New Members welcome -
email our Membership Secretary for details
From the Chairman
FROM THE CHAIRMAN - ‘THE APPRENTICE’
The speaker at our last meeting was Paul Wilding from the Essex Youth Justice Service – South Essex.
Paul’s talk was extremely interesting and informative. He is an inspirational man who is passionate about helping young people turn their lives around.
Meat Trade – shortage of apprentices!
I am going back 40 years, therefore, my recollection of this venture is slightly hazy.
It brought back memories for me from the mid-1980’s. The Margaret Thatcher Government was grappling with youth unemployment.
The then government introduced the Youth Training Scheme YTS,
this was where employers were paid to take on apprentices.
With my butcher’s shop in Rayleigh it was always difficult to get good, well skilled staff.
Byford’s Butchery School in Rayleigh – a stand-alone business.
After carefully researching and carrying out a feasibility study, I started by consulting with the Meat and Livestock Commission’s trade development officer, Graham Youngman.
He had a contact at the Norwich City College – John Croxford.
John lived in West Runton (on the North Norfolk coast).
After numerous meetings with Graham and John we decided that it was worth trying to get a butchery school in Rayleigh ‘off the ground’.
My next challenge was to find a local manager for my YTS Scheme and
premises.
By good fortune a local, well respected butcher Stan Howe was retiring. Stan’s shops were in the Grange Parade of shops on the London Road, Rayleigh and he had a second shop at the Hambro Parade, located en route to Hullbridge.
Premises
After researching the availability of convenient, easily accessible premises, I managed to get an informal agreement with the owner of Rayleigh Lanes – he rented us a generously sized room on the first floor.
We worked with the local careers office to promote our new school
Our students came from a radius of about 10 miles of Rayleigh.
The initial intake of students was 20 plus, all boys, some of whom were at the time very unsure of a career path and were not totally
committed to our Foundation Course.
Butchery School - how it worked in practical terms
John Croxford would leave his home in Norfolk at 5.30 am to arrive in Rayleigh for 8.30 - 9.00 am on a Monday.
With the students learning their theory at the school one day per week and working four days per week at a butcher’s shop placement.
The students would have a set curriculum of theory and practical training. My manager, Stan Howe, would visit the participating shops once a month to check on the progress of the students.
To broaden the knowledge of the students Stan, John and myself would take them on field trips, for example, Smithfield Market in London and the National Meat Trade Exhibition at the NEC Birmingham.
This exhibition showcased equipment for butcher’s shops, abattoirs, processors, seasonings, marinades, uniforms etc.
The Rayleigh school ran for 3-4 years with many students receiving full-time jobs in the shops where they received their training, with others going into the world of catering butchers and others taking a
career path into processing with some taking a completely different route into full time employment.
By mutual agreement Stan, John and myself felt this modest butchery school had run its course.
Legacy
ln 1989 John Croxford and his wife Jane Dale (also a former tutor at the Norwich City College) opened their own butchery training school in Ipswich - M E A T (Ipswich) Ltd.
I would like to think that John and Jane used the business model of the Rayleigh Butchery School for their venture into training
Sadly, John died in 1998, Jane asked me to give some reflections of John at his funeral, which I was honoured to do.
Jane carried on with her dedicated staff for a number of years.
Fast forward 39 years to now
M E A T (Ipswich) Ltd continues to thrive offering butchery, fishmongery,
advanced hygiene accredited courses, and more in the UK and internationally (for history/information visit their website).
One of my former YTS students I am proud to say is Jon Gold, he is a very successful entrepreneur who operates a Farm Shop at Lubards Farm on the Hullbridge Road currently employing 22 staff.
Jon purchased the business 12 years ago and has developed it offering a wonderful selection of fresh meat, pies, cooked meats, some novelty cakes and many more foods typically found in a farm shop.
It is very pleasing to know that from an idea back in the 1980’s, which has stood the test of time, has
developed into successful businesses still operating today.
Edward Byford
Chairman
June 2026
WELCOME - Rayleigh Grange u3a
In 2009, following a launch meeting at Rayleigh Grange, organised by Rayleigh u3a, and the national office, several volunteers came forward to start a new u3a.
Those volunteers – Lillah Akerman, Ann Rawlinson, Margaret Halloran, Julia White, Sue Mahoney, Alan and Viv McKeown, June Cross, Jacqui Butcher, Irene and Stan Reynell - met up on 13 March 2009 at the Hungry Horse in London Road, to form a steering committee and Rayleigh Grange U3A was born.
Lillah became our first Chairman and the group of 11 our founder members.
The name Rayleigh Grange was chosen, as our monthly meeting is held at the Grange Community Centre, Little Wheatley Chase, Rayleigh.
The initial membership of 39 at our first monthly meeting has grown steadily and we now have about 330 members.
U3A stands for the University of the Third Age, but is not a university in the academic sense – no qualifications are required and none are given.
The U3A provides an opportunity through self-help to widen our experiences and knowledge.
There are now over 1000 local u3as, all over the UK, with over 425,000 members, and many more Worldwide.
We are a lively organisation, with members drawn from Rayleigh, and the surrounding area.
Our main activities centre around over 50 interest groups, which draw upon the knowledge and expertise of our members.
These are held in members homes and venues around Rayleigh, plus trips to other areas, and offer educational, recreational and physical activities, for those who are retired, or no longer in full-time employment.
Rayleigh Grange u3a is run by an elected committee of up to 15 members.
Each local u3a is autonomous, and develops its own distinctive features, but is able to call upon national and regional parts of the organisation, for help and advice.
Rayleigh Grange u3a is affiliated to the Third Age Trust, and upholds its aims and principles.
Subscription is currently only £13 a year or £25 for 2 people at the same address (this could change) which includes the features below:
- Entrance to our interest groups, spaces permitting, in the individual groups.
- Monthly meeting with a Guest Speaker - these are held on the first Wednesday of each month, usually, excluding August, but as you will imagine, all things are apt to change.
- Refreshments at the monthly meeting
- A monthly newsletter or bulletin
- Five copies of the national magazine “Third Age Matters”, (see next line !).
- You have to tell us if you want the magazine, email to Beacon Admin, or you won't receive it.
Interest groups normally meet in the home of the leader or a group member and 50p is payable for refreshments.
Additional costs may be payable when groups meet in a hall or if other fees are required (Hall hire, entrance fees, contribution to fuel costs).
Every member is entitled to attend our monthly meeting, where we aim to have a different speaker each time (see Events page).
They are held on the first Wednesday of each month at the Rayleigh Grange Community Centre, Little Wheatley Chase, Rayleigh.
Doors open at 1.30pm and the meeting starts at 2.00pm prompt.
Please ensure you sign in at the front door and please turn your mobile phone off!
(Anyone who can help putting out and stacking away the chairs will be very welcome).
Guests are welcome to attend our monthly meeting if spaces are available, the guest fee is £3.
Rayleigh Grange u3a is a Registered Charity Number 1165092.