Report on Special Consultation Meeting for U3A Banyule Members on Draft Ivanhoe Parking Plan
U3A Banyule receives Jagajaga Community Australia Day Award
Report on Annual Forum 2017
U3A Banyule Annual General Meeting 2017
2017 U3A Banyule Annual Lunch - A great success!
Noel Griffith wins "Lifetime Achievement" award
We were honoured that the contribution of U3A Banyule to making the community a better place was recognized at the annual Jagajaga Community Australia Day Awards. Jenny Macklin MP presented us with a handsome certificate, and spoke of “ongoing dedication to inspiring and engaging local
seniors through lifelong learning.”
President Helen McKinnon and members of the Committee of Management, Russell Scoular and Bryce Phillips, accepted the award on behalf of U3A Banyule at the Award presentation.
A special meeting for U3A Banyule members was organised on Friday 16 March to hear about the draft Ivanhoe Parking plan. A presentation was provided by Kathleen Petras, the Transport Planning Team Leader, Banyule City Council. It was pleasing that the Mayor and several Councillors also attended.
Thanks to the members (approximately 50) who attended this meeting to express concerns about the proposed drastic changes to parking around Ivanhoe.
Several of our members spoke about the deleterious effect of reducing parking near the U3A Hall from 4 hours to 3 or perhaps 2 hours; people who attend two consecutive sessions, people who volunteer at the office, people with mobility problems, all would be severely disadvantaged by such a move. Banyule prides itself on its commitment to the welfare of older residents; it is unfair to make senior members of the community walk long distances to their cars, and to be deprived of some of the benefits of learning and socialising that U3A offers.
Mention was made of the need for additional disabled parking, for seniors’ car parks close to venues to facilitate access, for 4 hour parking near the railway station and perhaps a long-term car park outside the main centre of activity, with a mini-bus service.
Kathleen Petras advised that a report on the consultation process is to go to Council soon, probably by the end of April. U3A Banyule will be informed of the recommendations and members will be able to attend the relevant Council meeting. I urge interested members to keep abreast of this matter and to make sure Council is aware of our ongoing concerns.
Helen McKinnon
President
Australia is the only Commonwealth country that has never signed an official Treaty with its Indigenous peoples. At U3A Banyule's 2017 Annual Forum, four prominent members of the Indigenous community spoke about how a Treaty would address unresolved issues of reconciliation and how it would affect both Indigenous and non-Indigenous people. Click here for a report on the views and perspectives presented by our speakers.
Over 100 members and other interested people attended and afterwards enjoyed a delicious afternoon tea and drinks. A big thank you to all the volunteers who made this event such a success and in particular our wonderful Social Organiser and support team.
U3A Banyule's Annual General Meeting was held on Thursday 17 August, 2017.
Helen McKinnon, President, presented the 2016 -17 Annual Report on behalf of the Committee of Management to over 80 members. The Financial Report was also submitted. A new Committee of Management was elected and these positions will be held until August 2018.
The Annual Luncheon at St George's Restaurant at Melbourne Polytechnic, Preston was attended by 75 members, who enjoyed a delicious three course meal prepared and served by the students. The speaker, Rod Horsfield, related the story of FareShare, a not-for-profit organisation that rescues food and prepares over a million nutritious meals every year for Victorians doing it tough.
Members responded generously to an invitation to make a donation to support the work of FareShare, giving a total of $500; this was later supplemented by a further amount from the "profit" from the event, bringing U3A Banyule's total support up to $800 - a wonderful result.
Congratulations to Noel Griffith, who has been a tutor with U3A Banyule for 21 years, presenting his popular Music Appreciation class in his home every month. At the Banyule Volunteer Awards celebration held at Centre Ivanhoe on 10 May, Noel’s remarkable contribution to the community as a volunteer over the past 70 years was recognised with the “Lifetime Achievement Award”.
U3A Banyule has featured strongly in the Volunteer Awards in recent years; we received the Community Group Award in 2014, and former President Janice Kelly was joint winner of the 2016 Individual Volunteer Award. We can all be proud to be making a very real contribution to growing a better community.
The photos below show Noel with Mayor Tom Melican and Cr Craig Langdon, and Noel with U3A Banyule members who attended the ceremony.
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