About The Trust and Bill and Lorna Boyd

When asked what he thought the most pressing needs for the world were, Bill, who had been travelling the world for Rotary for some time, quickly responded, “education and water”. Bill had also been interested in a Rotary project operating in the United Kingdom involving illustrated dictionaries.
The Trustees did not take much persuading that the distribution of the Usborne Illustrated Dictionaries through Rotary Clubs to Year 4 children in New Zealand low decile schools, was the way to help reduce a growing literacy problem.

To date the Trust has, through Rotary Clubs, distributed over 220,000 Usborne Illustrated Dictionaries to mainly low decile schools throughout New Zealand and the Pacific Islands, with a retail value in excess of $6 million dollars. Several thousand of a sister publication First Atlas have also been distributed as a class tool but are no longer stocked. The Rhyming Around the Alphabet Book and Show Cards Project was launched a few years ago, aimed at Year 1, Pre-School, Kindergarten and Early Learning institutions. More than 5000 packs have been successfully delivered to these schools & institutions.