Page 31 - AGM 2021 Booklet_Flipbook

Melissa Munnik

Southland Hub Leader

It’s been a busy year for us down South,
although with Covid restrictions in place we
haven’t been able to hold some regional events
as we had hoped. We have, however, held three

very successful events. Make Time for Your
People in March, presented by Kerrin Hotop,
Lee Astridge and Rebecca Miller was very
well attended with a lot of new faces eager to
learn some tips on farm rosters and contracts,
understanding the farming future, and building
strong team relationships.

Successful Calf Rearing in July, presented by Natalie Chrystal, Natalie Hughes and
Samantha Edger, was also very well attended. Calf rearing workshops are always
popular events for us and usually indicate that calving is not too far away, with
plenty of ideas to be gained by attendees from connecting with other farmers.

We also recently held an online webinar, From Calf Shed to Cow Shed, with
Natalie Hughes and Steve Forsman. It was originally planned as an evening event
but was turned into a webinar as Covid restrictions created a bit of uncertainty.
Once again our presenters were amazing with a wealth of knowledge in their
fields, and over 200 people registered for this event!

The highlight of our year was our DWN2021 Step Up Together Conference in
Queenstown. It was a day of connecting, learning, some laughs, and a great social
get together at the end of the day. We were very lucky to have such a high calibre
of presenters. The following day we held a social event at one of the top local
vineyards, which around 40 women attended.

In May, 6 of us headed to Hamilton to attend our Leadership Forum for personal
development, and to connect with other Regional Leaders from throughout NZ.
It’s an event we all look forward to as we gain so much knowledge and confidence
to connect with our farming women.

This year we also thanked and farewelled three amazing Regional Leaders: Anna
Guien Dakila, Jessica Goodwright and Esmerelda Duffin. We also said a big “see
you later” to Jess Moore, who stepped down as the Southland Hub Leader but
who continues to run the DWN Business Group in Gore.

In 2022 our focus is on reconnecting with our members. We are already planning
future events with our Network Partners, with some events possibly in the
evenings to give everyone a chance to attend.

Annual General Meeting 2021 31