Spare spaces on three coach trips

Historic Houses Group visit Kiplin Hall & Gardens near Scorton, Richmond on Monday 31st March and have a few places still available. The cost is £41 including coach, entry to the House, Gardens and Visitor Centre, together with a Soup and Sandwich Lunch with tea and coffee.

If you hold National Historic Houses Group Membership the cost is £32. Cards must be produced on the day. Please email Susan Ward (susanward29@icloud.com) for details or to book your place.

Northern Towns have a few spare seats on a minibus to Haworth on Thursday 20th March departing c. 8:30 am and returning 3 pm.  There is one place from Ben Rhydding / Ilkley, or Addingham and four places from Burley or Otley.

The main party is having a tour of the museum, but we have taken all their capacity. So, you will be on your own for the duration of the visit. Cost is £7 just for a seat on the coach. Apply to Jean Smith. Email: Jeansmith50@hotmail.com by Saturday 15th March at the latest.

The Railway Group are running a coach to Darlington Hopetown and National Railway Museum at Shildon on Tuesday 15^th April. Spare places are available at £35. Details on this link.

Spring card making short course

Following the successful Christmas greetings card making course, we are delighted that there will be a spring card making session on Saturday morning 21^st March. Select here for details and to book a place. Only a few places left so be quick!

Introduction to Croquet short course

Another short course making a welcome return. Four weekly sessions at Ben Rhydding Croquet Club starting 2pm Tuesday 15th April to 6th May. Details and booking arrangements on this link to our website.

Learn to play the ukulele short course

The u3a Grove Ukulele Players are offering a six-week beginners’ course on Tuesday mornings starting on 29th April.   Select here for details and to see a picture of the group entertaining the residents at Audley Cleveland. Only 4 places available. You do need your own instrument. Cost £24.

If you already have some experience of playing the ukulele, why not join the group? Details on meeting dates, venue and who to contact by selecting this link to our website.

Possible new groups

Guiseley Crime readers. A monthly book group focusing on crime books. Day/time venue to be agreed. Contact groups@ilkleyu3a.org to express an interest. Please indicate any days or times of the week when you are definitely not available.

Neurodiversity and older people. This is an opportunity to meet perhaps monthly for a morning coffee with others in a similar situation (recently diagnosed or otherwise). Following the notice in the last News Flash Martin Hobson has had a few responses so, before deciding how to proceed, he would like to hear from anyone else who might be interested.  

If this would be helpful to you, email Martinhobson@gmail.com giving your contact details and any days of the week when you would prefer to meet.

Martin found this short video of help and it is shared in the hope that others might also benefit.

Groups looking for new members

Canasta in Otley. Meeting fortnightly on Wednesday afternoons from 1pm to 3pm at Otley Courthouse. Email groups@ilkleyu3a.org for more information.

Scrabble in Guiseley. We recently started a second u3a Scrabble group, this time in Guiseley. The group meets at Everybodys, next to Morrisons, fortnightly on a Thursday afternoon 2-4pm. All equipment is provided and those wishing to learn are very welcome. Email newgroups@ilkleyu3a.org to express an interest in joining.

Go with (Ilkley). An opportunity to link up with others in the Ilkley area to just do something with others. That could be a meal out, a visit to the theatre, window shopping in Leeds or just a social cup of coffee. A similar group in Otley has really helped members on their own get through the dark days of winter. The Ilkley group can also make a difference. Select this link for more information.

Jazz Appreciation Covering all forms of Jazz from its early days to the present, with a particular emphasis on discovering new artists and music, as well as some of the lesser-known performers of yesteryear. You don’t have to be an expert in Jazz, you just need the desire to engage and learn more about this fascinating genre. For more information and to contact the group leader, select this link. (Login required to access his contact details.)

Otley Sewing Collective Our main aims are to have fun, improve our sewing skills, share our learning and skills and help the community. Members can bring any sewing they are working on, and we can teach new members to sew. Learn more and contact the group leader on this link. (Login required to access her contact details.)

Online events

These are organised through our parent body and free to join as part of your u3a subscription. Select here for details. A fascinating variety of topics includes writing systems of the World and LEO, the first business computer in the World. Also, several on using smart phones.

Diary dates

Select here for more information on all our drop-in events.

Drop-in Otley Friday 14^th March 10.30 am to 12 noon. 

Drop-in Ilkley Friday 21^st March 10.30 am to 12 noon.

Saturday talk 15^th March at 10 am. Diet, Disease & Death (Captain Cook). More details here.

Manor House coffee morning. 10:15 am Friday 28th March. Charlotte Bell explores the limited nature of inscriptions and how they shape our understanding of personhood in Roman Britain. To book and find more information select this link.

Digital drop in

Next session is Friday morning 10:30 to 12 noon 21^st March at Clarke Foley. Select here for more information. Bring your fully charged devices along with any passwords and we will do our best to resolve any specific questions. These sessions are about resolving issues, not teaching you how to turn on your phone!

Are you an Android user? We need additional help. If you know the basics, you will be one step ahead of those wanting help! Reply to this News Flash indicating your availability over the next couple of months.

Recent posts from our Facebook page

The following links open on our Facebook page. You don’t need an account to view these posts. In case of difficulty, there is further guidance at the foot of this newsletter.

Travel Group Visit to Ripon 25th February

Walking for Fitness exploring Addingham 26^th February

Gardening Group visit to Harlow Carr

Angela Rippon's Let's Dance event Janet Lockwood - who teaches Circle Dance to Ilkley u3a groups - organised the session and encouraged regular dancers to bring a friend.

Anyone for Scrabble. A picture from this start up group in Guiseley

Please continue to send group news photographs and anything else of general interest for u3a members to Helen (helen@saltedit.co.uk). This all helps explain u3a to a new audience.

Market Place for u3a members

For the following items, log in and use the website link for more information. Make contact directly with the poster by selecting their name to get their email and phone number.

A garden strimmer with battery and charger

Paper shredder (A member looking to borrow one)

Rotary Club Duck Race (Buy a duck and support local Rotary charities)

Celebrating Bradford City of Culture 2025

Faces of Bradford – Then and Now is an exhibition of photographs at the Manor House. Every weekend until 23^rd March. Details here. Local historian and long-standing member of the Bradford u3a, Derek Barker is posting a regular ‘Bradford Can Take Pride’ items throughout the year on his blog. Select this link to see all the posts to date and return regularly to see new additions.

An opportunity to meet with others who share your interests.

We’re always looking to add new groups, especially if you’re able to help with their organisation. Get in touch using this form. If you’re concerned about the ongoing commitment of a new group, then running a short course for, say, half a dozen sessions might be the answer if you have a passion for a subject and want to share it with others. It’s a limited commitment and there’s plenty of help to get started. Email shortcourses@ilkleyu3a.org with your thoughts and ideas.

Hoping these raise a smile with thanks to Neil and Denise

Slept like a log last night.  Woke up in the fireplace!

What do you get when you drop a piano on an army barracks? A flat major.

What do you call a magical dog? Labra-cadabra-dor.

I had to give up my job as a photographer. I kept losing focus.

Best wishes

John & Christine

Email: Newsflash@ilkleyu3a.org

Our Summer Programme needs more content

Events will be held from mid-June until the end of July. This programme is so important to many of our members as it fills a gap when some of our groups stop their regular meetings after Easter. Select this link if you’d like to be involved. Deadline 31^st March but please don’t wait until the last minute! Thanks.

Trouble accessing our Facebook page?

You don’t need an account to view the posts. To use Facebook as a guest, ensure the links take you to the Facebook page via a web browser. When prompted to log in or join Facebook, select ‘Not Now’ or close the prompt using the ‘x’ in the top corner. NB. These links will try to open the Facebook App if it’s installed on your device. Delete the App so the link uses a web browser to open. Then follow the above guidance.

Ageing without children

An interesting article on the Third Age Trust website that strikes a chord. Select here.