How Honiton is marking National u3a Day

Members of Honiton u3a are looking forward to getting out and meeting the public on National u3a Day.

The event, being held on Wednesday 2 June, is a celebration of the learning, activity and fun that u3a members enjoy, and a chance to encourage new members to join.

Honiton u3a describes itself as: "A group of 230 like-minded people seeking to go from retired to inspired, to enjoy the freedom that is your third age."

Members meet regularly to share educational, creative and leisure activities.

On June 2, they will be running a stall outside St. Paul's Church, between 11am and 1pm, for members of the public to find out more. Their folk band and recorder group will also be playing.

From Friday May 28th until June 4, Honiton u3a will also be running a 'Spot The Teddies' competition.

A number of small knitted teddy bears in the yellow and blue colours of u3a will be hidden in shop and business windows around Honiton's town centre.

Each will have a label saying which u3a Activity Group they belong to. The closing date for entries is June 8.

Entry forms will be available from May 28 from Honiton Library, can be downloaded from the Honiton u3a website, or can be picked up from the stall on u3a Day. Prizes have been donated by local businesses.

Also on National u3a Day there will be a Zoom talk for current members, on the history of facial hair.

In what is expected to be a "hair-raising" talk, Dr. Alun Withey of Exeter University will be discussing such important questions as why big bushy beards were once the height of fashion.

Honiton u3a organises a series of monthly talks, presently held on Zoom. Over the next few months, subjects include Thoresby Colliery (the last pit in Nottinghamshire), and Beaver Trials on the River Otter.

They hope to return to The Beehive soon for these talks, when government guidelines allow this to happen.

They also run more than 25 interest groups, covering subjects as diverse as Meteorology, History, Photography, Knitting, Walking and Wine Tasting.

The Chairman of Honiton u3a, Peter Halse, said: "We hope as many people as possible will come along to our High Street stall and find out what u3a is all about. National u3a Day is a chance for us all to celebrate u3a's aims to Learn, Laugh, Live."

Details of Honiton u3a can be found on their website.