Spring has sprung and one minute we feel like we’re inching our way to summer and the next minute feels like we’re back in winter again! Our clubs are coming into the busy season with events and fundraisers happening every week throughout the District.
Talking about buzzy…the bees have arrived in the city. To support Life Flight, 50 bee sculptures have landed around Wellington. Three Rotary clubs (Hutt City, Mount Victoria and Wellington North) have sponsored a bee and they will be auctioned at the end of the display period in November.
If you’re in the city, scan the QR codes on the bees and you can be in to win instant prizes!
I was welcomed at the Rotary Club of Marton – a club with a very strong community base and for a town with only 6,000 people, the club has a solid showing with almost 40 members and new members coming through as well. Their link back into the community with their projects gives them great exposure and keeps them strong.
I also visited the Rotary Club of Hutt City, a club that has gone back to Rotary’s roots by courting the business community to keep their club strong with their Rotabiz programme. The membership allows for up to four people from a business to represent them at club meetings – it’s working well for them with over 40 members and half as Rotabiz members. The club is also celebrating their 30-year project creating the 54km Hutt River Trail – a hugely successful community project.
Visiting the Rotary Club of Mt Victoria was also special as I was able to present PHFs for Dennis Small and Roger Morrell - well earned awards. Mt Vic are small in numbers but punch above their weight with their signature Circus Quirkus event which raises tens of thousands of dollars every year which allows the club to support Life Flight, Mt Cook Primary School, projects in Samoa and many other local causes.
A fun night was had by all at the Oktoberfest evening at the Rotary Club of Tawa. President Michael and team had made an awesome effort with a live ‘oompa band’ (Tawa Learners Band), home made Munich style food and steins to drink beer from. Thanks to the other clubs who joined in the fun in support.
At the end of October, the Zone conference is on in Melbourne. If you are attending let me know and we can catch up there.
Immediately after the Zone Conference, we have the District Charity Dinner with Past RI President Gordon McInallyand his wife Heather on Monday, November 2nd. This is a great opportunity to hear about our Foundation and get an update on Lifting the Lid. Don’t forget to wear tartan and kilts or black and gold for a fun night out – we might even have a haggis to celebrate Gordon’s Scottish heritage.
On a very sad note, two Rotarians have passed in the last week:
Past District Governor (1987-88) Ross George, Wellington North and
Stephen Kerr, Masterton South.
Our condolences to their whanau/family. Further details are included below in this newsletter.
As we carry on with our busy weeks ahead, we will remember our members who have passed. But we do that knowing that they would want us to push on with doing what we do best in Rotary – fellowship, fun and fulfilment.
Introducing “Say NO to Domestic and Family Violence”
Domestic and family violence affects every community in New Zealand. The 2026Salvation Army State of the Nation report highlights that family violence remains one of the country's most significant social challenges, with police responding to a family harm incident approximately every three minutes. Behind these statistics are individuals, families, and children whose lives are profoundly affected.
Rotary has a unique opportunity to help raise awareness, encourage community conversations, and support prevention through its extensive network of clubs, volunteers, and community partnerships. We are not counsellors but we can raise awareness of support available within our communities. We are looking to build relationships and support with Women's Refuge, Shine, NZ Police Family Harm Teams, The Salvation Army, schools, councils, and other local community organisations.
This initiative was started successfully over a year ago in Rotary throughout Australia, and we are now ready to introduce it to New Zealand.
We will initially focus on two key activities:
Purple Fridays – encouraging Rotary members and community members to wear a purple Rotary T-shirt one Friday each month to raise awareness and start conversations about family violence.
A District Purple Walk in November – aligned with Rotary clubs across Australia, bringing our communities together in support of family violence awareness and prevention.
We are looking for clubs to get in behind this national and zone initiative. This is not a fundraiser - the investment involves buying a T-shirt. Your President has received information about this initiative and the support is strong across all five Rotary districts. More information will be available as we ramp up with this project.
Past District Governor Ross George, DG 1987-88. Ross, husband of the late Jean and father of Stephen and Christine passed away peacefully surrounded by family on 24 September 2026, aged 96.
He was a long serving, committed and still current, member of the Rotary Club of Wellington North. He was a true gentleman. During his time as DG the Rotary International theme was Rotarians - United in Service - Dedicated to Peace.
Messages may be posted to c/- 4 Moorefield Rd, Johnsonville, Wellington 6037.
Ross’s life will be celebrated at the Khandallah Presbyterian Church, 33 Ganges Road, Khandallah, Wellington, on Wednesday 30 September 2026 at 1.00pm, thereafter there will be a private cremation.
Stephen Kerr from the South Masterton club suddenly at home in the early hours of Tuesday, September 22, – our condolences go out to Freya, who was also a Rotarian for many years, and their whanau.
A Requiem Mass was held at St Matthew's Church, Church Masterton, on Saturday, September 26, followed by burial at Riverside Park Lawn Cemetery
Presidents/Secretaries/Treasurers - Please ensure you complete the forms for the insurers as soon as possible. If you have not received the email request, please contact District Insurance Officer Barry Bailey bjbvan@gmail.com
Health and Safety
Please ensure that your club has a current Health and Safety policy in place. This is important for ensuring that you are considering the safety of your members.
Two of our most well-known Taranaki Rotarians, Kay ‘Broken Fingers’ Kendall and Evan ‘Wonky Knees’ Cottam, have announced they will participating in the Taranaki Health Foundation’s Million Steps Challenge, which aims to raise at least $25,000 for the Methanex Neonatal Unit at Taranaki Base Hospital.
The challenge involves teams of four collectively clocking up one million steps throughout September. That equates to every team member taking 8333 steps every day.
Kay reckons that will involve walking 5km each day and wandering around the warehouse at her workplace picking orders. And Evan will probably be a heavy user of a fundraising “dashboard” that has a converter that turns different activities – such as wheelchair use and hobbling around on crutches – into steps!
Both Evan and Kay are now seeking sponsorship for this very worthwhile cause, and anyone who can help should contact either – or both – of them. C’mon, let’s help!
The Methanex Neonatal Unit at Taranaki Base Hospital cares for our region's most vulnerable patients - babies born premature, unwell, or needing extra support in their first days and weeks of life. For the families who end up here, it's often the most frightening time of their lives.
Approximately 15% of newborns require some form of Neonatal care. This could be for a few hours or several weeks. Whilst Taranaki has a good Neonatal Unit, we believe our newborns deserve the best Neonatal Unit. This is why 100% of the funds from the Million Steps Challenge will go to provide additional equipment such as breast pumps and comfortable spaces for the whānau to stay nearby.
Wellington siblings Jayathi and Jayath Jaiganesh are making waves internationally with the release of their debut children’s book, Bella and Bio-Bot. The book is available online and in stores in London, Cambridge, Sharjah, and New York, has been added to the prestigious British Library, and is available in New Zealand libraries. Jayathi recently served a term as a member of the Rotary International Youth Advisory Council. The children's mum, Jay, is a member of the Rotary Club of Wellington North. Continuing her work in the area of youth, Jayathi is using her enthusiasm to help our tamariki engage in the science arena.
Rotary Youth Advisory Counci members advise the Rotary International Board of Directors to shape the future of Interact, Rotary Youth Exchange, and Rotary Youth Leadership Awards (RYLA). Since the Council began four years ago, they have championed an inclusion strategy for young people in Rotary, advocated for the launch of the @rotaryyoungleaders Instagram channel, and hosted virtual webinars and breakout sessions at Convention to raise awareness about Rotary’s youth programs. The Council meets virtually on a quarterly basis, providing direct feedback to Rotary’s Board of Directors.
Bella and Bio-Bot take readers on an imaginative journey full of curiosity, adventure, and discovery, showcasing the creativity and insight of these talented young Wellington authors. The launch marks an exciting milestone in their literary journey, and the siblings credit their parents, teachers, mentors, and friends for their invaluable support and encouragement.
Beyond being an engaging story, Bella and Bio-Bot has a strong STEM focus, introducing children to science, technology, engineering, and problem-solving concepts in an accessible and fun way. Through the adventures of Bella and her robotic companion, young readers are encouraged to think critically, experiment, and explore the world around them—making the book both entertaining and educational.
“We hope our story inspires children and young readers in New Zealand and around the world to explore the joy of reading and embrace creativity,” say Jayathi and Jayath.
There is now a discovery kithands‑on exploration to help young children notice more, ask questions and keep exploring. Order your copy: Visit Amazon and search for Bella and Bio-Bot Jayathi Jaiganesh or use the direct link: https://www.amazon.com/Bella-Bio-Bot-Jayathi-Jaiganesh/dp/1035862255
This November, Rotary members around the world have the opportunity to get moving for a great cause through Cycle & Steps 2026, supporting the work of BeyondWater in East Africa.
BeyondWater is a charitable organisation working to alleviate poverty across East Africa by providing access to clean drinking water and sanitation facilities. Rotary has been a major supporter of this work, helping BeyondWater reach more than 300,000 people every day.
The organisation is led by Pete and his wife, who are members of the Rotary Club of Pohutukawa Coast (D9920) and have been based in Nairobi, Kenya, for the past 15 years.
🚴♂️ Pedal Against Poverty
In November, the third Pedal Against Poverty event will see a team of cyclists from New Zealand, Kenya and the USA tackle an incredible 1,500km journey along the length of New Zealand’s South Island.
The team, including Pete, is aiming to raise $10,000 to build a new block of toilets at Kikongo Primary School in Kenya.
While the cyclists will be covering their own costs, they are also taking a support vehicle, driven by a member of the Rotary Club of North Harbour, and are seeking sponsorship to help cover the costs of this vehicle.
🌍 How can your Club get involved?
Alongside Pedal Against Poverty, BeyondWater is inviting Rotary clubs around the world to take part in Cycle & Steps 2026.
On 21 November — or another date that works for your club — registered teams can gather at a local venue and walk, run or cycle a route of their choice. It’s designed to be easy for Rotary clubs to participate in, wherever they are in the world.
Whether we put together a team, organise a local activity, or support the Pedal Against Poverty team, it’s a great opportunity to combine fellowship, physical activity and fundraising while contributing to a project that will make a lasting difference for children in Kenya.
It's great to see an article on Radio New Zealand news about the ShelterBag project. 
