This lively group appreciates art in all its forms and occasionally visits art galleries.

Some members are artists, while most enjoy learning about and appreciating art. 

This long-running group features member presentations on the work of different artists.

The group is currently full, with no space for new members. Trish will review the situation in 2027. 

We meet at 1 pm on the third Wednesday of each month in the Pohutukawa Room at Whangaparaoa Library.

Convenor: Trish Litherland pat.roy@xtra.co.nz

We're a vibrant cluster of avid readers who love to dive into our two member-recommended books every month. 

Our reading sets the stage for lively meetups where we enthusiastically explore our perspectives on the characters, plots and motivations to find the unique magic in every story. 

Naturally, discussions often reach beyond the page, encompassing wider issues sparked by the text. It's all part of enjoying great company as we extend our reading through discovering new literary gems. 

We meet every second Thursday of the month at The Sands in Orewa at 10 am.

Convenor: Nancy Cate nancy.cate2019@gmail.com

There are no set books to read. Instead, members review a book they have read during the month. 

Members find this personal introduction to books very helpful when choosing their own next reading. 

If a member owns the book they are reviewing, it is often lent out around the group.

We meet at 9.45 on the third Friday of the month in the Methodist Church, Red Beach. 

Convenor: Vicky Ross vbaross@yahoo.com

This is a cheerful, fun-loving group where we exercise our brains at the same time. 

We are happy to teach you any games that are new to you. 

New members are welcome.

Meetings are on the first and third Tuesdays of the month at 1.30pm at St Stephens Church

Convenor: Aileen Horspool: aileenhorspool@gmail.com

 This is a cheerful group and one for which we purchased foldable tables which are stored at 2 Centreway.

The group was started for beginners in July 2026. It will continue into 2027 with Peter Gillmore as the convenor.

It's a small group enjoying the challnege with new members welcome. 

We meet at 2 Centreway Road from 10 am to 12 pm and every first and fourth Monday. 

Convenor: Lou Selmeci louis.s.selmeci@gmail.com

Meetings are ad hoc, depending on what is showing locally. 

We work with Hoyts Senior Mornings, usually a Tuesday at 10.00am for free coffee and morning tastes. (Hoyts Hibiscus Coast)

If you are Hoyts member the charge is only $9 and for non members $10. We are supporting this kind gesture.

U3A will also send out a bulk email inviting all members to attend the current film when a suitable one is showing. 

Convenor: Trish Litherland, pat.roy@xtra.co.nz

 This is a long running group meeting in the comfort of the Hibiscus Coast Village theatre. 

For the first hour we usually discuss a set topic, based on a current issue from New Zealand or world-wide.

After a coffee break at 11.00, time is devoted to topics or issues that are brought up by individual members.

We meet on the 2nd and 4th Tuesdays of each month from 10.00 at Hibiscus Coast Village. 

Convenors: Tom and Marie Lamb, tom.lamb@xtra.co.nz

What to watch on the big screen or TV!

We discuss any films we have viewed together, plus any others deemed suitable, as well as recommended television shows.

We meet at 2 pm to 3.30 pm on the last Friday of the month at the HC Community House, Orewa, behind the art centre. 

New members are welcome!

Convenor: Trish Litherland pat.roy@xtra.co.nz

Hand drumming is an excellent practice for building coordination, focus and memory. As a group social activity, hand drumming can improve mood and reduce feelings of stress and anxiety.

 You will need your own drum, such as a djembe or conga which is played while seated in a chair. You can play on a bucket bottom, but it should be round and without any rim or edge to hurt your hands. 280-300mm diameter is a good size.

More members welcome. 

The group is held on the second Monday of the month from 10:30am to 12 noon at  2 Centreway Road opposite the Baptist Church.

Convenor: Bonnie Cohen bonnie@sidney.com

In our popular History Group we cover the early centuries to recent times. We learn about events and people, famous, infamous and obscure. Members present their research and findings in the form of written, oral and screen presentations, and in images. Members also bring items of historic interest..

You are welcome to just come and listen. We make time to discuss topics and to exchange views and ideas.

We meet on the first and third Thursdays of the month in the Pohutukawa Room at the Whangaparaoa Library. Meeting times are from 1330 to 1530 hrs. 

If you are interested please contact Peter by email. We also have occasional field trips.

Convenor: Peter Gillmore petergillmore1949@gmail.com

Our Literature group is up and running having started earlier in 2026.

Each member brings in a passage of written work from literature, be it fiction, non fiction, poetry, song lyrics, famous speeches or play extracts. After reading the passage, discussion breaks out about the meaning, context etc, as well as what we know about the author.

New members are always welcome to our small group.

We meet on the fourth Monday of the month at t at 2 Centreway Drive from 1:30 -3:30. 

Convenor: Charles Deane acpdeane@gmail.com

We are an enthusiastic bunch of players who meet every first and fourth Monday  We are all medium to experienced players who, as a group, are commencing to learn to score in Mahjong by having a short tuition beginning at each session.

Mahjong is thriving, and has now reached capacity, though there is a waitlist that you may place your name on. 

First and fourth Monday, 1.30 to 4.30pm at St Stephen's Church, Whangaparaoa. 

Please contact Connie to have your name placed on it by texting: 021 0686 967 or alternatively contact by email.

Convenor: Connie Franklin, connie.j.franklin@outlook.com

Memoirs is designed for people who would like guidance in writing about their life in an easy and fun way. 

These two groups have run for over six months, after which people have been invited to join for another six-month course in memoir writing.

New members are welcome to the second group. 

The first Memoirs Goup meets on the 4th Thursday of the month at 1.00 pm in the HC Community hall. 

The second group meets at 10 am on the 4th Thursday in the other HC Community House in 2 Centreway Road opposite the Baptist Church.

Convenor: Bronwyn Bryant bbryant@xtra.co.nz 027 273 2290

Mindful walking involves a walk of about 50 minutes followed by coffee in a cafe. 

Mindful does not necessarily mean slow; it means walking in such a way that we can appreciate our environment, our beaches, our trees. 

At coffee we discuss any striking thing we noticed and the convenor writes a summary in "poetry". 

We will meet at a designated place every 2nd and 4th Wednesday at 10 am. 

Convenor: Maureen Jansen mjansener@gmail.com

We spend our time listening to and leaning about many genres of music. The emphasis is on classical music. Members are encouraged to introduce their favourite pieces, musicians or instruments.

We have also had members bring to our meetings instruments from all over the world.

All are welcome to join us for fun and friendship. 

We meet on fourth Wednesdays at 1330 to 1530 hrs in the Pohutukawa Room at the Whangaparaoa Library.

Convenor: Peter Gillmore petergillmore1949@gmail.com

We are fortunate to have a good selection of plays by notable Playwrights. The play we will be reading this month is titled "The Cherry Orchard" by Anton Chekov. We now have sufficient members to take all the roles in the plays we possess. Our plays range from comedy to drama, also incorporating historic themes.

If you think this group could be of interest to you, please email me and I will put you on a wait list and call you when there is a place available.

Our group meets on the fourth Thursday of each month in the Recreation Room at The Palms, Puriri Road, Orewa at 10am 

Convenor: Barbara Tucker barb-johntucker@xtra.co.nz

Bronwyn Bryant discovered a love of writing poetry during her year at Whitireia, Porirua Polytech, on the creative writing course in 1999. 

She was inspired by Rachael McAlpine who taught the poetry module. Since then she has written and performed her poems at local gigs and been published in NZ and overseas. She loves to work with other poets, playing with words and improving poetic skills through group writing and critiquing exercises

This group meets in the Whangaparaoa Library on the first Monday of the month from 1.30 pm to 3.30 pm with some variation in time because of room availability. Room change in 2027.

Convenor: Bronwyn Bryant bbryant@xtra.co.nz

The U3A Quiz Group has monthly quiz meetings at the Theosophical Hall at 1 pm finishing by 3 pm at the latest. The group meets every 2nd Wednesday .

The Hall is at 9E Forest Glen, Orewa. It is near the Sands Retirement Village.

All members are welcome and there will be NO CHARGE.
Questions will be wide ranging and hopefully hard enough but not too hard.

Join us and let's enjoy keeping our grey matter ticking together!

Theosophical Hall, 9E Forest Glen, Orewa, 1 pm every second Wednesday.

Convenor: Bruce Adin bruce.w.adin@gmail.com

This is a new group, born of the desire to study a range of the world's religions – their history, their different beliefs and practices, their similarities, and what their role is in today's world.

The groups started in 2026 and has a small and faithful following. 

Parking can be found over the road in the Methodist Church car park if the village is full. 

We hold our meetings on the third Tuesday of the month at 10.00am in the Theatre/Media Room of the Hibiscus Coast Retirement Village, 101 Red Beach Road.

Convenor: Judy Keall, jmkeall6@gmail.com Ph 027 782 5173

The Science group has been expanded to Science and Philosophy. 

 Some topics in 2025, 2026 have been the escalating power of AI and the question of consciousness.

We meet every 2nd Thursday in the Pohutukawa Room from 1.30 pm to 3.30 pm. 

We look forward to a range of stimulating topics in 2026. Please contact the organisers.

Convenors: Jenny Casale: jenicasale@gmail.com

Sidney Markowitz: sidney@sidney.com

We make short films based on ideas brought by group members. It is all done by role play, so there are no lines to learn.

We have lots of fun, planning and shooting. We are lucky to have the skills and experience brought by our convenors. Times are arranged by email.

There is no set venue or time because the groups is project -based. 

Go to this link to see our past masterpieces.  https://www.hbcu3a.com/short-films/

Convenors are Ian and Nancy Miller, ian.miller.nz@gmail.com

The purpose of this group is to learn how to look at a photo and how to take meaningful photos. 

No experience required. A mobile phone is all you need to take really good shots. We share our photos on the big screen and members give helpful tips or just enjoy looking at what you have taken.

We meet on the first Wednesday of every month at Stony Homestead in Millwater from 10 am to 12 pm. (On the second Wednesday of the month, we arrange a field trip.)

This group is now full. Please email Netta to be placed on a waitlist.

Convenor: Jeannetta Dearsley j.josephs@xtra.co.nz

Our Short Story Group previously focused on Russian short stories but is continuing as a fortnightly short story group looking at the works of famous short story writers such as Ernest Hemmingway; Edna O'Brien; Alice Munro; Frank Sargeson etc. 

We have to access books from Project Gutenberg for older stories. The New Yorker and Newsroom often publish modern stories too. We rate the stories out of five and discuss their strengths and weaknesses and the ways in which we could relate to them. 

We  meet at 2 Centreway Road on the 1st and 3rd Wednesday of the month from 10 am to 11.30 am.

Convenors: Maureen Jansen or Peter Gillmore mjansener@gmail.com or petergillmore1949@gmail.com

The group's aim is to help members gain an understanding of the background and implications of what is happening on the world stage. 

Members are asked to research aspects of a topic to share what they learn with other members. 

 We will be meeting at the Theosophical Hall, Forest Glen, Orewa from December 2026 onwards. 10 am to 12 pm on the first Friday of every month, 

Conveners: Jill Everest, jilleverest12@gmail.com and Maureen Jansen, mjansener@gmail.com

The Travel Group meets to discuss aspects of travel. At most meetings, two members give a talk, usually accompanied by a slide presentation, on a trip they have taken. 

The range of amazing places people have visited makes this a very interesting group and promotes lots of questions from other members.

We meet on the second Monday of the month at 2.00pm in the Pohutukawa Room, Whangaparaoa Library.

Convener: Val Hunter v.hunter@xtra.co.nz

This is an enthusiastic and supportive group with varied levels of ability. A 500-word homework task is set for each meeting and a five-minute quick write happens as well. The writing ability of members improves and we have a lot of fun and laughs. 

We meet the first Friday of the month at 10 am. At this point in time the group is looking for a new home. 

John Tucker, barb-johntucker@xtra.co.nz

Cheril Clarke, cherilclarke@xtra.co.nz

NZ History - we have a member offering to convene this with others 

Technology, AI and Presentations - we are looking into this. A group learning together? Bring in instructors or experts?