Rural Women New Zealand | Ngā Wāhine Taiwhenua o Aotearoa

Heather McKay is our inaugural associate board member for Rural Women New Zealand 🙌 Today on the podcast we chat about Heather’s career development to date, along with her journey from the West Coast to the Tasman District 🌞 We also unpick pathways to dairy farm ownership, taking opportunities as they arise, and the importance of being purposeful in your career 👏 Thanks so much for joining us Heather! 🩷 You can listen here https://lnkd.in/gYz4hfXD This is the last ep for 2024 👋 See you in 2025 ✨

Today is International Volunteer Day 👏 The purpose of the day is to recognise and support the spirit of volunteerism to help create a better future. It champions the impact volunteers have in communities, nationally and globally 🙌 A big thanks to Rural Women volunteers in our communities for their ‘service simply given’ 🩷 As our recent Snapshot Report for 2023/24 showed Rural Women’s 121 branches donated $190,000 to their communities, contributed 9647 volunteer hours making an overall contribution to New Zealand’s social economy of $223,316! ✨

As a result of the recent Inspiring Wāhine Conference in October, Alexandra Women in Business and RWNZ arranged a long lunch at The Finery in Alexandra on Friday ✨ Women from throughout Central Otago came together to build connections and share stories over a lovely lunch 👏 Thanks Clare Toia-Bailey for sharing the story behind Inspiring Wahine with us 🩷 Perfect way to spend a Friday afternoon 🌞

Claire Edwards from the Tora Collective joins us on the Podcast today ✨ We discuss Claire’s journey from Golden Bay to Marlborough and now Tora 🌊 From University to bars in Wellington and finding soulmates, to starting a sustainable, catch to order kaimoana business 🐟 What strikes us about Claire is her really strong and uncompromising standards and values. She has a deep connection with the consumer, and does it all with the longevity of the environment in mind 🌳 Thanks for chatting with us Claire! 🩷 Listen here: https://lnkd.in/gYz4hfXD

We are pleased to announce that Tairāwhiti sheep and beef farmer and current Chair of Rural Women New Zealand’s (RWNZ) Board Sandra Matthews has been elected as our new National President 🙌 Sandra has been a committed advocate for women and New Zealand’s primary sector over many years, and her family, farm and personal values are at the heart of everything she does 👏 As we ready ourselves for our centenary next year, Sandra has the knowledge and experience to not only ensure we celebrate that milestone appropriately, but also set an exciting course for our next 100 years ✨ Read more about this announcement here: https://lnkd.in/ghdPMnXd

We are concerned at the impact recently proposed changes to postal services could have on rural families, communities and businesses ✉️ The proposed changes include reducing rural delivery to 3 days a week, more than halving the number of NZ Post outlets nationwide, and having more post delivered to communal collection points instead of your mailbox ⬇ Help us tell the Government the changes go too far and need to be scaled back by sending a letter to the responsible Minister. All you need to do is put your name on it, sign and date it and FREEPOST it to Parliament (or email it to Minister Paul Goldsmith). You can download the letter here: https://lnkd.in/gweJCunF

Today we have Sandra Matthews on the Black Heels and Tractor Wheels Podcast, Chair of RWNZ and local community legend 🙌 We yarn about engendering volunteering from a young age, developing identity as a woman coming onto a farm from outside, depression and anxiety, and also leadership pathways ✨ Sandra delivers some stellar advice on governance, leading yourself and leading others. Thank you so much Sandra for being so candid and open with us 🩷 Listen here: https://lnkd.in/gYz4hfXD

Building community is vital for country folk, but just as important for town folk. After deciding I would about 4 years ago, I have now joined Rural Women New Zealand | Ngā Wāhine Taiwhenua o Aotearoa and so pleased I am! Great to be able to connect with people who share the same passions and interests but I wouldn't necessarily come in contact with via usual work. Really looking forward to the AGM to be held in Wellington later in the year. Lucie Douma Penny Mudford

Its that time of the year again! 🎉 We are thrilled to announce our NZI Rural Women NZ Business Award winners for 2024 ✨ Amy Burke (Botanical)- Creative at Heart 🌸 Cath Ward (Pahi Costal Walk)- Love of the Land 🌅 Danielle Coppell (Repost)- Innovation 🪵 Elizabeth Hayes (Nest Treehouses)- Experience Rural 🌳 Harriet Bell & Siobhan O'Malley (Hemprino)- Emerging Business 🪡 Kat Kaiwai (Tairawhiti Contractors Limited)- Rural Champion 👷♀️ Nicola Smith (Nicola Smith Massage)- Rural Health and Wellbeing 💆♀️ Congratulations to you ladies! We can't wait to celebrate you at the Award Ceremony in November 🥳 Read more about our winners here: https://lnkd.in/gmmwNVBM

Season 7 is kicking off today! Thank you to New Zealand Media & Entertainment (NZME) & Rowena Duncum from The Country for letting us use their studio for this season ❤ Who would have thought we could sound so polished ✨ We speak to Melissa Bennett, a progressive leader in New Zealand's horticulture industry 🎉 Mel has come a long way- From accidental beginnings in the avocado sector 🥑 to pivoting into kiwifruit🥝, and now embarking on her new journey as a mum. We discuss the importance of both backing yourself as well as getting super support in a new journey, building strong relationships, grabbing opportunities with both hands and when you bite off more than you can chew- you gotta chew like hell! 🙌 Listen here: https://lnkd.in/gYz4hfXD