The first Meet and Mingle meeting since the AGM was held on 15 April 2026. We had a most engaging presentation -  ‘U3A Benalla 30 Years’ - from Carmyl Winkler about U3A Benalla Inc., which has been going since 1996. An earlier attempt was made in 1988, but to no avail.  Carmyl gave us an insight into how the group first got started.

U3A Benalla Inc. has now been operating for 30 years—a real credit to those members who met in 1996. We were fortunate to have two long-serving members at the presentation: Shirley Kearney and Margaret Walsh. I’m sure they could share many stories from over the years.

​We have a booklet ‘U3A Benalla Inc – 30 Years’ with details about the group, past to present. If you would like a copy, it is available for $5—very interesting reading. If you know of members who might like one, please contact either Heather Wallace or myself (Anne Nelson 0438 447 379).

There have been many changes as U3A Benalla has grown.  I am so proud to be its new President.

At last count we have 459 members.  Our membership data base, designed by Terry Dillon, has been maintained by Len Jeffers for a number of years, serving our needs very well.  After serious consideration, in late 2025 the Committee decided to introduce a new membership data system, “Member Wizard,” which is supported by U3A Network Victoria. This is a step forward for us as we keep up with modern technology. Fortunately, we have Committee members who can help guide the process and members who have volunteered to be involved. It will take time and won’t happen overnight - “patience and perseverance” are the key words.

Until next month, thank you all for reading the newsletter.


​Anne Nelson

​2026, AGM held, we now move onto the "Changing of the Guard".  Margaret Jenkins has retired as President after 4 years at the helm, and a job well done.  Thank you Margaret. 

We have a change on the Committee, Neville Gibb and Doug Smith have stepped down but are still active Convenors.  We have two new members to welcome, Sue McNutt and Noel Baumgarten

On behalf of the Committee, I extend our thanks to Neville Gibb for his many years on the committee and his time as past Treasurer, and to Doug Smith who made a significant contribution during his time on Committee.

On the 3 March a meeting for Convenors was held and well attended.  Each Convenor was handed a folder with the relevant information needed for them.  Good input by all members.

At this point in time we have approximately 48 courses for members to choose from and with more to come in Semester two.  We have 454 members.

John Barry is interested in holding 5 separate session with regards to legal matters.  Planning the Future: 5 classes, 2-hour sessions, would include 1. Wills, 2. Power of Attorney, 3. AC Directive, 4. Estates, 5. Cheap Funerals. It is a while since John held one of these sessions. 

Another course put forward is Amateur Country Music/Folk Music Jammers.  The Convenor (Lorna Boyd) would like to hear from anyone interested. This is not an instrument teaching class, just a get together of like-minded people. The instruments could be guitar, banjo, etc. If interested, could you please phone Lorna Boyd on 0427 281 423.  Lorna is interested in this group starting before Semester 2 depending on the interest. There a few people interested so far and one in particular was featured recently on the front of the Ensign.

I am looking forward to taking the helm, and fortunately I have a great committee behind me.

Anne Nelson

​​It is with pleasure that I present the Annual Report of U3A Benalla Inc. for the year ending 31st December 2025.

Overall, 2025 was a very successful year for U3A Benalla. Our membership grew from 420 members at the end of 2024 to 470 members at the end of 2025, a 11% increase in membership. This increase in membership reflects that people in the community are wanting to come to the 48 courses which are currently being offered by U3A Benalla. 

During 2025 we introduced several new courses including Mahjong, Come and Learn Croquet, Train Buffs, American History, Car Torque, Colour Mixing & Watercolour Techniques – Botanical, Writing Children’s Books and French at the Table. Two of these courses were discontinued during the year due to the Convenor being unwell.

U3A Benalla has a marvelous variety of courses, and behind each course is a Convenor who puts a lot of time and energy into running their particular course. The Committee and I would sincerely like to thank each Convenor for the knowledge and effort they all bring to their courses. Without such dedicated Convenors U3A Benalla would not be able to offer the variety of courses we do.

I would like to thank all members of the Committee of U3A Benalla. There are many special jobs which are taken care of by members on the Committee.  These include Len Jeffers who is our capable Membership Secretary and Heather Wallace who looks after the Newsletter. Thank you also to Helen Jeffree for keeping our kitchen supplies always up to date. Social interaction is a very important part of U3A Benalla, and what better way to socially interact than with a cup of tea or coffee.

My thanks to Neville Gibb and Doug Smith who are both retiring from the Committee this year. Neville was Treasurer from 2019 to 2023 whilst Doug has been our publicity officer for the past 18 months.

I would also like to acknowledge the work of our new Treasurer in 2025, Gwen Mildren who has transferred the previous ledger entries onto a computer XL spreadsheet. Gwen has also updated our bank accounts to our registered name of U3A Benalla Inc.

Not everything has gone easily this year. Over several months we had six illegal entries to the Benalla Seniors and Community Centre. During those six illegal entries to the premises U3A Benalla lost three lap tops, 10 iPads and Tablets which is digital equipment used for teaching purposes, a large speaker system, an empty cash box and other equipment. The cost to replace these items was estimated to be about $10,000. Also, it should be noted that the people who found these illegal entries were caused quite a deal of stress. Thank you to the Benalla Rural City Council for replacing the external locks of this building in early September 2025.

Unfortunately, we had several members who became ill during the year. As I mentioned previously two courses had to be discontinued because of Convenor’s ill health. Our Secretary Nicole McFarlane also became ill toward the end of 2025, and after a period of leave was replaced as Secretary by Malcolm Sanders.

Communication within U3A Benalla is very important. My thanks to Heather Wallace who has been Newsletter Editor for several years, and also to Bev Lee who has maintained our website since 2015. Both ladies have done a marvellous job. Knowing the importance of both positions we have encouraged during 2025 Ruth Jelliff to become the Assistant Newsletter Editor, and Dawn Stephens to be an Assistant to the Website manager. Succession planning is important. My thanks to Bev who has also played an important role in supporting those U3A members who required Power Point or other presentations for Community Projects.

Our footprint within this building is continuing to grow. With permission from Bill Billman, the President of the Benalla Senior Citizens we have been using the Auditorium every Monday from February to December for Exercises for Fun (which has 94 members enrolled) and Mahjong (which has 38 members enrolled). The Auditorium is also utilised by Let’s Talk Books on the first Monday afternoon of the month.

But some of our groups in Room 1 are too large for that room. Music Appreciation has had 38 members for some sessions, and 38 people in Room 1 is a Health and Safety concern.

The lack of sound proofing within the building also means that we have to be careful when timetabling our Recorder Group and the Ukulele groups. However, with the Masterplan for the Benalla Seniors and Community Centre being examined at the moment, we hope that some of these problems are resolved hopefully within 12 months by creating a new larger room for U3A Benalla to occupy.  

There are three members of U3A Benalla Inc. who have made a substantial contribution to our organisation over many years. To recognise these members, I would like to present them each with a Certificate of Appreciation.   
 
Firstly: Corrie Witlox who was Treasurer from 2014-2017 and also in 2024 as well as being a committee member from 2010 to 2025.
Secondly: Dorothy Webber who was President from 2017-2021 and a member of the Committee from 2010-1025.
Thirdly: Nicole McFarlane who was Secretary from 2023-2024.

As I am retiring at this AGM from being President I would like to mention some of the achievements of U3A Benalla during the past four years.

• During 2023 and 2024 the Committee produced and approved a number of Policies for U3A Benalla Inc. including a Code of Conduct, Conflict of Interest, Anti-Discrimination, Bullying, Grievance, Health and Safety, Privacy, Risk Management and Sexual Harassment Policies. This was the first time that U3A Benalla Inc. have had their own policies. Previously they have relied on U3A Network Victoria for this guidance, and Network Policies were long and at times difficult to understand.  
• In 2024 we were able to avoid having to make Tax returns by fulfilling the requirements of the Australian Charities and Not for Profit Commission or ACNC. Prior to 2013 U3A Benalla had been classified as a charity but this had lapsed. So, we had to complete the paperwork for 11 years before we were able to regain charity status.
• In 2024 we changed from having a Constitution to the Model Rules which are designed to simplify the way we operate.  
• We have also increased our membership from 356 at the end of 2021 to 470 members at the end of 2025. This is a 32% increase in membership over 4 years.

 
In summary, a sincere thank you to all Convenors, the Committee of U3A Benalla Inc. and all members who have made the past twelve months so successful. 

Margaret Jenkins     

Memberships of U3A Benalla have started off very well for 2026. Currently we have 417 members which is about 20 higher than this time last year, which was a record year.

This is a lot of work for our Membership Secretary, Len Jeffers, and I would like to thank him for all the time he has spent recording memberships. Following an advertisement in last month’s Newsletter I am pleased to be able to tell you that Beth Grant has accepted the position of Assistant Membership Secretary.

Our enrolment of 417 members means that already we have big numbers for some groups. Music Appreciation, run by Bill Squire in Room 1 has 41 enrolled. Bill tells me that the first two weeks saw 38 members coming to the group. Now 38 in Room 1 is very tight and further emphasises our need for a larger room for some of our groups.

We have 94 enrolled for Exercises for Fun and 38 for Mahjong, both of which are in the Auditorium. ​

Groups operating outside the Benalla Seniors and Community Centre are also very popular: Garden Appreciation has 85 members enrolled; Birdwatching has 35 members; Easy Bushwalking has 44 members whilst Wine Appreciation has attracted 65 members.
 
Gwen Turner has asked the Committee to look at establishing a Heat Policy for U3A Benalla. We have made a start to this and hope to have it finalised at our next Committee meeting.
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On 18th February 2026 I attended a meeting at the Benalla Seniors and Community Centre regarding a sound system which the Benalla Social Dance Group wish to install in the Auditorium. There were members of the Benalla Senior Citizens, The Benalla Bridge Club as well as members of the Benalla Social Dance Group and U3A Benalla there.

Through the Benalla Senior Citizens, the Social Dance Group are going to apply for a Grant from Benalla Rural City Council to assist with the purchase of the sound system. We will supply more information as it comes to hand.

This year the Singing for Fun Group are celebrating 20 years since Joyce Borschmann established the group. This quite a milestone and will be celebrated on Thursday 5th March at the Hub at Cooinda at 10am. Members who have been involved with the group in previous years are invited to attend the morning which will take the form of songs chosen by Joyce and Gwen Barnes, who has been playing the piano for the group also for 20 years. There will also be a special morning tea with current members asked to bring a small plate of food for sharing.

U3A Benalla Inc. are celebrating 30 years since we were established in 1996 at Meet and Mingle on Wednesday 15th April 2026 at 10am in Room 1 of the Benalla Seniors and Community Centre. Thank you to Carmyl Winkler who has compiled a 30-year history of our group, and to Bev Lee for supplying the photographs. Your committee is producing a small booklet including the history and 6 photographs which will be available at the April Meet and Mingle for those interested.  Thank you to Carmyl who has agreed to present the history at Meet and Mingle.

The AGM of U3A Benalla Inc. will be held at the March Meet and Mingle in the Auditorium of the Benalla Seniors and Community Centre on Wednesday 18th March 2026 at 10am. Peter Keane, the CEO of Benalla Rural City Council will be the guest speaker. There will also be the election of office bearers and Committee for the 2026-2027 year.

 It is important that we have new people on the Committee every year so that we get new ideas to work with. If you would like to come onto the Committee, please fill in a Nomination Form, which was part of our February Newsletter, and send it to our secretary, Malcolm Sanders at [email protected]  or telephone him on 0408 194 469 before 11th March 2026.  You may also drop the envelope at the RedB4 bookshop before 11th March 2026.

If the number of Nominations is greater than one for each of the President, Secretary, Treasurer and Vice President then an election for that position will be held at the AGM.

Margaret Jenkins

Insurance

The Committee of U3A Benalla Inc. have been discussing our insurance cover at the last two Committee meetings.

 Through U3A Network Victoria insurance for U3A Benalla activities is provided by VMIA (Victorian Managed Insurance Authority) which is the Victorian Government insurer and risk adviser. Public liability insurance is also provided by the Benalla Rural City Council for accidents within buildings owned by Benalla Rural City Council.

The VMIA insurance provides liability coverage for U3A Benalla Inc., its employees (none yet) and volunteers in relation to any liability to pay compensation where a third-party becomes injured or their property is damaged as a result of negligence. The Personal Accident policy provides cover for volunteers and Committee members and other eligible people, while performing their duty, for accidental bodily injury that results in loss of life, permanent or temporary disablement.
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However, it does not provide cover for participants of U3A activities. Members recourse should be through Medicare or Private Health cover. Ambulance cover for members is highly recommended. 

​Margaret Jenkins

​What a wonderful day we had at Enrolment Day this year. So many members and also many new faces coming through the door to find out about their courses for 2026. A huge thank you to all the Convenors for their time that day letting people know what they were offering in their course. The Committee felt that Elspeth Maconachie’s idea of some Convenors being in Rooms 1 and 2 as well as in the Auditorium helped give everyone a bit more space.

​Another thirty people came in the following Wednesday morning when the U3A Office was open for enrolments. Thank you to Gwen Mildren and Len Jeffers who spoke to those who came in about their courses. 

The U3A Office will be open each Wednesday morning from 10am to noon until the end of February.

​There is a Convenor’s Morning Tea organised for Tuesday 3th March 2026 in Room 1 at 10am. We hope that all our Convenors will be able to attend, especially our new Convenors for 2026. The aim of the morning is to find out first-hand what is working for Convenors, what is not working so well and also what they would like assistance with. We hope to see all Convenors at the Morning Tea.

Unfortunately, Nicole McFarlane, our Secretary of U3A Benalla has resigned due to ill health. Nicole has been a great team member for the past two years as well as doing an excellent job with the Agenda and Minutes each month. We sincerely wish Nicole all the best for the future.

At the January Committee meeting Malcolm Sanders was appointed as Secretary until the AGM in March 2026. Malcolm was already a committee member. So, thank you for stepping up, Malcolm.

Our Annual General Meeting is scheduled for Wednesday 18th March 2026 in the Auditorium of the Benalla Seniors and Community Centre. Peter Keane, CEO of Benalla Rural City Council will be our guest speaker. According to the Model Rules which we adopted in 2024 we need 10% of our membership to be at the AGM. So please come along that morning.

All Executive and Committee positions in U3A Benalla Inc. will be declared open at the AGM. A Nomination Form is available with the February Newsletter and all positions are open to all members of U3A Benalla. It is important that we have new people on the Committee every year so that we get new ideas to work with. If you would like to come onto the Committee, please fill in a Nomination Form and send it to our secretary, Malcolm Sanders at [email protected] before 11th March 2026.  

There are two important celebrations in the next few months. Firstly, the Singing for Fun group, which was established by Joyce Borschmann, will be celebrating 20 years since Joyce established the group on Thursday 5th March 2026 at the Hub at Cooinda. All current singers, and also those who have belonged to the group in past years, are invited to come to the morning. There will be songs chosen by Joyce and Gwen Barnes, who has also been with the group since its inception. There will be a few speeches, and a morning tea. Please come and enjoy the festivities.

This year we are also celebrating the 30 years that U3A Benalla Inc. has been in existence. There was a small ten-year brochure produced in 2006 celebrating the first ten years, and telling the story of how U3A Benalla commenced. Carmyl Winkler has kindly compiled a thirty-year history which we are in the process of getting published. Carmyl has agreed to speak regarding her history of U3A Benalla at the April Meet and Mingle which will be held on Wednesday 15th April in the Benalla Seniors and Community Centre. All welcome.
​ 
Margaret Jenkins  .

​Congratulations to everyone who participated in the U3A Concert on Wednesday 19th November 2025. We had great performances by the Recorder group, the Ukulele players and the Singing for Fun group, plus exceptional displays by the Patchwork and Craft group and the Taste of Art group.

For further details please refer to Doug Smith’s Meet and Mingle report in this Newsletter.

2025 is drawing to a close and what a great year U3A Benalla have had! Our Membership reached a record 470 members, 50 more than in 2024. And we had consistently over 43 courses available for our members throughout 2025. Thank you to all our Convenors for the great programs you have presented in 2025.

A special thank you to Athol Graham who started and has been Convenor of Train Buffs during 2025. During this year Athol has arranged a variety of special speakers and outside trips related to trains for his group. Thank you, Athol for all the work you have put into establishing Train Buffs. Athol is retiring due to ill health. In 2026 Train Buffs will be convened by Joy Poole and Anne Nelson.

The Committee of U3A Benalla are pleased that the vast majority of the courses available in 2025 are continuing in 2026. Also, in 2026 we will be offering six new courses, Critical Thinking with Linda Tullberg, Digital Upskilling and Lifelong Learners with Bev Lee, Ruth Jelliff & Dawn Stephens, Learning and playing Traditional Celtic Tunes with Tim Shirley, Pickleball with Jan Kennedy, Poetry Appreciation with Mary Lou Keogh and Social Golf with James Davey.

Thank you to our new Convenors for offering topics they are passionate about.

The only course we haven’t achieved in restarting is Cooking Solo. We are still looking for a Convenor or joint Convenors. If you are interested, please contact Anne Nelson on 0438 447 379.

Our Enrolment Morning for 2026 is on Wednesday 14th January from 9.30am to 12 mid-day in the Auditorium of the Benalla Seniors and Community Centre. The Committee hope that all Convenors are available and will come and inform our members about the courses that they are running in 2026. Tables will be set up in the Auditorium with a sign for each Convenor indicating the particular course(s) they are running.

For those members who are unable to attend on Enrolment Morning In 2026 the U3A Office will be open to receive enrolments and to give information regarding the courses available each Wednesday morning from 21st January to 25th February from 10am to 12 noon.

By the time this Newsletter is delivered to you our End of Year Lunch will have been held.

There are also many individual groups who are holding end of year celebrations that I have heard about.
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With best wishes for Christmas and the New Year.

Margaret Jenkins

​What a wonderful Get Online Week Event we had on Wednesday 22nd October with our BBQ and Ask a Question. It was the first year that we needed to enjoy the BBQ indoors due to rain and strong winds. However, there were over 55 members and visitors there to listen to the great music provided by the U3A Ukulele group as they enjoyed their lunch.

Thanks to the Lions members for cooking the BBQ and also to Ruth Jelliff and Robyn Lukey for providing the introduction to Be Connected afterwards and answering all the digital questions that their audience asked.

We have had some great news from our Patchwork and Craft group. Dorothy Webber has been asked by Brenda Wellman, Curator of the Benalla Art Gallery to be part of the first exhibition in the shop at 75 Bridge Street from 14th November 2025 to 27th January 2026 and to display some of the great quilts the group have made during 2025. Suitable quilts have been chosen and will be hung on 9 metres of wall space. It is an honour to be chosen as the first Exhibition in this temporary space while the Benalla Art Gallery is undergoing renovations.

Congratulations to the Ukulele group who played with other ukulele groups in Federation Square in Melbourne on the first Sunday in October as part of the Victorian Seniors Festival. I heard that our U3A Ukulele group got a special mention from the MC due to their attractive shirts and looking so happy while playing their ukuleles. Well done Heather and the Group. The Ukulele group also entertained at the World Flavours Morning Tea in the Benalla Town Hall on 22nd October, as well as at our BBQ later that day.  It is great to see them out in the community providing such wonderful entertainment and enjoying themselves.

The U3A Benalla Program Committee have been meeting regularly and are making progress with the 2026 program. We are fortunate that Photography appears to be the only course taking a break in 2026. The U3A Benalla Committee would like to thank Rene Martens for his inspiring three years as Convenor of Photography, and sincerely hope that the group is back after a break.

There are several new courses being developed for 2026. These include Pickleball which will start at 10am on Monday 3rd November 2025 at the Indoor Recreation Centre in Akerley Avenue Benalla. We have 10 interested members at the moment and are hoping that more members will come and try it. Cost per week is $5 which will cover the hire of the court. Please contact Jan Kennedy on 0421 679 115 or Anne Nelson for further information. Other new courses which look like being in the Timetable in 2026 include Digital Upskilling and Lifelong Learners with Bev Lee, Benalla Heights Murders with Peter Thompson, Come and Try Croquet with Debbie Hazell and Critical Thinking with Linda Tulberg. There are also another three other courses being investigated at the moment. Course descriptions will be available in the next Newsletter.

With the installation of the new stove at the Benalla Seniors and Community Centre and a request from Age Friendly Benalla for a repeat of Cooking Solo, we had been hoping to run Cooking Solo in 2026. However, to run this course we need a Convenor. The members who ran the course in 2024 are not available due to many other commitments. So, if you think you and a friend could run Cooking Solo, please contact Anne Nelson on 0438 447 379.

We have two Digital Upskilling sessions with Melissa from the Click group this year. The first is on Wednesday 28th October and is related to Getting More from Your Photos. The second session is on 2nd December and is about using Artificial Intelligence 2.0: Using A1 for Planning Courses and other activities. There is a sheet outside Room 1 where you can add your name for these activities.

The U3A concert will be held at the November Meet and Mingle on Wednesday 19th November at 10am in the Auditorium of the Benalla Seniors and Community Centre. We will have the Recorder Group, the Ukulele Group and the Singing for Fun group entertaining you. There will also be a display by the Patchwork and Craft group. This year there will also be an art display in Room 2 by members of the Taste of Art group. A really special morning. So please bring your friends along to enjoy the morning.

Our end of year lunch will be held on Friday 28th November at 12.30pm at the Benalla Golf Club. For catering purposes can you let Helen Jeffree on 0490 092 267 know if you would like to come. You can choose and pay for your meal on the day. However, we need numbers so we can be seated in one area.  So far, we have 37 members and/or partners coming. Hope to see you there too.
​
Margaret Jenkins 

We have been asked to repeat the Cooking Solo course in 2025. However, we are looking for a new Convenor or Joint Convenors. If you are interested, please contact Anne Nelson on 0438 447 379. 

U3A Benalla are certainly utilising the Benalla Seniors and Community Centre. On Monday 1st September I found four U3A groups meeting within the centre at 2pm. Australian Shares were in Room 1, the Ukulele players were having practice in Room 2, Let’s Talk Books were meeting around the tables outside the kitchen whilst the Mahjong group were having a longer game in the Auditorium. Well done everyone.

Congratulations to the Ukulele group on coming third out of 12 groups at a competition at Whittlesea in September. We heard that the first two places were taken by groups who had professional ukulele players leading them. So well done Heather Wallace and the 25 ukulele players from U3A Benalla.

The U3A Committee have been working toward starting Pickleball as a U3A activity. To this end, Anne Nelson our Course Co-ordinator is arranging a “Come and Try” morning at the Indoor Recreation Centre in Ackerly Avenue Benalla. We would like to acknowledge the assistance of the Indoor Rec Centre and Bryan Wilson, a Pickleball coach from Wangaratta, in making this morning possible. The date for the “Come and Try” will be available on the Website as soon as we know it.

The U3A Program Committee are working toward our 2026 Program at the moment. U3A Benalla would like to sincerely thank all our Convenors who in 2025 have provided us with such a varied program. We hope that the majority of our popular groups will continue in 2026. If anyone has ideas for a new program for 2026, please contact Anne Nelson on 0438 447 379.

October is Come and Try month for U3A Benalla. If you would like to try a different activity, please contact the Convenor of that activity and come along to it during October. This offer is also open to non U3 members who may have heard of an interesting activity and want to try it before joining U3A Benalla in 2026.

As part of Seniors Month, we have been asked to showcase several U3A activities, commencing with Easy Bushwalking with Bev Thornell (Wednesday 1 October 9.15am), then Patchwork and Craft with Dorothy Webber (Thursday 2 October 1 – 4pm), Ukes4Fun with Heather Wallace (Monday 6 October 11.30 – 1.30), Birdwatching with Kathy Costello (Thursday 9 October 9am) Wine Appreciation with Gary and Carolyn Smith (Friday 17 October), and Car Torque with Doug Smith (Thursday 23 October 2pm). 

On Wednesday 22nd October U3A Benalla are holding a free Get On Line Week BBQ and Ask a Question at 12 noon at the Benalla Seniors and Community Centre. All U3A members are welcome. Also please bring your friends who could benefit from our digital instruction classes. For catering purposes please let Helen Jeffree on 0490 092 267 know that you are coming.

Our end of year Concert is on Wednesday 19th November at 10am in the Auditorium of the Benalla Seniors and Community Centre. The Ukulele players, the Recorder group and the Singing for Fun group will entertain you. Also, there will be a display of items made during the year by the Patchwork and Craft group.

Our End of Year Lunch which will be held on Friday 28th November at 12.30pm at the Benalla Golf Club. This is always a popular function to celebrate the end of the year. For catering purposes please let Helen Jeffree on 0490 092 267 know if you are coming.


Margaret Jenkins   

The Apple Refresher course is half way through and has been helping those who have been attended. The Committee would like to thank Jenny Sawyer for running this course. The final two sessions are on Friday 5th and Friday 12th September at 1.30pm in Room 1.

U3A Benalla have been awarded a Get Online Week Grant to run a BBQ and Ask a Question on Wednesday 22nd October at 12 noon. The Lions club will be cooking the BBQ and we hope to have tables set up on the veranda as in previous years. Please bring along your friends who may need help with their phones, tablets or iPads, and also bring along the topics that you would like help with. To encourage questions, there will be small prizes for those who ask a question. Our tech gurus Ruth Jelliff, Robyn Lukey and Jenny Sawyer will be attending.

During the last month we have had some shelving installed in the U3A Office. This has allowed us to get everything off the floor and onto the shelves. Thank you to Les MacLean and the Benalla Woodworkers for a great job, and to Benalla Rural City Council for the Quick Response Grant which enabled us to have the shelving made. Thank you also to Doug Smith for the article in the Ensign shortly after the shelving was installed.

Unfortunately, at the end of July over one weekend we had another two break ins to the Benalla Seniors and Community Centre. Doors were opened on both occasions, but nothing was taken. U3A Benalla are continuing discussions with Benalla Rural City Council regarding changing the external locks to this building.

On Tuesday 26th August Peter Keane, CEO of Benalla Rural City Council came to the Benalla Seniors and Community Centre to see the building and to meet with Doug Smith and myself regarding the Masterplan for the BS&CC building. Peter also met briefly with the Politics Group, our Website Team Bev Lee and Dawn Stephens and also members of the Benalla Senior Citizens.

At our August U3A Committee Meeting we received the resignation of Corrie Witlox from the U3A Committee. Corrie has been a member of the U3A Committee since 2011 and was Treasurer for several years in the period 2014 to 2018 and again in 2024. In recognition of her work the Committee voted to present Corrie with a Certificate of Appreciation at the next AGM.

Under the Model Rules which were adopted in 2023, the Committee agreed to fill the casual vacancy created by Corrie’s resignation. Jane Rushworth will fill the vacancy on the U3A Committee until the next AGM in March 2026.  

A date for your diary. On Wednesday 15th October at Meet and Mingle we are having a talk by Samuel Thorpe from Latrobe Community Health Service on the new Age Care System which is coming into law on lst November 2025. This talk is a follow on from “Staying at Home for Longer” which was presented in 2024 by the same organisation. We are opening this up to the Benalla community as it is a topic which our age group needs to know about and understand. So please bring your friends along, even though they may not be U3A members. We have arranged for this meeting to be held in the Auditorium so that we can accommodate everyone.

We have also booked the Auditorium for Wednesday 19th November for our U3A Concert and Patchwork and Craft display. We will have the Singing for Fun group, the Recorder Group and the Ukulele Group entertaining us as well as the Patch workers and Craft members displaying their talents. Please put this in your diary as it should be a great morning of entertainment for everyone.
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Margaret Jenkins  

Over the last two months we have had four successful sessions of our Digital Upskilling course conducted by Melissa Antony. These sessions included information about being safe online, downloading and uploading, AI, the use of Chat GPT and using social media.

Following on from this I was asked for a basic Apple course to complement the Android course currently being run by Ruth Jelliff. Jenny Sawyer has agreed to run 4 Apple sessions on Friday August 1 and 8 and September 5 and 12 in Room 1 from 1.30pm to 2.30pm with an extra half hour for troubleshooting individual problems. The course will cover Wi-Fi v Mobile data, settings, using the Calendar, Notes, Messages and Emails and Money (bills and buying online). There is a sheet on the table outside Room 1 for enrolling yourself or you may contact the Course Coordinator Anne Nelson on 0438 447 379.

U3A Benalla have applied to be part of Get Online Week and will be running a free BBQ and Ask a Digital Question on Wednesday 22nd October at 12 noon. Please bring any friends who you know would benefit from our Digital instruction classes so that we can introduce them to Ruth Jelliff, Robyn Lukey and Jenny Sawyer. Could you please let Helen Jeffree on 0490 092 267 know if you wish to attend. We are pleased that the Ukulele group will be providing entertainment during the BBQ.

The value of our U3A Benalla groups to the community has been noted by Age Friendly Benalla. This has led us to be invited to open five of our regular groups to members of the Benalla Community who are not U3A members at the moment during Senior’s Month in October 2025.

The groups which will participate in this are Easy Bush Walks on Wednesday 1st October at 8.45am, Patchwork and Craft on Thursday 2nd October at 1pm, Ukes for Fun on Monday 6th October at 11.30am, Car Torque on Thursday 23rd October at 2pm and Birdwatching at 9.30am on Friday 24th October. Thank you to the Convenors of these groups for showcasing your group to the wider Benalla community.

On 27th June Doug Smith and I met with the new CEO of Benalla Rural City Council Peter Keane and discussed the possibility of U3A Benalla getting more floor space at the Benalla Seniors and Community Centre. The meeting went well, with Peter Keane saying that he was “on board” with our need for a larger meeting room.

Margaret Jenkins 

During June there have been two break-ins at the Benalla Seniors and Community Centre. On Monday 2nd June Helen Jeffree found the side door and the U3A Office door unlocked when she arrived to conduct Exercises for Fun.

Resulting from that break-in U3A Benalla lost the replacement laptop which we had just acquired after the first break in on 29th March. We also lost an HDMI cord, 10 iPads/Samsung tablets and a cash box. Some of these iPads had been purchased in 2015 and 2018 but were still in working condition and had been lent out to members participating in our digital Instruction classes.

On 12th June Ruth Jelliff found the side door open when she arrived to set up for Be Connected. This time all the internal doors were open, and a filing cabinet which belonged to the Senior Citizens was on its side outside our Room 1. The Senior Citizens also lost their desktop computer, and had another filing cabinet damaged so they could not open it.
U3A Benalla lost a speaker which was most unfortunate. The Benalla Police were called on both occasions, and on 12 June termed it a burglary so the Shepparton Police were called to assist with fingerprinting.

We have communicated with Benalla Rural City Council who own this building, and have asked them to upgrade security at the building. As an interim measure the Council have organised twice nightly security visits by Robinsons. In the short term there is an alarm system which will be triggered if a light is not turned on within 60 seconds when someone enters the Benalla Seniors and Community Centre. There is also a 'trail cam' which is being installed in the Auditorium. This will only be looked at for information if there is another break in. 

The external lock on the side door which U3A use was changed on 27 June 2025 so that only Convenors with a key can enter. The door will then automatically close shut.

Therefore, we are asking Convenors to switch the front door to AUTO when they come in so that all U3A members can enter by the front door. When Convenors are finishing up from their session, could you please switch the front door to LOCK, and exit by either pressing the green button at the front door or by the side door.  

There have been three positive things which have happened during June. The first was that I have received a letter from the Mayor of Benalla informing U3A Benalla that $7,000 will be allocated in the Council Budget 2025-26 for a Masterplan of the Benalla Seniors and Community Centre. When the Budget was passed on 25 June 2025 this figure was upgraded to $10,000 for the Masterplan. This is hopefully the first positive step towards getting more accommodation for U3A Benalla and other community groups at the Benalla Seniors and Community Centre.

The second positive thing to happen in June was that U3A Benalla have been awarded a Quick Response Grant of $500 by Benalla Rural City Council to assist with shelving which we are getting the Benalla Woodworkers to install in our office.

​The third positive thing is that the commercial stove has been installed in the kitchen. U3A Benalla obtained a community grant from the Winton Solar Farm for $3,000 to pay for the stove.

The Council have paid for the range hood and the installation of the stove and the range hood.

There will also be a stainless-steel splashback for the stove, and a shelf adjacent to the stove for putting hot dishes on. These will be installed shortly.

​The need for an improved stove in the building became evident to the U3A program committee when planning for the 'Cooking Solo' course in 2024. The stove installation will also assist in making the kitchen a ‘commercial kitchen’.

Communication within U3A Benalla is vital. Therefore, we have looked for an assistant to help Heather Wallace with our Newsletter. I am pleased to announce that Ruth Jelliff has offered to assist Heather with the Newsletter, starting this month. 

In a similar way I am happy to announce that Dawn Stephens has offered to assist Bev Lee with the Website. Bev is providing U3A Benalla with a great website and has done so for 11 years. However, keeping the Website up to date is a huge job, and I would like to thank Dawn for offering to assist Bev.
​
Lastly, a message from our Treasurer, Gwen Mildren. From 20th June 2025 U3A Benalla are no longer able to receive cheques according to the updated banking regulations.  
 
Margaret Jenkins

​U3A Benalla continue to attract new members. Recently I heard the story of someone from Wodonga who came to Tech Talks and enjoyed it so much he has joined U3A Benalla. Our numbers have now reached 452 which is quite amazing.

U3A Benalla is built around the Convenors who run our programs, and the health of our Convenors is always our first consideration. We thank Margaret Zaal for her Colour Mixing and Watercolour Technique- Botanical and Carole Ruta for French at the Table, both new courses this year. Unfortunately, both Convenors are unwell and unable to continue in 2025.  Margaret is pictured this week at the final class with her Wednesday morning group.

We are also very sorry to hear that Alejandro Diaz is taking a break from running Spanish for U3A Benalla from July. Alejandro has a young family and is finding that working full time Monday to Friday and running Spanish on a Saturday afternoon is impacting on family life. We wish Alejandro well and hope that he may wish to continue his Spanish class after a break.

U3A Benalla have had the offer from Melissa Antony at Startup Shakeup and Click Region of a free Digital Upskilling Short Course program for up to 30 U3A Benalla members. This program will consist of four sessions. Registration for this short course is at 12.30pm on Friday 30th May followed by the first session at 1.15pm to 2.45pm that day. The other three sessions will be on Friday 13th June, Friday 27th June and Friday 11th July all at 1.30pm to 3.30pm. The topics discussed will include online security, using and storing photographs and artificial intelligence. There are five places left. Please contact Anne Nelson on 0438 447 379 or myself on 0424 454 313 if you wish to attend.

We have had a new desk installed in our U3A office. The desk is 2 meters long and able to have two people working at it, which is important to produce our Newsletter and for other times as well. We had the desk constructed by the Benalla Woodworkers group and thank Les MacLean and his group for an excellent job using recycled timber.

During the month Patsy Bollard and Lorraine Knox passed away. Both had been members of U3A Benalla for many years, participated in several U3A Benalla groups and were great friends with many of our members. A Vale to Patsy and Lorraine is at the end of this Newsletter. 

Semester 2 is fast approaching and at this stage we are not introducing any new courses. However, we have had suggestions of Walking Football ‘and/or’ Pickleball which would probably be played at the Indoor Rec Centre. We are interested to know how many of our members would consider joining Walking Football or Pickleball. Please contact Anne Nelson on 0438 447 379 if you would like to know more about Walking Football or Pickleball. 


Margaret Jenkins

​On Wednesday 2nd April U3A Benalla delivered a presentation to Benalla Rural City Councillors at an Assembly of Council meeting. The presentation went well. U3A Benalla were requesting more floor space at the Benalla Seniors and Community Centre. We had lots of questions from Councillors afterwards including one from the mayor asking if we had considered fund-raising toward the extension.

This question was discussed at the U3A Benalla Committee meeting on Thursday 10th April and subsequently the Committee has written to the Councillors offering $30,000 as a one-off contribution for an extension which will give U3A an extra room which will accommodate 45 people. This money has been accumulated over a period of 10 years by careful management of U3A finances. The Committee indicated to Councillors that the money is not for the planning period, but will be available during the construction phase of the extra room.

The day after our presentation to Council, three Councillors came to see the Patchwork and Craft group at work in Room 1. Dorothy Webber, who is the Convenor of Patchwork and Craft, had about 30 ladies busily sewing. Dorothy pointed out to the Mayor Bernie Hearn, Cr David Blore and Cr Justin King the new patchwork wall hanging which had been made by Corrie Witlox and hung in Room 1 during the last month. The reason for the Councillors visit was to point out to them how crowded this room can be, and how we need a larger room.

On Tuesday 25th March I attended the North East Regional U3A meeting which was held by Zoom. An interesting fact which came out of the meeting was that U3A Goulburn Valley, which is really Shepparton has 360 members, Albury/Wodonga has 400 members and U3A Benalla had 430 members. Shepparton’s population is roughly 70,000 whilst Albury/Wodonga is about 90,000 and Benalla’s population is about 14,000. So as a U3A we have proportionally attracted a bigger proportion of our population. Perhaps it is the 48 varied courses which we currently offer. You will be pleased to know that our membership has now reached 449.

Not everything has been good during the month. On Saturday 29th March we found that our laptop and the bag that housed associated equipment used in Room 1 was missing. At the same time as this was discovered, the TV was found to be on very loudly and the door to Room 1 open. On the following Monday we notified the Benalla Police. The laptop bag and contents has not been found.

My thanks to Bev Lee and Graeme Greed who have worked to keep groups functioning without the laptop, and to Graeme for sourcing a replacement remote for the overhead projector and HDMI cord so quickly.

On a more positive note, on Monday 7th April, I was invited by Horst Gunther to speak about U3A Benalla at the Probus meeting in Violet town. This talk took place at the Community Centre in Violet Town, which was a series of rooms adaptable for many different activities. The talk went well, and I certainly enjoyed meeting all the Probus members.

Margaret Jenkins  

​It is with pleasure that I present the Annual Report of U3A Benalla for the year ending 31st December 2024.

At the end of 2024 we had 420 members, a 5% increase on the figure at the end of 2023. In 2024 we introduced two new groups, Cooking Solo and Chess, both of which were successful.

Two significant events happened for U3A Benalla in 2024. At the AGM we adopted the Model Rules for U3A Benalla. These replaced the Constitution which had been in place since 2011.

In 2024 we also fulfilled the requirements of the Australian Charities and Not-for-profits Commission or ACNC and became a registered charity. This meant that we do not have to fill in an Annual Return for the Australian Tax Office. When we went to register as a charity, we discovered that U3A Benalla had been a registered charity in about 2008, but unfortunately the paperwork had lapsed and to restore the charity status we had to fill in the paperwork for each year from 2010 to 2023. This was a substantial job and took several hours to complete.

I would like to sincerely thank all Convenors of Groups at U3A Benalla for the past year. Convenors are the backbone of our organisation, and we all know that without a convenor there would be no group. All our Convenors are volunteers who have a great knowledge about their subject, and are willing to impart that knowledge to the people attending their group. Often there is considerable planning before a group happens, and this takes time and effort. So, thank you to our Convenors. U3A Benalla are fortunate to have so many and varied groups, and this comes back to what the Convenors are able to offer.

I would like to thank all members of the Committee for their assistance throughout the past year. As our organisation has grown the amount of work has increased, and each person on the Committee has always been available to help with whatever job needed doing. I would particularly like to acknowledge the people who are retiring from the Committee at this AGM.

Dorothy Webber has been on the Committee since 2010 and was President from 2017 to 2021. Dorothy has been a great support to me as the immediate Past President, and this year has taken over the role of welfare officer sending cards to those members who are ill or have lost loved ones as well as looking after the kitchen requirements for our morning and afternoon teas. Thank you, Dorothy, for all your hard work.

Geraldine McCorkell is also retiring from the Committee having joined the Committee in 2009. Geraldine was President of U3A Benalla from 2012-2013 and was then Secretary from 2017 to 2023. Geraldine has looked after the photocopier machine, and has been responsible for sending out all the printed Newsletters for many years, as well as numerous other jobs. Thank you, Geraldine for all your work for U3A Benalla.

David Palmer was our Publicity Officer for three years until ill health meant that he could no longer participate in that role. David worked as a journalist during his working life. Hence the role of Publicity Officer really suited him. Thank you, David for the articles that you submitted to the Benalla Ensign.

During 2024 Julie McNeill resigned from the Committee due to ill health. Julie took on the task of writing job descriptions for all Office Bearers and other positions such as Publicity, Membership Secretary, Newsletter Editor and Website Manager, and these provide an ongoing framework to use when talking to new prospective office bearers about what the position entails.

Communication within U3A Benalla is extremely important. My thanks to Heather Wallace for her continued role as Newsletter Editor. Our monthly Newsletter is very popular with members as it contains reports from each group, and also some great photos.

My thanks, also, to Bev Lee who has been a very successful Webmaster of our wonderful website which is so much better than many websites of other U3As in Victoria.  Also, Bev has played an important role in supporting those members who required Power Point or other presentations for Community Projects.

Moving onto the beginning of 2025. This year U3A Benalla have introduced eight new courses including American History, Car Torque, Colour Mixing and Watercolour Technique – Botanical, Come and Learn Croquet, Exploring Collaborative Writing of Children’s Books, French at the Table, Mahjong and Train Buffs. We have also re-introduced Collectors to our program.

This morning, I have been informed by Len Jeffers our Membership Secretary that we have reached 430 members. This is a record number of members for U3A Benalla and is the third year that we have recorded over 400 members.

Accommodation is tight. We have one session a month where Room 1 is vacant. Otherwise, it is booked solid Monday to Saturday for two sessions each day, and three sessions several Tuesdays when German fits in at lunch time. Room 2 is useful for small groups up to 8 people or for one-on-one sessions such as Tech Advice or Family Research -Getting Started. This year with the co-operation of the Benalla Senior Citizens we are using the Auditorium for Exercises for Fun each Monday morning – this group has 80 enrolled for it, Mahjong each Monday which follows Exercises, Let’s Talk Books on the first Monday of the Month and Colour Mixing and Watercolour Technique – Botanical twice a month on Wednesday mornings. On 2nd April 2025 U3A Benalla are doing a presentation to the Councillors and our accommodation problem will be part of that presentation.  

In summary, thank you to our Convenors, the Committee and all the members who have made the past twelve months so successful. I would like to move that my report be received.  


Margaret Jenkins 
March 19, 2025

2025 has begun well for U3A Benalla. Congratulations to Deidre Clarke for being the 400th member enrolled for 2025. Among these 400 members we have 66 members who have enrolled for the first time with U3A Benalla. So, we really are a growing organisation.
 
Due to excellent enrolment of members, we now have Wait Lists for three courses: Mahjong, Colour Mixing and Watercolour Technique – Botanical and Family Research- Getting Started. In each case there is a limit to how many members each Convenor can comfortably impart knowledge to, and it is better for those in the group to come to understand fully what the course is about, than to only get partial knowledge about the course.
 
U3A Benalla are pleased to offer their members a meeting with Inland Rail on Tuesday 4th March at 10am in Room 1. Inland Rail are planning on commencing the Benalla Station Redevelopment in mid-2025, and wish to share their recent designs of the redevelopment with the Benalla community. The presentation team which are coming to U3A will include a member from John Holland, the contractor. The community is being invited to have their input on seating, landscaping, lift shaft decoration design and the position of the signal box. Please come along and ask any questions you may have about the redevelopment.
 
Our AGM will be held on Wednesday 19th March 2025 in the Auditorium of the Benalla Seniors Community Centre. Guest speaker will be Bill Sykes who is going to talk about Agriculture in Northern India. There will also be election of U3A Office Bearers and the U3A Committee for the 2025-2026 year. Members may nominate for any of these positions and a nomination form is included at the end of this Newsletter.
 
We are pleased to report that the lost box of archive material has been found. 
 
U3A Benalla are doing a presentation to Benalla Rural City Council Councillors on Wednesday 2nd April 2025. Accommodation at the Benalla Seniors Community Centre if extremely tight this year. U3A hope to inform all Councillors about U3A, and see if the space at the Seniors Centre can be better utilised.
 
On Thursday 20th February I was the guest speaker at the Rose City Probus group who meet at the Benalla Bowls Club. The topic they suggested was “my life experiences” which naturally included a good segment on U3A Benalla. My thanks to Bev Lee for her assistance with the slides for this presentation.  
 
Finally, U3A Benalla have been thinking about succession planning for our growing organisation. We are looking for someone to be a “back-up” for our Newsletter Editor, Heather Wallace, and also a “back-up” for our Website Manager Bev Lee. If you are interested in knowing what either backup position would entail, please contact Heather on 0418 353 244 or Bev on 0478 607 838.
 
Margaret Jenkins 

What a fantastic morning U3A Benalla had at Enrolment Day on Wednesday 15th January 2025. Thank you to all the Convenors who came and talked with members and new people wanting to join U3A about their courses. The information that you shared no doubt helped members decide if that course was for them.

After Enrolment Day on January 15, 2025, U3A Benalla had 322 members, this being 44 more members than after Enrolment Day in 2024.  

Some courses have already begun. When I was at a meeting last Monday the new Ukulele members were having their introduction to the ukulele in Room 1, whilst on Thursday Community Singing commenced for the year at the Hub at Cooinda.

A big thank you to Len Jeffers for the time and effort he has put into the enrolment process. Len enters each member individually into the system and then constructs class rolls and other information for each Convenor.  This takes many hours, and we do appreciate what you do for U3A Benalla Len.

Each member has a name badge. We encourage members to wear these name badges, particularly at the beginning of each year, so new members can become familiar with the names of everyone in their group.

The U3A Committee would like to invite all Convenors to a Convenor’s afternoon on Friday 14th March 2025 at 2.30pm in Room 1 at the Benalla Seniors Community Centre. This will be an opportunity for Convenors to ask any questions or discuss any aspect of running their course with the Committee and other Convenors.  Afternoon tea will be provided.

U3A Benalla is very fortunate to be having a visit from Helen Haines, Member for Indi on Tuesday 11th March 2025 from 10am to 11am. Helen will be speaking with members of the U3A Benalla Committee regarding accommodation and then will be joining the U3A Politics and Current Affairs group to speak with them about Federal politics. Any member of U3A is welcome to participate in the Politics meeting with Helen.

A preliminary reminder for your diaries is that the AGM of U3A Benalla will be held on Wednesday 19th March 2025 at 10am in the Auditorium of the Benalla Seniors Community Centre. Guest speaker will be Bill Sykes who will speak about Agriculture in Northern India. 

The AGM is the time to consider members for roles on the U3A Benalla Committee.  Due to the retirement of Corrie Witlox, Treasurer of U3A Benalla, there will be a vacancy on the Committee for a new Treasurer as from March 2025. A position description can be obtained by contacting me on 0424 454 313.  Corrie has done an excellent job as Treasurer and is retiring due to having held the position for several years. There will be more information about the AGM and a link to the Nomination Form in the next newsletter.

On a final note, the box of U3A Benalla files containing documentation from between 2006 and 2024 has been lost.  This was originally located in the cupboard opposite the kitchen.  If you have any information about the whereabouts of the box, please contact me on 0424 454 313.  

Wishing all members a happy and enjoyable year of U3A activities.

​
Margaret Jenkins,
President

​What a great concert U3A Benalla had on Wednesday 20th November 2024. Thank you to Janet Douglas and the Recorder players, Heather Wallace and the Ukulele players and the Singing for Fun group for providing such varied entertainment. 

Also, thank you to Dorothy Webber and the Patchwork and Craft group for the fantastic display of their charity quilts and other items. The film about Cooking Solo was also very informative, and it was great to see such enjoyment being had from the cooking course. My thanks to all those ‘behind the scenes’ who helped make the morning such a success. For more information about the concert please read the Meet and Mingle report by Doug Smith.

​U3A Benalla are looking forward now to 2025. Wednesday 15th January 2025 has been booked as our Enrolment Day in the Auditorium of the Benalla Seniors Community Centre from 9.30am to 12 noon. We hope all our Convenors will be in attendance to answer questions about the courses from new members and also people wanting to pursue a different course next year.

Thank you to all of the Convenors of courses which will be available in 2025. Convenors are some of the most important people in U3A Benalla, and we do appreciate the time and effort which goes into organising each group.

The new courses for 2025 are American History with Barbara Rogers; Car Torque with Doug Smith; Colour Mixing and Watercolour Techniques Botanical with Margaret Zaal; Croquet with Judy Amery; Exploring Writing Children’s Books with Peter Thompson; French at the Table with Carole Ruta; Train Buffs with Athol Graham and Mahjong with Kay Blore. Collectors with Dorothy Webber is also going to make a reappearance in 2025.

As we haven’t got a Convenor for Stock and Land, John Lane has offered to incorporate some aspects of Stock and Land into his Sustainability course. We are also looking for a Convenor of Life Ball as Marlene Pitts is retiring from being Convenor after four years. Thank you, Marlene for all the effort you have put into Life Ball.

U3A Benalla have been notified by the Winton Solar Farm Community Grants program that we have been successful with our application for a new commercial stove for the Benalla Seniors Community Centre. This is great news as it allows the possibility in the future of a repeat Cooking Solo course.

My best wishes to you all for a happy and safe Christmas Season. I look forward to seeing you all in 2025.

​
Margaret Jenkins

The Program Committee, which consists of Anne Nelson, Len Jeffers, Dorothy Webber and myself, is busy preparing the 2025 U3A Benalla program. We have been offered five new courses for next year, plus an introductory course ‘Come and Learn Croquet’ and will see Collectors reinstated for 2025.
  
The new courses are Train Buffs with Athol Graham and Anne Nelson, Exploring Writing Children’s Books with Peter Thompson, French at the Table with Carol Ruta, Colour Mixing and Water Colour Techniques– Botanical with botanical artist Margaret Zaal and Car Torque with Doug Smith.

The Committee would like to thank all Convenors for 2024 as individually they have been fantastic. There is quite a deal of preparation before every group meets, and this involves time and effort. So, many thanks to all our Convenors for 2024.

For 2025 we would like to welcome Barbara Rogers as the new Convenor of Armchair History, which in 2025 will focus on American History. Barbara was a secondary school teacher for many years with experience in English and History. We also welcome Gary and Carolyn Smith who will be the new Convenors of Wine Appreciation in 2025 and thank Nicole McFarlane for convening this popular group for the past three years. Julie McNeill, after four years of leading Easy Walks, is handing over to Bev Thornell who has been a member of Easy Walks for several years.

Due to the ill health of David Palmer, we are seeking new convenors for Stock and Land and the Sky’s the Limit. David has led Stock and Land since its inception in 2018 and has provided the group with a huge variety of speakers and activities. Thank you, David for your work as Convenor of both these groups.  Thanks also to David’s co-convenor for Sky’s the Limit in 2024, Andrew McFarlane, who is unable to continue in 2025.

Groups which are taking a rest in 2025 include Chess which has been convened by Doug Smith, Family Research with Barry O’Connor, Family Research Drop In with Bev Lee and Enjoying the Internet with Dawn Stephens. Thank you, Doug, Barry, Bev and Dawn for your contributions in 2024 and previous years as well. 

About 45 members attended the Get Online Week celebration on Wednesday 16th October.  Margaret Jenkins presented an Overview of the Be Connected program which was followed by a BBQ lunch on the veranda of the Benalla Seniors Community Centre.

A full report of this successful event is under Be Connected in this Newsletter. 

U3A Benalla have applied to the Winton Solar Farm Community Grants Program for a commercial stove for the kitchen at the Benalla Seniors Community Centre. The Benalla Senior Citizens group are happy for us to apply for this grant. We also have the approval of the Benalla Rural City Council (BRCC) who have indicated that they will match the grant if we are successful. BRCC will provide a range hood and pay for the installation of the stove and the range hood. The selection criteria are quite stringent, but we have applied and should know the outcome in six weeks.

At our October Committee meeting a question was asked if we should have a small sheet at the back of our name tags listing medications that the person is taking. Most U3A Benalla meetings are for two hours, and rarely would this information be needed. However, we are interested to hear if members think this is a good idea. Please contact a committee member or call me on 5762 6944 if you have strong views on this.  The inclusion of the sheet would be optional for all members.

A reminder that the U3A Concert is on Wednesday 20 November 2024 at 10am in the Auditorium of the Benalla Seniors Community Centre. We are having the Recorder Group; the Ukulele Group and the Singing for Fun group perform for us, as well as a display by the Patchwork and Craft Group and a screening of the short film ‘Cooking Solo’.  You are welcome to bring your friends to what should be a very enjoyable morning.

Our end of year lunch is on Friday 29 November at 12 noon at the Seven Creeks Hotel, Euroa. There will be a choice of three mains and two sweets. This is always a great celebration of our year’s activities, so hope to see you all there. A flyer for registration is included on the final page of this newsletter.

Margaret Jenkins,
President

U3A Benalla have lots of interesting events available between now and the end of 2024. On Friday 1st November at 2pm we will have a presentation by Latrobe Community Health Service titled “How to Live at Home for Longer”. Topics to be covered include My Aged Care, Commonwealth Home Support Program, Home Care Packages: How to Access, Services and Equipment and other subsidised Government programs. The event is free. However, we would like you to contact Helen Jeffree on 0490 092 267 if you would like to come as an Information Package will be available for those than come.

On Wednesday 16 October at Meet and Mingle we will have Kay Blore speaking on Recycling. This will be followed by morning tea. After that we will have an Overview of the Be Connected Program which we have been involved with since 2016. Following the talk about Be Connected there will be a free BBQ lunch underneath the veranda. The Lions Club are cooking for the BBQ and the Ukulele group will be providing music during lunch. We need to know numbers for catering so could you please contact Helen Jeffree on 0490 092 267 if you are coming.

We would like you to bring anyone who would benefit from our Digital Instruction Programs as we will have Ruth Jelliff, Robyn Lukey and Jenny Sawyer attending.

October is Taster Month when members of U3A Benalla can try another course before enrolling for it in 2025. Please contact the Convenor of the group you wish to try before turning up to it. We are also happy for you to bring along a friend who is not a U3A member for them to try what you enjoy.

A reminder about our end of year concert on Wednesday 20 Nobember 2024 at 10am in the Auditorium of the Benalla Seniors Community Centre. We will have the Singing for Fun group, the Recorder Group, and the Ukulele group as well as a display by the Patchwork and Craft Group.  You are welcome to bring your friends to this morning of entertainment.

Our end of year lunch is at the Seven Creeks Hotel in Euroa on Friday 29 November at 12 noon. There will be a choice of 3 mains and 2 desserts for lunch. A bus will leave from the Rose Gardens in Benalla at 11.20am. Cost is $45 pp for lunch or $60 if travelling by bus. Please see the form included in this month’s Newsletter to let us know that you want to come.

The Committee have had some information about a new digital program called Member Wizard which is being initiated and supported by U3A Network in Melbourne. The program is in its trial evaluation stage and further information should be available in 2025.

On 13th August I spoke about U3A Benalla at Lakeside Probus. There were approximately 40 people there, about a quarter of them already U3A members.  The talk was illustrated by about 30 power point slides and provided a colourful story of U3A Benalla. My thanks to Bev Lee for providing the Power Point slides.  

U3A Benalla in 2024 consists of 419 members attending 46 different programs. Have you ever wondered how the programming for the U3A timetable is prepared and maintained throughout the year? Some programs are conducted weekly, others fortnightly or monthly. Attendance rolls for each program are prepared. Convenors are provided with contact information for their groups.

All this information is provided by a program originally written by a member Terry Dillon and then further developed by Len Jeffers. The program is written using Microsoft Access which is part of the Microsoft Office group of programs.

We are looking for U3A members who may be interested in getting to know the program’s database and perhaps becoming more involved with its operation. If you are interested, please contact Len Jeffers or myself.

Margaret Jenkins   

October is Taster Month when members of U3A can try another course to see if they like it, before enrolling for it in 2025. Please contact the Convenor of the group you want to try before turning up. Also, if you have a friend who is not a U3A member, the offer to bring them along to try what you enjoy in October and November applies.

The Committee would like to remind you about the Get Online Week function which will be on Wednesday 16 October. We will have Kay Blore speaking at Meet and Mingle on Recycling at 10am, which will be followed by morning tea. At 11.30 we will have an Overview of the Be Connected program which U3A Benalla have been involved with since 2016.

Following the Overview of the Be Connected program we will have a BBQ lunch outside under the veranda of the Benalla Seniors building.The Ukes4Fun group are going to entertain us during lunch.

​Please bring anyone who would benefit from our Digital Instruction programs so that they can find out about the programs we have on offer. Ruth Jelliff, Jenny Sawyer and Robyn Lukey will all be attending.

We would also like to remind you about our end of year concert at Meet and Mingle on 20 November 2024 at 10am which will be held in the Auditorium of the Benalla Seniors Community Centre. The concert will feature the Singing for Fun group, the Recorder group and the Ukulele group as well as having a display of patchwork by the Patchwork and Craft group.

Our end of year lunch is booked for Friday 29 November at 12 o’clock at Seven Creeks Hotel at Euroa. A bus will leave the Rose Gardens in Benalla at 11 am. Cost of lunch is $45, or $55 if you are travelling by bus. A form to book the end of year lunch will be available in next month’s Newsletter.
​

Margaret Jenkins 

Congratulations to members of the Ukulele Group and the Singing for Fun Group who have been involved in activities at Cooinda during this last month. Members of the Ukulele group played during Cooinda’s Hub monthly dinner on Wednesday 17 July whilst the Singing for Fun group shared their singing on Thursday 18 July with residents of Cooinda. For comments received, both groups were enjoyed and their efforts appreciated by all those present.

July has meant the beginning of Semester 2 for U3A Benalla. The new course which has started in this Semester is Spanish which is being Convened by Alejandro Diaz every Saturday morning from 10am. Alejandro is an accomplished teacher having taught English in South America before coming to Australia.

We have had a couple of successes in the last month. Firstly, at the Finance and Planning meeting of the Benalla Rural City Council on Wednesday 19th June the Councillors passed the Recommendation:

1. That the Council rename the Benalla Senior Citizens Community Centre to Benalla Seniors and Community Centre
2. That Geographic Names Victoria (VICNAMES) be advised of the name change.

This change was suggested by U3A Benalla in August 2023 to the BRCC, and it has worked through the accepted process, and has now been adopted. U3A Benalla feel that it is a more inclusive name for all groups which use the building.

Our second success is that we have been re-registered with the Australian Charities and Not-for-Profits Commission (ACNC) as a charity. When we started on the journey for registering as a charity, the Committee of U3A Benalla did not realise that U3A Benalla had been previously registered as a charity, and unfortunately had not kept up with the annual requirements.

Therefore, when we applied to become a charity, we had to fulfill the requirements which had not been satisfied since the original registration. This meant filling in Annual Information Statements for the years between 2013 and 2023. My thanks to Corrie Witlox and Neville Gibb for supplying financial statements for those years. Obtaining charity status will mean that we will have Commonwealth charity tax concessions reinstated. We are waiting on this final piece of documentation to be forwarded by the ATO.

Congratulations to Carmyl Winkler on being awarded an OAM in the recent King’s Birthday honours. Carmyl joined U3A three years ago when she came to Benalla, and is a valued member of the Singing groups and the Memoir Writing group. Carmyl’s award was for her contribution to both Benalla and Tallangatta communities, Carmyl having lived in Tallangatta for 45 years before coming to Benalla.

The Committee would like to thank Gwen Mildren and Val Whan plus several assistants who ran the Cooking Solo course in Semester 1 this year.  It was the first time that U3A Benalla had embarked on such a practical course, and from comments of participants Cooking Solo seemed to fill a need in the Benalla community, as well as providing social interaction, enjoyment and a hearty meal each time for the 10 participants.

Our second semester commences in July, and we are welcoming our newest group, Spanish which is being Convened by Alejardo Diaz each Saturday morning from 10am to 12 noon. To date we have seven members interested in learning Spanish. If you wish to join this group, please contact Anne Nelson on 0438 447 379

Enjoying the Internet with Dawn Stephens will also start in Semester 2. This popular course will be run on the third Tuesday from 10am to 12 noon in Room 1. Please contact Dawn on 0418 552 932 if you wish to attend Enjoying the Internet.


Margaret Jenkins ​

During the past month U3A Benalla have received information from U3A Network that we should register as a charity to obtain partner benefits that have been obtained through Network deals. For example, being a registered charity allows U3A Network to access copyright for music performance via One Music at no cost to members.

The principal driver behind many charity registrations is obtaining charity tax concessions. These include income tax exemption, GST concessions and rebate on Fringe Benefits tax if applicable.

The term ‘charitable purpose’ is defined to include: advancing health; advancing education; advancing social and public welfare; advancing culture and other similar purposes beneficial to the general public. The activities of U3A Benalla are clearly for the public benefit.

At our last Committee meeting, we accepted the Network recommendation to apply for charity status. Since then, I have filled out a 10-page form and have submitted it to the Australian Charities and Not for Profits Commission. The ACNC has a backlog of organisations requesting to be classified as charities, and we have been advised that it will be 12 weeks before a Law Interpretation Analyst is allocated to our application.

I would like to thank all Convenors who attended the Convenors afternoon on Friday 3rd May. We had 18 Convenors who take 25 groups there, including three who were Convenors for the first time this year. It was an informative afternoon, and worthwhile to hear the positives and a few difficulties as well. Thank you to all who attended and to Geraldine for providing for the home cooked afternoon tea.

​Benalla has experienced an outbreak of COVID in the past month. Concern has been expressed about the 24 Ukulele members playing and singing in Room 1 together. We have advised the Ukulele group to open windows and doors while practising. However, in line with school policies, the Committee is going to investigate an air purifier for this room.

Any person experiencing a runny nose, sore throat, temperature or is generally unwell should not participate in any group until they are well again. The air purifier is not going to eradicate COVID. However, we need to do everything we can to assist groups which are experiencing overcrowding in this room.

In the proposed budget 2024/25 papers of Benalla Rural City Council, U3A Benalla were pleased to see the second aim of the Council is to develop the Fawckner Drive Precinct. As this building is in that area, the Committee of U3A Benalla have forwarded a submission to the Budget considerations of Council asking for them to build us an additional room which will accommodate 40 to 50 people. We will keep you informed as to how this submission progresses.


Margaret Jenkins,
​President

The main points which came out of the meeting were:

• U3A Network are going to use State Government funds to pay for a music licence which will cover copyright for the music used by all groups of all U3A branches. The music covered is for the Ukelele group, the Recorder Group, the Singing Groups, the Exercise Group and also the Film Group.
• Tax reporting laws for Incorporated groups such as ourselves are changing on 1st July 2024. U3A Network have engaged a lawyer to give an opinion on how these changes will affect individual U3As such as Benalla. This information has been forwarded to the U3A Benalla Committee, and they will act on the information provided at the next Committee meeting.
• The Victorian U3A Conference will be held in Melbourne in early October 2024. Network are paying the Registration costs of one delegate per U3A to encourage participation by all U3A branches.

A small housekeeping item. Twice this month I have been contacted by morning groups which have found a window open in Room 1. Also, another group found the heater on one morning. Could everyone please check that windows are closed and that the heater is off at the end of each session.

Thank you to Neville Gibb for laying a wreath on behalf of U3A Benalla at the Benalla Anzac Day service. Covid prevented my participation in the service.
 
Margaret Jenkins. 

​2023 was a year of expansion for U3A Benalla. We went from 325 members at the end of 2022 to 403 members in October 2023, a 22% increase. This expansion was in part due to the seven new programs introduced in 2023. These programs included Ukes4Fun with Heather Wallace, Photography with Rene Martens, In the Lap of the Gods with John Barry, the Sky’s the Limit with Claire Rudolph, Enjoying the Internet with Dawn Stephens, the Jane Austen Book Group with Meg Dillon and the Wise Guys Book Group with David Palmer.
 
U3A Benalla is consistently offering our members over 45 courses to choose from each year. Each course is run by a Convenor who has a passion for the program they are involved with. My thanks to each Convenor for the time and effort they put into running their particular course. Convenors are the backbone of U3A Benalla.

I would also like to thank the Committee for the support they have been to me during the past twelve months. This support is demonstrated not only by the valued input of Committee members at Committee meetings, but also by the backroom work all Committee members do in running this organisation.
 
In particular I would like to thank Geraldine McCorkell, who is retiring as Secretary after two terms, and Neville Gibb, who is retiring after two terms as Treasurer. I am pleased that both Geraldine and Neville have nominated as Committee members.
 
I would also like to thank Lorraine Knox who is retiring from the Committee this year, after many years of being a previous secretary, as well as many years on the Committee.
 
During 2023 the Committee commenced looking at Policies which applied to U3A Benalla. This had not been done for a number of years. The outline of these policies came from U3A Network. We also looked at completed policies from U3A Lakes Entrance who presented them in very readable form. So far, the Committee has examined and passed the Anti-Discrimination Policy, the Code of Conduct Policy, the Privacy Policy and the Grievance Policy. The Committee are continuing examining Policies, and will complete this project in 2024. The completed policies are available for members to inspect in the U3A Office.
 
Enrolment day in January 2024 was a huge success. My thanks to all Convenors who volunteered their time to inform new members about their courses. In 2023 we attracted 100 new members to U3A Benalla. So far this year we have 65 members who have joined U3A Benalla for the first time.
 
Following Enrolment Day this year we trialled opening the U3A Office each Wednesday morning in January and February so that those who were unable to come to Enrolment Day could enrol. Thank you to Ruth Jelliff, Rina Caddy, Julie McNeill, Geraldine McCorkell and Heather Wallace for opening the office. The opening of the office was well supported with many people wanting to chat about the groups they were choosing, and will be repeated next year.
 
Communication within U3A Benalla is very important. Our Newsletter and Website are vital parts of our communication. I would like to thank Heather Wallace and Bev Lee for the many hours they spend producing the Newsletter and updating the Website. Also, thank you to all those members who contribute photos for Bev and Heather to use.
 
One of the important aspects of being President is talking to other organisations about U3A Benalla. In 2023 I spoke to the Ladies Probus Club, the Benalla Rotary Club and the Group Conference of the CWA at Swan Pool. In August 2023, there was a 10-minute presentation to the Councillors of Benalla Rural City, which was followed by 35 minutes of questions from Councillors to both Geraldine and myself. I would like to acknowledge the assistance of Bev Lee in the preparation of the slides for these presentations.
 
In the early part of 2024, we have introduced another two courses to U3A Benalla. These are Chess and Cooking Solo. Both groups are going well. In early March 2024 we welcomed our 400th member of U3A Benalla for this year. In 2023 we reached that milestone in October, compared to March in 2024. The lady who was our 400th member is from Glenrowan, and has joined the Singing for Fun and Exercises for Fun. Increasingly we are finding that a number of members are coming from areas outside Benalla. We now have a member of our Wine Appreciation group from Albury, and our German group has a member from Beechworth. The number of Members attending each group appear to be increasing, which underlines our need for another room which could accommodate 40 to 45 members.
 
During 2023, at our presentation to Council it was suggested that we inspect the Supper Room of the Town Hall as a possible meeting room. Unfortunately, the supper room of the Town Hall was not suitable. We have also enquired about the availability of a room at the Australian Christian College in Sydney Road, but have been told that these buildings are being decommissioned. So, we have not solved where we can find a large meeting room. We are hoping that Councillors will include funds for a room to accommodate 40 to 45 people in their Budget in 2024.
 
During 2023 we promoted the idea of changing the name for this building to the Benalla Seniors and Community Centre, which we felt was more inclusive of U3A Benalla, the Benalla Bridge Club and the Benalla Social Dancing Group as well as the Benalla Senior Citizens Club. We included this idea in our presentation to Council in August 2023, and the Councillors appeared to be receptive to our idea. The suggestion has been through the Public Feedback stage, and we look forward to Council making a decision regarding the name change of this building in the near future.   

In conclusion, 2023 was a very successful year for U3A Benalla. We are a growing organisation providing courses which involve physical, mental and social interaction for 400 plus members of the mature community of Benalla. It has been a privilege to be your President for the past year.


Margaret Jenkins