Please watch this space in case of last minute changes!
Open Meetings are held in the Buckingham Community Centre
Address: Cornwalls Meadow, Buckingham MK18 1RP
Non-Members are normally welcome as guests at our Open meetings. Please speak to a Committee member if you are interested in joining our U3a. Meetings usually start at 2:15 for 2:30pm
2025
26th November 2025
Annual General Meeting – See Events for Members
18th December 2025 – NB this is on a THURSDAY
Christmas Social – See Events for Members
2026
28th January 2026
Roger Brown: The Great American Songbook – the fascinating lives of Gershwin, Kern, Porter, Rodgers, Berlin, Carmichael, Fats Waller and beyond – and their wonderful music, brought to us by Roger Browne who has been a pianist with the internationally renowned band, Manchester Jazz.
25th February 2026
Stephen Parker (retired Scotland Yard Detective Superintendent): Operation Atlantic – a fast moving multi-faceted operation successfully combating international organised crime involving UK gangsters, the Mafia, a Bolivian drugs cartel together with a contract killing and a multi-kilo seizure of high-grade cocaine.
25th March 2026
Mark Orchard: Tall Ship Sailing Experience: The Jubilee Sailing Trust (JST) was a charitable organisation in the United Kingdom, which was established in 1978, with a donation from the Queen’s Silver Jubilee Fund. Its aim was to promote the integration of physically disabled and able-bodied men and women through the challenge of sailing a tall ship at sea. JST operated the purpose-built three-masted barques STS Lord Nelson and SV Tenacious, both specifically designed for the physically handicapped to be able to fully engage with the sailing experience.
STS Lord Nelson sailed on her maiden voyage from Southampton to Cherbourg on 17 October 1986, and SV Tenacious made her maiden voyage on 1 September 2000, also from Southampton.
Mark Orchard, a member of our U3a, has had the opportunity of helping with the building, and then sailing on Tenacious 7 times. He will give a PowerPoint presentation of his experiences, showing life on board A TALL SHIP.
22nd April 2026
Our Speaker, Dr Helen Fry will be talking about: MI9 – this was a British intelligence agency established in December 1939 during World War II, specifically for the purpose of assisting Allied prisoners of war and downed airmen to escape from enemy territory and evade capture. It did this by creating clandestine escape routes and providing essential supplies and information, such as maps, money, and compasses, through both local resistance movements and its own agents. MI9 also gathered valuable intelligence from the very individuals it helped return to Allied lines.
28th May 2026 (Note: it is on a Thursday)
Why Honeybees Matter: Meriet Duncan is a passionate beekeeper, author,
and storyteller, with an engaging, informative talk that explores the remarkable world of honeybees and the inspiring lessons they offer us about community, resilience, and our connection with nature.
Her talk draws on her experience as a beekeeper and the author of two children’s books—Betsie Valentine and the Honeybees, and Betsie Valentine and the Honourable Honeybee. While written for children, the themes resonate with all ages, and her talks are known for being lively, heartfelt, and thought-provoking. Her aim is to leave audiences not just
better informed, but uplifted and inspired.
Remaining Dates to Follow