Talk by Duncan Birtles on 23 January 2026
Please note that the 2025 Annual General Meeting of Sale u3a will be held at 2.00pm on Friday 12th December 2025 at Sale Moor Community Centre. See poster attached.
The agenda, Chair’s Report and other relevant papers will be available at this meeting. Any member who wants copies in advance of the AGM, or who intends to ask a relevant question must notify the Secretary in writing/email before the 1st December 2025.
We are seeking nominations for the committee as well as volunteers (non committee) for small projects and support. Please contact a committee member if you are interested in helping.
Talk on 28 November 2025
On Friday 28 November 2025, an audience of about 45 people enjoyed a talk by Jane Finney about nursery rhymes. Afterwards some were heard reciting some nursery rhymes including "Remember, Remember the fifth of November" and "Goosey Goosey gander where do you wander" ….while they learned the history and politics behind some of our most well known nursery rhymes
Trip to Halifax Piece Hall - 21 November 2025
“Our trip to Piece Hall, Halifax was great fun today. Here are a few photos of our day out which involved learning some history of the site and town, a little Christmas shopping and some lovely food and drinks. 38 of us set off while ice was still on the ground and we arrived to blue sky and little sunshine. This lifted the spirit but did little to raise the temperature very far. The market and craft shops were in full swing and some of us also visited the Minster, local shopping centre and Borough market. A fun day out in an interesting place.
Pete has studied 'The Assassination of President Kennedy' over three decades. He has attended assassination conferences in Dallas in 2003 & 2013. He has also delivered a research lecture to 'JFK Lancer's November in Dallas' conference in 2000. In the previous decade he has been a member of the British research group 'Dealey Plaza U.K.' giving regular presentations at their seminars & writing articles for their journal 'The Dealey Plaza Echo'. He has also contributed text to published books on the topic and in November 2025 will have a book published on the Dallas Police personnel of 1963 which he has co-authored. The presentation is fact based, from eye witness statements, sworn testimonies, photographs and film from the 22nd of November 1963 in Fort Worth & Dallas.
Audience at the talk about the Assassination of President Kennedy
Visit to Lytham Hall - 6th June 2025
It was an interesting day out for 32 u3a members and after the initial threat of rain had disappeared, it was a beautiful sunny day. There was so much to see at Lytham Hall with its Grade 1 listed mansion house, garden centre, garden walks, shop, bookshop and cafe. After a straight forward drive, our coach survived a very tight squeeze through the gates of the estate while we all held our breath and then applauded our driver. We were met by our hosts, who provided tea/coffee and biscuits along with some background information about the Clifton family and how they came to own the mansion and the estate. Lidun is mentioned in the Domesday Book in 1086 and we learnt a little about its first owners and its acquisition by Sir Cuthbert Clifton in 1606. The Lytham Hall we visited was commissioned by Thomas Clifton and completed in 1764, replacing an older Jacobean Manor. Lytham Hall is a large Georgian house in the Palladian style, designed by John Carr. The Clifton family owned the hall for more than 350 years until the last squire, Sir Henry Talbot De Vere Clifton ran out of money and had to sell it in 1963. Once we had explored and had a chat with a few of the many volunteers who help run the Hall there was time for lunch before we headed off to St Anne's where some had ice cream at the Pier and walked on the promenade and beach, while others headed to the shops for some retail therapy. Thanks to the organisers for a great day out.
Photographs by Kathryn Fyfe
On Friday 23 May 2025 Sale u3a audience enjoyed a musical talk by Roger Browne.
Talk by Roger Browne
Roger Browne is an actor, singer, speaker, musician, director, composer and writer.
As a jazz pianist, he has accompanied many top International and UK based jazz artists including George Chisholm, Humphrey Lyttleton, George Melly, Marion Montgomery, Stefan Grappelli, Louis Armstrong all-star, Bud Freeman, Scott Hamilton, Danny Moss etc. He has played in all the countries of the UK, America’s West Coast, in California and Washington State, in Montana, Arizona, Canada’s British Columbia, across the Caribbean, in Spain, Germany, Norway, Republic of Ireland and The Netherlands.
Roger, now, apart from playing piano for Manchester Jazz and various of his own groups, delivers talks about his amazing life of music, featuring stories, songs, and interpretations of music by Gershwin, Kern, Porter etc., in his own inimitable piano style. “
Many members greatly enjoyed the musical talk by Roger Browne. You might be interested in the Manchester Jazz events shown below.
Sale u3a present a community event to commemorate the 80th anniversary of VE Day.
All welcome! Entrance is FREE!
Chris Tynan talk on 25 April 2025.
On 25 April 2025 Chris Tynan will give a talk on the birds that we can expect to see in our gardens.
In 2018, Chris Tynan received the RSPB Presidents Award. The President’s award is given to 5 volunteers every year to highlight outstanding volunteering to the RSPB.
Chris, the RSPB Liverpool Local Group leader for over 20 years, gives talks to varied local groups and is a regular nature watcher on BBC Radio Merseyside on a Saturday morning. He is described by those who know him as inspirational and his energy and enthusiasm for birds and wildlife have ensured a large number of people care deeply about nature.
On Friday 28 March 2025 Victor Crawford spoke about the work of the North West Air Ambulance Charity.
Over 60 people attended to hear this interesting talk by Caroline Lyndsay.
On Friday 24th January 2025 more than sixty u3a members enjoyed and informative talk by Nicky Patterson about her career as an Air Traffic Controller at Manchester Airport.
Sale u3a Annual General Meeting - 13 December 2024
Many thanks to all those members who attended our Sale u3a 2024 Annual General Meeting on 13th December.
The following members were re-elected to the Committee: Carole Barley(Chair), Judith Lloyd (Vice Chair), Kathryn Fyfe (Secretary), Margaret Loftus (Treasurer), Louise Glossop (Membership Secretary), Guy Robson (Talks Organiser), Barry Brotherton (Webmaster) and Charlene Pullan.
Ben Cheung, Jean MacDonald and Jean Greenhalgh did not seek re-election and I would like to thank them for their contributions to the work of the Committee.
There are still vacancies for places on the Committee. If you are interested, please contact me or Kathryn.
Sale u3a is thriving. We now have a record number (450) of members and our financial position is sound. Our groups are increasing and have met the challenges posed by recent changes at the Community Centre.
Our Friday General Meetings, with informative speakers and films, also remain popular.
Following the formal AGM, members enjoyed mince pies while tackling a festive, entertaining and educational quiz (who knew that a collector of flags was a vexillologist?) organised by Guy Robson.
On behalf of the Committee, I would like to wish all members a happy Christmas and a good New Year.
Chair - Carole Barley
Heskin Hall and Barton Grange Trip on 28th November 2024
On 28 November 26 members went on this trip. We left Sale Moor Community Centre at 9.30am and at arrived Heskin Hall shopping village 10.30am. Then everyone meandered through the shopping outlets, enjoyed a coffee and some had lunch before departing at 1.00pm for Barton Grange Garden Centre.
This was like walking in to a Christmas wonderland with all the displays. Some of the members had lunch there and others enjoyed tea/coffee and amazing cakes in the afternoon.
We departed at 4.00pm and arrived back about 5.00pm in Sale. .Everyone on the coach said they had really enjoyed the trip and hoped we would do it or something similar next year.
Talk on 22 November 2024 -"A Turkey is just for Christmas - 9 Lessons from a Smallholding" By James Ellson
Audience for the interesting talk by James Ellson about his Derbyshire smallholding.
Talk on 25 October 2024 - "The History of Manchester " by Brian Groom
An audience of 82 people enjoyed a talk by local author Brian Groom on the History of Manchester.
Day Trip to Liverpool - 16th October 2024
Liverpool Excursion Wednesday 16 October 2024
The rain fell as we waited for the coach but everyone was in good spirits for a day out. Despite some traffic issues we made it to Liverpool City Centre in good time. With one eye on the weather and knowing everyone was well prepared with good raincoats, umbrellas and boots it was decided to stick to the scheduled stops for the day. At William Brown Street, near St John’s Gardens, we decanted and headed indoors to the World Museum to see the natural history, world cultures exhibits including a well curated Ancient Egypt collection, and the aquarium while others walked up the street to the Walker Art Gallery which houses an internationally renowned collection of paintings and sculpture from the 13th century to the present day. There was time to compare notes on what we had seen and for a cup of tea and cake before we moved on. And the rain fell. We travelled to the Anglican Cathedral a few minutes away. This neo-gothic design by Giles Gilbert Scott and built between 1904 and 1978 is rather amazing. It is apparently the longest Cathedral in the world and is famously known for being one of two Cathedrals in Liverpool linked together by Hope Street. The interior was calm, peaceful and beautiful to see. The facilities for visitors were good and some of us had lunch at reasonable prices with amazing views from the restaurant. And still the rain fell. It was rather torrential now, but we agreed to travel to our final stop at the Sefton Park Palm House which opened in 1896. With slightly soggy feet I joined our cheerful group as we walked from the closest coach stop to the Palm House though the park. On a sunny day I imagine it is glorious out there but was rather more moody during our trip. Looking at the autumn colours of leaves on the trees, dodging puddles and chatting away we arrived at the café in the Palm House just in time a little more tea and cake. A few brave souls played with an enormous chess set outside and others had a walk to check out the statues around the building including one of Peter Pan. And still the rain fell. A final push was made back to the coach and we were off home again to Sale, arriving as planned at 5.30pm. Many thanks to the organisers of the trip including Jean M who set up the original itinerary and got us moving and to Bullocks who got us there and back safely.
Kathryn
Some photos from our Open Day on 20 September 2024
Talk on Friday 26 July 2024 by Dr. Diana Leitch about the Simon family of Manchester.
Doors open 1.30pm for 2pm start,
Day Trip to Salts Mill & Hebden Bridge on 26 June 2024
48 of our members set off at 9.30 on the trip it was lovely sunny day and our first port of call was Salts Mill near Bradford where we arrived by 11am.
Salts Mill was opened in 1853 by Titus Salt by 1987 the building stood empty, it was then bought by Jonathan Silver, a dynamic entrepreneur. Jonathan created the 1853 Gallery, exhibiting works by the brilliant Bradfordian artist David Hockney and sparking regeneration into the area through the arts. Salts Mill and Saltaire are now a UNESCO World Heritage Site. There was a lot more to see in the mill including videos and film shows of the early days when it was first opened by Titus Salt and operated as a mill.
We all headed back to the coach for 1.30 to travel to Hebden Bridge where we arrived at 2.15 where everyone had two hours to explore the area or sit in the park it was such a warm day. We left Hebden Bridge about 4.25 and arrived back at Sale for 5.45 after a really enjoyable day.
Chair – Carole Barley
Commemorating D-Day at Sale Moor Community Centre
Some photos and videos of successful D-Day Commemoration event on 14 June 2024
Day Visit to Levens Hall Gardens and Grange over Sands on 16 May 2024
What a fabulous day out although a small group of 23 due to cancellations on the day an given a bad weather report we set off arriving at 11.00 to glorious sunshine and the topiary was amazing as you can see from some of the photos we left there at 1.00 and arrived in Grange over Sands at 1.30 whereby everyone got off and went and did their own thing be it walking along the promenade, visiting the town centre, or sitting in the lovely gardens. We left the sunshine at 3.30 and arrived back to rain in Sale at 5.15 after a great day out and a special thankyou to Jean MacDonald for organising the trip and to Graham, our driver, who looked after everyone.
