To ensure your content is included in the next bulletin, please send it to rcpnbulletin@gmail.com by 9am on SUNDAY
Our Duties September-October Please note that these may differ from previous notifications
If you are going to be away please record your leave of absencehere
September 30 Sarah Morris
October 7 Simon Douglas
October 14 Radar Awards
October 21 Grand Night Out
Desk
Fiona Smith
Simon Warburton
Jo Douglas
NO MEETING
Greeter
Jeff Lee
Jane Paterson
Lou Bray-Burns
Setup/pack up
Cameron Dittmer
Iona Sammons
Richard Brodie
Kaikohau
Howard Tong
Nick Duncan
Marc Rands
Opening thought
Tony Robinson
David Shackleton
Peter Whittington
Introduction
Darryl Ross
Rob Whitney
David Barnes Howard Tong
Thanking
Paula McKnight
Bill Day
David Shackelton
Parting thought
Brad Weekly
Rick Hughes
Tony Herring
Reporter
Juian Bateson
Aparna Dubey
Charles Little
Photographer
Rob Whitney
Darryl Ross
Paula McKnight
Our Speaker this week is:
Sarah Morris
Campaign to encourage participation and community power in response to creeping authoritarianism
Sarah is a prominent NZ social justice advocate who commenced her role as the Advocacy and Policy Manager for Amnesty International Aotearoa in June 2026. Her byline on her LinkedIn page is “It's better to light a candle than curse the darkness". Working for peace, social change, justice, equity and inclusion by promoting and protecting human rights for all.
She has had an extensive career focusing on human rights, community mobilisation, and systemic decolonisation.
Drawn to social justice through storytelling, Sarah trained as a journalist. She then moved abroad and established a career in international development working for aid agencies like Oxfam supporting community development projects in Africa, Asia and the Pacific. After returning home to New Zealand in 2008, Sarah reoriented her career and worked for UNICEF and the Office of the Children's Commissioner advocating for children’s rights. It was during this time that Sarah started to learn more about Indigenous rights and how the application of Te Tiriti o Waitangi can help communities to collectively navigate the interconnected challenges of inequity, discrimination and climate change in Aotearoa.
President David
Greetings Rotary Friends,
The Bulletin is now being produced every two weeks. This is an excellent newsletter but work-intensive. Making it fortnightly makes it manageable for our editors Nicole and Brenda to produce while maintaining its excellent standard. Be sure to check your duties every fortnight, especially if you plan to go away, and please pay extra attention to the weekly invitation.
Thank you for the excellent turnout at the Club Forum. Our Club Secretary, Jo Douglas, has been busy writing up the report-backs and we will review the results at our next board meeting. There were important ideas that emerged including: the need for a social media officer; better mentoring and the tricky issue of sharing leadership and knowledge across the club so our projects are sustainable. Our long-term sustainability as a club will depend on these.
We have launched a fund-raising event to support a student at one of our Lifting the Lid schools who has been in a precarious situation, to return to South Africa. Funds are flowing in and we thank you for your generosity.
Next month is going to be exciting with the Radar Awards and the Grand Night Out.
Applications for RYLA 2027 to be held in Masterton 14-18 January are now open for suitable candidates
RYLA is a four and a half day residential high energy programme for young leaders between 18-24 to develop and expand their leadership skills. RYLA brings together individuals to harness creativity, diversity, inspiration, energy, and leadership and to cultivate personal growth within themselves through harnessing their leadership potential. This programme has proven invaluable to many of today's community, local and national leaders.
The Rotary Club of Port Nicholson funds the full cost for at least two successful applicants. See- RCPN website- or District 9940 RYLA 2027
For information, advice and assistance, contact Darryl 029 8015515
The future looks good
Meetings, speakers and events coming up
30 September Sarah Morris Encouraging participation and community power in response to creeping authoritarianism
7 October - Simon Douglas - Transport issues facing NZ now and into the future
14 October - RADAR awards
21 October (Wednesday evening) 2026 Grand Night Out - No breakfast meeting
28 October -Michael Nestmann Assisted Dying in NZ
4 November -Natalia Fareti International, domestic and regional initiatives supporting young Pacific change makers
18 November -Anna Fifield The Life and times of a journalist and foreign correspondent
2027
21 April - Goal Setters Awards at Te Papa. Early notice for your diary entry
A GRAND NIGHT OUT is a special night in the Rotary Calendar
An update on the event Wednesday 21 October………. A fun and exciting fundraising evening, offering guests an exciting night out. Now to let you know some of the Auction/Raffle items………
Wine Package 12 bottles of Premium Martinborough Ma Maison wine Accommodation Packages: Villa Bendega Bali – a spectacular villa in Canggu Bali; Swiss-Belsuites Victoria Park, Auckland; Swiss- BelSuites, Pounamu, Queenstown; Glenfiddich Retreat, Jacks Point, Queenstown; Swiss-Belhotel International, The York, Sydney; Bolton Hotel Wellington. Jewellery: Sue Shore, Off-Shore Jewellery; Alison Blain Jewellery Artwork: Jacky Pearson – Watercolour Artist; Juliet Best - Artist One more restaurant to go to achieve our target of 20……. Boulcott Street Bistro, Cable Top Eatery, Cicio Cacio Osteria, Coene’s Bar & Eatery, Cuba Street Tavern, Floriditas, Loretta, Fratelli, Le Bouillon Bel Air, Liberty Restaurant, Logan Brown, Monsoon Poon, Noble Rot, Novotel Wellington, Rydges Wellington, Salty Pidgin, Shed 5, The Regal, Thistle Inn.
GET A GROUP TOGETHER MAKE THIS A SPECIAL NIGHT FOR YOU, YOUR FRIENDS, AND THE CHARITY
This week we were most fortunate to listen to two addresses from recent members to the club, Simon Warburton and Fiona Smith. A strong theme to both was a passion for overseas travel and a can-do attitude as each experienced several job opportunities and entrepreneurially used them to future advantage.
District Liaison Brent Gerrard Lifting the Lid David Shackleton
Secretary Jo Douglas Membership Nicole Barker Projects Paula McKnight
Youth Tori Triegaardt
Past President Nicole Barker
President Elect Nick Duncan
If you have feedback for the Editors, or content you would like included in the club bulletin, please send it to rcpnbulletin@gmail.com by 9am on Sunday to ensure its inclusion.
