Welcome to our July 2025 Monthly Update
You may have noticed some changes to our Glen Eira U3A garden environment!
There are some lovely trees and shrubs (including a Robyn Gordon grevillea near the corner of the office which the wattlebirds love) amongst others. However, the time has come to revitalise our garden – to remove plants which have become overgrown or inappropriate and plant those which will enhance the area and to comply with OH&S requirements. We are hoping to provide attractive and safe places for members to meet and have a coffee or simply sit to enjoy some quiet.
We organised for garden contractors to do the hard lifting – pruning dead and overhanging branches and trimming or removing plants which could be hazardous.
As July is a good month for getting the garden ready for the spring growth, we will be busy! Our gardening members will be pruning, weeding and mulching every Friday morning (weather and grandparent duties permitting).
We would love to see more volunteers join our current members! You can enrol in course 25AAV07 or send an email to enquiries@gleneirau3a.org.au or contact Reception on (03) 9572 0571 for more information. The gardening team meets on the 3rd Friday each month to discuss ideas and planning and hopefully soon, input and direction from outside gardening sources.
If any member has contacts with plant sourcing, garden design knowledge and/or garden equipment to be borrowed or donated (mulcher, secateurs in good working order) we would love to hear from you.
Gardening Team
Glen Eira U3A
Reminder: semester break
A reminder that the Glen Eira U3A venue will be closed during the semester break, from Monday 7 July to Friday 18 July. Semester 2 (and classes) commence again on Monday 21 July.
Opportunities For Our Members
Justice of the Peace (JP) Free Service
A Justice of the Peace (JP) is a volunteer who offers their services such as witnessing statutory declarations or affidavits or to certify copies of original documents. One of our members, Harry Pose is a JP and has very kindly offered to conduct a JP free ‘drop in’ service for our Glen Eira U3A members on a Monday from 11.30 to 12.30. The free ‘drop in’ service will be located in the Glen Eira U3A foyer or in a more private room if required. The initial time and date is Monday 18 August from 11.30 to 12.30; additional sessions on subsequent Mondays will be arranged, as required. An appointment is not normally required but there may be a waiting time.
Opportunity to Work with Caulfield Racecourse Environment & Sustainability Committee.
Would you be interested in:
- Working with the Racecourse Environment & Sustainability Committee to identify and develop programs to build awareness and understanding of the Reserve’s ecological assets and values?
- Being a part of the development of a propagation area and program to support the regeneration and revegetation of parts of the Reserve?
- Being part of a program to develop and improve the health and habitat of the two wetlands?
Interested members should leave their name and contact details either by emailing enquiries@gleneirau3a.org.au or contacting Reception.
Upcoming Event – 2025 Annual General Meeting
The AGM will be held on Tuesday October 7, 2025 at 2.00pm at our Glen Eira U3A venue.
Further information will be available closer to the time.
2025 Courses for Enrolment
We continue to have new courses offered to our members and there are some courses with spaces available. A list of courses with vacancies is always available on our website.Enrol now!
25CRA08, 25CRA09, 25CRA10: Mini Dried Flower Arranging – one-day workshops – Mondays on 21/7/25, 25/8/25, 29/9/25 – from 10.00 to 11.30
Discover the artistry of crafting mini dried flower arrangements in our upcoming course! Join us for an immersive experience where you will learn the fundamentals of selecting, preserving and arranging delicate blooms into stunning compositions. From choosing the right flowers to mastering design techniques, this hands-on activity will unleash your creativity. Perfect for beginners and enthusiasts alike.
Members will need to pay $20.00 to cover the cost of a vase, foam and flowers. Scissors and floral tape will be provided. Jinny is an experienced mini dried flower arrangement tutor.
25CRA07: Make a Mosaic Picture Frame – short weekly course – Wednesday 20/8/25 to 03/09/25 – from 13.00 to 15.00
Join this fun and creative class to construct a mosaic picture frame. You will follow a step-by-step guide to bring your mosaic picture frame to life.
Members will need to purchase a mosaic kit for making a picture frame, e.g. Mandala Art Ocean Mosaic Photo Frame Craft Kit, available from Bunnings for $23. This kit will need to include the mosaic pieces, the board, glue and grout. No previous knowledge is required.
25DIS17: Travelling with Frequent Flyer Points – weekly course – Thursday 7/8/25 to 27/11/25 – from 11.45 to 13.15
One issue is that many, if not most, retired people either have a lot of frequent flyer (FF) points which they rarely use on themselves or think it’s just not worth the bother! This unit will explore how using FF points can not only maintain an involvement in annual overseas travel as we age, but introduce students to the concept of using FF points as an excellent way of:
- Reducing costs,
- Extending trips,
- Getting you into the front of the plane; and
- Enhancing the ‘Slow Travel’ concept and enabling you to spend more time in different cultures.
Note the dates and times:
- Thursday, 11.45 to 1.15 on: 7/8, 21/8, 4/9, 18/9, 2/10, 16/10, 30/10, 13/11, 27/11
- Thursday, 12.15 to 1.15 on: 14/8, 28/8, 11/9, 25/9, 9/10, 23/10, 6/11, 20/11
25GAM26: Fearless Sudoku: its logic, not maths – short course, Tuesday 9/9/25 and 23/9/25 – from 10.00 to 12.00
This is a beginner’s course, for those wishing to join the fray of solvers – we will be starting easy and learning strategies over these 2 sessions, with the aim of having fun and exercising our brains. The tutor will bring puzzles.
25GAM27 Come and Play Rummy Tiles – weekly course – Friday 25/7/25 to 28/11/25 – from 12.00- to 14.00
Do you want to learn how to play Rummy Tiles? In a game of Rummy tiles, players take turns to place numbered tiles into groups or runs, aiming to be the first to use all their tiles. It’s a fast paced and enjoyable game.
This course would be held on a weekly basis on Fridays from 12.00 to 2.00.
25LANJ01: Japanese Beginners : Conversation – short course – Monday 8/9/25 to 29/9/25 – from 10.00 to 11.30
Come and join a group who will practice Japanese for beginners. Learn some basic Japanese language skills that relate to everyday life from basic communication while travelling to ordering in a restaurant.
This short course is for people wanting to learn Japanese from scratch. Regular practice with the free online app Duolingo is also encouraged. No prior knowledge of Japanese language is required. The course takes a conversation approach.
25SOC12: Tour of Parliament House – 1 day – Thursday 10/7/25 – from 10.00 to 16.00
Join us on Thursday 10 July 2025 for a guided tour of Parliament House.
The guided tour commences at 2.30 on Thursday 10th July and we will have lunch at the Imperial Hotel in Spring Street prior to the tour. The tour is free but the lunch will be at your expense.
The outing will be during our semester break. We will travel by train from Caulfield Station to Spring Street (Parliament Station).
News from the Health, Safety and Wellbeing Team
SCAMS – Have you experienced an online SCAM?
Keep these things in mind when you are online:
- Watch out for unsolicited emails or phone calls pretending to be from a government agency, bank etc saying you owe money or that you have unclaimed funds. Check with the organisation by contacting them directly rather than through whomever contacted you initially.
- Be wary of calls or pop-up messages on your computer from someone saying they need to access your computer to repair it or remove scams. If you think it needs repairing, get a professional to check your computer.
If you are unsure if you have been scammed regarding any financial information, act fast and contact your bank or card provider immediately to report the scam. Ask them to stop any transactions and potentially change passwords on all your devices and online accounts like bank, email and shopping.
Remember 3 steps:
- Stop: does the email or text seem strange? Stop all communications with the scammer
- Check: contact the organisation directly to check and stop any potential financial losses. Report the scam to the relevant organisation
- Reject: if you are unsure, hang up, delete the email or block the phone number.
Here are organisations to check if you are unsure:
- ScamWatch
- Consumer Affairs Victoria
- Crime Stopper
HELP US ALL STAY SAFE THIS WINTER – Cold, Flu and Covid
In the last News Update, we spoke about staying protected this winter and getting vaccinated.
If you are not feeling well or have a cough, cold or flu symptoms, help reduce the spread of any illness amongst our members.
- Wash or sanitise your hands
- Cough or sneeze into your elbow
- Stay home if you are unwell
- Wear a face mask if you are unsure if you have any symptoms or are visiting sensitive settings or our venue.
- If you experience serious symptoms, seek medical attention.
Let’s all do our part to stay well this winter!
Concerts in June
Our Recorder Ensemble and Choir held concerts in June.
Glen Eira U3A Recorder Ensemble 2025 Concert – “Love is in the Air”
It was the first day of winter, but it felt more like spring at Glen Eira U3A: love really was “in the air” at the Recorder Ensemble’s annual concert. The ensemble, led by Katalin Holl, had worked hard all year to prepare for this year’s concert, which included a variety of items from the medieval to the modern. The styles of music differed over the centuries, but the theme of “love” was ever-present.
We were ably supported by our guest performers, and we extend our sincere thanks to Hadyn Collier (trombone), Thomas Lim (guitar), and Jenny Thirtle (vocal) for their splendid contributions. The multi-talented Jenny is also a member of our ensemble!
Special thanks must also go to Peter Garamszegi (piano), who entertained us all before the concert, and also accompanied Jenny’s vocal solo.
We were also very fortunate to have the marvellous Badger’s Buskers (featuring our very own Jim Badger on banjo) playing during afternoon tea. Thank you all for a great session!
We must also thank our lovely audience, and all of the U3A committee and volunteer members for their hard work on the day. We greatly appreciate your help and support.
Finally, a personal note. This was my first concert as a member of the ensemble. I was quite nervous when I arrived that afternoon, but the event was such a happy, joyous occasion that my nerves soon vanished. Thank you, Katalin, for all your hard work, and for making me feel so welcome as a member of the ensemble.
Written by Andrea Sherko
Glen Eira and Bentleigh U3A 2025 Choir Concert 2025 – “Golden Oldies”
The combined 30+ Glen Eira and Bentleigh Choirs held a mid-year concert on 22 June. The Choirs, conducted by Valerie Suhr, was a pleasure to watch and listen as they sang “Golden Oldies” tunes.
Valerie believes that singing is good for the soul and encourages her choir to find the beauty of life through music and song.
Thank you again to our wonderful Office Volunteers and Committee members who helped support this event and the afternoon tea.
Is your family in need of a Piano?
The Hudson family have very kindly offered a donation of a piano so it can find a new family to enjoy the music.
If you are interested, contact the Secretary for details on secretary@gleneirau3a.org.au
Photo Gallery
Gardeners in Action
Some action shots of the gardeners removing dead tree limbs and clearing behind the Bocce court.
| 25CRA04 The Joy of Fibre Art – members and some works in progress | ||
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