New Members welcome -
email our Membership Secretary for details
From the Chairman
St Michael’s Church, Sir Walter Raleigh Drive
Affiliated to Holy Trinity Church, Rayleigh
PART ONE
St Michael’s Church celebrated 70 years of being in Sir Walter Raleigh Drive on the 3rd October 2026.
Jackie Dillnutt, Social Secretary from Rayleigh Grange u3a, sent out a notice about the above event
which my wife Helen and I attended.
We are not regular parishioners at the church, however, we have attended a special service there (more information about that later).
By chance whilst visiting the church during this day of celebration we met a couple who were near
neighbours when we lived in Avondale Close, Rayleigh. The lady’s is name Florence, she and her
husband Clive have been members of the church for 40 years. We enjoyed reminiscing about the ‘good
old days’ in Rayleigh.
Bishop Adam of Bradwell, along with Rev Jackie Turner, took a short service of Thanksgiving and
Celebration of achievements as part of the day’s events.
There were presentations from some church members. Florence, whose roots were from Uganda, and
her husband told the congregation of the work St. Michael’s had done over the 28 years in building an
Anglican Church in Uganda with continued encouragement and support today.
We were shown inspiring pictures of the rural parish with its well-attended churches.
Over the years lasting friendships have developed with Florence, her husband and other church members embarking on the long-haul flight to Uganda.
Another major achievement of this modest church was embarking on a mission to change the lives of
young women living in Hyderabad in India. It was explained to the congregation that these innocent
young women had little option but to ‘work on the streets’, just to earn enough money to barely live on
£3.00 per day.
Members of the church were so appalled on discovering this that they decided they must try to help.
Their answer was to give these young women sewing machines and basic training. This proved to be a
huge success with the girls making saris for a living which has given them a safe, sustainable income of
£5 per day and we were told gave them reasonable standard of living.
Back in Sir Walter Drive church members have made vast improvements to the church kitchen and
resurfaced the paths and drive too.
After the service everyone attending was invited to enjoy cake and a cuppa!
PART TWO
Wedding Banns.
Going back to the summer of 2020 when the Covid pandemic was still looming large and affecting the
lives of the population, Helen and I were finalising our wedding plans with the wedding Banns and
wedding ceremony scheduled to take place at Holy Trinity Church, Rayleigh.
However, due to the many restrictions on public gatherings, including church services our plans had to
be modified.
I recall that we had to attend a service at St Michael’s to have the Banns read with other engaged
couples. The restrictions were: social distancing, one metre apart, everyone wearing face masks, no
singing of hymns, no talking to other parishioners and a reduced length of the service.
My little story has a very happy ending – Helen and I were married at Holy Trinity Church on the
20th September 2020.
Memories!!!
Edward Byford
Chairman
November 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 just over 340 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 60 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 £15 a year or £29 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 below) !
- 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 group leader or a group member and £1 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.
(Bus stops (25 bus) are quite close, with a reasonable size car park as well).
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.