It’s been a busy couple of weeks including our Summit, Foundation meetings, the Life Flight open day, Port Nicholson’s Goal Setters breakfast as well as regular club meetings.
The Summit was a great success. It was the first time ever that we have had a multi-district conference involving all the districts. With nearly 250 people there from all over the country there was lots to discuss and friends to meet. There were nearly 50 of us at our District dinner on the Friday night and over 200 at the art deco evening with almost everyone getting dressed up in their best flapper outfits for a fun event, with people on the dance floor until midnight. In the afternoon most people helped with a beach clean up, packing emergency bags or doing a Pints for Polio stroll to several appropriate watering holes. All great fun - thank you to those of you who attended and made it the great event that it was.
During the weekend we had some excellent and inspiring speakers, As well as the ones mentioned below, we had Aaron Fleming MNZM, Director of Operations for the Southern South Island at DOC, He also partakes in Ironman competitions to raise awareness of Cystic Fibrosis despite having been told as a teenager that he would never be more than a couch athlete.
See report by Allan Brown from Hutt City club below:
Rotary Oceania conference; 2026
Blown Away in Napier: A Rotary Conference to Remember
Last weekend, Trisha and I travelled to Napier for the Rotary Oceania Conference. While our primary motivation was to support Carol Green in her role as District Governor, I’ll admit I arrived with somewhat tempered expectations. However, I couldn’t have been more wrong.
From the opening moments, it was clear we were in for an exceptional experience. The opening address by fellow Wellington Rotarian and former Governor-General, Sir Anand Satyanand, set a perfect tone—thoughtful, inspiring, and appropriately challenging.
The event moved with impressive precision thanks to the seamless coordination of past District Governors John Prendergast and Jonathan Usher. Together, they kept the programme flowing perfectly, punctuating the schedule with a brilliant blend of humour and—quite literally—magic.
The speaker line-up was equally outstanding:
Sam Johnson spoke passionately about the potential for collaboration between Rotary and the Student Volunteer Army, focusing on the power of mobilising young people for social good.
David Shackleton delivered a compelling session on "Lifting the Lid" on youth mental health, where our own contributions to the cause were noted.
Brad Olsen from Infometrics provided a fascinating and data-driven look at the significant economic impact Rotary makes across our communities.
The programme also looked toward the future, featuring thought-provoking sessions on the evolving role of AI and how the organisation can adapt to a rapidly changing world.
Beyond the formal presentations, the true highlight was the camaraderie. Reconnecting with long-time Rotary friends from across the country - and forging new connections - reminded me of the incredible sense of shared purpose that defines this organisation.
If you ever have the opportunity to attend a Rotary conference, I strongly encourage you to take it. It is an experience that informs, energises, and serves as a powerful reminder of the impact we can have. As for me, next time I won't need any persuading.
Following the Summit, Mark and David Anderson from the Rotary Foundation in Australia did a short roadshow around several areas in our district to talk about Foundation. I hope members found it informative. Thank you to our Foundation Chair, Irina Francken for hosting them.
On the same Sunday as the Summit, Life Flight had their annual open day. Thank you to the team from the Children’s Health Trust who organised and manned the stand selling over $350 worth of tickets for kids to guess how many planes were in the bag.
On Wednesday I attended the Port Nic Goal Setters Breakfast, Another outstanding event with the ever-interesting Bill English as the guest speaker.
What a week!!….and in just over a month we will be running District Assembly and President Elect Learning Seminar over the same weekend on 2/3rd May in Whanganui. District Assembly will be on Saturday and it is geared toward all Rotarians - especially new members looking for an introduction to Rotary and incoming leaders. We will cover local and global initiatives as well as membership strategies for growth and other topical Rotary information.
Did you go to the Life Flight Open Day on Sunday? It was a fantastic day of community spirit, and we were proud to be right in the middle of the action.
Rotary members from our District ran a lively booth, raising nearly $400 in support of Life Flight and the vital services they provide to our community. This event was a true example of Rotary collaboration as we were fortunate to be joined by volunteers from the Rotary Club of Port Nicholson, Rotary Club of Tawa, Rotary Club of Whanganui and the Rotary Club of Mount Victoria. Everyone's energy and support helped make the day both successful and enjoyable for everyone involved.
With approximately 5,000 visitors coming through the gates, the turnout was outstanding. Together, through our $2 competitions, we contributed meaningfully to the incredible work of Life Flight and helped boost Rotary's presence in the community.
At the Summit, Rotary Zone 8 (NZ/Aus/Pacific Islands) Director - Jennifer Scott, announced that the recommendation from the Redistricting Working Group (DG/DGE/DGN representatives) is that New Zealand and the Pacific Islands clubs will be merging to form two districts from 1st July 2028.
The new Northern region district will merge Districts 9910/9920/9930 (Pacific Islands, Northland, Auckland, Bay of Plenty, Waikato, East Coast and Hawkes Bay). It will have 2,800 members.
The new Southern region district will include Districts 9940 and 9999 (Taranaki, Rangitikei, Manawatu, Wairarapa, Kapiti/Horowhenua, Wellington and the South Island). It will have 2,560 members.
For NZ/PI, the Working Group considered a single district, 2 districts and 3 districts as possible options. The 2 district option was chosen as it gave it us the best possible member split for two stronger districts, enabled the Pacific Islands to retain their strong links with the northern clubs/districts and enabled the southern part of New Zealand to form a contiguous merged district with much stronger membership numbers.
Australia is also going through the same redistricting process and will be advising of their recommendations shortly.
Our Zone 8 is also being merged with another southern Asian Zone and this will also take place on 1st July 2028.
As mentioned in a previous notification, these changes are being made due to our membership base reducing and in order to rebuild stronger districts, we are bringing more clubs together under a wider district structure.
While not cast in stone and feedback can be sent to brent.gerrard@outlook.com, it is expected that this recommendation will be presented to the RI Board within the next month or two.
Stay connected with everything happening across our District by following our Facebook page. It’s a great way to keep up with projects, events, stories, and the incredible work our Rotary Clubs are doing in our communities.
If you haven’t already, head over and give the page a like — and while you’re there, help spread the word by sharing our posts with your networks. Every like and share helps showcase the impact Rotary is making and strengthens our connection with the wider community.
Applications are now open for the 2027 Rotary Peace Fellowships until 15 May. Rotary invites club presidents, district officers, and members to help promote peace by encouraging leaders in their communities to apply for this prestigious, fully funded opportunity.
Each year, Rotary awards up to 170 Peace Fellowships to dedicated peacebuilders from diverse backgrounds. This includes 50 fellows selected for master’s degree programs at partner universities across Asia, Australia, Europe, and the United States, and 120 fellows for professional development certificate programs at Makerere University (Uganda), Bahçeşehir University (Türkiye), and the new Rotary Peace Center at Symbiosis International University (India).
Rotary Peace Fellows use their training to strengthen peacebuilding efforts at local, regional, and global levels. Rotary and Rotaract members are encouraged to identify potential candidates within their networks and community organizations and refer them using Rotary’s simple referral form, helping ensure more changemakers learn about and apply for this life-changing fellowship.
The Rotary Children’s Health Trust is seeking support from Rotarians and clubs across the district for an upcoming online auction fundraiser in support of Life Flight.
Life Flight provides vital emergency air ambulance and medical services across New Zealand, helping save lives every day. Funds raised through this auction will help fulfil the Trust’s commitment to providing specialised lifting equipment designed to safely transport Life Flight’s smallest patients in incubators.
To make this fundraiser a success, the Trust is looking for donations of auction prizes, including:
Gift vouchers or hampers
Products or merchandise
Services (such as spa treatments, professional consultations, or experiences)
Event tickets or exclusive opportunities
Donated items will help raise essential funds for this important project while also providing valuable exposure for participating clubs and businesses. Donors can be acknowledged on the auction website and in promotional material connected with the event.
Every contribution, large or small, will make a meaningful difference.
If you are able to donate a prize or would like more information, please contact:
