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, please also check the Duties Roster (Meeting Responsibilities) below for your nominated duty for our next meeting on 17 September 2025.
Please note that not only have new positions been added for ''Payment Takers'', but also we have reduced the ''Reception Desk'' going forward.
Meeting Responsibilities
Greeter
Brown, Allan
Payment Taker
Deadman, Craig
Payment Taker
Hughes, Gaylene
Reception Desk
Peterson, Charles
Opening thought
Ramsay, Ian
3 Minute Who Am I?
Markham, Michael
Intro to Speaker
Colville, Sue
Thanks to Speaker
Thomas, Gregory
Quizlett (6 questions about your industry)
Cranna, Rob
Closing thought
Wilmshurst, Wayne
Special General Meeting 17 September
A special general meeting will take place on 17 September, to approve the Club's application to re-register under the Incorporated Societies Act 2022. A link to the draft may be found here:
I’m thrilled that the new Constitution is now available. Every club should have received one. All you need to do is fill in your club details in the appropriate places and send it off to reregister. There are already several clubs that have reregistered with the new Constitution and have heard back very quickly as they are all standardised. Again, our grateful thanks to Adrian and also, Graham Evans who have put a lot of work into the project to make it so simple in the end.
President's Report
Ata marie good morning,
Look forward to seeing as many of you as possible at next week’s breakfast meeting, along with any guests you’d like to bring. We will have a panel of the four local mayoral candidates who will have questions put to them by our facilitator Richard Gibbens. Do let me or Richard (richard@secl.co.nz) know if you’ve got something specific you’d like asked.
Also, just prior to the start of the meeting Andy Soper will run a special general meeting to approve the Club’s application to re-register under the Incorporated Societies Act 2022. A quorum of 17 members needs to be present, which should not be a problem, but it would be great to get this signed off first.
A shame we were not able to fill the theatre at last night’s screening of Downton Abbey - The Grand Finale movie fundraiser, but those who were there certainly enjoyed the movie. Funds raised go towards students attending Rotary’s outdoor education programme in Taihape, RYPEN, later this month.
Finally, Thursday 16 October is our annual IYM Quiz night. Grab a few friends and make a team – we will out-quiz each other! Auction items still gratefully received, and in the meantime, please each bring a grocery item to Wednesday’s meeting and we will make a big raffle basket.
On 12 September 1940, four French teenagers were seaerching for a dog and discovered the entrance to a cave near Montignac in the Dordogne region of south western France.
The boys came upon what were to become known famously as the Lascaux cave paintings – estimated to be between 17,000 - 20,000 years old and excitedly described by experts as “the cradle of art”.
The cave complex was opened to the public in 1948 and soon attracted about 1,200 visitors a day. And that’s when the problems began.
By 1955, carbon dioxide from the breath of visitors, along with heat and humidity took their toll on the paintings. And the introduction of air conditioning brought with it fungi and lichen.
As a result, the complex was closed to the public in 1963, the prehistoric images returningthe prehistoric images returning to the darkness and isolation that they had known for thousands of years. to the darkness and isolation that they had known for thousands of years.
Public interest remained unabated, however, and led in 1983 to the opening of Lascaux II, a meticulously created replica cave.
Its main attraction is the Hall of Bulls Chamber. The four large black bulls in it include one that is over five meters (17ft) long – the largest animal painting in prehistoric cave paintings anywhere in the world.
Lascaux became a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1979. Only a few hundred meters away from the original cave, Lascaux II is a virtually identical replica with 80 per cent of the original images reproduced. It attracts about 250,000 visitors a year.
Gibbes Watson - Planted Pavilion
Allan Brown writes:
While you will see from the report that there is no immediate pathway forward, we believe it is an idea incoming councillors should revisit. We will be sharing it with community leaders and candidates in the hope it inspires fresh thinking and helps open the door to future possibilities.
In the meantime, thank you to all those who have contributed over the past two years as we have worked to reimagine the Civic Gardens buildings. It has been wonderful to see Rotary, Victoria University, and Council come together in such a positive way.
Reimagining the Gibbes Watson Conservatory – A Planted Pavilion for the Future
Hi Rotarians and project partners,
Here is an update on our work to reimagine the Gibbes Watson Conservatory in Civic Gardens.
The old fern house has stood empty for years and was further damaged by the recent cyclone. Rather than let it decline, we’ve been exploring ways to breathe new life into the site.
With support from Victoria University’s School of Architecture, we developed a new vision: a planted pavilion. The design proposes a light but durable fabric roof. And seating for up to 80 would create a flexible venue for:
Weddings and civil ceremonies
Funerals and memorials
Community gatherings and markets
A sheltered retreat to enjoy the gardens
This week, we presented the design and funding model to council officers.
Our proposal: Rotary would finance the upgrade, once the council removes the damaged glass, in exchange for a 10-year license to manage and hire out the venue—allowing us to recover our investment while enhancing community facilities.
In particular, the relocation of the Saturday Market to Dowse Square would benefit from this facility.
Unfortunately, council officers were not receptive. In today’s economic climate, their focus is on reducing costs and avoiding building ownership responsibilities.
For now, we will allow our proposal to remain on the table. Maybe, a new Council will give greater weight to retaining this heritage structure and enhancement of community facilities.
This was yet another very full meeting which started with a five minute slot from member Mark Ngan Kee who spoke about his role with Titan Cranes, based in Seaview, as Chief Finance Officer. Linked with Rotary, Mark told us that one of Titan's cranes has been involved with the new Cycle Way.
Next up was outgoing Lower Hutt Mayor Campbell Barry, after six years in post. He highlighted his achievements against priorities, with a significant dent made in the refurbishment and repair of water pipes - 57 kilometres in five years. But it will require 30kms of repair per annum, just to mark time, going forward. That said, his vision was to make the City a centre of excellence for water management in the future.
Andy Soper reported that with the new Rotary constitution now finalised, a Special General Meeting would be held on 17 September, to enable it to be approved and for the Club to be re-registered under the Incorporated Societies Act 2022.
Rob Cranna then introduced new Rotabiz member Adam Berman. Adam works for property company Canmore who now own the Angus Inn, and who have plans for a complete refurbishment of the hotel complex adjacent to Queensgate Mall.
Finally Sabrina Delgado from Kiwibank delivered a first for our breakfast meetings, by "zooming in" from Auckland with an economic forecast presentation. Whilst green shoots of recovery were appearing nationally, the country was recovering from its deepest recession since 1991 and Wellington was still lagging as a region, not helped by the recent government administration cutbacks. Tourism was still to reach the heights pre-Covid, with many Chinese tourists failing to return to these shores.
With 3% seen as a ''neutral'' rate of interest for economic growth, it was predicted and hoped that a figure of 2.5% would provide stimulus for 2026 and certainly into 2027.
Looking Back 11 September
Members and friends ventured to the Lighthouse Petone for a RYPEN fundraiser preview, to see the final instalment in the Downton Abbey saga - Downton Abbey: The Grand Finale. Despite the mixed reviews, everyone enjoyed the film, because all the wonderful characters played their roles as we wanted and expected them to.
Now New Zealand, how about bringing Outrageous Fortunes to the big screen?
Following Hutt City’s five Rotary clubs 'Meet the Mayoral candidates'' event on the evening of 21 August, we have our own second chance to ask pertinent questions or otherwise.
A full transcript of the evening's debate can still be found here:
(Top left clockwise) Brady Dyer, Karen Morgan, Ken Laban and Prabha Ravi will once again be treading the boards of Boulcott.
President Katrina is compiling a list of questions to ask them. If you have any specific questions please let Katrina know, so they may be added to the list.
RYLA
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.
Anne Schumacher, Chief Executive of Dementia Wellington writes:
September is World Alzheimer's Month, a global campaign to raise awareness and challenge stigma around dementia. Every three seconds someone develops dementia, and over 55 million people worldwide are currently living with the condition—a number projected to rise to 139 million by 2050, with the fastest growth in low- and middle-income countries.
Closer to home in Aotearoa New Zealand, the number of people with dementia mate wareware is projected to more than double, from an estimated 83,000 to around 170,000 by 2050. Health inequities further complicate this picture with the number of people living with dementia projected to increase at a faster rate in Māori, Pacific Peoples, and Asian communities. Ageing remains the most significant risk factor. By 2028, it is estimated that more than one million New Zealanders will be aged 65 years and over.
This year we're taking a hybrid approach to our annual fundraising appeal. Through our social media we'll be raising awareness about dementia mate wareware, sharing our story, and highlighting the difference our mahi makes in the lives of people living with dementia and their whānau. Our Appeal Week starts on 15 September and will end with International Alzheimer's Awareness Day on 21 September. During this week, we'll be inviting people to donate and go into the draw to win some fabulous prizes – all of which have been kindly donated to us. These include:
$250 Interislander Travel Voucher
$100 Steam Incorporated Heritage Rail Voucher
$100 Star Group Restaurant Voucher
Staglands Family Pass
3x $25 Bohemein Fresh Chocolates
$40 Schrodinger's Books Voucher
EcoStore Gift Pack
Salute Spa Lower Hutt Vouchers.
Big Hats High Tea 12 October 2025
From Michelle Simpson at Rotary Hutt Vallley, who can also help with any enquiries michellesimpson50@hotmail.com
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.
Our three-minute ‘Who Am I” is for you to briefly tell your fellow members about who you are and where you have come from.
So, this is not primarily, about your career or what you have done.
Rather, this is your opportunity to tell us all about your background, where and how you were brought up, and the timing and events that have shaped you and your character.
The timing is purposefully limited to three minutes so we hear of the people and spaces that have led to your life and interests.
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: Where is the fictional country seat of Downton Abbey situated in England? Downton is situated in Yorkshire.
This Edition's question: Who holds the record for the longest period of office as mayor of Lower Hutt?
