PONSONBY U3A: DECEMBER 2014
LOCAL NEWS SCHOOL HOLIDAY PROGRAMME MONTH AT THE GREY LYNN COMMUNITY CENTRE January was school holiday programme month at the Grey Lynn Community Centre with the sounds of happy 5 to 12-year-olds filling the air as they enjoyed the popular holiday programmes. With the aim of providing cool, fun activities and adventures for young participants, the holiday programme is deservedly popular and many children return every school holidays to join in the fun. However, now that school has restarted, it is business as usual at the community centre - which means activities and groups for adults and children are in full swing, the Sunday Farmers Market is pulling in the crowds, and the laughter of small children is heard four mornings a week from James Doyle’s burgeoning Grey Lynn Kids’ playgroup. “We host a huge range of activities for people of every age and interest,” says community centre manager Cath Bathe-Taylor. “There’s not much that doesn’t happen here. We have recently been thinking that we would like to be able to offer more for the older members of our community and we hope to have some exciting announcements in the next few months. “With so much on at the centre, we suggest that people check our website or call into the office to see the latest programme of classes and events,” says Cath. An exciting new addition for 2015 is the Fashion Stylist workshops run by Angelica Americo. Originally from Brazil, Angelica worked for many years in fashion in Europe and her workshops offer wardrobe planning and body shape analysis - as she puts it, “style and entertainment in one place.” The Grey Lynn Community Choir has said farewell to its leader, Philip Griffin, and welcomed in his place Helen Phare. Choir night has changed to Thursday. Also on Thursday evenings are the popular ukulele lessons in the Oval Room. The community centre exists for its local community and one of its main roles is venue hire. With a range of venues from the main hall down to small meeting rooms the centre gets much use by community groups and is a handy venue for corporate meetings and workshops. The Grey Lynn/Ponsonby Citizens Advice Bureau, with a daily JP service, is situated at the community centre.
ON A SUNNY DECEMBER AFTERNOON A LARGE GROUP OF PONSONBY U3A MEMBERS AND Herne Bay Petanque Club Thursday Players attended the unveiling of a memorial seat at the petanque club to honour Lucy and Alex Lanning, founding members of both groups. Lucy Lanning was responsible for the formation of Ponsonby U3A in 1994, but soon after suffered a stroke. She died in 2001. Following Lucy’s stroke, Alex Lanning continued to play an active role in U3A, including positions of secretary, newsletter editor, president and many other roles, such as fire warden and representative at the U3A Network. Alex passed away last year. In the latter months of his life Alex gave two talks to U3A members about his younger days as an engineer on the construction of the Benmore Power project. The Thursday petanque players group was started by Lucy and Alex. Over the years it grew into one of the biggest petanque groups in Auckland, with many U3A members taking part. Alex was regarded as “Mr Fixit” at the petanque club - nothing was too difficult for him. He was a familiar figure riding his battery powered bicycle to the petanque club and other locations. Alex also gave many years of service to the Grey Lynn/Ponsonby Citizens Advice Bureau. Ponsonby U3A rounded off a busy year with a well-attended Christmas party. Members are now looking forward to a stimulating programme in 2015, with a stellar line-up of speakers and varied activities in the 13 special interest groups. The special interest groups are the lifeblood of the U3A movement and are dependent on the interests of members. Ponsonby U3A offers Antiques and Collectables, Armchair Travellers, Art History, Classical Studies, Current Affairs, Dining Out, Gallery Visits, Green Fingers, Music Appreciation, New Zealand History, Petanque, Ramblers and Scrabble. Special interest group meetings are held in members’ homes or other venues, while the monthly U3A meeting is held at the Leys Institute in St Marys Road on the second Friday morning of the month. Monthly meetings feature a guest speaker as well as a 10 minute speaker from within U3A. Visitors and guests are welcome at all meetings. Speaker for the February meeting is writer Theresa Sjoquist. She is the author of Yvonne Rust: Maverick Spirit, a biography of renowned potter Yvonne Rust QSM. She is also a ghost writer, editor, professional speaker, freelance writer and photographer. The 10 minute speaker will be Lois Denbury: ‘Who am I? What is my family history?’ PN (PHILIPPA TAIT) F NEXT MEETING: ENQUIRIES:
9.45am, Friday 13 February at Leys Institute, St Marys Road. Annie Webster, President, Ponsonby U3A. T: 09 376 2902.
Grey Lynn and Westmere’s popular Plunket nurse, Marilyn Hemmings, has her Plunket rooms in the community centre. Marilyn is much loved by local mothers and their young families. Two new members have joined the governance committee and promise to add valuable skills to the dedicated group of people who oversee the community centre. Beth Sullivan comes with a background in financial policy planning and budgeting at the Grey Lynn Westmere Plunket Nurse Marilyn Auckland Council. With an engineering Hemmings with new community centre degree and five years in investment governance committee member Beth banking in the United Kingdom before Sullivan and her one-year-old son Ben returning to New Zealand 10 years ago, she promises to bring many innovative points of view to her role on the committee. Beth has two young children and her youngest, Ben, attends the community centre playgroup. The other new committee member lawyer Hayley Tangaroa has a young daughter Te Ataroa Ruby who also attends the playgroup.” Hayley’s focus will be to bring more finance to the centre’s operations and Beth comes with all her knowledge of council workings,” says Cath. “Peter Klein continues to chair the committee, as he has for the past 10 years. The committee’s aim is to grow the PN community centre to maximise its value for the community.” (PHILIPPA TAIT) F GREY LYNN COMMUNITY CENTRE, 510 Richmond Road, T: 09 378 498; www.greylynn.org.nz
18 PONSONBY NEWS+ February 2015
President of Ponsonby U3A Annie Webster with Norman Stanhope, president of the Herne Bay Petanque Club seated on the Lucy and Alex Lanning memorial bench at the Herne Bay Petanque Club
Ponsonby U3A and Herne Bay Petanque Club members at the unveiling of the memorial bench for Lucy and Alex Lanning at the Herne Bay Petanque Club PUBLISHED FIRST FRIDAY EACH MONTH (except January)