What new hobbies/voluntary work are you doing in retirement?

[Madmog]

Just wondering what new hobbies or voluntary work any of you have taken up in retirement?

DH will be retiring next year and wants do more voluntary work (something he's qualified in and has always done), an art class, read more, do puzzles, get involved in gardening more.

A friend stayed at weekend and he's on parish council, helps organise local village fetes, joined a local amateur actors group and also volunteers at a tourist attraction where they reenact life many years ago and he shows children how to make butter.

I love reading, jigsaw puzzles, walking and seeing my lovely friends, and will obvious do more of that, but they've made me realise I haven't got anything I'd be passionate to do and look forward to.

I'm volunteering at a theatre, which is fab.

I volunteer for Guide Dogs as a sighted guide. I meet a woman once a week and we go out for coffee and around the supermarket to get her shopping in. We’ve become good friends and it’s a nice trip out for me too!

I’ve started doing crafts again (sewing, patchwork, quilting, crochet etc).

Ive always done gardening and will do veg growing. Just having time to read and re-read books is lovely.

I plan on fostering cats as well.

Not properly retired until later this year.
Volunteer at a dog rescue place.
We've got lots of holidays and longer holidays in the future planned.
We've bought new touring motorcycles recently so we'll be riding those around the UK and beyond.
Also bought a new (to us) campervan so we can take the dogs with us.
I've just joined the library.
Carry on at the gym but we'll be available to do more classes especially in the evening.
Just renewed our NT membership. Probably do English heritage next time.
One of my friends does the local open garden.

More crafts, knitting, dressmaking.
I'm involved with a local project bringing an old building back to life as a community hub. That preceded my retirement, but I can be more involved now.
Taking advantage of last minute travel deals. I worked in a place where last minute requests for annual leave were virtually impossible (Christmas rota sorted out 15 months in advance!), so the ability to just go somewhere at the drop of a hat is great.
I'm planning on joining some groups, book group, craft etc as I would like to make some new friends. What with covid and having been seriously ill for over a year before retiring, I've felt a bit isolated. That's going to change!

I initially joined U3A and helped out with the membership side of things in the office plus joined their walking group.
The office side of things didn't really suit me after a while so I left.
More recently I've been helping with our new Community Larder, which is great fun; we have a lovely group of people and there's always plenty to do.
Doing more geocaching and I'm also playing melodeon for 3 different Morris sides so that should do for now!

Looking after my DGC. In my career I always worked with young children and it's been such a pleasure being able to be so involved in my DGC's lives.

DH teaches art classes at a local prison. After a lifetime career teaching secondary pupils, he says that the prisoners are the best students he has ever had. I'm a meet and greet person at our local museum, great job .

Joined a knitting group and knit more, joining in with a couple of community knit projects.

Cook with Foodcycle for an afternoon roughly twice a month.

One to one reading in school with Bookmark reading charity for an hour twice a week (booked in 6 week sessions, can also be done online).

More time to do things I did anyway...trustee of local charity and growing veg, swimming, walking during the day rather than in the dark after work.

I’m doing an Open University degree, looking after granddaughter 4 days a week and next year will apply to be a magistrate.

Now I have finished work I have loads to be getting on with but on the volunteering side I have started a community litter pick.
We try to do a group pick at weekends but volunteers are thin on the ground so I often go out alone during the week and do some more.
Walking the dog I often notice rubbish so after I have got home and he is snoozing I gather the gear and go out again.

In similar position to you, OP, and DH keeps asking what I'm planning on retirement. Will do more of what I enjoy. Volunteering for Cats Protection might suit me and I thought about going into somewhere like Hobbycraft and buying something different to do. Ideally I'd like to find something I enjoy but never thought about doing.