Rural Women Alive!

Rural Women Alive!
No. 59 – 21 March 2007

This is the Email newsletter of Rural Women New Zealand (RWNZ), compiled by National Office. The format has been kept simple to avoid download problems. If you do not wish to receive this email please let us know by replying to this message. Or if you know someone else who’d like to subscribe, ask them to contact enquiries@ruralwomen.org.nz

National Conference
Our 72nd national conference is being held from 14 May (4pm) to 17 May (1pm) at the Rydges Region five looks forward to hosting members. Enquiries email chrisjam@xtra.co.nz. Registration forms are also available on our website www.ruralwomen.org

Flockmaster Courses for Women in Farming groups
AgResearch and PGG Wrightson, with Meat and Wool NZ backing, have developed a new FlockMaster computer programme which is aimed at improving ewe efficiency. FlockMaster enables the collection of essential flock information, helping farmers compare ewe efficiency from season to season. The programme is available by attending a FlockMaster seminar.

RWNZ has negotiated with AgResearch to hold our own FlockMaster seminars for our RWNZ Women in Farming groups and other interested women. To qualify for SFF funding support for these, which will cover the $60 fee and child minding support, we will need to schedule these between now and June 2007.
We would like to encourage members to take advantage of this learning opportunity, by contacting us to arrange a date. FlockMaster is suitable for groups of 10 (minimum) to 20 people.
This will be a great opportunity for wider promotion of your group and to build membership. Email: Noeline.holt@ruralwomen.org or call (04) 473 5524.

Otago Central Rail Trail Challenge approaches
“Fun, fitness and friendship” is the inspiration behind a group challenge to conquer the Otago Central Rail Trail next month. One hundred Rural Women New Zealand (RWNZ) members plus their ‘support crew’ of 10, will be donning their bike shorts and trainers and setting off from Clyde to pedal or walk the historic rail route through to Middlemarch, 27-29/30 April. For information contact Pat Macaulay – macaulay.p@farmside.co.nz.

Ronald McDonald Golf Charity Tournament
On 15 March RWNZ Canterbury Region held a Ronald McDonald Charity Golf Tournament at Methven. It was a gloriously fine hot day with snow on the mountains and a group of sixty golfers who battled out a Stableford round. Thanks to the sponsors: Hermitage Aoraki Mount Cook, Barkers of Geraldine, Just Country clothes Geraldine, BNZ Ashburton and PGG Wrightsons Christchurch, NZ Lifestyle Farmer, Christchurch Casino, Tupperware, Ashburton Toyota and Transpower. Ronald McDonald House was presented with a $900 cheque from the tournament.

Australian Drought
Reminder that RWNZ’s National Council has launched a campaign to respond to the Victorian drought and fire disasters with a financial donation from the International Fund. Members are invited and encouraged to make their own collections of money to add to this donation. The campaign will be concluded at our Rotorua National Conference in May.

Open Forum – Hastings /Wanganui
The Minister of Women’s Affairs, Hon. Lianne Dalziel, invites members to an open forum to discuss issues for women and progress on the Action Plan for New Zealand Women – dates below for Hastings and Wanganui:
Friday 23 March, 10.15am to 11.45am The Dining Room, 1st floor Hawke’s Bay Opera House, Heretaunga St East, Hastings.
Thursday 12 April, 2 to 3.30pm, McKinnon Room, The Avenue Hotel, 379 Victoria Av, Wanganui. RSVP by 3 April to pat@mwa.govt.nz.

School Transport
The Ministry of Education website contains useful information about school transport, though it may be difficult to find this through the Search function. The site has recently been updated with 11 fact sheets that hopefully will answer any questions you may have, such as who is eligible for school transport assistance? What if a student doesn't attend the nearest school? What if the nearest school doesn't offer education in the desired language? What types of assistance can a student get? How is transport assistance provided for students with special needs? What should I know about school bus services? Student behaviour on buses: What is expected? What is good practice for school bus safety? Who has a responsibility for school bus safety? What is a Conveyance Allowance and who can receive it? Who can I contact about school transport? Go to www.minedu.govt.nz/goto/schooltransport

Seat Belts on School Buses
The Transport and Industrial Relations Committee has considered a Petition calling for seat belts to be fitted on school buses. It says that the fitting of seatbelts in school buses is unjustified and would increase costs of travel for students with the possibility that it might encourage the use of more risky forms of transport. In 1995 to 2005 four percent of road fatalities and serious injuries involving children travelling to school related to buses. Of these 75 percent occurred when children were crossing the road to get to the bus or had just alighted. It was felt that it would be difficult for school bus drivers to enforce the wearing of seatbelts and lead to liability issues for drivers. The committee said measures including improving rural bus stops and reminding other drivers of the speed limit of 20km/h around school buses would be a more appropriate and effective way to improve the safety of school bus passengers.

Electric Fence Interference with Phones/Internet
Now is a good time to check your earthing and set up of electric fences to avoid interference with phone lines in your area. A poorly set up fence could be interfering with your phone and internet connections and causing the same trouble for your neighbours. Even if you are not experiencing problems, your electric fence could still be causing problems for others, even up to several kilometers away. There’s a five step check available on line at www.telecom.co.nz/electricfences as well as advice on laying out your fence to avoid interference and other useful information about noise on rural phone lines.

Caring for Carers Summit 2007
12-13 April 2007, Te Papa, Wellington. 88% of NZ family carers are of workforce age. Almost 10% of young New Zealanders aged 15 to 24 have caring commitments. Family carers are New Zealand’s biggest health workforce. About 15% of our population are carers. Do you work with, support or make decisions that affect family, whanau or carers? Summit registration enquiries Email: sara@carers.net.nz

Access Homehealth Limited
Rural Women New Zealand has its own not for profit Home Healthcare company, which is the largest home healthcare provider in the country, with 3,000 carers assisting 12,000 people in both urban and rural areas. The company also has a training arm which provides training courses and certification for carers. Access Homehealth is always keen to find more carers, particularly in rural areas. If you are interested in finding out more about Access Homehealth and employment opportunities, please go to www.access.org.nz/index.cfm/Employment/Index.

ACC Injury Prevention Education Postponed
Please note that due to delays in processing the paperwork, the RWNZ and ACC Hamilton proposal to delivery Injury Prevention education has been postponed. Our proposal will be resubmitted to ACC for the financial year July 2007 to June 2008. Hopefully our RWNZ educators will be able to then take this valuable message to the community. The group hosting the education session receives a small donation and RWNZ will further raise its profile (and maybe gain new members). Please contact Rachael Dean (07) 827 6778 or email gwwservices@inspire.net.nz if you would like more information.

Deforestation
For the first time in recent history, New Zealand cut down more trees last year than were planted. According to Agriculture and Forestry Ministry figures, planting of new forests declined from 34,000 hectares in 2001 to 6,000 hectares in 2006. An estimated 5,000 hectares is forecast this year. At the same time deforestation – taking land out of forestry into another land use - rose from less than 1000 hectares a year from 2001 to 2004, to 7,000 hectares in 2005 and an estimated 12,700 hectares last year.

Community Internship Funding
Community organisations wanting skilled support can apply to the Community Internship Programme, although the next round of applications close on 23 March. The programme gives grants of $33,499, equivalent to six months full time employment to approved organisations, with a focus on bringing in skills and knowledge to the host organisation, leaving it stronger and more effective. For more information go to www.dia.govt.nz or call 0800 824 824.

Calling Young Farmers
RWNZ is keen to forge closer ties with Young Farmers groups around the country. If you are a Young Farmer and you are at an age or stage where it’s time to move on, we’d love to hear from you. We have many and varied groups around the country, and there’s always room to start more if you are keen to get together with other like-minded people. RWNZ groups are flexible in their focus and format, from dinner groups with interesting speakers, to Women in Farming / Women in Agribusiness groups, and others that meet for social contact. We also have individual members, and those who belong to RWNZ to support our organization in its rural lobbying and advocacy role. Our aim is strengthening rural communities and our members achieve this in many different ways, focusing on health, social, land and education issues. Plus, check out the Young Farmers new website: www.youngfarmers.co.nz.

Lottery Community Facilities Fund
The Lottery Community Facilities Fund will make grants to not for profit organisations for building projects to construct or improve community facilities, that support participation in community activities and social interaction. Projects must be over $30,000 total cost. Application forms will be available from 30 April at Grants Online www.cdgo.govt.nz and will close on 27 July 2007 with funding decisions announced in early December.

Cat Animal Welfare Code
NZ has one of the highest rates of cat ownership in the world with estimates of up to 1,500,000 moggies. This month the National Animal Welfare Advisory Committee (NAWAC) released the Animal Welfare Companion Cats Code of Welfare 2007. It includes twelve minimum standards and is available at www.biosecurity.govt.nz/animal-welfare.

Climate Change Booklets
The Ministry for the Environment has developed a series of booklets on climate change in an effort to raise public awareness of the issues. The booklets cover the science, the likely impacts on NZ, policies and initiatives, tips for action to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and are available by emailing publications@mfe.govt.nz.

Exercise Made Easy
Pedalling an inflatable air cycle while watching T.V. can help keep muscles and joints flexible and boosts circulation in feet and legs, proving helpful for a variety of circulatory, foot, leg and joint problems and also when used on the lap, for stiffness and pain in the fingers and hands. For more information contact Jenny Watson jrw107@hotmail.com.

Playing Miss Havisham! Coming to a Woolshed Near You
Creative NZ has funded a solo play for small towns and rural areas Playing Miss Havisham about a rural woman living out of Christchurch who gets the part of Miss Havisham in a film of Great Expectations being shot in NZ. Actor Helen Moulder says she doesn’t need a theatre, but can play in small halls, meeting rooms, libraries and shearing sheds for a minimum of 20 people. Helen will be in Canterbury, Otago and Southland in April and May this year and has some dates available. There could also be some North Island dates later in the year.

Quilt Show
Rangitikei Country Quilters will be holding their bi-ennial Quilt exhibition at Marton (Huntley School) on 14/15 July 2007. $2 entry. Bus parking available. Great show of interesting quilts including some shown nationally and internationally. Merchants. Mr Sharp sharpening service available.

CALENDAR OF EVENTS
22 March and 29 March – First Aid – Rangitikei/Manawatu Women in Farming Group Learning package – First Aid Certificate Course. No charge for paid up members.
28 March – Region Six, Taranaki. Open Link meeting. Community Centre Theatre Lounge, Hawera. Contact Rachael: gwwservices@inspire.net.nz
27-29 March – Region 7 Conference – At the Salty Dog Inn, Snells Beach (out of Warkworth). Great speakers, all welcome. Further details from Judith Williams email bohemia@infogen.net.nz or to register contact Faye Bakulich jvmbak@xtra.co.nz.
30 March – Central Otago Women in Agribusiness – Speaker Michael Vercoe, an apiarist at Galloway, producing clover, viper’s bugloss and thyme honey. Exporter of comb honey. $10 non members, $5 members. Venue Galloway Hall. 10.30 to 2pm (byo lunch). Tel: Margaret Pittaway (03) 445 1201 email lochlea@xtra.co.nz.
2-3 April –Region 1 Conference - Winton. Programme includes

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