sports Centre, there is a "Young at Heart" badminton group. It is for intermediate players. It is"pay-as-you-go. If, however, you are new to badminton, then there is a beginners course, also at the Basingstoke Sports Centre, on Wednesday afternoons.

  • Basingstoke Shed : The Shed provides a communal workshop – a place to feel at home and pursue practical interests. Members share the tools, skills and resources they need to work on projects at their own pace and in a safe, friendly and inclusive venue.

  • Bridge : do you want to take your bridge more seriously? The Bridge Club is the largest bridge club in Hampshire with over 200 members.

  • Gardening : Some of you will have been on outings with our u3a's Garden-Appreciation Group. Now, however, the Group Leader, Pam Forey, can't run the group in the same way since she now has health problems which limit her. So she has agreed to run "Pam's corner" each month where she will list details of a few local gardens that you might like to visit.

  • Languages : Alton Community Center runs Italian (beginners' and intermediate), Spanish (beginners', intermediate and advanced) and French classes.

  • Walking football. As part of its seniors' program, Basingstoke Sport Centre also runs walking football on Tuesday mornings and Thursday afternoons.

u3a nationwide groups

With the advent of video conferencing (e.g. Zoom), it is now possible for the u3a to offer nation-wide groups. For the annual fee of £12, you can attend as many of these groups as you like.

As of 1st May, 2024, there were 101 such groups...

Drawing and Various Mediums, 3D Printing at Home, A Sense of History, Ad Hoc Art, Ancient Rome and the Roman World, Armchair Archaeology, Armchair Travellers, Art Projects, Art Techniques, Arts and Crafts, Astronomy, Book Club, Book Group - Non Fiction, British Cemeteries, Canva (Graphic Design) Group, Canva (Graphic Design) Group 2, Cercle Français (French), Chess Club, Cinema, Cinema 2, Climate Matters, Coffee and Conversation, Concise Talks, Creating Cryptic Crosswords, Creative Calm - Tai Chi Qigong, Crime Corner, Cryptic Crosswords, Current Affairs Discussion, Dance Exercise, Digital Skills, Early Women Doctors Research, Explorers & Travel Writers, Exploring Classical Music, Extreme Knitting: Radical Crochet, Family History, Family History for Beginners, Fashion, Film Reviews, Find Joy and Fun in Poetry 1, Find Joy and Fun in Poetry 2, Forty Questions Quiz, Gardening, Geology, German Fortgeschrittene Dienstag, German Fortgeschrittene Montag, German Group, Get more from MS Excel, Get more from MS Word, In Your Neck of the Woods, Irish History and Culture, Irish Music, Jane Austen Reading group, Jazz Hour, Justice, Law and Society, Latin Advanced, Latin for Beginners, Laughter Yoga, Law for Fun, Local History. Military History, Mindfulness and Poetry for Wellbeing, Modern Pop for Third Agers, More Fun with Maths, Penpals, Philosophy Discussion, Play Reading Group, Poetry Patch, Popup Poetry, Presentation Skills, Psychology 1, Psychology 2, Quiz Zoomers, Railways, Read, Write, Discuss, Recorders Intermediate, Retired Registered Managers, Science and Technology, Science in the News, Shakespeare – Exploring, Shared Art Appreciation, Short Story Book Group 1, Short Story Book Group 2, Smartphone Photo Art, Social History, Talking Art, Welsh Conversation for Learners, What are you reading? 1, What are you reading? 2, What are you reading? 3, What are you reading? 4, What are you reading? 5, Words, Music and Rhyme, Workaround - working around impairment, World History, Writing Fiction and Non-fiction 1, Writing Fiction and Non-fiction 2, Writing for Pleasure, Zentangle Club.

u3a nationwide events

As well as online groups, the u3a also runs online, nation-wide events, very similar to our in-person monthly meetings, but without the tea/coffee and biscuits.

Discounts for Odiham and District u3a members

  • Red Lion, Odiham : You can get a 10% discount off your food and drinks bill on weekdays at the Red Lion in Odiham High Street if you present your u3a membership card until 22nd November 2024

  • Odiham & Greywell Cricket Club : All Odiham District U3A Members are automatically Associate Members of the Odiham & Greywell Cricket Club, and as such they are entitled to a 5% discount on drinks at the Bar upon production of their u3a membership card. See the Odiham & Greywell Cricket Club website for opening times.   
  • Bel & the Dragon are offering a 15% discount on the total bill when spending £15 or more on food, redeemable on any day at any time, until November 30th 2024. As before, all you have to do is show your u3a card when paying.
  • Riviera Travel : If you book a holiday with Riviera Travel, and if you mention when booking that you are the member of our u3a, 9% commission will be passed back to the Odiham District u3a. This benefit is made possible through something called the “u3a Affinity scheme”. Under the rules of this scheme, we are not, unfortunately, allowed to pass the refund back to the member who made the booking. However, monies raised will be used for the benefit of all our members or to help our wider community. Clearly, the choice of holidays and which travel agent members choose to use is entirely personal and in no way are we recommending or suggesting that you use Riviera Travel.

If you don't have a membership card, please contact our membership secretary, Maggie Brain.

Odiham and District u3a policies and AGM documents