If you are already a member you can access your u3a online account via the Membership Portal.
If you are interested in joining Grantham u3a, or if you wish to renew membership, please read this page. It gives important information about Grantham u3a, how some of our policies will affect you, and what we expect of our members.
Subscription
The annual single subscription for 2026 is £10.00 or £14 if you wish to receive 5 paper copies of the u3a Matters magazine. The magazine can also be read freely online.
The subscription year runs from January to December, and subscriptions are due on 1st January. If you join during the previous November or December, your initial subscription gives you up to two free months’ membership.
Our membership records are held in a system called Beacon, and members have personal access through a secure Portal.
When you want to JOIN Grantham u3a for the first time, we encourage you to do this online, using your bank credit or debit card, or PayPal. You do not need to have a PayPal account, it is just an alternative way for payment if you so choose. In order to join, please follow the link to New Member Application.
When you have successfully joined, you will receive an automatic email asking you to create a password. Please ensure you do this immediately, then you will be able to access or amend your Membership record details and, in the future, renew your membership online through the Membership Portal.
To RENEW your membership or AMEND your details (including resetting your password), please do this via the Membership Portal.
If you are unable to join or renew online, please ask the Membership Secretary for help during one of the monthly meetings where card payments (only) can be taken, e.g.
- before the talk at 14:00 at the Guildhall, 3rd Tuesday of most months or
- during a coffee morning starting at 10:00 at St Wulframs, on the 4th Tuesday.
Gift aid
If you are an eligible UK taxpayer, you can add Gift Aid to your subscription, in which case Grantham u3a receives a rebate from HMRC. This is currently worth hundreds of pounds to us and helps us to keep our subscription fee low. Please tick the appropriate box in your application or renewal form.
Enquiries
To make an enquiry to Grantham u3a, please contact the Membership Secretary
In Case of Emergency
We recommend that members carry an ICE (In case of emergency) card at all times. You can download a copy here.
Third Age Trust
The Third Age Trust is the umbrella organisation for all u3as in the UK. As such, Grantham u3a accepts the Vision and Guiding Principles of the u3a movement as laid out by the Third Age Trust. They are shown here:
Our Vision is to make lifelong learning, through the experience of u3a, a reality for all third agers.
The Principles of the u3a Movement
The u3a movement is non-religious and non-political and has three main principles:
The Third Age Principles
• Membership of a u3a is open to all in their third age, which is defined not by a particular age but by a period in life in which full-time employment has ceased.
• Members promote the values of lifelong learning and the positive attributes of belonging to a u3a.
• Members should do all they can to ensure that people wanting to join a u3a can do so.
The Self-help Learning Principle
• Members form interest groups covering as wide a range of topics and activities as they desire; by the members, for the members.
• No qualifications are sought or offered. Learning is for its own sake, with enjoyment being the prime motive, not qualifications or awards.
• There is no distinction between the learners and the teachers; they are all u3a members.
The Mutual Aid Principle
• Each u3a is a mutual aid organisation, operationally independent but a member of The Third Age Trust, which requires adherence to the guiding principles of the u3a movement.
• No payments are made to members for services rendered to any u3a.
• Each u3a is self-funded with membership subscriptions and costs kept as low as possible.
• Outside financial assistance should only be sought if it does not imperil the integrity of the u3a movement.
Terms and Conditions of Membership
We expect you at all times to
- abide by the Aims and Guiding Principles of the u3a movement as shown on our ‘Welcome’ page.
- act always in the best interests of Grantham u3a and the u3a movement in general, and never do anything to bring the u3a into disrepute.
- be bound by the Constitution of Grantham u3a.
- treat fellow members with respect and courtesy.
- comply with and respect the decisions of the elected committee.
- advise the Committee of any change in your personal circumstances.