Home Press Releases

Press Releases
9th April 2013

SCHOOL SHOULD BE VOLUNTARY, SAYS FOUNDER OF THE UNIVERSITY OF THE THIRD AGE

 

Our education system fatally flawed by nineteenth century school literature

Britain’s secondary education has turned into a dreary, prescriptive system because it has evolved as a response to Victorian public school literature and the Victorian need to get working class teenagers off the streets.

Schools should be voluntary, not compulsory, and should be places teenagers want to go to, rather than are forced to go to, says Dr Eric Midwinter, educationalist, author, historian, former director of the Centre for Policy on Ageing, and co-founder of the University of the Third Age.

Read more...
 
18th February 2013

BRITISH SECONDARY SCHOOLS “CRUSHED BY THE LEGACY OF THE NINETEENTH CENTURY”

 

Children should be taught in the same way older adults are taught in the U3A, says U3A founder Eric Midwinter

 

Modern British education is not fit for purpose, being deeply influenced by nineteenth century public school literature and the 1902 Education Act, U3A founder Dr Eric Midwinter, OBE,  will say in the first U3A Founders’ Lecture, to be held on April 9 to mark the organisation’s thirtieth anniversary.

Read more...
 
10th November 2012

Scottish University of the Third Age – U3A in Scotland - now has 6,000 members Glasgow the only UK city without its own University of the Third Age

Glasgow is the only major UK city without its own local University of the Third Age (U3A), and the national organisation hopes to put that right within the next two years, a seminar at the 50 Plus Show in Glasgow heard today (10 November.)

 

U3A in Scotland Trustee Morag Tamisari told the seminar:

“In September Scotland saw the opening of its 41st local U3A – the Callander and West Perthshire U3A.  The 41 local U3As which make up U3A in Scotland have 6,000 members between them, from Orkney to Oban, from Skye to East Berwickshire. 

“Glasgow, however, remains for the moment the only major UK city without its own U3A – and that is something we hope to put right in the next year or two, so that Glasgow’s older citizens can benefit from the unique learning opportunities that the U3A offers.

Read more...
 
13th September 2012

 

BARBARA LEWIS FROM HERTFORDSHIRE IS NEW NATIONAL U3A CHAIRMAN

 

The new national chairman of the University of the Third Age is Barbara Lewis, from Abbots Langley, Hertfordshire.  Mrs Lewis beat two other candidates for the top job at the U3A’s AGM this week, and takes over immediately from retiring chairman Ian Searle.

Read more...
 
12th September 2012

Third agers to take over the House of Lords

 

Members of the University of the Third Age are to take part in a debate in the chamber of the House of Lords on November 30, together with an equal number of young people.  The debate was announced by U3A chairman Ian Searle in his address to the Annual General Meeting today (SEPTEMBER 12). The debate will be chaired by the Speaker of the House of Lords, Baroness D’Souza.

Read more...
 


Newsflash

Life in the Third Age, featuring U3A will be shown on the Community Channel at the following times:

 

Thursday 2nd May @ 10:30am

Thursday 9th May @ 5:30pm

Friday 10th May @ 12pm

Sunday 12th May @ 4:30pm

Friday 17th May @ 12pm

Sunday 19th May @ 7:30pm

Tuesday 21st May @ 8pm

Thursday 23rd May @ 7:30am

Friday 24th May @ 7:30pm

Sunday 26th May @ 7:30am

Friday 31st May @ 6:30am

Friday 31st May @ 4:30pm

 

 

Community Channel numbers  - Virgin media 233/Sky 539.

Contact details

National Office:
The Third Age Trust
The Old Municipal Buildings
19, East Street
Bromley
Kent, BR1 1QE
Phone: 020 8466 6139
Phone Lines Open :
Mon to Fri 9.30am to 5.00pm 
Email Us

Resource Centre:
Phone: 020 8315 0199
Opening hours
Monday TO Thursday
9.30am to 4.00pm

Registered Charity Number 288007   |   Limited Company Number 1759471