Remembering Eric Midwinter
It is with great sadness that we share the news of the death of Eric Midwinter, one of the visionary co-founders of the u3a movement in the UK.
Eric, alongside Peter Laslett and Michael Young, established u3a in 1982 with the belief that later life should be a time of continued learning, connection, and contribution. Eric's commitment to challenging negative stereotypes of ageing, and to creating spaces for older adults to share skills, knowledge, and friendship, has shaped the lives of hundreds of thousands of u3a members over four decades.
To many Eric was seen as the face of the movement. He was instrumental in promoting the concept to the wider world and, in his later life, continued to be an advocate for what u3a could achieve. In a conversation with Liz Thackray in 2022, as part of our 40th Anniversary celebrations, Eric reflected on the origins of u3a, recalling, “The starting point was the sense that older age should be looked on more positively, and less negatively… I find it difficult sometimes now to believe how bad the imagery of older age was in the 1970s… There was a sense of older age being over the hill, and oldness was very much identified as illness.”
Eric’s vision has flourished over the years and we know that his legacy will continue to inspire new generations to embrace lifelong learning and positive ageing.
We extend our deepest sympathies to Eric’s family and friends at this time.
You can watch the full conversation between Eric and Liz Thackray on our YouTube Channel.