2024 Christmas Lunch Report and Photos

2024 Christmas Lunch Report

On December 14, 2024, volunteers arrived early at St Kilda Town Hall to assist our Events Organiser, Ros Christie, in setting up for our annual Christmas celebrations. Caterers helpfully engaged with volunteers while busily preparing to serve food and drinks. City of Port Phillip staff also helped with setting up tables.

As guests arrived, Margo Anderson and Danielle Deppeler signed them in, and James Walter, Ian Angus and Gaye Mason greeted everyone. There were 180 members in attendance, equalling those who came in 2023.

We were all wonderfully serenaded as we entered the auditorium by the U3APP Recorder Consort led by Mary Therese Melcherts.

Course members happily greeted each other and set up group tables to catch up on their experiences and renew friendships developed over the year.

Gillian Wood presented the safety briefing, Branko Colovizza set up the video display and sound equipment, then proceedings commenced. The President welcomed all comers, and announced the 2025 Executive and Committee of Management, including our new Secretary, Bruce Whan, and a new Committee member, Danielle Deppeler.

Committee members assisted with hosting our invited guests, Annie Griggs (President, U3A Network Victoria), Justin Halliday (CoPP councillor), Sue Steele (President, Bayside U3A), Nina Taylor, (State MP, Albert Park), and Josh Burns (Federal MP for Macnamara). We were impressed by the willingness of MPs, councillors and others to move around the room engaging with our members during and after our lunch.

Annie Griggs, President of U3A Network Victoria gave an informative keynote address about the activities and opportunities offered by the statewide U3A organisation and answered questions from the floor. It was much appreciated.

In introducing the awards, the President spoke about our appreciation of all the U3APP volunteers and their active involvement as tutors, in administration, IT and the many other roles our members perform.

Honorary Life Member Awards were presented to Mike Perkal, Ann Gibson and Mark Denniston, while Branko Colovizza received the President’s Award.

The sociability and good fellowship of the occasion are well captured in the photos taken on the day, for which we thank Rob Gullen. We thank the City of Port Phillip for its continuing support. We are as always indebted to the wonderful Ros Christie and the Events team for organising and facilitating the event, and to the Caterers for blending seamlessly with our volunteers on the day.

Robyn Walter

2024 Christmas Lunch Photos

Thank you to Rob Gullan who took these amazing photos of the occasion.
To see large versions of the images click on one then move forward or backward through the images by clicking on the > or < on your screen.

Ros Christie, Events Coordinator

How to Enrol

On-line: after bookings have opened

On-line enrolments are preferred as this significantly reduces the amount of back-office work for our volunteers.

  • Login to the U3APP.org.au website.
  • Go to the Courses & Enrolling page.
  • Scroll down to find the course that you are interested in.
  • Does the course have spaces available?
    • Click on the course name to go to the booking page.
    • Click on “Book for this course or event”.
    • You will receive a confirmation email.  Please check your Junk/Spam folders as these automatically-generated emails often finish up there.
  • OR is the course shown as FULL?
    • Click on WAITLIST.

Paper Enrolment Form: before bookings open for First Semester

  • Obtain a paper Enrolment Form either from the Office or by printing an online copy available here.
  • Complete the paper Enrolment Form and submit it to the Office.

The start date for acceptance of paper Enrolment Forms for first semester is published on the U3APP website and in the e-Bulletin. Enrolment Forms received before this date are treated as though they had been received on the start date (ie there is no advantage to be gained by submitting early). On the start date and thereafter, paper Enrolment Forms are numbered in order of receipt.  Paper Enrolment forms are processed by U3APP volunteers on the same day as on-line bookings.

If your enrolment is successful, you will receive a confirmation email.  Please check your Junk/Spam folders as these automatically-generated emails often finish up there.

If your enrolment is unsuccessful,  you will receive an email telling you that you have been waitlisted.

Via the Office: after bookings have opened

  • Contact the office in person, or by email or phone.