Porthcawl

u3a

Monthly Meeting

Status:Active, open to new members
Leader:
When: Monthly on Wednesday afternoons
Venue: The Hi-Tide

A reminder that our monthly talks are also open to non-members. They’re a chance to demonstrate the breadth and quality of what we do, and therefore encourage people to join. Many of our previous speakers have been either members of Porthcawl u3a, or very local supporters.

Our Programme for 2026

Date TitleSpeaker
January 14thBuilding the Shard, London’s tallest structureElwyn Griffiths
February 11th My Rum-Runner GrandfatherPhilip Thomas
March 11thMexico on a Motorbike Andrew Mason*
April 8thPercy Dowten - A First World War Soldier
and his very personal  story of the time
that he served and saw action		Gareth Scourfield*
May 13thThe Siege of Coity CastleGareth Jones
June 10thCoal out, Copper homeDebra John
July 8thThe Atlantic Slave TradeDave Cannon*
September 9thMade in the TrenchesRosemary Chaloner
October 14thStudy Day
November 11thOn Armistice DayPhilip Masson

Videos

Talks in 2025

Date TitleSpeaker
January 8thMy life as a spy.Peter Cox
February 12th The Silk RoadJarmila Davies
March 12thTo the foothills of the Himalayas John Limbert*
April 9th Rewriting historyAndrew Collier*
May 14th Cannibals and headhuntersRob Combes
June 11th First Ladies of AmericaGeoff Henderson*
July 9th  Organising State OccasionsSian Joseph
September 10th Behind the scenes at a theatreRosemary Chaloner
October 8thBuying and selling antiques
and unusual household items		Jim Bischoff
November 12thStudy Day - Local History

Talks in 2024

Date TitleSpeaker
January 10thMy flight in a SpitfireMalcolm Cowper*
February 14th Do you want to live forever?Martin Patten*
March 13thHi de Hi! - Being a Butlin Redcoat Rosemary Chaloner
April 10thThe Northern Ireland Troubles (1969-1998)Doug Jones*
May 8thGareth Jones, son of Barry, hero of Ukraine Geoff Henderson*
June 12thMicrobiology for beginners Dr Allison Wroe
July 10thKorea 1950-53: When the COLD War Became HOT Ben Fielding*
September 11thPathology: the hidden science Andrew Mason*
October 9thStudy Day
November 13thMy Israeli experienceDave Cannon*

Asterisks denote that the speaker is a current or past U3A Member.

More videos available on our YouTube channel

Full list of Groups

Groups listed alphabetically

  • Astronomy
    Status: Active
    On Thursday afternoons
    Weeks 1 & 3 at 2 p.m.
  • Book Club 1
    Status: Full
    Monthly on Friday mornings
    Last Friday of month
  • Book Club 2
    Status: Full
    Monthly on Wednesday mornings
    week 2
  • Book Club 3
    Status: Full
    Monthly on Thursday afternoons
    Week 1 @ 2 p.m.
  • Canasta
    Status: Active
    On Monday afternoons
    Week 1 & 3
  • Ceramics
    Status: Waiting list
    Weekly on Wednesday afternoons 2:00 pm
  • Coffee Morning
    Status: Active
    Monthly on Saturday mornings 10:30 am
    Last Saturday of the Month
  • Conversations Group
    Status: Active
    On Thursday afternoons
    Weeks 2 & 4 at 1.45 p.m.
  • Crafts
    Status: Active
    On Thursday afternoons
    Week 1 & 3
  • Evening Talks
    Status: Dormant
    Weekly on Friday evenings
    Through July
  • Exploring Poetry
    Status: Active
    On Monday mornings
    Weeks 1 & 3
  • French for All
    Status: Active
    On Tuesday mornings
    Weeks 1 & 3
  • Gardening
    Status: Active
    Monthly on Tuesday afternoons
    Week 4
  • History
    Status: Active
    On Monday mornings 10:00 am-12:00 pm
    Weeks 1 & 3
  • International ZOOM
    Status: Active
    On Monday afternoons
    Weeks 1 & 3
  • Italian for All
    Status: Active
    Fortnightly on Thursday afternoons 2:00 pm-4:00 pm
    Weeks 2 & 4
  • Kaffee Klatsch
    Status: Active
    On Tuesday mornings
    Weeks 2 & 4 - 11 a.m.
  • Latin
    Status: Active
    On Monday afternoons
    Weeks 2 & 4
  • Litter Picking
    Status: Active
    On Tuesday mornings 10:00 am
    Weeks 1 & 3
  • Mah Jong
    Status: Active
    On Thursday afternoons 2:00 pm-4:00 pm
    Weeks 2 & 4
  • Mindfulness
    Status: Active
    On Tuesday afternoons 1:30 pm-3:30 pm
    Weeks 1 & 3
  • Monthly Meeting
    Status: Active
    Monthly on Wednesday afternoons
  • Origin and Development of Drama
    Status: Active
    On Monday afternoons
    Week 2 & 4
  • Painting Workshop
    Status: Waiting list
    Weekly on Thursday mornings
  • Philosophy and Ideas
    Status: Active
    On Friday mornings 10:00 am-12:00 pm
    Weeks 1 & 3
  • Photography for Everyone
    Status: Active
    On Tuesday afternoons
    Weeks 2 & 4
  • Play Reading
    Status: Active
    On Thursday afternoons
    Weeks 2 & 4
  • Psychology
    Status: Active
    Monthly on Thursday mornings 10:00 am-12:00 pm
    Week 3
  • Quiz
    Status: Active
    Monthly on Monday afternoons
    Week 2
  • Rummikub
    Status: Active
    On Friday afternoons
    Weeks 1 & 3
  • Scrabble
    Status: Active
    On Monday mornings
    Weeks 1 & 3
  • Search for Knowledge
    Status: Active
    Monthly on Monday afternoons
    Week 3
  • Singing for Fun
    Status: Dormant
    On Friday afternoons
  • Social Cycling
    Status: Active
    On Thursday mornings
    Ad Hoc
  • Social Dance
    Status: Active
    On Thursday afternoons 2:00 pm-4:00 pm
    2nd and 4th Tuesday of the month
  • Sustainability
    Status: Active
    Monthly on Tuesday afternoons
    Week 2
  • Table Tennis
    Status: Active
    Weekly on Friday mornings
  • Technology Help Desk
    Status: Active
    On Monday mornings
    Weeks 2 & 4
  • Ukulele
    Status: Active
    On Friday afternoons
    Weeks 1 & 3
  • Understanding Modern Art
    Status: Active
    Monthly on Monday mornings 10:00 am-12:00 pm
    2nd Monday
  • Walking
    Status: Active
    On Friday afternoons
    Weeks 2 & 4
  • Welsh
    Status: Active
    On Thursday mornings
    Weeks 2 & 4
  • Whist
    Status: Active
    On Monday afternoons
    Weeks 2 & 4
  • Wildlife
    Status: Active
    Monthly on Tuesday afternoons
    Week 1
  • Writing for Pleasure 1
    Status: Active
    On Friday mornings 10:00 am
    Weeks 1 & 3
  • Writing for Pleasure 2
    Status: Full
    On Friday mornings 10:00 am
    Weeks 1 & 3
  • Writing for Pleasure 3
    Status: Active
    On Friday mornings 10:00 am
    Weeks 1 & 3