How to Stay Busy in Retirement
When you reach the longed-for milestone of retirement, here are just a few sensible ideas for how to spend your free time
Golf
Perhaps a cliché, but one many would agree is a good choice – consider this your permission to give in and make golf your new hobby. There is plenty of coaching available at courses across the county, with Drax Golf Club near Selby a good choice for beginners and Filey Golf Club worth the journey for coastal views. If the weather isn’t playing ball, we love Yorkshire Golf Academy’s state-of-the-art environment in which you can enjoy some of the world’s most famous courses on a TrackMan 4 simulator.
Volunteer
Volunteering at any time in your life is always a good thing, but with more time it’s also an opportunity to stay connected with your local community whilst feeling good about giving back. So whether you think you’d be a good addition to a board of trustees, could spare a few hours to help out in a community garden, or love the arts and could consider being a tour guide at one of your favourite museums, there are endless options and charities and organisations are always seeking support. If you’re looking for ideas, the National Council for Voluntary Organisations (NCVO) is a great place to start.
u3a
u3a (the University of the Third Age) is a UK-wide movement of more than 1,000 local groups for people not in full-time employment to come together and learn for fun. From cycling to scrabble and ballroom dancing to bird watching, various groups take place at u3as across the county, and you can find your local group on the u3a website. If the group you want doesn’t exist, why not set it up yourself?
Walking Sports
Slower-paced, low-impact versions of football and netball (for example) are popular choices for retirees, and there are plenty of groups across Yorkshire which can be found through the National Walking Football Association and England Netball websites. Walking football promises everything you love about the sport but with adjustments and tweaks such as swapping throw-ins for kick-ins so that you can play on regardless of age. Walking netball’s adapted rules mean anyone can play without feeling excluded by age or fitness.
Pickleball
Pickleball was created in America in the ‘80s, but has had a real surge in popularity in the UK over the last few years. A mashup of tennis, badminton and table tennis, pickleball is relatively easy to learn and is generally considered lower impact than other racket sports. Whilst you can join pickleball games across the county, head to livingnorth.com to read more about North Yorkshire's first pickleball-only facility, The Pickleball Shed near Sutton-on-the-Forest.
Get Creative
So many creative classes take place across Yorkshire and they’re a great way to make new friends as well as honing a new skill. Various workshops take place at museums and galleries throughout Yorkshire, including at Leeds Art Gallery and The Hepworth Wakefield. If you’re interested in learning a more specialist skill like pottery or jewellery making, the Craft Courses website is a great resource for finding classes and workshops near you, or check out local noticeboards or community Facebook groups.
Get Green Fingers
Retirement means you can finally get your garden into shape but you could always take it one step further and invest in an allotment – a great choice for those with green fingers who don’t have lots of outdoor space at home. This is also a great place to connect with like-minded people and you can grow fruit and veg to impress your family when it comes to the Sunday roast. Allotments are widely available in Yorkshire but in high demand. Contact your local council or trusts such as YACIO who are responsible for the management of 16 allotment sites across the city of York.
Make Music
Perhaps you’ve always wanted to learn to play a musical instrument but never had the time, or you find joy in singing and want to share that passion with others. Find a local music teacher if you’re serious about learning the sax, reach out to one of Yorkshire’s many choirs such as York City Harmonisers or Lucy’s Pop Choir, or why not join the community choir at Leeds City Museum on the first and third Friday of every month?
