York Art Gallery, 'Making Waves' The Art of Japanese Woodblock Print Wednesday 25 March 

Expect to see early printed books from the British Library, stunning kimonos from Durham Oriental Museum, and a mesmerising selection of prints from the British Museum and Maidstone Museum, including Katsushika Hokusai's iconic The Great Wave off Kanagawa, one of the most recognisable and celebrated artworks in the world.

Making Waves explores the development of Japanese woodblock printing, revealing its origins and techniques alongside the influence of nature, society and cultural change on this art form, with a special focus on the heyday of Japanese woodblock printing in the 18th and 19th centuries, when artists such as Kitagawa Utamaro, Katsushika Hokusai and Utagawa Hiroshige produced vibrant and technically advanced images showcasing Japanese culture. These bold and evocative works often reflected events and fluctuations in Japanese society with dynamic designs that have remained popular centuries later and captured the imaginations of generations worldwide.

By direct train from Bradford Interchange 11.08 am (or from Saltaire/Shipley to connect at Leeds). Arrive York 11.57 am.  Returning 16.24 pm. Ticket £14.90 with rail pass.  (There are cheaper tickets for earlier outward or later return.)  Walk from York station to the gallery 15 mins.  Lunch/snack at the gallery café.  Exhibition visit 1.30 pm . Then other galleries if you wish, other exhibitions are 'Materials and Making' and 'Not a Pot'. The fabulous CoCA gallery (ceramics) is on the first floor. The general admission ticket includes the exhibitions:  £8.50 (free with Art Fund membership, plus other concessions). As there is a limited admission number for the Print exhibition, we need to book in advance.  You can book independently for the 1.30 pm entry or contact me for a ticket and make BACS payment by 22 February. For more information or to book a place contact Jean Blackburn

Bronte Birthplace Tour, Proposed Date  Wednesday 29 April

The house in Thornton, where the Bronte children were born and lived from 1815 to 1820, reopened in 2025 after a £650,000 renovation funded by community investment and national heritage funds.

We have booked a tour of the house on Wednesday, 29 April. There are just a couple of places left. The tour costs £14, payable in advance, and there is the option of going to the Plenty at the Square Cafe for lunch at 12.00 noon. The cafe has an extensive vegetarian menu, including gluten-free options. Going from Bradford there is a 607 service to Thornton at 11.14 am. To book one of the remaining places or to go on the waiting list in case of a cancellation, please contact Maureen Grace.

Annual Coach Visit, Doddington Hall 24th June

This year’s coach visit is to Doddington Hall and Gardens near Lincoln. This beautiful Elizabethan Hall, dating from 1600 and renovated in 1749, has never been sold or cleared out. It has stayed in the family for 400 years, resulting in a fascinating collection of furniture, paintings, ceramics, textiles, weaponry and household objects. It also has a variety of gardens, including an Elizabethan garden, a kitchen garden and a wild garden, plus extensive parkland. The gardens have ramp access to avoid steps. We have a free-flow tour of the house. There are no lifts to the upper floors, but on the ground floor a virtual tour of the upper floors is provided for those who cannot manage the stairs.

The journey from Bradford through the farm lands of East Yorkshire and Lincolnshire will be a lovely contrast to last year’s visit to the hilly northwest, but no less interesting. Doddington Hall caters for a range of dietary preferences and needs with two cafes and a tearoom for coffee and lunch. There is a farm shop, clothing shop and home store to look around before we leave. The coach will pick up at Saltaire tram shed, Shipley Costa coffee, and Bradford Nelson Street. (Plus North Park road if there is enough demand for this). We return by about 6.30pm. We have made the cost as low as possible based on the coach cost and the hall entry fee.

Bookings must be made by Thursday 30 April. If you book by that time and we have to cancel because of insufficient numbers, we shall refund your money. So, please book in good time so that we can confirm the visit. Places are allocated on a first paid basis. After the booking is confirmed and you have to cancel, refunds will be made if there is a replacement. The trip is open to all Bradford u3a members (who have priority booking until 24 March), Westnet members and friends of u3a members. So please do encourage a friend to come and find out what Bradford u3a can do. We feel confident that this will be a fascinating place to visit and that Shipley Coaches will provide the excellent service which they gave last year.

Please fill in the Visit Application Form attached to the March newsletter and send to Jean Blackburn. Payment by cheque (payable to Bradford u3a) or bank transfer: Bradford u3a, sort code 20.11.88, Account 33077551, reference DH + your initial and surname. Inform Jean Blackburn of the date of your payment. To book without any IT hassle, or for queries, contact Jean at the u3a monthly talk on Wednesday 15 April, so you can discuss any access needs and book/pay there if you wish.