Mansfield u3a kicked off its first meeting of 2026 with a fantastic turnout, as regular and new members came together for a lively and welcoming start to the year.

We were also pleased to hear from our Group Leaders, including Denise and Liz from Sherwood u3a, who shared news of forthcoming events along with helpful updates about group activities.

As always, the Mansfield u3a Buddies were on hand to offer a warm welcome and friendly support, helping new members feel comfortable and at ease.

After a short break for coffee, tea, and biscuits, the room settled into complete silence for what was a real highlight of the afternoon. Our guest speaker, Nigel Lowey, held the audience spellbound with his absorbing talk, The Transformation ofSt Pancras. His knowledge, passion, and delivery had the room completely captivated.

Nigel is an IT consultant by profession, with a deep interest in history, architecture, and design. His long-standing fascination with St Pancras led to close involvement with its restoration, including being invited to comment on the original planning application. He has now delivered this talk more than 400 times, largely through word-of-mouth recommendations across u3a groups, WIs, and other local societies.

Many thanks go to Philip Tucker, our Speaker Finder, for securing such a memorable and engaging speaker — truly a jewel in the crown.

Looking ahead

Our next meeting is on Tuesday 17 February 2026 and it is definitely one not to be missed.

Our guest speaker and entertainer will be Paul Lillie with The Life and Work of Elvis Presley.

Paul is one of Britain’s foremost Elvis tribute artists. He trained at Wimbledon School of Art and is currently Artist in Residence at Nottingham QMC and City Hospitals. His unique blend of art and music has been widely praised for supporting wellbeing and mental health as part of the Hospital Trust’s award-winning Arts programme.

During his talk, Paul will sing and play guitar while simultaneously creating large-scale paintings, bringing to life the meteoric career of the King of Rock and Roll. He has appeared on GMTV and The One Show, and discussed Elvis with Simon Mayo on BBC Radio 5. Music journalist and broadcaster David Hepworth has described Paul as “an Elvis Educator”.

Expect audience participation, superb entertainment, and a performance that will really raise the roof — bring your umbrellas, he’ll be going down a storm.

We look forward to seeing you all.