Projects

Weather permitting Johnsonville Rotary’s runs a Fun Day for families with young children takes place late Summer each year. In past years it’s been held at Rewa Rewa School.

Its a family fun day with a Teddy Bear’s Picnic, Family Games and events like Face painting, Bouncy castle and entertainment. There is also normally a small craft market.

Market stalls offer locally made craft goods, coffee and food. There is a a sausage sizzle and entertainment normally includes hair Makeup, Facepainting, a Bouncy Castle, Colouring Competitions, and several fun sports events to keep everyone happy including stuff for parents

Normally our final event of the year is our signature community event. In 2026 it will be on Saturday 28th November. All the money raised supports local community charitable activities.

The event as usual is kindly hosted by Johnsonville Shopping Centre who kindly donate part of the Centre's main car park for stalls right next to the main shopping centre entrances. Every year the market grows larger and has more activities. In 2025 the market has hosted over 50 stalls on the day along with entertainments and live music and in 2026 it will be bigger still.

In 2026 the market will include more food stalls as well as addition stalls offering gifts, clothing, craft good, toys, and food ideas for Christmas.

When requested we also run a Virtual Christmas Market in the run up and during the market enabling stall holders to have an additional virtual stall to sell their items on-line throughout the festive season.

Photos Courtesy of Chris Holloman
@ChrisHollomanPhoto Chris Holloman

To access all the photographs from Chris Holloman please use the following link
https://chrisholloman.smugmug.com/FullAlbums/Johnsonville-Rotary-Christmas-Market-2025

In 2022 Johnsonville Rotary picked up sponsorship and organisation of the Wellington North Primary Schools Awards. The awards were originally started in 2015 by Malcolm Sparrow when he served on Wellington City Council. Ten schools from across Johnsonville, Churton Park and Newlands participate in the awards that celebrate the success and efforts of students for being amazing citizens and contributing to the life of their school.

Winners from each school are presented with their awards vy the Mayor of Wellington. Teachers and school Principals read out a citation why their winner had been selected.

To recognise their achievement, each student receives a trophy, certificate and a phot. Every school has a shield on which all the winner’s names are engraved.

Winners and their families, teachers and principles from their schools attend the awards presentation in November each year. For the last 3 years this ceremony has been at the Johnsonville Community Centre.

Every year in November, Johnsonville Rotary and Johnsonville Volunteer Fire Brigade run the “Toot For Tucker” across Johnsonville and Churton Park, collecting food items for families and individuals who are in need over the high demand holiday season. In February we run a Toot 4 Tucker event in Newlands and Paparangi along side Newlands Volunteer Fire Brigade

The Fire Truck leads the way with flashing lights and the siren to alert families on the routes taken that collectors on behalf of Johnsonville Rotary and the Volunteer Fire Brigades are coming on foot or in tooting vehicles. There has always been a wonderful response from people on the routes, with a wide variety or non- perishable food items, and cash donated.

“Toot for Tucker” began in Johnsonville in 2013, after some Johnsonville Rotary club members assisted the Tawa Rotary club with its “Toot for Tucker” collection. Tawa Rotary, and others in Tawa, initiated this project in 2011. Plimmerton Rotary has also subsequently run “Toot for Tucker”.

Johnsonville Rotary adjusted the project to suit the local conditions, and the current model used works well.

Johnsonville Rotary does this to help make a difference in our community, when many families and individuals are experiencing tough times and are stressed. The Fire Brigade and those who have donated items of food, or cash, have helped Johnsonville Rotary to assist less fortunate people in our community.