Newcastle U3A

NEWSLETTER Welcome! Summer 2019/2020

Newcastle University of the Third Age

NEWCASTLE U3A Inc. ABN 87 967 033 912

PO Box 316, Hamilton 2303 Phone: 0479 193182 Email: newcastleu3a.au@gmail.com Web: www.newcastle.u3anet.org.au

From the President…

Dear Fellow Newcastle U3A Members, Another wonderful year of learning, enjoying and making friends is almost over, and the 2020 Terms 1 and 2 Program, full of our old favourites together with many new courses and excursions will be out very soon. Program Coordinator Beth Elliott and Excursions Coordinator Michelle Deeg are to be congratulated on a great result.

Our ‘webmaster’ Phil Warren has reworked our internet site to improve the registration and enrolment process, and we are working towards online payments being able to be made direct via the website.

Our IT officer Joy Carlin has spent many hours this year bringing our IT capabilities up to scratch and ensuring the safety of our data management and storage capabilities. This year we have had a designated Venues Officer in the person of Keith Finnie, which has been a great help in the management and location of venues, and Alan West has been our Assets Management officer and unofficial repairman. We also have a new role of Enrolments Officer that has been shouldered by long-time member Margaret Finnie.

Four of our tutors and leaders are standing down from their roles at the end of this year. They are Susan Leembruggen who has jointly coordinated the Music Appreciation program since 2017, Giuliano Battilana who has kept the Italian Advanced class chatting and laughing since 2nd August, 2012 , Jim Mannell who taught German then Italian over the past 5 years, Gary Jennings who taught Indonesian and more recently, Spanish, and Italian teacher Suzanne Morrison. Their individual contributions have been greatly appreciated by the many members who have had the benefit of their classes and they will each be sorely missed.

The commencement of the 2020 year will see all members being issued with new style name badges and attractive lanyards printed with our Newcastle U3A name and logo. The badges will have both first and surnames printed larger and in capital letters, making the job of course clerks easier, and the badges will no longer show the current year of issue which means that both badge and lanyard for members to keep and treasure for the duration of membership. We have had several non-serious falls and other incidents by members this year and as a result there will be designated spaces on the back of your name badges where we encourage you to enter an emergency contact name and number as well as the name and number of your doctor.

Unfortunately, the promised painting and recarpeting of the Meeting Room at 21 Gordon Avenue has still to be done and we are hoping that it will be completed prior to the commencement of Term 1 2020.

Some filming for the 30th Anniversary documentary has been successfully done, with filming to continue throughout 2020 and I thank all those who are volunteering their time and expertise towards this venture. I extend a special thank you to the members of your Committee, our ‘behind the scenes’ volunteers, and especially our hardworking Secretary, Jenny Williams, for the many hours and commitment that they each have put into managing and running Newcastle U3A this year.

On behalf of our Committee and the Office Team we wish you all a Merry Christmas and healthy and happy 2020.

Julie Newing

U3A Office Holiday Hours

During the summer break, the NU3A office will operate at reduced hours. Although the summer break is our busiest time of year administratively, volunteers need a break too! We’re doing our best for Members – don’t forget to thank a vollie!

The office will be open for enquiries at the following times during the break, including extra hours to assist members with online membership and enrolment applications:

Friday 13 December – 10.00 to 11.00am Monday 16 December – 10.00 to 11.00am Monday 6 January – 10.00 to 11.00am Friday 10 January – 10.00 to 11.00am Monday 13 January – 10.00 to 11.00am Friday 17 January – 10.00 to 11.00am Tuesday 21 January – 10.00am to 1.00pm Open for Enrolment Enquiries and Online Enrolment Assistance Wednesday 22 January – 10.00am to 1.00pm Open for Enrolment Enquiries and Online Enrolment Assistance

ENROLMENTS CLOSE AT NOON Tuesday 28 January Friday 31 January - 10.00 to 11.00 am – Badge and Lanyard collection & Open Office Friday 7 February - 10.00 to 11.00 am – Badge and Lanyard collection & Open Office

Term 1, 2020 commences on 10 February 2020 – the normal term office hours will then operate, that is: Mondays 10.00 to 11.00 am Fridays 10.00 to 11.00 am.

SAVE THE DATE! NU3A 30th ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING

Thursday April 30th 2020 commencing 10.30am Carrington Room, Hunter Unions (Trades Hall)

408 King Street Newcastle West (to be confirmed)

Tea and coffee available from 10.00am and the meeting will be followed by

lunch (your expense) in the Bistro at Wests City

309 King Street Newcastle West

Guest speaker:

To be advised

Financial Reports and Agenda will be available prior to the meeting

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A Special Event and Invitation to Tutors 2020

In recognition of the extraordinary achievement of Newcastle U3A’s 30th anniversary, the Newcastle Regional Library has asked us to ‘showcase’ a program of interactive courses to be featured throughout all of Adult Learners’ Week (31/8 – 4/9) at Newcastle Library and their outer branches at Wallsend, New Lambton, Adamstown and Hamilton.

We have been given the use of the Lovett Gallery and the mezzanine, with access to its 3D printers and computer terminals - absolutely wonderful for any IT course or course that requires computers. The space is large and can be arranged to suit any course we may choose to run.

A launch with VIP speaker and birthday cake is planned for Friday 28 August to open the week. The Library has been very generous in their offer and will help promote our events in their Spring Brochures and in the production of ‘storyboards’ and other promotional material. The week will be open to members of NU3A and surrounding U3As and the public.

Each session at the Libraries will be one and a half hours and I am inviting tutors who have:

1) courses that are either continuing or offering more than one session to put forward an abstract that condenses their course into its salient points or provides a ‘taster’ for a future course.

2) Tutors whose course covers one session only may offer their course in full.

My job now and that of my co-workers is, with your continued generosity, to make this event one that honours each and every one of you and to pull it together and make it something we can all be proud of.

This opportunity validates what Lifelong Learning is about – it is about people wanting to share their knowledge, their expertise or interests with others, without any thought of payment but simply the enjoyment of giving, of sharing and growing together. That is the ethos that has permeated and endured throughout Newcastle U3A since its inception 30 years ago and to be honoured during Adult Learners’ Week.

RSVP Beth Elliott: Elizabeth.elliott8@icloud.com by 30 January 2020

Beth Elliott Program Coordinator Newcastle U3A

NEWCASTLE U3A TERM DATES

2020 Term 1: 10 February - 3 April

2020 Term 2: 4 May - 26 June

2020 Term 3: 27 July - 18 September

2020 Term 4: 19 October - 11 December

SUSAN LEEMBRUGGEN. MUSIC APPRECIATION,

NEWCASTLE U3A – A TRIBUTE

Sue Leembruggen is the epitome of passion about music,

with an unswerving commitment to opening listeners’

ears to the inner workings and emotional power of this

art form. Her eclectic tastes range from classical,

romantic, national (especially Australian) and

contemporary music to film and music theatre. She loves

nothing better than spending her days linking with

overseas music lovers via various online sites, to swap

opinions about the latest recordings by a specific

performer or composer. Her deep and vast knowledge,

along with the occasional personal anecdote enlivens

our U3A sessions.

Sue believes music is a “…continuing source of joy and

I’ve never stopped learning about it.” She was infused

with music by her talented piano-playing mother in a

BHP house in Mayfield, with LP recordings of the great

classics played on a new player and one (yes, one!)

speaker built by her father. Sue’s enthusiasm was

brimming over when she and her husband went on an

11-month tour of Western Europe and Scandinavia in

2011, visiting the birthplace or residences of some of her

favourite composers, including her great love for

Beethoven.

This almost evangelical fervour supporting world class

performers, conductors and composers inspires many of

the NU3A music lovers to go home and listen to more

examples or to purchase a CD or DVD. Sue has been an

energetic and inspiring presenter for the group over the

past 8 years and will continue to present more of her

favourite topics in the future. More recently, Sue has

been a splendid Joint Coordinator of each Semester’s

program, since 2017. She retires as Coordinator this

December, with the heartfelt gratitude of everyone in

the Music Appreciation group, for her untiring work and

ebullient humour.

Sue’s successor as Coordinator will be Sandy Sanson-

Fisher, a retired doctor and keen flautist, who enjoys

performing in ensembles and listening to music which

challenges.

Max Reeder

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PROGRAM COORDINATOR’S REPORT – SUMMER 2019 To all our tutors who have supported us throughout 2019 with a wonderful array of courses from languages, Music Appreciation, Tuesday Afternoon with U3A, Photography, music, exercise and dancing, to history and everything else in between, a huge thank you. Thanks also to our Course Clerks who keep the wheels turning and uphold their responsibilities with panache and good humour.

Our upcoming 30th Anniversary year will offer all this and more!

In 2020 we will welcome six new tutors: Petras Virzintas with his IT Course “An Introduction to Moodle” an open-source (free) internet-based software package that is designed to support online education; Richard Dash, with a session on “The Great Siege of Malta;” Greg Hall with “An Introduction to Makerspace;” Emeritus Professor Saxon White with a series on “Life, Oxygen, Carbon Dioxide and The Universe;” Peter Lewis, Artist, with his course “Drawing and Painting with Light;” and Mark Lynch with “Accepting the Challenge” – as a former Cabinet Secretary, Mark gives a fascinating insight into the birth of a new nation – Papua New Guinea – and the challenges surrounding it.

One course that is an absolute must for tutors is Joy Carlin’s “For Tutors’ Course Notes – On-Line Storage Information Session.” Joy has created a special on-line storage space where tutors can safely store their notes and protect their intellectual property and is happy to disseminate information on this space and its usage. Tutors Notes will no longer be stored on the NU3A website as it is a public website able to be accessed by anyone.

Another new session for theatre lovers is the introductory Newcastle Theatre Group Information and Backstage Tour held on January 25th from 2.00pm-4.00pm at the NTC, 90 De Vitre Street, Lambton so be sure to enrol early. For lovers of Musicals, Ian Wheeler’s session on “Broadway Today – from 2000 – 2020” is a must. And for lovers of wine and cheese, you will enjoy Dr Jeanne Boote’s “Which Wine?” a fun class with a nip and a nibble to brighten your day.

There is so much to enjoy from Jetse Kalma’s “Climate Change and Agriculture,” Bert Browne’s “Australia – Almost a French Settlement,” Bob Colomb’s “Out of Asia,” Alan Barr’s “The Stuarts,” and Gayle Hopwood’s “Story Telling Through Indigenous Art” a hands-on course for those who like to dabble with a little paint. There is a plethora of other courses in this anniversary year that I think it will be hard for members to choose.

Wishing you all a very Merry Xmas and a safe and Happy New Year

With appreciation,

Beth

You are invited to the 15th Celebration of Achievement

Xmas Concert Lake Macquarie Performing Arts Centre

Lake Street, Warners Bay Tuesday December 17th 2019

1.00pm

Featuring Tap, Middle Eastern, Caberet, Burlesque and Dancercise items from Eastlakes, Lake Macquarie, Maitland and Newcastle U3A

dance classes, Belmont Ukulele players and young guest artists from KCDanceHQ in

Belmont.

Booking is essential.

The concert is followed by a scrumptious Afternoon Tea - cost $5.00pp. Tickets available

from Colleen or through ladies in Colleen's classes.

Please contact Colleen for further information on 0402066869 OR

Email her on queencleopatradiamonds@gmail.com

Members who have attended the concert in previous years will attest to the very high

standard of dance and production. A not to be missed performance!

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WRITE ON! Have you been researching your family history? Maybe you’ve been jotting down notes on your own life, aiming one day to write your autobiography? Perhaps you want to write a children’s book for grandchildren. Or maybe just want help with your writing. You may even be writing fiction and want to find a publisher. If so, help is at hand! Rebecca Skinner, in her class Let’s Write a Book every Monday from 11.30am to 1pm at Gordon Ave, Hamilton in 2020, will cover good writing and story structure; children’s books; self-publishing design and format; plus how to successfully pitch to traditional publishers. You never know, it could open up a whole new life chapter for you! COURSE REPORTS

There has been very positive feedback from a variety of the great courses that were on offer, as the reports below demonstrate:

Men’s Breakfast: The Men’s Breakfast program is now in its second year and aims to provide a friendly forum for men to chat on a wide range of subjects, informally and freely, and how better to do that than while sharing a breakfast. Our venue, at Carrington Bowling Club, has been very supportive, opening their kitchen especially to meet our early start.

Our Guest Speaker for Term 3 was Dr Ron Robinson. Ron has been an academic, a hospital administrator, a logistics planner and Treasury Policy Advisor. He has an Honours and Masters degrees in economics, post graduate qualifications in urban planning and a PhD in management research. Ron was also an Alderman on Newcastle Council for six years, including when the Earthquake struck Newcastle, and concluded his political venture as Deputy Lord Mayor.

Ron spoke to our Men’s Breakfast Group about his experience as the Director of Commissioning two teaching hospitals established on green field sites; the John Hunter Hospital in Newcastle and the New Children's Hospital in Westmead. A large number of people are employed in these hospitals and there are

many testing challenges in the start-up process. Into the mix is political opportunism and the need to manage the many conflicting internal and external influences.

Ron’s talk and his revelations in this topical subject were warmly received.

Opera As Drama: I do hope that Michael is able to give future courses. I have learned about operas I never would have considered. We not only listen to sections of the opera but hear about the staging, the historical context, the composer/director/performer and the various theatres. I used to think that I "hated" Wagner's music but a section last week had me in tears – I'll make sure I have my box of Kleenex handy for future sessions! We had another excellent session today – another opera, and composer, I'd never heard of! As with the previous sessions, good discussion and questions followed. Very powerful with a story a "bit too close to the bone" within my family... I should also mention how fortunate it is that the church is available for the Opera as Drama course; equipment of any less quality would not do these operas justice – even with my very non-musical background I can appreciate how lucky our class is.

Lake Mac Lunch Cruise:

Our group enjoyed a very sociable and informative 3-hour cruise on beautiful Lake Macquarie, including a delicious BBQ lunch and commentary from our knowledgeable skipper. One of our very talented members, Julie Baigent, recorded some scenes in sketch form on the cruise!

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U3A Singing Group: Not knowing anybody when I came to Newcastle sixteen years ago, one of the best things I did was to join the U3A. Of the many courses I have attended over the years by far my favourite has been the Singing Group.

I was with Harold Battersby when he started with a small group of six, singing at his home before we had the church hall option in Beaumont Street where we now sing each Friday afternoon.

Over that time there have been many people who have come to join us; our number fluctuates from year to year with up to around 40.

This is one of the friendliest groups I have ever met. Voices vary, no one is asked to perform but if they wish to take the mike we give encouragement. This is not a choir as such but a group of people who love to sing.

After Harold died it took a long time before Greg Dickinson became available. We are grateful to have found a wonderful pianist who has a good sense of humour and a range of more modern songs, many sung with gusto.

Some members like to have coffee and a chat afterwards at a nearby cafe.

Good for the body and good for the soul....Come on along, come on along........

Dorothy S Wright. Discover Sailing Experiences:

Thanks to the generosity of the Newcastle Cruising

Yacht Club (NCYC) Sailing Academy and our own

member (retired sea captain and qualified Sailing

Instructor) Henk Zeeman, we have again offered NU3A

members the opportunity to sail on our beautiful

Harbour and begin to learn the skills involved. The

series will be offered again in Term 1, 2020, following

an Information Session to give members a good sense

of what is involved before enrolling and paying.

NeW Space Tours: We have been privileged this year to be able to offer four tours of the University’s Award-winning NeW Space building in Hunter Street in conjunction with the University and the lead architects from EJE. Two more tours will be offered in the first half of 2020 – one each in Term 1 and Term 2. Members who have attended to date have been very impressed by the thought and research that underpins the design – both exterior and interior – which is explained with great insight by the chief architect who guides us through the building from top floor to ground.

As one member put it “the space speaks for itself – photography is permitted (except in classes) – a snapper’s dream”. The guidance of the architect adds depth to understanding the building and conceptual design, including the history of the site and environs going back thousands of years, the materials used, and the significant sightlines and vistas throughout.

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Senior First Aid: Over two 4 hour sessions on consecutive Tuesdays, Tutor David Alderton gave the group some valuable first aid insights, and some practice, into how to approach and/or manage various conditions and injuries and caring for casualties. These insights included how to make an initial assessment; the correct recovery position; the different CPR methods for adults, children and infants; managing a defibrillator; what to do if someone has spinal or neck injuries, is having a heart attack, is in shock or appears to be having a stroke. We also learned about fractures, the correct way to apply bandages, manage broken limbs, fold slings for arm and shoulder injuries, and deal with snake bite, envenomation, burns and chest injuries. David’s breadth of knowledge and humour was appreciated and enjoyed by all. We hope that David will be able to offer this certificate-level (but not certified) course again in the second half of 2020.

Wickham, Islington & Tighes Hill: the early days near Throsby Creek: I must congratulate Julie Keating for each of her presentations on Newcastle suburbs. As a newcomer to Newcastle, I found them informative, interesting and extremely enjoyable. Julie has so much local knowledge both factual and colloquial and enhances the lectures with historical and current photos to illustrate the development of this city. Julie also encourages audience participation and it was great to hear U3A members exchange information and reminiscences. I loved her very professional but relaxed style. I now know much more about the history of my own suburb in particular and Newcastle in general. MORE, more, more! Criminology (Tuesday Afternoons With U3A): I found the Criminology course fascinating. It was presented by Senior Lecturer at the University of Newcastle Zanthe Mallett who was as unforgettable as her name! I had previously watched some of Zanthe’s TV programs about cold case murders and was amazed to see that she was doing a talk for NU3A. She spoke so knowledgeably and with such enthusiasm about her subject that it was difficult not to be caught up in the desire to find out more about these unsolved missing persons cases. She also revealed what goes on behind the scenes with forensic anthropologists and police in relation to a missing person. Thank you Ron and Carol for bringing us such a wonderful presentation by a ‘renowned’ personality!

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A NOTE ON CYBERSECURITY FOR NU3A MEMBERS Members will probably be aware of the increasing threat to personal information from our private activities online, especially through email and online purchasing. Your Committee has heard recently of more than one instance of a member’s email address being ‘hacked’ to send a scam email to the person’s contact list, and most recently of a member having their bank account accessed fraudulently (alerted and immediately prohibited by the bank’s security screening). In the interests of doing what can be done to sensibly protect member security online, you will see that as of now:

• Course Clerk names and numbers are no longer published in the Program – but will be noted (first name only) on your enrolment confirmation and in the weekly updates from the start of Term 1.

• Course Clerk will be identified by first name only in all future NU3A publications. The Course Clerk for your courses will give those enrolled their best contact details.

It is important for the security of your own devices that you:

• Keep software and especially operating systems up to date – most send updates automatically

• Have current antivirus and malware software installed – free versions are readily available

• You may also like to subscribe to the Australian Government’s Stay Smart Online alert service at https://www.staysmartonline.gov.au/ , which “provides simple, easy to understand advice on how to protect yourself online, as well as up-to-date information on the latest online threats and how to respond”.

A SPECIAL OFFERING OPEN TO OTHER BRANCHES You may have heard members of our Beginners and Intermediate Ukulele courses singing the praises of tutor Susan Coggan. These courses will be offered again in 2020, and in addition NU3A will host Susan’s course “Music Theory for Ukulele”, which is not available anywhere else in our Region. As a specialist course, this will be open to NU3A members – and administered by NU3A – and will also be offered to financial members of other branches in our Region (for a nominal fee to contribute to venue costs that are covered by membership fees for NU3A members). The course is designed to give players an understanding of the relationships between chords and melodies, relate their instrument to the language and maths of music, transpose songs they like into a different key, and even compose simple tunes. If you know members of other U3A branches who would be interested, please encourage them to enquire through their own branch or to contact NU3A at newcastleu3a.au@gmail.com or on 0479 193 182.

FRIDAY COFFEE MORNINGS For new, current and potential members (or simply the

curious) to chat, socialise and get to know others. If

you have a friend interested in learning more about

U3A they are more than welcome to come along.

(Click through the links below for more info and

menus).

Join us in the venue at 10.30 am

RSVP please (at least 2 days beforehand to allow for

booking and remember to leave your name with the

message): Elizabeth 0451 272729

Jan 31 Sprout Café, 10 Cameron Street, Broadmeadow (near Performing Arts School) park near McDonalds

Feb 28 Talulah, 52 Glebe Road The Junction

March 27 Crema Coffee Garage, 62 Broadmeadow Road Broadmeadow

April 24 Wickham Boatshed, 91 Hannell Street, Wickham

May 29 Newcastle Cruising Yacht Club, 95 Hannell Street, Wickham

June 26 Fernleigh Café, 89 Fletcher Street, Adamstown LUNCH OF THE MONTH Venues have been chosen because of parking

availability, access to public transport and a reputation

for being an enjoyable place to dine and socialise.

(Click through the links below for more info and

menus). Join us in the venue at 12.00 noon.

RSVP, please: Eric 4957 2211

Feb 21 Town Hall Hotel, Turton Road, Waratah Mar 20 Mary Ellen, 57 Railway Street, Merewether April 30 Wests City, 309 King Street, Newcastle – after AGM May 15 Royal Inn, 61 Station Street, Waratah Jun 19 Gates Hotel, 660Glebe Road, Adamstown Jul 17 Lambton Park Hotel, Howe & Morehead Sts, Lambton Aug 21 Blackbutt Hotel, Carnley Av & Orchardtown Rd, Kotara Sep TBA following General Meeting Oct 16 Benny’s, Mayfield Hotel, 284 Maitland Rd, Mayfield Nov 20 Maryville Tavern, Lewis Street, Maryville Dec 11 Duke of Wellington, Regent St, New Lambton

NEWCASTLE U3A THEATRE GROUP

Sundays: February 9, March 15, May 3, June 14 2020 Time: 1.45pm – 4.45pm (approx.)

Venue: Newcastle Theatre Company, 90 DeVitre Street Lambton

Be part of the Newcastle U3A group: when purchasing

tickets, please specify that you are part of the Newcastle

U3A group and will attend Sunday matinees. Contact the theatre to book 4952 4958

Monday to Friday 3.00pm to 6.00pm, www.newcastletheatrecompany.com.au

Meet in the theatre foyer no later than

1.45 pm to collect your ticket from your U3A leaders. In 2020 there will be a special Information Session

and Backstage Tour for intending group members on Saturday January 25 – come along and see what it’s

all about!