From hikes or line dancing to fine wines, cooking, crafts and current affairs ‒ and even learning those pesky computer skills ‒ the revived chapter of the University of the Third Age (U3A) in Howick has seen a sudden surge in members.
The University of the Third Age is an international organisation with members across the globe. It provides courses for mind, body and spirit for anyone in their “third age” of life, with members from the age of 55 who are semi-retired or retired.
Speaking to the Independent on Saturday this week, U3A Howick’s Harriet Joao said as the world has been emerging from the Covid-19 pandemic, there has been a renewed interest by senior citizens in getting active again.
“The organisation became completely dormant during Covid, but we’ve seen that people want to be out again, meeting new people and doing new activities.
“We’ve had 64 new members joining in the last month and we are getting a huge response on our Facebook page,” she said.
Typical courses enjoyed by members worldwide include art, conservation, debate, drama, history, the sciences and social sciences, as well as less educationally focused activities, such as hiking, walking, theatre and concert clubs, travel, music and dance.
“Just” Harriet said the most popular interest groups in Howick were armchair travel, day trips, arts and handicrafts, computer skills, board games, books, gardening, learning a new language, cooking and wine, as well as photography, ecology, board games and creative writing.
She said when 10 people or more express an interest for a group, a WhatsApp group for that interest would be established and activities planned via the group.
She added that U3A Howick was also looking for members who have specific skills which could be taught or shared, as well as members prepared to be group leaders in specific sub-groups, such as hiking, camping, walking and photography.
She said the AGM was scheduled to be held on March 9 at 2pm at The Recreation Centre, after which member Alistair Nixon will talk on “A Hike Through History ‒ Spioenkop”.
Nixon said: “The thought of hiking up to the top of the battlefield Spioenkop has intrigued me for some time. Of course, to follow the route taken by General Warren’s troops to the top at night was tempting. Sense prevailed and we followed a well-demarcated route via the twin peaks to the west. Seeing the terrain close at hand and being at relevant points outside the battlefield gave us a very different perspective.”
Harriet added that the Howick U3A Annual Giving Back Project would be launched at the AGM with the chosen NPO for this year being FREEME Wildlife, a rehabilitation and trauma facility for wildlife. Funds raised this year will go towards opening another clinic in Zululand which is urgently needed.
The AGM will be held on March 9 at 2pm at The Recreation Centre, Amber Lee, Howick.
For more information on U3A Howick, email [email protected] or go to Facebook page U3A Howick KwaZulu-Natal.
The Independent on Saturday