June Newsletter

General Meeting – Wednesday  June 1st at 9:30 a.m

St. Heliers Church Community Centre - Centennial Hall -  100 St Heliers Bay Road

Main Speaker - Professor Paul Moon ‘Hate Speech and Free Speech’ He will look at some historical examples of censorship and then consider some of the current plans to legislate speech.

Paul Moon, ONZM, is Professor of History at Auckland University of Technology, where he has taught since 1993. His research focuses primarily on nineteenth-century New Zealand, and the philosophies of colonisation. He has a Doctor of Literature, a Doctor of Philosophy, a Master of Arts, and a Master of Philosophy, and in 2003, was elected a Fellow of the Royal Historical Society at University College, London. He also holds several other international fellowships.

Study Group Presentations:  Current Affairs and Heritage Walks

Mini Speaker:   Mike Jakobi  ‘Crime, Corruption and Rugby’

Kitchen Duty:   Classic Films, Poetry and Prose

President’s Message:  

It was wonderful to see so many of you at our May meeting. I do hope that we can continue to enjoy

face to face meetings, although I know that, for many, there are still considerations before attending

actual meetings. The Committee continues to plan to keep St Heliers U3A as vital and interesting as

we can.

I do hope that you will come to the June meeting, but remember if you are unwell, especially if you

have any respiratory symptoms, please stay home. While masks aren’t mandatory, we recommend

that you wear a mask and take the precautions we are now all used to, such as regular use of hand

sanitizer.

Winter seems to be coming after all and we are planning for our Mid-Winter Lunch on 6 July, following our regular July meeting. It’ll be a bit different this year, with a finger-food lunch in the Commodore’s Lounge at Five Knots (Tamaki Yacht Club). This year is the 30th anniversary of our U3A. The venue we have chosen will allow us to have a birthday cake and to move around between tables easily. A few surprises are planned so make sure this is in your diaries. A registration form is attached to this Newsletter and we need to know numbers by 22 June.

You may have seen members of the Committee outside the St Heliers Library on Saturday 21 May.

Membership numbers have slipped this year and we are trying a ‘Come and Join U3A‘ exercise,

chatting to people outside the Library.

It is also not too early to think about next year and if you are thinking of joining the Committee and/or in a specific role in 2023 please let me know.

NEXT MONTH – Wednesday, 6th July

Main speaker:  Keith Woodley ‘Godwits and other Shorebirds’

Study Group Presentations:  Classic Films and Stepping Out

Mini Speaker:  Christine Fryer ‘Transforming Life with and e’Bike’

Kitchen Duty:  Book Reviews (1&2) and Countries of the World

U3A Auckland Network Annual Event:

Registrations are now open for “Celebrating U3A in Action 2022”, on Saturday, 30 July, 2022, 9.30am to 2.30pm.  Venue is the Salvation Army Centre, 18 Allright Place, Mt Wellington (off Carbine Road).

This year there are two guest speakers: 

• Judge Andrew Becroft is a New Zealand barrister and former judge who from 2016 until 2021 was Children's Commissioner. Prior to that, he practised community law, and was a District Court judge and principal judge of the Youth Court of New Zealand.

• Dame Patsy Reddy, who will be interviewed by Catherine Saunders, former TV announcer, on her experiences as New Zealand’s Governor General.

• Plus presentations from four mini-speakers from various U3As. 

Registrations are limited to 320 and demand is likely to be high, so get in quick. Cost is $40 per person, including lunch.  To register, click on https://u3aauckland.net and follow the instructions. Any queries, contact Heather Baigent, email heatherbaigent.nz@gmail.com.

Study Groups: Your Committee is always keen to learn of any subjects or topics for Study Groups that members would like to be considered for inclusion in our Schedule.  Please contact our Study Group Convener, Gary Preston gcwpreston@gmail.com

St. Heliers U3A Website: Our website www.stheliersu3aauckland.com is updated every month by Kathy Slater.  Newsletters, recent photos, relevant information on study groups and much more can be found on this interesting site.

U3A On-line Courses:  These are available to all members. The online contact details are:  www.u3aonline.org.au .   There is no requirement for payment to access the course content.  Access will enable a review of the study content and further details relating to independent or supervised study.  If you are interested in any of the papers, please let Kathy Slater know, kathyslater@xtra.co.nz  or phone 5783232, and she will download the material as Auckland U3A network has already been registered and paid.

Name Badge:  A reminder to all members, and especially our new members, that you should put the name and contact details of your preferred contact person on the back on your name badge in case of any emergency.  Please ensure that you wear your Name Badge to all U3A meetings.  

U3A St. Heliers History Booklet:  This interesting booklet was updated and reprinted for our 25th Anniversary and is available for purchase for $10. Copies will be available at the next meeting.   Highly recommended especially for our new members.

U3A Lapel Badges:  We are now able to offer ‘pin’ as well as ‘magnet’ lapel badges.  These will be available for purchase ($5 each) at the next meeting.  See Heather Baigent.

Almoner:  If you are aware of any member who is ill or incapacitated, or suffering bereavement, would you please contact our Almoner, Susan Soper, 021144242 or email suesoper2@yahoo.com

Monthly Meeting Protocol:  Please ensure that you register at the Greeting Table when you arrive.  Please send any apologies to   Stella McDonald, at stella@dataquest.co.nz or (09) 575 1661.

(Not to the Newsletter Editor please)

DEADLINE for June 2022 Newsletter & Study Groups Update:  email to Margaret Waters at maggierae34@gmail.com  by Sunday, 26th June or earlier which is my preference.