Message from the Chair
Dear Friends,
What will 2026 have in store for us I wonder? Have you finalised your New Year resolutions?
Many of you know that my sense of humour tends to make me smile at snippets I read in my newspaper. I recently spotted the headline “Play cards, stay young”. Writing letters, attending public meetings and playing cards are all ways [...]
Dear Friends,
What will 2026 have in store for us I wonder? Have you finalised your New Year resolutions?
Many of you know that my sense of humour tends to make me smile at snippets I read in my newspaper. I recently spotted the headline “Play cards, stay young”. Writing letters, attending public meetings and playing cards are all ways for people to “reverse their frailty” as they age, a British Heart Foundation study has found. Whilst u3a does not set out its stall in this way; I’m sure you will agree that Canterbury u3a provides lots of exceptional interests and pursuits to follow and engage in, which maintain our individual wellbeing and vitality.
Canterbury u3a continues to thrive; sustained by many indefatigable volunteers. As you know, every u3a activity is led by members for members so do consider whether you too can help in any way. Indeed you may be glad to have found an activity in u3a that fulfils you in a way that you had not expected and brightens up your days for you. All practical contributions and support are highly valued both by individual members and the organisation as a whole.
Thanks to the depth and strength of Canterbury u3a; we do enjoy the freedom to consider new ideas and, if thought helpful, implement them with your assistance. Please do not hesitate to approach any of the course and activity leaders, and my committee colleagues, to explore how we can continue to flourish in 2026.
I wish you all a happy, healthy, and enjoyable New Year.
Robin Terry
January 2026
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Important Dates and Notices
Monday 12th January 2026: next research group meeting at 2pm at the Gate Inn, New Dover Road, Canterbury. New members welcome. Further details from Jo Walker.
Wednesday 14th January 2026: Monthly meeting at St. Mary Bredin Church with a talk entitled "The London Loop, designed by The Ramblers", Speaker: Chris Burke.
Summary of forthcoming events...
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Interest Sharing Groups
Coastal Bridge Group meets at Dunkirk Village Hall on Thursday afternoons. Leader: Anni Bignold
Canterbury Bridge Group meets at Littlebourne Village Hall on Friday afternoon. Contact: Jane Dennett
Discussion Group on Current Affairs every Monday at 10.30 a.m. For venue details of the next meeting, contact the group leader Steve Casey.
Sewing Group - meets at Cosy Club, Canterbury at 9.30 am - 12 noon every Wednesday. The first meeting of the new year is on January 7th 2026. Leader: Sara Bateman
Photo: the Sewing Group at the Cosy Club
Knit and Natter This group meets fortnightly at the Dolphin, St Radigund’s Street and mainly knits clothes for premature baby units. They are a friendly, inclusive group and any new member would be welcome. The next meetings are at 2 pm on the 8th and 22nd January. Leader: Norma Ratcliff
Sustainable Living Group meets monthly at The Chatterbox Cafe, Castle Street. Please contact the organiser for the January date. Contact: Helen Howard
2026-2027 Main Programme Courses
I hope that you are all enjoying your current season courses. This year we have offered 122 main programme courses with additional winter extras and summer courses. However, it’s now the new year and we need to start putting together our thoughts for the next season.
We will be starting to compile courses at the end of January and over the next two months we need to receive them all. In the February Bulletin I will be letting you know how to submit your courses this year which is a bit more streamlined than before, although the process is basically the same as last year.
Please contact your Subject Coordinator (see your blue u3a Information card or Subject Coordinators webpage) to let them know that you intend to submit a course.
We currently have 3 vacancies for Subject Coordinator:
- Creative & Recreational Skills
- Languages
- Religious Studies & Philosophy.
I would urge you to consider taking up one of these positions. Please contact me via the link below if you are interested. In the meantime, I shall be acting as Coordinator for these subjects.
Jonathan Butchers
Canterbury u3a Holidays
Five Day Coach Holidays 2026
The Canterbury u3a holiday planning group has now closed bookings for the 11th - 15th May trip to West Sussex. The holiday has proved very popular and is now sold out.
Details of the next holiday: 14th - 18th September to The Cotswolds will be published soon.
The planning group would love to hear from an individual u3a member or couple who would enjoy managing the member booking administration and communication with the chosen travel company.
Indeed, if you are interested in helping with and participating in the five day coach holidays, please come and join the planning group!
Contact me in the first instance please: Robin Terry
Research Opportunity
Music and movement for wellbeing
Our research partner, Professor Angela Pickard of the Sidney De Haan Research Centre at Canterbury Christ Church University (CCCU), would like to invite Canterbury u3a members to take part in an exciting new research project.
Volunteers will be asked to participate in a series of 10 sessions based on a standard music and movement-based method and will have the opportunity to feed back via a short (10 minute) anonymous questionnaire conducted by a Centre researcher during and after the sessions. No music or dance experience is necessary.
The sessions will start on Monday 5th January at 10.30-12.00 and will be at CCCU in Anselm studio Ag09 at the university. A limited number of parking permits will be available.
This research is part of an international project, which also includes centres in
Canada, Japan and Korea.
If you are interested, please contact Ann Skingley
London Lights Outing Report
It was gloomy and wet as we gathered at the Bus Station to board our coach, but u3a members are an intrepid bunch and a little rain wasn’t going to spoil our day. The journey to London was smooth and trouble free; the coach comfortable and well driven. Our tour guide joined us and we soon reached Kennedy’s for our fish and chip lunch, which was excellent and enjoyed by all. There was lots to eat. At 3.00 pm we arrived at St Paul’s Cathedral for Choral Evensong. The singing and organ music were outstanding and u3a Canterbury was given a special welcome by the Officiant. After that [...]
It was gloomy and wet as we gathered at the Bus Station to board our coach, but u3a members are an intrepid bunch and a little rain wasn’t going to spoil our day. The journey to London was smooth and trouble free; the coach comfortable and well driven. Our tour guide joined us and we soon reached Kennedy’s for our fish and chip lunch, which was excellent and enjoyed by all. There was lots to eat.
At 3.00 pm we arrived at St Paul’s Cathedral for Choral Evensong. The singing and organ music were outstanding and u3a Canterbury was given a special welcome by the Officiant. After that we set off to view the Christmas lights. Trafalgar Square, Piccadilly Circus, Regent and Bond Streets were all visited, and I think everyone agreed that Regent Street was the winner with its Spirit of Christmas overhead displays.
Everywhere was heaving with people – some standing in the road for selfies, whilst rickshaws and little hire cars weaved in and out between the crowds. How our driver coped was a sight to see. Our final call at 6.00 pm was Covent Garden, which was packed. We wandered about as best we could and my friend and I were beautifully entertained, as we queued for the loo, by a fine soprano, singing Nessun Dorma to the throng.
What a good time we had. Everyone on the trip was friendly and inclusive, the food was good, the sights wonderful and the guide and driver first-class.
Many thanks to Rose and Tim for organising this lovely trip.
Jane Hart
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Welcome Walk in the New Year.
Walk about 4 miles from Canterbury West Station to Kent University on the 9 January 2026 at 10.30am [...]
The first walk of the year is a circular walk of 3-4miles starting from ouside Canterbury West Station and walking to Kent University. If driving park at the Goods Shed, Station Road, CT2 8AN, (please make a purchase or enjoy a coffee after though). The walk will be varied and relatively mudless as we walk along gravelled and tar paths.
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Festive Fun & Games!
And in case you were wondering... here are the answers (and the clues) to Chris Anspack's Christmas Puzzle in last month's bulletin:
- A little fellow stole a precious jewel from the Louvre (3 )
ELF - I get angry following brutal honesty but smell OK ( 12 )
FRANKINCENSE - Sounds like someone’s nicked this cake ( 7 )
STOLLEN - She sang about Santa Baby (6,4 )
EARTHA KITT - The start of it all (3, 5, 4)
THE FIRST NOEL - I heard this plonk got stuck somewhere (8)
GLUHWEIN - It seems that part of roast turkey initially is drunk (4)
PORT - Wills epiphany moment (7,5)
TWELFTH NIGHT - Coming down the chimney, his first glance is a stocking and nice tree arranged in the lounge (5)
SANTA - This guy sang about an unusual colour for Christmas (5, 7)
ELVIS PRESLEY
Thank you for all your contributions, from a couple of sentences up to 250 words.
Keep them coming, as this is your News Bulletin.
Send them to Ursula Steiger
The copy date for February is Monday 26 January