SUPPORT FOR THE THIRD AGE TRUST (UNIVERSITY OF THE THIRD AGE)

That this House recognises and applauds the work of the Third Age Trust nationally in encouraging the development of local Universities of the Third Age (U3As); marks their role in the advancement of education, and in particular the education of middle-aged and older people who are not in full-time gainful employment; acknowledges the value of participation in self-help study groups in providing opportunities for stimulation, personal achievement and fulfilment among this sector of the population; welcomes the information that there are now more than 150 local Universities of the Third Age distributed throughout the United Kingdom with over 17,500 individual members; and warmly encourages the development and continued growth of these institutions.