“Almost every day I hear stories from people whose lives have been transformed by u3a.”
During Volunteers’ Week (1 - 7 June) we’re shining the spotlight on some of the exceptional individuals who give their time to make u3a such a joy for its 400,000 members.
David help set up Teignmouth and District u3a three-and-a-half years ago and it has since become a thriving group with more than 300 members. As well as being the leader of the Theology and Philosophy group, he supports new u3as starting up in the area.
David explains why he volunteers: “I have seen the impact u3a has had on the lonely, the bereaved and for people who have moved into Teignmouth.
“Almost every day I hear stories from people whose lives have been transformed by u3a.”
The Theology and Philosophy group visit places of worship such as synagogues and mosques in a bid to understand other religions and cultures. It’s just one of more than 50 interest groups at Teignmouth u3a. Others include Campervan Capers, French for Fun, Strollers Walking Group and even True Crime.
David also volunteers as the person who connects all the u3as in the south of the county and is a regular guest on BBC Radio Devon where he promotes the benefits of volunteering with u3a.
The sharing of skills is at the heart of u3a. David says: “Teignmouth u3a opened in 2019 and six months later the pandemic hit. One of the advantages we had was our vice chair was already proficient on Zoom and we very quickly got our members and groups online. Our membership numbers actually grew during that period.”
There are more than 1,000 u3as across the UK with many hundreds of different interest groups – everything from Egyptology to crafting. There are lots of opportunities to share skills within u3a - whether that's joining the committee, running groups or helping to organise events. Join u3a today.
Our new film, 'u3a off the wall - be part of something bigger' celebrates volunteering within u3a. Watch it now on the u3a YouTube channel.