EALING
AND
DISTRICT		 For the retired and elderly UNIVERSITY
OF THE
THIRD AGE
Ealing U3A - a co-operative of older people to share educational, creative and leisure activities
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History of Ealing U3A
click here for the history of U3A in the UK
This note records the early history of Ealing U3A. Elsewhere in this website there is a note about the early history of the U3A movement in the UK. The first Meeting was called by Community Tutor Amaryl Heatley on 15 March 1988 and early members included Hilary Smith and Ronald Stent. Ealing Education Department provided accommodation at Elthorne Education Centre. The number of members was about 10 in the first few meetings, about 30 by 1990, 80 by 1994, 110 by 1995and 190 by 2005. In 1995 numbers had outgrown the Elthorne Centre and the weekly meetings moved to the Liz Cantell Room in the Town Hall. Significant landmarks in Ealing U3A's development include Constitution in 1993, Charity status in 1994, and a Website in 2003.

From the start Ealing U3A established contacts with local organisations such as Ealing Arts, Age Concern, the Voluntary Services Council and Questors - the local theatre group. Like all other UK U3A's, the main activity takes place in small interest groups which meet mostly in members' homes. This provides a more intimate environment for social contact and new friends. In addition to established interest in the Arts, Literature and Current Affairs, early interest groups included European History with special emphasis on British History, German and an Open University course entitled Religious Quest. There are now some 20 interest groups. Features of the Ealing U3A which distinguish it from most other U3A's include weekly instead of monthly meetings with invited speakers and a general pastoral concern for the health and welfare of members. But the main driving forces remain a curiosity which makes learning enjoyable and a willingness to teach and share knowledge and expertise.

Below is a list of the principal officers of Ealing U3A since its start; in addition to the numerous duties carried out by them, the weekly meetings involve the help of several other members who act as meeters and greeters, mark the register and look after the seating and audio equipment. Enlisting speakers is the programme organiser's duty; this demanding task has been carried out by the secretary in recent years, but is now the duty of the Talks secretary (see Committee).

Year Chairman Vice Chairman Secretary Treasurer
1988 Hilary Smith   Agnus Tumilson Maud Musselwhite
1993 Anne Grubb Ronald Stent Kelvin Jones Pauline Booth
1996 Audrey Tompkins Marilyn Hurwitt
Mary Hamilton		 Pat Kiff Derek Martin
1999 Hugo Briggs Christine Edwards David Marks
Margaret Martin		 Elizabeth Shindler
2002 Christine Edwards Anne Appleby Margaret Martin Marianne Black
2005 Ella Marks Malcolm Hurwitt Margaret Martin Barbara Kinn
2008 Mike Black Laurence Valentine Margaret Martin Barbara Kinn
click here for the history of U3A in the UK