2025 Christmas Event
The Howick Singers entertained the members at the Christmas event. Two speakers from the Writing Group, Judy Wilson and Colleen Rigby read entertaining christmas themed stories. Margaret Nicholls, Alan Read and all convenors were thanked for their contribution.
The 2025/26 U3A Howick Committee
The following committee officers were elected at the AGM in May 2025: John Savory (President), Linda Stubbs (Vice President), Robert Rigby (Treasurer), Judith Nel (Director of Studies, absent) and Jenny Penman (Secretary, absent); and committee members: Jan Naish-Wallis, Lynette Upshire (absent), Dorothy Viljoen, Sonja Karon and June Poole (Immediate Past President – ex officio).
RECENT U3A HOWICK EVENTS
The WALKS AND TALKS GROUP recently caught the ferry into the city and walked around the Viaduct. Then caught the train back home.
The MOBILE PHOTOGRAPHY GROUP focused on Food Photography, with a Christmas theme.
The PSYCHOLOGY and SOCIOLOGY GROUPS had a joint shared lunch with some insightful icebreaker questions.
The WORLD OF ART1 Group members all brought along an artefact and explained the history and story behind it at the final meeting before the Christmas break.
The WRITING GROUP members have their thinking caps on for the next meeting in February at which every member will present a 1500 word piece entitled: And Then There Was One.
The BOOK DISCUSSION GROUP recently visited the traditional bookshop, Poppies, in Howick Village. Tony, the owner, provided some history of the store, current developments, an interesting insight into coffee table type books and some of the new innovations authors are using. Members also enjoyed a cuppa and a biccy with him.
SOME OF THE INTEREST GROUPS
Mobile Photography Group
The Mobile Photography Group works on the principle that the best camera is the one you have on you at the time – usually a mobile phone. The group meets monthly to watch video lessons on settings, composition, lighting and photography scenarios. They practice the techniques during the month and put their photos onto a private Facebook group, for discussion at the meeting. They also do field trips to various venues around Auckland to practice street photography, reflections, shadows and other aspects of photography. Members have a range of mobile phones, but the basic principles apply to all.
World of Art Group 1
U3A Howick has two World of Art groups. World of Art 1 group’s activities have included gallery and sculpture garden visits, bring and tells, member presentations and videos by art experts. Local, Australian, American and European artists, both modern and historic, have all been of part of the group’s interests. The World of Art 1 group has explored sculpture, painting and even beach art. The regular meetings are at Bruce McLaren on the third Mondays of the month at 10am.
Book Discussion Group
The Book Discussion Group generally discusses the various books members have read during the past month, resulting in wide ranging input and views. Linley Jones, local author from Half Moon Bay met with the group to discuss the books she has written for adults and teens. The group has also viewed private book collections and had an informative session at a bookstore. The group meets on the fourth Thursday of the month. Contact us for further details.
Walks and Talks Groups
The Walks and Talks group meets monthly on a Friday morning to explore and learn about the area in which we live, by going on a shared walk together. The group also discusses the history of the place visited. Any members who enjoy walking can join the group and it caters to most levels of capability. Some of the group walk slowly and others walk faster, with a few way out front! There is generally a shorter loop for anyone who does not want to walk the whole distance. Walks last about an hour, with plenty of stops to enjoy and talk about the views and the history. Some of the walks the group has done, include: The Panmure and Mangere Bridges, the Panmure Basin, the Cascade Waterfall, Totara Park and Highbrook Park. Every month a new place is explored. Contact Us if you are interested in joining this group.
Movie Group
The Movie Group meets monthly shortly after the general meeting on the second Monday afternoon of the month. Members bring along their own lunch and after lunch, watch a movie on a particular theme. The group also attends movies at the Monterey Theatre from time to time. Movie Group Meetings are followed by discussion and tea.
Current Affairs Group
The Current Affairs Group meets monthly on the second Wednesday afternoon of the month. Generally members choose a topic at the previous meeting to discuss at the following meeting. Members do some research in the topic prior to the meeting. Some issues covered have been Artificial Intelligence, the Israel-Gaza situation, the Chinese economy and its likely impact on NZ, the concept of co-governance, health in NZ and India as a trading partner. Meetings are generally facilitated with members having diverse views, resulting in robust discussion.
Military History Group
The Military History Group meets on the second Tuesday of the month at 2pm. They discuss various historical events relating to war. On occasion they visit the cinema to watch movies such as “Lancaster” and go on visits to places like Avspecs at Ardmore Airport, where they were able to hear about progress in the restoration of WWII Mosquito bomber NZ2308. The plane is built of a balsa composite 3 ply birch wood and was a very fast plane for its job during WWII, being powered by two Rolls Royce Merlin v-12 engines.
Gardenz
The Gardenz Group meets on the second Tuesday of the month at 10am. They visit various gardens such as the Auckland Botanic Gardens, the Hamilton Gardens and the Parnell Rose Gardens. At other times they meet to discuss topics like Planning a Garden or The Maori Planting Calendar.
World Of Art 2
The World of Art 2 Group meets on the third Tuesday of the month at 1.30pm at the Bruce McLaren Theatre. They discuss various artists and their works. Some members like to do an individual presentation on a particular artist and to show pieces of their work. The group then discusses the inout and similarities or differences to other artists, The group meeting concludes with a cup of tea or coffee.
History of NZ 1
This group explores the history of NZ through the ages. Meetings are held in members’ homes, where each member selects their own topic of our history. This can be as broad as: settlers, education, transport, significant events, suffragettes, towns, famous people or flora and fauna. The group has room for a few more members, who are willing to host the group in their homes.
History of NZ2
NZ History 2 meets on the third Tuesday of the month at 2pm. Topics have included the NZ Wars, past Prime Ministers of NZ, Christmas traditions, early manufacturing and the history of the Great South Road. The group also undertakes field trips to historical sites. New members are most welcome.
Philosophy
Philosophy is about trying to understand life more clearly, so we can make better decisions on how we live our life. Some of the ideas the group examine are old – what we value in Courage has not changed for thousands of years. Some of the ideas are modern. Psychologists can show us how. – not what to think. All such ideas give us greater understanding on how to live. They are – and always have been – what philosophers think about.
Architecture
The Architecture interest group meets monthly to discuss both local and international architectural design. They also undertake various field trips which, amongst many others, have included the Britomart precinct and the Holy Trinity Cathedral in Parnell.
Psychology
Studying Psychology helps one understand human behaviour and mental processes, which can lead to greater self awareness, improved interpersonal skills and self-help. It provides a scientific insight into human motivations, emotions and behaviour, leading to better understanding of own and others’ perspectives. Topics covered have included The Amazing Brain, The Relationship between Thoughts, Feelings and Behaviours, The Ageing Brain, Jungian Psychology, Mind-Brain-Body Connection, Placebos. Future topics include: Brain Anatomy, including Neurons, Neurogenesis and Neuroplasticity: crucial for understanding how the brain works, neurological disorders and advancing knowledge of behaviour and cognition. The group meets at 1.30pm on 2nd Thurs of the month.
Sociology
We study the social lives of people, encouraging individuals to connect personal experiences to larger social issues. It provides a powerful framework for developing tolerance by fostering empathy and critical thinking, promotes a deeper understanding of cultural diversity and social inequities, broadens perspective and promotes respect for different ways of life. Some areas covered include: Cults, Clans and Communities, Systems of Stratification in Society, Marriage and Families, The Amish Way of Life, Tibetan Culture and The Education Gap. Future topics may include: Social Change and Collective Behaviour, Socialisation and Sexuality, A Global Perspectives on Ageing, Sociological Perspectives on Family, Marriage, Divorce and Family Violence. This group meets on the first Thurs of the month.
Anthropology
Anthropology Group investigates the intricacies of human societies, seeing Anthropology as the study of Humanity’s cultural, social and biological development across time. Recent sessions have ranged from examining the rise and fall of pre-European indigenous empires in Central and South America to tracing the evolution of clothing and food – how these were acquired, prepared and exchanged. The group incorporates various audio-visual media and selected reading materials to enrich discussion and deepened understanding, making each meeting an interesting journey through the human story.
Writing
The Writing Group members choose a topic every month and write a two page piece on this topic. They bring copies of this writing to the group and read it to other members for comment. Writing genres could be fictional, factual , biographical or even science fiction! It is up to the individual group members.
Travel
The Travel Group comprises like minded individuals who like to travel, particularly overseas. Group members share their experiences, travel hints and give advice on how to maximise holiday journeys. In recent times the group has discussed travel to Antarctica, the Balkans, Hadrian’s Wall, Morocco, Noumea (during the riots) and walking The Camino. The group meets in the morning on the first Wednesday of the month.
Travel Destinations
This group focuses on various destinations to which group members would like to travel or have travelled, exploring the geography, history, culture, places to see, hidden gems, food, means of travel to and around the destination. The destination might be a city like Seoul, a country like India or a place of interest like the Serengeti. The group is collaborative, with all members contributing to the input.
Textiles
The Textile Group researches the long history of textiles, tracing the development, availability and use of clothing and textiles over human history. It includes materials made from thin threads or filaments, which can be natural, synthetic or both. The social history around the fabrics is always included, as well as the tools and machinery involved either textiles.
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