How it all began …..
The North Devon Third Age Group, or University of the Third Age, was established in Barnstaple in December 1983 as part of a national network designed to bring together retired people for social, educational and leisure activities. By 1987 there was such a long waiting list of people eager to join that it was decided to form branches in Bideford, Ilfracombe and South Molton. The inaugural meeting in the Goose & Gander Hotel, South Molton (now The Old Coaching Inn) on 15th September 1987 attracted a very large crowd and by the end of September there were 86 paid-up members, the fee being £6 for a couple and £4 single p.a. It was particularly easy to establish this group as so many had been members of the original Barnstaple Group and welcomed the chance of meeting in their own locality.
The success of the South Molton Group meant that accommodation became a difficulty here, too, especially as the Goose & Gander had to close due to a fire and our next venue, The George Hotel, was not so large. By the end of 1987 no new members could be taken and a waiting list had to be started. Lunch meetings with a speaker were established on the second Tuesday of each month and study groups were formed. The programme for 1988 lists 16 study groups.
In November 1991, due to The George Hotel also catching fire, we moved our monthly meetings to the Assembly Rooms where there was more room to accommodate our membership which had grown to 180. These meetings started earlier; coffee was served, monthly business dealt with and there was a Speaker. The building was not ideal as it is Grade I listed and the lighting and acoustics not suitable for modern day use so we had to find a large room elsewhere if we wanted to use a Speaker who presented an illustrated talk. The room was accessed by a flight of stairs and the car park (which was no longer free) was several yards away.
A few years ago it was decided to change our venue to the Filleigh Village Hall where there is a large free car park with disabled spaces and level access as well as excellent kitchen and other facilities. The local bus stops outside and will get you there in time for coffee, and a chat with friends before the business part of the morning at 10.30 a.m. and the Speaker at 11 a.m. Our membership has stabilized at approximately 180.
A Federation of all the North Devon U3As was set up in 1989 but this was dissolved in 1994 when all the Groups applied to the Charity Commission for individual group registration as charitable trusts. Contact between the U3As is still maintained by an exchange of monthly newsletters. South Molton group has also sent a representative to all the annual National Conferences, venues for which have been at universities in England, Wales & Scotland.
The South Molton U3A, in conjunction with other U3As in North Devon, organises trips of varying duration, from day visits to theatres in the region to longer excursions further afield.
So many people bless the day they became members of this fast-growing Organisation, especially in this area. People retire to Devon and can quickly meet others who have mutual interests when they join the study groups, which embrace more serious studies, indoor and outdoor leisure activities, arts and crafts and entertainment. They can soon become part of the local community.