New Cambridge Rotary Club president David Partis, left, took over the reins from John Bishop, right.
The Cambridge Rotary Club’s new president David Partis wants to add a ‘Rotary’ element to the town’s well-established sister city relationship with Le Quesnoy in France.
Among his stated focus areas for his year in office is a desire to form a link between the Rotary clubs of both towns, to form a ‘sister club’ relationship that will be mutually beneficial.
“I have already approached my equivalent in Le Quesnoy,” he said before last week’s club changeover. “They are very excited to form an alliance. Sister clubs are an established part of Rotary International … we’re currently looking at what we both want to achieve within those parameters.”
Early plans are to arrange a ‘friendship exchange’ at the end of his year in office, with Rotarians visiting Le Quesnoy, and Cambridge club members hosting a delegation of French Rotarians.
David took over the role from former club president John Bishop. While relatively new to Cambridge – he moved here in 2020 – he is not new to Rotary. His 15-year involvement has seen him attached to both the Henderson club in Auckland, and the Taumarunui club. He held the reins as president of the latter in 2013/14.
His own entry into Rotary 15 years ago came when he felt he was at a stage in life when he had more time to ‘give something back’. “I was happy with how things were, and I was self-employed, which does help.”
The Auckland born and raised tech engineer has straddled New Zealand and Australia throughout his working life. He now runs his own web-training business from home.
Other focus areas David wants to tackle as club president include increasing Rotary’s profile in Cambridge and building on the ‘Friends of Rotary’ brand, something that links the club with non-Rotary members in the community.
“It’s already being done through our successful Urban Miners initiative, which involves people in the community who are not members of Rotary but who want to do something to help,” he said.
He hopes an increased community profile might also attract new blood into the club – ideally representing a cross-section of the community.
“We don’t have as many women in the club as we should, for example. I want to look at ways we can make Rotary a more attractive proposition for women. I don’t want an all-out recruiting drive, but I do want to create the sort of environment in the club that will encourage them to join.”
David praised former club president John Bishop for the job he had done as the club resumed following its Covid-19 hiatus.
“We’re back to normal now, thankfully. John did a great job in holding the ship steady during that difficult time,” he said. “I’m really looking forward to the year ahead. Cambridge is a growing community with growing needs. There is much we can do to help.”
- The newspaper version of this incorrectly had the headline Les Quesnoy.
