THE Ilkley u3a ‘Old Peculiars’ group has just clocked up five successful years.

The group has grown from its initial membership of a handful of acoustic guitar players to over twenty musicians playing a range of instruments - bass guitars, fiddles, mandolin, harmonica, accordion and ukeleles.

Group Leader, Peter Mate said: “The Old Peculiars meet weekly to have musical fun and now have a repertoire of over 300 songs, ranging from blues to bluegrass, Celtic folk to hard rock, sixties pop to rock roll, and even a bit of experimental jazz. We take music, fun and song out into the community.”

As the group has matured so has its equipment, with recent u3a investment in a powerful PA system and mixing deck plus four high grade microphones to support vocals, or highlight the quieter instruments. This will allow the Old Peculiars to give performances to the local community.

Forthcoming dates in the diary include a Dementia-friendly gig in Burley in May, an event at Otley Buttercross in June, an open performance which is part of the u3a summer programme in July, and other events in local care homes.

The group welcomes new members and the more players there are, the more the group and music dynamics change.

It began as an Intermediate guitar group, so new members need basic skills with chord shapes and changing between these. However, the u3a also runs a separate guitar group for beginners.

The Old Peculiars currently meet every Thursday afternoon from 1pm-3pm in the Ilkley Moor Vaults (The Taps) upstairs venue room with an average attendance of between 15 and 25 musicians. Unfortunately the venue is restricted for disability access.

Through networking with the other u3a musical groups, other groups have been started - most recently an open spin-off singers session at the Ilkley Vaults every second Thursday evening.

For more information about the Old Peculiars (see intermediate guitars) and other u3a music groups, go online at ilkleyu3a.org where there is a list of groups and the contact details for the group leaders.

To play with the Old Peculiars you need to be a member of the u3a.

Join the u3a in May for £15 with no renewal until August 2023.

Membership is open to anyone in the area who is retired or semi-retired.

Information on the u3a and how to join is found on the website at ilkleyu3a.org, on FaceBook and Twitter.