u3a was originally founded by Pierre Vellas in Toulouse in 1973 and it is now a global organisation which is non-religious and non-political. It reached the UK in 1982, where its nature was radically changed to be more a self-help organisation under the influence of its founders, Peter Laslett, Michael Young and Eric Midwinter. There are now around 1,200 groups with almost half a million members.

When you join a u3a local group you also become a member of the wider u3a family with regional and national events and activities. Our u3a here in Ashtead was founded in 2006 and we now have over 500 members and offer nearly seventy different study and activity groups. It provides an opportunity for members to come together to share their skills and learn, just for fun. We believe in Life Long Learning - no qualifications are sought or offered and there are no exams! Learning is for its own sake, with enjoyment being the prime motive, not qualifications or awards.