Firstly, to introduce myself – Roisin Mc Quillan, hailing from a little place called Donacarney in County Meath in eastern Ireland about 40 km north of Dublin. I’m the eldest of five - 3 sisters and a brother! – the poor guy. Living on a farm and always having an interest in animals and science, it was inevitable that I would end up working with four-legged creatures.
On the 30th of June 1942 I was born into a working-class family in Battersea – London (Close to the iconic power station).
During my school years I studied for GCE “O” and “A” level. I was a school prefect, then head boy and captain of the school football team.
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I was born and raised in Te Poi on a farm that now has the fourth generation farming it. I was educated at local schools and started my working life at Stanley Construction, Matamata, as the first woman to do a joinery apprenticeship in the Waikato. I have gone on to work in farming, newspaper, manufacturing and currently work for a local business called Mimico as their Warranty Administrator.
Written by Michelle Tanner.
Sandra is one of those rare people, a real listener, someone who makes you feel what you are saying is important. A journalist of many years it was only after I conducted this informal interview that I thought I should have been nervous about it beforehand. Sandra is an expert interviewer!
I wanted to write about Sandra as part of our Rotary Matamata website page ‘About Us’, profiling Matamata Rotarians. We met one spring morning in a local Matamata café in 2022.
Hi I’m Alice. I have been a member of the Matamata Rotary club for 2 years.
I was first introduced to Rotary when I was at Matamata College by my Grandad when I got the amazing experience to head overseas as a Rotary Youth Exchange Student. I was selected to travel to Belgium for a year. It really was life changing. Being an exchange student showed me a different side of how people live and I believe it prepared me in the best way possible when heading in to university.
More recently I was also chosen to attend the Rotary Youth Leadership Awards (RYLA) – This was a week-long course which gave me new tools to take into my professional career. It pushed me to the outside of my comfort zone but I would do it again in a heartbeat!
More recently I was also chosen to attend the Rotary Youth Leadership Awards (RYLA) – This was a week-long course which gave me new tools to take into my professional career. It pushed me to the outside of my comfort zone but I would do it again in a heartbeat!
2022 sees Rotary Matamata celebrating 75 years of service to Matamata and communities around the world. Here's a few words from the records of charter member Harold Schofield. Harold was a partner at the law firm Schofield and Petersen (now MagillEarl).
Rotary Matamata has been serving communities near and far since 1922. We are planning formal and informal celebrations, a book, media coverage and more. Keep an eye on our Facebook page for more information and please email us if you have any ideas or historical material you would like to share.
Want an excellent way to promote Rotary in this our special Centennial year? Rotary Matamata has produced a number plate surround that allows Rotarians from around the country to mark this special occasion in a lasting way.
Rotary is celebrating the establishment of the first clubs in New Zealand and Australia in 1921 (Auckland, Wellington, Melbourne and Sydney). 100 years on Rotary is more diverse and community-focused than ever but still faces challenges to be recognised for the work we do.
Rotary Matamata project co-ordinator David Hulme says the plate surrounds are an excellent way to promote Rotary’s 100 years of service in New Zealand, both in this the 100th year and in years to come.
Rotary Matamata has always strongly supported our town's youth providing many opportunities for individual development. However, Matamata’s young people, and their parents, are frequently not aware of what is available. So here, we provide a one-stop shop of what is on offer. Please click the links provided for more information or contact us if you would like to know more.
The details here are correct at time of publication.
Please check District website links for current dates information
Throughout 2019 Rotary clubs around the world are celebrating the 30th anniversary of opening membership to women and in February Rotary Matamata went all out with a specially themed ‘pink’ evening to mark the occasion. Prior to 1989, the worldwide service organisation had been a male bastion but for more than two decades prior to the initial introduction of female members, numerous clubs on different continents had petitioned to open the membership criteria to all regardless of gender. In 1991, Gaye Belton became the first female member of the Matamata Rotary and today her daughter Jane is one of our 11 female members. Two female Matamata Rotarians talk here about the organisation they belong to and what being a Rotarian has meant to them.
At Rotary Matamata we have a dream that Matamata will one day have a walkway that goes around the whole town. We have for many years worked towards this. In 2015 we established the Peria Road Reserve Memorial Grove and planted 100 kahikatea trees to commemorate 100 years since the First World War.
On 14th February 2018 we opened the adjoining section the Stanley Farm Lane walkway. Read the full story, courtesy of the Matamata Chronicle.
