The Collingham and District branch of u3a is celebrating a 10-year milestone

The Collingham and District branch of over 1,000 charities UK-wide is celebrating a 10-year milestone.

Collingham and District u3a was created in July 2014 and members marked the event at the Phoenix Hall, Collingham.

It saw members of the original committee assembled with current members.

Anita Maunsell, the very first chairwoman said: “Setting up our u3a might have involved a lot of

planning but we certainly reflected one of the organisation’s tenets - ‘learn, laugh, live’.

“For me, the most notable achievement was the way in which our u3a provided an environment for new friendships based on shared interest between people living in Collingham and surrounding villages.”

There are currently 170 members and over 25 different groups offering a wide range of educational topics, lifestyle, music and games.

The recently formed quiz group has already been challenged to a competition by a rival u3a group in Southwell.

A former committee member, Clive Bainbridge, said it was the best committee he had ever had the pleasure to serve and that it was a laugh minute with some clever and dedicated people.

Current chairwoman, Chris Stothard, is enthused that joining the u3a is a wonderful way to get to know people if you are new to the village or to make friends for established residents.

As well as individual group meetings a general meeting is held on the fourth Wednesday of the month at the Memorial Hall in Collingham.