The Newark & District U3A was set up in 2003, thanks largely to an initiative from Lincs which aimed to help new groups find their feet.

However the first University of the Third Age began in France in the 1970s. In France the U3A is closely allied to the universities, but the situation was different in Great Britain because of the existence of the Open University. In this country learning within the U3A is less formal.

Members of the U3A are generally aged over 50 and no longer working full-time. Each local U3A is affiliated to the national U3A, which is itself a registered educational charity.

There is a lot more information which can be found on the University of the Third Age website.