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Dear <<First Name>> (ID No. <<ID No.>>)
In this issue:
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President's message
 Hasn't it been a turbulent eighteen months?! And now we have lock down number 5. Despite the ongoing uncertainty I would like to take this opportunity on behalf of the Committee of Management to thank you for sticking with us through all the tribulations. A special thank you to those who are not keen on classes via Zoom but have stayed with us. Since the beginning of this year we have been incrementally recovering from last year's significant loss of members - we have welcomed more than 160 newcomers over the past eight months.
Even once the current lockdown ends we have to work within the restrictions imposed by the Victorian Government and the operational constraints of our 13 venues. We understand there is not a "one size fits all" response to the COVID situation. We will therefore aim to be as flexible as possible so that tutors, in consultation with class members, can decide how their classes will be delivered within those restraints.
COVID has meant life changes for so many and, like fellow Melburnians who now split their time between home and office, our future will probably be a hybrid one. But we won't forget the importance of being able to socialise for the wellbeing of our members and will continue to work toward a return to face-to-face classes where possible.
Our future depends on the enthusiasm and talents of all our members. In the first months of my presidency I have been able to meet many of you. I am looking to the upcoming lunches (winter and spring) to meet more members.
With thanks and best wishes to you all
Russell Huntington
President
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 Missed out on Winter Lunch? Sign up for our Spring Lunch!
We were thrilled to see the interest in our Winter Lunch - it sold out in just four hours! But we realise that a lot of people have missed out, so there will be a Spring Lunch to make up. This will be held on Thursday, 30 September in the restaurant of William Angliss Institute. Details will be in the next ebulletin. Reservations on Trybooking will open on Wednesday, 18 August.
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Forthcoming webinars
Enrol now through the MyU3A Portal (see below). Note that enrolments for webinars now close at midnight the day before the event.
Up next:
Art in the Plague Years: The Black Death to Current Times
Thursday, 29 July, 2.30 pm
Presenter: Sharon Carter
 Join Sharon on an art journey like no other. We will begin our exploration in the 14th century, during the era of the Black Death, and look at the beginnings of the grim reaper and dance of death themes. As we travel to the 15th and 16th centuries, we will explore the death and the maiden motif, and look at Holbein and Brueghel paintings. Moving to the 17th century, we'll consider the great plagues of London and Italy before jumping to the Spanish Flu in 1918 to look at artists who died from the flu, and finish with street artists and painters during COVID-19 creating hope and solidarity.
How to build a more compassionate world for refugees
Thursday, 5 August, 2.30 pm
 Presenter: Kon Karapanagiotidis, OAM, CEO and Founder of the Asylum Seeker Resource Centre
"We cannot have a truly inclusive, fair and welcoming Australia for all, one that embraces our multiculturalism and values our diversity, if we continue to imprison refugees, keep families apart and leave thousands in destitution and despair instead of enabling our newest Australians to settle, contribute and thrive. When we stand with refugees and centre their voices, building coalitions of community, compassion and hope together, anything is possible. The answer is not building tougher borders or higher walls but a longer table where everyone has a seat at the table." Kon Karapanagiotidis
Don't miss this opportunity to listen to Kon discuss his ideas for welcoming refugees in Australia. His biography is available for download.
Justin Art House Museum: Naoshima Art Island, Japan
Thursday, 19 August, 2.30 pm
Presenters: Charles and Leah Justin
 Join Charles and Leah Justin who have been collecting art for over 40 years. They share this collection through their house museum experience in Melbourne. They are avid travellers who will share their experience of visiting Naoshima Art Island in Japan.
Art in a Frame 2
Thursday, 14 October, 2.30 pm
 Presenter: National Portrait Gallery Canberra staff
This is our second virtual visit to the National Portrait Gallery, coming during History Month. So this program will explore portraits of people who have influenced Australia's development and history.
Enrolment information
There is no cap on the number of webinar participants. To enrol:
- log into MyU3A and search for "Webinars Program 2021" via the Classes 2021 list; or
- send an email to the office on citymelb@u3a.org.au; or
- leave a voicemail on 9639 5209.
Prior to the webinar each enrolled member will receive details of how to participate.
Note: Enrolments for webinars close at midnight the day before the event.
For further information, contact the office on citymelb@u3a.org.au.
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"Puttin' on the Style": Remembering Life Member Shirley Mason
 Sadly, we bid farewell to Shirley Ann Mason, who left us unexpectedly at the end of June.
"Puttin' on the Style" not only hints at one of Shirley's natural qualities, it's also the name of one of her many contributions to U3A Melbourne City (this one a short course with friend Dee).
She was born Shirley Ann Bedford in England (her Dad, Harry Bedford, was a famous footballer at top clubs like Newcastle United and Notts Forest).
Moving to Australia in 2007, Shirley joined U3A Melbourne City in 2009, and it wasn't long before she became a member of the Committee of Management, where her creativity and entrepreneurial skills were soon making their mark. She conceived and guided a whole new strand of U3A activities. The first of these was Let's Do Lunch, which was so successful that very quickly a whole family of Let's Dos followed, most recent of which was Let's Do Weekends.
 Given her career in the fashion industry, perhaps the least surprising of Shirley's portfolio of U3A MC achievements was also one of the most impressive. "Don't Stop Me Now!", a fashion show (staged at the NGV as part of the 2015 Melbourne Fashion Festival, no less), made the spotlight on national TV when Libby Gore interviewed Shirley for Channel 10.
For her cornucopia of ideas and practical contributions over many years Shirley was awarded Life Membership of U3A Melbourne City in 2020.
Tony Miles
Friend and fellow Life Member
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U3A MC Script Writing Group: "We're telling tales on radio and beyond…"
 For a second year in a row, the U3A Melbourne City Script Writing Group has accepted an invitation from Radio Reimagined, a Victorian Government initiative, to write and present a one-hour radio program for October's Seniors Festival. The program is distributed to ninety community radio stations and has a potential reach of half a million Victorian listeners in the 55+ age group.
This year's theme is on "Ageing" and promises to deliver a range of light-hearted yet thought-provoking monologues and sketches to showcase the diversity of life in retirement.
The group has been writing "for fun" for many years, and then the harsh 2020 lockdown opened new opportunities, allowing its writers to hone their craft. Lockdown allowed headspace and time to reflect and consider new possibilities and subsequently deliver better stories by way of monologues, dialogues and short plays.
All of this has resulted in a busy twelve months! The year has included guest talks on writing for theatre from actor/director Bridgette Burton of Baggage Productions; an invitation to participate in the North Carlton Railway Neighbourhood House (NCRNH) Literary Festival;* a fundraising event supporting disadvantaged children, held over six consecutive months; and, of course, Radio Reimagined in 2020 and 2021.
"We're a diverse, friendly and welcoming group who write about a wide range of subjects, some funny, some serious", says Toni Purdy, the group's team organiser, and "we enjoy exploring new and creative possibilities and being challenged to write outside the square".
Kris Jennings
* A link to U3A's 2021 Seniors Festival Radio Program will be advertised later. The NCRNH Literary Fundraising Festival is held on the third Wednesday of the month (next gig: 21 July, 7-9 pm), at the North Fitzroy Arms Hotel.
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Let's Do Weekends - Chocolate!
 A group of 15 Weekenders went on a Chocolate Walking Tour of Melbourne last Sunday afternoon, braving the rain, which soon cleared up. We sampled chocolate delights at four different venues, finishing up at Club Colombia (see photo) where we drank hot chocolate the Colombian way, with cheese cubes melted in it, and ate a delicious Colombian dessert. A great way to spend a winter's afternoon!
Jill Carr
LDWK Convenor
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A shorthand history, by Carmel Taylor
 "Silently and inconspicuously, shorthand writers have been instrumental in recording, documenting and preserving oral history. Thoughts and spoken words can simply fly away without any hope of retrieval - the written word remains." So begins this account of a skill that greatly enhanced media and business communications in the 20th century, and continues to do so.
Carmel Taylor, who has been running Pitman Shorthand courses for U3A MC for some years, has recently written With Pencils Poised: A History of Shorthand in Australia, published by Australian Scholarly Publishing. You can find more information on the publisher's website, and it is of course available from good bookshops.
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Other items of interest
Disclaimer: Your committee has agreed to advertise the following external events, opportunities and other items of interest, but this should not be taken as an endorsement or recommendation to participate. Members are solely responsible for their own choices and any consequences that may result.
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Research: Eye occlusion and age
 The University of Melbourne is seeking volunteers between 18 and 75 years old for a research study assessing the effects of eye occlusion on visual function with age. The study will involve a single two-hour session involving an eye examination to determine eligibility, and a series of computer-based vision tests. Volunteers will be reimbursed $20 per session in the form of a gift voucher. All parts of the study are conducted at the University of Melbourne, Parkville campus. For more information contact Janet Chan at yu.chan@unimelb.edu.au.
Photo: © BiomedCentral - CC 2.0
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 Research: Tinnitus project
The Bionics Institute in East Melbourne is seeking to develop an objective measure of tinnitus as part of the Tinnitus Project. They are seeking volunteers over 50 years old, with and without tinnitus, undergo a hearing test during one 1-2 hour visit. More information is available from their flyer for those with standard hearing and those who have tinnitus, or contact Michelle Bravo at tinnitus_study@bionicsinstitute.org or (03) 9667 7578.
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Odyssey House Victoria Short Story Competition
 The annual Odyssey House Short Story Competition is on again. Any money raised will go towards the work of Odyssey House Victoria.
The competition is open to anyone. Each submission of up to 1,500 words must follow the theme "New Beginnings" and need to make a reference to alcohol and/or drugs. There is a limit of three entries per person, and the entry fee is $10 per story. The competition closes on Friday, 5 November, 2021.
First prize is $1,000 and a one-year membership to Writers Victoria; 2nd prize is $100; and 3rd prize is $50.
For more information or to download an entry form, go to the competition website.
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Office contact details
Phone: 03 9639 5209
Email: citymelb@u3a.org.au
The office is currently closed.
Postal address: PO Box 24149, 111 Bourke Street, Melbourne VIC 3001
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