Lions Club of Cambridge president Pay Whyte
Lions Club of Cambridge president Pay Whyte followed his heart when it came to deciding on his year-in-office project.
Drawing on his time teaching, he introduced an educational scholarship for Cambridge students who enrolled in tertiary education or a certified trade programme.
The Cambridge Lions’ Albert Wallace Scholarship went live last year, with applications closing at the end of October.
Whyte, who became the club’s president in mid-2025 and is chairman of the project, told The News that they awarded amounts ranging from $1000 to $3000 to nine recipients.
Speaking to the scholarship’s name, he said: “When Cambridge’s Albert Wallace died, he passed the Victoria St building named after him on to the Lions. We rented out the downstairs – the upstairs section required a lot of work – then sold the building. Funds from that sale are going into the Albert Wallace Scholarship. I would like to see it grow in future years.”
Cheers: from left: Town Hall Community Trust’s general manager Simon Brew, Monique Susilla and chair Kirsty Johnson with Lions’ repre-sentatives, Ian Crabb (trust chair), Karen Johnson (vice president), Julie Mayes (past secretary), Brent Montgomerie (past president). Photo: Mary Anne Gill.
A tireless approach to fundraising matched by a measured approach to spending is a winning formula for the Cambridge Lions. Last year, they distributed over $330,000 into the community and Whyte thinks that figure might be higher in 2026.
The club’s three main fundraising streams are the monthly Trash ‘n Treasure market, the Lions Shed in Vogel St, and the Lions Food Caravan.
The pre-Christmas Trash ‘n Treasure was the biggest one yet, with about 200 stalls.
“We are trying to make it not just a market, but part of the community … and it’s working,” Whyte said. “We have the local brass and pipe bands, pony rides when the weather is right, charity stalls and more. The move we made from town to Hautapu [a Covid-based decision] was a good one. We have a good relationship with the sports club … we’re much more community focused.”
Pictured left to right: Tina Chan, Paul Wong, Brent Montgomerie (front), Ian Crabb (back), Bill Cairns (front), Warren Beard (back), Tony and Judy Costello, Heidi Wehrle, Murray and Monique Candy, and Elbe Moreland. Photo: Michael Jeans.
The Lions Shed is always buzzing with members and volunteers. They offer help when called upon by social agencies, and Whyte said a recent pop-up antique shop was a great success. He is thinking of adding an art or book sale to the mix.
Giving back to the community has been in Whyte’s blood from a young age. He’s a Taranaki lad who at around 10 began an involvement with the Save The Children Fund’s annual concert. Since then, he’s been involved with at least three Rotary clubs around the country and with other clubs.
His first job was working as a reporter for the broadsheet, the Hawera Star. He then worked at the Otago Daily Times before shifting to the Para Rubber Company where he held managerial positions in various centres. Later, he ran his own pool business while working 20 hours a week supporting children with disabilities and families in need.
Whyte was also in a band, and teaching schoolchildren the guitar. “That propelled me to go to teacher’s training college. I became a teacher, mainly middle school, then did a degree in teaching and an advanced diploma in holistic education.”
He has a particular interest in neuro-diversity, and taught in various North Island centres, ending up as a specialist teacher, deputy principal and assistant principal. He came to Cambridge five years ago, working as a relief teacher at Hautapu and Cambridge Middle schools and enjoying downtime at the Cambridge MenzShed when he has time.
Cambridge Lions Club president Pat Whyte has introduced a new scholarship fund.
