Clubs to Join in Retirement

One thing newly retired people can sometimes find hard to come to terms with is the amount of free time they suddenly have on their hands. Suddenly going from a structured busy work day to a day where you have to find something to fill the time can be quite a culture shock. Sure you can do the gardening, or get round at last to doing all those odd jobs in the home, but these tasks won't last for ever, and the weather especially in winter will curb the time you can spend in the garden. If you are on your own the social aspect of work can be missed. Interaction with other people if you are at home all day can sometimes be difficult.

A good way to get out and about socialise and meet people is to join a club. You may already have a hobby or interest, so why not join a club to meet other people with the same interests. You may only want to have an opportunity to meet people and have a chat, but whatever you want to do there's probably a club somewhere that will cater for your needs.

Finding a Club

A good place to start is your local library. They normally have lots of leaflets or advertisements for local clubs and activities. You could look in the telephone directory, yellow pages or your local directory; there are many clubs and associations listed. Look at the ads in your local supermarket, or the local newspaper many clubs advertise meetings and most welcome new members.

What Kind of Clubs Are There?

There are many different types of clubs out there. Some clubs meet daily, others once or twice a week, others only monthly. Let's have a look at some ideas:

• Lunch Clubs - Lunch clubs meet once or twice a week and are held at places where you can pop in and have a light meal, a cup of tea and a chat. The session normally lasts 3-4 hours and a small payment is usually charged for the meal. It's a nice way to spend some time and meet some old and new friends.

• Drop-in Club - Held one or two days a week in local community centres all over the country, drop-in clubs offer tea, a chat and usually some activities. The good thing about a club like this is you can come and go as you please, as they are normally open from around 10am till 4pm.

• Local Community OAP Clubs - These clubs normally hold weekly get-togethers. A fee per meeting or a subscription fee is usually charged. Here entertainment of some sort is usually provided. A guest speaker, musical acts or other forms of entertainment regularly perform, with audience participation usually welcome. It's common for an afternoon tea to be provided at this type of club.

If you have a hobby, want to keep fit, or would like to take up a new skill or pastime the opportunities are limitless. Listed below are some ideas:

• Seniors Swimming - most pools have sessions run exclusively for older people. Most also provide lessons if you want to learn or improve your swimming.

• Local History Groups - Many have ongoing projects looking into and discovering interesting facts about social history in the area. Many have guest speakers who provide great insight into the history of the local communities.

• Writing groups - The local library normally has details of local writing groups and when they meet.

• Rambling/Walking - If you are reasonably fit and enjoy the fresh air there's nothing better than getting out for a walk in the countryside. It's a great way to get to know your area and is a good way to meet new people.

• Photography - Many community centres and local schools have photography classes where you can hone old skills and learn lots of new ones too.

Other activities and clubs to consider include:

• Bowls
• Golf
• Arts and crafts
• Painting
• Aerobics
• Whist
• Chess
• Genealogy
• Bridge
• Wine tasting/appreciation
• Yoga
• Keep fit
• Reading groups
• Choirs
• Amateur dramatics

You should also consider looking at what your local schools and colleges offer in the way of adult learning classes. There is normally a whole host of classes, offering you the chance to take part in activities and develop new skills. No matter your age or physical ability get out there and find something that's suitable for you - you're never too old to learn something new or take up anew challenge.