Newsletter July 2026
Greetings from the President:
It’s great to see members out and about enjoying Christchurch. Why not when we live in such a beautiful city? Wrap up and go for it, I try to, and now that we’re on the right side of winter I’ve even noticed the daylight starting to stretch out….just a little.
Despite the season it is reassuring to see such a great turnout at U3A Godley most Mondays, thank you and well done!
Our ‘quality programme’ continues…. David Morrell has organised an impressive lineup of well informed, ‘tried and true’ and respected speakers along the international politics line. Thank you in advance David, it’s a series I always look forward to. Trish Holden and Linda Winskill’s series of Telling Stories Through Images was another goody. Thank you both, it was a theme we could all easily relate to and enjoy.
Series Four: Hot Spots
July 27 | Assoc. Prof. Peter Field Head of School of Humanities University of Canterbury | The Future of the US Constitution |
August 3 | Dr Nicholas Smith Senior Lecturer Politics and International Relations University of Waikato | The Russia – Ukraine War Four Years On. What Will it Take for a Resolution? |
August 10 | Prof. Martin Holland Director National Centre for Research on Europe University of Canterbury | The Future of Europe? |
August 17 | Prof. Robert Patman Professor of International Relations University of Otago | New Zealand’s Softly-Softly Approach to the Second Trump Administration |
August 24 | Dr Nicholas Smith Senior Lecturer Politics and International Relations University of Waikato | The Psychological Dimensions of Great Power Competition – and Why it Matters |
Places of Interest Reports
Parakiore Recreation and Sports Centre, 11 June 2026.
We met in the entrance of Parakiore and started our visit on the 3rd floor. The facilities encompassed everything you can imagine relating to fitness, sports, swimming, classes for yoga, Pilates etc. and cater for all abilities. The pools range from competition standard to diving, leisure and spa pools as well as hydro slides. There are several courts where you can take part in community activities such as volleyball, basketball and can be hired. The floors are made from beautifully made birchwood and are fully sprung. The show courts can seat 2500 spectators to watch basketball, netball and volleyball, and the seats are fully retractable. The gym offers a range of cardio, strength building and functional equipment to improve fitness and include treadmills, exercycles, spin bikes, rowing machines, cross trainers and grinders. We were all impressed with the layout and extent of activities offered. The only criticism was the volume of noise at times. Our thanks to Helen Whitley for showing us round.
The Cotter Medical History Trust Collection, 21 July 2026.
Kerry Swanson and Glenn Vallender showed us round the present storage building that houses the Cotter Collection. We were told about the difficulties facing the ‘museum’ following its hasty removal from the site in the former Hillmorton hospital. And now they are hoping for new premises for displaying some of the thousands of items comprising 18th to 20th century medical books, diaries, records, surgical appliances and a particularly impressive collection of microscopes. These cover a period of more than three centuries and is of national if not international significance. The earliest one dates from 1745 and originates from England… I wonder who was looking through the eyepieces almost 300 years ago! Our thanks to Kerry and Glenn for giving us a fascinating insight into this important collection.
Richard Pickering
Next Places of Interest Outing
Visit to Orange Recording Studios, 3/1063 Ferry Road, Wednesday 19th August, 0930.
This is a small locally operated company that specialises in making sound recordings for musicians and other related activities. Our visit will introduce us to how recordings are made and will include a live recording session featuring our very own Recorder Group! Numbers are, as usual, limited so make sure you get a place on the list of attendees. Orange Studio is adjacent to Kite Lane at the eastern end of Ferry Road just before the Ferrymead bridge.
If you’d like to go please contact Richard at pickeringx2@yahoo.com
Did you know?
One of my favourite websites is Papers Past: https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/
Papers Past has many of New Zealand’s past newspapers, magazines and journals, letters and diaries, parliamentary diaries and books. They have been progressively digitalised over recent years. I find it fascinating and was quite surprised how much tennis, croquet and golf my mother’s family played…. all recorded in the sports results. The only thing I could find from my father’s family was a first equal prize my Dad had won at Killinchy Sunday School in 1925! Look up the website – it’s very interesting on many levels.
Over 30 members took part in the recent Hyde Park/Avonhead walk
How About Getting Involved with the running of U3A Godley?
We’re always looking for new interest from members – it might be in the kitchen, with finance, around the committee table, an interest group, the sound system…whatever. If you think you could help in any way, please speak to a committee member. It’s a great group of people to work amongst!
Mark Your Calendars Now
Organ Recital - St Andrew's on Friday 9th October at 10:30am. There will be a $5 charge to cover heating.
Xmas luncheon, Monday 23 November $67.00 (only $2.00 increase on last year’s price). Same venue (Riccarton Park). Very similar menu. Easy parking.
New Links to Christchurch’s New Sports Resources
You may already be aware that on the U3A Godley website there is a ‘Resources’ section. Every now and then we put up different resources that speakers have either used or referred to and they are there for your perusal. Just recently we added:
· Parakiore Recreation and Sport Centre
· One New Zealand Stadium
· A reference booklet for Christchurch Recreation and Leisure
