South Wairarapa Rotary

One Fair down, and one still to go – 2016 is the 40th year that the Rotary Club of South Wairarapa has run the Martinborough Fair. Way back when the Fair attracted about 35 stall holders mainly local people displaying, and selling, their crafts. Now there are about 500 stalls focused on the square and surrounding streets in the middle of Martinborough. Anywhere between 20 & 30,000 people visit the Fair each time from all over the lower half of the North Island and stall holders travel from all over New Zealand to exhibit at the Fair.
Why do we do it you might ask, getting up early in the morning to be at the Fair by 5:30 am to direct the stall holders where their site is. It’s so we can raise money to return back to the South Wairarapa Community in one way or another. The last few years has averaged about $80,000 being raised by the Fair and 99% of that ends up back in the community or towards a few International charities that the club routinely supports.

Two recipients of the funds raised are Zoe Thurston & Dylan Taylor, recipients of the Martinborough Fair Bursary. They both spoke to the club recently about the direction they are going to take in their studies. They were joined that night by Brooke-Amelia Lewington who had been assisted by the funds from the Fair in attending Outward Bound. They are just a few of the many individuals, teams & clubs that receive funding.

If you ever wondered how to get involved in the Fair, not as a stall holder, but as an organiser look us up, you will always find some of us at the Martinborough Fire Station on Fair day, the next one is March the 5th.

For more information about what we do see our web page www.swrotary.org.nz or look us up on facebook at “South Wairarapa Rotary”.