Bill Robinson
Weeks into his role as Rotary District 9930 Governor, Cambridge’s Bill Robinson is focusing on making next year’s changeover event the first in a new generation of district conferences.
He is deep into the planning of conference strategies that align with his chosen theme of ‘sustainability’. For example, instead of delegates to the mid-2024 affair relying on the usual paper trail of information, they will be able to get it online via a QR code on a lanyard, and instead of leaving the conference with traditional ‘goodie bags’, delegates will be able to access sponsors’ promotional material online. Speakers at the event will turn their attention to sustainability issues, both environmental and economic.
“We’re nutting out the details at the moment,” Bill said. “It will be 24/7 for me for the next 12 months, with these initial six months being particularly full-on.”
The Gisborne-born Rotarian travelled extensively before settling into farming life with his wife Deb, who will be working hard alongside Bill for the next 12 months. District 9930 falls under Rotary International’s Zone 8, which straddles 20 districts in Australia, New Zealand and 14 Pacific Countries.
Bill’s district encompasses 49 clubs, one Rotaract club and an Interact club at Cambridge High School. He has set himself the challenge to visit each of the 49 before a self-imposed deadline of early November, and with board meetings every three months requiring the reading of around 50 reports, time will be tight.
Bill selected ‘Let’s Be Sustainable’ as the theme for his District Governor year because not only would it serve Rotary well into the future, but also reflect something close to his own agricultural background.
“It’s about asking the questions – do we really need to get a new one of these or can we re-use it? Rotary Cambridge is already doing that through Urban Miners, but it needs to be more widespread. For example, 90 percent of the cell phones taken in by Urban Miners are still working, but their owners want to upgrade. Do we really need to respond to the market in that way?” he said. “Improving sustainability is also about mentoring… looking after ourselves better.”
Bill will also oversee a Rotary International initiative to streamline operations across clubs to release more money into supporting its many projects, and he will continue to build support for Rotary International’s bid to end polio.
Closer to home, he will remain active with Rotary activities and involved in supporting his charity of choice, Kids in Need Waikato. He will also monitor the extensive financial relief that has come in for flood relief in both the Hawke’s Bay and Coromandel.
Bill took over the role as District Governor from Te Kuiti’s Kevin Forgeson.
