Monthly newsletter - May 2026

This group is specifically for members who live alone and would like the opportunity meet up for lunch in local venues with others in a similar position.

Short, undemanding walks with an optional meal to finish. Second Thursday of each month.

A reading group that meets on the second Tuesday of the month to discuss chosen books.

Book 1 - Hayling Island - Life and Times 1914-1919

Book 2 - Hayling Island - The Years of Change 1919-1946

Both books have been researched, written and published by members of the Hayling Island u3a. The first Book gives an insight into how the Island coped during the First World War. The second Book is devoted to the peacetime that follows WW1 recalling the lives and day to day events that gradually caused the Island to change its character from a remote agricultural and fishing locality to a major holiday resort for thousands of people to enjoy.

The Books are on sale at the Main Meetings and cost £6.50 each or £12 for the pair.

We meet every 2nd Monday in the month, in each other’s home, from 2pm to 4pm. Everyone takes a turn to host, to choose a subject, do research on the subject and give a talk at the meeting. The host provides tea/coffee and biscuits and everyone contributes 50p.

We have had some interesting talks - including History of Shetland, The Orkney Isles, Jane Austen, Isambard Brunel, Princess Catherine Yourievsky, Queen Anne, William and Mary, Chester, Heads will Roll, Irish Potato famine, Osborne House (the group had a day trip to Osborne House).

Norma Downs

We meet to play Canasta in the Age Concern Hall in Webb Lane at 1.30 on alternate Saturdays.

At each session we learn new techniques and ways to develop card
making skills. 10am on the second Wednesday of each month.

At each session we learn new techniques and ways to develop card making skills. 2pm on the second Wednesday of each month.

At each session we learn new techniques and ways to develop card making skills. 2.30pm on the Tuesday before the second Wednesday of each month.

At each session we learn new techniques and ways to develop card making skills. 9.15am on the Tuesday before the second Wednesday of each month.

At each session we learn new techniques and ways to develop card making skills. 12 noon on the Tuesday before the second Wednesday of each month.

Individual work within a group under guidance of qualified instructor. The sessions are on a Wednesday morning at 10 am at HICCA. Costs are £10 a session or 6 for the price of 5.

We play chess on the first Wednesday of each month at the Royal British Legion.

We meet, at 10.30 on the first Wednesday of each month, to produce a piece of original writing using a one of a number of different themes.

On the second Thursday of each month, we will be exploring and trying out the many different aspects of Creative Writing, and sharing our efforts with the group.

Meets at 10am on Wednesdays in good weather to play on a garden court and also on Tuesday afternoon at 2 pm. Also, during the winter months, and days not suitable for croquet, we play Rumikub and Mexican trains.

The weather has been so very unkind that the two groups have only played a
total of 5 games. Sometimes it has been good enough to play, but the pitch is sodden.

We meet anyway, and have been happy to play indoor games of Rummikub and Mexican Trains.

The weather is improving so we look forward to more games.

Sue Kimber

A monthly discussion group - mainly about the politics of the day. We meet at the library on the first Monday of each month.

Specific topics for discussion are suggested by group members. Occasionally one of the group volunteers to present on a topic (we recently had a presentation leading into a discussion on AI).

Usually, we have an open discussion on 2 or 3 topics of the day. April's subjects were Iran and the upcoming local elections.

The group has room for 2 more members at present.

We have recorded group members' predictions for 2026 and will keep those under review.

We proceed democratically, enjoy lively debate, let everyone who wants to speak do so, and disagree respectfully.

The cycling group arranges monthly rides of two to three hours' duration. Usually at 10.00am on the first Tuesday of each month.

An opportunity so sew and share expertise within a small group.

Have a social evening playing this popular game in the convivial surroundings of the Newtown House hotel at 7.00 pm every Tuesday.

We have fun whilst having French conversations. We meet fortnightly, every other Friday 14.00 - 16.00 at The West Town Inn.

We each take it in turn to choose a historical subject, research it and prepare a talk on it. Third Friday of each month, 10 till 12.

We take it in turns to choose an historical subject, research it and deliver a talk on it.
We are "History Magpies" - it can be anything historical - British, European, World - Ancient or Modern.

We have to admit that the research sometimes only extends as far as printing and reading out a piece from History Reclaimed!

We also challenge each other to make a case for e.g. Who was the best King Henry? Who was the best English/British Queen? Who was the best peacetime Prime Minister of the 20th century?

From April 2026 we will meet at the British Legion on the third Friday of each month. We have room for 2 more members to join us.

As there is no "History 1" group, we are also planning to change our name!

We normally meet on the first and third Monday of each month from 2.00pm to 4.00pm at the Hayling Island Community Centre.

The u3a's shanty group "Island Shanty" continues to flourish with well over 40 registered crew members including a thriving instrumental section.

We have enjoyed singing and socialising aboard the good ship HICCA during the winter normally on the 1st and 3rd Monday of the month but now that Spring is here, we will shortly be setting sail on our Summer "cruise" of Hayling.

Before leaving the port of the good ship HICCA we will be supporting the u3a Open Day on the 28^th May. Then all aboard the seaside railway to entertain at their famous Pirate Week over the late May Bank Holiday.

Our travels will then take us to perform at the Horticultural Show on the 28^th June where we will be docking at the Black Barn. We return seaward to board the Olive Leaf on the 26^th July as part of the Island's Hi Fest music festival before enjoying a leisurely late summer cruise through Sam's wonderful Sunflower fields on the 1^st and 29^th August. We will, of course, be returning to HICCA to refuel every 2 weeks!!

There will undoubtedly be other, yet to be confirmed, stopping off ports on the way but fortunately with such a large crew everyone is given the opportunity "sailing" with us. Our crew members are great ambassadors of the u3a throughout the Island so please keep an eye open for our performances on our Facebook page and come along and support us when you can.

Although our ship is currently packed to the gunwales, we try to ensure that new recruits are given the earliest opportunity to join our happy crew so please register an interest on the web site and we will try get you aboard as soon as possible.

We exchange jigsaws. Any member can join us.

Meet to Knit, Crochet and chat

Meets Thursday mornings at the Hayling Island Community Centre at 10am.

We choose a subject to research and present to the rest of the group at a future date. 10.30 am on the first Monday of each month.

Enjoy meals out and socialise with other U3A members.

The Meals Out group formed in early 2026, it is open to all members of
Hayling U3A. We welcome members on their own, but you don't have to be single to join.

We aim to offer two meals out a month. Our regular offer is for the evening buffet at the Moghul in Mengham starting at 6 p.m. on the third Wednesday of each month. We vary the venue and timing of the other meal out, and we have planned an evening meal at Seacourt in early May and lunch at the Golf Club in June.

Richard North or Angie Driscoll if you would like to be kept informed.

Mexican Train is a game played with dominoes. Meeting on the 2nd and 4th Wednesday afternoon of each month until we know how many people wish to join.

We arrange presentations on a variety of topics at 2pm on the third Thursday of every month. It's a good opportunity to find out what's happening and to book one of our visits.

We listen to, and discuss a wide range of music. 2.00pm on the 4th Friday of each month.

The music interests of the group are wide and varied, which makes for an interesting, informative and relaxing afternoon. Over the past few months, the Group has
listened to the music of composers such as Haydn, Bizet, Debussy, Delius, Mahler, Karl Jenkins as well as singers e.g. Joan Sutherland. We have also explored pop songs and TV advertisements that have been directly inspired by classical music.
As Plato is assumed to have quoted "Music is a moral law. It gives a soul to the universe, wings to the mind, flight to the imagination a charm to sadness and life to everything."

The Group meets in the afternoon of the 4th Friday of the month.

Maura Chapman

A very casual relaxed group who meet to make music on the fourth Wednesday of each month.

We are a small group of seven members who play guitars and Recorders, and play an eclectic list of some 40 numbers, encompassing folk, pop, classical and dance music (jigs and reels etc.)

We have recently been joined by Michael who plays a range of whistles made of carbon fibre.

We are currently discussing with a guitar player, who may join us.

We meet on the 4th Wednesday morning in the month in St Andrews Church Hall and play from 10:30 till 12:30 with an important coffee break around 11:30.

For more information, please contact Alan Bartlett through the Hayling u3a website.

We are a group of mixed ability and, although we work to a different project each month, there is no compulsion to follow the set the pattern. 2pm on the third Tuesday of each month.

We develop our skills through sharing our knowledge and ideas, no one is an expert and all levels of ability are welcome. Fourth Friday of the month, 10 to noon.

We meet the first Thursday of each month to draw and paint, in your preferred medium. We share ideas, knowledge and inspire one another to expand our creativity and try new styles.

We play at 2.30pm every Tuesday, and at 10.30am every Thursday and Sunday at Seacourt

We play at Seacourt on Saturday mornings at 10.30

We play at Seacourt every Wednesday at 2.15 for 2.30 start.

We meet to discuss topics of current interest chosen by the group members. We meet at 10 a.m. on the third Wednesday of each month. Currently, we pay £2 to £3 per session to cover the hall hire.

The Philosophy group has been going for more than 20 years. Before Hayling U3A was founded in 2006, Mike Silvester, a professional philosopher, started the group, which then joined U3A. He sadly died in 2025. We all owe a great debt to his kindness and expertise.

About a year ago the group had to split into two. But for some unknown reason, numbers declined, and the second group was combined into the original one. After last Christmas, the numbers have again reduced.

We are hoping that the Open Day display on 28^th May will generate some new members. The meetings are very informal and friendly. At each session, we have a topic chosen by members. A reminder sent out a few days before the meeting allows people who have the time and interest to study the topic and give us all the benefit of their findings. In April, our topic is Leonardo da Vinci, although he was not noted as a philosopher, he has a number of quotations of a philosophical nature, which we will explore.

Who knows what we will choose for the May meeting?

Chris Skerry

We take photographs of mutually agreed subjects and present them at monthly meetings 10am - 12 midday on the last Wednesday of each month.

We meet to play Pickleball weekly each Monday afternoon at the Hayling Community Centre between 4 and 5.30pm.

We meet to play Pickleball on Thursday afternoons on a three-weekly session per month at the Hayling Community Centre between 2.00pm and 3.00pm.

Pickleball is taking off across the UK, and once you've played, it's easy to see why.
It's easy to pick up and is an enjoyable way to stay active without forcing yourself through another gym session.

But beyond the fun, it also delivers really physical and mental benefits backed by research and player experience.

Whether you're brand new or already hooked, here are seven reasons pickleball should become part of your weekly routine.

1. It's an easy way to stay active
2. It supports heart health
3. It's low-impact and joint friendly
4. It builds strength and co-ordination
5. It improves balance and reaction time
6. It lifts your mood and keeps you coming back
7. It brings people together

We meet at the Station theatre at 1.00 pm on the last Thursday of the month. Play sets are provided and Group members participate by assuming a character role in the play.

We get 10 books, usually recommended by group members or from the library, and discuss at meetings. 10am on the third Monday of each month.

Some of us have been meeting for many, many years, but our numbers are beginning to shrink, so we are happy to hear of any further interested members.

Basically, we meet at 10.30on the third Monday of each month, Bank Holidays allow!

We meet in private houses at the moment and so have restricted our member numbers to 10 for that reason. We aim to have a friendly lively discussion of the book, and also any relevant news, books, films, theatre outings etc. that has caught our attention during the preceding month.

We meet on the first Tuesday of every month at 10.30 am to discuss the book we have been reading.

We choose a book to read and discuss each month. We meet on the second Friday of each month.

We meet to discuss a book we've read during the previous weeks and look at future selections over a cuppa, biscuits or cake. 2.30pm, 4^th Tuesday of the month.

We meet to play Rummikub on the 4^th Friday of each month 10am-12pm at The Barley Mow.

We meet at the Barley Mow to play Rummikub every 1^st Monday, 10am to 12pm.

We promote an interest into the very broad field of Science and Technology through an open meeting on the 4^th Wednesday of each month.

Our meetings are held in St Patrick’s Church Hall at 2pm for tea and biscuits, presentation starts at 2.30pm. These presentations are open to everyone in HIU3A, so if you are free then please come along, you do not have to be a Boffin and it is good value for a £2 donation towards refreshments and the hall hire.

The Spring session of talks is ongoing.

The last presentation on the 25^th February given by Chris Skerry on “Solar PV or Battery” was very thought provoking and was a very good aide de camp if you are thinking of entering the market to install Solar panels and battery on/in your house. This presentation gave some very valuable information on the best position to have the panels to maximise the output. Chris has left a copy of his presentation with me so if anyone wishes to have a copy let me know. I will forward it to the group.

Look forward, after having a couple of months with nothing in sight to fill the agenda it is now full. The March presentation was all about the Channel Tunnel and how it was built and its operation. The April presentation was about the Voyager Space craft, what is it all about and where are they now.

27^th May: ‘Portsmouth Waters approach to Biodiversity’ by Jenna Dewhurst.

24^th June: ‘Havant Thicket Reservoir Project’ by Amy Rushton, Portsmouth Water.

Bob Hornby

We meet on the last Thursday of every month to play scrabble at a member’s house
from 2pm to 4pm.

For those who have never played before we will show you the rules of the game. We have cups of tea and biscuits at some point and also a good natter.

We play scrabble every 2^nd Tuesday of the month at a member's house.

We meet on the 2^nd Tuesday of most months, 2.30-4.30 pm to play Scrabble. After playing, we have tea and biscuits and a chat together.

We meet to play Contract Bridge between 9.30 and 11.30 on Tuesdays

A small group of ladies. We meet in each other’s homes once a month, on the second Monday of each month to discuss the book we have just read.

We are preparing for heats and, possibly, the finals of the Uckers World Championships

For those relatively new to the Ukulele or wish to gain confidence and enjoy playing in a relaxed group for fun. We currently meet at The Barley Mow on the 2^nd and
4^th Thursday mornings each month. We also perform gigs at various venues in the community as 'The D'Ukes of Hayling'.

Ukulele Thursday has a busy programme of gigs ahead having already played a few including the Barley Mow (above) on Easter Saturday evening to a lively and appreciative audience.

We are also currently playing for local care homes and collecting donations towards The Rowans Hospice. Another charity we support is Guide Dogs for the Blind by playing at and supporting their events.

Forthcoming gigs include the Ukulele Festival at The British Legion, the Horticulture Society Community Fair and not least our own Hayling u3a Open Day on May 28^th when we will be performing along with other groups. If you are brave enough come and join us on stage, I’m sure we can find a spare ukulele.

The group is currently open to new members.

Hayling U3A organises visits to a variety of places. All members are welcome.

Walk in some of the best countryside in the South of England. A short (3 to 6 mile) walk, usually on the fourth Monday of each month. Longer walks are usually on the first Friday with additional walks from time to time. We also have 5 bus walks in 2026.

The walking group has had a torrid winter, with five walks - nearly half of
the total - lost due to rain. We were caught in a downpour on the one walk we risked despite a mixed forecast (in Gosport). Luckily, we happened to be on a bus route and were able to abandon the walk and make our escape!

Many of us must have been desperate to get out for a walk and our short walk at Liss in January attracted a record number of walkers (23).

We hope to make up for lost walks in what is shaping up to be another dry Spring. In May we are planning two walks where we go further afield than usual. There will be a 7-mile walk from Exbury Gardens to Lepe, with the chance to visit the gardens after lunch to see the rhododendrons and azaleas. Later in the month, we plan to take the ferry to the Isle of Wight for a walk to Quarr Abbey.

We offer at least two walks each month, one of 3 to 6 miles and the other of 6 to 10 miles. In addition, we offer 5 or 6 "bus walks" a year where we take a bus (usually the 700) to the start point of our walk. In midsummer, we might all bring a picnic lunch but most often we share lunch together after the walk in a country pub or cafe.

Every member of Hayling U3A is free to join the walking group. Most of our walks attract 6 to 14 walkers.

We play at Park Community School in Havant and meet every Thursday afternoon for a one-hour session from 5 to 6 pm. If you would like transport to the venue we meet at the Hayling Island Community Centre at 4.15 and car share.

This is a group for players with some knowledge of recorder playing up to those more familiar with the instrument. Meetings are arranged based on member availability.

The group meets every 2 months, on the 3rd Monday of the month from 7pm. Members will taste certain wines from selected regions as specified by the host for that particular meeting.

The group is limited to 10 people, and is divided into 5 pairs. Each pair purchases a bottle of wine for the tasting, up to a maximum of £10 per couple. The host provides cheese and biscuits.

We meet in each other’s homes, and the host for the evening selects the theme and advises each pair which wine, and from which country, they need to purchase. Each pair does research on their wine which they present at the meeting. After the tasting, and just for fun, everyone nominates a score out of 10 for each wine. None of us are wine experts, but we enjoy discovering new wines that we may not normally choose to purchase.

We have explored various white, red, rose and sparkling wines, mainly from the well-known wine regions of Europe, the Americas, Australasia, and South Africa, however on one occasion we went “Off the beaten track" to sample wines from less well-known wine regions such as Lebanon, Georgia, Hungary, and Crete. We have also conducted "blind" tastings.

At the moment this group is full, and there is a waiting list.

Terry Downs

We are a woodwind group trying to improve our playing by using music that we enjoy. We meet on the 2^nd and 4^th Friday afternoons of each month, at 2.00pm till 4.30pm adjustable by agreement.

Members meet on the 1^st Thursday of each month from 2-4 to hear talks presented by group members.

Everyone takes a turn to host, to choose a subject, do research on the subject and give a talk at the meeting. The host provides tea/coffee, biscuits and snacks, and everyone contributes £1.

We have had very interesting talks - including The fall of the Raj, The Persian wars, History of Ukraine, Napoleon 3, Underground cities of Cappadocia, Turkey, The Boar War, Shaka and the Zulus, What have the Greeks ever done for us, Cocus Keeling Islands, Tibet and the Dala Lama, Past American Presidents, Ancient mummies, Sri Lanka, Genghis Khan and the Mongols, and so many more.

For both groups we have started having a slide show on TV to accompany the talk, this makes it so interesting. (not everyone chooses to do this).

Both groups are full; we limit the groups to 10 people. I have a waiting list for both groups, so if anyone would like to start group 2, I would be happy to have a chat with them.

Norma Downs