In Gear | Rotary in Southern New Zealand Issue 1 | Page 6

Janice Hughes

PROFILES

DISTRICT GOVERNOR
In 2004, having just arrived in town, Janice Hughes
turned up at the Rotary Club of Wanaka by
invitation, with a background in community work
via a professional women’s group she helped
establish in Invercargill.

legal and business issues. To that end, her firm
recently established BizClub, a community-based
initiative providing free legal and business advice
and workshops, as well as collaboration and
networking opportunities.

Rotary was a bit of an unknown and she was far
from convinced it was her “scene” at all. Twelve
years, hundreds of Rotary “moments” – and, not to
mention, untold fulfilment – later, she can say it: “It
most certainly is my scene”.

Among her interests, Janice is particularly
passionate about children’s issues, economic
empowerment, health, human rights, alleviating
poverty and social services.

As well as her new role as district governor, Janice
has served as Wanaka Club president (2009-10),
and Central Lakes area assistant governor (20122014).

She’s set the catch-cry for her tenure as district
governor as “Our World a Better Place”, and has
thrown up the added challenge to all of District
9980’s Rotarians to: Be the Change.

Away from Rotary, Janice is a
solicitor, director and co-owner
of Aspiring Law, where her
specialties include commercial,
property, agri-business and
trust law.
In her professional sphere,
Janice has held a long-standing
interest in educating clients
and the wider community on

From left: Clayton and Janice greet Rotary International president
John Germ and wife Judy.

Clayton Hope
WINGMAN EXTRAORDINAIRE

Affectionately known as ‘The Handbag’ for his
significant support of wife and now-district
governor Janice Hughes, Clayton Hope joined the
Rotary Club of Wanaka with her 12 years ago.
Together with being a pretty awesome wingman
for Janice in her senior Rotary roles, Clayton is a
tireless and devoted Rotarian in his own right.
Among his many contributions to Rotary, he has
just served for two years as chair of the Friends of

Dunstan Hospital Committee.
His background as a fine-dining chef is also put
to great use – and he can be found co-ordinating
everything from high-end catering to sizzling
sausages at major events to fundraise for Rotary.
Away from Rotary, Clayton works in the food
business in sales, and he also turns his hand to
food education and designing signature menus.

Page 6 | In Gear - Rotary in Southern New Zealand - District 9980 | www.rotarydistrict9980.org