Annual showcase attracts new members to Lancing and Sompting u3a

Leaders of the u3a's various groups had stalls at Lancing Parish Hall on Monday afternoon with the hopes of attracting more people to sign up.

Garry Purnell, chairman, said: "We have got about 203 members. It went down, and never really recovered, after Covid but hopefully we are beginning to boost it up again. I think we can get the numbers up and things like this are good for that. It is about getting our name out there.

"It is a great organisation and it is all over the country. It is a good thing for people, even just for social groups, meeting for a coffee, which is great if you want to meet new people.

"I am all for learning. My own love is British history and I take people on tours around London, showing them the unusual things. In my history group, we cover all sorts of stuff. Anyone can bring anything to the table.

"The groups are all self-sufficient and we are in a good place. Having just come in as chairman, it's nice to see we have a solid foundation."

Jenny Barnes runs two groups, Creative Writing on the third Thursday of the month at 10am and the Rag Rug Group on the first Thursday of the month at 10am.

She said: "It is very much a social thing, and a support. It is not just the learning, it is about sharing a common interest."

John Leaney runs the Cryptic Crossword Group with Heather Stone, teaching people the basics of solving the clues and then building on that knowledge.

He explained: "In cryptic crosswords, there are eight rules and two instructions. In the beginners group, we teach people the rules of cryptic crosswords and then there is an advanced group."

The beginners course is made up of eight sessions running fortnightly on the first and third Tuesday of the month, 2pm to 4pm, at the home of Heather in Western Road, Lancing. Those who complete the course can then join the advanced group at Heather Stone's home, 10am to 12pm on the third Tuesday of the month.

Peter Bowers runs Wine Appreciation on the first Wednesday of the month at 7pm. He said there are 30 members and they have a theme each month, for example Italian wines last month and sparling wines at the meeting on September 4.

Peter added: "I was in the trade for 52 years. Each wine is talked about individually and we do a tasting. It takes a bit of time to educate the palate. We always have a quiz based on what we have discussed that month and the prize will be something like wine gums."

See the new look website at lancingandsompting.u3asite.uk for more information about the groups, which provide a wide range of opportunities for people who are no longer in full-time work or raising a family to get together to learn for fun.