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Activity Groups normally meet in members’ homes or local halls and may be number-limited due to space constraints.
New groups start up as demand arises.
For Group Contacts, please go to Group Contacts in the Members Pages
Armchair Travel
1st Friday at 10 am. We look at travel to various parts of the world.
Click here for the group Coordinator.
Art Appreciation - using 'Zoom'
2nd Friday at 10 am in member’s homes. We take it in turns to host the monthly meeting, when one of the members usually gives a presentation on their chosen artist, who is, almost without exception, a painter. However, there is no compulsion for every member to do this as we also visit 'virtual' art galleries around the world, thanks to the Internet.
Click here for the group Coordinator.
Art Practical
1st and 3rd Tuesday from 2.0 to 4.0 pm. Meeting at Dorridge Village Hall - Meeting Room.
We practice art in an encouraging, supportive and convivial environment. We work in a variety of media including pencil, pastel, water colour, acrylic and textiles. No previous experience needed.
Fee payable for the term is £17.50 please pay by cheque payable to Dorridge U3A. Although there is no instructor, members help.
Click here for the group Coordinator.
Ballroom Dancing
Commenced in September 2022, thereafter on 2nd and 4th Thursday, at Dorridge Village Hall at 2.0 pm. Beginners welcome and help given. We have covered Waltz, Quickstep and Foxtrot in Ballroom Mode, plus Cha Cha, Jive Rumba and Tango in Latin American style. Also, a number of sequence and party dances have been learnt.
Dress is informal, ladies any shoes that will not stick to the floor are wearable (and gents)Fee will be £2 per person per session to cover hall hire.
Click here for the group Coordinator.
Beginners' Patchwork and Quilting Group
Do you want to learn a new skill? A new group is being formed for members who are keen to learn the various techniques of these crafts. Meetings will be held on the first Wednesday of the month between 2 – 4 pm. starting on 1st March 2023.
Click here for the group Coordinator.
Board Games
The Dorridge u3a Board Games activity group are actively seeking new members. The group play a mixture of card and board games; but they don’t play Scrabble for which there is a separate activity group, and they don’t play long games like Monopoly! However, they do have great fun.
Members are encouraged to bring games to play and/or teach other members. Recently they have played - Mexican Train, SkyJo, Five Crowns, Rummikub, HekMek, Codenames, Pass the Bomb.
Meeting dates vary according to members’ availability, but they are generally on Tuesday or Wednesday afternoon.
Click here for the group Coordinator.
Book Group (1)
We are a group who are interested in history and enjoy discussion. We meet at 10 am. on the 2nd Monday of the month in Dorridge village hall. Our themes are wide ranging covering historical events and people. We arrange occasional visits to places of historical interest. New members are very welcome.
Click here for the group Coordinator.
Book Group (2)
1st Monday at 2pm. We meet in members' homes to discuss a book which we have chosen at random from recommendations or curiosity at our previous meeting. Proceedings are informal and discussion is wide ranging.
Click here for the group Coordinator.
Book Group (3)
We meet on the 4th Wednesday of the month at 2pm, currently in members’ homes. Members put forward suggestions for the next year’s reading list prior to our November meeting, which is when we vote for our choices. Each member takes informal leadership of at least one of the year’s meetings. We don’t meet in December.
Click here for the group Coordinator.
Bridge
1st and 3rd Mondays at 10 am at Dorridge Village Hall. A very popular group with people of all abilities. The atmosphere is friendly and relaxed. New members are welcome and, even if you have never played before, come along and we will teach you.
Click here for the group Coordinator.
Choir
The Dorridge U3A Choir is now under the musical leadership of Val Coleman. We meet weekly on Thursdays 11.00am - 12.30pm at Dorridge Methodist Church, 103 Mill Lane, Dorridge B93 8NY. We are a small but growing choir and use a mixture of folk and classical music, songs from musicals and as we approach Christmas, carols of course. We welcome new members, any voice, but we especially need more female voices. If you are interested contact the group coordinator or just come along on a Thursday. You will be made most welcome.
Click here for the group Coordinator.
Church Visits
4th Monday morning at 10 am. We have a programme of visits with members taking it in turns to make the arrangements. New members are most welcome.
Click here for the group Coordinator.
Computing & Home Technology
3rd Tuesday at 10.30 am, at St Philip's Church Centre. We have a thriving group of approximately 30 members, all eager to improve their skills and learn about modern technology. We try to combine hands-on experience with presentations of all aspects of information technology. We regularly hold lively "Question and Answer" sessions to help each other solve those annoying and frustrating computer problems.
Click here for the group Coordinator.
Craft
1st Thursday at 10 am. Members meet to explore all forms of craft work.
Click here for the group Coordinator.
Current Affairs (1)
1st Monday at 10 am.
We meet to consider all matters of current interest, including local, national and international issues.
Click here for the group Coordinator.
Current Affairs (2)
2nd Friday at 10 am.
We meet to consider all matters of current interest, including local, national and international issues.
Click here for the group Coordinator.
Family History (1)
2nd Thursday at 10 am.
Meeting in-house and exchange ideas and discuss the progress that we are making in personal research.
Click here for the group Coordinator.
Family History (2)
2nd Tuesday at 2 pm.
Meeting in-house and exchange ideas and discuss the progress that we are making in personal research.
Click here for the group Coordinator.
Film
1st Tuesday at 6.45 pm at St Philip's Church Centre, Manor Road, Dorridge, B93 8DX.
Small group of enthusiasts who meet monthly to watch films from wide variety of genres, countries and cultures. After a cup of tea/coffee we discuss the film, looking at different aspects of the film and try to understand what the director was trying to achieve. Cost approx. £12 per half year. New members welcome.
Click here for the group Coordinator.
Gardening
4th Tuesday 10am. Meeting place variable.
Programme includes talks, demonstrations, videos and visits to places of gardening interest.
Click here for the group Coordinator.
History (1)
We are a group who are interested in history and enjoy discussion. We meet at 10 am. on the 2nd Monday of the month in Dorridge village hall. Our themes are wide ranging covering historical events and people. We arrange occasional visits to places of historical interest. New members are very welcome.
Click here for the group Coordinator.
History (2)
4th Wednesday at 10 am. We meet in members houses and each month we have two topics with a presenter for each followed by discussion which leads onto topics for forthcoming meetings.
Click here for the group Coordinator.
Jazz Appreciation
2nd Friday at 2 pm. As a small group we meet in group members homes, but we always welcome new members who wish to join us. We play jazz on vinyl, tape, CD, digital format and DVD. We listen to and discuss various styles of jazz including New Orleans, Dixieland, trad, swing, big band and bebop, mostly from the first 60 years of the 20th century. We do tend to avoid very modern jazz.
Click here for the group Coordinator.
Latin
Not currently active.
Music (practical)
We meet on 2nd & 4th Tuesday from 10 am. - 12 noon at a member's house to play easy music including folk dance, folk, world and classical. The group is informal and easy going, currently consisting of keyboard, recorder, clarinet & violin. New members will be very welcome.Click here for the group Coordinator.
Musicals Group
We are a happy, friendly group who meet in the Gateway Room of St Philip's Church Centre in Manor Road, Dorridge on the 2nd Tuesday of each month. We watch DVDs of musicals old and new-ish, from Oklahoma to Les Miserables. Arrival time is from 6.30pm and we begin the ‘show’ at 6.45pm prompt. There is a refreshment break at roughly halfway through the musical and, depending on the length of the DVD, we leave for home between 9.00 - 9.30pm. There is a half-yearly fee to cover room hire and refreshments. The current fee is £13.00 for July – November.
The visitor fee for the second half of this year is £4.00; this will be reviewed for January 2024. If you’d like to come along and try us out, please contact one of the co-ordinators beforehand so that we know that you are coming.
Click here for the group Coordinator.
Opera
3rd Tuesday at 7pm at St Philp's Church Centre. We listen to and watch opera. The opportunity to study operatic topics will be available to those who are interested. Sometimes theatre visits.
Click here for the group Coordinator.
Ornithology (1)
1st Wednesday in the month at 9.30 am. Most visits are local and a half day only. One or two times a year we venture further afield for a full day. We sometimes have a guide for our bird watching.
Click here for the group Coordinator.
Ornithology (2)
2nd Monday at 10am. Each month we visit a local(ish) birding spot, armed with books, binoculars and enthusiasm. Sometimes we have a local expert to help us with identification and sometimes we don't. We can all now spot a coot at a hundred paces and at the very worst, the walk, the countryside and the company make it an excellent morning out.
Click here for the group Coordinator.
Outings
One-off outings during the year to places of general interest. These are announced in the Dorridge U3A “Crier” and “Flier” newsletters, with reminders and updates by email and announcements at general meetings.
Click here for the group Coordinator.
Panto Group
The Panto group was formed in 2016, when we performed ‘Robin Hood’ to a packed Village Hall. In 2017 we offered a Revue and then reverted to panto for 2018 with ‘Dick Whittington’, following up in 2019 with ‘Snow White and the Seven Vertically Challenged Dwarves’. After the long wait since 2019, the group made a splendid return in December 2022.
New group members are always welcome, especially backstage. Rehearsals are fun, and there’s a good sense of ‘all in it together’.
Click here for the group Coordinator.
Pickleball Group
Pickleball is a fast growing racket sport and is particularly suitable for the over-50s.
Two badminton courts have been booked in the sports hall at Tudor Grange Leisure Centre every Thursday afternoon from 2 to 4 pm with the exception of Solihull school holidays. It is not necessary for players to be members of the leisure centre. As we will usually be playing doubles, there can be eight people playing at any one time; so a membership size of 12- 20 would be ideal allowing for some absences. The subscription will be £3 GBP per week initially until it is clear how many regular players we have. The hall has a balcony if you would prefer to just watch to get a feel for the game - no entry charge.
If you come along you are responsible for setting your own exercise limits. Please wear suitable footwear with non-marking soles. Spare equipment will be available.
Click here for the group Coordinator.
Play Reading Group
Currently not active but it is hoped to revive this group soon.
1st Tuesday at 2.0 pm.
Click here for the group Coordinator.
Poetry - using 'Zoom'
3rd Wednesday at 2 pm. Discovering and reading poetry.
Click here for the group Coordinator.
Questers
Monthly half day visits booked on variable days, either morning or afternoon. We use public transport or our own transport, sharing lifts where possible. We visit local places of interest, concentrating on places which are only open to groups, or places which will only provide a guide for groups.
Click here for the group Coordinator.
Racquetball
Every Monday at 10.0 am at Knowle & Dorridge Racquets Club. Tuition is provided.
New members are always most welcome.
Click here for the group Coordinator.
Science
3rd Thursday at 10 am at St Philip's Church Centre
The group picks various themes and through small group discussion explore them. This may be by using digital information but usually by members selecting parts of the theme and giving presentations. Visits are planned for the future to expand on knowledge.
Click here for the group Coordinator.
Scrabble
4th Monday at 2.30 pm. We meet each month in members' homes to play "friendly" scrabble and welcome players of all ability - including beginners.
Click here for the group Coordinator.
Short Mat Indoor Bowls
The Short Mat Indoor Bowls group is delighted to inform you that it will be restarting on Monday 28th June 2021, from 3 to 4.30pm, then weekly. Initially only 6 players will be allowed but this will be reviewed in line with Government Covid restrictions. Existing and new members welcome.
Every Monday 3 pm at Dorridge Village Hall
FLAT shoes required please, no heels. All are welcome – coaching provided.
GIVE IT A GO – it’s great fun!
Click here for the group Coordinator.
Singalong
Not currently active.
Sunday Activities
Meetings monthly, on Sundays.
Click here for the group Coordinator .
Table Tennis (1)
1st, 3rd and 5th Tuesdays, at 9.30 am, at St Philip's Church Centre, Manor Road, Dorridge, B93 8DX. A great way to get in shape while learning some valuable skills, developing stronger hand/eye co-ordination, and having lots of fun at the same time.
Click here for the group Coordinator.
Table Tennis (2)
Every Friday at 2pm at St Philip's Church Centre, Manor Road, Dorridge, B93 8DX. This enthusiastic group meets weekly to play "brilliant" table tennis and have a lot of fun.
Click here for the group Coordinator.
Table Tennis (3)
2nd & 4th Tuesday at 9.30am at St Philip's Church Centre, Manor Road, Dorridge, B93 8DX. A Group set up to meet the burgeoning interest of members in this healthy activity.
Click here for the group Coordinator.
Table Tennis (4)
Every Friday at 9.30am at St Philip's Church Centre, Manor Road, Dorridge, B93 8DX. A group formed to welcome further members to this most popular activity.
Click here for the group Coordinator.
Table Tennis (5)
Every Wednesday 9.30am at St Philip's Church Centre, Manor Road, Dorridge, B93 8DX.
Click here for the group Coordinator.
Click here for the group Coordinator.
Table Tennis (6)
Every Wednesday 2.00pm to 4.00pm at St Philip's Church Centre, Manor Road, Dorridge, B93 8DX.
A group formed to welcome new members to this most popular activity.Click here for the group Coordinator.
Table Tennis (7)
Every Friday 11.45am to 1.45pm at St Philip's Church Centre, Manor Road, Dorridge, B93 8DX. The group is mainly made up of new Dorridge U3A members, combined with some Silhill U3A members.Click here for the group Coordinator.
Table Tennis (8)
Every Tuesday 2.00pm to 4.00pm at St Philip's Church Centre, Manor Road, Dorridge, B93 8DX.Click here for the group Coordinator.
Theatre Visits
Not currently active.
Walking Group (1)
4th Monday at 9.45 am, walking about 5 miles and within 1 hour’s drive of Dorridge. At least 3 longer walks are arranged in the year. Walks usually convene a 9.45 for a 10 am start. Optional pub lunch.
Click here for the group Coordinator.
Walking Group (2)
2nd Wednesday at 9.45 am walking similar to walking group (1).
Click here for the group Coordinator.
Walking Group (3)
4th Thursday at 9.45 am walking similar to walking group (1).
Click here for the group Coordinator.
Walking Group (Long Distance)
Monthly (times variable)
Walking roughly monthly, but variable days of the week. A group that undertakes longer walks (7 to 11 miles).
Click here for the group Coordinator.
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