The lectures are usually, but not always, held on the third Friday of the month (no lecture in August) at 11.00 am in Cinema 4 at the Showroom, Paternoster Row, Sheffield. The Showroom café is open from 9.00 am for coffee, snacks and lunches. Lectures will usually finish by 12.30 pm.
The lectures are free to all members and usually no booking is required. Greeters wearing u3a lanyards are at the door to welcome members and you may be asked for your Su3a membership number.
The lectures are organised by Deborah Beetham and Mo Cave. Details of upcoming lectures are shown in both Links magazine and the enewsletter. We will also send out a reminder to all members a few days before the event. You can contact the organisers at chair@Su3a.org.uk
Closed Captioning
We aim to have “closed captioning” for all Friday lectures which means that they are accessible even to those with severe hearing issues.
Dates and topics for 2025/26
Feedback from one of our members:
I just want to say how much the Showroom lectures have been a joy each month. They are diverse and open up and stimulate so many conversations
| March 20th 2026 | Picassomania - Derek Bacon | Picasso & his works often divide opinion. Will this talk change your mind? |
| April 17th 2026 | Garden Birds - Helen Ensor | A Spring talk by the former leader of Sheffield RSPB group |
| May 15th 2026 | Scams Awareness - Mark Egglestone | An important topic for all of us given by Age UK’s Mark Egglestone |
| June 19th 2026 | The Music and Satire of Gilbert & Sullivan Bernard Lockett | Because of the use of videos and musical extracts this lecture may be of limited appeal to those with profound hearing issues. |
| July 17th 2026 | Walking in OldenLand – Looking back, looking around, looking ahead Roger Gough | Former professor of Social Care & speaker at last years Off the Shelf Festival reflects on walking and living in the land of old age. |
| September 18th 2026 | To be arranged | |
| October 16th 2026 | The Story of Portland Works Paul Iseard, Chair, Friends of Portland Works | Opened in 1879, the building is one of the last remaining working examples of a purpose-built metal trades factory. |
| November 20th 2026 | From Sheffield Artist to Head of Design at the V & A: Godfrey Sykes (1824 – 1866) Dr Sylvia Dunkley | Sykes was a star pupil, then teacher at the Sheffield School of Art where he developed skills as a painter & designer before moving to London and the V & A in its early days. |
| December 18th 2026 | Who wants to be a Millionaire – Pat Collard | One woman’s story of an unusual experience |
Previous Lectures
There are a number of previous lecture reviews available here.