Rotary Remuera

05/10/2026

🌱 Leadership starts somewhere 🌱

One of Rotary’s less visible roles is helping young people develop the confidence, skills and experience to become leaders in their own communities.

Rotary supports a number of programmes designed for different ages and stages.

Interact brings together young people aged 12–18 to undertake service projects, develop leadership skills and build international understanding.

Rotary Youth Leadership Awards — RYLA — provides intensive leadership experiences where young people can develop communication, problem-solving and leadership skills while building new connections.

Rotaract is for people aged 18 and over, giving emerging leaders the opportunity to run their own clubs, develop professional and leadership skills, and undertake service projects alongside Rotary.

And of course there is Rotary Youth Exchange, which gives young people the opportunity to experience another culture and develop independence and international understanding. Rotary describes all of its youth programmes as being connected with local Rotary clubs.

These programmes are one of the ways Rotary invests in people as well as projects.

Want to know more about the opportunities available for young people — or how you could help support them?

Come and meet Rotary Remuera at the Volunteer Expo Auckland East on Saturday 10 October, 10am–2pm at the Auckland Netball Centre, St Johns.

05/10/2026

04/10/2026

🤝 Know someone who would make a great Rotarian? 🤝

Rotary grows through people introducing other people.

Perhaps you know someone who is active in the community, enjoys meeting interesting people, has professional or practical skills to contribute, or simply wants to do something useful with others.

They may never have considered Rotary — or may have an outdated idea of what Rotary is.

Members of the Rotary Club of Remuera come together for community service, friendship, interesting speakers, youth programmes and projects that range from very local initiatives to international work.

Rotary membership is by invitation, but that does not mean you need to wait for someone to tap you on the shoulder. Rotary encourages people who are interested to make contact, and existing members can also refer someone they think would enjoy being involved.

If someone comes to mind, bring them along to meet us.

Volunteer Expo Auckland East
📅 Saturday 10 October 2026
🕙 10am–2pm
📍 Auckland Netball Centre, St Johns

Or come and talk to us yourself.

02/10/2026

🌍 How does a Rotary Global Grant work? 🌍

When we recently shared the story of the Fiji Oxygen Project, you may have noticed the reference to a Rotary Foundation Global Grant.

So what exactly is a Global Grant — and could an ordinary Rotary member be involved in creating one?

The answer is yes.

Global Grants are one of the ways Rotary can take a good service idea and give it the resources, partnerships and structure to achieve something much bigger.

They support substantial international projects that have sustainable and measurable results. A project needs to address a genuine community need and fall within one or more of Rotary’s seven areas of focus:

peacebuilding • disease prevention and treatment • clean water, sanitation and hygiene • maternal and child health • basic education and literacy • community economic development • protecting the environment.

Global Grants can fund humanitarian projects, postgraduate scholarships and vocational training teams. For a humanitarian project, Rotary expects the community itself to be involved in identifying the need, and a community assessment forms part of developing the project.

Why apply for a Global Grant?

One of the great strengths of Rotary is that a club does not necessarily have to tackle a major project alone.

A Global Grant brings together clubs, districts, local communities, specialist organisations and The Rotary Foundation. The minimum project budget is US$30,000, and the Foundation can provide World Fund support of up to US$400,000.

Funding can come from money raised by clubs, District Designated Funds — usually called DDF — and other eligible Rotary Foundation funding. Importantly, when a district contributes DDF to a Global Grant, The Rotary Foundation currently adds an 80% World Fund match to that DDF contribution.

That means the money Rotary members raise and contribute can go considerably further when clubs and districts work together.

But Global Grants are about more than funding. Rotary requires projects to have measurable goals, community involvement and a plan for continuing successfully after the grant money has been spent.

Could you come up with the next project?

You do not need to be a long-serving Rotary leader to have an idea.

Rotary describes its grant process as beginning with Rotary members planning a project, followed by club and district authorisation before the application goes to The Rotary Foundation.

Perhaps through your work, profession, travels or community involvement you have seen a problem that could be addressed with the right expertise and resources.

A doctor might identify a health need.
An engineer might see a solution to a water problem.
A teacher might recognise an education opportunity.
Someone working in conservation might have an environmental project in mind.

That is where Rotary's network becomes particularly powerful.

The formal Global Grant application needs to be sponsored through qualified Rotary or Rotaract clubs or districts, with both a local/host partner and an international Rotary partner involved. But Rotary and Rotaract members can bring the idea, expertise, connections, fundraising and energy that get a project started.

And if you are not yet a Rotary member but have skills or an idea that could make a difference, working with a Rotary club can be a way to explore whether that idea could become a viable service project.

That is another side of Rotary that people do not always see — it is not only about volunteering for existing projects. It can also give people the network and framework to create new ones.

Want to find out more?

Come and meet the Rotary Club of Remuera at the Volunteer Expo Auckland East:

📅 Saturday 10 October 2026
🕙 10am–2pm
📍 Auckland Netball Centre, St Johns

Come and tell us what interests you. You never know where an idea might lead.

The Fiji Oxygen Project is designed to save the lives of children, in hospitals and clinics, who are currently dying due to the lack of a reliable supply of oxygen. Cure Kids, the Rotary Club of Remuera Inc (International Partner), the Rotary Club of Taveuni (Host Partner), the Fiji Ministry of Heal...

02/10/2026

💙 No child should die for lack of oxygen 💙

One of the most significant international projects supported by the Rotary Club of Remuera has been the Fiji Oxygen Project.

The project grew from a very practical problem: many smaller hospitals and health centres in Fiji did not have reliable access to medical oxygen. Oxygen cylinders are expensive, difficult to transport and depend on a reliable supply chain — a particular challenge for remote communities and outer islands.

The solution was to use oxygen concentrators — machines that draw in ordinary air, remove much of the nitrogen and deliver concentrated oxygen directly to patients. Where electricity supplies are unreliable, the systems can be supported by solar power and battery storage.

For children suffering from severe pneumonia and for seriously ill newborn babies, access to oxygen can be life-saving. The project was built around a simple goal:

No child, and no person, should die for lack of oxygen.

Rotary Remuera became the international Rotary partner in a collaboration involving Cure Kids, Rotary in Fiji, the Fiji Ministry of Health and Medical Services and experts from the University of Auckland. The original fundraising target was NZ$650,000 to expand reliable oxygen access across Fiji.

The project later received approval for a Rotary Foundation Global Grant worth US$404,767. The Rotary-funded phase provided for 24 additional oxygen concentrators at eight new sites, with solar generation at three of them, together with pulse oximeters for nursing stations to help health workers identify patients needing oxygen.

The work has continued to develop. Cure Kids Fiji still identifies the Rotary Club of Remuera and Rotary Club of Suva as key supporters of the Fiji Oxygen Programme, alongside the New Zealand Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade. The programme now combines oxygen equipment, pulse oximeters, solar power, staff training and data collection as part of a broader effort to create sustainable access to oxygen throughout Fiji.

The importance of that infrastructure became even clearer during COVID-19, when demand for oxygen increased dramatically. Cure Kids says the programme helped provide equipment, training and support to frontline health workers during Fiji's severe Delta outbreak while continuing its longer-term work to improve oxygen access for children and families.

This is a good example of what Rotary can achieve through collaboration.

A project may begin with a group of people in one local club asking, “How can we help?” But by bringing together expertise, fundraising, Rotary's international network and partner organisations, that idea can grow into something much larger.

If projects like this interest you, come and meet the Rotary Club of Remuera at the Volunteer Expo Auckland East.

Saturday 10 October 2026 | 10am–2pm
Auckland Netball Centre, St Johns

Come and find out about the different ways Rotary members use their skills, networks and time — both here in our local community and across the Pacific.

More about the Fiji Oxygen Project:
rotaryremuera.club/page/the-fiji-oxygen-project

29/09/2026

One of the things we value about Rotary is the opportunity to exchange ideas.

Our weekly meetings bring together people from different professions, backgrounds and experiences. We catch up with friends, hear from speakers, learn more about what is happening in our community and, often, leave with something new to think about.

Those conversations can also be the starting point for action — an idea for a community project, a connection between people who can help, or simply a different way of looking at an issue.

And Rotary extends well beyond our own Club. Through its international network, members can connect with business, professional and community leaders around the world, use their skills in service projects, explore shared interests through Rotary Fellowships and Action Groups, and experience different cultures.

For us at the Rotary Club of Remuera, that combination of fellowship, interesting people, new ideas and practical community service is a big part of what makes Rotary worthwhile.

Over the past few weeks we have been sharing just some of the things our Club has been involved in — from Emergency Response Kits and supporting Epsom Lodge, to youth programmes, community health projects and opportunities for young musicians.

But sometimes it all begins with a conversation.

If you enjoy meeting people, exchanging ideas and would like to find out where your own interests or experience could fit within Rotary, come and meet us at the Volunteer Expo Auckland East.

📅 Saturday 10 October 2026
🕙 10am–2pm
📍 Auckland Netball Centre, St Johns

You can also read more about the “Exchange Ideas” side of Rotary on our website:
rotaryremuera.club/page/exchange-ideas

27/09/2026

A Life-Saving Addition to Our Community

While looking back through the Rotary Club of Remuera archives, we came across this photograph from 2017 — another example of the many different ways Rotary has supported our local community over the years.

In July 2017, the Rotary Club of Remuera presented an Automated External Defibrillator (AED) to Palmers Garden Centre in Remuera.

The Club's records show that the defibrillator was presented to then owner Delma Harrison by the Club President and was funded by the Rotary Club of Remuera with assistance from the June Gray Charitable Trust. It was to be installed in the checkout area, where it could be quickly accessed in an emergency.

Why access to an AED matters

A cardiac arrest can happen suddenly and without warning. When it does, the first few minutes are critical.

Hato Hone St John reports that almost 2,500 New Zealanders were treated for cardiac arrest outside hospital during 2024/25. Only a small proportion received defibrillation before an ambulance arrived, despite early CPR and use of an AED being capable of significantly improving a person's chance of survival.

AEDs are deliberately designed so that members of the public can use them. The machine provides instructions and will only deliver a shock when one is required.

Putting an AED somewhere accessible within the community therefore does more than provide another piece of equipment. It gives someone nearby the ability to act during those crucial minutes before emergency services arrive.

Rotary projects come in many forms

This project also demonstrates how community organisations can achieve more by working together.

The June Gray Charitable Trust supports community-based projects throughout New Zealand, including health initiatives, and frequently works alongside service organisations such as Rotary. Its contribution, combined with funds raised by Rotary Club of Remuera, allowed the AED to be placed in a busy local business where it could be available if needed.

Some Rotary projects involve months of fundraising or large international programmes. Others begin by identifying a straightforward need in our own neighbourhood and finding a practical way to meet it.

Both are part of what Rotary does.

Would you like to know more about Rotary?

We are currently looking back through some of the projects the Rotary Club of Remuera has been involved with over the years. They range from health and emergency response initiatives to youth programmes, environmental projects, support for local schools and practical assistance for people in our community.

If you have wondered what Rotary actually does — or whether there might be a way for you to contribute your time, experience or skills — come and meet us at the Volunteer Expo Auckland East.

Saturday 10 October 2026, 10am–2pm
Auckland Netball Centre, St Johns

Come and have a chat with us and find out more.

Image is of Past President Norman presenting an AED for Palmers Remuera in 2017. The defibrillator was funded by the Club with assistance from the June Gray Charitable Trust.

25/09/2026

When disaster strikes, practical help matters

The recent catastrophic flooding in Nepal is a sobering reminder of how quickly a natural disaster can change everything. In late August, a glacial collapse triggered devastating floods through communities along the Nepal–China border, destroying homes and infrastructure and leaving an enormous humanitarian response in its wake.

For Rotary, being prepared to respond to disasters is not a new idea.

For more than 40 years, New Zealand Rotarians have supported Emergency Response Kits — or ERKs — designed to provide practical help to families who have lost their homes and possessions following cyclones, floods, tsunamis and other disasters.

The kits are packed in New Zealand by Rotary volunteers and are pre-positioned around the Pacific so they can be distributed quickly when they are needed. Each contains essential equipment to help a family through those first difficult days — including materials for basic shelter, tools, cooking and household items, toiletries, first-aid supplies and other necessities.

The photograph below is from one of the occasions when Rotary Club of Remuera members joined other volunteers to help assemble ERKs. It is a good example of the very practical side of Rotary: people giving a few hours of their time to prepare something that may later make a real difference to a family facing an emergency.

Once packed, the kits are stored ready for deployment. Rotary works with local organisations and authorities in affected Pacific communities to help ensure they reach families when it is safe to distribute them. The programme is managed through Rotary New Zealand World Community Service.

Disasters overseas also provide a useful reminder for those of us here in New Zealand: preparation matters. We cannot know when the next major emergency will occur, but we can make sure that practical help is ready when it does.

Would you like to know more about ERKs, the projects Rotary supports, or ways you could get involved without necessarily making a huge commitment?

Come and meet members of the Rotary Club of Remuera at the Volunteer Expo Auckland East:

📅 Saturday 10 October 2026
🕙 10am–2pm
📍 Auckland Netball Centre, St Johns

Come and have a chat. You may be surprised at just how many different ways there are to lend a hand.

24/09/2026

More Than Breakfast: Rotary Remuera at Epsom Lodge

Looking back through the Rotary Club of Remuera archives, this photograph captures one of our Club's quieter but enduring community projects — preparing and serving breakfast for residents of The Salvation Army's Epsom Lodge.

It is a project that Remuera Rotary members have supported for many years.

Our Club records from 2017 describe members taking part in a regular cooked-breakfast programme at Epsom Lodge, working together in the kitchen and serving breakfast to residents. Just as importantly, members valued the opportunity to sit, talk and spend time with the people they were serving.

That involvement has been a continuing commitment as the Club assists with the Epsom Lodge breakfasts as a twice-yearly community service activity. Remuera Rotarians continue to volunteer their Saturday mornings to cook, serve and share breakfast with residents.

Epsom Lodge itself has a remarkable history and is a place with a long history of helping people rebuild.

The Salvation Army's work in this area dates back to the 1880s, when its early “Prison Gate” ministry provided accommodation and assistance to people leaving prison. Over the following century, Epsom Lodge developed into a much broader supportive accommodation service.

Today, Epsom Lodge provides emergency and transitional accommodation for men and women, together with support intended to help people move towards more secure and independent lives.

Sometimes service is very practical

For Rotary members, this project is not complicated.

It means getting up early, putting on an apron, cooking breakfast, serving plates, washing dishes and cleaning up afterwards.

But there is another part of it too.

Club notices over the years have repeatedly encouraged volunteers not simply to prepare the meal, but to join residents for breakfast and conversation. That human connection is an important part of the morning.

It is a good example of the variety of Rotary service. Not every project requires a major fundraising campaign or an international programme. Sometimes what is needed is a small team of people prepared to give a few hours of their Saturday morning.

Want to get involved?

As we look back through some of the projects the Rotary Club of Remuera has supported over the years, a common thread emerges: there are many different ways to contribute.

Some members enjoy fundraising. Others prefer youth programmes, environmental projects, international service or practical activities like the Epsom Lodge breakfast.

If you would like to find out what Rotary does — and whether there is something you might enjoy getting involved with — come and meet us at the Volunteer Expo Auckland East.

Saturday 10 October 2026
10am–2pm
Auckland Netball Centre, St Johns

Come and have a chat with the Rotary Club of Remuera and discover some of the ways you can lend a hand in your community.