2026
April 13th - Ten Pin Bowling - Rochester and lunch at Frankie & Benny's Restaurant
Rochester Bowling Alley April 13th just didn't know what it was in for. There was a lot of creaking of knees, elbows & shoulders, & that was before they started! It was all very exciting & the competitive spirit between the 2 teams was alive & well! There was a winning team, by just one point tho! Does that reflect the high skill level?? I’m sure it does 😂 What a great time, & many laughs too.
And just in case they'd lost too many calories bowling - there was a fab meal with delicious desserts at Frankie & Benny's restaurant afterwards.
Let’s hope we do this again as everyone who came along said how much they’d enjoyed it & would definitely come again.
Thank you 'Events Team'.
March 25th - Visit to East Malling Research Centre
East Malling and Wye Fruit Experimental Station. Did you know that we wouldn't be eating bananas had it not been for the work done at East Malling to discover how ethanol slows down ripening? And did you know that 90% of the world's apple trees are on rootstock developed at East Malling? These and so many other fascinating facts were revealed as Ross lead us on a tour of the Research Centre. Originally set up in 1913 on a small site the Centre quickly grew in importance and size and the original buildings are still in use today. Some of the finest and most important research on perennial crops has been conducted on the site, resulting in East Malling's worldwide reputation. Our tour - on a freezing cold morning - was thought-provoking and stimulating and highly recommended.
February 26th - Lunch, Dulhan Indian Restaurant - Borough Green
Dulhan opened its doors especially for Branch members. Owner Ahmed served sumptuous starters of chicken tikka, onion bhaji & samosas followed by a selection of bowls of chicken korma, chicken tikka masala, lamb balti, saag aloo, vegetarian curry, rice & naan to which
diners helped them ourselves. Bowls were replenished as often as needed! There was Bingo and a quiz. A very enjoyable lunch - good food, good company.
January 29th
Lunch, Pavilion Restaurant, Wildernesse, Seal
They had us back - can you believe it and it didn’t disappoint, the vista is beautiful, the restaurant is both pleasing to the eye inside and out
and the food was delicious - hopefully should we go again it will be in spring / summer time and we can really appreciate its grounds - pretty
sure they’re will be worth seeing.
2025
December - Xmas Cheese and Wine
Members Marguerite and Alan yet again hosted this event and suppled a culinary feast of cheeses accompanied by a great selection of red, white & rose wines. A great afternoon enjoyed by all who attended a perfect event for a festive season.
Wrotham Village Christmas Fayre
Branch hosted a Tombola stall (thank you to all those that contributed their new unwanted gifts - Branch were able to replenish its depleted funds) at this popular event held in the picturesque surroundings of Wrotham Village. There were various stalls and a small funfair, Santa graced the event with his presence switching on the festive Xmas lights. A local event enjoyed by all who attended.
Pub Lunch - Blue Anchor, St Mary's Platt - November
Our latest event was lunch at the Blue Anchor Pub. It was well attended with 25 members enjoying good food and great company.
The staff at the Pub were great and the service excellent, we will certainly be booking again in the future.
Visit to Battersea Power Station - 4th November
The general consensus was that it was a wonderful day out. The views from the top were spectacular, offering stunning scenery — and we were fortunate to have good weather as an added bonus. However, there was agreement that a return visit is needed, as there simply wasn’t enough time to explore the many delightful shops on offer.
‘A huge success’ - the feedback from stall holders was - it was a really friendly well attended
event and they would gladly make a return visit - whoopee!!!
So a big ‘thank you” to everybody that contributed cakes, time, helped on the day and spent
their money there. Also a big thank you to the COGS team and look forward to future
collaborations!
Our Cake Stall
Somewhat depleted!
Lunch and Pétanque - 18 August
The Villager pub in Vigo served (with a smile) good food in pleasant surroundings that was enjoyed by all who attended. It has two pétanque courts which were made full use of by our group, who split into four (competitive - on hearing the boos & cheers) teams producing an overall winning team.
Cream Tea & Prosecco - 15 July
Chair of Branch u3a Janet Lewis and husband Leon kindly opened their home a few weeks ago for members to join them for a relaxing afternoon in the garden, albeit a little windy.
Members enjoyed a traditional cream tea with fresh scones and cake, tea, coffee and bottomless prosecco. Trixie organised games in the garden providing entertainment for everyone and afterwards it was a lovely opportunity to sit and relax, chat and make new friends.
There was a free raffle and four lucky members took home prizes.
It was a real pleasure to spend time with everyone, and the delicious treats were the highlight of the day. Special thanks to Janet and Leon for opening their home and making everyone feel so welcome. Looking forward to a repeat event next year.
Cherry Picking - 3 July
A group of u3a members who had rented a portion of two cherry trees at Bentinck Farm in Tunbridge Wells spent a happy morning harvesting their crop a few weeks ago. Due to the extremely warm early summer that we have had the crop was bountiful and I'm sure that many friends and neighbours benefited from it! Deliveries were made to those members who had rented a portion of the trees but couldn't attend the harvest, so no-one was left out. Everyone thought that the sweet, dark cherries were extremely tasty and well worth the cost
Cobnut Walk - 19 June
Nestled amid the patchwork fields and wooded hillsides of southeast England, the county of Kent has long been renowned as the "Garden of England." Among its many agricultural treasures, one stands out for its unique flavour, deep-rooted heritage, and enduring connection to the local landscape: the Kentish cobnut.
We are very lucky to have these growing on our doorstep in Platt, so in June a group of U3A members undertook a walk starting at Platt church, led by Alexander the owner of Potash Farm. We learnt about the history of various houses in the village and the people that lived in them and their links in the past to farming and horticultural activities. We spent time at Potash Farm where we saw a commercial plantation of cobnuts and learnt about growing and marketing. At Potash farm there are some very rare plants and rich wildlife. This was all topped off by tea, Ribena and Cobnut biscuits in the beautiful garden of Apple Trees in Comp Lane. We also managed to purchase a variety of nut products and received a bag of cob nuts each.
The weather was beautiful, maybe a little too hot!! and we enjoyed a pleasant afternoon in the countryside. Thank you to all our U3A members who joined this event and to Alexander for imparting his knowledge!
Indian Lunch
Duhlan Indian Restaurant opened its doors for BG & W U3A members. This was a “first “ as Duhlan only open in the evening so a big thank you to Ahmed and his team who put on a scrumptious feast of Indian delights for the 25 of us who booked.
The event was kicked off by a general knowledge quiz where each table formed a team and much hilarity ensued in arriving (or not!) at the correct answers. After our delicious lunch, events were brought to a conclusion with a game of Bingo. Both the quiz and bingo were both ably conducted by quiz master Chris Willis.
The lunch was a great success and old acquaintances renewed and new friends made!
May
Tea & Flowers
A delightful afternoon was spent at Melia’s Place, Borough Green, indulging in delicious refreshments and enjoying the captivating talents of professional florist Jasmine Pope owner of Borough Green's Local florist. With grace and creativity, Jasmine demonstrated how to craft a stunning floral arrangement, much to the delight of the members in attendance. The event concluded with a touch of excitement as one very lucky member took home the beautiful arrangement as a raffle prize.
April - Wildernesse House - Lunch at The Pavillion
Well for the twenty of you that fancied 'Something a Little Different' - It certainly didn't disappoint.
The Events Team excelled itself arranging a delightful lunch at a truly unique and elegant restaurant — set within the beautifully restored house and grounds of what is soon to be an exclusive retirement community. The restaurant, which caters to both residents and the wider local community, offered a relaxed yet refined atmosphere and delicious food to match.
Here’s what was on offer:
- Beer-battered cod with buttered garden peas, lemon tartare sauce & skinny fries
- Fillet of salmon with gratin potato, green beans, and a white wine & chive sauce
- Pan-fried chicken breast with herb mash, green beans, bacon & cherry tomato sauce
- Pumpkin and ricotta tortellini with tomato, red onion & rocket salad (vegetarian)
A special price was negotiated for BGW u3a Members - Your choice from above at a cost of £16, including tea or coffee and a service charge.
The consensus was: good food - good venue - good company - a great afternoon.
Hopefully there will be a next time!!!!
March - Curry, Quiz & Bing
The Raj Restaurant, High Street, Borough Green, once again played the perfect host, serving up a delicious feast. Members gathered for a delightful lunchtime meal, spiced up with a quiz and bingo session—though, in a twist worthy of a detective novel, the same group mysteriously scooped up all the prizes (we won’t name names… but we’re watching you!).
With bellies full and spirits high, the unanimous verdict was clear: fab food and a thoroughly enjoyable afternoon. This marks the second time The Raj has graciously hosted such an event, and for that, we send them our heartfelt (and slightly overstuffed) thanks!
January - Coffee & Pastries at the Three Sisters, Gate House Wood Cafe
It was a chilly January morning there until forty members of U3a turned up for coffee and pastries. From then onwards the place hummed with chat and the (enormous) pastries sold out! Tom, the owner, was delighted to see us all enjoying his normally quiet cafe. He hopes we’ll bring back friends, family and neighbours its open Wednesday to Sunday 8am-3pm. He’s invited us back and promises more pastries and more chairs!
Check the cafe’s website to find out about his supper clubs and Dining at Home offers. three-sisters-Sevenoaks.com. Tom is also the chef at Three Sister Restaurant Chart Farm.
Well members you were obviously well behaved and Tom enjoyed our company so much he’s made the following offer: I’d like to offer BGW U3A members a free coffee when they buy a pastry at the Gate House Wood cafe for the rest of this year. They just need to SHOW THEIR MEMBERSHIP CARD. Whoopee who can’t resist such an offer
Christmas - Cheese and Wine
What a great afternoon, a most enjoyable time hosted by Alan and Marguerite. A fabulous selection of cheeses and wines were consumed and enjoyed by all the members who attended and a mince pie competition was won by Trixie.
Participating Members really enjoyed this sociable fun afternoon - a great start to the Xmas' festivities.
Indian Cuisine Lunch
It was Lunch and Fun at the RAJ Indian Cuisine Restaurant, High Street, Borough Green on November the 4th, where members enjoyed the Branch's first additional social event. A superb set menu was enjoyed by 30+ members filling the restaurant and creating a very enjoyable social time, which we're sure will be repeated. - watch this page.
