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 1 October 2025.
Please note that not only have new positions been added for ''Payment Takers'', but also we have reduced the ''Reception Desk'' going forward.
And please remember to bring a tinned item(s) for donation for IYM, and if you haven’t signed up a team for the IYM quiz night do it NOW!
Meeting Responsibilities
Greeter
Harding, Katrina
Payment Taker
Deadman, Craig
Payment Taker
Hughes, Gaylene
Reception Desk
Soper, Andy
Opening thought
Ramsay, Ian
3 Minute Who Am I?
Intro to Speaker
Walker, Chrissi
Thanks to Speaker
Nabarro, Richard
Quizlett (6 questions about your industry)
Eaddy, Vidette
Closing thought
Cherian, Ganesh
President's Report
Kia ora, buenos dias,
It was great to have the four mayoral candidates’ panel at the last meeting. Hopefully you have all received your voting papers and have already voted. 😊
As a Club and Board we have contributed to the Rotary-run Wellington Heritage Festival (see below), which has numerous local events and activities in late October. It is a great way to explore and get to know more of what is on offer in our city.
We are looking forward to the IYM/Rotary Quiz Night on Thursday 16 October (see below too). Still time to get a team together to join in the fun. Also needed are donations for the auction – have a think and see what you might be able to donate. Please bring a grocery item on Wednesday to add to the hamper we will make.
The Board have our monthly meeting next Tuesday. Minutes are posted on the RHC website (once you log in), if you are interested in finding out more about what goes on behind the scenes.
Look forward to seeing you on Wednesday – I do enjoy our meetings and am always pleased to hear from guests and speakers about how welcomed they feel and that they have enjoyed our fun, banter and camaraderie. Thank you all for participating and being involved.
- A significant number of babies are conceived around the Christmas and New Year holiday period, leading to higher birth rates in late September. Data consistently shows that the top 10 most popular birthdays fall within the late September and early October period in the UK, and a similar trend exists in the US and New Zealand. 26 September is considered the most popular day for babies to be born, in the UK, while 27 September is the most common birthday in New Zealand, with September and October generally peak months for births.
- The first in a series of historic televised debates (seen by some 85 to 120 million viewers) between U.S. presidential candidates John F. Kennedy and Vice President Richard Nixon was broadcast this day in 1960.
The details of the debates have been recounted innumerable times in the subsequent decades. Nixon showed up to the very first debate looking pale and glistening with sweat beneath the glare of the studio lights: while JFK appeared tanned and rested (with black and white TV?!)
This was a meeting taken up almost exclusively with Question Time for our four mayoral candidates, Brady Dyer, Karen Morgan, Ken Laban and Prahbha Ravi. Richard Gibbens was our Master of Ceremonies, and kept the answers given to no more than 60 seconds or occasionally two minutes, prompted by the President's cock-a-doodle-doo phone alarm!
There were a wide range of questions covering rate rises, water charges, financial reviews, paid for parking, initiatives to generate commerce and so on.
Clockwise below, Karen Morgan, Prahba Ravi, Brady Dyer and Ken Laban
Andy Soper then led us through the Special General Meeting to approve the new constitution, so that the Club can be re-registered under the Incorporated Societies Act 2022.
Andy Soper writes further:
Rotary Hutt City has since been re-registered under the Incorporated Societies Act 2022. With special thanks to Gaylene and Terry Hughes for getting it across the line.
Rob Cranna provided the Quizzlet on his profession, the printing industry.
Conal McKenna reported that two candidates from Wainui would be attending RYPEN at Kawhatau Outdoor Education Centre (KOEC) Mangaweka. Talking of which...............
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.
Next Week's Speakers 1 October
Our very own Andy Barker will be giving us a talk on the latest AI technology. You can learn about Andy's new company at the link below:-
(Editor: To be honest, there are a lot of new words and expressions for me on this website, and I am very much looking forward to hearing about new ways of working).
Second up we have cartoonist Barney Walker. Barney covers The Post when regulars are away, does Spot The Difference in Sunday Star Times weekly and has a library of 300 stylised cartoon fish.
Barney is more than a cartoonist however. He has over twenty-five years' experience in public and private sectors, in a range of projects including: finance, internet, energy, telecommunications and Government (MSD, Police, Health, Justice, MPI, MBIE, Education and Internal Affairs). Not only he is a cartoonist when not busy in I.T. but he is also an illustrator, writer and sculptor.
Barney has a love of fish, but as is website says:
It’s not all about fish. I’ve branched out beyond just fish to illustration, puzzles, and cartoons in general, along with design, sculpture and writing. I love sharing my designs and watching how people interpret them, which ones they love, and which ones make them scratch their heads.
By the way, the website (click on the link below) is fascinating, and will explain why his company is known as: Onekickduck
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.
Big Hats High Tea 12 October 2025
From Michelle Simpson at Rotary Hutt Vallley, who can also help with any enquiries michellesimpson50@hotmail.com
IYM Fundraiser 16 October 2025
Gaylene Hughes writes:
gaylene@jdicoach.co.nz
Hi there
Innovative Young Minds (IYM) and Rotary Hutt City are bringing YOU, our
awesome supporters, together for a great night out AND it’s an opportunity to
raise some money.
We are in the middle of organising our annual fun Quiz night and Auction – and
have just a few more teams to find.
We’ve organised:
Craig – a local experienced quiz master, with a wicked sense of
humour;
A cash bar and the opportunity to purchase your own snacks;
Lots of free parking! and
Some fantastic raffles and auction items (both silent & live).
The flier can be found below and please share with your friends and
In addition to making up a table, remember you have the opportunity to Sponsor a round (there are 8). For just $200 plus gst your company logo will be on the screen before your round, you’ll be verbally acknowledged and thanked on the night for your support and we’ll take a photo which will be displayed on all IYM and RHC digital platforms and feature in the IYM newsletter.
You are welcome to have a company banner at the venue and on your table. We would love to have you join us, so please reply to mde at the email above, indicating you’re in!! and we’ll reserve your spot.
Let me know if you’d like to sponsor a round in that email too.
We’ll send you an invoice in due course with bank account details.
Thanks in advance!
Wellington Heritage Festival 18 October - 9 November
President Katrina writes:
As a club we have contributed funds towards this Wellington-wide event programme in October. A great Rotary initiative which has been running a couple of years now. Do try and get along to some of the events. Register using this link:
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: Who holds the record for the longest period of office as mayor of Lower Hutt? Percy Dowse, 1950-1970
For this edition: Which is the oldest Rotary club in New Zealand?
.....RYLA..............................................
