Contributions to our bulletin are welcome and if you have anything please send to Richard at nabbo_123@hotmail.com
And if you have any comments on the layout, content and information provided, let us know, because the Newsletter is yours.
Rotary Hutt City breakfast meetings
Meetings are held 7am to 8.30 am on the first and third Wednesday of the month at Boulcott's Farm Heritage Golf Club, Military Road, Lower Hutt.
Breakfast costs $25 per person, payable on arrival. Please RSVP to chrissi@roll.nz
Members, don't forget to check the Duties Roster (Meeting Responsibilities) below for your nominated duty for our next meeting on 3 December 2025.
Meeting Responsibilities
Greeter
Walker, Chrissi
Payment Taker
Hughes, Gaylene
Reception Desk
Xie, Brad
Opening thought
Percy, David
Intro to Speaker
Cranna, Rob
Thanks to Speaker
Brockelsby, Murray
Closing thought
Peterson, Charles
President's Report
Hola, como estás?
Hope you're well. I had a fabulous time in Thailand and Siem Reap and even spotted Rotary signs in Chiang Mai (see below). Great to explore our world, but just as nice to return home to friends and family and my own bed!
Hard to believe it's December next week. The countdown is on - we have the Tree of Joy project starting on Sat 14th through to the 23rd. We're still needing spots filled on the roster, particularly towards the end. If you haven't yet put your name down for either manning the Tree or running the gifts to the Salvation Army, then please commit now.
On Thursday 11th December we have our Italian themed end of year Christmas dinner. I do hope to see you there. We'll all come out speaking a little Italian, I'm sure.
The Board have their last meeting of the year on Tuesday and we have the AGM on Wednesday morning before MP Chris Bishop speaks. Busy times!
Our Annual General Meeting will be held during Breakfast on Wednesday 3 December. The Agenda is below, along with President Cameron's and Treasurer Barry's reports.
Full details with relevant documentation can be found on the Club Website. You can download the relevant papers by using this link:2025 AGM Papers
New Zealand women went to the polls for the first time, just 10 weeks after the governor, Lord Glasgow, signed the Electoral Act 1893 into law, making this country the first in which women had the right to vote in parliamentary elections.
Despite the short timeframe for voter registration, 109,461 women – about 80% of the eligible adult female population – enrolled to vote in the election. On polling day 90,290 of them cast their votes, a turnout of 82% (far higher than the 70% turnout among registered male voters). There were then no electoral rolls for the Māori seats, but women cast perhaps 4000 of the 11,269 Māori votes that year.
Despite warnings from opponents of women’s suffrage that ‘lady voters’ might be harassed at polling booths, election day passed off in a relaxed, festive atmosphere. According to a Christchurch newspaper, the streets ‘resembled a gay garden party’ – ‘the pretty dresses of the ladies and their smiling faces lighted up the polling booths most wonderfully’.
Women vote for the first time at a polling station in the tiny South Otago settlement of Tahakopa on 28 November 1893.
Looking Back 19 November
With President Katrina experiencing the magic of a yoga retreat in Thailand, Past President Cameron Tooley stepped up to the plate. However, Cameron was thrown a substantial curveball by the absence of our guest speaker, Alex Hockley CEO of Wellington Heritage Festival, who was suffering from Covid.
Peter Tatham offered us the Opening thought (immediately following).
Given the absence of Alex Hockley, we were lucky to have new member Steven Robinson provide us with his life story. Steven is a Mortgage broker for Life Direct,but began his career in banking in 1999. He has held a variety of roles across home lending, business, and commercial banking. (Cameron remarked that his career path seemed to take in all the banks apart from Westpac!).
Steven has also successfully owned and operated an asset finance business.
Given the Club's demographic, it is highly unlikely that members will require Steven's services, but younger members of families, well that's quite a different matter......
He left us with the thought that ''Good conversations lead to good decisions.''
There were then brief plugs for Shelterbags (see below). Cameron had actually seen a bag at a recent Rotary function, and said they were made of a good material and were waterproof. Quite apart from individuals contributing ($150 per bag), perhaps the Club could find a specific fund raising opportunity in 2026. He also said that the previous evening's Look Sharp! had featured a five minute slot on the origins of Shelterbags and the quest by Rotary to bring them to New Zealand.
Ganesh Cherian then said that the Italian themed Christmas meal on 11 December would feature musical accompaniment.
Renowned quizmaster Craig Deadmanthen provided three rounds of numbers related and true or false questions. At the end of the morning, only half a point separated the top two teams, with everyone enjoying the fun.
Opening Thought 19 November
Presented by Peter Tatham
Success is no accident. It is hard work, perseverance, learning, studying, sacrifice and most of all, love of what you are doing or learning to do.
This is a quote from Pelé, born Edson Arantes do Nascimento, widely regarded as one of, if not, the greatest footballers of all time. He rose from poverty in Brazil to become a global icon, famed for popularizing the phrase "The Beautiful Game". A prolific forward with exceptional skill, vision, and an uncanny ability to score with either foot or his head, Pelé was a complete player.
His remarkable career included winning an unprecedented three World Cups with Brazil (1958, 1962, and 1970). He remains the youngest player ever to score in a World Cup final aged 17, a record that still stands today. He spent most of his club career with Santos FC, where he scored over 1,000 goals and won numerous titles, before ending his playing days with the New York Cosmos to help popularize the sport in the United States.
Beyond his on-pitch achievements, Pelé was a respected global ambassador for football and a symbol of inspiration. He passed away in December 2022, leaving a legacy that transcends the sport.
He's One of Our Own....Looking Back 21 November #1
At the Wellington Regional Business Excellence Awards hosted by Hutt Valley Chamber of Commerce, Past President Cameron Tooley was inducted into their Hall of Fame.
Councillor Brady Dyer wrote on Facebook:
Tonight we celebrated not just business excellence, but endurance, vision, and community impact, with three extraordinary Hall of Fame inductees. These businesses have stood the test of time, showing what it means to lead with integrity, adapt with purpose, and support the region they call home.
Packaging Products began with two mates in a Brooklyn garage back in 1975, and now stands as one of New Zealand’s most trusted names in packaging. Still proudly family-owned, they’ve grown into a nationwide supplier with over 3,000 product lines — supporting industries from retail to industrial with everything from washroom essentials esto safety gear. Their roots are in the Hutt Valley, and so is their heart.
He's One of Our Own....Looking Back 21 November #2
Rotabiz member Blue Star Wellington has taken the top spot in the Excellence in Sustainable and Environmental Practices for their impressive commitment to cutting carbon and crafting a greener future - one print job at a time.
With roots tracing back to the 19th century, Blue Star evolved from legacy print operations into a sustainability frontrunner, slashing over 40% of their greenhouse gas emissions since 2021. Their Toitū Carbon Reduction Programme is more than just a checklist—it’s a climate action blueprint.
Club member Rob Cranna was up on stage to accept the award. Great to have such premium companies as club members!
Looking Back 26 November Richard Nabarro writes:
I joined the Hutt Valley team for their Christmas celebrations at Baylands Brewery in Victoria St, Petone. President Simon Edwards had invited us, along with the other local clubs.
Aidan Styles, one of the founders of the brewery, gave an enlightened talk about all things brewing and now I know why my preferred sour beers taste different: traditional beers use clean-fermenting brewer's yeast, while sour beers intentionally introduce wild yeasts and bacteria, such as Lactobacillus, Pediococcus, and Brettanomyces. Yuk!!
President Katrina spots Rotary sponsored tuk tuks on holiday in Thailand!
Next Week's Speaker Chris Bishop MP 3 December
Club member and MP Chris will tell of his journey to Parliament as a Hutt local, and give us an update about what is currently happening in government.
Born (September 1983) and raised in the Hutt Valley, Chris attended Victoria University, earning a first-class Honours degree in Law and a Bachelor of Arts, and was an award-winning university debater.
Before entering Parliament, he worked as a political journalist, a National Party researcher, an advisor to ministers, and a corporate affairs manager for Philip Morris New Zealand.
He was first elected to the New Zealand House of Representatives in 2014 as a list MP. He won the Hutt South electorate seat in 2017, lost it in 2020, and regained it in the 2023 general election.
In the current National government, he holds significant portfolios, including Minister of Housing, Minister for Infrastructure, Minister of Transport, and Leader of the House. He is known for his focus on driving economic growth, improving infrastructure, and reforming local government and planning laws, aiming to address New Zealand's housing crisis and boost national productivity.
Chris and wife Jenna live in Days Bay, Eastbourne with their two children.
RYLA, or the Rotary Youth Leadership Award, is an intensive, hands-on leadership development program for young adults, sponsored by local Rotary Clubs. The program uses seminars, group activities, and community events to help participants develop leadership, communication, problem-solving, and teamwork skills. Participants are chosen by sponsoring Rotary Clubs or companies and are selected based on their potential for leadership and desire to grow.
Rotary Hutt City has budgeted to sponsor two candidates and we are looking to Club members to suggest possible candidates. Rotabiz members especially would find it an excellent leaddership course fo younger staff
Any one of these attachments could be put in the newsletter, and you can say that the club has budgeted to sponsor 2 candidates. We need club members to suggest candidates, and Rotabiz members will find it an excellent leadership course for younger staff members (18 – 24 years).
Please contact Andy Soper andy@maudelegal.co.nzfor further information or to offer your suggested candidates.
Are Your Membership Details up to date in ClubRunner?
A message from Doug Webb our Club Site Administrator:-
Have your personal details changed, especially email address and phone number? Take a few minutes to log-in to rotaryhuttcity.org.nz.
Click on the following link for a step by step guide to accessing your member profile.
Richard Nabarro writes:
Although Rotary Hutt City's Board have not budgeted to support this project, they have agreed that we should promote via our Newsletter, and very much hope that some of you might like to contribute/donate.
The Shelterbag Project is a powerful Rotary initiative addressing the growing issue of rough sleeping and homelessness.
The story began in Adelaide, where a local Rotary club identified Shelterbags as a practical way to provide warmth, comfort, and dignity to those sleeping rough. Their success quickly inspired other clubs across Australia, turning a local effort into a nationwide movement. To date, more than 2,900 Shelterbags have been distributed across Australia.
Now Rotary aims to replicate this in New Zealand, working with existing social agencies to deliver Shelterbags free of charge to people living on the streets.
Shelterbags are manufactured in South Africa They are a lightweight, portable, waterproof, and windproof sleeping bag designed to hold an extra blanket for added warmth.
Working alongside social services in Taranaki, Waitara Rotary have already distributed Shelterbags to rough sleepers in New Plymouth — and the feedback has been overwhelmingly positive. There is also a wider community benefit: as rough sleepers move away from CBD doorways, urban clutter and doorway bedding decrease — a visible improvement for both people and local retailers. Because Shelterbags are lightweight, weather-resistant, and portable, they also offer safer sheltering options outside CBD areas.
The estimated number of rough sleepers in Wellington is 140 (I am trying to establish numbers in Lower Hutt specifically), out of a nationwide estimate of 1200.
Based on the Waitara pilot and current manufacturing and exchange rates, the all-inclusive cost per bag is estimated at $150.
How You Can Support the Shelterbag Project
Rotary clubs and individual Rotarians can support this important nationwide initiative. Your contribution will help meet key milestones and ensure Shelterbags are ready for distribution to those who need them most before winter.
Charitable donations can be made to: ROZOPS Ltd – Special Projects Account: 06-0193-0905286-007
Please include “Shelterbag” in the Particulars field and your club or individual name in the Reference field.
➡️ Donations from individuals are tax-deductible, and a donation receipt will be issued to enable a 33% IRD rebate.
The full background and details can be found here:
Note there are 2-hour tree-manning shifts and up to 4 present delivery shifts per day.
- Wednesday 17 December Last breakfast meeting of the year, to be held at local charity Ignite Sport, Bell Road, Waiwhetu.
A chance for the Ignite team to show us their new venue and showcase the activities they use to involve kids in sport.
Breakfast provided by them, usual payment of $25 pp will be taken at the door.
2026
- Wednesday 4 February will be first meeting back in 2026 at Boulcotts Farm.
- Friday 20 March - Sunday 22 March Finally, planning ahead a little, President Katrina is really keen to get a group together to go to the new ''whole of North Island'' Rotary District Conference in Napier. Do pop the dates in your diaries – I think we can make an impact as a club and have fun together at the same time.
Remember to bring some loose change along to the meeting so you can contribute if you answer a Quizlett question incorrectly :), or wish to "Buy The Box".
If you should have any interesting stories about fellow Rotarians then please pass them onto Craig so he can share them at the meeting. Email: craig@packprod.co.nz
Payment is also now available by Eftpos onsite - no excuses!
Last Edition, I asked: What was the Earthquake Commission known as before and what is it known as now? Established in 1945, it was known as the Earthquake and War Damage Commission until 1993 and in 2024 became the Natural Hazards Commission Toka Tū Ake.
This edition's question: to the nearest kilometre, how long is the Hutt River Trail?
Given the absence of Alex Hockley, we were lucky to have new member Steven Robinson provide us with his life story. Steven is a Mortgage broker for Life Direct, but began his career in banking in 1999. He has held a variety of roles across home lending, business, and commercial banking. (Cameron remarked that his career path seemed to take in all the banks apart from Westpac!). 
With roots tracing back to the 19th century, Blue Star evolved from legacy print operations into a sustainability frontrunner, slashing over 40% of their greenhouse gas emissions since 2021. Their Toitū Carbon Reduction Programme is more than just a checklist—it’s a climate action blueprint.
