Join us for a special talk from HW Hon. Andrew Little, the Mayor of Wellington! Drinks and networking from 5.30 pm. This is a special opportunity to bring potential new members to hear the Mayor.
Come along to hear from Festival Chair, Roger Blakeley, and other members of the Festival Board about this iconic event celebrating our region's heritage!
Jane McCann & George Fairbairn are standing down from this important role. We are very grateful to them for their years of dedicated service. We rarely hear about this vital work because much of it happens behind the scenes, to protect member privacy.
Jane is taking a sabbatical to support Peter. George will continue to provide ongoing support during the transition.
We are pleased to announce that Karen Coutts and William Somerville are taking over the role. They will carry on this essential work with the same strict privacy and discretion.
Member support includes:
Welfare Checks: Supporting members during illness, recovery, or tough times.
Compassionate Outreach: Sending thoughtful cards, flowers, or milestone congratulations on behalf of the club.
Home & Hospital Visits: Providing friendly companionship or practical help to housebound or hospitalised members.
Confidential Guidance: Serve as a private, secure sounding board to connect members with community resources.
If you, or another member, needs a helping hand, please reach out in complete confidence to:
Karen Coutts: 027 365 3992
William Somerville: 021 766 171
Save the Date: Guess Who’s Coming to Dinner
When: Saturday, 3 October 2026 Where: A mystery location! (Your destination will be revealed closer to the date) Dress code: Casual
How it works:
You are invited to a mystery dinner party! You will be assigned to a secret host home for a full meal, but you won't know who you are dining with, or who is cooking, until you knock on the door. It is a night of blind matchmaking, great food, and total surprise.
Why you can't miss it:
Rotary connection: In a club as large as ours, this is the absolute best way to break the ice and truly get to know your fellow Rotarians beyond our regular meetings.
The big reveal: The fun starts the moment the front door opens and you see who is at your table.
Deeper friendships: Spending the whole evening together allows for relaxed, meaningful conversation and lasting connections. Come on your own or with a partner
More info later. Any queries, contact Derek Gill:
derek.gill@hotmail.com
Rotary Helps Warm Wellington Hearts This Winter
The Home of Compassion's Wellington Soup Kitchen is experiencing unprecedented demand for hot food and warm clothing. In response, our Club members stepped up & generously donated a massive haul of winter essentials to help ease the chill - hats, scarves, gloves, parkas, thermals, woollen jerseys & sleeping bags, as well as hygiene products.
Special thanks to our convenor, Jane McCann, and to Julie Haggie, who coordinated with Bunnings Petone. Once again, Bunnings donated warm hats and socks. Thank you to everyone who contributed to making this winter warmer for our community.
Board News
Connecting Our Leaders to Our Mission
Behind every great Rotary project is a dedicated team ensuring our club thrives. Take a look at these quick updates from our Board members to see how their unique roles drive our local impact, manage our future, and how you play a vital part in our collective success.
(We will gradually work our way through the Board Members & their roles)
John McKinnon – Membership & Global Connection
Our current membership growth has fantastic momentum, and maintaining this energy is a shared task for every single member of our club. Let us always remember that we are one vibrant club within a global association of Rotarians. Let's continue to act with that international spirit.
Know a potential member? Talk to John McKinnon: 021 936 266
Janice Wilson – Club Programmes & Engagement
As your programme lead, I focus on securing a diverse lineup of engaging and sometimes provocative speakers to inspire our weekly meetings. Member suggestions are always welcome as we schedule ahead, and we are blessed with fantastic club members ready to step in if a speaker's plans change.
Have a brilliant speaker in mind? Email Janice: nz.janice@gmail.com
FYI
Save the Date!
An evening with Rotary International Past President Gordon McInally on Monday, 2 November
As the Trustee Chair-Elect for the Rotary Foundation, Gordon is keen to visit us and remind us of our focus on the Foundation and all the good it does in our world. Gordon is a dentist by background. For personal reasons, he is a very keen supporter of mental health initiatives and many other health-based initiatives.
More on our Involvement with the Shelter Bags
Our Club is proudly supporting the national Shelterbag project, providing lightweight, waterproof, and portable emergency shelters for rough sleepers.
Led by Christine Hurley, our Community Services Committee identified a strong local need. In November, our Board approved $1,500 to fund 10 bags. Thanks to additional national funding, a much larger shipment arrived in Wellington this past June.
Our members successfully distributed 100+ total bags across the region:
57 bags to the Compassion Soup Kitchen (including our Club's 10)
40 bags to the Salvation Army (via RC Johnsonville)
3 bags to Kim’s Way Night Shelter, Masterton (via RC Carterton)
The committee will review impact reports from the Soup Kitchen later this year to evaluate our future support for Winter 2027.
Understanding Diplomatic Roles
As we welcome members of the diplomatic service into our club, it can be helpful to understand the distinct roles and titles within international representation.
High Commissioners and Ambassadors:
These positions hold an equivalent senior rank. The primary difference is geographical: High Commissioners represent fellow Commonwealth countries (such as Australia, Canada, the Solomon Islands, or Sri Lanka), while Ambassadors represent non-Commonwealth nations.
Consuls-General:
These are career diplomats appointed to expand their country's official representation and services in major global commercial centres, such as Sydney or Los Angeles.
Honorary Consuls:
While not career diplomats, these individuals are locally based residents selected by a foreign nation to provide representation due to their unique connections or specific regional interests.
Support the Colombia Earthquake Recovery Appeal Today
A devastating earthquake has caused widespread damage across Colombia, leaving families and entire communities in urgent need of our help. The destruction is vast, and local recovery efforts will take years to bring life back to normal for those affected.
True to our motto of Service Above Self, Rotary New Zealand World Community Service (RNZWCS) is stepping up to provide vital assistance. We are working directly with local Rotary Clubs on the ground in Colombia, ensuring that your generosity funds practical, sustainable projects to help families rebuild their lives and communities recover. Every dollar raised makes a meaningful, long-term impact.
Please consider making a donation today. Your gift is tax-deductible in New Zealand and will go directly to where it is needed most.
How to donate:
You can make a direct deposit or internet banking payment using the details below:
Bank: Westpac
Account Name: RNZWCS Limited
Account Number: 03-1702-0192208-01
Reference: Please include your Name and 303C
SWIFT Code: WPACNZ2WXXX (for international transfers)
For more information on our current disaster relief initiatives, please visit www.rnzwcs.org. Thank you for your continued support and compassion.
Club Events
Major Events for 2026
We do other sparkling events as they arise,
but the following are in the longer term plan:
3 October - Guess Who is Coming to Dinner
16 November (evening) - our AGM
6 December - hold the date for Thorndon Fair
14 December Lunch - holiday lunch
Other Relevant Events
Meetings Coming Up
All events at The Wellington Club, unless otherwise stated
7 September: Paul Harris lunch
14 September: RCW lunch. Greater Wellington Heritage Festival - Roger Blakeley & a panel
