Stories

Three visitors came to the club this week with one shared message: the way water services are run in this part of the country is about to change. Mayor Grant Smith opened proceedings with a nod to the wavy tablecloth standing in for a projector screen, saying it was rather appropriate given the topic, and a fair sign of how lean the new organisation intends to be.

Central Districts Water is a new water services organisation owned by three councils: Palmerston North City Council, Horowhenua District Council and Rangitīkei District Council. An iwi advisory group sits alongside the board, representing Rangitāne along with a number of other iwi across the wider region.

The board was appointed roughly three months ago and is chaired by Steve Maharey. Chris Dyhrberg, who has spent a number of years at Palmerston North City Council, has recently been appointed chief executive. The organisation will look after all three waters, meaning drinking water, wastewater and stormwater, from around Tāihape in the north down towards Ōtaki in the south.

Steve began his part of the evening with a story about a rural fire brigade that smashed through fences, drove straight into the middle of a burning paddock and put the fire out. Presented with a reward for their bravery, the fire chief was asked what they would spend it on. Brakes, he said.

One point was made very firmly, and it is worth repeating. Central Districts Water does not take over operations until 1 July next year. Until then, water services remain entirely with the councils, and any faults, leaks or questions should still go to your local council in the usual way. Between now and then the new team is essentially a start up, employing staff, taking over assets and getting the systems in place.

Steve was also clear that this is not privatisation. The company is owned by the three councils, which in turn are owned by the ratepayers who elect them. There is no provision in the legislation for private ownership and no party proposing it, and he said personally he would regard any move out of public ownership as a very poor step.

Three pressures are driving the reform. The first is ageing infrastructure that has not been renewed as quickly as it should have been, despite councils in this region working hard to keep up. The second is a steadily rising bar of regulation, which requires an organisation with the depth to cope with it. The third is growth. Horowhenua is the fastest growing part of the new organisation at somewhere around three percent a year, while Palmerston North sits closer to one percent, although anyone driving out towards Prospect Avenue and beyond would be forgiven for thinking otherwise.

Scale is the key to making it work, Steve said, and not simply for the sake of being bigger. The right scale lets the organisation pool resources, share expertise and, most importantly, borrow over long periods at lower interest rates. Water assets last for decades, and the cost of them is spread across the generations who use them rather than paid for on day one.

The investment programme sits at around $1.4 billion over the next decade, most of it going into renewing and upgrading existing assets rather than building new ones. Those are sobering numbers for communities of this size, particularly in Rangitīkei, where roughly 12,500 people are spread across a very large area.

Council spending on water has tended to be lumpy, with a great deal in one year and very little the next. Smoothing that out over time is one of the things the new organisation is designed to do, which should also help to smooth what households eventually pay. Grant Smith noted that Palmerston North has quietly put a very large sum into underground renewals over the past four years, work that rarely wins any praise. You never get votes for anything under the ground, he said, though shiny things above it are another matter.

Chris Dyhrberg explained that the organisation will eventually employ around 250 people. Under the legislation, the three councils identify the staff who work predominantly on water and, after consultation, transfer them across. Perhaps two thirds of the workforce will arrive that way, with the remaining roles advertised. Depot teams in Marton, Tāihape, Bulls and Foxton will keep working in their own communities, because they know those networks better than anyone.

Workforce shortages across the water sector are significant, and in answer to a question from the floor about apprenticeships, Chris said graduate and cadet schemes are firmly on the agenda. Palmerston North already runs a small trainee pipeline, and having a bit of scale makes such programmes far more achievable than they are for a small council on its own. Grant added that in a combined water organisation people can become genuine specialists, rather than splitting their week between roading, parks and a bit of water.

Nobody was promising cheaper water. Prices are rising and will keep rising for a while yet. What the panel did say is that their projections show costs levelling off rather than climbing steeply, and becoming more affordable over time. Doing nothing was never the cheaper option.

Charging will be based on connections, so households on their own tank and septic system will not be billed for services they do not receive. Stormwater is more complicated, since a whole town can benefit from a network whether or not a particular property is connected to it. Water meters are gradually going in across the region, moving charging towards a user pays basis. Charges across the three districts will be harmonised, but gradually, because doing it overnight would create clear winners and losers.

A member pressed the panel on how they will convince ratepayers that rising bills are not simply the new organisation's doing. Steve agreed it is the central communication challenge, and said the team is already working on it. He pointed to Wellington and Hamilton as cautionary examples, including a water bill and a rates bill that arrived separately and left people baffled. The aim is that by 1 July next year people know the organisation exists, understand the problems it was set up to solve, and can see what it is trying to do.

Members raised road cones and the cost of traffic management, with one member observing that Australia manages similar health and safety outcomes far more efficiently. Grant did not disagree. Another question asked whether the plans allow for a changing climate and more extreme weather. The answer was that regional flood protection and river management matter enormously to this work, and that no district can afford to stand outside the network, given that the Manawatū catchment stretches from the ranges all the way out to the coast.

The panel finished with a request. They are touring the region this year ahead of consultation on their water services strategy, and they asked members to pass on what they had heard. Tell three people, Steve suggested, and ask them to do the same.

Our thanks to Mayor Grant Smith, Steve Maharey and Chris Dyhrberg for a frank and genuinely useful evening on a subject that affects every household in the region, whether or not we think about it when we turn on the tap.

This week the club welcomed Steven Deans, head coach of the New Zealand Under 23 Men's Softball Team, who took members on a journey from local diamonds to armed escorts in Colombia, and shared his passion for keeping young people in sport.

Steven is a local through and through. He grew up in Palmerston North playing softball and rugby in the winter and cricket in the summer, like so many of his generation. When his playing days wound down, he looked at how he could stay involved. Umpiring did not appeal and administration held no attraction, so he chose what he cheerfully called the easier option: coaching. His first appointment was with the Manawatu Under 15s, and he has been learning ever since. Away from the diamond, Steven bought his business around 15 years ago from Steve Lange, a very successful local businessman, and carried on the customer service focused approach that had made it thrive. As a business owner as well as a coach, he sees little difference between the two worlds. Both are about motivating people and creating an environment where they want to be the best version of themselves. Get that secret sauce right, he told us, and you are probably onto a winner.

To test himself at the highest level, Steven shifted to Hutt Valley, where he played senior softball alongside some of the best in the game. He was honest about his own playing ceiling. He was never quite good enough to be a Black Sox, but he learned an enormous amount from the world class players around him, among them the legendary Mark Sorenson, regarded in his day as the best player in the world, and those lessons carried into his coaching.

While coaching Hutt Valley he took on a couple of Danish players, and that connection led to an unexpected chapter: he interviewed for and won the head coaching role with Denmark, moving overseas to lead them through two international series, mainly against China. In 2017 he was appointed coach of the New Zealand Under 23 men, a role he has held ever since. The team's first World Cup was in Argentina in 2021, and just three months ago they competed at the latest edition in Colombia.

Not knowing quite what to expect in Colombia, the team based its preparation in the more familiar surrounds of Houston, Texas, where locals helped with training and warm up games in 35 degree heat. Along the way the squad visited schools to share New Zealand culture. The haka, the singing and the dancing all went down a treat, although Steven noted with a laugh that what the students really wanted to talk about was The Lord of the Rings.

Colombia itself made a deep impression. The team had armed guards around the clock, police escorts of six or seven officers whenever they went out, and further layers of security at the venues. Yet Steven said he never once felt unsafe, and the Colombian passion for sport was extraordinary, with crowds of up to 10,000 turning out for night games.

On the field, the young Black Sox did New Zealand proud. They qualified for the medal rounds, beat Mexico during the tournament, then lost the bronze medal game to the same side by a single run. They also fell to eventual champions Japan by just one run, finishing fourth overall behind Japan, Australia and Mexico. Around half the touring party had parents or family in the stands, a reminder of how much these campaigns mean to softball households.

A sobering thread ran through the talk: money. Every national campaign costs each young athlete around $10,000 to $12,000, and a full team trip can be a $200,000 fundraising exercise. Families with several children in the sport feel it hardest, and Steven confirmed that finances have forced players out of teams. Ahead of one World Cup, three players withdrew simply because they could not afford to go.

High performance funding is tied tightly to results. When the Black Sox, proud seven time world champions, finished eighth at the 2022 World Cup in Auckland, their Sport NZ funding was cut. A silver medal in Canada last year, a campaign Steven was part of, restored both confidence and support. Even so, around $300,000 across a four year cycle does not stretch far. The next journey begins with qualifiers in Christchurch next year.

Steven also touched on the pathways question. Young women now have real opportunities through softball scholarships at American colleges, gaining an education and life experience along the way. The men have no equivalent, beyond a short professional league in the United States where the top players, including three New Zealanders, can earn around $30,000 over two months.

For all the World Cups and medal games, what animates Steven most is participation. Sport, he argued, teaches resilience, and he worries that young people who are not involved in team sport miss out on that. With participation numbers falling across many codes, his message was simple: it matters less which sport young people choose than that they get out and play something. His job, as he sees it, is to remove every possible barrier standing between a young person and the game.

A lively question and answer session followed, and members thanked Steven warmly for a generous and eye opening insight into life at the top of amateur sport.

Milson Rotary welcomed back Bobbie O'Fee, a former club member who now serves as current chairperson (Heamana) of the Central Economic Development Agency (CEDA). Bobbie opened with a laugh, admitting that explaining CEDA's work can be a tough sell, joking that some people would rather hear about the sex life of a frog than sit through an economic development talk. From there, though, she made a strong case for why the agency's work matters so much to the region.

CEDA was formed when two earlier organisations were merged, and it now answers to two shareholders, the Manawatu District Council (MDC) and the Palmerston North City Council (PNCC). Bobbie explained that this creates an interesting governance challenge, since funding is not split evenly and every major decision has to pass through two separate council processes, sometimes weeks apart. If one council says no, she said, it is back to the drawing board.

Bobbie joined the CEDA board in 2019, just before COVID hit, and found herself helping frightened local businesses navigate lockdowns almost immediately. That early support work has grown into an ongoing programme, the Regional Business Partners scheme, which helps more than 400 businesses a year with everything from cash flow basics to HR and marketing support.

A Region Built on Balance

CEDA's vision for 2030 is for the region to become New Zealand's most progressive, built on three pillars, an exceptional lifestyle, competitive advantage, and standing as a magnet for investment, talent and visitors. Bobbie noted the region's economy is unusually balanced, roughly a third government spending, a third farming, and a third business and manufacturing, which helps it stay steady through tough times.

The Ring Road and the Distribution Hub

One of the biggest pieces of news Bobbie shared was that, just weeks earlier, the region secured 22.5 million dollars in government funding to progress the long awaited ring road, part of a project expected to bring billions of dollars in benefit over the next 20 years. She pointed to the growing distribution hub near the airport, already home to around 90 businesses, including a major Foodstuffs expansion that will make it the largest distribution facility in New Zealand. Ports as far afield as Tauranga and Wellington have also approached CEDA about partnering, keen to tap into the region's rail and road connections.

People, Place and Business

Bobbie described CEDA's work as three interlinked pillars, people, place and business, each strengthening the others. She noted the Central North Island region generates 22.4 percent of New Zealand's GDP, prompting her CEO's regular joke that this is bigger than the South Island, so where is the Minister for the Central North Island? Living at Himatangi Beach herself, Bobbie said she loves that CEDA's work spans the whole wider Manawatu, from the Coastal Arts Trail and Manawatu Garden Festival to Manfeild, Tech Week and careers expos for young people.

Telling the Region's Story

CEDA also works to attract people and investment to the region, including helping local employers such as the hospital promote the area to prospective overseas staff. Last year the region was invited to TRENZ, New Zealand's major tourism trade event, for the first time, taking 15 tourism packages to market. This year, with a return invitation, CEDA held more than 60 meetings with people interested in what the region has to offer, from farm stays to bike trails and walking bridges.

Bobbie closed by reflecting on the mixed mood of the past few years, with COVID, global conflict, rising costs and the upcoming election all adding to uncertainty for many locals. She recalled the community's strong reaction when Toyota's future in the region was in question, a reminder of how deeply felt business losses can be here. But she balanced this with optimism, noting growing interest from Australians keen to relocate for the lifestyle and opportunity the region offers, even at a lower salary.

Milson Rotary thanked Bobbie for a candid and wide ranging look at the work being done behind the scenes to grow and connect the Manawatu region.

On Monday 22nd June 2026 Milson Rotary Club member Andrew, gave us a wonderful behind the scenes look at Moving Day, the first of June, when thousands of dairy farmers, sharemilkers, staff and whole herds across New Zealand shift to new farms for the start of the dairy season. It is the industry's big annual relocation of people, cows and equipment, and Andrew had a front row seat, because his son Jacob was right in the middle of it. As Andrew put it, it makes buying, selling and moving house feel like nothing at all.

Jacob had been a farm manager near Opunake, running 100 hectares and 330 cows largely on his own with his wife Katie. This season he decided to bite the bullet, buy his own herd and move to a 50 50 sharemilking arrangement on a much bigger property at Hawera, about half an hour away. The new farm is 300 hectares and will carry around 550 cows, a big enough jump that he has taken on his first full time staff member, and Andrew reckons he may well need another pair of hands before long.

When Jacob told the owner of the Opunake farm what he was planning, the owner, an 85 year old retiree in Christchurch with a serious golf habit and a simulator in his garage, decided to sell up. So the first of June brought a new buyer, a new manager, the old herd leaving and a new herd arriving, all on the same day. There was even a bit of friendly negotiation over how much grass should be left for the incoming cows while the old cows still needed feeding.

Andrew and Lian went over to lend a hand, which mostly meant looking after Jacob's little one, now almost six months old, so the parents could get stuck in. Jacob was lucky enough to get into the new house two days early, which gave them a bit of breathing room. From there he made around five round trips in his tractor, roughly two hours each way, hauling implements, trailers, calf feeders, fencing material, feed and silage, and an unbelievable amount of tools. As Andrew said, the sheer volume of gear on a farm has to be seen to be believed.

At the other end it was just as hectic, with the outgoing worker moving out and the new one moving in on the same single day, trailers and gear everywhere. The two day head start was a real blessing.

The old farm was flat. The new one is hilly as anything, and some paddocks cannot even be reached by vehicle, so Jacob may end up doing parts of it on foot with a dog. The terrain alone changed how he gets around. He has three quad bikes plus a two wheeler, the latter because the cowshed sits a full kilometre from the house, so he can run up and down, dump the bike on the race and walk from there.

Jacob bought 180 cows from the herd already on the farm, then sourced another 180 to 200 from Dargaville, driving up twice to inspect them in person before buying. He chose Dargaville stock deliberately, because those cows were used to hill country and would cope with the new terrain, including the long walk to the shed, with the furthest paddock about three kilometres from the milking shed.

The Dargaville cows arrived on the night of the first in four truck and trailer units, after standing on the trucks for eleven hours. Andrew said it was not a pretty sight as they came off, giddy and unsteady on their feet, and even Jacob found it hard to watch. Each cow was drenched as it came off, at the owner's request, just to be safe. Another 170 or so arrived the next day from a couple of places around Taranaki, bringing the herd up to 550.

The weeks since have been a blur of renumbering the whole herd, reorganising and roping off paddocks, and sorting out power and water issues he had not expected. There are still boxes and boxes stacked in the garage waiting to be unpacked, so Andrew and Lian expect to head back over soon, if only to mind the baby while Jacob and Katie put in their twelve hour days. Sadly there has already been one loss, a cow that slipped off the race and rolled down the hill and had to be put down. As Andrew said, to lose only one in all of that is doing well.

Our thanks to Andrew for such a vivid, honest account of what Moving Day really involves. It gave us all a fresh appreciation for the people, the planning and the sheer hard graft behind the start of every dairy season. We wish Jacob, Katie and the family all the best on the new farm.

On Monday 22nd June 2026 we were treated to a warm and very funny talk from Raewyn Marshall, who came along with her good friend Robin, the board chairperson of Kind Hearts. The two of them have been friends for the best part of fifty years, and that easy partnership came through in everything they shared. Raewyn has spent ten years working in schools for Kind Hearts, and her message was a beautifully simple one. Kindness is free, it bounces back, and we could all do with a bit more of it.

She did warn us, with a story, that kindness can be a little dicey. On a bus from Kelvin Grove she watched an elderly lady hand the driver handful after handful of peanuts. He was very touched, until he asked why she kept giving them away. Her answer was that she had no teeth and could not chew them, but she did love the chocolate on the outside. So with that lesson safely behind us, Raewyn told us what Kind Hearts is really about.

Kind Hearts started in 2014 when a local woman, Lee Woznoski, set out to spread random acts of kindness around town. She would leave money on windscreens for parking meters and began taking baking and other goods up to the hospital. Her vision was a kinder world, and the trust has carried that on ever since. Today it is a small Manawatu trust with around twenty five to thirty volunteers, proudly local to Palmerston North and Fielding, and running three main initiatives along with a newer one that is just taking off.

Twice a week, volunteers deliver fresh baking, toiletries and sanitary items to the neonatal ward and the parents room at the hospital. As Raewyn put it, when you rush in with a sick child you do not stop to pick anything up, and these are the small necessities that make a hard day a little easier. The baking comes from some wonderful supporters. Jacko's bakes every Tuesday, and the new owners have happily kept that going. The Good Bitches Bakers bake every week, and this year some pupils at Intermediate Normal have been baking as part of the William Pike Challenge. The trust has also refurbished the parents room with new carpet, paint and furniture, and given a little room beside the neonatal ward a freshen up so parents have somewhere quiet to escape to.

Local businesses can get involved too. Kind Hearts takes on a business partner for a month, shares some resources, and the staff get to practise a few acts of kindness and donate items for the hospital deliveries. As Raewyn said, you do not have to give money, you just have to be kind for a month and collect a few things.

Around a dozen cafes across town take part in a pay it forward scheme. You buy your own coffee and pay for another one, and a staff member passes that free coffee on to someone else later. You never know who gets it, and that is rather the point. It is enough to know you have quietly made a stranger's day. The cafes are marked on a map on the Kind Hearts website, and a volunteer pops around regularly to keep in touch with them. When she recently asked whether they wanted to keep going, even with the cost of coffee climbing, every one of them said yes.

This is the part Raewyn has led for ten years, and it is clearly close to her heart. The work is about helping students have fun with kindness, encouraging them to be kind to others and to themselves, and showing them that kindness usually comes back around. As a nation, she said, we are not always good at giving or receiving. Someone compliments our jacket and we tend to brush it off rather than simply saying thank you. Kind Hearts wants children to learn that kindness should be simple, made up of smiles, small gestures, good old fashioned manners and a bit of respect.

Importantly, this cannot be taught as a tick box lesson. Raewyn and Robin, both former school principals, talked about helping teachers build a culture where kindness feels natural. Over the years they have refined a whole set of resources, including a preschool pack and their own picture book about kindness heroes. The book has no faces in the pictures, partly because their illustrator friend did not want to draw them, but it turned out to be perfect, because the children realise the heroes could be any of them.

A big part of the work is teaching children to be kind to themselves, to have a supportive inner voice rather than an angry one. Anger is a natural feeling, but the children are encouraged to notice it and choose something helpful instead, whether that is a short walk, a book, or five quiet minutes, rather than lashing out. The trust currently works in around thirty schools and twenty preschools, with Raewyn and two helpers visiting the schools.

Every year Kind Hearts runs a big event for children from those schools. This August, around twelve hundred children will come across two days, in groups of about three hundred at a time. As well as celebrating kindness, the days give local children the chance to hear some well known New Zealanders share their stories. Past guests have included Suzy Cato and comedian Karen O'Leary, and this year the mountaineer William Pike is coming along.

The newest project is a set of bright red kindness benches, lovingly made by the Men's Shed and placed in schools as a spot to sit, chat and share with a friend. Each one carries a kindness quote on the back. The council has put a couple into local reserves, and the trust would love to see one in every school in Palmerston North. A few are already in place, with more on the way.

Raewyn was clear that helping does not have to mean money. You can pay it forward at a cafe, collect items for the hospital deliveries, or sponsor resources or a bench into a school you care about. Donations towards running costs are always welcome too, as the trust now has a small office in Rangitikei Street and a part time office person, which means a fair bit needs to be raised before anything else happens. Most of all, she left us with a simple challenge. Make someone's day every day with one small random act of kindness, and watch it work wonders for everyone.

Our thanks to Raewyn and Robin for a talk that was funny, heartfelt and genuinely uplifting. They reminded us that kindness costs nothing, feels wonderful, and has a habit of coming back around.

Professor Richard Shaw, who teaches politics at Massey University, joined us on Monday night for a talk that was thoughtful, deeply personal, and quietly powerful. He arrived with a warning of sorts, telling us he would not be passing judgment on anyone or telling anybody what to think. What he wanted to do instead was tell us about his own family, and about something he had quietly missed for most of his life.

The story began with an old photograph that hung on his parents' wall in New Plymouth. It showed a rugby team in lace up boots and long shorts, and the big man holding the ball in the back row was his great grandfather. Richard had looked at that photo a thousand times over more than fifty years without ever really knowing what it meant. One day he turned it over and found three small notes written on the back. A team name, a tiny coastal place called Parihaka, and a date, 1881.

"That seems like quite a lot of stuff not to have known."

Here is the part that took years to understand. His great grandfather was one of more than a thousand armed men involved in the invasion of Parihaka, a peaceful settlement, on the 5th of November 1881. He helped build the roads that carried the troops and stayed through five years of occupation. Over time, his family went from Irish poverty to owning and controlling three farms. Yet none of this had ever been talked about. Richard grew up hearing plenty about cows, dogs, the church and small country shows, but nothing at all about the man who started it all, or about what had to happen for the family to get that land.

That gap is what really interested him. Why do families remember some things and quietly forget others? His point was gentle but clear. Forgetting can be comfortable, because it means we never have to sit with the harder parts of the story. In his own case, the family could keep telling a proud pioneer tale of hard work and decency, without mentioning that the land had once belonged to other people and had been taken from them.

"You don't have to feel guilty about it. Guilt is profoundly unhelpful."

Richard was careful to say this was not about blame or guilt. Raised a Roman Catholic, he joked that he knows more about guilt than most, and that guilt mostly just paralyses people. What he asked for was simpler. Not that anyone feel bad, and not that anyone be held responsible for things done long ago, but just that we learn the fuller story rather than the tidy version that leaves the difficult bits out.

He also reminded us that this is not ancient history with no effect on today. He gave real examples of Maori owned land that families still cannot easily reach or use, where people must cross a neighbour's farm and ask permission just to get onto their own block. The past, he said, follows you. It is right behind you every step of the way.

When asked whether it took courage to stand up as a Pakeha man and speak this way, he brushed it off. The real bravery, he said, belongs to the people who keep showing up to these conversations with patience and grace rather than anger. He left us with the thought that perhaps we do not all need to be "one people" in exactly the same mould. We can be many different things and still get along, and in time, he believes, we will get there.

Our thanks to Professor Richard Shaw for a memorable evening, and to everyone who joined the discussion afterwards. It gave us all plenty to think about.

Dame Farah Palmer needs little introduction in New Zealand rugby circles. A two-time Rugby World Cup-winning Black Ferns captain (1998 and 2002), the first woman inducted into the Rugby Hall of Fame (2014), and a recipient of a DCNZM in the 2023 New Year Honours, Farah brought warmth, humour and genuine insight to our speaker evening. What follows is a summary of her presentation.

About Dame Farah

Farah Palmer grew up in Piopio, having been born in Te Kūiti, and has spoken warmly about the grounding that upbringing gave her: resilience, resourcefulness and a sense of accountability that comes from growing up in a community where everyone knows you. Her father still farms the land she grew up on.

After a distinguished playing career, she pursued an academic path, completing a PhD and joining Massey University as a lecturer in sport management and sport sociology. She later taught leadership and teamwork, a transition that deepened her thinking about what leadership actually means. Today she remains active in rugby governance through the World Rugby Council, and serves on the board of Global Woman as well as EGC, a charitable trust focused on STEM education from early childhood through to university.

The Honour She Almost Declined

Farah's damehood was not a straightforward yes. She initially declined, feeling uncomfortable being singled out when so many others contribute equally. It was her parents who persuaded her to accept: "It's not about you, it's about us." Others pointed out that the honour also acknowledged all the women who had gone before her in rugby. She accepted on that basis.

The Process of Becoming

A central theme of Farah's talk was what she calls "the process of becoming." She sees life as a series of evolutions: she became a rugby player, then an academic, then a wife and mother, and continues to evolve. Rather than arriving at a fixed identity, she believes we should always be striving to learn, grow and better ourselves.

This philosophy also shaped her view of leadership. She is reluctant to claim the title of "leader," preferring simply to do her best in whatever role or context she finds herself in. Her focus is on encouraging others, and she sees competition as less important than collective elevation: if everyone gives 100%, the outcome looks after itself.

Rugby Analogies for Leadership

Farah uses rugby as a lens for leadership, and it is a lens that fits naturally. She described three modes of leadership that mirror moves in the game.

Taking the space (running with the ball)

Early in her leadership journey, Farah would step up and take charge directly. She described this as natural and energising, but over time she recognised its limitations.

Passing it back

She came to understand that stepping aside and letting others take the space is often more valuable. Helping people discover and develop their own potential became a greater source of satisfaction than leading from the front.

Kicking it forward (changing the system)

The most significant leadership, she argued, often involves changing the structure, the culture and the system itself. When you kick it forward, you make advances that benefit everyone, not just the people immediately around you.

She also spoke about the "rolling maul" as a metaphor for change: the ball is hidden, progress is mysterious, and no single person deserves all the credit. Change in organisations often works exactly that way.

Navigating by Your Values

Farah referenced the Maori concept of "wayfinding" (as explored in the film Moana) as a way of thinking about direction in life. You do not always know exactly where you are going, but you can navigate by your values, the things you know point you in the right direction. For her, those stars include giving back to community, raising up others and contributing to collective progress.

She also spoke about "turangawaewae," a Maori concept meaning a place where you have the right to stand. It can be the place you grew up, your profession, or the community you have contributed to. Palmerston North remains one of hers.

Changing Rugby from the Inside

Some of Farah's most compelling storytelling centred on her entry into rugby governance. She was the first woman on the New Zealand Rugby Board, and she was clear-eyed about what that meant at the time: there was no suit that fitted her, she was told where to sit as an afterthought, and the whole environment signalled that women were not expected to be there. Her response was characteristically pragmatic: she laughed it off and stayed.

Over the following years she shoulder-tapped women for board roles, helped establish a Women in Governance programme and encouraged provincial unions to pursue diversity from the ground up. By her seventh year on the board, four women held seats. The board now actively values diversity of gender and ethnicity as a matter of course.

She was also on the New Zealand Rugby Board during the Black Ferns' 2022 World Cup victory on home soil, a tournament she had worked hard to bring to New Zealand. Her husband was assistant coach of that team. She described the evening of the final as simply amazing.

BTB: Better Than Before

The theme of "BTB" (Better Than Before) ran through the Black Ferns' World Cup campaigns. It functioned as both a process goal and an outcome goal: the team aimed to improve continuously, not simply to win. The same philosophy guides Farah's approach to every role she takes on, and it is the measure she applies to herself, her students and the organisations she serves.

She spoke too about the importance of celebration: acknowledging achievements, giving recognition, and high-fiving the people around you. Progress that goes unrecognised is harder to sustain.

A Note on Leadership Theory

Farah referenced the work of Donna Ladkin, whose model frames leadership as a moment when the right people, the right context and the right purpose align. She finds this relational view of leadership persuasive: a great leader without followers who believe in them, or without a context that fits, will simply not be effective. Leadership is not a fixed trait but a dynamic that depends on those around you.

Closing Thoughts

Farah closed by reflecting on what still drives her: the process of becoming, the commitment to passing opportunity back to others, the value of collective movement over individual achievement, and the importance of long-term strategy over short-term wins. She acknowledged our club's voluntary service to the community with genuine warmth, saying she always feels humbled to be among people who give so freely of their time.

She is currently training for Hyrox in Stockholm. We wish her well.

Lyn Horgan, CEO of Crest Hospital in Palmerston North, was invited by club president Barbara to give a brief update to Milson Rotary. Lyn had spoken to the club last August on Crest Hospital's growth and capacity plans, and this was an opportunity to bring members up to speed on two significant developments: progress on the new Milson Line facility, and the arrival of an orthopaedic surgical robot.

Crest Hospital Today

For members who missed the earlier presentation, Lyn provided a quick snapshot of the current Creswick Terrace facility. Crest Hospital operates five theatres, one procedure room, a 10-bed PACU recovery unit, 30 inpatient beds and 21 cubicles. A specialist centre at the front of the building now has 33 clinicians working from it, and the hospital handles close to 7,000 surgical discharges each year.

The existing facility has simply been outgrown. Much of the thinking behind the Milson Line development is about future-proofing: converting the current site to inpatient-only use while the new facility takes on the broader load. There is also a deliberate workforce pipeline strategy involved, making Palmerston North an attractive destination for new surgeons and physicians entering private practice.

The Milson Line Development: Earthworks Under Way

The headline news is that work has begun. Last Wednesday a dawn blessing was held on site, with Crest Hospital directors Daniel Marshall and Mary Ready turning the first sod. Earthworks are now underway. The new facility is scheduled to open on 28 April.

The Milson Line site will include a new specialist centre with three procedure rooms covering ophthalmology, endoscopy, skin procedures and other medical day cases. At the time of Lyn's update, 63 clinicians have already committed to working from the new facility, which has exceeded initial projections. The specialties on offer will include surgery, and notably a paediatric general surgeon, a specialty that has not been available in the district for many years.

The Orthopaedic Robot Has Arrived

The second major update is the arrival of a Stryker Mako surgical robot, which will be used for total hip replacements, total knee replacements and partial knee replacements. It is the latest model in Australasia, and Lyn reported with some satisfaction that it is currently secured in a locked cupboard until first use.

How it works

Every patient having a hip or knee procedure on the Mako system first has a CT scan. That scan is used to build a precise surgical plan, which the surgeon creates in collaboration with the robot's software. The robot then carries out the bone cuts according to that plan. The surgeon remains present and in control throughout, but the precision cutting is performed by the machine rather than by hand.

All of Crest Hospital's orthopaedic surgeons have travelled to Australia to complete their credentialling for the system. The clinical nurse for orthopaedics, Sherlin, is also closely involved in its operation.

Why it matters

The Mako system has been used across Australasia for eight years, with over 70,000 joint procedures completed in the region and more than one million procedures globally. The precision of the robot preserves soft tissue and can spare healthy bone that might otherwise be removed. Patient outcomes include fewer post-operative complications and faster early recovery.

There is also a workforce benefit: the Mako system is linked to registrar fellowships, making Crest Hospital a more attractive destination for training surgeons.

First use: 28 May

The first two patients are booked for 28 May, and Crest Hospital plans to mark the occasion with some media coverage.

What Comes Next

In response to member questions, Lyn outlined the roadmap beyond the current robot. The next planned purchase is a Hugo soft tissue robot, which is used primarily for prostate procedures as well as general surgery. On the Mako platform itself, a shoulder replacement capability is expected within approximately eight months, and a spinal surgery platform within twelve months. The timing is well suited to Crest Hospital's recent addition of a spinal surgeon, meaning spine work is now already underway at the Creswick Terrace facility.

The current Mako system operates from CT scan data and pre-programmed surgical plans rather than artificial intelligence, though that landscape is expected to evolve as the technology develops.

Milson Rotary Club  |  Member Update  |  Lyn Horgan, CEO, Crest Hospital Palmerston North

When Grant Smith walks into a room you know straight away this is someone who genuinely loves where he lives. Introduced warmly by President Barb, he arrived in relaxed form and delivered one of the most engaging and entertaining addresses the Club has heard in a long time. Part civic briefing and part personal passion project, his talk covered the city's real strengths, some honest challenges, and most compellingly a vision of opportunity that left the room feeling genuinely upbeat about where Palmerston North is heading.

He opened with heartfelt acknowledgement of the Rotary Club's more than 50 years of service to the community. He spoke with real pride about the river pathway project, championed by a club member around a decade ago and now attracting some 1.3 million visits a year. He also praised the Club's recent fundraising efforts including the remarkable $2.5 million raised toward the new robotic surgery unit at the regional hospital. That achievement will make Palmerston North the first public hospital outside Auckland's North Shore to offer robotic surgery. A bit of a game changer in his words. He was absolutely clear that service clubs like Rotary bring massive value to this community and he is proud to champion them.

One of the themes running through the Mayor's address was a good-humoured frustration that Palmerston North sometimes does not get the credit it deserves. He recalled developers from Hawke's Bay visiting for the first time and being visibly astonished at the scale and quality of what they found. And he clearly enjoyed retelling the story of a real estate agent from Queenstown who arrived with a dismissive attitude, only to go quiet when the Mayor asked him where his nearest university was, his regional teaching hospital, or his nine high schools. We've got that, Grant said simply. And you've got this. So we're not so bad after all.

The substance behind his confidence is real. Palmerston North is a genuine regional hub with an impressively diverse economy. Healthcare is actually the city's largest sector, perhaps surprising to some, built around a regional teaching hospital serving approximately 600,000 people. Education is world class with Massey University approaching its centenary, alongside UCOL and IPU. And the city's research community is extraordinary. Grant noted with evident pride that Palmerston North is home to one of the greatest concentrations of food scientists anywhere on the planet, bringing together Massey University, Plant and Food Research, and Frontier Agri-Science.

Logistics and distribution has quietly become the fastest growing sector in the city, cementing Palmerston North as the third critical spoke in New Zealand's national supply chain. Defence adds thousands of service personnel and their families to the local economy, with Linton and Ohakea having recently received hundreds of millions of dollars in long overdue investment. And underpinning it all is the rich agribusiness heartland of the Horizons region, the fifth largest dairy area in New Zealand, the chicken and beef capital of the country, surrounded by cropping, horticulture, forestry, and a wool industry quietly making a comeback.

The city is also younger than most New Zealanders realise. With an average age of just over 35 compared to the national average of nearly 40, Palmerston North has the energy and momentum of a city with plenty ahead of it. One in five residents was born overseas, lending the community a genuine diversity and a strong outward looking character.

What sets Grant Smith apart as a communicator is that he does not shy away from complexity. He spoke candidly about the challenges the city faces, not with alarm but with the calm practicality of someone who has been working on solutions for years.

Transport is a pressing concern. Logging trucks, B-trains, and stock trucks currently make their way through the heart of the city and the Mayor was direct about it. A ring road is not a nice-to-have, it is an absolute necessity. The proposed route runs from Camp Road, past the military camp and the prison, across a new bridge over the river and through to the industrial park. He is actively lobbying for it with both major parties and the minor parties. It will take time he acknowledged, but the hard yards are being done.

Water infrastructure reform has seen the establishment of Central Districts Water, an entity with $1.8 billion in assets, a manageable debt level, and over 200 employees. The Mayor was keen to reassure members that the finances are not as alarming as headlines sometimes suggest. People seem to think everything is debt, but it actually isn't. The city itself holds a Double-A Minus Stable credit rating from S&P Global, one of only around 20 New Zealand councils in positive territory.

Housing affordability is on the radar. Palmerston North is currently ranked the third most affordable city in New Zealand with average house prices around $630,000 to $640,000, a significant contrast to the major centres. But the Mayor is thinking ahead, recognising the need for more medium density housing and a broader range of aged care options as the population grows.

He also spoke honestly about the challenge of retaining executive talent. The city has nearly 60,000 jobs but attracting senior professionals remains competitive. He is undaunted. As awareness grows of what Palmerston North genuinely offers in education, theatre, sport, and liveability, so too will the city's ability to attract the people it needs.

Continued in Part 2: Opportunities, Community, Q&A and Vote of Thanks

Member Moment: A Hidden Gem Near Rongotea

Roger Kennedy — 3-Minute Spot, Monday 20 April 2026

Roger treated us to a tale of a very enjoyable Wednesday afternoon outing that turned into an unexpected discovery. Together with a group of friends, he ventured out to the Thompson Motorcycle Museum, located on a farm property just short of the Rongotea gun club — a place that, as Roger noted, very few people seem to know exists.

The Collection

The museum was established by the late Andrew Thompson, whose family has farmed the land since the 1860s. Andrew began collecting pre-1920 motorcycles after World War II, inspired in part by the bittersweet story of his own motorcycle being requisitioned during the war — then sold at auction before he could buy it back.

The collection, now overseen by Andrew's son Peter, spans over 100 machines, with the oldest dating to 1904, including what is reportedly the third-oldest known BSA motorcycle. Unlike some collections, the bikes are displayed in the condition they were last ridden — giving the museum a wonderfully authentic character.

A Club Outing Worth Considering?

The group rounded off the evening with a meal at the Rongotea Tavern — surprisingly busy and very good value at around $22–$23 a head.

With the collection valued at between $7 and $10 million, entry is just $10 per person. Roger suggested the club might consider a group outing, and warmly encouraged Peter Thompson to find a way to keep this remarkable collection intact for future generations.

Milson Rotary Club

Meeting Highlights — 20 April 2026

Speaker Evening

Serving the Unseen:

City Mission Palmerston North

A reflection on our recent speaker evening with Rev Dr Franco Vaccarino

At our most recent meeting, members of Milson Rotary Club were privileged to hear from Reverend Dr Franco Vaccarino, the founding City Missioner of City Mission Palmerston North. What followed was one of the most thought-provoking and humbling presentations we've heard in some time, a clear-eyed account of the hidden needs in our own community, and the remarkable work being done to meet them.

From Small Beginnings

The organisation's roots stretch back to 1970, when a group of concerned citizens noticed that elderly residents had little to do in retirement and were at risk of social isolation. From that modest beginning — a friendship van, a borrowed church space, and a shared cup of tea,  grew what is now City Mission Palmerston North, operating under the banner C4C: We Support, Empower and Advocate for Change.

Franco himself brings a fascinating international perspective to the role. Born in Italy, raised in South Africa, with academic and research experience in Mozambique and at Massey University, he describes himself simply as “a transnational”, and it shows in his deep empathy for people who don't quite fit the mainstream.

More Than a Meal

A central theme of Franco's presentation was that the Mission's work goes far beyond food and material assistance — though both are urgently needed. At the heart of everything is connection.

The Friendship Centre runs a Live Well programme every Monday, with live entertainment, shared meals, and transport by the Mission's vans for those who can no longer drive. Mind Masters on Tuesdays brings seniors together for cards and Scrabble. A men's group meets fortnightly — no agenda, just blokes getting together for a coffee and a kōrero. Balance for Life offers seated exercise, and Groovy Moves provides dance and fitness, led by a facilitator Franco described with great affection as "really out there" — bunny ears and all.

A fitness studio is also on the way, with resistance training equipment aimed at building strength and independence among older residents.

Reaching the Overlooked

Two groups Franco spoke about with particular passion were senior former refugees and the homeless.

Many elderly refugees arrive in New Zealand through family reunification schemes and, while technically settled, remain largely invisible at home caring for grandchildren, seldom venturing out, unable to easily access services. The Mission runs English language classes specifically for this group, picking them up by van and bringing them into a welcoming environment. The goal isn't a proficiency certificate, it's social inclusion, and practical gains like being able to communicate more directly with a GP.

On homelessness, Franco was direct: numbers are rising significantly in Palmerston North. Rough sleepers and families living in cars face challenges that well-meaning donations can inadvertently worsen — a can without a ring-pull is useless without a can opener; flour has little value without somewhere to cook. The Mission has learned over time to tailor its support accordingly.

Christmas and Community

Two years ago, Franco discovered there was nowhere in Palmerston North for people to go on Christmas Day, no open door, no shared meal. A man who attended a Christmas service told Franco he couldn't go home because of abuse there, and asked if there was anywhere else to be. There wasn't.

So City Mission started one. Last Christmas, 60 volunteers cooked, served, decorated, and, most importantly, sat with the people who came. One woman simply walked past, saw lights and activity, stepped in on her own, and stayed for four hours. "That's what it's about," said Franco. "The social connection, not just the food."

Food Insecurity and the Bigger Picture

The Mission is closely connected to wider food security efforts in the city, including the annual Every Can Can Make a Difference appeal, which collected over 4,150 cans last year, with huge contributions from local schools. Franco noted that one local food rescue provider is now supporting around 500 people per day, Monday to Friday,  a figure that speaks volumes about the scale of need in our city.

Looking ahead, the Mission is partnering with Massey University researchers to formally document community needs across 14 different population groups, migrants, seniors, disabled people, rainbow communities, and more,  with the intention of presenting findings to Council and strengthening the case for targeted support.

What Can We Do?

When asked about the Mission's greatest current need, Franco didn't hesitate: food. Demand is growing, funding is tight, and the pantry was fully depleted to supply last year's Christmas hampers.

As a Rotary club that has long championed community service, this presentation was a timely reminder that significant need exists right here in Palmerston North — and that organisations like City Mission are doing extraordinary work, often on a shoestring, to meet it.

Milson Rotary Club

City Mission Palmerston North is based at All Saints Church, Palmerston North. Their work is funded through grants, community donations, and support from All Saints Church.

1. The Mystery of the Missing RSVP

Have you ever clicked a button to sign up for one of our Rotary gatherings, only to wonder if your response actually "went through"? You aren't alone — it's perfectly normal to feel unsure when the screen doesn't give you a clear thumbs-up straight away. We've all been there!

Transitioning to ClubRunner for event management is a positive step that helps Barb's support crew plan better for catering. This guide is designed to take the guesswork out of your next RSVP so you can spend less time wrestling with the software and more time enjoying the fellowship of our club.

2. Your Digital Front Door: Opening the Invite

The easiest way to respond is through the email invitation sent directly to your inbox. These emails are usually titled with the name of the upcoming event.

From the email:

• Step 1: Open the email and look for a prominent blue button or link — it will say "Attend or Decline" or "Register Online."

• Step 2: Click that link. This often logs you in automatically, saving you the trouble of remembering a password.

From the website (if you don't have the email handy):

1. Go to milsonrotary.org.nz

2. Click Member Login and enter your details

3. Click the Member Area button in the top right

4. Select the Events tab

5. Click on the specific meeting or event you wish to attend

3. Making Your Choice: Register or Decline

Once you're on the event registration page, look for the "Register Me" section. You will see two clear choices:

• To attend: Click the Register Me button

• To decline: Click the Decline button

Even if you can't make it, clicking Decline is a wonderful courtesy. Knowing who isn't coming is just as important for catering and room setup as knowing who is. It helps avoid over-ordering and keeps our records accurate.

4. The Golden Rule: Always Scroll and Confirm

This is the most important part of the process — and where many of us get tripped up. After you click "Register," the page might look like you're finished, but your response has not been saved yet. Think of it as a two-step safety feature, similar to a confirmation screen when banking online.

To finalise your response:

1. Scroll down to the very bottom of the page

2. Look for the Confirm button

3. Click Confirm to officially record your choice

5. The More the Merrier: Adding Guests

We love seeing partners, friends, and prospective members at our gatherings. Adding a guest is simple:

1. Find the Guests section on the registration page

2. Click "Register Additional Guests"

3. Enter your guest's First and Last Name

4. Click Save

6. Peace of Mind: Checking You're on the List

Want to be 100% certain your registration went through? You can verify in two ways:

• Check your email: ClubRunner sends an automated confirmation email immediately after you click the final Confirm button. If it's not in your inbox, check your Spam folder.

• Check the attendee list: On the event page, click "See who else is coming." If your name isn't there, you missed a step — simply start the process again and be sure to hit Confirm at the very end.

7. Strengthening Our Connections

Mastering these few simple clicks does more than just secure your seat at the table — it helps our entire club run more smoothly and allows Barb to focus on the meeting rather than the paperwork. Don't worry if you missed a step last time; we're all learning these tools together.

Now that the technology is sorted — who will you invite to our next meeting? 😊