Learn Laugh Live
Last Updated: 30 Apr ’26
Views: 16
Exploring London, Thursday 25th and Friday 26th April
April Walk: Shoreditch and Hoxton
John will be leading a walk through Shoreditch and Hoxton on Thursday June 25th and Friday June 26th.
It is a flat walk from Liverpool Street Station through Shoreditch and Hoxton tracing the history of the area from Tudor times to the present.
The area saw the first performances of Shakespeare’s plays and following the opening of the Regents Canal in 1820 there was a property boom. Unfortunately the houses were shoddily built with few amenities, no running water or proper sanitation. The area was very poor and many public facilities were provided by philanthropic patrons. It was not until the 1980’s and 90’s when artists began moving into the area attracted by the cheap studio space that things began to improve. This creative explosion earmarked Hoxton as possibly the trendiest place in London.
Remember if you apply for others, you are responsible for passing on messages.
Please indicate if you are NOT willing for your email address to be shared with other successful applicants.
If you have any queries regarding this walk, please contact Steph via Coordinator. Late applications will be accepted.
Last updated: 31 May ’26
Views: 227
Explore London – Shepherds Bush and White City
Tuesday 19 and Thursday 21 March
Tony will be leading a walk in the Shepherds Bush and White City areas on Tuesday May 19th and Thursday May 21st. This will not be involving the Westfield Centre but will be about the area from the days of the first Olympic Games held in the UK and when there really was a White City until the construction of Westfield. You might not be surprised to hear that there will be some interest shown in the local railway systems.
If you wish to apply for this walk, please email the coordinator via the group page after 09.00 on 1 May with a maximum of 4 persons per application.
If you miss the 1st May you can still apply, especially If you can do both dates, so numbers can be balanced on both walks.
Remember if you apply for others, you are responsible for passing on messages. Please give your full names and U3A numbers and preferred date and indicate if you are flexible on the dates. Please use the following link to checkout the Exploring London Webpage: https://u3adacorum.org/?page_id=1168
If you have any queries please contact Tony via Coordinator
Last updated – 28 Apr ’26
Views: 238
MONDAY 1 June, 10:00 REFRESHMENTS,
10.30 PRESENTATION
doors open 09:45
Critically acclaimed author and public speaker, Fran Sandham, took on the challenge of a lifetime, by walking across Africa from Namibia’s Skeleton Coast on the Atlantic to the Indian Ocean near Zanzibar – completely alone: no backup, no support team, no one to carry his gear, no sponsors, no film crew, no journalists, no fuss, no cheering crowds, and no strings attached. Above all, it had to be on a one-way ticket: no safety nets, no get-out clauses and nothing to fall back on…
No fee to be paid
Contact: Groups via this link (select addressee: Groups)
The meeting will be hybrid, if you wish to participate on Zoom, use the link that will be supplied in the Group News closer to the date.
If you experience difficulty with the sound, turning on Captions, at the bottom of the Zoom screen on a PC or by clicking on More … on an iPad, should assist greatly. Please bear in mind that the task of getting both sound and picture to members on Zoom is fraught with difficulties. We continue to struggle on, it may not always be totally successful.
Directions
Boxmoor Playhouse
72 St John’s Rd
Hemel Hempstead
HP1 1NP
Parking round the Moor OR 55 – 57 Park Road, HP1 1JS
Directions
Buses between Hemel and Berkhamsted: 500 and X500 bus.
Buses are approximately every 30 minutes: Red Eagle Buses
Local buses running in St John’s Road past Boxmoor Playhouse
Last updated: 28 Apr ’26
Views: 136
MONDAY 27 April, 10:00 REFRESHMENTS,
(NB: Date differs due to May Bank Holiday)
10.30 PRESENTATION
doors open 09:45
When news broke that RMS Titanic – the supposedly unsinkable ship – had sunk with the loss of 1,500 lives there was shock across the world. While there have been larger maritime disasters since, the tragedy of the then most luxurious liner ever to be built has been remembered in a way few other shipwrecks have.
This talk provides an insight into Britain and the international situation in the ‘Belle Époque’ before the First World War. It tells the story of the conception, construction, and fate of Titanic and her two sister ships. Developed and built in Belfast, learn about the fraught and violent political situation in what was then one of the most important industrial cities in the world.
The impact of the sinking (as well as the conspiracy theories that emerged) are discussed, and the clandestine Cold War reasons for the ship’s discovery revealed. Stephen adds stories of his family connexions to Titanic and the Belfast shipyards to explore her history and why over a century later Titanic is still claiming lives.
Stephen Goss is an academic historian published in peer-review journals who has been a popular speaker in local historical societies and community groups for 15 years.
No fee to be paid
Contact: Groups via this link (select addressee: Groups)
The meeting will be hybrid, if you wish to participate on Zoom, use the link that will be supplied in the Group News closer to the date.
If you experience difficulty with the sound, turning on Captions, at the bottom of the Zoom screen on a PC or by clicking on More … on an iPad, should assist greatly. Please bear in mind that the task of getting both sound and picture to members on Zoom is fraught with difficulties. We continue to struggle on, it may not always be totally successful.
Directions
Boxmoor Playhouse
72 St John’s Rd
Hemel Hempstead
HP1 1NP
Parking round the Moor OR 55 – 57 Park Road, HP1 1JS
The parking outside St John’s church now has a 3 hour limit and no return for 2 hours. This is to discourage commuters going to the station using it for all day parking. The three-hour limit works for our monthly meeting. Warning, there is someone who checks!
Directions
Buses between Hemel and Berkhamsted: 500 and X500 bus.
Buses are approximately every 30 minutes: 500 and X500 Timetable
Local buses running in St John’s Road past Boxmoor Playhouse
Last Updated: 31 Mar ’26
Views: 240
u3a Dacorum now have their own Facebook Group, which reflects the various group activities that u3a members can join.
It is also where Group leaders can submit their own group’s information to be shown on the u3adacorum Facebook.
Here is the link to view the u3adacorum Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/1214692039477191
Views: 18
MONDAY 2 FEBRUARY, 10:00 REFRESHMENTS,
10.30 PRESENTATION
doors open 09:45
Jeremy Holmes presented a very well received talk to us in 2024 on the 200th anniversary of Byron’s death. Jeremy is a past CEO of the Royal Pharmaceutical Society and has spent time investigating the challenge facing the countries in East Africa and beyond. The experience was fascinating, sobering but also sometimes uplifting.
East Africa is facing enormous healthcare challenges, all the more so, in the light of current cutting of international aid. As the population enjoys increasing life expectancy and more people adopt a Western lifestyle, rates of diabetes, heart disease and cancer are going through the roof. But the supply of medicines, almost all of which are imported, falls a long way short of demand.
No fee to be paid
Contact: Groups via this link (select addressee: Groups)
The meeting will be hybrid, if you wish to participate on Zoom, use the link that will be supplied in the Group News closer to the date.
If you experience difficulty with the sound, turning on Captions, at the bottom of the Zoom screen on a PC or by clicking on More … on an iPad, should assist greatly. Please bear in mind that the task of getting both sound and picture to members on Zoom is fraught with difficulties. We continue to struggle on, it may not always be totally successful
No fee to be paid
Contact: Groups via this link (select addressee: Groups)
The meeting will be hybrid, if you wish to participate on Zoom, use the link that will be supplied in the Group News closer to the date.
If you experience difficulty with the sound, turning on Captions, at the bottom of the Zoom screen on a PC or by clicking on More … on an iPad, should assist greatly.
Boxmoor Playhouse
72 St John’s Rd
Hemel Hempstead
HP1 1NP
Parking round the Moor OR 55 – 57 Park Road, HP1 1JS
The parking outside St John’s church now has a 3 hour limit and no return for 2 hours. This is to discourage commuters going to the station using it for all day parking. The three-hour limit works for our monthly meeting. Warning, there is someone who checks!
Directions
Buses between Hemel and Berkhamsted: 500 and X500 bus.
Buses are approximately every 30 minutes: 500 and X500 Timetable
Local buses running in St John’s Road past Boxmoor Playhouse
Last updated: 13 Nov ’25
Views: 102
We are sorry to say that the following groups have been cancelled, for various reasons.
If you would like to re-start the group, please contact the Groups Secretary
You do not need to run the group by yourself, often someone is willing to help.
A Cappella (147)
Belleplates (062)
Board Games (070 and 212)
Bowls (006)
Creative Writing A (077)
Computer Support (069)
French and Fun (015)
French Conversation (014)
Garden Appreciation (016)
Geology 1 and 2 (021 and 184)
Line Dancing (022)
Music Appreciation (034)
News (Have Your Say) (362)
Painting Unlimited (09)
Painting for You (196)
Playing early Music (043)
Recorder Ensemble (148)
Sign Language (227 and 189)
Short Day Trips (186)
Shorter Walks A & B (050)
Sunday Scrabble (055)
Swimming Berkhamsted (226) But see Swimming (221) ex HH
Ukulele 2 (192)
Whist (091)
Last Updated 17 Jun ’25
Views: 362
The new Constitution was formally adopted at the SGM on 6th December 2021.
414 votes were cast by proxy of which 382 were in favour, and 9 postal votes were cast of which 8 were in favour. In total 390 of 423 votes (92%) were in favour.
Views: 65
A draft Equality and Diversity policy has been posted for comment by all members.
It can be found under the Policies and Documents tab.
Views: 8
