Location and Parking for Meetings

We meet at The Bromsgrove Methodist Church Centre, 19 Stratford Rd, Bromsgrove B60 1AS.

School Drive car park is the closest parking area for the Bromsgrove Methodist Centre. For further information, please click on the link. Bromsgrove Council's Car Park Website.

New Members - Joining Bromsgrove U3A

If you wish to join Bromsgrove U3A, please contact our Membership Secretary We will provide you with an application form together with instructions on how to pay the membership fee.

For new members, the subscription for 2026 is £20

Invitation to join Droitwich u3a's Bridge Beginners or Bridge Improvers Groups.

For more information or to sign-up for either group please contact Les Hazlewood -

on 01905 796201 or email leshazlewood@btinternet.com 

Please remember to state which group you are interested in.

1st group is - Droitwich u3a Bridge Beginners Group

Droitwich u3a are now taking names for the next Bridge Beginners interest group which will operate as a course running from October 2026 to March 2027 inclusive, with the 2-hour meetings being held weekly on a day to be agreed between the members.

The course is suitable for members who are complete novices to the game of Bridge or who may have played some time ago and forgotten most of what they once knew.

Bridge is a "whist-like" card game for 4 players operating as two teams/pairs, who sit opposite each other. The game consists of two main parts. Firstly, the bidding - where players compete to decide on a contract where one pair aims to take a specified number of tricks, with a specified suit as trumps (or with no trumps). Secondly, the play - where the pair that won the contract then try to make at least the specified number of tricks. Starting from the absolute basics the course will cover the main features of Acol (the most commonly used bidding system), and some techniques of card play. Familiarity with “whist-like” card games would be an advantage, but is not essential.

This group/course is open to members of Alcester u3a, Bromsgrove u3a, Evesham u3a, Malvern u3a, Pershore u3a, Redditch u3a and Wyre Forest u3a. Participants will need to become Reciprocal Members of Droitwich u3a, but there is no charge associated with such a membership.

2nd group is - Droitwich u3a Bridge Improvers Group

Droitwich u3a are now taking names for the next Bridge Improvers interest group which will operate as a course running from October 2026 to March 2027 inclusive, with the 2-hour meetings being held weekly on a day to be agreed between the members.

The course is designed for members who already have some basic knowledge of the Acol bidding system (such as "weak no trumps", Stayman, Blackwood and Gerber) and some basic techniques of card play (such as "finessing" and avoiding "suit blocking"). Thus, the group is not suitable for members new to the game of Bridge, but is appropriate for those members who have recently completed the Bridge Beginners group/course and members who have been used to playing "social Bridge" and who wish to further improve their knowledge and understanding of the game.

The course will start with a brief review of basic Acol, followed by a look at various techniques of hand evaluation, including the "losing trick count" method. Then, about half of the course will comprise some of the major Acol extensions in common usage, including "Backwood and Gerber variants", "Benjamin/Weak 2-Bids", "Red-Suit Transfers", "Trial Bids", "Cue Bids", "Splinter Bids", etc. The remaining half of the course will look at techniques of card play, for either no trump or suit contracts, intended to either maximise the number of tricks made, and/or achieve the number of contract tricks safely.

This group/course is open to members of Alcester u3a, Bromsgrove u3a, Evesham u3a, Malvern u3a, Pershore u3a, Redditch u3a and Wyre Forest u3a. Participants will need to become Reciprocal Members of Droitwich u3a, but there is no charge associated with such a membership.

2026 Membership Renewal Subscriptions

It is now a requirement that existing members must complete on renewal a new membership form.

The form is available by contacting the Membership Secretary

You will be sent an application form, with instructions on how to pay your membership fee.

The membership renewal fee for 2026 is £20

Notice for Members receiving information by email notifications

It has been reported that some members are not receiving Newsletters, Programmes or Information notices by email.

Further to an investigation, it would appear that these notices are being delivered into members Junk/Spam folders.

Can you please check your Junk/Spam folders regularly for emails from the U3A.

If you find that the problem still exists, then please report to the Membership Secretary

Newsletters

We are not currently posting Newsletter updates to this website.

For existing members, newsletters are made available by email. If you wish to be added to the emailing list, please contact the Membership Secretary

Facebook

You can now find us on Facebook.

Interested in finding out more? Please click on the Facebook link.

Committee meetings

Should anyone require a copy of the latest minutes, they can be made available on request from the Membership Secretary

Insurance information for Group Leaders and Members of the U3A

u3a - The Third Age Trust

u3a is UK-wide movement of locally-run groups providing a wide range of opportunities to come together to learn for fun. (Please click on the button)

u3a - Learning Activities

Check out the latest range of activities including online talks and workshops available through the u3a National website. (Please click on the button)

Interest Groups Online

This is a national programme offered by the Third Age Trust which might be suitable if you are unable to attend our 'in person' meetings. It is completely separate from all local u3as, including Bromsgrove u3a. Paying to use the Interest Groups Online service doesn't include membership of Bromsgrove u3a. You can of course do both but if it's a choice, please join Bromsgrove u3a where you'll find a friendly face-to-face welcome. (Please click on the button)

Cotswold Link

Bromsgrove is a member of this grouping of u3as.

What is Cotswold Link?
It is a network of 27 u3as covering Gloucestershire, Herefordshire and Worcestershire.

Cotswold Link reciprocal arrangement.
In the interests of sharing and perpetuating the aims of the u3a movement, the Link has set up a reciprocal arrangement between its member u3as. Any member of a Link u3a may attend one Group activity in another Link u3a, without having to become a member of that other u3a. General meetings of the u3a do not count as a group activity. Session fees for the group activity will still apply. This is an entirely voluntary agreement between Link u3as but most participate.

See what else the Cotswold Link can provide.

The Cotswold Link also organises an annual Special Interest Day, which is open to members of all u3as affiliated to the network.

Check out the website to find out more.

https://cotswold-link.u3asite.uk/

Free Technical Support

Free Technical Support is available for all U3a members.

Sessions are now available for assistance in staying safe online, using online banking and much more.

If you are interested in learning and improving your skills, AbilityNet can assist you.

Please click on the button below for more information.