Our monthly meetings, open to all Bristol u3a members, normally take place on the third Tuesday of each month. These are a mixture of "live" meetings, zoom only and "hybrid" meetings.
Live Meetings
We meet at The Foundation, Triodos Bank, on the junction of Deanery Road and St Georges Road.
Doors open at 10.00am. Hot drinks and biscuits are available and there is an opportunity to socialise before a talk given by a guest speaker.
Zoom Meetings
An invitation with the details is sent out to all members in advance of each Monthly Meeting.
Hybrid Meetings
The speaker is not present at The Foundation but you can come along and watch the talk on a screen and socialise with other members. Alternatively you can watch the talk from home via Zoom, in which case there is the opportunity towards the end of the meeting to go into a ‘break out’ room to chat with a few other members.
See below for details of our talks
18th November 2025
Meeting
Charlton Farm Children's Hospice
Helen Grinnell will talk about a more light hearted approach to care.
Venue: The Foundation
16th December 2025
Meeting
An Introduction to the Orchestra
Colin Butcher, a Bristol u3a member, will be our speaker. The intention of his talk is to help people have a better understanding of what’s happening within an orchestra or band. How does a composer’s music get to be performed? What are all the different instruments? How do the instruments make sounds? What about when there are singers and staging to consider? What happens at rehearsals? What’s going on between everyone during a performance?
Venue: The Foundation
20th January 2026
Meeting
Glimpses of life in Turkey, China and Russia in the '70s, '80s and '90s
Our speaker is Helen Jones, a u3a member who has worked most of her life abroad in six countries. She will talk about the three where she lived for the longest time and which she knew the best. Her focus will be on their diverse cultures, related through the lives of people she knew and loved.
Venue: The Foundation
17th February 2026
Meeting
Biodanza – a True Dance of Life
Allison Bolster, who facilitates a Biodanza class for Bristol u3a, will be our speaker.
From its origins in Chile back in the 1960s, Biodanza has become a world-wide phenomenon. At present less well-known in the UK, its popularity is growing; at the first biannual World Congress near Venice last year there were some two and a half thousand delegates. Although it involves a lot of dancing it is not a dance-form, more of a therapy backed with some philosophy and a lot of science. Allison will talk about the origins and main principles of Biodanza, while giving those of the audience who so wish the chance to try a little of it out themselves!
Venue: The Foundation
Some of our most interesting talks have been given to us by our own members. If you have a talk to offer about your career or your interest do contact Anna, who is arranging our programme of talks for 2026.
