New Members welcome -
email our Membership Secretary for details
From the Chairman
Dear Members
As we are now in meteorological autumn, with the daylight hours receding, it is time to think about
how to enjoy the likelihood of more time at home indoors.
At our Rayleigh Grange u3a monthly meetings we have a selection of ‘pre-loved’ books and puzzles
available – organised by Peta and her enthusiastic helpers.
Books are 30p each or 4 for a £1
Funds raised each month are in the region of £10 - £12.00.
Jigsaw Puzzles are 50p each
You are welcome to donate books and puzzles (no hardback books please).
Just bring them to our monthly meeting!
We always have a good attendance at our monthly meetings, however, it would be great to see more
members attend – I THINK IF YOU DO NOT NORMALLY ATTEND YOU ARE MISSING OUT ON AN
ENTERTAINING AFTERNOON.
Our meetings are always held at the Grange Community Centre, where there is plenty of free parking.
Members start to arrive for our 2.00 pm meeting from around 1.30 pm. This allows plenty of time to
engage with other members or talk to our Social Secretary, Group Leaders or Committee members or
browse the books and puzzles on offer.
Our speakers usually entertain us for about an hour, this is followed by tea, coffee and biscuits which
are available in the smaller meeting room. Again, a time to chat with fellow members.
Recently we have changed the layout of the chairs in the main hall into more of a ‘fan shape’ to improve
the vision so that members can see our speaker more easily. We have invested in new cordless
microphones to improve the quality of the projection of the speaker’s voice. If you are at the monthly
meeting and cannot see or hear please let me know, I don’t want members to go home disappointed.
Forthcoming Monthly Meetings:
4th November 2026 – Jane Piper
Weird Christmas – Join Mrs Claus and meet some of the more bizarre characters who appear during
the Christmas season. We travel around Europe encountering dangerous trolls, scary scarecrows and
demons.
2nd December 2026 – Music by Raffles
We will be entertained by a duo called “Raffles” with festive music and cheer followed by delicious
mince pies with our tea/coffee.
Edward Byford
Chairman
October 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.