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. Please RSVP to chrissi@roll.nz.
For those of you who have not pre-paid (see President's Report below), breakfast continues to cost $25 per person, payable on arrival to Gaylene Hughes.
Members, don't forget to check the Duties Roster (Meeting Responsibilities) below for your nominated duty for our next meeting on 4 February.
(Editor: And my sincere apologies to Sue Colville who I managed to name Melville in the last Newsletter. Really hope married life is continuing to be blessed!)
Meeting Responsibilities
Greeter
McKenna, Conal
Payment Taker
Hughes, Gaylene
Reception Desk
Brockelsby, Sandy
Opening thought
Geremia-Young, Anna
5 min What is my Business?
Cherian, Ganesh
Intro to Speaker
Tooley, Cameron
Thanks to Speaker
Ross, Brian
Quizlett (6 questions about your industry)
Adams, Linton
Closing thought
Gibbens, Richard
President's Report
Kia ora Rotarians,
We start back for the year on Wednesday. Look forward to seeing as many of you as possible to officially welcome in 2026 at Rotary. As well as having Paula Clarke, our scheduled speaker, Cameron Millar from the Salvation Army will visit and update us on the Tree of Joy project we ran in December. As mentioned previously, there were over 3000 presents donated and Cam has new ideas on how to manage it this year.
As you know, breakfast arrangements have been challenging, but with our new plan, Boulcotts Farm will charge us for 30 breakfasts per meeting, which should streamline things for Chrissi, Gaylene, and Barry. Bacon is back on the menu—yay!—but muffins/Danishes are gone. Thanks to those who have prepaid $250 for 10 breakfasts through June. We would appreciate it if more could do the same, as we will be charged for 30 breakfasts regardless of attendance. Having 30 prepaid will help ease the pressure. We are also working with the Chamber of Commerce to attract new members.
Our Wellington summer has not fully arrived, but we have been spared the heavy rains hitting other regions. Our thoughts are with those affected by the weather, especially those who have lost loved ones. I am sure Rotary in the BOP and Northland are doing what they can to help.
Let me know if you have ideas for any events this year. A movie, or a show maybe? Something that you would like to go to that you think might appeal to the wider group? Always great to have a social event or two in the calendar. We have booked in to see The Devil Wears Prada 2 on Thursday 30th April at 5.45pm in Petone (should be great!), but maybe we need something before the end of April? Look forward to your thoughts.
Today's date reflects a number of significant historical events.
Mahatma Gandhi was assassinated in 1948 (the day is observed as Martyr's Day in India).
Hitler became German Chancellor in 1933.
And the deadliest maritime disaster ever occurred in 1945. The Wilhelm Gustloff was a German military transport ship, sunk on 30 January 1945 by a Soviet submarine in the Baltic Sea, while evacuating civilians and military personnel from East Prussia and the German occupied Baltic states, and German military personnel from Gotenhafen, as the Red Army advanced. One estimate has put it that over 9,300 people died, making its sinking the deadliest recorded maritime disaster in history.
On a lighter, but still bittersweet note, the Beatles played their last concert together on the rooftops of Savile Row in London in 1969.
The plan had initially been rather more grandiose. They were in the process of filming a documentary, covering the writing, rehearsing and recording of the songs that would later make up the band’s final album, Let It Be. The film needed a climax, and so it was decided they would play a gig at an unorthodox location: the Sahara desert, a 2000-year old amphitheatre in Tunisia, on board the newly built QE2 cruise ship?
Looking Ahead 4 February #1 Paula Clarke GO Architecture Ltd
Paula will be talking around Common building mistakes - and how a deisgner can help you dodge them.
Paula is a local architectural designer based in Alicetown with a team of six.
With 17 years in the industry she has worked on hundreds of projects throughout the region – ranging from small renovations through new homes and commercial projects.
Her passion lies in the renovation space. She spends her weekends updating her own house and enjoys the problem solving challenges that come with enabling a home to reach its full potential.
Looking Ahead 4 February #2 Cam Millar Salvation Army (Tree of Joy)
We welcome Captain Cameron (Cam) Millar from the Salvation Army.
Cam will have a short slot to update us on how the record number of 2025 Tree of Joy gifts (over 3000!) will have been distributed to the various local charities. He also has new ideas on how to manage future distributions.
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.
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:
Every 90 minutes, heart diseases takes the life of a loved one in New Zealand. That’s almost 6,000 mums, dads, siblings, and grandparents. And there’s something you can do today to help prevent this.
Join the Heart Foundation on Friday 27 and Saturday 28 February as we take to the streets and raise vital, life-saving funds to support heart health in New Zealand. Gift two (or more) hours of your day as a Big Heart Appeal street collection volunteer.
We need your help to improve the way we diagnose, treat and prevent heart disease - and research is the key. Every dollar you help collect will enable us to invest in life-saving heart research and specialist training. You could be part of unlocking the next big breakthrough in heart healthcare.
Every day, dedicated cardiologists, researchers and support teams work towards a shared goal – stopping all New Zealanders from dying prematurely from heart disease.
It is simple to register (see link below which also provides more background information) and you can select when and where you would like to volunteer from the list of our available sites. Once you have completed your registration, our friendly team will take it from there.
We are so grateful for our amazing volunteer street collectors – the impact of your gifted time cannot be understated. Please consider joining us for the Big Heart Appeal street collection today.
- 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.
- Friday 27 March Corporate Bowling Day fundraiser at Naenae Bowling Club. We need 18 teams of 3 at a cost of around $550 per team.
- Tuesday 28 April Petone Rotary Club are holding its 75th Anniversary dinner, to which we are invited.
We now know this will be held at The Petone Club on Udy Street Petone commencing around 6.00pm and will include a 3 course buffet style meal.
Further notices will be issued closer to the time and as more details of the program become available. If you wish to register your interest to receive further updates, please contact Gerry Pallo, Petone Rotary 75th Anniversary Convenor at gernpa@actrix.gen.nz
This will further assist in the event planning for catering purposes.
- Thursday 30 April Come and join us at The Devil Wears Prada 2, Petone Lighthouse 5.45pm, details to follow.
The Rotary Club of Petone's Brian Hughes is looking for marshalls.
Hopefully you have saved the date and are looking forward to the Fair on the 21 February.
Bookings for marshalls are going well but there are still many gaps for block and road marshalls on the day. Any help is most welcome, even if it is only for 3 hours in the morning or afternoon.
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 is widely considered to be Katherine Mansfield's most famous work?
Her book of short stories: The Garden Party (1922), which includes “At the Bay,” “The Voyage,” “The Stranger” (with New Zealand settings), and the classic “Daughters of the Late Colonel,” a subtle account of genteel frustration.
Today's question: In 1982, Gandhi won 8 oscars. But can you give the names of the three films that have each won a record number of oscars (11)? One of them has a close link with New Zealand.......
