| 2025 PROGRAMME | ||
| DATE | SUBJECT | PRESENTER |
| JAN 16th | A Short History of Burma. Tessa's talk will be based on her trip to Myanmar a few years ago. | Tessa Nichol |
| FEB 20th | Our Talented North-East. Denise will enlighten us about the playwrights, painters, sculptors, entertainers and inventors who have contributed to our amazing heritage, here in the North-East. | Denise Howe |
| MARCH 20th | Highlights of my Travels in Namibia. Rob's presentation about his travels in Namibia will look at wildlife and everyday life plus his involvement in the building of a local school there. | Rob Simpson |
| APRIL 17th | A Flawed Genius - John Gutzon Borglum and the creation of Mount Rushmore. Chris will tell the epic tale of the carving of the world's largest sculpture. | Chris Tipple |
| MAY 15th | The Beatles and the South. Brian returns to give another of his interesting presentations. This one is based on his next book, 'The Beatles and the South'. He clarifies that this refers to the Southern States of the USA, not Brighton and Hove! | Brian Ward |
| JUNE 19th | The Reintroduction of Beavers. Ecologist Heather will give a presentation about beavers and their reintroduction into parts of the UK. | Heather Devey |
| JULY 17th | Mocha Mondo Coffee. Martin will cover various aspects of the coffee business, including the rise of women led coffee growers and some methods of coffee bean processing at farm level. | Martin Homer |
| AUGUST 21st | No meeting | |
| SEPTEMBER 18th | Hidden Coastal Gems of Northumberland | Richard Booth |
| OCTOBER 16th | AGM – to be followed by our 25th Anniversary Celebration | |
| NOVEMBER 20th | OOT-The Out of Town Museum | Sally Brewis |
| DECEMBER 11th | The Errington Scandal (followed by Xmas social) | Nick Lewis |
| 2024 | PROGRAMME | |
| DATE | SUBJECT | PRESENTER |
| JAN 18th | SHAK Presented by Stephen Wylie, Founder of SHAK; author of ‘It’s a Dog’s Life’ and ‘Rescue in Lockdown.’ | Stephen Wylie |
| FEB 15th | Life in Japan Presented by Denise Howe, talking about Japanese customs and her time living in Japan. | Denise Howe |
| MARCH 21st | The Craft of a Wheelwright Presented by Peter Thompson, Member of the Guild of Wheelwrights; the last wheelwright in Northumberland before his retirement. | Peter Thompson |
| APRIL 18th | Hidden Gems of Northumberland Presented by Alnwick u3a member Richard Booth, who will illustrate the story of Northumberland’s early history through images of historic sites still found in the landscape | Richard Booth |
| MAY 16th | The History of Lindisfarne Castle, Past and Present Presented by Nick Lewis, Collections and House Officer, National Trust, Lindisfarne Castle. | Nick Lewis |
| JUNE 20th | The Dialects and Music of Northumberland Presented by Musician Kim Bibby-Wilson who will talk about aspects of the Northumbrian dialect, illustrated with songs, and recordings of local poets | Kim Bibby-Wilson |
| JULY 18th | The Life of a Submariner Presented by Craig Weir, retired submariner, who will talk about his experience of having been a submariner. | Craig Weir |
| AUGUST | No meeting | |
| SEPTEMBER 19th | The Buildings of William Newton Presented by Richard Pears, Durham University Librarian, who will talk about William Newton, architect of over forty buildings, including Howick Hall and Lemmington Hall | Richard Pears |
| OCTOBER 17th (preceded by AGM at 13:30) | How Emergency Surgery has changed over my lifetime` Presented by Alnwick u3a member, George Nasmyth, retired general surgeon), who will talk about how Emergency Surgery has changed over his lifetime. ‘How Emergency Surgery has changed over my lifetime | George Nasmyth, |
| NOVEMBER 21st | The Northumberland Hedgehog Rescue Trust Presented by Jen Stephenson who joined the Trust 2 years ago wanting to work with wildlife after retiring from teaching | Jen Stephenson |
| DECEMBER 12th (followed by Xmas social) | Bette Davis Presented by Martin Shingler, film historian, independent scholar, freelance writer, editor and researcher, who will talk about Bette Davis. | Martin Shingler |
| 2023 | PROGRAMME |
| Jan 19th | The Origins (and future) of the Rights of Way Network - Presented by Sue Rogers |
| Feb 16th | Traditional Chinese Medicine in the Modern World - Is there still a place for it? Presented by Louise Percival |
| Mar 16th | The Early Northern Railways - Exploring the railways of old in the North Presented by Tom Allen |
| Apr 20th | The Art of Bonampak - Learn about the culture of the Mayans from their art - Presented by Maria Chester |
| May 18th | Cuthbert Collingwood - The Northumbrian who saved the Nation - Presented by Andy Griffin |
| June 15th | Bondagers - The forgotten workers of Northumberland and the Borders - Presented by Dinah Iredale |
| July 20th | How climate change is affecting our coast - Presented by Sarah Winlow - Officer with Northumberland Coast AONB |
| Sept 21st | Transatlantic Blues: 60’s N.E. Music Scene & the Civil Rights Movement - Presented by Professor Brian Ward, American Studies, Northumbria University |
| Oct 19th | Amusing tales from the R.A.F. - Presented by Edward Cartner, Published Author |
| Nov 16th | The work of the Coast Guard - Presented by Sam Stephenson, Senior Coastguard, Seahouses |
| Dec 14th | Diana Dors: Film Star, Actor and Paperback Writer - Presented by Martin Shingler, Senior Lecturer in Radio and Film Studies, University of Sunderland |
| 2022 | PROGRAMME |
| 20th January | Anglo-Saxon Bamburgh & St Aiden’s Congregation - Presented by Jessica Turner |
| 17th February | Walking Newcastle - Presented by Baroness Quin of Gateshead |
| 17th March | Canine Partners - Presented by Susan Fulton |
| 21st April | Ad Gefrin - whisky distillery in Wooler - Presented by Chris Ferguson |
| 19th May | The History of Ordnance Survey - Presented by Bill Bland |
| 16th June | Hadrian and his Wall - Presented by Andy Griffin |
| 21st July | Wilding Druridge -Presented by Alex Lister from Northumberland Wildlife Trust |
| 28th July | 1 Day Coach Outing to York - cancelled |
| 11th Aug | Morning Talk by Tim Maxwell at Felton Park about the Restoration of its Grade II listed Victorian Greenhouse (1 week earlier than usual) Now full. Followed by Northumberland Arms lunch (optional) |
| 15th Sept | The North-East’s connection to Abolitionism and the American Civil War - Presented by Prof. Brian Ward |
| 20th Oct | The Effects of Climate Change on Winter Birds - Presented by Tom Cadwallender, Regional Representative of the BTO - Following the AGM |
| 17th Nov | The Artwork and Symbolism of Gravestones - Presented by Mark Hatton |
| 15th Dec | The Life and Times of St Cuthbert - Presented by Jessica Turner – Plus Xmas get-together |
| 2021 | PROGRAMME |
| 21st January: | AGM via ZOOM - Chaired by Kathy Platt. |
| 18th February: | WINTER QUIZ - Presented by Kathy Platt via ZOOM. |
| 18th March: | Digging Up My Family - Presented by Colin Gough via ZOOM. |
| 15th April: | Who Do You Think You Are? - Presented by Colin Platt via ZOOM. |
| 20th May: | Manhandling The Prince Of Wales - Presented by Ed Cartner via ZOOM. |
| 17th June: | Flodden - Presented by Bryn Owen via ZOOM. |
| 15th July: | Pentimenti, Overpainting And That Sort Of Thing - Presented by George Ellames via ZOOM. |
| August: | SUMMER BREAK |
| 16th September: | My Love Affair with North America - Presented by Trevor Robinson |
| 21st October: | AGM and speaker Andy Griffin - When Alnwick u3a began: 2000 A.D. |
| 18th November: | Sheep’s Tales and Spinning Yarns - Presented by Margaret Brown. |
| 16th December: | Christmas Social |
| 2020 | PROGRAMME |
| 16th January: | Border Reivers and Steel Bonnets - John Sadler |
| 20th February: | TBA (This is a change from yellow book). |
| 19th March: | National Wildlife Trust. John Gibbon. Cancelled due to Covid |
| 16th April: | Canine Partners. Marjorie Johnston. Cancelled due to Covid |
| 21st May: | Blood Bikes TBC. Cancelled due to Covid |
| 18th June: | Photographing Ugandan Gorillas. Richard Booth. Cancelled due to Covid |
| 16th July: | SUMMER OUTING. Cancelled due to Covid |
| 20th August: | 20th Anniversary Tea Party. Cancelled due to Covid |
| 17th September: | What are you like? Colin Platt. Cancelled due to Covid |
| 15th October: | Cancelled due to Covid |
| 19th November: | Cancelled due to Covid |
| 17th December: | XMAS QUIZ. Presented by Kathy Platt via ZOOM. |
| 2019 | PROGRAMME |
| 17th Jan: | First in the World - Michael Christian. |
| 21st Feb: | Short EGM to approve Draft Constitution 2019 then a presentation: Living with the Arabs - Joan Ward. |
| 21st March: | The Wonders of Wansbeck - Barry Mead. |
| 18th April: | Witchcraft in the North East - Jo Bath. |
| l6th May: | Red Squirrels - Deborah Court. |
| 20th June: | The Buildings of Alnwick, Peter Carter. |
| 18th July: | SUMMER OUTING - To Edinburgh. Optional trip by train from Tweedbank to Edinburgh. Click on link for further details: Edinburgh Trip July 2019 |
| 15th Aug: | THERE IS NO MEETING IN AUGUST |
| 19th September: | Enrolment & payment of subs for 2019/20. Followed by a talk - Red Spot Babies - Dr Andy Clark. |
| 17th October: | ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING. MORNING MEETING. Doors open at 10am, coffee 10.30am with the meeting starting at 11am. The buffet lunch (requires booking) will be served at 12.30 for those wishing to stay on. |
| 21st November: | Our Master Butcher (demonstration) - Dan Turnbull. |
| 19th December: | Christmas Festivities |
| 2018 | PROGRAMME |
| 18th Jan: | The Astonishing Stuffed Rabbit - Tessa Nichol. |
| 15th Feb: | Before Grenfell - Maureen Stephenson. |
| 15th March: | The British Library - Jenny Gascoigne. |
| 19th April: | Sugar – from Spice to Vice - Jean Findley. |
| l7th May: | Tales of the Tyne - Jo Bath. |
| 21st June: | Your gut bugs & your food. A new germ theory of health - David Smith. |
| 19th July: | SUMMER OUTING - THE KELPIES AND THE FALKIRK WHEEL |
| 16th Aug: | AWAYDAY – BEADNELL |
| 20th Sept: | Beached birds of NE England & beyond - Daniel Turner. |
| 18th Oct: | Annual General Meeting. |
| 15th Nov: | Minghulaba Myanmar. Travels in Myanmar (Burma) - Kath & Harry Gilbert. |
| 20th Dec: | Christmas Festivities. |
| 2017 | PROGRAMME |
| 19 January: | Schooling in the North East from Middle Ages to 1800 |
| 9 February: | The Dirty Old River Tyne - Note change of date to 2nd Thursday |
| 16 March: | The Cadburys - A Family smothered in Chocolate |
| 20 April: | Slow Travel the Freighter Way |
| 18 May: | A Short History of Plants and Herbal Medicine |
| 15 June: | The Jarrow March |
| 20 July: | Summer Outing to Carlisle – see May Newsletter |
| 17th August: | Away day to Rothbury – see May Newsletter |
| 21 September: | The Work of Northumberland National Park Rescue Team |
| 19 October: | Annual General Meeting at St Michael’s Church Hall 10:30 am |
| 16 November: | amended - update |
| 14 December: | Christmas Festivities |