News category
Jenny Rush
Born in Taihape some time ago, Jenny married in Wellington and has three daughters, 3 granddaughters and a great grand-daughter as well as 5 step grandsons and 3 step great grandchildren.
In 1986 Jenny decided to spend two years working in Australia, wanting to move from market research to social research. After graduating from Macquarie University with a degree in Behavioural Sciences she went on to develop Rush Social Research, focusing on social research for the Commonwealth Government. In 2006 she was asked to go to Papua New Guinea for 5 months to assist a then AusAId (now Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade – DFAT) development aid program. Five months became 8 years, with several post-retirement consultancies between 2014 and 2020, when Covid 19 intervened.
In 2021 and 2022 Jenny spent several months in Tauranga during Covid lockdowns, and during that time, began planning to build in Pyes Pa. In late November 2023 Jenny moved home to New Zealand and Pyes Pa.
Following on:
Jenny’s talk will speak about the changes funded projects have made to communities and to women in particular. She will give an overview of PNG as experienced by her, the respect and love she now has for a country that often has a negative profile and for the people she worked with and met. We will learn of the many interesting experiences she had and stories heard, both 'sad and glad’ and be introduced to two women who individually have made and are still making a difference to those less fortunate than us.
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May:
March:
Speaker: Carole Gordon, PRIORITISING HEALTHY AGEING AND LONGEVITY WELLBEING, see her presentation here
Short Talk:
Tauranga City Libraries Resources presentation by Digital Specialist Skye Colonna, see her presentation here
Music For Easter - Courtesy of Classical Music Lovers B - Click Here
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Professor Alexander (Al) Gillespie - Main Speaker July 19 General Meeting
His Talk:
‘Navigating stormy seas: NZ in an increasingly challenging international world'.
Bio
Professor Gillespie is at the Te Piringa Faculty of Law, University of Waikato and specialises in international law related to war, the environment and civil liberties.
He frequently takes public positions in the New Zealand media on global conflict, climate change, refugees and environmental issues.
He has won international and New Zealand awards in recognition of his understanding of how international law impacts society and has published 19 books and over 40 academic articles.
Professor Gillespie has been the lawyer/expert on a number of international delegations and advised the New Zealand government on multiple matters of international concern. He was the first New Zealander to be named Rapporteur for the World Heritage Convention, involving international environmental diplomacy under the auspice of UNESCO. He has been engaged in policy formation for the United Nations, the Commonwealth Secretariat, and governmental, commercial and non-governmental organisations in New Zealand, Australia, United States, United Kingdom, Ireland and Switzerland. He has also made a number of appearances before the Waitangi Tribunal and Select Committees of the New Zealand Parliament. In 2021 he was the joint winner of the Critic and Conscience of Society Award.
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Tauranga Civic Choir - 6 July
Several U3A members belong to this choir and do a great job.
The Matariki Concert is the World Premiere of:
Flax Fingers Weave the Moonlight,
composed and directed by Nigel Williams.
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Report: Katikati U3A 8 May 2024 general meeting
At the Katikati U3A general meeting Carole Parker from the Katikati Abbeyfields
Trust gave an update on the building target to house 14 over 65 year olds. Each
resident would have a self contained room, own front door and a paid
housekeeper providing lunch and dinner. The Trust’s application for a grant from
the Affordable Housing Fund has been successful. The very good news is that the
building team have met for the first time and a project manager appointed. Further
fund raising community events are planned including Jo Carrol, NZ Gardener
editor, speaking at an afternoon tea at the Waihi Beach RSA.
The main speaker at the May meeting was Don Allan-Gordon, regional manager
for the Graeme Dingle Foundation. The very active Foundation provides
programmes that focus on young people and youth encouraging the development
of confidence, direction and purpose in life. This is achieved with in-school
programmes, peer support and for older students, mentorship.
Within one of Tauranga’s participating colleges there has been a noticeable
reduction in bad behaviour and bullying
Infometrics, the economic consultancy firm, have evaluated the economic returns
of the Foundations programmes to society. For every dollar invested there is a
return of $10:50. This is an amazing social investment for both young people and
society.
Report prepared by Marjorie Squire, U3A Katikati
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Report: Katikati U3A 8 May 2024 general meeting
At the Katikati U3A general meeting Carole Parker from the Katikati Abbeyfields
Trust gave an update on the building target to house 14 over 65 year olds. Each
resident would have a self contained room, own front door and a paid
housekeeper providing lunch and dinner. The Trust’s application for a grant from
the Affordable Housing Fund has been successful. The very good news is that the
building team have met for the first time and a project manager appointed. Further
fund raising community events are planned including Jo Carrol, NZ Gardener
editor, speaking at an afternoon tea at the Waihi Beach RSA.
The main speaker at the May meeting was Don Allan-Gordon, regional manager
for the Graeme Dingle Foundation. The very active Foundation provides
programmes that focus on young people and youth encouraging the development
of confidence, direction and purpose in life. This is achieved with in-school
programmes, peer support and for older students, mentorship.
Within one of Tauranga’s participating colleges there has been a noticeable
reduction in bad behaviour and bullying
Infometrics, the economic consultancy firm, have evaluated the economic returns
of the Foundations programmes to society. For every dollar invested there is a
return of $10:50. This is an amazing social investment for both young people and
society.
Report prepared by Marjorie Squire, U3A Katikati
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Speaker:Greg McManus, Museum Director, Tauranga City Council.
Has titled his talk
‘A New Museum for Tauranga: Challenges and Opportunities.’
Drawing on his 30+ years’ experience as a museum director, Greg will
discuss what is involved in conceiving, designing and delivering a new
museum for Tauranga. What will the museum exhibit? What stories will it
tell? Who will it be for? Greg will give a behind-the-scenes look into
the Tauranga Museum project and what the community can expect from their
new museum when it opens in 2008.
Greg is a 30+ year veteran of the museum sector in Aotearoa New Zealand.
He has worked at museums in Palmerston North, Gisborne and Rotorua (15
years as director), as well as recently completing a 10 year term as
Chief Executive of Waitangi Treaty Grounds where he led the development,
from conception to completion, of two significant new museums.
Originally from Taranaki, Greg gained his academic qualifications at
Auckland and Leicester (UK) universities and has served in many
leadership roles in the museum and tourism sectors in NZ and
internationally. His passion is delivering world class visitor
experiences to a range of audiences, experiences that exceed
expectations and encourage meaningful change to individuals and
communities.'
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Just Fishing
Just Fishing
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Reflections
Reflections
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Ducks
Ducks
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I'm still fishing
I'm still fishing
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Colours
Colours
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Leaves in the sky
Leaves in the sky
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Our merry band
Our merry band
https://u3atauranga.kiwi.nz/index.php/2016-03-23-07-41-28.html#sigProId79efa2e057
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The guest speaker is Vince Ford, author and educator, whose presentation is titled Social Connection – People Need People.
Vince has 16 published children and teen novels, he is a member of the Professional Speakers Association and president of Tauranga Toastmasters. He is currently researching, writing and speaking on “Human Connection”.
In his presentation to the U3A Tauranga General Meeting on 17 May, he will be emphasising the ties that bind us together rather than the wedges that drive us apart.
Vince will deliver an engaging and well-researched speech, linking the importance of social connection to the current disturbing statistics about the prevalence of loneliness. He describes our society as fractured, with individuals potentially more isolated because of social mobility and technological changes in the ways we communicate.
He will demonstrate the powerful effect of social rejection, describing the feeling as registering in the brain the same way as physical pain does. He explains how extended periods of loneliness due to social isolation can increase the chances of premature death in much the same way as the effect of smoking 15 cigarettes a day.
Vince will offer useful insights into how we might engage more effectively with people, especially those who may be lonely or on the outer of social networks, the key being genuine listening. He also advocates loosely connecting with a wide range of people and listening to their story as a way of avoiding the trap of believing that we all think the same.
Finally, Vince notes that loneliness is subjective. If people are happy in their own company that’s okay, as “connection with self” is the most important connection. He also mentions the powerful positive effect of being in nature and of mindfulness activities such as yoga.
Vince’s thought-provoking talk is a reminder of the importance of our social networks and relationships. He has a website www.vinceford.org
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Title: "Getting kids reading with an old classic - Annuals!"
Background:
Remember the old annuals? Bunty? Boy's Own? Girls' Crystal? Well
the good news is annuals are back so your grandchildren can enjoy them
too. Finally, something to compete with their phones!
Come and hear School Journal editor Susan Paris talk about her
latest side project: Annual 3, a book published with the help of her
publishing partner, Kate De Goldi. The pair's third annual is a New
Zealand spin on the much-loved classic, with original content
commissioned from some of our best authors and illustrators. Kids will
find stories, comics, poetry, essays, recipes, crosswords, games, a
song, and even a knitting pattern so they can knit their own brain!
There's plenty of fun, but the annual editors are on a serious
mission: to satisfy a young audience that's curious, discerning, and
up for anything, with content that reflects the diversity of
experience across Aotearoa NZ so they can reach as many readers as
possible.
Susn Paris:
Susan Paris has been the editor of the School Journal for 18 years. In
2014, she started a small children's publishing company with her
friend Kate De Goldi. As Annual Ink, Susan and Kate have commissioned
and edited three best-selling Annuals as well as Skinny Dip, a
volume of contemporary poetry for young readers. They also published
the NZ children's book award winners Tumeke! by Michael Petherick
and Aspiring by Damien Wilkins. They continue to find and mentor new
talent.
Their website is: www.annualannual.com
make children who were previously reluctant readers, or saw reading as
a chore, to actually get rather excited about reading in general.'
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About London:
As both a magnet for the great performers and a creative melting pot, London has been one of the great cities of music for several centuries. That they came to London rather than any other English city with a claim to cultural significance is because, rightly or wrongly, the capital has always dominated the economic and artistic life of the country. In the 20th century London overtook Vienna, Paris, Berlin, New York as the great music city of the world, at least in terms of performance. It was partly down to the policies of an enlightened Arts Council, which supplied the means for orchestras, opera companies and concert life to function on unprecedented scales; partly down to the BBC, whose presence in Portland Place has been perhaps the single most decisive factor in the city’s musicality through the past 100 years; but equally attributable to London being the geographical gateway between America and Europe, which made it a natural stopping-off point for all the world’s great musicians as they travelled back and forth.
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