A GROUP which supports East Renfrewshire residents who are retired or semi-retired has been spreading the word about what it has to offer.

East Renfrewshire u3a (University of the Third Age) aims to help people enjoy life after work by giving them the chance to take part in everything from conversational Spanish to wine appreciation.

There are also monthly meetings for members, with a range of guest speakers covering a wide variety of topics.

The group set up a stall outside the Tesco store in Barrhead to hand out pamphlets to retirees and anyone else who wanted information for relatives and friends.

Douglas Yates, chairperson of East Renfrewshire u3a, told the Barrhead News: “Our strapline is ‘Live, Laugh, Learn’ and this is evident in the 70 activity groups which operate as part of the local group.

“On a beautiful, sunny day, it was nice to reach out to other retirees to tell them about what’s on offer from the local u3a. Members can tell how the group has transformed their lives by offering opportunities to make new friends and participate in a raft of different activities.

“Retirement should be fun, to be looked forward to and enjoyed.”

Founded in 1982, there are now more than 1,000 u3a branches, with over 450,000 members between them.

The ‘third age’ is defined as a time in your life – not necessarily chronological – when you have the opportunity to undertake learning for its own sake.

There is no minimum age to join the u3a but the focus is on people who are no longer in full-time employment or raising a family.

It costs £24 per year to join the local group and you must live in East Renfrewshire or the surrounding area.

For more details, go online at https://u3asites.org.uk/eastrenfrewshire.