By Jed Lanyon
As social activities get back underway adhering to CovidSafe restrictions, Healesville U3A’s banjo and ukulele groups have returned to strumming their instruments in Queen’s Park.
U3A or University of the Third Age is a volunteer community of people who share many educational, creative and leisure activities. Throughout the pandemic, many U3A activity groups were put on hold, ripping the regular social activities from the lives of many locals.
Doug Fudge, member of U3A’s ukulele group, said losing the social benefits of U3A was a “frustrating” experience.
“Since the Stage 3 lockdown we haven’t been able to meet at all,” he said.
Now U3A’s ukulele and banjo groups have been the first to return in-person as they play alongside each other outdoors for the first time in several months.
“Unless you passed someone in the street and spotted them, despite the fact that they were wearing a mask, it was very tricky to keep in touch.”
Mr Fudge recalled standing in front of someone in line at the bank, but not realising it was a close friend until he reached home, not being able to recognise them from behind a mask.
“It’s just lovely to be back and just a nice feeling to reignite those old friendships with the people you used to socialise with.”
Mr Fudge shared that one member, Rod Thom, had used some spare time during the pandemic to hand craft his own banjo using wood from pallets.
He hopes the U3A group can keep at their musical activities and that the worst of the Covid-19 pandemic has passed.
“It just goes to show you how quickly the virus can come back. It’s like a tiger hidden in the jungle just waiting to spring out on you at any moment.
“We did try to play together over Zoom, but found it very unsatisfactory because of the delay involved. You can’t play along with anyone. Goodness knows what it would sound like if you were listening to it all together.
“We’re happy to be back together and enjoying eachothers company and enjoying the music that we all play.”
