Courses offered this year include: Art, Big Ideas, Card Games, Choir, French, Film, Garden, Musicals, Strings, Photography, Spanish, Writing, and Yoga.

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The newest offering is ‘Big Ideas: Metaphysics’, described as an intellectual journey which asks the biggest questions asked by mankind.

“These questions have inevitably been deferred to metaphysics for answers, as metaphysics is concerned with any aspects of reality which cannot, in principle, be satisfactorily addressed by physics (i.e. science),” explained Convenor Brian Ness.

“Some think questioning the perception and meaning of ‘reality’, morality, free will, existence beyond death… is a waste of time, while others have dedicated their lives to penetrating the realm of metaphysics.”

Each course has its own schedule – weekly, bi-weekly or monthly throughout the year – and the ever-conscientious convenors and teachers were all on hand to explain the offerings.

“The benefits of learning to play an instrument in your senior years include intellectual stimulation, enhancement of memory, co-ordination and fine motor skills.

“It helps with emotional and other stress, and allows you to gain that sense of achievement and fulfilment through community involvement and new relationships,” explained accomplished ukulele player Karen Piggott.

The photography class may be without its long-time convenor, Paul Mulvaney, but budding photographers have signed up to share their own photographs (the good and the bad), and help each other out.

“Good photography isn’t easy and your classmates all understand this very well,” stated Roger Digby.

“Later in the year we hope to offer some field trips where we go out as a group to take pictures locally, but people will bring in pictures and discuss anything from subject matter to technical challenges and artistic effects.”

Those seeking to activate their green thumbs signed up for the Garden and Nature group, which promises to utilise the natural beauty of Hawks Nest and Tea Gardens to maximum effect.

The quietly productive Writers Group also returns, offering everyone with a book inside them to pick up the pen and meet with similarly motivated people to discuss and critique one another’s work.

“Group members offer constructive feedback to help shape their peers’ stories, and we have various activities to get the ink flowing, such as first lines of famous books; write of bygone yesteryears; practice first/second/third person writing; short stories, workshopping, and hearing from published authors,” local author Ray Keipert explained.

By Thomas O’KEEFE