Newsletter - September 2025
- Helen Vear
- Sep 1
- 3 min read
Updated: Sep 6
From the President,
This month I’d really like to commend the Programme Committee for the excellence of the programme we enjoy each week. As a member I’ve never expected to ‘love them all’ but I’ll tell you what, those I haven’t been quite so enamoured with are few and far between. Well done to Trish Holden and the Programme Committee. Our new series, The Ever-Changing Medical Scene, looks particularly interesting and relevant as we deal with ‘maturity’….. Prue Taylor and Trish Holden have put the new series together and thank you in advance to them both. If you have suggestions for future topics, please let us know, it’s all about learning, that’s what we’re here for!
Series Five: The Ever-Changing Medical Scene
8 Sept | Dr Anna Pilbrow Research Associate Professor at the Christchurch Heart Institute University of Otago Christchurch https://www.otago.ac.nz/healthsciences/expertise/profile?id=600
| Can Information in our DNA Predict the Risk of Heart Disease? |
15 Sept | Professor Martin Kennedy Head of Department of Pathology and Molecular Medicine University of Otago Christchurch https://www.otago.ac.nz/gene-structure/staff/martin-kennedy
| Was the Human Genome Project Worth It? |
22 Sept | Emeritus Professor Douglas Sellman Former Director of the Nat. Addiction Centre University of Otago Christchurch Practising psychiatrist and addiction specialist https://www.otago.ac.nz/christchurch/research/nac/people/doug-sellman | Manufacturing Epiphanies for Drug Addiction: Two Promising Developments |
29 Sept | Dr Rebecca Stack Senior eye consultant at Southern Eye Specialists and Christchurch Hospital. https://southerneye.co.nz/dr-rebecca-stack/
| The Aging Eye |
6 Oct | Professor Anthony Butler Clinical radiologist Te Whatu Ora Director of Imaging Otago University Co- founder of MARS Bioimaging Ltd | The Journey from the Physics Lab to the Hospital Clinic - The MARS Project Continued
|
Places of Interest Visit to Kea Aerospace
On Friday 22nd August a group of 17 Godley members visited Kea Aerospace which is a “future” business owned and operated by Mark Rocket who shared with us earlier in the year. On entering the premises in Iversen Terrace we were all required to sign a “non-disclosure agreement” which meant we weren’t allowed to share any knowledge about what we saw. However, we were allowed to make general comments about our visit.
We saw the pilotless solar powered aircraft which flew to around 65,000 feet above Canterbury and Banks Peninsula. This craft has a wingspan of 12.5 metres. The company is also working on a model with a wingspan of at least one and a half to two times greater than Aerospace 1 and still using solar power. It should be able to reach an altitude of at least 80,000 feet which will see it flying close the stratosphere.
Mark told us that there is considerable interest from some countries overseas and the company already has contracts signed for projects. It is worth noting that Kea Aerospace is another of those clever companies we have here in Christchurch that seem to “fly under the radar” as far as the general public is concerned. We at U3A Godley are indeed fortunate to have members who have knowledge of such people and their endeavours. A big thank you to Richard and Lyn Pickering for arranging the visit.
Dick Clayton.
Recent Art Group Trip
The Art group enjoyed the guided visit to He Riri Awatea recently at the Museum Pop-Up in Gloucester Street. The exhibition is still open but closes on September 7. The complete list of works is at https://www.u3agodley.org/speaker-notes/he-riri-awatea-
Members enjoying the morning tea catchup….
Interest Group News
• Travel Group is looking for new members. The group doesn't ‘travel’ as such, but members share travel experiences. It is held on the second Tuesday of the month at 2pm and hosting is shared. If you are interested, please contact Brenda Crocker at crockbe43@gmail.com All welcome.
• FRENCH chat would also love new members. It meets on the first Wednesday of each month at 2pm. Please contact Brenda Crocker (as above), All welcome.
• The movie group went to Mr Burton – thankyou to Jill Halliburton for organising it, it was a film well worth seeing.
• The Walking Group did the Woolston Historic Walk this time which was a 4km walk around the river reserve and parks with refreshments afterwards.
Walkers around Woolston
If you have Interest Group news to put in the newsletter please email helenvear@gmail.com
End of Year Dates
• Final series - Pot Pourri Nov 3, 10 and 17
• Dec 1 – Christmas Luncheon at Riccarton Racecourse
(AGM will be held early next year)
• Dec 8 – Helpers’ Luncheon
