The Lower Lake at Zealandia, as seen from the Trust-funded access track to the Morning Star Mine
Other Charities
There were two other charities with which Ian was deeply involved and remembered in his will, reflecting his concern for the vulnerabilities he saw in the world.
Rotary
Ian was a long-serving member of the Rotary Club of Wellington North. The club established the Rotary Scholarship Trust in 1992 to “assist with the cost of tertiary education, vocational training or development of life skills, of people suffering from financial hardship”, but it was not until Ian's million-dollar bequest that the Trust was able to start making annual grants. Feedback from recipients shows their delight in being able to study with reduced financial stress.
Rotary is a global network of 1.2 million business and community leaders who meet weekly at local clubs that are nonpolitical, nonreligious and open to all cultures, races and creeds. Rotarians develop community service projects that address critical issues such as children at risk, poverty and hunger, the environment, illiteracy, and violence. They also support programmes for youth, education and international exchanges. The Rotary motto is “Service Above Self”.
Zealandia: The Karori Sanctuary Experience
Another charity to benefit from Ian’s generosity is Zealandia, the world’s first fully fenced urban eco-sanctuary. The 225-hectare valley in Karori has a two-metre high predator-proof fence that provides a conservation safe haven for over 40 threatened plant and animal species, as well as an interactive exhibition presenting 80 million years of natural history. Thousands of people visit each year.
Rare species of birds such as kiwi, kaka, hihi (stitchbird), tīeke (saddleback) and reptiles like tuatara live wild just 10 minutes from central Wellington, where native forest with rātā, rimu and tōtara is regenerating naturally.
Zealandia truly captured Ian’s imagination. He was a regular volunteer and donor, and bequeathed money to it in his will. The Trustees wanted his bequest to be used for a tangible project, and they agreed to Zealandia’s suggestion of providing access to and information about the early gold-mining attempts in the area. His generosity is recognised at the entrance of a mine site with a memorial plaque from the Karori Historical Society, another of Ian’s interests.
Discover more about Zealandia at www.visitzealandia.com
Photograph by Trustee David Hurley