Express june 2014 final low res

www.ruralwomen.org.nz

JUNE 2014

Rural Women NZ had a prime position in the main pavilion at National Fieldays, making and renewing connections within the primary sector and ensuring everyone who came by our stand went away knowing more about our wonderful organisation and our activities.

This year, Kiera Jacobson, Marketing and Development officer at national office, was asked to help judge the Fieldays Rural Bachelors competition. She says the networking and

Kiera Jacobson with this year’s Fieldays Rural Bachelor contestants

marketing opportunity was well worth the effort!

The bachelors donned Rural Women/It’s OK to Ask for Help aprons during the cooking segments of the challenges they faced, a great opportunity to promote our brand.

Tasks posed to the bachelors included speed fencing, pouring beer into a mug with an excavator, pulling a short-tow trailer behind a quad bike, through an obstacle course, gun dog trials, building a dog house, speed dating, serving high tea, and making halloumi cheese.

Meanwhile back at our stand, local Rural Women members from the Tamahere and Rukuhia groups talked to members of the public alongside National President Wendy McGowan, Executive Officer Noeline Holt, Region 6 Councillor Shirley Read, and Region 7 Councillor Fiona Gower.

We also offered a space for mums to have some privacy and a comfy chair to feed their babies.

Fieldays 2014 was a great success for Rural Women with new members signing up on site.

Fabulous Fieldays 2014


Dear members,

NEW BEGINNINGS

As I sat impatiently two weeks ago waiting for the birth of a new grandchild by emergency cesarean I thought about other new lives being born, how we need to, as an extended family, nurture, protect, teach, and unconditionally love this unspoiled, perfect little person who has no marks on his feet that have never been used, to fulfill and reach his full potential through happiness, education, love, support and sorrow. Some of the same things we now do for our elderly relations, the difference is they have a wealth of knowledge to hand on to us all.

Happy Birthday to Norma Evans Dominion Member of Honour who gracefully shared her 90th birthday with my grandson. The wheels of life and change keep on turning.

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EditorialWendy McGowan, National President

RULES REVIEW

Dear Members,

The Rural Women NZ rules committee met on 23 June to further develop the vision for our organisation’s future rules.

Thank you to all who have contributed to this important consultation. Your views and ideas have been valuable, varied and positive.

The committee has discussed points raised at length. It is pleasing that there is a general acceptance that change is vital to take Rural Women NZ forward into a bright and secure future.

The committee has now forwarded a formal recommendation to the National Council.

Kind regards

Liz Evans, Committee chair

National council met in Wellington on May 12-14 where the Draft Strategic Intent 2014-2017 was tabled for discussion and will be ratified at the next national council meeting in August.

EDUCATION PORTFOLIO

A sub-committee (Education Portfolio Convenor, Kerry Maw;

From the council tableNational Finance Chair; Marie Appleton; and the EO, Noeline Holt) has been appointed to review education bursaries.

National Council meeting dates for the rest of the year are:

19-21 August and

14 November

At National Fieldays new life was also making its presence felt with the birth of new lambs on Janet Williams’ farm where we were staying.

Fieldays is that place of invention, creativity, history, stories, catching up with old friends, making new ones and learning new ways. Our stand was busy with families of all ages - the children bringing energy and interest to a long day.

All were very interested in the work we are doing in our communities, making them better places to live and work. The It’s OK to ask for Help aprons flew out the door, as did the letter box stickers. There was much interest in the speed past school buses project and in becoming a member of Rural Women New Zealand.

Just as we nurture our young we must nurture our new members through mentoring and support.And let’s not forget our mature members – our visionaries who have supported the organisation as it has moved forward.

Over the years Rural Women New Zealand has had new beginnings with name changes, strategic planning, road shows. As with a small child, we need to embrace change to continue being successful in the future. We welcome comments from you all as we go through the process of changing the rules.

Finally, I would like to thank Mary McTavish for her diligent and comprehensive work over the last 35 years for Rural Women New Zealand. Due to family commitments Mary has resigned and returned to England for an indefinite period of time. We will miss you, Mary.

Quote from Arnold Bennett about new beginnings:

“The chief beauty about time is that you cannot waste it in advance.

The next year, the next day, the next hour are lying ready for you, as perfect, as unspoiled, as if you had never wasted or misapplied a single moment in all your life.

You can turn over a new leaf every hour if you choose.”

Regards,

Wendy McGowan

www.ruralwomen.org.nz 3

Competition categories for videos, photos or stories are:• Women and men at work on the farm (all ages)• Farm machinery or a farm innovation • Animals• Children• Rural communitiesFor more information contact Kiera or Jackie at national office. Each category winner will receive a trilogy set of Rural Women NZ cookbooks - A Good Spread, A Good Harvest and A Good Baking Day.E-mail entries to [email protected], or post to RWNZ, PO Box 12-021 Thorndon, WellingtonClosing date is 1 November 2014.

New! Photo, video and writing competition

To celebrate the International Year of Family Farming, Rural Women New Zealand is running a competition with the Ministry for Primary Industries for you to share your family farming stories.

Imagine for a moment you are beamed in to a Sainsbury’s supermarket in the UK, or a Chinese market place in Shanghai. You see some New Zealand lamb or beef for sale and, chest puffed up with pride, want to tell the UK housewife or the Chinese market-goer next to you all about the farm back home where it might have come from. Your farm.

Imagine the story you would tell about your place, your community, your animals, your family - in short what makes you proud to be a New Zealand farmer when you see the products you’ve helped produce on sale so far away.

If you happened to have your camera or smart phone with you, what snaps or video clips from home would you want to proudly share?

Now... stop imagining and you can make it happen! We can’t fly you to the UK or China, but we may be able to share your special story, photos or videos with consumers overseas.

The Ministry for Primary Industries is partnering with Rural Women NZ to run a competition to tell the New Zealand story behind the products we produce on our farms, in a creative way.

Any story (up to 300 words), video or photo you submit for the competition may be used by Rural Women NZ or by the Ministry for Primary Industries to promote the unique New Zealand primary industry story, or as the inspiration for further professionally-produced marketing materials.

PRIZES To bE WoN!

www.ruralwomen.org.nz4

Forestry and Wetland update by Ann Irving

Marking ANZAC day

All aboard! Forestry committee members off to inspect their trees

Doubtless bay branch laid a wreath at the Mangonui Memorial on ANZAC day, as it does each year.

Branch president Shirleen Packard was joined by member Lois and her husband John Garton to present the wreath, which was created by long-time member Tui Gardiner, who has made wreaths for the branch when the occasion requires since 2003.

TE PUKE-ROTOEHU

Meanwhile Margaret Scrimgeour of Te Puke-Rotoehu branch says their branch made Anzac biscuits to be given to RSA members for ANZAC day.

Left - Shirleen Packard, Doubtless Bay president, and John and Lois Garton with the wreath made by Tui Gardiner

Rural Women NZ Forestry committee members are excited about plans to enhance a wetland on 20 acres of the 290 acre forestry block they own at Dipton. The committee is working towards putting a covenant on the land and working with Walking Access to negotiate an easement through a neighbouring property to the duck ponds.

There are several of these ponds in the area surrounded by flax, cabbage trees and other native vegetation.

The challenge for the committee, the local Landcare group and Dipton school will be to work with Environment Southland to remove the willows, gorse and broom, and enhance the area with planting. Most of the clearing work will be done by contractors.

Every year the committee invites other members and the public on the free bus trip to inspect the forest with Craigpine manager, Craig Milne.

“This year after the inspection of the forest we viewed a Craigpine forest high on the hills above the Southland plains. This was our lunch spot, a great view point,” says Ann Irving.

Then it was off to Drummond where members of that branch explained the projects they had worked on in their community: a garden, an interpretation panel and two garden sculpture persons made

of junk metal. Lorna Anderson’s garden and a visit to the McLeish’s fabulous wetland was a fitting end to a great day.

Forest giving $50,000 has been distributed in the last year from forestry proceeds to Southland Rural Women branches, resulting in many local projects receiving funding to enhance their rural communities.


We have recently launched this exciting new rural primary schools competition, in partnership with HP New Zealand, with $20,000 of prizes to be won! HP New Zealand approached Rural Women NZ to tap into our expertise, networks and media contacts to make the project fly.

The company is keen to work with rural primary schools to better understand their needs and challenges and to offer five schools the chance to win great technology prizes.

With this Express, you will find an entry form for HP’s Rural Schools Competition. We ask you to take it along to your local primary school and encourage them to enter. Entries close 25 July.We’ll also be emailing all rural schools to tell them about the opportunity.

HP New Zealand is keen to see creative entries from children in the form of art, written work or videos, explaining what benefits they see from upgraded technology and technology support for their school.

HP’s Rural Schools Competition

Pink Ribbon events

Several branches held Pink Ribbon events in May, raising funds and awareness of breast cancer. Maniototo branch hosted a Pink Ribbon high tea at the Wedderburn Tavern, with a ‘pretty in pink’ dress theme and prizes for the best dressed, raising $526.

Hampden Rural Women hosted a delicious Pink Ribbon dessert night at the local Memorial Hall attended by 50 local women, which raised $200 for breast cancer research.

And in Taranaki, Motonui members put on their finest pink clothes for a special luncheon.

Top - Maniototo high tea

Middle - Hampden dessert night

Bottom - Motonui ladies luncheon

Judges, including a representative from Rural Women NZ, will then visit the shortlisted schools to interview the principals, meet the students and understand what the benefits of improved technology would be for the teachers and students.

The winning school will receive $10,000 worth of HP product and support, with further prizes valued at $5,000, $2,500 and two at $1,250 for the other four shortlisted schools. HP is offering teacher support and training as part of these packages.


National Council contactsWendy McGowan, National President Phone: 07 332 3586 Mobile: 027 222 7015 [email protected] 644 Koharoa Road, R.D.2, Rotorua 3072

Marie Appleton, National Finance Chair, Phone: 09 238 5545 Mobile: 027 351 6807 [email protected] 9 Puni Road, Pukekohe 2120

Fiona Gower, Regional Councillor, Top of the North Island, Region Seven, Phone: (09) 232-9711 Mobile: 027 428 3884 [email protected] 600 Port Waikato-Waikaretu Valley Road, RD5, Tuakau, 2695

Shirley Read, Regional Councillor, Waikato/Taranaki, Region Six Phone: 06 752 3698 Mobile: 027 665 9047 [email protected] 268 Pukearuhe Road, R.D 44, Urenui 4377

Vacant position, Regional Councillor, Bay of Plenty/Coromandel, Region Five Vacant position, Regional Councillor, Lower North Island, Region Four Pam Thomlinson, Regional Councillor, Top of the South, Region Three Phone: 03 574 2380 [email protected] Raspberry Bay, R.D.1, Mahau Sound, Picton 7281

Kerry Maw, Regional Councillor, Canterbury, Region Two Phone: 03 302 0896 Mobile: 0274 780 482 [email protected] 696 McCrorys Road, R.D.11, Rakaia 7781

Margaret Pittaway, Regional Councillor, Lower South Island, Region One Phone: 03 445 1201 Mobile: 021 024 89569 [email protected] 1570 Luggate, Cromwell Road, R.D.3, Cromwell 9383

NATIoNAL CoNFERENCE 15-18 November 2014

Rotorua

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2014 Council portfoliosCommunityPam Thomlinson Education (including telecommunications)Kerry Maw Wendy McGowan

Health and SafetyMargaret Pittaway Marie Appleton

Land IssuesShirley Read Fiona Gower

bursaries Hawke’s Bay District Residents Agricultural Bursary – Alisha Cairns, Napier; Brenna Coleman, Dannevirke

Text Book Grants – Danielle Reddecliffe, Geraldine; Jasmin Robb, Lumsden; Kelly Nyssen, Morrinsville; Kristen Curran, Dannevirke

Tertiary Bursary - Nicholas Muldrew, Oamaru;

Education Fund – Amanda Tuineau, Porirua; Elizabeth McKee, Porirua; Catherine Irvine, Tauranga; Naomi Andrews, Muriwai.

Diamond Jubilee bursary – Aidan Hawker, Kamo

The conference theme is “Straightforward and Unafraid”.

Conference packs are enclosed with this Express magazine. The pack includes an early bird rate for registrations.

Guest speakers will be confirmed in August.

As you will see we have successfully negotiated an excellent price for a pre-conference tour to Hobbiton.

National office contact details

Level 8, Willbank House, 57 Willis Street, Wellington 6011. PO Box 12-021, Thorndon 6144.E: [email protected]: (04) 473 5524W: www.ruralwomen.org.nz


Dates to Note

July - Branch AGMs to be held

31 August - Statements of Finance due

31 August - 4 September - ACWW South Pacific Area conference, Dubbo, NSW, Australia

5 September - closing date for nominations for National Council and National President roles

8-14 September - Adult Learners’ Week

15 October - International Day of Rural Women

15-18 November - National Conference, Rotorua

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Book drawAsia Express is all about simple, fast and inspired recipes for busy lives.

Author Marion Grasby is the creator of the very successful Marion’s Kitchen Asian food range.

The recipes come from Thailand, Vietnam, Japan, China, India, Malaysia and more. All of them take less than 30 minutes, so this is the book for the home cook who wants to create fresh, Asian-

inspired dishes, but doesn’t have a lot of time to do it.

We have one copy to give away. Write your name and address on the back of an envelope addressed to Rural Women NZ, PO Box 12-021, Wellington, or email [email protected] and write Asian Book Draw in the subject line.

Manifesto Our new Manifesto will be available from the end of July in time for members to meet with their electoral candidates. Hard questions will be developed on issues that concern you and your communities. Call EO Noeline Holt for any hard questions you think should be included.

International Day of Rural Women - 15 October Do you have an event planned for the International Day of Rural Women? Please let Jackie in national office know so we can inform the media. They are always interested in this annual day in our calendar and what groups are doing to celebrate. Our country of study is The Solomons.

Branch AGMs Branch financial statements, contact forms and donation forms required for branch AGMs should have been received by branch contacts early June. Please contact Belinda in national office if your branch has not received theirs. Due to the consolidation of all Rural Women NZ accounts, please have your financial statements to national office by 31 August 2014.

2015 Subscription Invoices These have been sent directly to members. Please note the due date is 30 June 2014. All Branch Life Members invoices have been sent directly to your branch contact person. Please contact Belinda at national office if you have not received yours. Email [email protected] or (04) 473 5524.

Branch Contacts - emails It would greatly help communications from national office and help reduce costs if we had at least one email address per branch, and if a person with email is the nominated as branch contact. Do we have an email for someone in your branch? If you have email, do you yourself receive regular emails from us? Now’s a good time to check that your email address on our database is up to date. The emails we have for members are included in the branch lists, which will be sent to your branch at the beginning of August.

Nomination forms Nomination forms for National Councillors have been sent to members in Regions 3, 4 and 5. This covers vacant positions in the latter two regions, and Pam Thomlinson’s retirement from office in Region 3 this year. A nomination form for the role of National President is included with this Express. The closing date for all nominations is 5 September.

Submissions Health and Safety in Employment Legislation

Building Act (earthquake prone buildings)

Workforce Health and Safety Guidelines

These can be viewed on our website.


Island tImeThe Solomon Islands is our country of study this year. Pam Gardener of Pakawau branch lived in The Solomons for two years in the late 1970s with her husband and young family. Pam, pictured right, gave a talk on The Solomons to Golden Bay members and friends recently. We share some of her fascinating experiences here.

In 1978 my husband Brian won a two-year teaching position at Woodford International School in Honiara. With a wee boy of 4 and a baby girl of 7 months we set off from Auckland to experience a completely different life in the Pacific Islands. We landed in that sticky heat of the tropics – our house had no ceiling fans or aircon, no TV, no hot water system and no telephone. We made do without these things and much more.

A house girl, Betty, approximately 50 years of age, was organised for us. She lived in a leaf hut beside our house and worked all day for $1. We constantly felt bad about this but she would take no extra. So we often bought her food and I sewed clothes for her.

She reached for Debbie when we met and said “My bebi”. Betty would come to the markets with me, carrying Debbie on one arm and a basket of pawpaw, beans, galip nuts, coconuts, bananas, rambutans and fresh hot bread etc on her head. I carried the purse! Other supplies came from Australia or NZ every 3 months, so if you ran out, you just made do. Betty boiled all our clothes in a copper. I taught her to bake a cake and we would share it later. She was possibly The Solomon Islands’ first Rural Women recruit! We

had lots of laughs and shared stories using English, pidgin and sign language.

We got fresh milk from a place out of town called Betticama where we also bought a full lounge suite of cane furniture, made by young men sitting on the floor using their bare feet and blow torches.

We got used to the heat and played quite a lot of sport, including golf, squash, tennis and Hash House Harriers. We often ran around local villages where happy meri (local ladies) swept the ground and shooed away the piglets while the picaninny grinned and chattered.

On these runs we often came across relics of the Second World War, like aeroplanes, tanks, machine guns, ships on the beach and ammunition.

Typical village classroom, Guadalcanal Island

Pam and her children in the Solomons - 1970s

At her talk Pam had a display of beautiful carving and artefacts, inlaid with pearl shell, some of which were sold door to door by menfolk, including carved bowls, fish, spoons, wall hangings and book ends.


the solomonsOur national council has launched a Rural Women NZ appeal following the devastating floods in The Solomon Islands.

The funds you raise will be used to support local schools, many of which were damaged in the floods.

Books and equipment will be needed, and we plan to work with Random House to distribute new books.

There are several ways you can donate to our appeal:

Online at Givealittle: www.givealittle.co.nz/org/RuralWomen/project/solomonislandschools; or

By bank deposit directly to the Rural Women NZ national office account – contact national office for details.

by cheque payable to Rural Women New Zealand, and post to PO Box 12-021, Wellington 6144.

Please ensure that if you deposit money, or send a cheque, that you include ‘Solomon Islands’ in the details, so we know where it belongs. The appeal runs through to the end of July.

SoLoMoNS’ APPEAL

Image: Red Cross

SOLOMONS - BY THE NUMBERSThe Solomon Islands is a scattered archipelago of about 1,000 mountainous islands and low-lying coral atolls, lying east of Papua New Guinea and northeast of Australia.

The islands include Guadalcanal, Malaita, Santa Isabel, San Cristóbal, Choiseul, New Georgia, and the Santa Cruz group covering a land area of 28,400 square kilometres.

Capital: Honiara

Population: 549,598 (2012) - World Bank

Currency: Solomon Islands dollar

Official language: English (official), Melanesian pidgin (lingua franca), 120 indigenous languages

Sovereign: Queen Elizabeth II

Governor General: Frank Kabui

One third of Solomon Islands children suffer from chronic malnutrition – World Health Organisation

The Solomon Islanders are happy people and traditional singing and pop music was happening all the time, which we loved to see and hear.

I was a volunteer for the Red Cross and held art and craft lessons with several of the ex-pat ladies, teaching them macramé! I also taught two ladies the organ. Brian

taught a British curriculum to a mix of nationalities and our son Wade also began his schooling there.

The school was fairly well resourced, but on visiting the outlying villages Brian could see how little they had in way of teaching resources and facilities. Teachers were generally untrained, but the children were very eager to learn, and were happy. Most of the learning came from repetitive chanting interspersed by singing.

Betty and her happy family with baby Debbie


Our Executive Officer, Noeline Holt, has been elected to the board and the executive of the Rural Health Alliance Aotearoa NZ, which held its conference in March. She says it is the perfect forum for Rural Women NZ to share some of our current projects which are attracting attention, including the ‘It’s OK to Ask for Help’ sticker campaign, and awareness-raising of rural mental health issues. The RHAANZ council includes rural

primary care representatives, NZ Institute of Rural Health, Rural Contractors NZ, the College of Nurses, Federated Farmers and the Rural Hospital Network. Noeline also took part in the RHAANZ panel at the Rural General Practice Network Conference and helped on the RHAANZ stand. “There was a lot of interest in the work we are doing on some challenging issues such as mental wellbeing and family violence.”

South Canterbury Provincial kept it legal for their 17th Fairlie Seminar held on 19 June, with their theme of Women and the Law.

The annual Fairlie Seminar is always a very well anticipated event, and this year attracted approximately 80 attendees, which allowed for a lot of discussion and for questions to be answered.

Keynote speakers Julia Traylor, Greta Keenan and Jan Birt from RSM Law, Timaru, talked about important topics such as wills and enduring powers of attorney, trusts and succession planning, gifting and residential care subsidies, reverse mortgages, custody and day-to-day care issues, and relationship property agreements.

Golden Foot Awards

Rural Health Alliance

At the invitation of Living Streets Aotearoa, we have entered the ‘Golden Foot Awards’ with our Either Way It’s 20K school bus project.

Living Streets Aotearoa heard about the success of the trial and suggested we enter in the Best New Zealand Walking Project (to encourage walking) category.

The Awards Ceremony will be held on 29 October 2014 in Nelson at the 2WalkandCycle Conference.

ACWW South Pacific ConferenceOur National Council has endorsed a request from the Taranaki Linking Committee to proceed with a bid to hold the South Pacific Area Conference of ACWW in 2017.

International Year of Family Farming

The national Rural Women NZ roadshows are now complete but the year is not yet over. RMTs and branches are encouraged to hold local events to promote the long history of family farming in your region. Contact Kiera at national office, [email protected] if you’d like information on programme speakers and resources.

Fairlie seminar

(l to r) Greta Keenan, RSM Law, Simon Connell, Faculty of Law, Otago University, Julia Traylor and Jan Birt, RSM Law

In the afternoon, Simon Connell from the Faculty of Law at Otago University focused on Accident Compensation and pregnancy and how contract law affects everyone.

Many commented at the end of the day that it was a most informative event and that they would be going home to discuss some of the issues raised with their families.


Hot Chick!

Margaret Box (Heartland Trustee), Harold, Jeanette McIntyre, Paulette Watson (Heartland Trustee) and Pip Tisdale (Heartland Educator)

Congratulations to Jeanette Mclntyre who was made a Life Member of the Life Education Trust at its national conference held in Nelson in April.

She says, “My interest in the Life Education Trust first started in 1987 while I was on Dominion Council of Women’s Division Federated Farmers (now Rural Women NZ) and we became involved with Trevor Grice as he sought to establish the Life Education Trust in New Zealand.

“With Trevor’s help we eventually set up community committees throughout Southland, culminating in Southland formally becoming the first Trust outside Christchurch in 1989.” Jeanette chaired the Trust through its growing stages and after some very busy and fruitful years resigned in 1999.

ln 2000 she joined Heartland Otago/Southland and for 13 years says she had the pleasure of working with a hard working and dedicated group of trustees and some wonderful educators.

“There have been many memorable times over the years and it was with reluctance, yet knowing the Trust is in good heart and hands, that I resigned in 2013.”

High heels in the high countryA new television programme showcases and celebrates the achievements of rural women in running successful rural-based businesses, and those working in traditionally male roles in the rural sector.

Our national councillor Kerry Maw was at the ‘world premiere’ of the first episode last month, and spoke on behalf of Rural Women NZ, giving a plug for our Enterprising Rural Women Awards.

We have been invited to put forward storylines, initially for South Island-based rural businesses run by women, so if you have any ideas, please contact Jackie at national office – email [email protected] or call

(04) 473 5524. They hope to be able to tell North Island stories in a second series, if the first series proves successful.

The programme will air on Canterbury TV on Tuesdays at 8pm, Thursdays at 12.30pm, and Saturday at 5.30pm and can also be viewed on your computer. Go to www.ctv.co.nz then click the On Demand link.

The show is presented by Rob Cope-Williams, pictured above with Kerry Maw at the launch.

You may have seen in the news that WorkSafe New Zealand has brought a successful prosecution against a farm worker who was seen on five occasions riding a quad bike while carrying a child under 10 without a helmet on the Rai Valley farm where he works, leading to a $15,000 fine.

While some have seen the fine as excessive, anecdotal evidence suggests the publicity has given a strong boost to the use of helmets.

Now rural industry and community leaders, including Rural Women NZ, have formed a Quad Bike Action Group to work on four areas to improve safety around quad bike use on farms, stemming from the recommendations in last year’s coroner’s report.

Quad bike action group


Filipino outreach in Southland by Sally Hammond

On 16 June we were invited to meet the Philippines Ambassador Virginia Benavidex at the Filipino Community Centre in Invercargill, during the consular services outreach mission to Southland.

Eunice Roberts, Karen White and Sally Hammond attended for Rural Women. The local chairwoman of the Filipino Community Centre, Dorothea Hawkins, was also there. Sally Hammond says, “Both women were very approachable and told us a lot about the Philippines and its people.

“They informed us of some of the problems their people

(l to r) Sally Hammond, Virginia Benavidex (Philippines ambassador), Karen White, Eunice Roberts and Dorothea Hawkins (Invercargill Filipino Community Centre) and Glenn Obach from the Embassy.

have when they come to New Zealand, especially when they come to work here, mainly in the dairy industry.

“One example is that the young women can’t drive, so having driving lessons and getting a licence is important to be able to join in their communities.”“We informed them about what Rural Women does in our communities and how we could help.

“Both ladies were lovely and shared some ginger tea with us. Eunice brought along a copy of A Good Baking Day, and Virginia was very keen and purchased one.

“She presented the three of us with lovely water pearl bracelets, which the ladies in the Philippines make. It was a very enjoyable meeting and we learnt a lot about the country and its people.”

If Rural Women members would like assistance with getting any Filipino staff involved in their communities in the Invercargill area, Dorothea would love to help. Phone 03 214 3454.

ACWW pursues Millennium Development GoalsIn April Kerry Maw attended her first ACWW meeting in London, where the focus over the next three years will be to progress the millennium goals and align ACWW resolutions.

The United Nations has developed 12 “Sustainable Development Goals” to

follow on from the Millennium Development Goals which are due to finish in 2015.

The purpose of the Sustainable Development Goals is to continue and add to the unfinished millennium goals.

Kerry Maw


Our rural letterbox sticker campaign to raise awareness of family violence - It’s OK to Ask for Help - has been a great success!

We have distributed 2,500 stickers to members to share in your communities.

Now we need you to take a photo of your sticker on your letterbox and send to [email protected], or post to national office. As more people share their photos, others will see what a great and easy thing the sticker is to spread the word.

To view photos already sent in go to www.ruralwomen.org.nz/ok2help

It’s oK to Ask for Help campaign Sticker photo competition

Aftersocks™ are backree Aftersocks™ are back in time for winter!

We were asked to supply socks to the Canterbury Museum and took the opportunity to re-stock our own online shop - www.ruralwomen.org.nz/shop.

These very popular merino socks, made by the NZ Sock Company in Ashburton, are $20 a pair, plus postage. Men’s and women’s sizes are available

Free Aprons!In support of our It’s OK to Ask for Help campaign, we also have free aprons available, like the one modelled here by Kiera Jacobson.

The aprons feature the Rural Women NZ logo and the ‘Family Violence, It’s Not OK’ logo.

The aprons can be requested by anyone, and we encourage you to wear them at Rural Women NZ events, when catering, for example.

Contact Kiera at national office to request as many aprons as you need. Supply is limited. Tel: (04) 473 5524.

Trial success

Following the outstanding success of the 20K signage trial in Ashburton, TERNZ Ltd will be submitting its report to the NZ Transport Agency (NZTA) by the end of June and recommending that the 20k active signs be approved for use on school buses.

NZTA is supportive of the trial findings, and will move to approve the signs as an amendment to the Traffic Control Devices Rule, which may take up to 18 months.

At that stage, communities and bus companies will be able to work together to put signs on their buses. In the long run, we expect to work with NZTA, the Bus & Coach Association, and Ministry of Education to work towards universal use of these signs on school buses.

Full credit to our members in Ashburton, led by Maureen Maginness, who have put a huge effort into supporting this trial at a community level.

OVERCROWDING

Concern has been expressed about the danger of overcrowding on school buses.

We want your photos of buses crowded with students with details of the bus route, the bus company and the schools the bus serves.

Please send to [email protected]


They came from the Ministry of Women’s Affairs Cambodia, the Lao Women’s Union and the Ministry of Social Welfare, Relief and Resettlement in Myanmar.

The delegates were part of an English Training for Government Officials programme run by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade, as part of New Zealand’s overseas development assistance programme.

The programme is designed to build capacity in the government sector and increase awareness of New Zealand

South East Asia building government capacity

in developing economies in South East Asia, also including Vietnam, Cambodia, Timor Leste, Mongolia and Lao PDR. The women who visited us are focusing on rural development and agriculture, and are part of a group of 48 officials visiting

Wellington from March to June.

Finding out about best practice in New Zealand is a key part of their learning.

The four officials were very interested to know about the activities of Rural Women NZ.

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Congratulations also to individual member, Rosemarie Costar of Tuakau, who along with husband bryce, won the Sharemilker/Equity Farmers of the Year at the Auckland Hauraki Dairy Industry Awards in May.

Dairy Award winners

It was a case of third time lucky for the couple and they came away with six of the 11 merit awards. They said the awards give you a much stronger understanding of what drives your business and what areas you do well and what you could improve on.

Their next step is to extend the milking platform to help achieve their goal of farm ownership.

Rosemarie Costar is also a Waikato District Councillor for the Onewhero-Te Akau Ward.

Four government officials from South East Asia visited our National Council at its meeting in May, where we shared information about our organisation’s activities and rural New Zealand.

Congratulations to Rotorua Provincial President and dairy farmer, Chris Paterson, who won this year’s Dairy Women’s Network 2014 Dairy Community Leadership Award.

Chris was recognised for her passion in nurturing and mentoring young people new to dairy farming by welcoming them into her family, showing leadership and providing opportunities for their professional development.

Image by Carol Stiles/Radio NZ, used with permission


South East Asia building government capacity CHARITAbLE - giving for good

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Scotlands Te Kiteroa Trust grants

At its final meeting in March the Scotlands Te Kiteroa Trust made grants of $11,050 to schools and community groups for a range of resources, services and education programmes. The recipients were:

Brunswick, Gladstone and Mangawai Beach schools; Manawatu/Wanganui Plunket for parent education programmes; Otamatea Community Services; Piopio Retirement Trust Board; Rangiura Retirement Village; Seasons Central Taranaki; Victim Support New Plymouth; Wakatipu Youth Trust.

Scotlands Te Kiteroa Trust to be wound upAt the meeting of our Scotlands Te Kiteroa Trust in Wellington on 12 March, the trustees, Wendy McGowan, Marie Appleton, Christine Donnelly, Margaret Vickers and Helen Jones ratified the recommendation made to National Council by the Trust Board in its last report that the trust fund be amalgamated with the Rural Women NZ Community Fund to be used for charitable purposes.

This follows concern about the relative cost of administering Scotlands Te Kiteroa Trust’s funds.

A new Terms of Reference is being drawn up to cover the

aims of the joint Scotlands T e K i t e r o a Trust and the C o m m u n i t y Fund.

Scotlands Te Kiteroa Trust was set up in 1982 with p r o c e e d s from the sale of rest homes owned by our organisation. Scotlands was in Auckland and Te Kiteroa was located in Waimate. These homes were established as part of a network throughout New Zealand where rural women

and others in need could go to regain their health. They were lovely old homes surrounded by gardens where the women were pampered and waited on. The only rule imposed on guests was the requirement to have breakfast in bed!

Hamilton HuiRukuhuia member Janet Williams, along with national councillors Fiona Gower and Shirley Read accepted an invitation from the Ministry of Women’s Affairs to discuss the broad topic of ‘What the future will look like for women in New Zealand’ at a Hamilton hui.The hui included representatives from Maori Women’s Welfare League, National Council of Women, YWCA, Lions, Federation of Graduate Women, Wellington Maori Business Network, Girl Guides, National Advisory council on the employment of Women, Pacifica and Zonta, amongst others.

Fiona Gower was interested to hear that eight out of 12 of the board of YWCA are 30 or younger. “They do this by offering scholarships, part of which is that the recipients serve a time on the board.”

Girl Guides talked about leadership beginning at a very young age. In a move that could also work for our individual members, Guides have ‘Aotearoa Guides’ who can’t make regular meetings and who do a lot of their communication over the internet in ‘cyber units’.

Most of the groups were very focused on family violence, leadership opportunities, the recognition of technology as an important tool and membership issues - how to get members and keep them.

Shirley Read


Top of the South ConferenceThe recent Region 3 conference was a great success, with around 55 Top of the South members attending, plus a further 60 non members at the 100 Best Plants for your Garden presentation by NZ Gardener magazine editor at large, Lynda Hallinan.

Lynda also spoke at the conference about her positive outlook on life and having the confidence to “grow” both personally and in business.

Members participated in lively and informed discussion about everything from the future structure and rules of Rural Women NZ to a variety of topics including electricity pricing, regional surgical services, biological wasp control programme, concern at the spread of cattle ticks (thieleria) and more prominence for agriculture in the school curriculum.

Fleece to fashion

The unstoppable Beverley Forrester presented on ‘Fleece to Fashion’ at the 9th World Congress on Coloured Sheep at Rambouillet, France in May.

Bev, a Glenmark Dinner Group member who runs Blackhills, a fourth-generation sheep and beef hill country farm in Canterbury, was invited to present at the Congress, hot from her success on the runway

at New Zealand Fashion Week.

Every five years, the Congress brings together people from many countries to share friendship and knowledge on all topics and activities involving natural coloured sheep and their wool.

For information go to www.facebook.com/pages/The-World-of-Coloured-Sheep

Speakers included National President, Wendy McGowan, members Sue Higgins, Heather Sorenson, Barbara Stuart, and local magazine publisher, Nadine Hickman.

Nadine’s story really fitted the conference theme of GROW - as a young farming woman with four children who started a small business based on local communication which has now

grown much bigger. Even though Nadine’s family, home and farm were badly affected in the Seddon earthquakes , she has not let this hold her back. In fact, when speaking about her ambition to eventually build a new home, she did not mention why a new home was needed - just the need to get on with life.

This conference was ambitious, entertaining and happy.

Even though Region 3 Councillor, Pam Thomlinson, was unable to attend due to ill health, her vision for this event and her initial work of getting Lynda Hallinan to attend, was recognised and appreciated.

WASP RESEARCH SUPPORT

During the conference the Rai Valley branch pledged to donate $75 for the next three years for wasp bio-control research. The Nelson Lakes St Arnaud Branch will also donate $100 for the next three years.

Scientists are exploring an exciting new bio-control agent for the German wasp in a three year Sustainable Farming Fund project.

Currently there is no predator for wasps occurring naturally in NZ, but scientists have discovered a new mite that shows potential as a bio-control.


Our trilogy triumphs! The initial print run of 6,000 copies of A Good Baking Day has sold out, including 2,000 books sold by our members. Well done all!

The good news is that the reprint has landed, so we are still able to supply boxes of 12 or individual copies. Please allow a week’s turnaround after placing your order.

A Good Baking Day is still at number seven in the Nielsen’s Bestseller list for Adult Non Fiction in NZ, having spent four weeks in the number one slot.

17

Our ‘trilogy’ – A Good Baking Day, A Good Spread and A Good Harvest – are all available from our online shop www.ruralwomen.org.nz/shop, or by phoning national office.

Profits from the sale of A Good Baking Day, as well as local member donations have benefited four Ashburton tertiary students, who have been given grants by Mid-Canterbury Provincial.

Laura Conway and Elyse Andrews (pictured here with Provincial President Bev Bagrie) both received a $750 grant, while Sara Kircher received a $250 May Clucas book grant and Letitia Thomson a general book grant for $250.

Laura is doing a Masters of Dietetics at Otago, Elyse is studying Speech and Language Pathology at Canterbury. Sara Kircher is working towards a Bachelor of Nursing, and Letitia Thomson a Bachelor of Landscape Architecture at Lincoln.

Photograph provided courtesy of the Ashburton Guardian

Tertiary grants from cookbook profits

PERPETUAL CALENDAR FoR DYSLEXIAMoa Flat branch has produced a Perpetual Calendar to raise funds to support dyslexia sufferers. A perpetual calendar is used to keep a record of birthdays, anniversaries, days you want to remember year after year. At $10 each, they make great gifts.

To place an order or for more information, please e-mail Gloria McHutchon - [email protected], or phone 03 2040846.

HEALTHY EATING IDEASCheck out the new website and Facebook page of Sophie Mackenzie, who we have supported with bursaries to help fund her international rowing career. Sophie will again represent New Zealand at the world rowing championships in Italy in July and her ultimate aim is the 2016 Olympics. Her mother and gran are Rural Women members.The website, developed by Sophie and NZ squash champion and Commonwealth Games competitor Megan Craig, features all sorts of healthy living tips and recipes using some quite different ingredients.

Go to: http://megsandsoph.wordpress.com


Branch news

REREWHAKAAITU

If you’re heading to national conference this year and want to know all the best places to visit while you’re in Rotorua, make a beeline for a member of Rerewhakaaitu branch.

They recently had a speaker from the Rotorua iSite who provided interesting information about the way iSite assists visitors and tourists to the area, and the most popular destinations.

The branch also enjoyed hearing from a member of SeniorNet who told members about the support that that organisation provides to upskill people in technology.

TE PUKE-ROTOEHU

Last month Te Puke-Rotoehu members helped in the catering department for the locally produced movie the Z Nail Gang.

The recently launched movie is based on a true story of a multi-national mining corporation questing for gold who move in to a small coastal town threatening to change the community’s lives forever.

Antiques roadshow: Members also had their own Te Puke-style Antiques Roadshow, bringing along something historical to share.

CROMWELL

A donation from Cromwell branch has paid for a palliative bed for use by the Cromwell community. Members raised $2200 to buy the bed, to support families of those who are ill and wish to stay in their homes in the Cromwell district.

Cromwell branch president Joss Leyser says “We felt it would be beneficial for the ageing population and particularly for those who are terminally ill who are living at home.” Dunstan Hospital General Manager, Karyn Penno, said everything that was in the hospital building or was used in the community was funded by donations, “which is why we are so extremely grateful for the generosity of groups such as the Cromwell Rural Women, as well as all

the other individuals and groups who contribute to Dunstan.”

ADULT LEARNERS’ WEEK

It’s great to see that nine groups are running events for Adult Learners’ Week again this year.

Tamahere - chainsaw day Awana - prostate and health issues day Moa Flat - workshop on Iriens Beaumont-Tuapeka - whanau fun day of workshops Central Taranaki - education changes in primary schools - how parents and grand-parents can help Southland Interprovincial - IT skills day Rukuhia - IT skills day Onewhero - communications and leadership day. Pakawau - First aid refresher

Note: Please send details and photos to national office.

PUKEARUHE/WAITOITOI

This North Taranaki branch celebrated its 70th Birthday on 2nd April at the Waitoitoi Hall (pictured right).

Forty-three past and present members attended and enjoyed renewing old friendships, a lovely luncheon, a fashion show by Rhonda from the local UNeek store and entertainment by the children from Mimi School.

Presentations were made to Charmain Hanser & Shirley Read (Bar of Honour), Pat Wells (RWNZ medallion) and Rae Blyde who was presented with Life Membership. The beautiful birthday cake (made and decorated by Charmain Hanser) was cut by Nita McEldowney and Louie Herbert.


sponsor partnersEntries are now open for the Enterprising Rural Women Awards, which are in their sixth year, and just keep going from strength to strength.

Past entrants and winners have received excellent publicity and recognition for their business achievements.

We encourage members to make these awards known to any women in your community running a small business. Past experience has shown you know how to pick the winners!

Rural Women New Zealand is again celebrating rural businesswomen and promoting their achievements through the RWNZ Enterprising Rural Women Awards 2014.

2014 Award Categories

• Love of the Land - (land-based businesses) sponsored by Agrisea New Zealand Ltd

• Help! I need somebody - (any type of service) sponsored by Access Homehealth Ltd

• Making it in Rural - (manufacturing or creative businesses) sponsored by Telecom

• Stay, Play Rural - (rural tourism/hospitality) sponsored by Xero

• From the winners of these four awards, the Supreme Winner of the RWNZ Enterprising Rural Women Awards 2014 will be chosen.

Entry forms and further information can be found on our website www.ruralwomen.org.nz. Entries close 5 September. The winners will be announced at our national conference on Saturday 15 November.

Women Walk the WorldHow many groups taking in part in this year’s Women Walk the World events were accompanied by an animal?

Harley the pet goat followed 13 Fordell-Mangamahu members all the way on their 12 kilometre trek over hilly terrain during their Women Walk the World day out.

The walk was one of 30 that Rural Women NZ members took part in, combining a social day in the fresh air with fundraising for the ACWW cause.

Thank you to those who sent in photos and stories about your outings, you all seem to have had a lot of fun.

We have posted these stories and photos on our website, for you to enjoy.

Go to: www.ruralwomen.org.nz/womenwalk

National council has agreed to donate $1000 from Women Walk the World to our Solomon Islands appeal. The rest will go to ACWW’s Pennies for Friendship fund.

To date we have raised $1,931.76. If you still have funds to send in please either deposit to the Rural Women NZ national office bank account, or post a cheque to Rural Women NZ, PO Box 12-021, Wellington. Please include a note that the money is for Women Walk the World.


Cancer Information Helpline 2km, 10km or 100km to town? Wherever you live in NZ, cancer information and support is only a (FREE) phone-call away.

The Cancer Society provides an 0800 phone line connecting you to experienced cancer nurses, providing a friendly and knowledgeable voice on the other end of the phone, to answer your questions and talk over what is happening.

Depending on where you are, your call will go to Auckland, Wellington or Christchurch. Nurses are available Monday to Friday, normal office hours. If you have to leave a message, you will be called back later that day or the next working day if out of hours.

When you or someone close to you has been diagnosed with cancer, it can be a distressing and bewildering time of appointments, tests and treatments, especially if you have to travel away from home to your nearest treatment centre. As well as talking over your concerns and answering questions, the Cancer Information Helpline

can link you up with your local support services or others with similar experiences.

At any stage of diagnosis and treatment, as well as any time afterwards, this phone service can support patients and their families, friends and whanau through their cancer experience. This can help with feelings of isolation, especially if you live far from other health professionals.

Cancer doesn’t distinguish who you are or where you live. For help, advice and support about any cancer, anywhere phone the Cancer Information Helpline.

Rural Mental Wellbeing In early April, rural information was added to the depression.org.nz website. Nearly 10,400 people have visited the page and anecdotal feedback suggests the videos and stories are making a difference.

Many of these people have completed the self-test on the website and have gone on to register for The Journal, the free self-help programme where programe ambassador, Sir John

Kirwan, leads people through a number of lessons.

Printed cards are now available for organisations and individuals

to use to promote the site to people who may benefit from it.

The postcards and wallet cards feature the farmers who share

their video stories on the website.

Order the cards free by going to: www.hpa.org.nz/what-we-do/mental-health/resources

Marion Goble

Marion was a tireless worker for Rural Women NZ, with ‘service simply given’. She joined in 1955 and served in all capacities: judging competitions, and holding office as secretary, treasurer and president earning Branch Honours in 1974. When her Pembroke Road branch closed, she joined Stratford Branch, and was President for three years, secretary for four years and received Life Membership in 1987. Marion served on the Central Taranaki Provincial from 1968, and in 1978 she was elected onto the Central Taranaki Co-ordinating committee and remained on it for 17 years. In 1981 she was elected onto the Massey Regional Committee and was treasurer for seven years. Marion served on the Health Stamp Committee and became president then convenor, serving 30 years in this position. She was the Rural Women reporter for the Country Women’s magazine for 14 years, and was made a Provincial Member of Honour in 1988.

Farewell to old friends


Girls’ Day Out in Central Otago

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Central Otago members met up at Glenorchy at the head of Lake Wakatipu in March, enjoying a boardwalk and wetland walk, followed by a delicious lunch at Paradise, a beautifully restored 1880s guesthouse built by William Mason, New Zealand’s first government architect and first Mayor of Dunedin.

Sadly, just two months after this much-enjoyed get together, the category one heritage-listed homestead was razed to the ground after a lightning strike.

After lunch the Central Otago members visited a private art collection and to finish the day stopped off at Little Paradise, halfway between Glenorchy and Queenstown, right on the 45th parallel, to enjoy the stunning gardens of Thomas Schneider.

Paradise lost

Korean rural women visit WaikatoEach woman represented over 300 members from their areas. The tour to New Zealand was partly sponsored by the Korean government to enable the women to study sister organisations.

National president Wendy McGowan presented a powerpoint about the role of women farmers in New Zealand and about our organisation, which was kindly translated into Korean by friends at Waikato University.

The women spoke no English, and had an interpreter with them. Thanks to Janet Williams for hosting this visit.

Rukuhia and Tamahere group members recently hosted a delegation of 14 rural women from Korea, leaders of an organisation similar to our own.

Taranaki Health SeminarA health seminar put on by Taranaki South Provincial attracted a good audience including those from other community groups such as Lions and Women’s Institute.

Provincial president Jennie Purdon said “We had around 60 attending including eight of our Access workers and other support workers who all received recognition for their attendance.”

Trish Hurley, diabetes nurse specialist, spoke on healthy diets, Lisa Yates, a physiotherapist, on incontinence, Iuliano Tinielu, clinical nurse specialist, on lifestyle management of diabetes and Brigitte Lindsay, cardiac nurse practitioner, on heart care.


When it comes to gardening, there’s always something new to discover and learn. And often the best way to learn is from others. That’s the philosophy behind Awana branch’s new Fifty Shades of Green group, that meets after each monthly branch meeting on Great barrier Island.

“There is nothing risque about the group - even men can join,” says organiser Shirley Gray, pictured right with some of her heritage vegetables.

By exchanging seeds and plants and hearing from guest speakers, the group will share their plant knowledge: what to grow, where they grow and how to grow them.

“It’s all about trees, vegetables, flowers, sustainability, and health,” says Shirley.

So far members have given talks on unusual vegetables grown on the island and herbs.

Twice a year the group also plans to visit a garden on the island.

Fifty Shades of Green

Win at Tapanui Fashion Fantazia The 10 members of the Moa Flat branch were ecstatic when one of the three garments they had created for the Fashion Fantazia awards held in Tapanui, West Otago, was announced the Overall Winner.

Gloria McHutchon, Moa Flat president says, “With our creative, quirky Kerry France being the driving force, the group produced an array of ‘hoarded’ goodies, from which the three entries were dreamed up.

In the Kiwiana section, we entered a Moa, titled “Extinct”, using feathers, material and chicken wire. This amazing work of art won that particular section.

In the Recycled section, we entered “Catch of the Day” using fish nets, plastic handles and material. Our other entry in this section was “How Does Your Garden Grow” made from men’s ties, plastic red noses, flowers

made from old zips and material plus an array of other “rubbish”! This ingenious piece of work won the Recycled section and was also awarded the Overall Winner of the show, from an amazing display of 51 entries.

“The group enjoyed getting together for two working bees, and each member took home tasks to finish off, before we met

The Fifty Shades of Green group meets on the first Tuesday of every month.

Guests are welcome to attend three Fifty Shades of Green meetings, and must then also join Rural Women NZ, including the men.

again to p u t them all t o g e t h e r . Altogether there were over a hundred hours of work involved, but add to that a lot of laughter and enjoyment.”

It was all worthwhile when the decision was announced. Prize money totalled over $1000.


Tongan Trip by Amuri membersFive members from the Amuri Women’s Dinner Group embarked on a fact finding visit to Tonga recently, to identify a worthy project to receive a private donation of funds.

Carole Field says, “We were put in contact with ACWW contact Monalisa, who kindly arranged a programme of visits for us.”

In three days the group - Sharron Davie-Martin, Wendy Beaven, Ceri Bourke, Carrie Anderson, and Carole Field - visited two kindergartens and a primary school where the women were raising money and building a new classroom themselves. They also went to a community health centre, a Red Cross facility for intellectually disabled children and young adults, the paediatric unit at the hospital, a Salvation Army women’s group teaching tapa cloth making and weaving to women in the area, and finally a women’s community group in Kolomatu’a, one of whose projects is to try to prevent flooding in their houses and raise the level of their graves above the water level.

The women decided to donate funds to a cava club group in Kolomatu’a.

“The students helped have recently lost parents and would not be able continue with their education without help. It was also in an area of Nuku’alofa whose hospitals and schools we had visited. We were very fortunate to be able to donate the money personally at the cava club, a privilege not usually given to women.

“It was humbling to hear the requests from groups when we asked what we might do to help. It ranged from painting

the walls in the children’s ward brighter colours, providing chairs so the women can sit down when they come to their post-natal check-ups in the community health centre, replacing lost pieces of Montessori equipment, getting money for chairs and tables so kindergarden children do not have to write sitting on

the floor, and sending paint and paintbrushes to the Red Cross school as they are too expensive in Tonga.

“Many of the groups we visited gave us gifts when we left, beautiful woven baskets filled with fruit, tapa cloths and mats. Such generosity was overwhelming and humbling.

Ceri Bourke and Carrie Anderson at the Montessori pre-school

“We all admired the effort that the women’s groups put into everything they did to make life better for the community.”

Top of the North IYFF picnic dayKumara capital, Dargaville, was the venue for a family picnic day hosted by Kaurilands members in May to celebrate the International Year of Family Farming.

National councillor, Fiona Gower, says despite a wet start, by late morning there were children enjoying traditional races and playing on the old-fashioned farming equipment at the venue. There were prizes to be won for the colouring competition, date scone and photo competitions.

“Special mention should be made of the scones made for the competiton by the man running the camp kitchen - making scones in a camp oven with embers is a far cry from a fan-bake oven!”


© 2011. Rural Women New Zealand Inc (and subsequent years) All rights reserved. This publication is entitled to the full protection given by the Copyright Act 1994 to the holders of the copy-right. Reproduction of all or any substantial parts of the publication is in breach of the copyright of the publisher Rural Women New Zealand Inc. This copyright extends to all forms of photo-copying and any storing of material in any kind of information retrieval system. All applications for reproduction in any form should be made to the publishers – Rural Women New Zealand Inc.

Waikato/Taranaki connect up - by Ann Rawson

What a beautiful day for our Regional “Day of Connecting” hosted by Waipa King Country Provincial in the Don Rowlands Centre at Lake Karapiro in April and enjoyed by nearly 60 members from Hawera to Orini to Te Aroha.

After welcoming National President Wendy McGowan, Regional Management Team member Liz Morgan handed over to National Councillor Shirley Read to conduct our “Essential Connecting” - the Business and Finance portion of our day.

Then we were led into the “Dynamic Connecting” segment by Gabby Byrne from Sport Waikato who told us about their Active Well programme.

We learnt that exercise not only improves memory, mood and outlook, recovery of brain cells, social interaction, overall strength and mobility and heart and lungs, it also helps you to look good and to be a good role model.

Other tips from Gabby:

• stand a little more each day – it tones muscle and improves blood flow.

• do not sit for long periods – every 15 minutes, stand up and stretch with hands above your head

• every 60 minutes, walk 20 steps

• mix up activities – swim or aqua-jog, tai chi, cycle, hula hoop and walk.

A “Perfecting Connecting” workshop was presented by Sue Blair of Personality Dynamics. She began by stressing that “nobody’s perfect – just different”!

We learnt about extroverts and introverts and their different behaviours, while at the same time accepting that all of us are shy sometimes, not just the introverts amongst us. Likewise introverts can be social too.

Knowing that, we split up into two groups – one for each personality type.

We were all given the same scenarios and then each group shared their responses with those opposite them. As we worked through that process we learned how we could actually work together. We just had to realise that we are all different!

But ... did it confirm, to quote from the Creed - “it’s the little things that create differences, that in the big things of life we are one”? I am not sure of the answer to that one!

For those who stayed on to enjoy an evening meal, the setting sun over the lake, along with good food and excellent company made the final part of the day live up to it’s name – “Enjoying Connecting”.

TOP OF THE NORTH CONFERENCE

Ideas flourish, laughter bubbles and delicious cakes just appear. Age is irrelevant, wisdom is vast and experience endless. “Three days in Dargaville, the kumara capital of the world (my home town) just whizzed by”, says first time regional conference-goer, Debbie Evans.

“The speakers were interesting, sound decisions were made during the business sessions, belly laughter during the entertainment, and friendships fostered.”

As one of this year’s Growing Dynamic Leaders course participants, Debbie was inspired by the members who’d come from places as far afield as Kaitaia to Pukekohe. “The countless hours of volunteer work members naturally carried out, the many different roles in our community each person held, humbly, quietly, just going about their business of achieving great things.” Time, Debbie suggests, for Region 7 members to ‘put pen to paper’ and nominate other members for annual council-run Volunteer Citizen Awards, and even Queen Service Honours.

Express june 2014 final low res

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