Below are reports and photos of some of our past Events and Outings.
Click on any photo to show it full size
Garden Group visit Local Secret Gem
Dennis arranged a wonderful private visit to The Mount in Roydon, home for the last 27 years of David & Liz Davison.
Following a short video with a brief introduction to the garden by David, we leisurely explored the three acres of formal gardens split into nine distinct areas and five acres of woodland which had been planted in 2003.
The seasonal flowers were very much still vibrant, and many of us appreciated the scent of the beautiful roses.
Another feature of this delightful garden are the numerous statues & animal sculptures sourced from all around the world.
Our visit also included unlimited tea & cake which we could enjoy either in the grotto or at the many seating areas around the garden.
A very pleasant way to spend a summer’s afternoon.
Thank you, Dennis, for arranging.
Science & Environment Group
We had a very productive inaugural meeting of this new Group on Friday 14th Aug at which we discussed a large range of potential subjects to be either covered internally by members, or that we could invite guest speakers to cover.
An initial, exciting list of possible visits to venues related to these topics was also discussed. Next meeting dates are:
- Friday 11th September
- Friday 9th October
- Friday 13th November
If you’re interested & would like further details on times & venues, please get in touch with Tim Robinson, Laurence Cole, or Martin Benson via the "Contact Us" tab, and your message will be passed on.
New Members’ Afternoon Tea
Our recent new members were invited to enjoy an afternoon tea and good company in the lovely garden of our Chair, Glynis.
It was a good opportunity to get to know each other and to talk to committee members. We all agreed it had been a very successful afternoon.
Solos Adventure Club
17 members of LVu3a met at "The Glass Lounge" in Hoddesdon for lunch and good conversation with friends.
Everyone is a member of the Solos Adventure Club which has a growing membership and all LVu3a solos are welcome to try us out.
We especially would encourage any men out there, don’t put it off, join us now!
Breast Cancer Research Fundraiser
One of our members opened up her home & garden for a wonderful afternoon raising money for Breast Cancer Research in August.
Friends from the Lea Valley u3a enjoyed tea & delicious homemade cakes whilst chatting & relaxing in the shade in Maureen’s lovely garden & supporting this worthy cause..
We guessed the weight of the cake & prizes were won on the tombola & raffle!.
Always good to support other charities in this way.
Exploring London 6 Outing
Exploring London Group 6 recently enjoyed a tour of the house and gardens of Camfield Place, the home of the late Dame Barbara Cartland, followed by afternoon tea in the lovely dinning room.
Solos Adventure Club Lunch
12 members of the LVU3A Solos Adventure Club met at Mantos on Sunday 19th July for Sunday lunch.
The food was suburb and the company convivial. We were very happy to welcome a new person to our growing membership.
If you are on your own, do join us, especially men, please don’t be shy!
Tudor King visits the Lea Valley u3a
At our July main meeting, Tony Harris, aka King Henry VIII entertained us with his brilliant portrayal of the Tudor King.
In the King’s quest for a male heir, the trials & tribulations of his six wives were brilliantly portrayed in such a way that had us all laughing!
Eating Round the World Group
Mussels and muscles for the Eating Around the World group in early July.
We enjoyed a very relaxing and air conditioned evening meal at Fishy Delishy, Cheshunt.
Why not join us next time? Our meetings are open to all members of Lea Valley U3A.
PLEASE NOTE WE WILL NOW BE TAKING A BREAK FOR THE 2026 SUMMER PERIOD. LOOK OUT IN SEPTEMBER FOR NEWS OF OUR NEXT MEAL.
Short Walks Group
On a hot day in June, the Short Walks Group completed an enjoyable Sunday stroll, lead by Martin, along the River Lea. On completion we all enjoyed lunch at The Bull in Broxbourne.
Solos Adventure Club Lunch
Our Solos Adventure Club along with a guest member, "Mario" the guide dog, met for our monthly informal lunch at "Magia e Bevi" the new Italian Café in Hoddesdon. We all enjoyed getting together for friendly conversation and a tasty snack lunch.
The next event will be a get together at 1pm on Sunday 19th July for a Roast lunch at Manto's Restaurant in Wormley. This needs to be pre booked via Coral the Group Leader of the Solos Adventure Club. If you are on your own, please do join us and make new friends or perhaps reunite with old friends.
We welcome new members!
Stunning Stevington
Members of the Garden Group enjoyed a wonderful afternoon at the gardens of Kathy & Simon Brown, in the village of Stevington near Bedford.
Having owned the Manor House & its gardens for more 30 years, over time, they have planted 250 trees and have several garden rooms inspired by artists including Hepworth, Mondrian & Monet.
Following our guided tour & talk on the history of the Manor House & gardens, we enjoyed a slice of delicious homemade cake with ingredients from the gardens & a welcome cup of tea or coffee.
Many thanks to group leader, Dennis, for organising such a lovely outing.
People Who Made Capel Manor What it is Today.
We were delighted to welcome Dr Steven Dowbiggin OBE to speak at our June Spotlight meeting. Steven was Head of College at Capel Manor in Enfield for 33 years.
Capel Manor has a very rich history dating back to the 13th century and, of course, Henry VIII had a part in its past too!
Steven entertained us with tales and anecdotes about some of the many well-known and famous people from TV presenters to recent members of the Royal Family who have helped, supported and shaped Capel Manor into the glorious gardens & college that it is today.
Heritage Group visit to Layer Marney Tower
In early June, 26 members of the Heritage Group visited Layer Marney Tower near Colchester, Essex. A Tudor Palace, and England’s tallest Tudor Gatehouse, Layer Marney was built in the 1520s as a statement house by Henry, 1st Lord Marney, who was Henry VIII’s Lord Privy Seal.
Built to the height of fashion in rich red brick, Lord Marney used stone coloured terracotta decorations on the windows with Italianate mouldings to make it one of the most sophisticated buildings of its time.
During the morning we enjoyed a guided tour by the present owner of Layer Marney which included a visit to the private side of the house. Following a pleasant lunch in the Long Gallery we were free to explore the Gatehouse and climb to the top to enjoy magnificent views across to the Blackwater estuary.
Our thanks to Joan for organising such a grand day out!
Solos Adventure Club
A small group of Solos Adventure Club members met for a light informal and enjoyable lunch at The Glass Lounge. We also discussed future adventures.
Why not join us if you are a solo member of U3A? We would warmly welcome you into our growing group. Please email our group leader and ask to be included in future email updates.
Exploring London 6 - London Canal Museum
A very successful and enjoyable visit to the London Canal Museum by members of Exploring London Group 5 took place on Friday 5th June. A wonderful talk by a lady (also a member of Potters Bar U3A) performing as Mrs Marshall a well known cook& published author of the 18th Century. A demonstration of how ice-cream was made in Victorian times with group participation and plenty of sampling of the end result, delicious! Made for a great day out
Exploring London 6 - Close Encounters with Alpacas
We had an extremely enjoyable afternoon at Yew Tree Alpacas, Buntingford with Penny the owner giving us a talk on the beginnings of her adventure with Alpacas.
All the lovely Alpacas had recently been shorn and just left with a little topknot on their heads. A lengthy walk for some members leading the alpacas around the fields and for others a feeding session with 3 young ones who enjoyed a carrot or two.
This was followed by a delicious afternoon tea with sandwiches and home-made cakes.
Many of us also indulged in a little retail therapy of course!
New Padel Group
Our newly formed Padel Group is underway and is proving to be great fun as we learn a new sport.
Sessions are on Thursday afternoons between 2.00 – 4.00 p.m. at Broxbourne Sports Club in Mill Lane, Broxbourne. Cost is £6 for the 2 hours.
Intermediate Walking Group
This photograph was taken during our 5 mile walk starting from The Feathers Inn in Wadesmill, on Friday 8th May, when we stopped for a coffee at Barwick Ford.
The group, run by Jill Dockley, walk once a month, usually on the first Friday. New members welcome.
Lea Valley u3a at Older Persons’ Fair
Members of Lea Valley u3a have recently been volunteering on our publicity stand at two local events:
Friday 10th April – Older Persons’ Fair organised by Lewis Cocking MP, at The Spotlight.
Saturday 18th April - Love Hoddesdon Spring Fayre & Heritage Day (see below)
Both were very successful and we had lots of good conversations with members of the public letting them know what the Lea Valley u3a can offer them. We’re looking forward to seeing some of them at our Spotlight meetings in the future.
Our thanks go to everyone who helped at both these events.
FRENCH BOULES GROUP
The French Boules group enjoyed playing in the spring sunshine at Rye Park.
For further information, please contact Jacques, the Group Leader