Spanish Conversation
2026-01-09 11:30 - 12:30 (Europe/London) | Abbeygate Cinema, Hatter Street, IP33 1LZ
We are a Spanish conversation group, with the aim of discussing a wide range of topics, rather than formal structured learning, so the ability to converse in Spanish is desirable, with experience of actually speaking the language, as well as enthusiasm to participate in discussions, and so unfortunately it would not be appropriate for beginners.
We meet every Friday from 11:30 to 12:30 at the Abbeygate Cinema. We sit in a niche at the far end of the restaurant.

Bowls (Indoor Bowls)
2026-01-09 13:30 - 15:30 | Risbygate Sports Club, Westley Road, Bury St Edmunds, IP33 3RR
u3a members can bowl indoors on Fridays from 1.30pm to 3.30pm. The sessions need to be pre-booked and will cost £5/player. The use of club bowls is included in the fee. The indoor bowling season is mainly from September to March. Lawn (outdoor) bowling (see separate entry) is from mid-April to mid September.
Members do not need any experience. Flat shoes are essential. Some experienced bowlers and/or coaches will be on hand to offer advice and assistance. Free parking and café facilities are available at the club.
If players eventually wish to play more regularly than Friday afternoon sessions, they can join the Indoor bowling section of the club (includes outdoor bowling) and take part in a variety of other sessions. There are friendly roll-ups for Risbygate members most days which are available on a turn-up and play basis.

Please contact group co-ordinators, Christina & Michael, for more information and to book these sessions.

Recorder Consort
2026-01-09 14:00 - 16:00 | Culford Village Hall, Culford, Bury St Edmunds, IP28 6DN
Usually, a recorder consort features playing pieces in four parts – descant/soprano; treble/alto; tenor; bass – but more or fewer instruments are often used and the most fun is to be gained by being able to play all of the instruments. Learning to handle recorders is not usually a problem for adults and it is a matter of learning where the notes are from fingering charts and practising how to co-ordinate breathing, tongueing and fingering. In this group a few members play more than one instrument.
Music can be supplied and can be taken away for practise between sessions. Your own recorder and music stand would be needed. Plastic instruments can be purchased inexpensively.
Recorder consort playing demands fairly good sight reading skills so a familiarity with music notation is necessary before you consider joining this group but you don’t need to be an expert to join in!
The Recorder Group has almost reached maximum capacity for the time being but we are happy to hear from anyone who would like to be put on the waiting list. Please also email secretary@u3aburystedmunds.co.uk where you can be added to a list for a second group.

Badminton
2026-01-09 14:15 - 15:45 | Abbeycroft Leisure Centre, Beetons Way, Bury Saint Edmunds, IP33 3TT
Maybe you used to play badminton many moons ago and feel you would like the chance to take it up again.
You do not need to be county standard as the emphasis is on enjoyable social sport.
We meet at the Abbeycroft Leisure Centre on Friday afternoons where four courts are available to us. In a typical session, we have 16-20 players.

Pickleball
2026-01-09 16:00 - 18:00 | Skyliner Sports Centre, Rougham Tower Avenue, Bury St. Edmunds, Suffolk, IP32, United Kingdom
We are a small and friendly group aged between 50 -80 years who enjoy playing pickleball.
We play pickleball indoors at Skyliner on badminton courts. Players hit a light plastic ball across a net which is similar in height to a tennis net using light weight paddles roughly double the size of table tennis bats. We play doubles and try to ensure that we always change partners for the next game.
Bats and balls are provided but you are welcome to bring your own bat.
A one hour session currently costs £3.
We are full but have a waiting list. If you are interested please email Pam for further information.

Members On Their Own (MOTO)
2026-01-10 10:30 - 12:00 | Oakes Barn, St Andrew's St South, Bury St Edmunds, Suffolk, IP33 3PH, United Kingdom
The MOTO group is for all u3a in Bury St Edmunds members who don’t live with a partner, single, widowed or divorced, to get together to make new friends and enjoy a variety of activities in company with others.
How the group works: All group members will be encouraged to arrange activities for the group – these could be meeting for coffee and a chat, walks, lunches or other activities.
So far we have arranged a trip to Newmarket races, a night at the opera in the cathedral, two theatre visits and regular Sunday pub lunches.
This group currently has space for new members , please contact the co-ordinator for further information.

Book Group 2
2026-01-12 10:00 - 12:00 | JD Wetherspoons, The Corn Exchange, Bury St. Edmunds, Suffolk, IP33 1LG, United Kingdom
Our Group members decide on a range of books that they would like to read and discuss over the coming months. This results in a wide and enjoyable selection.
Group is currently full.

Art Appreciation
2026-01-12 10:00 - 12:00 | Moreton Hall Community Centre, Symonds Road, Bury St Edmunds, Suffolk, IP32, United Kingdom
We are a friendly and enthusiastic group of art lovers who discuss and study all aspects of the history and appreciation of art. Our meetings vary from talks by group members, studio visits to local artists, trips to art exhibitions, and occasionally an outside speaker. Our trips can usually include lunch or coffee, so we are able to meet socially outside the meetings.
The atmosphere is very informal, so people who are keen to learn are as welcome as those who have some background knowledge.
We meet at The Moreton Hall Community Centre where there is plenty of parking
We are open to new members so please contact us if you would like to hear more about the group.

Chess
2026-01-12 10:00 - 12:00 | The Apex, Charter Square, Bury St Edmunds, Suffolk, IP33 3FD, United Kingdom
The chess group is for people of all abilities; from absolute beginners to Russian 12 year olds!
We’re a friendly bunch who don’t take chess too seriously. Instruction/guidance provided if required.
Boards and pieces provided. No fees.
Why not come along and check us out? Just turn up if that suits you

French for Beginners
2026-01-12 11:00 - 12:00 | Abbeygate Cinema, Hatter Street, IP33 1LZ
A group for absolute beginners or those with very rusty, school-level French that started at the end of June 2025.
We use our own combination of resources (online apps such as Duolingo, and books) to self learn, along with group learning at our regular meetings.

Medieval England 12th to 14th Century - Group 1
2026-01-12 14:00 - 15:30 | Risbygate Sports Club, Westley Road, Bury St Edmunds, IP33 3RR
The course will cover English Medieval History from the reign of Henry 11 ( 1154- 1189) to Edward 11 ( 1307-27).
This covers events & developments of key importance right up to the present – the foundation of the English legal system, Magna Carta, & the English Parliament.
We will of course compare the achievements & failures of each monarch. For example, was King John ( 1199-1216) the worst king in English History?
In addition, we will cover the role of women, including the medieval ideal of womanhood. In similar mode we will look at William Marshal ( d. 1219) as the Ideal knight.
This will lead to a study of medieval Chivalry.

Scrabble
2026-01-12 14:00 - 16:00 | The Apex, Charter Square, Bury St Edmunds, Suffolk, IP33 3FD, United Kingdom
There’s not really any organising to do. We turn up with our boards and word books and get on with it!
We gather on Monday afternoons, 2 till 4 on the mezzanine floor at the Apex.
For further information please contact the organiser.

The Elderberries (The u3a Singers)
2026-01-12 14:00 - 16:00 | Thomas Clarkson Centre, Hospital Road, Bury St Edmunds, IP33 3JT
The u3a Singers are a friendly, informal group with over 40 members, we sing a wide variety of music, usually in four parts (soprano, alto, tenor, bass).
No Audition is necessary, and you don’t need to read music, as we will help you.
New members are very welcome, why not join us and enjoy the health benefits of singing.
For further information please email the group organiser (log in to get their details)
Concerts are held twice each year at All Saints Church.
This term’s fees are £20, to cover hire of the hall and new music (subsequent terms may be less).

Petanque
2026-01-12 15:00 - 17:30 | Moreton Hall Community Centre, Symonds Road, Bury St Edmunds, Suffolk, IP32, United Kingdom
We are now going to be playing at Moreton Hall Community Centre, Symonds Road, IP32 7EE. All players must join Moreton Hall at a cost of £10 per year. Membership entitles you to use the club any time you like and you get a discounted rate on drinks.
There is a big car park at the hall which is free.
New members still welcome. Please contact group leader, Sue, for more information.

Craft Group
2026-01-13 10:00 - 12:00 | New Green Community Centre, New Green Avenue, Thurston, IP31 3TG
We are a friendly group, interested in trying new crafts as well as sharing ideas and skills to create solo and joint projects.
We are a friendly group, interested in trying new crafts as well as sharing ideas and skills to create solo and joint projects.
We have enjoyed sessions doing tie-dying, polymer clay modelling, lino-cutting, glass and pottery painting, needle-felting, wet felting, beadwork, and card making.
We used a range of yarn techniques and fabric printing to make a banner to commemorate the 30th anniversary of the u3a in Bury St Edmunds during 2018.
The charge is £15 a term
We have space for members to join us

Wildlife
2026-01-13 10:00 - 12:00
We visit a wide variety of locations to study the birds, flora and fauna of this area of East Anglia. Most visits are within a 20-mile radius of Bury but we occasionally travel as far as the Suffolk coast.
We generally meet two Tuesday mornings each month, usually 2nd and fourth, although if we are venturing further afield we enjoy a day trip, generally with a pub lunch.
We are open to new members.

Dementia Carers
2026-01-13 10:00 - 13:00 | Bay Tree Cafe, 11 St Johns Road, Bury St. Edmunds, Suffolk, IP33 1SQ, United Kingdom
We are a recently formed mutual support group for family carers who are looking after someone living with dementia.
We meet on the second Tuesday of each month at 10am , upstairs in the Bay Tree cafe at 11, St John Street. Our meetings provide information with short talks from experts and providers, as well as providing an opportunity to exchange information and provide mutual support.

Book Group 1
2026-01-13 10:30 - 12:00 | St John’s Centre, The Centre, St John’s Street, Bury St Edmunds, Suffolk, IP33 1SN, United Kingdom
Our aim is to promote friendship by reading a wide range of books from the classics to contemporary fiction.

Government and Politics
2026-01-13 11:00 - 12:30 | Thomas Clarkson Centre, Hospital Road, Bury St Edmunds, IP33 3JT
We are a lively and participative group with members offering to lead discussions on a range of issues.
From our pre-Referendum start in 2016, our lively and participative group has discussed a wide range of policy issues and the current and future Government and political implications arising.
In recent times, we have extended our discussions of international issues such as Ukraine and Israel/Palestine, focussed on the Economy and Defence, and held annual meetings with West Suffolk Council. We are due to discuss Identity cards and the NHS.
We aim to report a summary to the wider u3a membership through the newsletter and continue to circulate opinion pieces within the group.

Cribbage Tuesday Group
2026-01-13 12:30 - 16:00 | The Fox Inn, 1, Eastgate Street, Bury St Edmunds, Suffolk, IP33 1XX, United Kingdom
An oversubscription of this popular interest group triggered the creation of this new Cribbage: Tuesday group
Although now at a different venue, we follow a similar format. organising into groups of 2,3 or 4 to play rounds of cribbage over good food with friendly people. Boards are provided. All are welcome whether novice or veteran.
Please contact the organiser to confirm dates and availability.

Italian Conversation
2026-01-13 14:00 - 15:30
We are a small group of enthusiasts who enjoy studying and speaking Italian and learning about Italian culture, and we meet in each other’s houses most Tuesday afternoons in term time, from 2 – 3.30 pm.
Our language skills are roughly Intermediate level, although some of us have more experience than others. Since none of us is either an Italian teacher or a native speaker, we help each other and learn from each other, taking it in turns to host the meeting and prepare a topic for the week. We generally start the meeting with a general conversation in Italian, before moving onto a more structured activity. This could be a more advanced grammatical point, a short text to read and discuss, or a listening comprehension.
We are currently open to new members.

Italian Beginners Conversation
2026-01-13 14:00 - 15:30 | Oakes Barn, St Andrew's St South, Bury St Edmunds, Suffolk, IP33 3PH, United Kingdom
A beginners Italian conversation group hoping to develop our verbal language skills by discussing, in Italian, various topics and scenarios in an informal and fun way. As we will learn both with and from each other, this group is suitable for the absolute beginner as well as those with a smattering of Italian.
The group is currently full, please email the group organiser to be added to the waiting list.

Poetry Reading
2026-01-13 14:15 - 16:00 | Jan Tuffs Home
We are a lively, informal group who meet on a Tuesday fortnightly to read poems aloud over a cup of tea and a biscuit.
Each person chooses a few poems on a pre-agreed topic and a brief discussion follows a reading.
Topics include individual poets (Jackie Kay for example) or particular themes (Sun, Moon and Stars for example).
And sometimes we try to read a longer poem ‘in the round’ (The Rime of the Ancient Mariner for example.)

The British Isles: Poetry and History
2026-01-14 10:00 - 12:00 | Quaker Meeting House, St Johns Street, Bury St Edmunds, Suffolk, United Kingdom
This group offers the chance to take a guided tour through The Penguin Book of English Verse, exploring contributions from 1500 to the present day. The intention is to read and discuss two or three poems from each decade. There may be occasional sorties away from the main book when the group leader or a member is disappointed at the absence of some favourite. The literary and historical context of each poem can be explored, dependent on the limits of our knowledge!
Potential group members will need a copy of this the magnificent anthology (it’s a very large paperback!) – in the version edited by Paul Keegan.
This group is currently full but please contact the Group Leader, Martin Hayden, to be added to the waiting list.

Bird Watching
2026-01-14 10:00 - 16:00
We go to places in East Anglia where we expect (or hope) to see and watch interesting birds and increase our ability to identify and appreciate them.
Outings usually last half to three-quarters of a day.
Members travel by car and lift sharing is encouraged.
Appropriate clothing for the weather is needed, and a pair of binoculars are helpful. At times conditions underfoot are uneven/slippery/boggy and we do some walking and a fair bit of standing around but are glad to use hides where available.
Browse through a selection of our Birds seen here
New members with any level of experience are welcome, however, although we are full and with a short waiting list, in practice we continue to admit new members, as attendance is variable. If you would like to join please contact the Group Leader in the first instance so that we can confirm there is space for you to join us on an outing.

Cribbage
2026-01-14 12:00 - 15:00 | The Manger, The Street, Bradfield Combust, IP30 0LW
Meet up, have a coffee, play several hands of crib (cards and boards provided), have lunch and then go home.
Games can comprise of 2, 3 or 4 players.
We are a convivial group of people who enjoy playing Crib, with life stories to tell/ exchange.
The morning starts with coffee before playing groups sort themselves out, arranging in tables of 3 or 4 players.
Play is much fun and very lively, interrupted only by ample lunch served in quality and quantity.
Never had a dull session yet.
This group is now full. If you would like to be added to the waiting list please email the Group Leader.
When we meet: 12 noon on Wednesdays, fortnightly. (Please contact me for actual dates)

Art History
2026-01-14 14:15 | Tudor Kitchen at The Guildhall, 79 Whiting Street, Bury St Edmunds, IP33 1NX
We look at all aspects of painting, sculpture etc and the history behind it. We present a topic and then discuss it during the meeting. There is always a lively discussion in which you are welcome to participate or simply sit back and enjoy.
The group meets once a month on the 2nd Wednesday of the month at the Tudor Kitchen at the Guildhall.
This group is now full but if you would like to go on a waiting list then please contact the group leader.

Italian Conversation 2
2026-01-15 10:00 - 11:30
Small group of Italy-lovers who meet to improve their Italian.
As a life-time Italian resident and teacher I am willing to instruct and guide others to achieve a working knowledge of Italian in a spirit of light-heartedness.
Members must have basic Italian – it’s not a beginners class.
Open to new members
Thursday morning from 10.00 till 11.30am.
Group meet’s at the Group Leader’s house with the option to take turns at hosting these lessons at members houses.

Bridge
2026-01-15 10:00 - 12:00 | The Apex, Charter Square, Bury St Edmunds, Suffolk, IP33 3FD, United Kingdom
We are a friendly mixed ability group with about 40 people attending each week. We can accommodate a few more people and you do not need to bring a partner as you will always get a game. We meet upstairs at The Apex.
There is no charge but members are encouraged to buy a drink from The Apex Coffee Shop.

Greek Classical Literature
2026-01-15 10:00 - 12:00 | Quaker Meeting House, St Johns Street, Bury St Edmunds, Suffolk, United Kingdom
Western theatre has its roots in the theatre of Ancient Greece. Written over 2,000 years ago, the Tragedies deal with the big themes of love, loss, pride, power, and the relationship between man and the gods.
We read and discuss the plays and share any information we discover from other sources.
We are currently reading Ted Hughes’ translation of the Oresteia by Aeschylus
We meet at 10am on the 3rd Thursday of the month in the Margaret Kemp Room at the Quaker Meeting House.
