InterestGroups

June 2024

Cycling Group

We have 2 organised rides each month, on the 3rd Monday and the last Friday. We ride mainly on dedicated cycleways. Most members have e-bikes.
New members are always welcome.
This month we only had one ride due to Matariki at the end of the month. On Friday 17 June we rode from Halswell to the Heathcote Valley via the Quarryman’s Trail, Nor’West Arc to PMH then around the river to the Tannery and onto the Heathcote expressway. Eleven of us cycled and our coffee stop was at Silos Café.
Mary

Family History

Who are these twin boys? Maybe your ancestors! Old photos make our research even more interesting as do the discoveries we make as we find further facts about our earlier times. Last meeting we had a genealogist speak to us about the discoveries she had made – very interesting1 Our next meeting is 16th July. If you are interested contact either Carole or Julia.

Scrabble

Up to 10 members of our Scrabble group meet twice a month. Our July meetings are scheduled for the 9th and 23rd of July. We are a friendly, supportive, no pressure, Scrabble playing group who have lots of laughs and chatter. To attempt to speed up our games, we recently clarified our “guidelines for play” and are now managing at least three and sometimes four games at each meeting.
A brief outline of our guidelines for play
• Players can use a dictionary and/or the” two, three and four letter word sheets/booklets” as much as they like PRIOR to their turn. However, when it is a player’s turn, they should play a word without too much delay.
• It’s OK to do a quick dictionary check if a player is unsure of the spelling or any query/discussion arises about a played word. Quick and occasional use of the dictionary should be the aim when it is a player’s turn to play.
Membership of our group is currently limited to 10. However, if anyone would like to start another Scrabble Interest Group, please contact Judith Densie who is more than happy to assist in getting you started.

Note: if you are a member of a Special interest Group and your email address has changed, please let your group leader know, otherwise you will not receive information about your group activities

May 2024

Current Affairs

Wednesday 19 June 10.00am at the Halswell Library/Service Centre Te Hapua
Topic: Why is there so much more aggression/anger, distrust /mistrust, claims of
entitlement and claims of grievance? What can be done about it? Graeme

Cycling Group

We have 2 organised rides each month, on the 3rd Monday and the last Friday.
We ride mainly on dedicated cycleways. Most members have e-bikes.
New members are always welcome.
On Monday 20 May, 6 of us rode from Halswell through to Hornby and joined the South Express cycleway that was recently completed between Hansens Lane and Hornby. We continued on to Hagley Park then returned on the Southern Motorway cycleway.
On Friday 31 May, 7 of us rode from Motukarara to Little River on the Little River Rail Trail. After many heavy frosts on previous days, it was surprisingly mild with not too much wind. It was a great ride, and we enjoyed a good chat over coffee. Mary

Family History

Remember those days? Some of us did when we shared our earliest memories of our first school. Times our children and grandchildren will know nothing of unless we leave them memories. This was the topic of our May meeting. This month we have a guest speaker coming to share the highs and lows of the past. Er meet on the third Tuesday of the month starting at 1.30pm.. If you are interested in family history contact either Carole or Julia.

Scrabble Group

The Scrabble Interest Group meets on the 2nd and the 4th Tuesday of every month, at 1.30pm. As we meet in each other’s homes we have closed the membership to the 10 members who currently attend regularly. Generally we play three games of Scrabble 4 each time with a break for a cup of tea to enable us to solve the problems of the world, have a good laugh, and enjoy each other’s company. Although the current group is closed to new members, if there was sufficient interest, I would be more than willing to assist another group to get established by sharing how we currently work. We find up to 10 members per group is ideal when meeting in private homes. Judith

Note: if you are a member of a Special interest Group and your email address has changed, please let your group leader know, otherwise you will not receive information about your group activities. Interest group Information

Family History

March 2024

U3A Current Affairs Group

This group meets on the 3rd Wednesday of each month (at 10.00 am) -usually at the Halswell library/service centre – Te Hāpua.
It has a group of keen members (usually about 25 attendees) who learn about and discuss a wide range of current affairs /current issues topics.
If you may be interested in participating – contact Graeme McNally (via our email u3a.southwestchch@gmail.com) for further information.

Family History Group

Do you ever wonder who your ancestors were? Where they lived? How they came to live in New Zealand? Who knows what is discovered in their past.
If you answer ‘yes’ you may be interested in coming along to the Family History Group.
We meet on the 3rd Tuesday of each month – next meeting is 16th April – at 1.30pm each of us looking to our families who came before us.
If you would like to join us, please contact Carole or Julia via Do you ever wonder who your ancestors were? Where they lived? How they came to live in New Zealand? Who knows what is discovered in their past.
If you answer ‘yes’ you may be interested in coming along to the Family History Group.
We meet on the 3rd Tuesday of each month – next meeting is 16th April – at 1.30pm each of us looking to our families who came before us.
If you would like to join us, please contact Carole or Julia via our email u3a.southwestchch@gmail.com

U3A Cycling Group

We have 2 organised rides each month, on the 3rd Monday and the last Friday.
We ride mainly on dedicated cycleways.
New members welcome.
This month there was only one ride due to Good Friday being at the end of March.
On Monday 18 March, 9 of us met at Princess Margaret Hospital and cycled around the river to Ferrymead. It was a lovely ride along quiet streets and cycleways. We had coffee at Metro Café before heading back

HoneyBee by Craig Silvey

February 2024

Family History Group

The Family History Group meetings will now be held on the third Tuesday of the month at 1.30pm.  The first meeting for the year will be on 19 March. New members would be very welcome and can contact

U3A Cycling February

We had 2 rides this month in the same week! We ride on the 3rd Monday and the last Friday of the month. New members welcome.  
On Monday 19th , 8 of us met in Hagley Park and cycled to Sawyers Arms Rd by Northlands Mall on the Northern Line, then on the Papanui Parallel Cycleway to our coffee stop at Meshinos. We continued to Bealey Ave and rode to Victoria Park on  Colombo St then followed the Promenade to the Boat Sheds and back to our starting point. Good to see parts of the Northern Line had been resealed.  
On Friday 23rd , 11 of us started at Kaiapoi and rode on the Pegasus Trail to Woodend, and on the Tutaepatu Trail to Pegasus. We stopped for coffee at the Flat White Café in Pegasus then we cycled onto Waikuku and along the banks of the Ashley River before coming back to Pegasus. We returned to Kaiapoi on the same track as we came. It was a big ride but enjoyable. It was a lovely sunny day.

Book Group

Currently reading “Honeybee” by Craig Silvey. 
This had good reviews but can be a challenge.
Ros Thornley – Leader

History Group

A History of Ancient Egypt.
Next unit Background 2 – the Old Kingdom
Reminder that this course is available to all members online.  Please let me know if you want the log in details.
Ros Thornley – Leader

cycling

January 2024

U3A Cycling
For the first and only organised ride for 2024 we started on Lincoln Rd/Domain Tce corner and rode to PMH then on to Colombo St, around the bottom of the Port Hills to St Martins then on to Hansens Park. We then joined the Heathcote Expressway into the CBD then back to Annex Rd via the Motorway cycleway. It was a great look around the city using many of the dedicated cycleways.
We ride on the 3rd Monday and the last Friday of the month.
New members welcome.

November 2023

U3A Cycling November
This month our 2 rides happen in the same week! Unfortunately, the Friday ride had to be cancelled due to cold wet conditions.
On Monday 20 November we cycled on the Te Ara Otakaro Trail from Swanns Road,
Richmond, to New Brighton. There were 7 of us and we enjoyed the sunshine and quietness of riding through the Red Zone.
We have 2 organised rides each month, on the 3rd Monday and the last Friday. We ride mainly on dedicated cycleways.
New members are always welcome.
Mary

Family History Group
The Family History Group meets on the THIRD Tuesday of the month at 1.30 pm. We are a group of enthusiastic amateurs wanting to discover more of our family’s histories. We help each other with the research and as well looking at various ways to record our findings. If you are interested in finding out more about your family and would like to join the group please email either Carole or Julia

History Group
We begin a new course in January and the group have opted for ‘A History of Ancient Egypt’
This is a new offering from U3Aonline and presents an overview of 2 thousand years of history concluding with the New Kingdom.
Ros

Book Group
The holiday read is ‘Call Your Daughter Home’ set in 1924 small town Carolina this
powerful story is about 3 women who stand up to injustices and shows the power of women working together and the fearlessness that comes from motherhood.
We meet again in March 2024
Ros

cycling

October 2023

Cycling Group October Report

We have 2 organised rides each month, on the 3rd Monday and the last Friday.
We ride mainly on dedicated cycleways.
New members are always welcome.
On Monday 16 October six members rode from Kaiapoi to Pegasus & Waikuku on the Pegasus Trail and the Tutaepatu trail in the Tuhaitara Coastal Park. There were a few trees down after the high winds, but the riders managed to get around them. On Friday 27 October we cancelled the ride due to the weather.

cycling

September 2023

U3A Cycling September

We have 2 organised rides each month, on the 3rd Monday and the last Friday.  We ride mainly on dedicated cycleways.  New members are always welcome.

On Monday 18th September we met near the QEII roundabout and cycled on the Northern Corridor cycleway to Kaiapoi.  There were 9 of us and we all enjoyed the ride plus an enjoyable break at Paris for the Weekend café. 

Eight of us cycled from Motukarara or Kaituna Quarry Reserve to Little River on Friday 29th September.  It was a good ride although the wind was a bit challenging at times.  We enjoyed drinks and a good chat before heading back to our cars.

cycling

August 2023

U3A Cycling August
We have 2 organised rides each month, on the 3rd Monday and the last Friday.
We ride mainly on dedicated cycleways. New members are always welcome.
This month our 2 rides were in the same week, so it was decided to do the same ride both days.
Altogether 12 cyclists came along. We started at the Liffey Springs Reserve, Lincoln and rode on the Little River Rail Trail to Motukarara through wetland areas. It was a lovely ride and after a look around Motukarara it was back to Lincoln for coffee and lunch

cycling

July 2023

U3A Cycling June
We have 2 organised rides each month, on the 3rd Monday and the last Friday. We ride mainly on dedicated cycleways.
New members are always welcome.
On Monday 17 July five of us rode from Hagley Park to Northlands on the Northern Line Cycleway then onto The Papanui Parallel Cycleway to Meshinos for coffee. We enjoyed a coffee and a chat in the sun then we returned the same way back to Hagley Park.
On Friday 28 July we met in CBD and biked to the Tannery on the Heathcote Expressway. It was very stop start with all the lights but on a separate cycleway which was great. We had coffee at The Brewery Café which was lovely and warm as the morning was drizzly and cool! We then cycled along the river to PMH and onto the Quarryman’s Trail back to Halswell. There were 7 of us on this ride. Next month our 2 rides are in the same week so we will organise the Monday ride with the Friday as back up if weather is poor. We are cycling from Lincoln to Motukarara.
Mary