Welcome to Sandwell u3a

We hope this will give you an idea what we do and provide you with as much information as possible to think about joining us.

WHERE AND WHEN DO WE MEET?
West Bromwich Community Centre, Gayton Road, West Bromwich B71 1QS. Easily accessible by bus from West Bromwich town centre, Walsall and Great Barr, and free car parking is available.

Monthly meetings are held on the second Monday of each month 1.30pm for 2pm start], finish about 3.30pm.

MEMBERSHIP FEES AND WHAT WE HAVE TO OFFER -
*** £15.00 per person January to December 2026,
*** £7.50 per person if you join between 1 September and 31 December 2026.
*** £2 fee is payable at each monthly meeting to help with increased room hire costs.

Non-members are welcome to come along to a combination of two meetings, i.e. monthly meeting, interest group meeting, after which they are asked to take out membership.

We currently have 12 interest groups - Art, Chess, Computers, Crown Green Bowling [spring/summer only], Discussion Group, German, Holiday Greek, Italian, Latin, Music Appreciation, Swimming, Strollers.

We organise visits to local theatres, outings to places of interest and have taken members on 5-day holidays. Visitors and potential new members are very welcome.

We believe our meetings give members an opportunity to get together in a pleasant social atmosphere, hopefully make new friends, catch up with old ones and enjoy good company,

OUR HISTORY
Sandwell u3a was started in 2004, and we became a charity in our own right in November 2006. We are an entirely independent group reflecting the aspirations of older people in Sandwell.

AND A LITTLE BIT ABOUT SANDWELL The Metropolitan Borough of Sandwell is one of seven local authorities which make the West Midlands conurbation . Sandwell consists of six towns - Oldbury, Rowley Regis, Smethwick, Tipton, Wednesbury and West Bromwich. It is situated at the centre of the motorway network and local conurbation and has the highest proportion of its area given to parks and open spaces, particularly the RSPB Sandwell Valley Nature Reserve and Bird Sanctuary.

Sandwell is home to West Bromwich Albion Football Club and it is the highest football ground above sea level of all football league clubs [168m or 551 ft].

*** Just a little bit of information - Frank Skinner, Denise Lewis, Robert Plant from Led Zeppelin, Cat Deeley, actor Matthew Marsden and the late Phil Lynott [Thin Lizzy] were all born in West Bromwich!

A.G.M.
Annual General Meetings are held in February when Committee members are proposed and elected. To contact a member of the committee please click on this link : membership secretary who will pass on your request.

COMMITTEE MEMBERS elected at the AGM on 9 February 2026:
Chair - Ann Hobson.
Vice-Chair - Ivan Wyle
Secretary - Ann Wyle
Treasurer - Brenda Evans
Membership Secretary - Mike Matthews
Speaker Secretary - Alan Hobson
Communications Officer - Sue Clothier
Group Liaison Officer - Mavis Catchpowle
Other members: Carol Green and Phil Page

Our next AGM will be on MONDAY 8 February 2027

GENERAL DATA PROTECTION REGULATION (GDPR]This an update to the existing Data Protection Act 1998 (DPA). GDPR applied in the UK from 25 May 2018 and replaced the DPA. In accordance with updated regulations, Sandwell u3a confirm that members’ personal details [home address, telephone numbers, email address] are held securely by our Membership Secretary and Chairman, and are not passed onto any other individual, outside organisation, or other u3a without your prior consent. This also applies to any information you give to Group Leaders – this is held securely by them. Membership Application Forms allow you to consent, or otherwise, to your photograph being published on the Sandwell u3a website. If you have any questions or concerns about GDPR, please contact one of our committee members [see details above and use the Contact page].