Our membership runs from 1st April to 31st March, and so we are now requesting payment of subscriptions for 2026/27.
The fees for 2026-2027 will continue at the same level as previously
- A basic full membership remains at just £10 per annum.
- If already registered with another u3a, however, this reduces to £6.50. (As the element of subscriptions due to national u3a needs to be paid only once at your main u3a group).
- You can also opt to include a magazine subscription of £4 per annum added in to what's paid. (This gives a 'u3a Matters' magazine, delivered to your door - five issues per year - with news of what's happening in the wider u3a. Ideas, opportunities, on-line and summer school courses, discounts, and more). More information available HERE.
If renewing or resinstating a membership, then you don't need a new membership form.
We can carry your membership forwards on your existing membership number, but payment of the subscription for each new year is required by any of the methods described below. Renewal is required each April, and reminders will be sent out, including your current member details to let check these are still correct and up-to-date.
For a new member, however, we do require a membership form to be completed, not just to give us your details, but also to get a signature that you have noted the various terms and policies relating to u3a membership.
You are however welcome to get involved on a 'try before you buy' basis, so no hard sell on membership until you are sure you wish to join. Either come to meetings or use the contact page on this site to ask general questions or use the website to explore our range of groups, and check out upcoming event dates. Follow the Group Email links on group pages to get in touch with leaders for more specific questions, or to arrange to attend any activity sessions of interest, to see if these are at the level and format you were looking for.
When you do decide to join, this can be done in person at a meeting, or remotely by email/BACS options,
We do recommend this face-to-face method of joining, to get everything double checked, and to give the best option to start to get involved with our various activities. Members meeting dates are on 3rd Wednesday of Month while Speakers meeting dates are on 1st Wednesday of Month. See events list for upcoming dates. Here we have blank membership forms available; alternatively if you wish to download a membership form in advance (either to save time when enrolling or to check form contents), then you can click this link to download a printable membership form (pdf format). You can complete this by hand and then bring it along to a members or speakers meetings.
If however you are unable to come to meetings, and wish to complete the membership application process remotely, please mail Membership Secretary to discuss options for this.
Payment can be made at meetings either in Cash or by Credit/Debit Card, or by online Bank Transfer.
For cash payments at meetings we request that the cash is put in an envelope, indicating the name(s) of the people you are paying for, the membership number(s) if this is a renewal, the total value of the payment, and the types of memberships being required (That is: Full or Associate, and whether a magazine supplement has been added). This helps us to match the payments to the right account.
For online details, the bank details are as shown on the membership form, however again we would appreciate it if in addition to just making the payments, you do also send an email to the Membership Secretary to say you have now paid, and again give details of value, names, and membership type (as above) to assist with matching process.
Please note however that Wigan u3a has some 'Reciprocal Arrangements' with other neighbouring u3a branches - which may mean that as a Wigan member you can attend their meetings and events, and of course the other way round, without taking up membership of a second u3a.
This applies ONLY to Leigh and Ashton-in-Makerfield u3as.
Any on-the-day costs for transport, materials, tuition, venues etc. would still need to be paid, and the reciprocal arrangement will apply ONLY where there is capacity to accept visiting members; each u3a will give priority to their own members where numbers are limited. Also, as a visiting member only, you could miss out on receiving newsletters and similar publicity from the second u3a, and will depend on the group leader making additional effort to keep you updated, and to keep a record of any contact details for you.
For these reasons, if remaining extensively involved in two different groups, we would always suggest it is better to pay an associate membership for the second group, even where not strictly a requirement.
(Please ask for more information on this situation if relevant.)