U3A Tauranga

Monthly Meetings

We arrange interesting guest speakers for all our Monthly Meetings. A light morning tea is also provided, offering a great opportunity to socialize with members outside of your usual interest groups.

Next Meetings

  • Tauranga: 20th March 2026

    Main Speaker: Gillian Marks. 
    Topic: ‘Gill’s Activities in the Karakoram, Northern Pakistan’ – Confirmed.
    Short Speaker: Bruce Farthing, Chair of Taonga Tu Heritage Trust BOP – Confirmed.

1972 Gillian was a volunteer worker in Jawalakhel Tibetan Refugee Camp in Nepal. Since then she has been a regular semi-annual visitor to Nepal for aid in Jawalakhel and high altitude trekking in remote areas.

The Karakoram mountains in Pakistan were always a climbing/trekking dream until 2012 when a fellow NZ tramper working in the Australian mines emailed her to say that “there are a bunch of Aussies going to the Karakoram and they have said she could join them”. A dream came true and has changed her retirement years in ways that she did not imagine. Since then, she has been operating an aid program in the most remote villages of the Gojal Hunza region in Gilgit Baltistan, far north of Pakistan, deep within the magnificent Karakoram mountains. She supports community infrastructure, medical aid and surgeries, and orphan girls’ education until they complete university.

  • Katikati: 11th March 2026

    Main Speaker: Donna Forde
    Topic: ‘Treasures from the Past’ curated by the Western Bay Museum.
    Short Speaker: Pam Mazoyer, has offered to talk about the “Seven Rules of Trust” as discussed by Jimmy Wales, founder of Wikipedia.

Venue Information

Tauranga Meetings are held in the
Tauranga Yacht and Power Boat Club,
Sulphur Point, Tauranga.
When: The third Friday of every month (from February to November).
Time: 10.00 – 12 noon
Door Charge: $5.00

Katikati Meetings are held in the Community Hub (the Centre – Patuki Manawa) next to the Library.

Time: 10:00am – 12:00 noon.
Door Charge: $3

All Past and Future Meetings