Currently on hold

We are a friendly group interested in finding out more about the amazing local history on our doorstep. We meet on 3^rd Fridays, once a month, 2pm for about 2 hours. We welcome input and suggestions… but you don’t have to be an expert. There are plenty of resources available to us today. We hire the Castle Meadow Pavilion, for which members pay a small cost per session. Outings are usually arranged in the summer months.

The Hands On Gardening Group (HOGG) meets on the 3rd Thursday of each month. The general idea is that we learn from one another, achieve the satisfaction of a job well done and have a sociable time together. We begin our meeting with a ‘show and tell’ session (and a cup of coffee!) where members bring along a garden-related item of interest and we talk about plants. For the rest of the session we physically garden at our chosen venue – usually a group member’s garden but often a community area that needs attention. We provide our own tools and participate at our own risk. We also have outings to gardens of special interest once or twice a year.

Nature/Science meets in the afternoon of the first Friday of the month. Meetings are a mixture of in-house presentations, discussions or demonstrations by members and occasional guests in the Castle Meadow Pavilion or field excursions to a range of nature sites, technical museums and environmental research organisations. Wherever possible fitting in a nice refreshment as part of the excursion experience. There will sometimes be entry charges for excursion locations and a small charge towards Hall hire if we are using the Pavilion. We are quite a big but very friendly group with some regular contributors and we are always happy to encourage new members.

We meet each month on the 3rd Wednesday. The Lunch Club makes an advance reservation at a venue previously discussed amongst its members. Our table varies by personal availability and usually numbers between 8 and 16, the time taken being about 2 hours and there are no formalities. Venues chosen (pubs, hotels and restaurants) are usually well below 10 miles from Wilton and, on occasion, certainly at Christmas, may need advance choosing from their menus. Any need for “lifts” can be accommodated.

Currently on hold

The Walking Group meets once a month and is open to all members of the Wilton and District u3a. It aims to offer a variety of walks to accommodate all abilities, ranging from short walks of around a mile to longer walks up to 5 miles with a refreshment break. The pace is more of an “amble than a ramble” enabling social interaction alongside fresh air and exercise. Members of the group are encouraged to contribute specific knowledge regarding wildlife, birds and insects that are spotted, as well as any historical and archaeological points of interest. The walks are usually recced beforehand by the group leaders for the safety of the group. A basic level of fitness is required as is suitable footwear and clothing for the seasonal conditions. Well behaved dogs are welcomed if on a lead.

The group meets once a month to select and read plays as a group.

An innovative group exploring the origins and usage of words and popular phrases, usually meeting on the second Monday each month. Research has found that adult fluent English speakers generally have a vocabulary of about 20,000 to 35,000 words, but use just a fraction on a daily basis. Have you ever wondered how particular words or phrases came to have their present meaning? For instance, what is the origin of ‘it’s raining cats and dogs’? Equally, would you like to add a few more fun words to your vocabulary, like ‘petrichor’ (the smell of rain) or ‘spuddle’ (to be very busy without achieving anything)?