Hi I’m Robert Stuart originally from the North West of England. After leaving school in 1969 I farmed in Lancashire in partnership with my parents and brother. We leased a dairy farm and had a livestock haulage business. 
 

In 1986 my wife Pauline and I bought a dairy farm in South West Wales, 15kms north of Carmarthen. Our three daughters were totally immersed in the Welsh language at school, Pauline and I also learnt to speak a small amount of Welsh. We made some tremendous friends in Wales and it was hard to leave them

We were accepted for emigration to New Zealand in 1994, sold everything in Wales and in 1995 we bought a dairy farm in Arohena. I had wanted to live in New Zealand after learning about New Zealand from our Kiwi geography teacher who taught me at Kirkham Grammar School. We first applied for emigration in 1981 but didn’t meet the criteria. It took 14 years from first applying to being accepted but was home from us first arriving. 

We sold our Arohena dairy farm in 2012 and built our home in Matamata on an 11 hectare maize block we’d bought in 2011. We now grow maize and graze seven Dexter Cattle (my pets). 
My wife and I didn’t know many people in the Matamata area so Pauline joined Inner Wheel and I joined Rotary. We have made lots of friends and enjoy the fellowship of Rotary. I used to go to meetings when farming and only came into contact with farmers, now I meet people from all walks of life in Rotary all with the same purpose of helping the world be a better place. Rotary is like a second family to me. 
I joined Matamata Rotary in December 2014 and have been on Programme (booking the speakers) for two years and am in my second year as Director of Service Projects and have a dedicated team who help with projects around Matamata. I am also helping with Interact at Matamata College. I see these enthusiastic youngsters as our future leaders. 
Our daughters are all married, live in New Zealand and have given us nine grandchildren to keep us on our toes. 

Throughout 2019 Rotary clubs around the world are celebrating the 30^th 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.

 

Lt-Rt David Hulme, Amandine Gerlache, Wade Linnell and Job Bruins
Rotary Director, David Hulme, was delighted by the support given to Rotary and Cure Kids. “We must give particular thanks to our fantastic business community who donated very generously this year” says David. “Each and every business that we visited gave a little something and, even if they didn’t want a cupcake, they still dug deep for the cause. This year saw a significant increase in the amount raised which was over $2,600.”
Rotary is a global network of 1.2 million neighbours, friends, leaders and problem-solvers who see a world where people unite and take action to create lasting change – across the globe, in our communities, and in ourselves.

The event was held to help raise funds for five Matamata College students – Ollie Morton-Farrelly, Te Aorere Wharawhara, Olivia Goodwin, Mollie Allison and Conor Goodwin – who have all been selected to represent New Zealand in various volleyball events around the globe this year.
 Under the hammer of the incomparable John Price, and the organisation of David Hulme, the auction was a big success, raising more than $4,500. Rotarians from Morrinsville, including 2019-2020 District Governor Peter Maxwell, and Te Aroha joined in to increase the fun and add competition to the bidding.