U3A stands for University of the Third Age. The term third age means no longer in full time work. U3A provides opportunities for people to meet, share experiences and pursue commonly held interests.
The club meets monthly with a guest speaker who has unique experience in their field. Interest (study) groups meet at other times and it is encouraged that members belong to at least one study group.
The annual subscription is $35. 
Subscription due on the 1st February.

From the President

Welcome to our July Newsletter.

From the President
Kia ora
Welcome to our July Newsletter.
We are on a roll! Our membership numbers continue to increase. At last month’s meeting, 101 members and 8 visitors attended. To-date we have 206 members, including the following new members; Veronica Shepherd, Ian Lynn, Sandra Martin, Barbara Griffen, and Maree Roberts. Welcome to our U3A ‘family’! We hope that you enjoy all that our club has to offer.

Last month’s speaker, Dame Susan Bagshaw, really ignited member interest. She focused on ongoing developments at the Youth Hub; an amazing initiative for Otautahi. Dame Susan also enhanced our understanding of younger people including stages in their brain development, and effective ways to interact and communicate with them.

I have also received several positive emails and comments from members re the finger food luncheon at our last meeting. These events don’t just ‘happen’. Sincere thanks to committee members for their support in setting up and cleaning up from this function. Special thanks to Lynne Newton for organising the food orders, and their delivery from the Halswell New World.

Our guest speaker sub-committee, (Jill Banbury and Karen Chaney), have invited Dr Reuben Woods as our speaker for this month’s meeting on Wednesday 8 July.

Dr Woods is an Otautahi–based art writer and curator, specialising in the field of urban art- creative practices spanning graffiti, post-graffiti, street art, muralism, independent public and urban contemporary art. He serves a Creative Director of Watch This Space, an urban Arts Trust. In this role, he has witnessed a range of projects come to life in the city streets (and surprising other locations). He will recount these experiences and how this art movement has shifted perceptions of our city.

From the ‘Committee Room’
• Thank you to all those members who took the time to email, or chat at last
month’s meeting, with your suggestions/preferences for a Christmas function. We are hoping that the decision made at our latest committee meeting will really appeal! 3 different options were considered at today’s committee meeting.
• We can confirm that the 2026 Christmas function will be held on Wednesday 9 December at Addington Raceway, Level 3 of the Metropolitan Stand, in the Terror in Love Lounge. (If you are like me, you may not know that Terror in Love was a famous racehorse!) Access to this 3rd floor venue is by lift or escalators. It will be a 2 course ‘sit-down’, Christmas -themed, buffet style meal, with teas/coffee included, and a full bar service available (at extra cost). We are hoping to have 100 plus attendees at this event, so please note the date in your calendars now.
• Full details re menu, cost and speaker will be presented at the September
monthly meeting and September newsletter. We do believe that this has the
makings of a very special and reasonably priced event. Watch this space!
• No Committee meeting -August 4 – it was decided that we did not need to
have a committee meeting in August. All speakers have been booked for the rest of this year. We have the Christmas function planning well ‘in hand’.
• Immediate Past President, Lynne Bull, will lead the August 12 club meeting
while I am in North America. Thankyou Lynne.
• Name tags.
If you are a new member, your name tag will be available for you to pick up at the next meeting you attend.
Existing members yet to collect name tags – These will also be available each
meeting, if you choose to uplift them.
• If you are interested in joining a Special Interest group, please feel free to
contact special interest group leaders using the contacts supplied in this
newsletter. Alternatively, you can access the U3A website / click on Special
Interest groups and fill out an information request sheet there.
https://www.u3aswchch.org.nz/
I look forward to seeing you all next week. Stay well.
Ngā mihi nui
Lynda Garrett
lyndagarrett15@gmail.com

Next Meeting Details

• Date: Wednesday, 8th July 2026
• Venue: Te Hapua, The Halswell Library, Mahao Room
• 9.45 am: Chairs for meeting put out. The committee would appreciate assistance with this
• 10.00 am: Tea and Coffee available
• 10.15 am: Meeting will begin so please be seated
• 10.30 am: Speaker will start
• Followed by Mid-winter Lunch

Dates for 2026 Meetings for your diary
Meetings are the 2nd Wednesday of the Month 10.00 am to 11.30 am
August 12th
September 9th
October 14th
November 11th
December 9th