Providing opportunities for older people in Craven District and neighbouring areas

About Membership

Craven u3a is a group of over 800 active members that come from Skipton and the surrounding area. It is open to new members in the locality seeking opportunities to meet like-minded people to share an interest, activity or learning experience. All groups are run by members for members.

The membership cost from 1st January 2024 is £15. This covers the cost of joining Craven u3a and free individual groups. The other groups, generally renting rooms for their activities will require additional fee of £5 in January 2024 to cover costs.

Craven u3a membership is managed on an on-line database known as Beacon. We encourage on-line enrolment and renewal involves payment using PayPa but you do not need to join PayPal. You can pay by Debit or credit Card ass a PayPal guest.

Beacon allows communication via email to all members of Craven u3a, as well as enabling group leaders to easily email their own groups. Every Craven u3a member has a logon to Beacon allowing them to see all the course information and to join or leave groups. Group sizes vary. Some groups are restricted in size because of equipment or venue capacity constraints. Others, such as some walking groups, have unlimited membership.

Members of Craven u3a apply to join groups each year in August. A programme is published in July detailing the groups that will be running in the coming year and is accompanied by an Open Event where leaders will be available to explain more about their groups. Applications to join a group are made to the Membership Secretary and members are allocated to groups with limited capacity using a ‘lottery’ system. As groups fill there will eventually be some applicants who are unable to have their first choice but may be successful with their subsequent choices.

Many groups may have space after the enrolment process is complete and will accept new members at any time. Joining these groups can be by application to the group leader or via Beacon.

New groups may start at other times of the year and members will be notified by email about these groups and be invited to join.

If you require more information please use the contact form.