| Status: | Active, open to new members |
| Coordinator: | |
| Coordinator: | |
| When: | Dates: Various |
| Venue: | Sawston War Memorial |
| Cost: | There is an extra charge of £5 to cover expenses which should be paid with your membership fee. There will be additional fees inherent to each event. |
Coaches: depart from and return to Sawston War Memorial unless otherwise advised
Group code: TOG
Booking Instructions: TOG Booking Terms
Forthcoming events
Sunny Afternoon - Milton Keynes Theatre (March 2026)
Everyone arrived promptly at the Sawston War Memorial, tickets were distributed and the coach was able to leave a few minutes early. As usual, the Richmond coach was modern and very comfortable for the 1 hour 20 min drive to Milton Keynes. The coach was able to park very close to the theatre, which is a short walk from a range of eating places.
The theatre is a modern design, with easy (flat) access, seats with plenty of legroom and excellent view of the stage. It may not have the charm of the traditional London theatres, but it definitely wins out in terms of comfort & practicality.
The show is a lively and cleverly executed biography of the 60’s UK pop group the Kinks. The cast bore an uncanny resemblance to the band members and the costume styles evolved subtly as the story progressed, reflecting changes in fashion over two decades. The show highlighted many of the bands personal and professional ups and downs, including a run-in with American music unions and authorities. The tale is interspersed with many of their best known songs played expertly on stage - very exciting, and sometimes loud!!
All in all it was a terrific trip out, and well worth considering Milton Keynes theatre for future events, due to ease of transport and accessibility.
Bury St Edmunds and Christmas Panto (December 2025)
Our coach dropped us in the centre of Bury St Edmunds, where we had free time for Christmas shopping or a leisurely lunch at one of the numerous cafes or restaurants. The coach then picked us up and took us to the Theatre Royal, a short distance away to see the Christmas Panto, Rapunzel - A Theatre Royal Production, written by Chris Hannon.
A classic fairy tale about a young girl with long, magical hair who is locked away in a tower by a witch. Every day is the same for Rapunzel. She gazes from her tower and dreams of the world beyond…but today is different…today she’ll escape. Pursued by a wicked witch, a talking dog and a love-sick shepherd, Rapunzel’s journey takes her in search of the one thing that can save her: a Golden Tulip.
So we were 38 oldies in a theatre with 200 children. It was great, the kiddies were really into it and we got just as much enjoyment watching their reactions as the excellent panto itself. Everyone seemed to enjoy watching this timeless story, which symbolizes hope and the power of love to overcome adversity.
Thursford Christmas Spectacular (November 2025)
Totally unique and an absolute treat!! Possibly the largest Christmas show in Europe and right here (almost) on our doorstep. The trip attracted u3a members for whom the Christmas Spectacular would be a new experience, as well as those returning for more of the special Thursford magic.
Before the matinee, there was time to take lunch or browse the shops and soak up the atmosphere. Some opted to visit Santa’s Magical Journey and the enchanting Journey of Light Trail (an extra £10, but well worth it).
Upon entering the richly decorated auditorium, we took in the revolving fairground carousel, the famous Wurlitzer Organ (100 years old next year and in the charge of Phil Kelstall of the Blackpool Tower) and spectacular Christmas trees sparkling with lights.
The entertainment began and we were treated to an extravaganza of non-stop singing, dancing, music, humour and several spectacular acts. The energetic antics of the jump rope troupe (skipping team, to us!) took our breath away. As did Vlad from Ukraine, who amazed us with his hand-balancing strength, precision and grace. And special mention must go to the dancers doing the Toy Soldiers routine, who ‘collapsed’ in the most disciplined domino effect!
Everything was ably sewn together by the hilarious compere and wordsmith, Lloyd Hollett.
Words can’t do justice to the show and there were too many ‘gems’ to relate. So please do check out the video on the Thursford website for a taste of what we experienced [https://www.thursford.com/christmas-spectacular/].
And at the end of the performance, I surely can’t have been the only one with a tear in my eye, when the audience of 1400 was invited to join together in a rendition of Auld Lang Syne led by two top-level Scots bagpipers (one of them George, who played for the Queen on her 90th birthday celebrations!).
Apparently Cameron Mackintosh once said, “If you’re good enough for Thursford, you’re good enough for me.” Quite a recommendation.
And so, our coachload of happy customers left Thursford dusted with the feel-good factor (no doubt helped by the servings of mulled wine and mince pies).
Thanks as always to the organisers, and to Alan of Richmond’s who sped us homeward in the comfort of his brand new coach.
Chislehurst Caves and Camden Place (October 2025)
The first stop of the day was Camden Place Golf Club for a coffee break. What a Golf Club that turned out be!
Camden Place, which is now an up-market golf club, is a splendid historical house with magnificent architectural features. With history going back to the seventeenth century and the Antiquarian William Camden, it has connections with France and Napoleon's descendants. Several previous lady captains from the club gave us a very thorough and interesting tour of the house and explained its background and history. And it has to be said the club also provided some very tasty cakes to go with the coffee!
After a simple sandwich lunch at the Cave Café we were guided through a short section of many miles of man-made caves cut into the chalk. The chalk was used in lime burning and brick making for the building of London and the cave also provided flints to fire tinderboxes and flintlock guns. It has been a tourist attraction since the 1900’s and the caves were used in the Second World War as an air raid shelter. It has also been the venue of many pop and rock bands over the years and even a mushroom farm in the 1930’s. (No photos were permitted in the Caves)
An excellent outing enjoyed by all!
The City of Dreaming Spires – Walking Tour of Oxford (October 2025)
Our excellent Blue Badge Guides, Graham and Tabby, met us outside the Randolph Hotel in central Oxford (location of the famous Morse Bar).
Our 2-hour exploration of the city commenced at the Martyrs’ Memorial and then proceeded to Balliol College, the oldest college in the English-speaking world!
Exiting onto the attractive Broad Street, we encountered Blackwells bookshop; this was the first store that Blackwells opened and holds a vast collection of academic books displayed in the basement, on two-and-a-half miles of shelving.
At the Radcliffe Camera we heard about the underground tunnel (constructed 1909-1912) and still in use today, that connects the lower reading room of this library with the north staircase of the Old Bodleian Library.
We walked past the unique and iconic Sheldonian Theatre and on to Christ Church College, which provided the inspiration for Hogwarts Great Hall; many of us recall that this was where the Sorting Hat Ceremony took place and young Harry Potter was assigned to Gryffindor!
We finished our tour at lunchtime in the Covered Market, where there was a plentiful selection of eateries from which to choose.
In the afternoon we had free time to explore the many attractions of the city, finishing off with tea and cakes at the Ashmolean Museum, before meeting the coach at 4.00pm for our return journey back to Sawston. All in all, a most memorable day out!
Starlight Express - September 2025
Members enjoyed Andrew Lloyd Webber’s STARLIGHT EXPRESS which was performed in the specially designed Starlight Auditorium at Troubadour Wembley Park Theatre.
With a world of speed, singing and storytelling and a cast of 40 whirling around, the performance included some of musical theatre’s best-known songs, including AC/DC, Make Up My Heart, Light at the End of the Tunnel and the Starlight Express. When a child’s train set magically comes to life with the engines competing to become the fastest in the world, Rusty the steam engine takes inspiration from the legend of the Starlight Express and wins the race.
Helmingham Hall Gardens - July 2025
Following the dire wet weather forecasts, we set off into Suffolk with some trepidation. However, though the showers came and went they didn’t detract from the informative and entertaining talks the two gardeners gave us as we followed them through the gardens. In fact, blue sky and the sun made wonderful backdrops to further garden investigations in the afternoon!
The gardens lie beyond the house moat and were mainly designed by Xa Tollemache who has also designed many gardens around the country and has a gold medal from Chelsea. The Tollemache family built the Hall almost 600 years ago and members of the family have lived there ever since.
Surrounded by parkland with deer and Soay sheep the gardens include a rose garden which we will need to return to next June to see at its best, and woodland which is being gradually developed to include wild areas. The best was the walled garden which was an amazing exuberant mixture of vegetables, plants, fruit and vibrant flowers. There was also lots of topiary including very quirky bushes some of which have won awards, a frog, a large laced boot, a snowman and many others designed by Chris, one of our guides!
The gardens were well worth a visit. Many agreed we need to go back at different times of year to get a fuller appreciation of their glory.
Hatfield House & Gardens - June 2025
Hatfield House is a privately owned estate, with a house, palace and gardens, dating back to the Elizabethan period & beyond. The Jacobean house was completed in 1611 by the 1st Earl of Salisbury, and is now owned by the 7th Marquis of Salisbury. It is often used as a film and TV set, and can be seen in several major productions.
Our u3a coach departed from Sawston at 9:15am for the one hour drive to Hatfield. The car park is quite a walk from the main entrance, but a free ride on a golf buggy was offered to anyone that wanted it. We had time for coffee & snacks at the excellent café – with plenty of indoor or outdoor seating – before dividing up into two groups for the guided tour of the house. Our group’s guide (Dermot) deserves special mention for his knowledge – matched only by his enthusiasm. The rooms are packed with paintings, books and various artefacts all with many interesting stories to tell. The house was the home of the 3rd Marquis of Salisbury, the British prime minister who presided over the Empire as it approached the height of its power near the end of the Victorian period.
After the tour, we were free to explore the gardens, but instead we decided to walk down the (rather steep) hill into Hatfield for a pub lunch at the Red Lion. We stopped off for a walk around St Ethelreda’s Church, dating back to the 13th century. After lunch we were offered an extra tour – this time of the Palace which predates the building of the House. This is generally only used for private events, but we were lucky enough to get to see inside. It is where Elizabeth I grew up, and received news of the death of her half sister Mary, making her the Queen of England. The rest, as they say, is history.
Overall, it was a great trip, with as much history as it is possible to absorb in one day, brought to life by professional and enthusiastic guides.
Burghley House and Stamford - May 2025
We had a very enjoyable day visiting Burghley House and nearby Stamford.
Burghley is regarded by many as England’s greatest Elizabethan House. It was the grand House of William Cecil, Lord High Treasurer to Queen Elizabeth I and one of Elizabethan England’s most powerful figures. William set up a sophisticated spy network to uncover plots against the Queen and, indeed, he encouraged Elizabeth to have Mary Queen of Scots executed.
A visit to the House is a real treat as it is such a treasure trove of artworks collected by William and successive generations of the Cecil family. There are some wonderful ceiling paintings by Verrio, an astonishing collection of Italian Old Master paintings, a world famous collection of fine oriental and European ceramics, and some very ornate furniture and beds. Our guided tour brought the fascinating history of the House to life.
We followed our tour of the House with a walk around the grounds and gardens. Features were the quirky Water Garden and the Sculpture Garden (and the garden shop of course!).
Our visit to Burghley was followed by a tour of nearby Stamford, one of the finest Georgian towns in England and reminiscent of Bath on a smaller scale. Thank you to the two Tonys who took us around some of the highlights of the town. These included a visit to a Church housing a number of elaborate Cecil family tombs, including those of William Cecil and his descendent, John Cecil who was Lord Burghley until 1678. The tomb of John Cecil reflects the fact that its incumbent spent a lot of time in Italy and took a liking to Italian marble. He also made significant alterations to Burghley House based on the Italian style.
Operation Mincemeat Musical - April 2025
An enjoyable visit to see Operation Mincemeat, a musical comedy based on the book “The Man that Never Was”. It described the true story of the successful British deception operation of the Second World War to disguise the 1943 Allied invasion of Sicily.
Showing at the Fortune Theatre since May 2023 the musical has won several awards including Olivier Awards for the Best New Musical.
Gainsborough's House & Long Melford Church - March 2025
On a fine and sunny morning, our u3a group departed for Sudbury, the birthplace and childhood home of renowned painter Thomas Gainsborough (1727-88).
The Gainsborough Museum has been recently extended thanks to Lottery funding and is well worth a visit if only to admire the award-winning architecture! The stunning reticulated façade was built with local brick and flint and is topped with a ‘zig-zag’ roof of hand-crafted copper. Inside, the walls of the new Gainsborough Gallery are hung with dark green silk damask, which beautifully sets off the fine collection of oil paintings.
Some of the group then enjoyed lunch in the orangery café, overlooking the gardens tended by volunteers. The courtyard contains the ancient black mulberry tree and a charming "crinkle-crankle" brick wall. We were told that the mulberry tree dates from Gainsborough’s time, and still bears fruit each year.
The town had plenty of other opportunities for lunch, including the Secret Garden restaurant which comes highly recommended.
After lunch our coach took us the short distance to the village of Long Melford and to our second stop of the day, Holy Trinity Church. This magnificent church is acknowledged to be the grandest in Suffolk and it’s imposing setting at the top of the village green provided glimpses of the red-brick octagonal turrets of nearby Melford Hall.
With the help of our church guides we were able to inspect the best collection of rare medieval stained-glass windows in the county. One of the great benefits of these u3a outings are the organised guides who are willing to share their great knowledge and provide fascinating insights into the history of the places we visit. As we travelled homewards through the pretty Suffolk countryside, we reflected on a most informative and enjoyable day out, spent in good company!
Grateful thanks to the Theatre & Other Visits Group for organising and leading this most pleasant outing.
The People's Post - March 2025
After departing at 9.15am, our coach conveyed us swiftly to the St Paul’s area of the capital, where we were greeted by Blue Badge guide Alex. He escorted our group to Paternoster for a welcome cup of coffee and cookies, before taking us on a short, guided walk.
We passed by the charming garden of Christchurch Greyfriars, where pergolas mark the position of the original columns of the bombed church, whilst box hedges outline the pews. We then viewed the original and very grand post office buildings on King Edward St, where stands the imposing bronze statue of Rowland Hill; he was a former school teacher, then postal reformer and in 1840 founded the Penny Post. Alex shared a wealth of interesting information about the history of the postal service.
We wandered through Postman’s Park, where the postal workers would take their lunch. Also in this park, our guide pointed out the ‘Memorial to Heroic Self-Sacrifice’. This was a poignant tribute to ordinary folk who’d lost their lives in the rescue of others. Designed by artist Frederick Watt, there were 54 hand-decorated ceramic plaques (with room for 66 more!). The plaques outlined the individual stories of heroism in a simple but most touching way.
Lunch was enjoyed in Exmouth Market and Spa Fields, with many of the group choosing to eat outdoors since it was a warm and sunny spring day.
We then spent the afternoon exploring the Postal Museum in Phoenix Place. And wow, who knew the People’s Post would be so interesting?! The museum was brimming with original exhibits - a scarlet horse-drawn mail coach with blunderbuss and posthorn, posters describing an attack on the leading horses of Exeter mail coach by a lion in 1816, wartime letters home, sheets of Penny Black stamps, a working model of a pneumatic tube system and original pillar boxes in red, green and blue!
We all took a ride on the Mail Rail, a miniature train running underground through tunnels under Mount Pleasant. This had originally been designed to transport mail beneath the streets of London, and there was a commentary that brought to life the work of the postal railway. This had been a vital means of transporting mail across the city of London, especially during the war years.
For a thoroughly enjoyable day, our thanks go to Elaine for organising, Alex for his excellent guiding and Andre our coach driver for being where he was supposed to at the right time!
TINA – The Tina Turner Musical at the Aldwych Theatre, London – January 2025
A very enjoyable afternoon was spent experiencing the journey of Tina Turner from humble beginnings to global superstar in this hit stage musical, featuring all her most famous songs.
Choral Evensong at St. Paul’s and The Christmas Lights – December 2024
After a short stop at the Christmas Market in Paternoster Square and a light lunch, we headed into St Paul's Cathedral for Choral Evensong lasting for a blissful and music filled 45 minutes. We returned to our coach to begin our Christmas Lights and Sights Tour, dazzled by iconic landmarks and shop windows dressed in glittering lights and streets lined with sparkling festive joy, with twinkling fairy lights covering the city.
This was followed by supper at Kennedys of Fulham, before we returned to Sawston after a very enjoyable outing.
The Northern Ballet's "A Christmas Carol" at Norwich Theatre Royal - November 2024
"The comfortable Richmond coach set off just 5 minutes late at 11:50 for the 1.5-hour journey to Norwich. We got into the festive mood of a Christmas Carol as it started to snow on the way to the theatre. We arrived in time for a snack and drink either at the theatre or nearby cafés before going into the auditorium.
The performance itself was superb (as expected from the highly reputable Northern Ballet). It was in three acts (so two intervals which were useful for a stretch and refreshments) and follows the Dickens novel fairly closely, with impressive period costumes, and superb ghoulish costumes for the ghosts. No super-tight tights or tutus to be seen, just impressive dancing, a few songs, an excellent orchestra and some very amusing comedy parts.
The seats booked were all in the stalls, giving easy access from the outside and an excellent uninterrupted view. They were some of the best seats available.
We were grateful to the coach driver who picked us up just outside the theatre (as it was cold weather) and we returned to Sawston about 7:15 pm."
Royal Windsor - October 2024
The Group arrived at the coach park to meet their guide for the day and were taken through the old Victorian Windsor railway station. After emerging from its imposing entrance, the magnificent Windsor Castle came into view just across the road. A chance to look around Windsor before lunch gave an opportunity to view some of the quaint side streets, shops and pubs etc, with the added bonus of managing to catch the Changing of the Guard from the main entrance.
Inside the Castle grounds, photos of the general buildings were taken and audio guides obtained. The tour included viewing the magnificent State rooms and apartments (no pictures allowed!) and a visit to St. George's Chapel to see the final resting place of the late HM Queen Elizabeth. After rejoining the coach, a short guided tour of the Royal Landscape followed, including views of the castle from The Long Walk. The tour finished at The Crocus Garden Centre Café in Dorney for refreshments before heading home.
To quote from one of our reviewers who sent his thanks to the organisers “All in all, a wonderful experience and a thoroughly enjoyable outing”.
