Just like a box of chocolates, this edition of Snippets has a bit of everything including a shout out to our intrepid volunteer gardeners; a spotlight on Winnie’s beautiful calligraphy; special insight into the rewards of croquet; an opportunity to take up tennis; the end of used stamp sales; Freaky Friday at The Round; volunteers wanted for dementia research; and a last call to enter a short story competition.
The garden is blooming marvellous
Some of our members who are blessed with a green thumb have spent their time and energy to produce a lovely floral display in the U3A Hub garden. It is worth checking out if you are at the Hub. Thank you to all the volunteers who contribute to the upkeep of our garden. This is just one of many volunteer roles that make U3A Nunawading a success, and we are grateful for, and acknowledge everyone’s efforts all year round, but particularly for National Volunteers Week 18-24 May.
EAL Advanced 3 – thanks Winnie
By Class Leader, Marie Trembath
Class member, Winnie, is featured in the photo and I would like to thank her so much for sharing her calligraphy with us all. It is so beautiful and I admire the time and effort Winnie put into this hobby. Our hobbies are very important to our having a healthy lifestyle, as we’ve been discussing in class. We look forward to hearing about the exhibition in Hong Kong!
Croquet – surprisingly fun
By Colin Smith, Team Leader Table Tennis
We saw the U3A newsletter mention a trial session for Croquet at the Ringwood Croquet Club and decided to try it. Croquet isn’t as simple as it appears on TV—using a mallet (not a club) to hit a ball through narrow hoops takes practice and skill. The clubhouse overlooks pristine greens and offers an excellent view. The instructors were welcoming and patient, introducing us to basic terminology and techniques. We learned about different mallet types, practised hitting balls, and discovered that controlling the mallet requires precision.
After individual practice, we played in groups to understand game strategies like deliberate blocking. Accuracy is key, as the hoop is barely wider than the ball. While there’s some new jargon to pick up, the atmosphere was friendly and supportive. After the game, we enjoyed afternoon tea and discussed rules, etiquette, and club details. For more information, check their website: revolutionise.com.au/ringwoodcroquetclub.
Croquet is suitable for those with back or bending issues, offering light exercise without much strain. With another “Come and Try” event planned and affordable training available, I recommend giving croquet a go—it’s a rewarding activity I plan to continue.
A chance to give tennis a go
The Koonung Park Tennis Club would like to host a two-hour social tennis session once a week using two courts (about 10-12 players) with some socialising after play (tea/coffee etc) and are inviting U3A members to give it a try. Located at 85 – 135 Springfield Road, Blackburn North (right next to Blackburn North Bowling Club), the club has nine tennis courts (four clay and five synthetic clay) which are generally available between 9 am and 3 pm weekdays. The club can provide free tennis balls and racquets as required. If you’re interested contact the Koonung Park Tennis Club President Jeff Byrne on 0409 015 286 or email:
Stamp demise
By Melva Thorn
Unfortunately stamp brokers no longer operate and therefore used stamps are unable to be sold and monies gained forwarded to charity groups. My choice of charity was the Australian Childhood Foundation, and it is sadly now not possible to give them funds. I wish to thank all the members over many, many years who contributed their used stamps to help this process.
Freaky Friday on stage
This production is a hilarious and heartfelt update on the classic body-swap story we all know and love from the book by Mary Rodgers and the hit Disney film starring Lindsey Lohan. It is a family-friendly show that follows an overworked mother and her teenage daughter who magically switch bodies, and they have just one day to put things right before a big wedding. It is a story full of laughs and high-energy music that is truly fun for the whole family.
Performance dates
Evening: Thursday 7, Friday 8 and Saturday 9 May and Matinee: Sunday 10 May (Mother’s Day)
Venue: The Round (Studio Theatre), 379-399 Whitehorse Rd, Nunawading
Cost: Standard tickets are $55
Group offer: Book 10 or more tickets in a single transaction and the price drops to $48 per ticket at checkout.
To secure your tickets or group rate, please visit theround.com.au/FreakyFriday and the discount will be applied after selecting your seats.
Volunteers wanted for dementia research
Cog Coach Brain is an online dementia prevention program focusing on addressing risk factors for developing dementia, run by the University of Melbourne’s Medical School. They are seeking participants who fit the following criteria:
Group 1
Aged 60 years or older and believe your memory has worsened and live in regional or rural Australia.
Group 2
Aged 60 years or older and believe your memory has worsened and have completed 13 years or less of formal education.
If you fall into either of these groups, you are invited to join a 45–60-minute online focus group to provide feedback on how easy the program seems to use, as well as some general questions on brain health. Participants will receive a $30 gift voucher for their time.
Please complete the online survey by following this link: redcap.link/cogcoachsurvey or for further information email Holly Carey at
Short story competition closes soon
The Boroondara Literary Awards aim to encourage creative writing in schools and the general community, and time is running out to enter the Open Short Story Competition which closes at 12 noon on Friday 8 May 2026. A maximum of one entry may be submitted per person. Winners will share a prize pool of more than $8,000, with winning work published in the 2026 Anthology.
The Awards are made possible by the joint efforts of the Rotary Club of Balwyn and the City of Boroondara. For further details, please visit Literary Awards | Your Say Boroondara, or contact Boroondara Library Service on 9278 4666, or email
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