WHAT'S ON
General Meeting – Wednesday 5th August 9:30 a.m
St. Heliers Church Community Centre – Centennial Hall - 100 St Heliers Bay Road
Welcome
We have had some glorious sunny days with a few cool and nippy ones here and there to remind us that we are still in the winter months.
At our last meeting, Dr Gavin Ellis, Media Consultant and Researcher, gave us a rather sobering account of the Disinformation and Fake news, that I think left more questions than answers regarding the information we are bombarded by. However, it is important to hear and see how information is being manipulated.
For our August meeting we are delighted to have Sarah Mirams, Principal of East Tâmaki School. Her presentation title is 'From Garden to Table.' This programme was founded in 2008, and the (Garden to Table) Programme was based in just three schools in Auckland.
By 2024, there were over 325 schools growing, harvesting, preparing and sharing through-out the country. Sarah Mirams from East Tāmaki School has been involved right from the beginning and as the principal she made the decision to trial it, bringing her team of enthusiastic staff along with her.
Main Speaker – Sarah Mirams - Garden to Table Project
Sarah Mirams is an experienced and dedicated educational leader who has been the principal of East Tāmaki School for 22 years. Sarah has a number of qualifications which reflect her passion for lifelong learning.
She graduated from the University of Auckland with a BA, LLB (Hons) and a Master of Educational Management (First Class Hons.). She also has a Diploma of Teaching English as a Second Language from Victoria University and a Diploma in Teaching.
After practicing law for a number of years, Sarah returned to teaching including some years working at the Refugee Resettlement Centre. She is a member of the Teaching Council of New Zealand Competence Authority Panel and is a Fellow of the Auckland Primary Principals’ Association.
Sarah is also an internationally accredited Growth Coach, and a Justice of the Peace.
Her focus at East Tāmaki School is on a growth mindset in learning for children, staff, volunteers and the community. This includes a strong commitment to environmental sustainability. Sarah has implemented initiatives to ensure that learning happens through an environmental lens. This includes being one of the first three schools in New Zealand to implement the Garden to Table initiative. The school culture is focused on academic achievement, while also ensuring that the students gain skills and confidence to embrace opportunities and challenges which lead to lifelong learning.
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Please Note- St. Heliers Church Community Centre does not open their doors on the morning of our meeting before 8:30am.
EMERGENCY MEDICAL EVENT
The Community Centre have advised us that every group that uses this centre needs to have their own Emergency plan.
Jill Towers is looking for volunteers, either medical or non-medical members. A list for your names will be available at morning tea and at the end of our meeting.
Study Group Presentations: - Gallery Visits (2) (Margaret Horsburgh)
Mini Speaker: - A Tale of Two Cities, Moscow and Wisconsin (Hugh Campbell)
Kitchen Duty: -Gallery Visits 1 (Inie Kroef) & Global Issues (Sue Barnett)
New Members:
Jocelyn Boswell, Paul Boswell, John Dell, Barbara Mayne, Kevin McCready and Margaret Solomon-Wright
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NEXT MONTH – Wednesday 2nd Septem ber2026
Main Speaker: - Kate Mayer (MSc) & Jacqui Miller (BSc) Lessons Learned from 50+ Years of Marine Protection and other Conservation Stores from the Hauraki Gulf/Tikapa Moana
Mini Speaker: - Adrienne Joyce – Saving Ben the Orca
Study Group Presentations: - Books We’ve Read (Wendy Jeffrey)
Kitchen Duty: - Modern History (Martin Haworth) & Stepping Out (Annette Freeth)
Study Group News
THE MAN WHO CHANGED THE WAY WE READ (provided by Helen Jakobi)
In 1935 a new publishing company called Penguin Books was founded. It was run by Allen Lane (later Sir Allen Lane), who had decided that cheap paperback versions of good books were the way to go. He started with ten novels, all with a small penguin logo and distinctive covers. Each book was priced at 6d (the cost then of a pack of cigarettes), and the books launched the paperback revolution and forever changed the way we read. Penguin took high-quality fiction and non-fiction to the mass market and proved that there was a need for serious, inexpensive books for everyone, not just the privately educated. Ten months after the launch of the company, one million Penguin books had been printed and they were selling like hot cakes, making the founder a millionaire.
Question: Who wrote the first e-book and when?
Up and coming event
Peter Morgan Halter Dairy Farm visit. Wednesday 25th November.
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Welfare
Please note we rely on our members to advise our Almoner if you are aware of any member who is ill or incapacitated, or suffering bereavement. Wendy Jeffrey would appreciate you contacting her either by phone 02102579792 or email:- Almoner.stheliersu3a@gmail.com
Monthly Meeting Protocol.
Please ensure that you register at the Greeting Table when you arrive.
Monthly Meeting Protocol:
Please note sending an apology for non-attendance of the monthly meeting is no long a requirement.
St Heliers U3A Website
Our website www.stheliersu3aauckland.com is updated every month by Kathy Slater. Newsletters, relevant information on study groups and much more can be found on this interesting site.
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.
The answer to the question
The first electronic book (eBook) is widely considered to be the U.S. Declaration of Independence. It was typed into a University of Illinois mainframe computer by student Michael S. Hart in July 1971, which launched Project Gutenberg, the world's oldest digital library.
Study Group Presentations: - Gallery Visits 2 (Margaret Horsburgh)
Mini Speaker: - Adrienne Joyce, A House on the Move: by barge, by sea and by sheer determination.
Kitchen Duty: - Art History (Sue Bhargav) and Famous and Infamous (Gary Preston)
New Members:
- Olga Moule
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NEXT MONTH –
Main Speaker: Professor John Collins Breaking Barriers: The Evolution of women’s education.
Study Group Presentations: - Famous and Infamous (Gary Preston)
Mini Speaker: - Leslie Skelton and Diane Hankins, Personal careers and experiences in
Special Education.
Kitchen Duty: - The Scribblers (Helen Jakobi) and Gallery Visits 1 (Inie Knoef)
Study Group News
Provided by Helen Jakobi, Quote from Maria Callas – “I will always be as difficult as possible, to achieve the best”
One of the relatable Diva’s featuring at the latest exhibition at the Auckland War Memorial on loan from V&A is Maria Callas.
Heritage Walking Group made a visit to Auckland Grammar School. The archivist has been for some time transferring their historical records into digital form. If you are interested go to the website: https://ags.recollect.co.nz
Up and coming events
Digital Seniors – FREE one-on-one tech help for Seniors
Heliers Community Centre: Thursday mornings 10-12. No booking or membership needed – just pop in and we’ll do our best to help you, please remember to bring your device along.
Welfare
Please note we rely on our members to advise our Almoner if you are aware of any member who is ill or incapacitated, or suffering bereavement. Wendy Jeffrey would appreciate you contacting her either by phone 02102579792 or email:- Almoner.stheliersu3a@gmail.com
Monthly Meeting Protocol.
Please ensure that you register at the Greeting Table when you arrive.
Monthly Meeting Protocol:
Please note sending an apology for non-attendance of the monthly meeting is no long a requirement.
St Heliers U3A Website
Our website www.stheliersu3aauckland.com is updated every month by Kathy Slater. Newsletters, relevant information on study groups and much more can be found on this interesting site.
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.