MPs and peers pledged to help raise u3a's profile and highlight its contribution to communities across the UK at the House of Lords launch of Retirement rewired on 27 October.

Hosted by Lord Norton of Louth in the River Room, the event brought together politicians, u3a members and organisations working in positive ageing to hear how learning, friendship and community in retirement benefit individuals and wider society.

Retirement rewired: Building fulfilling lives beyond full-time work draws on findings from the u3a and me survey of more than 10,000 members. It explores how u3a helps people stay active, build friendships and contribute to their communities after leaving full-time work.

Lord Norton opened the event by speaking about his involvement with u3a. He previously joined members at the u3a Festival 2026, where he gave a talk about the House of Lords and its role in Parliament.

Michael Payne MP followed with a heartfelt speech about the power of u3a to bring people together. He pledged to continue championing the organisation alongside MPs Anna Dixon and Rosie Wrighting, who also attended the launch.

The launch also welcomed a representative from Josh Dean MP's office. His constituency is home to the highest number of u3a members in the country.

Other parliamentarians included Baroness Garden of Frognal, The Lord Hampton, Lord Foulkes of Cumnock and Baroness Armstrong of Hill Top.

Representatives from Age UK, the International Longevity Centre UK (ILC-UK), Independent Age and the Centre for Ageing Better also attended, alongside potential corporate partners and members of the media.

With more than 1,000 local u3as across the UK, the launch was an opportunity to show how members are already building friendships, sharing skills and creating stronger communities. It also helped bring u3a into wider conversations about how people can enjoy fulfilling lives beyond full-time work.

Read Retirement rewired: Building fulfilling lives beyond full-time work and explore the findings.