The Silhouette Band at The Met

The Silhouette Band will be performing at the Met on Friday afternoon 18th September at 2:00, tickets available now at The Met

An essentially 60's show full of toe tapping hits and notstalgia. The Silhouette Band captivate with their style and unique performance. - More details at The Met

The Met is looking for over-55s to help create a short film

The project will start with a writing workshop led by a facilitator in which participants explore different themes around ageing. Out of this, a script will be created which will form the basis of a new short film that participants will create and star in, working alongside a professional director.

You don’t need any previous experience of writing or performing to take part.

The project has been made possible by the Centre for Ageing Better and the film will form part of this year’s Age Without Limits Action Day on Wednesday 10 June.

If you are interested in taking part, please email education@themet.org.uk by 5pm on Wednesday 8 April with your name and a short paragraph on which themes around ageing you’d like to explore if part of the project.

- More Details

Bleakholt Charity Shops

I volunteer at Bleakholt Charity Shop, Rawtenstall once a week for one morning.
We do struggle for shop volunteers which are situated at Bury, Ramsbottom, Rawtenstall and Bacup. In particular the last 2 locations.
We are a friendly bunch and there is ALWAYS something to do! Times are flexible, from just an odd hour to longer.
If it's something you think you would like to do I can provide contact details. Give it a go, it's so worth it! Thank you.

Rock Music Appreciation Group

The Rock Music Appreciation Group doesn’t just listen to all genres of rock music, old and new, and chat about it. We have in-depth discussions and quizzes with great prizes, go to gigs, movies, rock discos and meals and know how to party.

Why not join us now and have fun learning more about all things rock and make new like-minded friends!!

Next meeting Monday April 13th at the Athenaeum Bury, 10.00 a.m. – 12.30 p.m. and every second Monday of the month.

Sign up online to join the group online or email helenataylor@outlook.com to be added to the group.


- Link to Group : Rock Music Appreciation

Become a volunteer at Fairfield Hospital

One of our members, Kate Haworth has been visiting a relative at Fairfield Hospital. She noticed that some patients have no visitors and has found out how to go about being a volunteer hospital visitor. The reply below is from the Manager of the Volunteer Team.

“We do operative a volunteer service and a few volunteers, on their 4-hour shift, are patient support volunteers around wards, doing activities, puzzles, games, giving out books, magazines, playing music in afternoons etc. However, as a large hospital we are always recruiting for these roles to keep up with the demand. If you have members of your organisation that want to come in and support us that would be wonderful, however they would have to register as a volunteer first to go through a recruitment process and a DBS check as they will be with vulnerable patients.”

If you are interested in becoming a volunteer, please go on to the website link - here

Turin Shroud

The British Society of the Turin Shroud is hosting a special two-day convention at Blackburn Cathedral on Saturday 11th and Sunday 12th April this year.

As we celebrate the 50th anniversary of the Society, we are delighted to offer the public a unique opportunity to meet and hear from world-renowned speakers whose extensive research and publications have contributed greatly to the study of this remarkable cloth.

Date : Saturday 11th April 2026
Time : 11am until 5pm (doors open at 10am)
Venue : Blackburn Cathedral, Cathedral Close, Blackburn BB1 5AA


More details in this link .. - www.bstsnewsletter.com/golden-jubilee.html

The Portico Library celebrates 220 years in 2026

This spring a new exhibition will open at the library to celebrate its 200 anniversary. Entitled Everything and Nothing: what makes a 220-year-old library? It will feature new archival finds and explore the idea of the library as “a box that holds memories.

Opening on March 20, it will run until October 3, 2026. Visitors will be invited to take part in the Time Capsule project, where they can write their own memory of the Portico on a postcard, which will be stored in the archive and opened in 2076.

The exhibition will be officially opened on March 19, with an event held from 6pm to 7.30pm. Visitors can register for the free event via the Portico Library website.

- Link to the website

u3a Festival 26 booking now open!

u3a Festival is back – the biggest celebration of the curiosity, creativity and community spirit that makes u3a so special.

Join us for three days of hands-on workshops, musical performances, sports tournaments, fascinating talks and many more surprises.

Tickets are limited - let your members know so they can book now and avoid disappointment!

📅 1-3 July 2026
University of York
Tickets cost £18 for a day, or £50 for all three days

Book your festival ticket and accommodation on the u3a website - Link to the u3a website

North West Region u3a Summer School

Venue : Manchester Metropolitan University, M15 6GX

Dates : Tues 11th August – Friday 14th August

The 8 courses on offer are:-

- Archaeology Explorers (now full)
- Making sense of everyday Mathematics
- An introduction to Geology
- Photography - Beyond the Snapshot
- Art challenges - the history of colour
- The UK and USA Political Scenes
- Operatunity – opera appreciation
- Intermediary Ukulele

An Application form and further details are available online at the link below

- NW u3a Summer School

Holiday Group Trip to Northern Ireland

Tuesday 1st September 2026 x 4 nights (5 days)

Staying at La Mon Hotel & Country Club, a unique hotel nestled in the picturesque countryside
of County Down. The hotel has a lift, restaurant, bar and leisure club with swimming pool, jacuzzi,
sauna steam room and gym en suite bedrooms feature TV, hairdryer. Tea/coffee making facilities.

Proposed Itinerary:-

Day 1. Pick-up from home and transfer to coach, travel to Cairnryan for afternoon ferry to Belfast,
making suitable stops on the way. Arriving at La Mon Hotel in time for dinner.
Day 2. Hillsborough Castle & Ulster Folk Park
Day 3. Causeway Cast, Giant’s Causeway & Bushmills Distillery
Day 4. Titanic &Belfast.
Day 5 Homeward bound.

More details are in the attached pdf

Cost £699 per person sharing a twin or double room. £158 per person single room supplement

Book via Ellen Smith Coach Holidays
By Telephone 01706 648 126

Once booked place your details on the u3a website in Special Events

The 32nd International Gilbert and Sullivan Festival

We have pleasure to advise you our main theatre programme and seat prices for our 32nd International Gilbert and Sullivan Festival at Buxton Opera House. Hopefully, this will be of interest for your members, also for a group visit with the benefit of group discount on tickets.

Dates from 1st - 15th August.

All the programme details are available in the link below.

Contact : Bernard Lockett, Telephone: 0777-6174895

- G&S website