WHAT'S ON
General Meeting – Wednesday 4th March at 9:30 a.m
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St. Heliers Church Community Centre – Centennial Hall - 100 St Heliers Bay Road
Welcome
President’s Message:
Two months have nearly disappeared. The year seems to be shrinking quickly. We have had a hot and balmy February with lots of sun and swimming. Our mornings are darkening and for those who love to get our early for a walk (like me) it is cool, quiet and the best time of the day.
At our last meeting we heard Paul Graham CEO from Land Search and Rescue who gave us a good run-down of the work they do, with direction from the Police during an emergency.
We are still in need of a Vice President, and it would be of huge benefit for our U3A if someone could step up with a view to Presidency next year. This is not an onerous job; the work of finding speakers for next year is already in hand with a dedicated committee member (Jim Sheffield) sourcing these (with help from tips and leads from other U3A’s and members). Please let me know or any other committee member know if you would be willing to fill this important role. Our St Heliers U3A is only as strong as its committee. Please give this some thought.
We have a few vacancies for mini-speakers (15 minutes) to give us a talk on any subject of
interest. Over the past years we have had talks about many different subjects. Again, if you think you would like to come and share a story, please let Jim, me or one of our committee know.
Our Committee looks forward to seeing you at the March Meeting.
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Main Speaker –
– Wendy Hampton - Retired Lawyer, Speaker and Author - Don’t Leave a Mess, Leave a Legacy
Wendy has more than 30 years’ experience as a lawyer primarily working in property matters including Residential and Commercial Conveyancing, Wills, Estates, Trusts, and Relationship Property Matters.
For many years Wendy has had her own legal firm on Auckland’s North Shore but has recently sold her practice.
Over the years Wendy has gained extensive knowledge and experience in Estate Administration. She is now travelling around New Zealand presenting talks on the importance of keeping a good record of your personal details in one place. This should ensure the administration of your estate can be carried out efficiently and cost effectively.
In her experience Wendy has found that one of the reasons it can take longer to finalise an estate is the time it takes for family to find the information needed about the deceased. If all the information was at the Executors’ fingertips from the start, the estate administration process would be far smoother and much less distressing for grieving loved ones left behind.
To assist her clients with their estate planning Wendy created The Estate Planner Book which is an easy-to-follow record book that enables all the important information to be kept in one place. She has recently had the book published and made available to the public.
Wendys talk will explain why you need to create a comprehensive record of your details and what information you should record.
The Estate Planner is by far the best legacy you can leave your loved ones.
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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.
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Mini Speaker: Margaret Horsburgh – The Medical Museum.
Study Group Presentations: -Current Affairs (Katherine Swift)
Kitchen Duty: – Memorable Movies (Katherine Swift & Jill Towers) and Art History (Sue Bhargav)
New Members:
Doug Anderson, Brett Chalmers, Jennifer Chalmers, Anna Crawford, Jackie Humphrey, Heather Robertson, Lawrence Schaffler and Helen Wyeth
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NEXT MONTH – Wednesday 1st April 2026 (no April Fools Jokes please)
Main Speaker: - Lindsay Diggleman – Magna Carta
Mini Speaker:: - Adrienne Joyce – Saving Ben The Orca
Study Group Presentation: - Countries of the World (Heather Baigent)
Kitchen Duty: - Current Affairs (Katherine Swift) and Famous & Infamous (Gary Preston)
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Study Group News
From Helen Jakobi
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What are the next three letter of this combination? OTTFFSS
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Up and coming events
Digital Seniors – FREE one-on-one tech help for Seniors commences 5th February
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.
This is a great opportunity; a team of people give their time freely to assist you in further learning.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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