u3a

South Manchester

EVENTS DIARY

Our general meetings are held on the first Tuesday of each month at 2.00pm.

We meet at Didsbury Baptist Church, 33A Beaver Road, Didsbury, M20 6SX.

Non-members are welcome to find out what we are all about and there is usually a speaker followed by tea/coffee, biscuits and a chat.

Come along and give us a go.

Please use the entrance on School Lane. Unfortunately, there is no car parking at the church but there is ample street parking in the area. Be aware that some streets have restricted parking between 3pm and 4.30pm. The church is close to Didsbury Village tram stop and to buses which run along Wilmslow Road.

Forthcoming events

4th August 2026
2:00 pm
Meeting
“Centenarian Lady Hires Buff Butler” by Paul Isherwood
Years ago, my curiosity was piqued when stumbling across an advert saying “want to get paid for going out?” Wearing just a bow tie, cuffs and a bottom-revealing apron, for […]
Cost: £1
1st September 2026
2:00 pm
Meeting
“My Life in Broadcasting” by Roger Johnson
Roger Johnson is a television journalist, newsreader and presenter, currently working as the main presenter for BBC North West Tonight and as a regular weekend presenter of BBC Breakfast and […]
Cost: £1
6th October 2026
2:00 pm
Meeting
“Great Forgers” by Jim Williams
The boundary between a forgery and an homage or honest copy is not always obvious, and some of the great artists have turned their hands to forgery in order to […]
Cost: £1
3rd November 2026
2:00 pm
Meeting
“My Life and Challenges” by Dr. Carl Austin-Behan OBE DL
Dr Carl Austin-Behan OBE DL is a Deputy Lieutenant of Greater Manchester and former LGBT Advisor to the Mayor of Greater Manchester, Andy Burnham. Currently Greater Manchester’s LGBTQ+ Community Ambassador, […]
Cost: £1
1st December 2026
2:00 pm
Meeting
A Performance by the SMu3a Ukulele Orchestra followed by a Christmas Quiz Hosted by Tom Grimshaw
The South Manchester Ukulele Orchestra will give a festive performance of popular songs. Why not join in with the singing and let yourselves go! We are also holding a Christmas […]
Cost: £1
5th January 2027
2:00 pm
Meeting
“The Story of Pyrex” by Dr. Diana M Leitch MBE
‘THE STORY OF PYREX – 100 YEARS OF A BOROSILICATE GLASS THAT REVOLUTIONISED BOTH DOMESTIC LIFE AND SCIENTIFIC WORK’ What house or laboratory doesn’t have a piece of Pyrex? The […]
Cost: £1
2nd February 2027
2:00 pm
Meeting
“Underground Manchester” by Keith Warrender
Tales of secret passages and lost tunnels under the streets of the city and much more of what lies beneath many of Manchester’s famous thoroughfares. Keith Warrender has written many […]
Cost: £1
2nd March 2027
2:00 pm
Meeting
Piano Recital by the Internationally Famous Pianist Andrew Wilde
Prepare to be delighted, as International Pianist, Andrew Wilde, plays from world famous piano classics, and chats about all things musical. Andrew trained at Chetham’s School of Music and then […]
Cost: £1
6th April 2027
2:00 pm
Meeting
“The Work of Age UK” by Sharon Boswell
Age UK Manchester is an independent charity working with and for older people across Manchester. It was formed in 1976 to “promote the relief of elderly people in any manner […]
Cost: £1
4th May 2027
2:00 pm
Meeting
“Raptor Migration and Birding in Southern Spain” by Dennis Atherton
Being a passionate birder, Dennis will take us on a journey to the Rock of Gibraltar for Spanish specialities such as the short-toed treecreeper and bald ibis, before taking us […]
Cost: £1
1st June 2027
2:00 pm
Meeting
“An Oasis in the Pandemic” by Rev Dr. Deirdre Brower
Rev. Dr. Deirdre Brower was born in Canada, the daughter of passionate Christian parents who joined a love for God with a love of learning. She moved between the UK […]
Cost: £1
6th July 2027
2:00 pm
Meeting
“Strange Meetings – A Performance on Wilfred Owen” by Shaun Higgins
This performance documents the final 15 months of Wilfred Owen’s life when he was at Craiglockhart Hospital with shellshock and met Siegfried Sassoon. His poetry flourished before his return to […]
Cost: £1
3rd August 2027
2:00 pm
Meeting
“On the Cobbles: Early Days at Coronation Street” by Mark Llewellin
Trained actor and former High Sheriff of Greater Manchester, Mark Llewellin has been lecturing on the history of Coronation Street for over 30 years. He will entertain us with a […]
Cost: £1
5th October 2027
2:00 pm
Meeting
“My Life in Crime – Part 2” by Simon Michael
Simon Michael practised as a barrister for 37 years - so far, so ordinary you may think. Not so! Born and raised in the heart of the East End, Simon […]
Cost: £1
2nd November 2027
2:00 pm
Meeting
“Women of the Special Operations Executive During WW2”by Michele Higginbotham
In the world of espionage and resistance during World War II, the women of the Special Operations Executive (SOE) played some of the most critical roles, taking the same terrible […]
Cost: £1
1st February 2028
2:00 pm
Meeting
“The Life of a BBC Reporter” by Kevin Fitzpatrick
Kevin Fitzpatrick is a BBC reporter and a former Oldham RLFC player. He is a political reporter telling stories about local and national government and the decisions politicians make that […]
Cost: £1
7th March 2028
2:00 pm
Meeting
“Reflections of a Retired Academic” by Professor Pete Naude
Peter Naude is a British academic who is organisational theorist and Professor of Marketing at the Manchester Business School, known for his work on business networks. He obtained his Phd […]
Cost: £1
4th April 2028
2:00 pm
Meeting
“My Life at the Manor” by Gary Conley
Gary was a miner at Sutton Manor Colliery for 19 years before getting made redundant in 1991. He worked initially underground on the coalface before transferring to the pit surface […]
Cost: £1