About Us
Learn Laugh Live
u3a Origins
The University of the Third Age - u3a (Université du Troisième Âge) originated in France in the early 1970s. The name refers to the concept of the First Age, childhood and education, followed by the Second Age, career and family development and involvement, and the Third Age, when the demands of the Second no longer define one’s life and the person is enabled to pursue freely chosen interests. The first u3a in NZ was formed in Remuera in 1989.
Our Beginings
Graham Ryburn (our first U3A Chair) wrote that the first meeting was held at the home of John and Joyce Williams on the 9th November 1996 and was attended by Dr John Stewart who started the first NZ U3A in Remuera. Dr Stewart outlined the aims and origins of U3A that began in France in 1972. Graham volunteered to arrange a date and venue for John to introduce U3A to Warkworth. This took place at the Catholic Hall on the 11th of November 1996. It was attended by about 28 people including the first Committee. The first meeting of the Committee was convened on this day and comprised five members with Graham Ryburn as Chair, Peter Weir as Treasurer and Joan Earl-Daniels as Secretary. By 1997 the Committee comprised eight members. (PHOTO taken by Mary Alice Ryburn)
The inaugural U3A meeting was held on the 14th October and was chaired and addressed by John Stewart. The annual subscription to cover administration expenses was set at $30pa. The first Newsletter was sent out in January 1997.
The club developed because of an abundance of posters, 25+ locations were listed in Warkworh, Wellsford, Snells Beach, Matakana and beyond. Reports of interest groups, then called study groups, appeared in the Rodney Times and Mahurangi Matters.
By the year 2000 the U3A had more than 70 members with eleven Interest Groups
Nigel Swaffield (Archivist and Groups Convener)
How we operate
Interest Group Meetings are usually held monthly at agreed times as arranged by each group. The venues and topics vary with each meeting. Each interest group is independent and operates as agreed by it’s members, leading to a wide variety of experiences. Any member may start a new group.
Our General Meetings are informal, convivial and usually held on the second Monday morning of February, April, June, August, October and December. These meetings feature a guest speaker, agreed general business and time to socialise around morning tea.
The general meetings are usually held at BeSoul, Magnolia Room, 12 Gumfield Drive, Warkworth at 10 am.
Newsletters
Our bi-monthly emailed newsletter is the main communication to u3a Warkworth members.
Structure
u3a Warkworth has 200 + members with a committee elected at an Annual General Meeting held each year in December.
The committee consists of
President
Vice President
Treasurer
Secretary
Membership Secretary
Other members with various responsiblities
2023 Committee
L to R: Kristin, Steve, Ken, Willo, Alison, Nigel, Prue, Diane, Jim, Alan
Pre-European Puhinui (Warkworth)
The area was known by the Ngati Manuhiri iwi, the original people, as Puhinui.
For them, Te Awa Waihe (the Mahurangi River) was a very important waterway. They established convenient waka (canoe) landing sites along its course, serving the numerous settlements along the river, harbour and further inland.
In addition to providing water transport, the river was an important source of food such as tuna (eels), koura (freshwater crayfish), kakahi (freshwater mussels) and waterfowl. There were also flax and other weaving resources and plants and fruit for kai (food) and orongoa (medicine). The large mature trees in the once dense surrounding bush were felled for waka and building materials.
Jane Gifford at Warkworth Town Wharf
Modern Era Warkworth
The present town was founded in the 1830s by English settlers from Northumberland, England, and many of its streets are named after towns in the 'home' County, Northumberland.
Over the years, Warkworth has grown steadily, based on an agricultural and horticultural economy plus the local administrative centre.
Before the days of reliable all-weather roads, it was an important maritime transport base, linking the surrounding area to the fast-growing town of Auckland and areas further north.
The town is presently experiencing a period of rapid growth promoted by tourism, numerous new commercial enterprises and housing development for Auckland's expanding population.
Warkworth is now the retail, commercial, and education centre of the northern area of the Rodney District serving approximately 12,000 residents.
Warkworth has often been called one of the loveliest small towns in New Zealand.