Thank you to all the Leaders who attended the Leaders’ Information Session where Ken explained the functions of Member Wizard for Class Leaders.
Also in this item, we remind you of all the ways in which you can apologise for absence (but please only do it once). Also, how to use Member Wizard to find classes that still have vacancies and some upcoming classes that have a vacancy.
The dance on 24 June (during the break) was well attended by approximately 130 people. The music was lively, which contributed to the energy in the room. Many participants brought snacks to share during the break from dancing, and a good time was had by all.
Thank you to all who supported the Biggest Morning Tea and associated raffles. Around $5000 was raised. Congratulations to the Thornburn Badminton Group for their efforts.
We celebrated Harmony Day on 20 March 2026 with engaging presentations and a wide range of cultural foods to share. Thanks to Paulina Chong, Kim Tu, Yip Soo and the Social Committee for making the day such a success.
On Sunday 22 March, the historic Strathdon House and Orchard Precinct came alive as part of Whitehorse Council’s 2026 Culture Fest celebration, drawing a vibrant crowd of families of all ages eager to experience the richness of local cultural traditions. The festival offered a diverse program of music, food, interactive activities and cultural performances. Among the highlights was a lively performance by our U3A English, Scottish and Welsh dance group.
This year’s Summer School condensed 32 presentations, nine cooking classes, three external events, and three movie sessions into a single week instead of the two-week program offered in previous years.
A total of 22 guest speakers contributed to the program, including a retired detective, a fire safety officer, a cardiologist, a gut health professional, and specialists from the Commonwealth Bank and the health sector. Additional presenters covered topics ranging from happy and healthy exercise to artificial intelligence, online safety, and much more.
The Class Leaders’ briefing this year was quite a bit different – it included a practice evacuation!
A great turnout of around 180 Class Leaders filled Studios 1 and 2. After a few preliminaries, Database Administrator Ken Briscoe explained that while the membership system, UMAS, is still serving us well at present, we are planning to move to a new system – Member Wizard – on 1 July. This new system has been taken up by 23 Victorian U3As, supported by U3A Network Victoria, with another 30 U3As planning to convert this year – it’s best to keep with the strength.
U3A Nunawading is such a wonderful place because of all the work put in by the hundreds of Class Leaders and other Volunteers. To thank everyone for their efforts, the Committee provides a Christmas lunch for Class Leaders and a morning tea for all the Volunteers who contribute to running our Reception Desk and other activities.
On Tuesday 2 December, 84 Volunteers gathered in Studio 2 for a delicious morning tea in recognition of their service to our U3A during 2025. Adding to the festive atmosphere was our brand new white Christmas tree packed with decorations created by Kitty Wong’s paper craft class.
U3A Nunawading is such a wonderful place because of all the work put in by the hundreds of Class Leaders and other Volunteers. To thank everyone for their efforts, the Committee provides a Christmas lunch for Class Leaders and a morning tea for all the Volunteers who contribute to running our Reception Desk and other activities.
Studios 1 and 2 were nearly full on Wednesday 3 December when 195 Class Leaders gathered together for a tasty Christmas lunch and a chance to enjoy the company of their colleagues after a very successful year of classes in 2025.
Our 2025 End-of-Year Concert was yet again a wonderful showcase for the talents or our members, with an emphasis on music making.
Twelve groups performed over the day, with the Silver Grove Swing Band giving a stirring performance to begin the concert. Guitarists and ukulele and keyboard players of all levels showed their skills and there were tuneful renditions from the Choir and Joy of Singing classes. Line dancers and Rock n Rollers brought colourful movement to the concert as well.