Wednesday 23 September 2026 U3A Day

 We celebrated u3a week, (21-25th) by showcasing the group activities of our members on the 23rd September at the The Stables in Wavendon. On stage many of our groups performed for the audience by acting, playing in a band or dancing and in the arts and crafts display hall, groups displayed the fruits of their skills. Other groups submitted information which we exhibited on display boards in the entrance hall. Working together, we created a day that showed our members and guests a broad flavour of Milton Keynes u3a and the types of activities members can engage with.

We had visits from several VIPs who spent some hours with us. The Mayor, Paul Trendall, addressed the auditorium and was very impressed by all the activities he saw. We also hosted Sam Dukes who is Head of Marketing for the National u3a movement, who said 
" I just wanted to say a big thank you for inviting me to your u3a day. It was delightful to meet you, your husband and some of your many volunteers. Even more so, a privilege to get to see the play reading, ukulele and choir groups in action. Days like this really help ground me in what this movement is all about, and MK is clearly an exemplar for the movement"

Third Age Players

 Please see a larger selection of images from the day. Photographs taken by Graham Jones. Use the arrow to scroll through the pictures or click a thumbnail image for a bigger view.

 Coach visit to North Wales and Snowdonia 22-25th September 2026 by Cindy and Doug

 We had a leisurely trip to Wales, passing through Holywell.  It was so green, with beautiful surroundings.  We made good time by coach, so just meandering along.  Luscious green pastures, Red Dragon Signs, (the Welsh flag logo). Seeing so much greenery after our 60 days of intense heat with no rain, which left the surrounds in Milton Keynes dry and without colour. After enjoying a cider in a pub nearby, we visited St Margaret’s Church in Bodelwyddan.  It is also called the Marble Church, and dates to 1852.

The exterior is built from white Limestone in the Gothic style.  It sports a Hammerhead Roof, which means No Nails.  The Oak pews are decorated with old Victorian carvings. The weathervane is a Gold Cockrell and is checked out every 10 years. All the Pillars inside are from different types of marble, and the entrance is a stained-glass window in the shape of the Star of David.  Everything was spectacular – this is the only word I can use!!

We then proceeded to the Celtic Royal Hotel in Caernarfon for our check-in. We passed through many long tunnels due to the coastal mountains.  At last, we saw proper sea sand along the way. The Hotel, (once frequented by Queen Victoria) sported an enormous bedroom, bigger than my bedroom in Ferndale, SA. The next day we were on our way to Llandudno.  Here we visited the Bodnant Gardens, with beautiful trees, flowers, roses, etc.  The beautiful scenery on the way there was a lot like Chapman’s Peak in CT.

Then, at Llandudno, the coach dropped us close to the pier.  We decided to use the tram to see the Great Orme.  The Tram took us up a steep mountain to a Halfway Stop, where we changed trams for the onward tram to the Great Orme. The Great Orme has amazing Bronze Age Copper Mines, an Iron Age fort, Stone Age remains and the 6th-century St. Tudno's Church.  Unfortunately, we did not have time to see all of it.  A rather exhausting day with plenty of walking. 

The next day the coach took us down to the Caernarfon Train Station.  Two carriages were for our sole use.  The steam train was called the KALAHARI, with quite a history. These steam engines were manufactured in Manchester, then sent to SA where they hauled fruit, obviously, in the Cape.  They were returned to Wales, where it took 15 years to recondition them.  They are the only engines that can traverse the snaky, winding rail tracks and sharp curves. We had a stunning 2-hour journey to Porthmadog in gracious, upholstered seats and tables.  Our smartly dressed stewardess supplied us with drinks and snacks.

The coach then proceeded to Portmeirion, a famous Italian-style village which was out of this world.  We had a walkabout and stopped for a light lunch. At dinner that night we celebrated a 90th Birthday Party for one of our group members.  There was entertainment after, but we decided to relax in bed instead.  Doug’s knee was painful due to the enormous amount of walking.  (He had his knee replacement just over 3 months ago).

The next day we travelled through Snowdonia National Park.  Winding roads, towering mountains, lovely lakes with sheep grazing halfway up the mountains. We stopped at the famous Swallow Falls, and then on to Betws‑y‑Coed for a light lunch. The trip back was quite scary as the road was narrow and passing a car with the large coach was quite a feat.  However, the mountains were beautiful, and we followed the winding road back to our hotel.

Our last day on our way back to Milton Keynes.  We stopped at the Bodnant Farm Shop and purchased lamb chops, a grain-fed chicken and Welsh biscuits. All we can say is that it was the most stunning holiday we have had so far – although the TATOO in Edinburgh came a close second.