After childhood and then working life, we come to the third age. Here we may wish to explore new interests or to share existing ones in a friendly social atmosphere. Learning and activities are purely for pleasure, and qualifications and examinations are irrelevant. This is why Universities of the Third Age (U3As) exist.

The idea started in France in 1972 but there are now Universities of the Third Age all over the world. In Britain there are currently more than 600 local U3As and the number is still increasing. Each one is an independent, self-funding, autonomous organization but almost all, including the one in Bath, choose to be affiliated to a national coordinating body called the Third Age Trust. This liaises between local U3A organizations and provides a quarterly magazine, as well as a range of goods, services, travel opportunities, summer schools and support for the establishment of new local U3As.

U3As are not associated with universities in the normal education system. 'University' is used in the sense of 'a corporation of persons devoted to particular activities, not necessarily intellectual'. Members simply share their knowledge and expertise with other members and the social aspect is very important.

U3A in Bath was started in 1985. It currently has about 1400 members, making us one of the largest U3As in Britain. It is run in accordance with its own constitution by a committee elected each year at a general meeting to which all members are invited.