President David opened the meeting. There were 16 members present.

 

Apologies: Peter B, Avis.

NB: If you want your apologies recorded, (and who doesn't?) send YHC a note at nickhamnz@gmail. com so he can try to remember to put them in the bulletin! 

 

President's notices - actually other members' notices! 

 

Phil told members that the ERKs packing had been postponed to 24th August. Plus there will be packing sessions on 27th August and 3rd September between 8.30 am and 1.00 pm. All other details remain the same. Phil will send an email to members to confirm. 

 

Ingrid told the club that District was reviewing clubs' connections with local secondary school. Parnell would retain its links with AEG Parnell and one additional secondary school might be added. 

 

Phillippa confirmed that tree planting would take place at Kepa Rd on saturday 20th August. 

 

Don has circulated membership dues invoices. If you haven't received one tell Don at don.simons@yahoo.com . Already eleven members have paid, aren't some of us good!. 

 

Sargeant's session. Wendy was commended for having not one but TWO letters in the Herald last week. 

Sargent's quote "You're never too old to learn something stupid". 

Wendy bought the bag to celebrate that her favourite niece had coached the English women's hockey team to the Gold Medal at the Commonwealth games, following on from winning Commonwealth Gold as a member of the Blacksticks  in Melbourne in 2018. 

 

Three minute speaker: Phillippa circulated the project calendar for 2022/3. She called upon members to identify issues in the community that the club could focus on. 

 

The Speaker: Christine Fernyhough. This lady has done a lot of stuff! 

Christine is an author, has been a teacher, a farmer, an author, a philanthropist and, with Alan Duff, a founder of Books in Homes. Additionally she founded the Gifted Kids Programme for bright youngsters in lower decile schools. Her many contributions to society were recognised by the awarding of the ONZM and the CNZM.  

Her comments had three parts:

Firstly: The school leavers literacy rate is appalling, one of the lowest in the OECD. For 13 year old it is only 56%; in other word 44% of children at that age are functionally illiterate. She is currently calling upon the government ensure that there is provision for free, compulsory education of r3-6 year olds.

Secondly: there is a joint venture between the Ministry of Social development (MSD) and the Department of Defence  that takes some 17-24 year olds and provides a six week course that helps build up confidence and social skills assisting the trainees to get jobs. Christine was able to comment that she has been involved with the course and it seems that many of its 'graduates' had been able to take its learnings into their careers. 

Thirdly: In the last three decades Christine has been building up a collection of mid twentieth century, New Zealand created  "nick nacks". From this collection of over 4,000 objects she has created the Museum of Everyday; a museum that all mature New Zealanders will remark, "We had one of those". 

A fascinating tour de force by a very accomplished person. 

 

 

The meeting finished at 8.34am.