Welcome to the Andover U3A
Group meetings and activities are for Andover and Anton U3A members only
All That Jazz
By Bronda Dossett
Tuesday 21st October
2pm Weyhill Fairground Hall
Followed by tea and biscuits
QUIZ GROUP
We’re sorry to announce the closure of the Quiz Group with immediate effect. Thanks for all your support and encouragement over the past seven years, it’s been great fun.
Thank you also to the Committee for all their help and consideration over this matter.
Vanessa and Nigel Knott
EXPLORE THE VILLAGES
NEW GROUP LEADER/S REQUIRED
A new Leader or Leaders are needed to run the popular and long standing Explore the Villages group.
The group runs monthly visits usually between May and September exploring the architecture and history of the different villages and small towns surrounding Andover.
These visits are led by knowledgeable local guides and afterwards, when possible, the group enjoys a pub lunch together.
If you think you would like to plan and organise these trips for members to enjoy, then please email me for further information. Help and guidance will be at hand for anyone interested in taking up this role.
Melenie MacKay
Groups’ Coordinator
groupscoordinator@andoveru3a.co.uk
Riviera Travel
Members should be aware that if they make a holiday booking direct with Riviera Travel, Andover U3A can benefit with a generous commission payment from this firm, via the U3A Head Office. Such payments will greatly benefit the membership.
Andover U3A does not endorse Riviera Travel in any way, but if you are making a booking, please make it clear that you wish a commission payment to go to Andover U3A.
Car Sharing
From time to time, Andover U3A members may want to offer or accept lifts. Those accepting lifts may want to contribute to the costs of car sharing, particularly if this occurs regularly or the journey is long.
However, car sharing is a private agreement between driver and passenger(s). Responsibility for agreeing and implementing any arrangements remains with the participating members.
U3A Insurance does NOT cover car drivers or their passengers while Car Sharing.
Car Sharing ‘for social domestic and pleasure purposes’ is normally covered by domestic car insurance providers. However, some insurers may not offer this cover for certain drivers or vehicles. If there is any doubt as to whether a driver is covered, they should check their Policy (not the Certificate) and if they cannot find the answer, they should contact their Insurer direct.
If members enter into a car sharing arrangement, in all circumstances the following conditions have to be met:
- The vehicle must not be adapted to carry more than eight passengers.
- The contribution (or aggregate of the contributions) paid in respect of the journey must not exceed the amount of the running costs of the vehicle for the journey (which includes fuel, general wear and depreciation).
- Put simply, the driver must NOT make a profit.
- Arrangements for the payment of contributions by the passenger or passengers should be agreed prior to the journey.
document reproduced with kind permission from Hurst, Hassocks and Ditchling U3A
New Members Welcome
New members are welcome to join and if they join during the period from January 2025 to March 2025 they get the additional months’ membership for no extra cost (for existing members the new membership year begins from April 2025): please get in touch with our Membership Secretary - contact details at the bottom of this page - if you are interested in joining us.
Want to know more about us? Scroll down to read this page, and then explore our website using the Menu options along the top of the page.
Internet, email and computer security
Many of us suffer from dodgy emails and phone calls. Some simple measures will help to keep us safe, it is imporant that we do not accidentally invite these criminals into our lives.
These simple measures will help to keep our computers, phones and accounts secure:
- Be very careful before clicking any links or downloading anything.
If you put the cursor/arrow over any link or email address the true link or address wil be displayed in the bottom left of your browser, if you do not recognise it then be very careful before following the link or emailing the person. - Keep your anti-virus up to date.
This will help to prevent problems if you do accidently download something nasty but it needs to be updated regularly to protect you from the latest viruses. - Keep your computer updated with security fixes.
This will help to protect you from computer criminals who try to access your computer so that they can look at passwords and contact details for your family and friends. - Have SEPARATE STRONG passwords for all important accounts.
If criminals steal or workout your password they will then try the same password on any other accounts you might have so it is important to have different strong passwords for every account. It can be hard to remember them all so consider using a "password vault", you remember one password and then let the password vault generate and store strong passwords for you, a free one is bitwarden which will synchronise passwords between your phone and computer, there are many others - Keep your devices protected.
If someone gets access to your phone or computer they can look at your passwords, keep your phones and computers secure. -
Stay informed.
Consider signing up for something like the Which Scam alert service which will email you details of the latest scams.
A very warm welcome to the Andover University of the Third Age (the Andover U3A). This is an organisation for retired and semi-retired people who join together to learn new skills, play games, exercise, make new friends and generally enjoy life.
Situated in the northern part of the Test Valley in Hampshire, the Andover U3A is one of two local U3As serving the Andover and District area, with the second being the Anton U3A.
The Andover U3A was formed in 1996 and has approximately 445 members. It is a registered charity and is affiliated to the Third Age Trust.
Monthly Meetings
Members are invited to attend our regular meetings which are held monthly at the Fairground Village Hall, Weyhill, in an atmosphere that is always welcoming and friendly. We invite guest speakers to our meetings, covering a wide range of topics. Refreshments are provided towards the end of our meetings, giving members the opportunity to chat, plan, and make new friends.
Interest Groups
The Andover U3A is a very friendly organisation whose activities are focused on approximately 40 interest groups. Subjects we cover vary from languages through to the arts, history through to photography and nature through to music.
Our groups vary in size and they determine their own course of study under a chosen leader. There are no formal lectures and members are encouraged to share in a joint process of learning and discovery.
Smaller groups use members' homes to host group meetings and this adds to the friendly informal atmosphere. Some of the larger groups use a variety of halls in the Andover area. All members are encouraged to join one or more groups on enrolment to the Andover U3A.
Possibly the most popular groups are the Walking, Strolling and Quester groups. There are weekly walks and strolls, and our Quester groups arrange visits to a wide variety of places of interest.
Membership
Membership of the U3A is open to those no longer in full time gainful employment; no qualifications are required. The current membership fee is £11 per person.
Members are entitled to attend our monthly meetings, to join our groups (although some groups may be limited in size), to vote at the Annual General Meeting (AGM) and to receive our six-monthly newsletter.
Our affiliation to the Third Age Trust allows the provision of insurance for members undertaking Andover U3A activities. It also allows members to receive 5 copies annually of the Third Age Matters magazine. Please note there is an additional charge of £4 per household (not per member) for those who wish to receive the Third Age Matters magazine to cover the cost of postage.
Non-members are welcome to join us for one taster session at one of our monthly meetings: just make yourself known to the Welcome Team at the entrance to the Fairground Village Hall.
Further details of our organisation, meetings and groups can be found by browsing through our website.
Terms of Membership
All members must:
• Abide by the Principles of the U3A movement;
• Always act in the best interests of the U3A and never do anything to bring the U3A into disrepute;
• Abide by the terms and conditions of the constitution;
• Treat fellow members with respect and courtesy at all times;
• Comply with and support the decisions of the elected committee;
• Advise the committee of any change in your personal details.
Gift Aid - Applicable to both New and Existing Members
The Gift Aid Declaration form states that the donation is for the current tax year (6th Apr 2024 - 5th Apr 2025) therefore Members, new and those renewing who signed a Gift Aid donation to Andover U3A during the current tax year, are advised that for the Gift Aid donation to continue they must submit a signed Gift Aid declaration form for tax year 6th Apr 2025 - 5th Apr 2026.
All signed forms should be sent to the Membership Secretary.
Membership Forms for New Members
Membership forms can be obtained from the Membership Secretary, who can be contacted by emailing membership@andoveru3a.co.uk.
Alternatively you can print your own Membership and Gift Aid forms by downloading them from the links below. Note that these are PDF documents and you will require a PDF reader to read them.
| Membership Form 2025/26 * For New Members Only * |
Gift Aid Form |
|---|---|
| Andover U3A Membership Form 2025/26 | U3AAndoverNewMemberApplication2025webversion.pdfAndover U3A Gift Aid Form |