MOVING on from Zoom events, Ilkley & District u3a is inviting members to join in the Summer Programme fun this year for some socially distanced walks and talks. There are over 20 events on offer in July and early August with talks on topics ranging from discovering the secrets of the Da Vinci code to Immunology for Beginners.

Outdoor events include a walk to discover prehistoric rock art on Ilkley Moor and a walk along the waterfront in Leeds.

Details of all the events can be found on the u3a website at ilkleyu3a.org.

There will also be drop in sessions in Ilkley and Otley for potential and current members.

The Ilkley event takes place on August 6 from 10.30am to noon at the Clarke Foley Centre and the Otley drop in event takes place on Friday, August 13 at The Otley Core, Orchardgate, Otley from 10.30am to noon.

Members will also be attending the volunteer and member recruitment fair, part of the Burley Summer Festival, on Sunday, August 22 from 11am to 3pm at Grange Park in the centre of Burley-in-Wharfedale.

The first socially distanced presentation took place on Monday, July 5 when a near capacity audience met in the Clarke Foley for a talk by the u3a Railway Group. The leader of the Railway Group, Robin Leleux, used historical illustrations and readings from contemporary articles and speeches to show how the coming of the railways made a fundamental change to the social fabric of the country in the Victorian era.

He described how the railways transformed everything from the way the newspapers and the post were distributed throughout the country, to the ability for city centre residents to be provided with fresh fish for the first time.

The Railway Group welcomes new members. The first meeting of the new season will be held at 2:15pm on Tuesday, October 5 at the Clarke Foley Centre.

The talk will be about the Thameslink line that has transformed rail travel through the centre of London but did you know many of its tunnels were excavated well over a century ago?

Before you can join the Railway Group you need to be a member of Ilkley & District u3a.

Annual membership is only £13.50 a year and entitles you to join any of the 140 groups on offer.

If you would like to find out about the Summer Programme and other activities, then go to the website at ilkleyu3a.org and follow the links.

You can also find the u3a on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/IlkleyU3A/ and Twitter: https://twitter.com/IlkleyU3A

Alternatively, go along to a drop-in on the first and third Friday morning of the month at the Clarke Foley Centre where you can meet and chat with friendly u3a representatives.

u3a is a cooperative movement, based on mutual support, for those no longer working full time or raising a family.

Ilkley & District u3a is a group of around 1,600 individuals who enjoy meeting new people, learning new things and making friendships through shared interests and hobbies.