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Activity Groups
Art Appreciation Group
Group co-ordinator: Judith Johnston and Andy Simmonds
Time: 2nd Wednesday each month, 2pm - 4pm. No meeting in December.
Place: Members' houses or visits, see newsletter.
Price: Free except for visits, see newsletter.
We are a small friendly group who enjoy viewing and discussing paintings, whether old masters, impressionists, contemporary works or one particular artist. We have visited a number of galleries in London and the south east. When not visiting a gallery, we are currently watching a series of lectures on the masterpieces in the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York.
Astronomy Group
Group co-ordinator: Malcolm Case
Time: 4th Monday each month at 7:30pm - 9:30pm.
Place: Chigboro Fishing Club, Chigborough Road, Heybridge CM9 4RE
Price: £1 per session.
The group covers a wide range of topics including the Solar System, the stars and their galaxies, and man’s exploration of the heavens. We generally have a short presentation which is followed by a discussion on the subject and during the winter months, we usually manage to observe, through members’ telescopes, the stars and planets. All members of the U3A are very welcome at the meetings.
For information on past events, click here.
Aviation Group
Group co-ordinator: Chris Samson
Time: Last Friday each month at 11am.
Place: Woodham Mortimer Village Hall, Post Office Rd, Woodham Mortimer, CM9 6SY
Price: £3 per session except for visits, see newsletter.
19th December 2025: Aviation quiz followed by a short but atmospheric film from the early 1970’s written and narrated by Jack Currie called 'The Watchtower', based on his experiences flying Lancasters from RAF Wickenby during the latter part of WW2.
Programme for 2026:
30th January: Film of the Nevil Shute story 'No Highway in the Sky'.
27th February: Film – The Original Great Escape. A documentary about the escape during WW1 of 29 RFC officers from HOLZMINDEN POW camp.
27th March: Andy Strange – The Battle of the Beams.
24th April: Speaker Andrew Colley or John Neil – 'The Man Who Tested Parachutes'.
5th May (Tue): Talk by Zoom on the giant flying boat 'The Spruce Goose'.
21st May (Thu): Visit to the Brooklands Aviation and Motor museum at Weybridge.
22nd June (Mon): Visit to the Imperial War Museum at Duxford.
All things aviation-related are catered for, whether your interest be early aircraft, modern fighters, airliners, space flight, model aircraft or some other aspect. Speakers and videos will be arranged throughout the year with the possibility of trips to places of interest such as museums etc.
Suggestions for subject matter are always welcome!
Balti Night
Group co-ordinators: Bob Gowers & Graham Evans.
Time: Last Monday every two months (except December) at 6:30pm.
Place: Bengal Nights, Heybridge Square, CM9 4LT
Price: Your choice from their menu.
To add your name to the list, please contact the co-ordinators by phone or text beforehand.
Bridge Group
Group co-ordinator: Gill Cory.
Time: 1st, 3rd and 5th (if there is one) Wednesdays at 9.30am to 12.15pm.
Place: West Maldon Community Centre - main hall.
Price: £3 per session.
No partner necessary – we make up tables according to numbers there. We do not start from scratch, so do come having knowledge of bidding etc. We are of all abilities and like to discuss the hands. Informal and friendly – you even get a cup of tea!
If you want to learn to play Bridge, you can do so on-line - see the u3a Bridge website If you have played Bridge before, but are rusty, they can provide assistance to play on-line sessions.
Canasta Group
Group co-ordinator: Iris Slaney.
Time: Alternate Fridays at 2pm - 4pm. No meeting in August. See the calendar in the newsletter.
Place: West Maldon Community Centre (Linton room).
Price: £2 per session.
We are a friendly group and play in pairs at tables of 4 people. You do not need a partner as pairs are randomly selected at the meeting. We play a form of Canasta called Boliva and use 3 packs of cards. We may have space so please contact me for further details. We are willing to assist anyone who would like to join us and learn the game.
Country Dancing Group
Group co-ordinator: Diana Rogers (07860 162328).
Time: 2nd and 4th Thursdays each month at 10am.
Place: Langford village hall.
Price: £5 per session.
This is a joint group with Blackwater u3a. The group welcomes new members, to enjoy both the challenge of the dancing, which is good for the mind, and the exercise which helps to keep you active and flexible. We do a variety of dances including Scottish, English Country, American, Folk and Square Dances. Sue Last is our caller who is accomplished in many forms of dancing and makes the classes very entertaining.
Cribbage Group
Group co-ordinator: Pat Clements.
Time: The last Friday each month at 2 - 4pm
Place: Members' houses
Price: Free.
Most of us have played before and we are certainly not experts. Our group is full at the moment but we are willing to put your name on a waiting list.
Croquet Group
Group co-ordinators: Shirley and Geoff Macro.
Time: 1st and 3rd Wednesdays 2pm - 4pm. The season starts in mid-April and runs until the first week in October. Please arrive promptly so you can select a mallet and be ready to start on time.
Place: Hatfield Peverel Bowling Club, The Keith Bigden Memorial Ground, Wickham Bishops Road, Hatfield Peverel CM3 2JL.
Price: £7.50 per session which includes the use of all equipment and refreshments at the end of play.
We play with the kind permission of Maldon Croquet Club ('MCC').If the weather is wet, we do not normally play.
It is a game of strategy and skill; men and women play on equal terms, and people of all ages and abilities can compete.
Please note that flat-soled footwear with closed toes (no sandals) should be worn.
Discussion Group
Group co-ordinator: Pat Jones.
Time: 2nd Mondays at 2pm - 4pm.
Place: Blue room at the Blue Boar.
Price: Free, but you should purchase a drink at the bar.
We are a friendly and informal group where there is room for agreement and disagreement, laughter and serious views and anything is up for discussion.
We welcome new members.
Engineering and Inventions
Group co-ordinator: Tony Groves.
Time: 1st Tuesdays at 2pm - 4pm.
Place: My house in Danbury.
Price: Free.
Each meeting, we watch 3 half-hour talks: one on medieval technology, one on inventions that had major impacts on subsequent history, and the last on everyday engineering - such things as houses, water, electrical power, heating, sewage, and also personal transport - the internal combustion engine, highways and railways.
Film Group
Group co-ordinator: Shirley Macro.
Time & place: Zoom on the last Wednesday each month at 7:30pm
Price: Free.
Each month, we choose two films that are available on free-to-view channels to watch individually. At the meeting, we discuss the films and give them a score between 0 and 10.
French Conversation Group
Group co-ordinator: Ann Lester.
Time: 2nd & 4th Thursday each month at 2pm
Place: Member's house in Tolleshunt Knights.
Price: Free.
We are a friendly group all keen to converse in and improve our French. We usually begin by talking about where we have been and what we have done since our last meeting. We then read and translate an article or two from a French magazine, often accompanied by a recording of the article by native speakers. Help is always on hand as I am an ex French academic.
Garden Group
Group co-ordinator: Theresa Byles and Kris Taylor.
Time: Varies - see the newsletter.
Place: Varies - see the newsletter.
Price: Varies - see the newsletter.
The main purpose of this group is to visit local gardens of note, and larger national gardens further afield.
Geology Group
Group co-ordinator: Sylvia Cousins.
Time: 3rd Wednesday each month at 2pm.
Place: West Maldon Community Centre.
Price: Varies - see the newsletter.
We enjoy a varied programme of visits to local museums, visiting speakers and film. None of us is an expert and our levels of knowledge vary widely, but everyone is keen to know more and with such a wide-ranging subject, there is something for everyone.
German Conversation Group
Group co-ordinator: Howard Broadbridge.
Time: Alternate Thursdays each month at 2 - 4pm. See the calendar in the newsletter
Place: Members' houses.
Price: Free.
We will be looking into written material e.g. magazines etc, together with as much German conversation as possible. The main objective is to improve simple conversational German – and have some fun in doing so.
Guitar and Ukulele Group
Group co-ordinator: Steve Collis.
Time: 1st and 3rd Tuesdays each month at 10am - 12 noon.
Place: West Maldon Community Centre - Linton room.
Price: £3.
Guitar and Ukulele go together well. We have people of all abilities and play everything from Rock’n’roll to Oasis!
All you need is an instrument and if possible, a music stand, we will supply easy-to-play music and lyrics.
Handicrafts Group
Group co-ordinators: Marian Manning and Brenda Heal.
Time: 2nd Monday each month at 10am - 12 noon.
Place: West Maldon Community Centre.
Price: £2 per session.
A small, very friendly group that covers a wide range of projects related to any form of handicrafts. We are up to full numbers, but are running a waiting list
History - Royal history
Group co-ordinator: Kathy Goff
Time: 2nd Thursday each month at 10am. (No meeting in January)
Place: West Maldon Community Centre.
Price: £2 per session.
We are a very friendly group who meet monthly. We will be discussing society and culture in the House of Windsor, both in the UK and worldwide. Do come and join us.
Just Jazz Group
Group co-ordinators: David Coombes and Peter Condon.
Time: 3rd Monday each month at 7:30pm from Spring to Autumn.
Place: Maldon Little Ship Club in the downstairs room. Parking permits are available to park on ‘the Hard’ in front of the Club. Please ask David on arrival.
Price: £3 per session.
We play mainly "TRAD", but if anyone has something that they want to share with the group then bring it along on CD or memory stick. Please itemise the tracks you want to listen to as this helps us to plan the evening. There is a bar available and the evenings are very enjoyable.
Knitting & Crochet
Group co-ordinator: Paula Jacobs
Time: 1st Wednesday each month from 10am to Noon.
Place: Blue Boar hotel, 3-7 Silver Street, Maldon CM9 4QE.
Price: £ tba
This is a new group. Join us if you are thinking of something that you would like to make but don’t know where or how to start – or perhaps you just want inspiration or are just curious.
London Walks
Group co-ordinator: Julie Lake.
Time: 3rd Tuesday each month except January and February, starting at 11:15am.
Price: £11 per walk, payable at least 8 days in advance. Your own arranged transport to London and refreshments are additional.
One cheque per walk please, made payable to Maldon & District U3A. All cheques given to me in advance are held until 8 days before the Walk when they are banked and payment made to the guide. Thus, cancellation before the 8 days means the cheque can be destroyed, but cancellations after the 8 days cannot be refunded unless there is a reserve list and someone can take your place.
The walks are in central London, accompanied by a professional guide provided by the company 'London Walks'.
Each walk has a theme, as set out below. Note that the guides require a minimum number of people.
2026 walks programme:
17 March: The Quack Doctor's Tour, meeting at Southwark Cathedral.
14* April: The Famous Square Mile, meeting at Monument tube station.
12* May: Hampstead Village & Heath, meeting at Hampstead tube station.
16 June: All day outing! Meet at Warwick Avenue tube station at 11.00 to take a 45-minute guided narrow boat trip from Little Venice to Camden.
Lunch at Andy’s Greek Taverna, followed by the 2-hour London Walk entitled 'Old Camden Town' at 15.00.
Our day will finish in Camden at about 5pm. The cost will be £10.20 for the boat trip + £11 for the walk.
21 July: Darkest Victorian London, meeting at Monument tube station.
18 Aug: The Blitz, meeting at St. Paul's tube station.
15 Sept: Rock 'n' Roll Covent Garden, meeting at Tottenham Court Road tube station.
20 Oct: Revolting London, meeting at Tower Hill tube station.
17 Nov: London's Secret Village, meeting at St Paul's tube station.
15 Dec: Charles Dicken's "A Christmas Carol" & seasonal traditions, meeting at Tower Hill tube station.
*Note the changed date due to the London tube strikes.
Visit the website www.walks.com for details of each walk.
Luncheon Group
Group co-ordinator: Joan Cummins ('Meet and Eat')
Time: 2nd Wednesday each month at 12:15 for 12:30pm.
Place: Various venues.
Price: Varies.
The Group keeps to a limited membership and visits a different ‘fine dining’ restaurant or bistro pub each month. Every member takes a turn in organising the venue, the details being decided the month beforehand.
MahJong Group
Group co-ordinators: Jane Rainbird and Elaine Brady
Time: Alternate Fridays each month at 2 - 4pm. See the calendar in the newsletter.
Place: West Maldon Community Centre - Linton room.
Price: £2 per session.
We meet alternate Friday afternoons for an enjoyable two hours. We are now a group of fifteen members, more always welcome.
Maritime Group
Group co-ordinator: Malcolm Case
Time: 1st Monday each month at 10am - 12 noon autumn to spring. In the summer, we usually go on outings.
Place: The Blackwater Sailing Club, Basin Road, Heybridge CM9 4SD.
Price: £2 per session except for trips - see the newsletter.
During autumn to spring we generally have illustrated talks at The Blackwater Sailing Club on subjects with a Maritime interest, such as sailing around the world by yacht, the role of the Merchant Navy in times of peace and conflict, information on specific ships, both Merchant and Royal, amongst many other interesting nautical topics. During the summer months the group generally visits places of Maritime interest.
All members of the U3A are very welcome at the meetings.
2026
Monday 6th January – A talk by John Rogers on 'The Blackwater Estuary' from sea to Beeleigh Falls, John will take us on a virtual ‘cruise’ up the Blackwater Estuary from sea to Beeleigh falls. This illustrated talk will celebrate the beauty of this noble waterway taking in points of Interest, History, Navigation and Wildlife along the way.
Monday 2nd February – Talk by David Griffiths on 'Working on a North Sea Oil Production Platform'.
Monday 2nd March – Talk by Gordon Davies on 'The English Channel 1875'. Webb swimming it, cross channel ships designed to help passengers use them without being seasick, the first attempt at creating a channel tunnel.
Monday 6th April – No meeting – bank holiday.
Monday 4th May – No meeting – bank holiday.
Monday 1st June – Trip to Dover Museum and Dover Commercial Docks.
Monday 6th July – Talk by Don Baines on 'Dunkirk Heroes - The Story of Two Barges'.
Monday 3rd August – Trip to Blue Town Heritage centre and Museum.
Monday 7th September – talk by Roger Butler, by Zoom, on the tiny archipelago of St Kilda which lies forty miles west of the Outer Hebrides - you won’t find it on any road atlas! These isolated islands have a unique history, and the last residents were evacuated in 1930. The impressive cliffs are some of the tallest in Europe and the seabird colonies are amongst the most important in the North Atlantic. The talk describes a week spent on the main island - and just getting there is part of the adventure.
Monday 5th October – talk by John Johnson-Allen on 'Rosslyn Wemyss, Admiral of the Fleet: The Man Who Created Armistice Day'. The life of a Naval officer from 1877 to 1919 through peace, war and then peace who managed the successful evacuation of 140,000 troops from Gallipoli and, later, was the British Naval representative at the Armistice negotiations.
Monday 2nd November – talk by Jimmy Byam Shaw on 'Tank testing of ship shapes and design'.
Monday 7th December – talk by Stephen Nunn on 'Maldon’s links with the Battle of Trafalgar (1805)'. Our overwhelming victory over the French and Spanish fleet off Cape Trafalgar on 21 October 1805 gave the Royal Navy its most famous triumph and confirmed a long tradition of naval supremacy. The battle also immortalised the memory of Viscount Horatio Nelson who was shot and died of his wounds at the moment of his greatest victory. There are some surprising links between Maritime Maldon and this famous national event.
All meetings start at 10:00 am on the first Monday of the month.
Click here for information on past events.
Padel Tennis Group
Group co-ordinator: Ken Hazell
Time: Every Wednesday at 2:30 - 4pm.
Place: Go Padel, Maldon CM9 5UR (off Park Drive, behind Park Drive Health Club)
Price: £3 per session, including hire of a bat.
Padel is a cross between tennis and squash, designed to be suitable for older people. All equipment is provided. We play social doubles on covered outdoor courts. As with any sport, a reasonable level of mobility is required and you play at your own risk.
Petanque (Boule) Group
Group co-ordinators: Jack Veash and Geoff Macro
Time: Thursday afternoons at 2pm. from 17th April to autumn.
Place: Petanque terrain, Promenade Park.
Price: Free.
It's very easy to learn the basics of Petanque and complete novices will be up and running in a short space of time. Before you know it, you will be pointing and shooting and getting that first win under your belt.
We play on the Petanque terrain opposite the Marine Lake at the Promenade Park, Park Drive, Maldon Essex CM9 5JQ. No charge is made to play but of course you must be a member of the Maldon & District u3a (or of another u3a in our cluster group).
Car parking is available at the park, but please note that Maldon District Council make a charge.
We will be able to loan you some boules to get you started to see if you like it, but you will need to purchase some of your own to play regularly. We play only if the weather is dry. The season runs from April and takes a break once the colder weather arrives, usually in November.
For pictures of past events, click here.
Photos for Fun Group
Group co-ordinator: Tony Groves
Time & Place: Zoom on the 3rd Wednesday each month at 7:30pm.
Price: Free.
Share your photographs with other members. This is for everyone who has a camera or smartphone. It's not a competition nor only for expert photographers. Each month we will choose a topic and you can send up to six photos to me. I will host a Zoom meeting so we can all see and chat about them and the places or people depicted in them. I will then put them on this website.
Click here to see this month's subject and pictures from previous months.
Rummikub Group
Co-ordinator: Janice Martin
Time: 1st and 3rd Thursdays each month at 10am - 12 noon.
Place: Plantation Hall, Heybridge.
Price: £2 per session.
We are a very friendly group. This easy-to-learn game uses numbered tiles to make runs and sets, similar in some ways to Rummy. Come and join us - you will be made very welcome.
Russian Conversation
Co-ordinator: Irina Vahonina
Time: to be decided.
Place: members' homes.
Price: Free.
I am Russian and I also speak Polish. The emphasis is on conversational language - beginners are welcome.
If you would like to expand your knowledge of foreign languages, please contact me for more information.
Sing For Pleasure Group
Group co-ordinator: Sue Garnham
Time: 2nd & 4th Fridays each month at 10am - 12 noon.
Place: Plantation Hall, Heybridge.
Price: £3 per session.
We enjoy singing a variety of songs and rounds. The group is led by two of our members. Visitors and new members are always welcome, but please telephone the co-ordinator to check that there is room in the group.
Strollers Sunday & Tuesday Groups
Co-ordinator: Malcolm Case
Time: 3rd Sunday and 4th Tuesday meeting at 10:00am for 10:30am start.
Place: Various - see the monthly newsletter for details.
Price: Free.
The walks are around 4 to 5 miles at a steady pace which cover many different locations. The main format is to start the walk at a pub, have a circular walk, which lasts approximately 2 hours, then arrive back at the pub for lunch. Members are asked to provide walks throughout the year, this way we find we have different leaders and new locations.
Tenpin Bowling Groups
Group co-ordinator: Alan Buck. Deputy: David Coombes
Time: Every Wednesday and Thursday at 9:45am - 12 noon.
Place: Maldon Heights Bowling Lanes, Maldon.
Price: £9 per session: this includes shoe hire and a cup of tea or coffee plus a biscuit.
All those who come along know that the actual bowling is just an excuse to get out, have some fun, meet a lot of nice people, make new friends and have a little exercise. The scores are not important – there are no teams, leagues or tables! It’s all very friendly and there are no inquests at the end of each game.
We meet every Wednesday and Thursday morning at 09.45 at Madison Heights. You choose which you prefer. In total between 30 to 50 of us play each week.
Theatre Outings Group
Group co-ordinators: Rosemary Case and Sheila Childs.
Time: Various.
Place: Various.
Price: Varies.
This group organises theatre visits to London by coach throughout the year to a variety of shows. All visits are open to all members and are very popular and usually oversubscribed. Please contact Rosemary Case by email if you want to be added to the notification list. We email them as soon as tickets are put on hold.
Wine Groups
Wine Groups 1, 2 and 3 have now closed.
Wine Group Four
Group co-ordinator: Ann Goody
Time: 4th Tuesday each month at 7:30pm.
Place: Members' houses.
Price: Varies.
We meet in members’ houses and the host(s) decides what form the meeting will take. Suffice to say we drink, and talk about, a lot of wine; an endlessly fascinating subject worthy of serious study.
Writing for Fun Group
Group co-ordinator: Patrick Forsyth
Time: 4th Wednesday each month. Meetings are at 12 noon and last about a couple of hours.
Place: Members' houses.
Price: Free.
We are a small but dedicated group of writers who enjoy creative work of many kinds. The most frequently produced is the short story: perhaps humour, mystery, ghost, historic etc. of about 1000 words, this being a suitable size to allow each person to read aloud at our meeting. We also write non-fiction, autobiography, poetry and plays.
Each year we choose a new programme of titles, each of which can be widely interpreted, as its aim is to encourage and inspire, rather than to constrict in any way. The writing is composed at home and brought to our monthly meeting, where each member in turn reads his/her writing aloud. There are never two pieces remotely alike and all are much enjoyed. Each one is commented on by fellow writers, with suggestions, if necessary, for enhancement. This year we will also continue to explore methods for publication and, some of us, more ambitious projects such as writing a full book.