Women inspired in capital

Sixteen rural women from across New Zealand, including Taranaki, descended on Wellington last week for an inspirational leadership skills programme run by Rural Women New Zealand.

Midhurst member Lorna Davies says she enjoyed meeting so many interesting women with diverse experiences and backgrounds, as well as the opportunity to meet with and hear from many in positions of influence.

During the three-day programme the women heard from leaders as diverse as Bryce Johnson of Fish & Game and former Wellington mayor Kerry Prendergast.

The women visited Parliament at question time and had a meeting with Minister of Women's Affairs Jo Goodhew, who updated the women on her current trip to the UN Commission on the Status of Women in New York.

At the Ministry of Social Development, the participants learned about the It's Not OK campaign against family violence, while in-house workshops focused on mentoring and governance, giving presentations, working with the media and influencing local government.

The women practised the skills they'd learned by making a presentation to Landcorp, sponsors of the leadership course, on the final day of the programme.