Next Meeting Change Over Dinner at Ship Inn, Sidon St, South Brisbane QLD 4101
We meet for a buffet breakfast most Thursday mornings at 7:00 am for 7:30 am check each week for venue, The 1st Wednesday of Month is usually a dinner meeting, arrive at 6:00 pm for 6.30pm start.
Over the past year, we’ve produced around 50 President’s messages for this newsletter, sharing stories of Rotarians doing good in the world, celebrating friendship and fellowship, and showcasing the power of Service Above Self in our community. It has been an honour and a privilege to serve as your President once again.
A huge thank you to every club member who contributed photographs, stories, event updates, and moral support along the way. Your willingness to share Rotary in action has strengthened our club’s profile and highlighted the positive impact we make in Paddington and beyond. Together, we’ve spread a little Rotary love—and plenty of good news—throughout our community.
This year, we welcomed eight new members to the Rotary Club of Paddington, a wonderful sign that we are continuing to grow and make meaningful connections in our community. We also celebrated our 40th anniversary in November 2025—a milestone that reflects four decades of friendship, service and making a difference.
And yes, we survived the Great Paddington Tavern Relocation Challenge with grace, humour, and only a few moments of “Where are we meeting tonight?” We adapted, we thrived, and we proved that the spirit of Rotary isn’t tied to a venue—it lives in the people who turn up, pitch in, and care.
And now, with great pleasure—and perhaps a little relief—I pass the baton to our incoming President for 2026–27, Valerie Simons. Valerie will bring her own wonderful blend of humour, fresh ideas and inspiring messages, and I know she will lead our club with passion and purpose, creating a lasting impact for those we serve.
Please give Valerie your wholehearted support as she begins her year of service. I know she has exciting times ahead for our club.
looking for Raffle ticket sellers if you want to be part of the team please volunteer to register here.
Fiddler on the Roof group booking for Wed 14 October 2026 7:00pm. our price $109.00 7:00pm at Glass House Theatre, QPAC
Save the Date Our Club Change Over Dinner will be on Saturday 27th June. Theme Create Lasting Impact. Book on Trybooking here.
We are looking for members to fill the Board position of President Elect for the 2026-27 Rotary Year. Please contact Valerie Simons. Thank you Gillian for nominating for the Secretary position.
Denise Heyman has returned from Vanuatu after demonstrating the current Vanuatu curriculum loaded on the TIB system.
For 44 years, the Brisbane Rotary Art Show has been a cornerstone of our city’s cultural life, raising over $2 million to support those in our community who need it most. As we prepare for our 2026 event at the Central Plaza 1 foyer from July 19–31, we are reaching out to our closest advocates to help us find the partners who make this possible. We are looking for local businesses, philanthropists, and community leaders who want to align their brand with a prestigious event that attracts 15,000 visitors annually. Here is the Rotary Brisbane Art Show Prospectus. Please contact Dani Conn for hard copies.
Great news! 500 Shelterbags for the homeless sleeping rough in Queensland arrived 20-April-2026. Wayne has organised for more ShelterBags to be purchased in time for next winter. Place your order with Wayne Rushton.Info sheetShelterBagsFaceBookYouTubeShelterSuit Please contact Wayne Rushtonemail
Teacher in a Box News the Roger Federer Foundation board has approved the Zimbabwe project to proceed, which will require TIB servers for all schools in Zimbabwe.
If any people have laptops they don't need, we will give them to Teacher in a Box project.
Knitathon RSVP by 10th July to Valerie on 0458 149 028, Knit a Beanie for the homeless. Let's come together to create warmth, dignity and hope for those in need. What to bring:- Your knot or crochet kit, Yarn/Wool, A little something to share for afternoon tea. Every stitch makes a difference, All Skill levels Welcome! Invitation
Volunteer Opportunities
The Rotary Brisbane Art Show is just around the corner, running from 18th to 1st August! As co-hosts alongside Brisbane High-Rise, our club is playing a lead role in making this event a success. To ensure everything runs smoothly, we need volunteers to help with: Setting up and pulling down the exhibition Managing the registration desks
We are asking all members to please sign up for at least two sessions. You can select your shifts using the Google Sheets link below: Volunteers for Rotary Brisbane Art Show 2026 - Google Sheets Thank you for your support in making this year's show a fantastic event!
We have an opportunity to sell raffle tickets at the Paddo when the Broncos games are in Brisbane. Here is the raffle roster for volunteers to register Here is the link to all the broncos games this season
Bunnings BBQ at Newstead on Sunday the 5th July Volunteers are needed 5 people for 3 shifts 8am-10:30am, 10:30am-1:00pm, 1pm-3:30pm Pleaseregister herete
Teacher in a Box (TIB) contact Jeanette Johnstone at 0438659155.Details here.
District 9620 Youth Exchange Program (YEP) is Looking for Volunteer Committee members to help with the Youth Exchange Program. Contact Bernie Wilson.Details here.
Braking the Cycle Driver mentoring Volunteers needed. Mentoring assists with road safety. Attaining a driver's licence significantly improves young people's employment opportunities. PCYC will provide training for new mentors. They also provide automatic cars running out of Suncorp and the Valley centres. The amount of time you can give is up to you. Driving sessions normally last for an hour or so. If you want to volunteer for this program, please email David Frost. This program allows us to make a difference in the lives of young people in our local area. It can become one of our Club’s key ongoing local projects. Let's get behind.
Rotary Oceania Medical Aid for Children ROMAC (Rotary Oceania Medical Aid for Children) is seeking passionate Rotary people of action to help transform the lives of children who need help to access life-saving medical care. Volunteering with ROMAC is an incredibly rewarding experience—you'll experience first hand the joy of seeing a child return home healthy and full of hope. Want to get involved? You can also volunteer at the Regional ROMAC-Committee level in fundraising, media, hospital liaison, patient care and more. For more information go to: https://romac.org.au/about-romac/team-positions-available/ To apply or learn more, contact Maggie Alexander at hr@romac.org.au.
Join WASH-RAG Membership sign up through the official WASH-RAG website and take an active role in our humanitarian efforts. (https://www.wash-rag.org/membership/) WASH-RAG is at the heart of Rotary’s mission to ensure sustainable access to clean water, improved sanitation, and better hygiene for communities in need.
Rotarians Against Malaria (RAM) contact Russ Stephenson (Northern Region and D9620 RAM Supervisor) rusmer1@hotmail.com or ring 0409 765 124. Russ Stephenson RAWCS
District 9620 GovernorMark Williams of the Rotary Club of Brisbane
President: Debra Lewis IPP: David Frost VP: Richard Carr
Secretary: Lyn Maddock
Treasurer: Leslie Smith
Admin: Stephen Kirby
Membership: John Lane
Service: Michelle Davis
PR: Valerie Simons
Foundation: Bo Morse
Youth: Dani Conn
President-Elect: Valerie Simons
Club Officers
Insurance: John Clark Speakers' Program: Mish Davies Duty Roster: Stephen Kirby Youth Driver Training: David Frost Kiva Loans: Bo Morse Women's' Shelter: Mala and Leonie Mirror of Hope: Valerie Simons Brisbane Rotary Art Show: David Frost Shelter bags: Wayne Rushton Paddington Heritage Trail: Lyn Maddock Club Property: Valerie Simons Blue Cards: Stephen Kirby Newsletter: Stephen Kirby
