Symons Group Recognised for Supporting Local Rotary Initiatives
Symons Transport has been recognised by Rotary International with a Certificate of Appreciation for its support of Rotary and the wider Taranaki community.
Graham and Jill Symons were recently invited to a local Rotary meeting, where they were presented with the certificate on behalf of Symons Transport. The recognition acknowledged the practical support the company has provided to Rotary projects over recent years.
Symons Transport’s connection with Rotary began in 2023, when Rotary marked 100 years in New Zealand through the Forests of Peace, Remembrance and Community project. As part of that initiative, Taranaki Rotary Clubs were involved in planting thousands of native trees at Mangapouri Cemetery.
Rotary wanted to make the project especially meaningful by involving local school children in the planting. That created a transport challenge: getting students safely from their schools to the site and back again.
With one of our driver team also being a member of Rotary, the connection was made with Symons Transport. After being approached for support, Symons provided the free use of 16-seater vans to help make the project possible.
As a result, more than 1,300 school children were transported to the site, where they helped plant more than 4,500 trees. For many of those children, it was a chance to be part of something lasting in their own community.
Symons Transport has also supported Rotary’s youth programme, RYPEN, after the programme moved from Inglewood to Kawhatau, north of Mangaweka. The new location created another transport challenge, with around 50 young people needing to be moved from across the lower North Island to the remote camp location.
Symons assisted by providing one of its larger coaches at a heavily reduced rate, collecting young people from New Plymouth through to Bulls so they could all arrive together. This support has now been provided for the past two years.
The Certificate of Appreciation recognises not only the vehicles and transport provided, but the spirit behind that support. For Symons Transport, giving back to the community is an important part of who we are.
Graham and Jill were proud to accept the certificate on behalf of the wider Symons team. We are grateful to Rotary for the recognition and pleased to have played a part in supporting projects that benefit young people, the environment and the Taranaki community.
