Hayling Island U3A
We are in the early stages of creating a jigsaw exchange.
The idea is that we describe jigsaws and make them available to other members of the group.
Members can collect and either return a jigsaw or pass it on to another member with the owner's permission. They should do that in a 'reasonable' time to avoid blocking access for another member.
Details of jigsaws available are visible only to logged-in HIU3A members. Click here to log in and see them.
The Hayling Island u3a is open to anyone who is no longer in full time-employment and those who have retired. It is organised into groups, providing the facilities to bring like-minded people together to enjoy new and interesting pastimes and social events. We currently have over 50 groups covering creative, cultural, and physical subject areas with the addition of trips, visits and monthly speakers.
Hayling Island u3a has been running since 2006 and has around 400 members. There are plenty of opportunities for members to make new friends, learn and laugh. There are no age restrictions and our members come from all walks of life.
We're holding an open day from 10am to 4.30pm in and around the Hayling Island Community Centre and Radford Hall. We'll showcase the large number of activities and interests that we have to offer.
You are welcome to attend the day so please come along no matter your age or ability. You can find out more about the organisation, learn how to join and try out some of its activities throughout the day. There will be many ‘have a go’ stalls, demonstrations, music to tap your feet to whilst having a tea or coffee and all followed up with a talk from an external speaker.
We provide a list of events in the 'Forthcoming events' box on this page. Click any heading to find out more.
In addition we are exploring interest in new groups:
We are also expecting a visit from the mayor around 2pm in advance of a presentation from Malcolm Wells - an excellent external speaker.
We'll be exhibiting artefacts contributed by members in Hayling Library to demonstrate the diverse range of activities we undertake. You can see the display all through September.
There's plenty of information available on this site. Please explore what we have to offer. You can see a full list of our groups here and the same list organised by activity here.
Please feel free to contact any of our group leaders. Click the 'more' link next to any group in one of these lists to see the group's page which provides contact details.
Alternatively, use our contact page to ask questions or let us know if you see an opportunity to expand our activities.
You can discover the benefits of membership and our current membership fees, and apply for membership here. If you prefer, you can join up in the main hall of the community centre between 10am and 4.30pm during the open day. We accept cash, cheques, credit and debit cards.
We have been awarded a National Heritage Lottery Fund grant to undertake this project to explore and document life on Hayling between the ends of the first and second world wars - the changing years. I thank the many members who have offered to become involved in a range of ways.
The range of help required is comprehensive; for example, we need people who would be willing to talk with Hayling residents whose families lived on Hayling during those years. It may well be that you live next door to such a family and could encourage them to tell you of their family stories which could be included in a future publication, or have
interesting artefacts which they may be willing to lend to an exhibition in 2019. We also seek any members who would be willing to assist in the writing up of the stories and research information gathered. You may be able to help in researching the services available to Hayling residents including:
We are fortunate that Janet Coates-Jones has again undertaken the mammoth task of recording the men and civilians who lost their lives within the sequence of major events during WW2. Janet will appreciate any help in tracing these families to enable her to record accurate stories attached to each casualty.
We have over 450 members in our U3A and this is a great opportunity for you to become involved in a project which covers so many areas of everyday life, It is our hope that in taking part you will discover new interests and friendships. We will be offering help and advice to everyone and small groups willing to become involved. No matter how tentative you may feel on reading this I am sure that once you become involved you will find the experience rewarding and enjoyable and you may make new friends along the way.
If you'd like to be added to the project mailing list, or if you have something to contribute, please let me know via email address: changingyears@haylingu3a.org.
Thank you,
Mike Burnham
The Birds and Wildlife group is starting as a 'visits' group. We'll be going to sites both on and off the island. The initial programme covers both flora and fauna. Some visits will be dependent on tides or similar factors so we will not be sticking to a fixed day in the month or a fixed time. Also there is scope for some 'ad hoc' events - for example: if someone spots the bee orchids are out on the common. Finally, if weather forecast is poor, we will postpone or cancel the visit.
So, if you are interested, make sure you are on the group's membership list so you get email notification of events, sightings postponements and cancellations. To find out if you are on the list, log in to the members' area then, if you see a 'Membership list' link at the top of this page, you are on the list. If not, ask Andy Henderson to add you to the list.
You do not, however, have to be on the membership list to attend one of the visits. Instead, they will be open to all members unless circumstances dictate limited numbers - in which case booking will be on a 'first-come, first served' basis.
Where possible, visits will be accessible to members with mobility issues but some visits will require walking some distance possibly over rough terrain. The description of each visit will address accessibility.
The intention is that we will travel to visits on the island independently. If you would like a lift to a site, get in touch with Andy and he will try to arrange something for you.
When we go off the island, we will arrange to car-share. Members of the Walking group will be familiar with the arrangement. We will meet in the West Town car-park off Station Road and decide how best to use the available cars and drivers to get to our destination, and back. Alternatively, you might prefer to go direct.
We take short, undemanding walks that we try to incorporate coffee/snack.
Any member is welcome to join us, you don't have to book in advance. However, if you let the organisers know you are planning to join a walk, they can look out for you at the start, and contact you if the walk has to be cancelled for any reason.
You can either travel direct to the start point, or you can share a car leaving from the station road car park near the community centre.
We arrange presentations on a variety of topics at 2pm on the third Thursday of every month at the Hayling Island Community Centre.
Click here to see details of the current programme.
As well as an opportunity to hear a well-presented and interesting presentation, it's also a good chance to find out what's happening in Hayling Island u3a and - in particular - to book one of our visits.
We provide tea, coffee and biscuits and a chance to chat at the end of the meeting.
If you don't know anyone, please make yourself known at the 'meet and greet' table and we will try to arrange some introductions.
The meetings are open to everyone - not just u3a members. We do, however, charge a £2 admission fee to non-members as a contribution to refreshment, speaker and hall hire costs.
We arrange occasional visits to places on behalf of all Hayling Island u3a members. You do not have to join the Visits 'group' to go on one of our trips.
Bookings for visits are limited and - because of nationally negotiated insurance - available only to u3a members. We take bookings on a first-come first-served basis, but (because of issues we've had in the past) we do not recognise a booking until we've received your payment. That means we cannot start taking bookings until we have calculated the cost to members.
Please note that no refunds will be made unless the ticket can be reallocated from the waiting list or the person who cannot go can find someone to use their ticket.
If visits are unders-ubscribed we reserve the right to offer places to members of other local u3a Groups in order to avoid making a loss. Naturally Hayling Island u3a members have priority.
The easiest way for you to book a place on a visit is to go to the visit page (click the visit name shown under 'Forthcoming events') and follow the instructions shown under 'Your bookings' at the end of the description. If 'Your bookings' doesn't appear it means we are still calculating the cost of the trip so can't yet take bookings.
You can also book visits at the monthly meetings. We'll have a table set up to take bookings for visits. You can pay with:
You can also:
You need to login to the members' area to see the bank account details and the North's address. Click here to do that now - you will be returned to this page automatically.
Visit start times are usually 8:30am from HIADS returning between 5:30pm to 6:30pm depending on traffic. Other pick up points are: United Reform Church, Hollow Lane; Opposite Co-op/Tournerbury Lane; Bus stop opposite New Cut, North of the Esso garage.
Enjoy the opportunity to walk with others, both for company and support. Learn of unsuspected areas with experienced leaders. Share your favourite walks.
We usually walk on the morning of the 4th Monday of the month (longer walks usually the 1st Friday). There is no limit on membership of the walking group and no fees although we recommend a £2 contribution to the driver when you accept a car share.
We usually meet at the public car park next to Station Road (where the public toilets are) around 9:00am where we arrange car sharing. This cuts both the travel cost and reduces the number of vehicles at the start of the walk.
We create a walks plan at the beginning of the year, with the name of the person that has volunteered to lead the walk. Walks are usually circular - they begin and end at the same point - but we have on a few occasions used bus passes to return to the cars.
Longer walks are arranged as the year progresses. Because they involve fewer members, planning can be more flexible.
We send email details of each walk around 2 weeks in advance to everyone on our distribution list. Details of the walk logistics such as who will drive which passengers and whether lunch needs to be ordered at the walk start are circulated to those joining the walk 2 or 3 days before the walk date.
It is usual that the walk leader checks out the state of the walk for obstructions and difficult ground before the walk, and we can always assist a walk leader in their reconnaissance if they would like help.
If you are thinking of joining a walk, please study the walk description in advance and check that it appears to be within your health and fitness levels. Please also be prepared by wearing footwear (for most walks, that means specialist walking boots) and clothing appropriate for the ground conditions and the worst weather which could occur during the walk.
During the walk we have a stop to gather breath and to take whatever snack and drink you bring.
At the end of the walk some will go to rehydrate, take lunch and socialise at a local hostelry, but it's not compulsory. A key role of the walk leader is to make sure that such a hostelry exists close to the walk and that it will nourish the inner person on a Monday.
The group has a number of 1:25,000 maps you can borrow to investigate possible routes. We also hold a collection of booklets describing walks available within an hour's drive of Hayling.
You can see details - including route maps - of most of the walks we've organised since September 2015 here.
You can use these resources as the basis for a future organised walk, or you're welcome to use them for your own walks with friends or relatives.
Trish Farnham and Andy Henderson often cycle to the walks. Let them know if you'd like to join them.
The cycling group arranges social rides on the first Tuesday of each month. Any member can join our rides.
The rides are relatively short - two to three hours - and involve a stop for coffee/tea and cake or a light lunch (or what you fancy). The rides are not fast and, in any case, go at the pace of the slowest rider.
We use quiet lanes where we can, but cannot avoid roads altogether. You should therefore be confident riding in traffic.
Street-legal electric bikes are welcome - several members already use them.
Find out more about what you need on one of our rides.
We usually discuss destinations in the week before the ride in the Cycling group forum. Rides usually start from HIADS at 10am but occasionally start at the ferry - please check with the Cycling group forum before joining a ride.
If the weather's bad we will postpone. Please check the forum before joining a ride, or ask to join our email list.