Later Lifestyle Clubs     

The event programme

Each club is run by its members and will develop its own personality but the core programme activities provide a base and a recognisable structure from Club to Club. Over time this programme is built up and supplemented by local club activities organised by the local committee and sub-groups to reflect members’ interests.

This programme of events and activities should cater for most tastes and members can be selective in which events they decide to participate in.

The example core programme provides a basis for the local event committee to start from. What is available at any point in time will depend on the choices made by them and the additional sub-groups that are formed. The core programme suggests the following threads of activity normally arranged into regular cycles but will depend on local conditions:

• New experience programme
  A monthly programme of new things to try from ballooning and indoor skydiving to clay pigeon shooting
   
• Taking it up programme
  The opportunity to first hear about and then try things which may be of interest from Golf and Hashing to Croquet and Tai Chi – mainly organised with local clubs
   
• Discovery (local) programme
  Visits to places of interest locally which you may not have got round to visiting or didn’t know existed – from Roman ruins to underground canals
   
• Discovery (afar) programme
  Visits to places of interest further afield - from the Eden Centre and Hampton Court to City Visits home and abroad e.g. Bath Spa, Liverpool – Beatles, Eurostar to Bruges...
   
• Health programme
  A programme aimed at keeping members fit and healthy and informed on health issues. Including a weekly ‘Walking for health programme’. Plus opportunities to find out more and try other recognised aids to healthy living such as Pilates and Yoga, and talks to learn about topics such as Nutrition and alternative medicine.
   
• Leisure and social programme
  A programme aimed at socialising and gaining enjoyment by doing things with others. Including a weekly ‘Lads and ladies who lunch’ programme at a wide variety of pubs and other eating places in the locality. Regular Film and Theatre visits, plus one-off events such as wine tasting or a casino night, to a local Antiques Roadshow or paintballing.
   
• Club talk programme
  A monthly talk on topics of interest to ‘later lifers’ e.g. the National Trust, Adult education opportunities, the U3A etc.
   
• Work & Entrepreneurial in later life programme
  A programme of activity to inform and create networking opportunities for those interested in working in later life whether that be voluntary work, finding a part time job or starting a new business venture with others
   
• Spirit of the 60s/Ideas programme
  A programme to generate some of that altruistic attitude and get up and go we had back in the 60s by considering ideas for improving the community, the country or even the world and agreeing action to cause change and improvement.
   
• Doing things for others/Raising money programme
  A programme to bring members together to help others in the widest sense. Encompassing all types of volunteering and voluntary work, money raising activities for charity, or less obvious help like becoming a first aider.

New Member open events

Once a club is in operation there will normally be regular ‘new members’ events. This provides an opportunity for potential new members to come along, sample the venue the club uses as its base, hear about the club and its forthcoming programme and meet existing members. The aim is to make sure that everyone immediately feels at home even if they are by themselves and introduce them to what the Club has to offer.

If potential members like what they hear they can then take up 2 weeks complimentary membership to sample what’s on offer before making the decision about joining.