| 53 nzdairy DAIRY PEOPLE » Angela Strawbridge Mentoring like-minded women leaders Richard Loader When Manawatu Farm Manager Angela Strawbridge was offered the opportunity to apply for one of five newly established Hub Leader positions for Dairy Women’s Network in 2019, she saw it as a wonderful opportunity to give back to the organisation that had been so good to her. Angela had previously spent 18 months volunteering as a Regional Leader for the women’s organisation, establishing enduring relationships with the Network’s partners and rural professionals within her region. Successful in her application to be the Lower North Island Hub Leader, Angela’s role is about encouraging and mentoring like-minded women looking to take a voluntary regional leadership role for Dairy Women’s Network. The Lower North Island hub includes Wairarapa, Tararua and Southern Hawke’s Bay, Manawatu/ Horowhenua and Wanganui regions. A not-for-profit organisation, the Dairy Women’s network membership is made up of strong, resilient and passionate farming women. “Some people, like me, might be farming themselves, or their partners might be farming and they want to understand more about what their partners do through Dairy Women’s Network,’ explains Angela. “Rural women are so isolated and it’s a good way of getting out and about, connecting, having coffees and building their connections up.” The hub leaders role is to help those who want to become volunteer leaders, achieve their goals by giving them the confidence to become the best leaders they can be, help them find their strengths and weaknesses and build on them. “The regional leaders help present workshops in their regions and connect with other members in social forums. If leaders don’t like public speaking it’s about helping them develop those skills. It’s also about connecting communities and I help leaders to connect with rural professionals who are part of our network.” Passsionate about farming and the opportunities Dairy Women’s Network has to offer its members, Angela says when you come out of a meeting you feel your cup is full. “It just feels really good to connect, and even though it’s on Zoom at the moment it’s really good to have that connection. Once a year there’s a three-day Leadership Forum where all the regional leaders get together to talk about issues. The forum is typically developed from ideas submitted by the participants. There’s also the opportunity for Hub leaders to continue their own development. Unfortunately because of Covid, we have had to do those forums on-line in recent times.” In her eighth year as a solo farm manager, Angela is now enjoying her fourth season managing an 850 cow split calving property for Taonui, part of the Hopkins Farming Group. She had been managing a family farm for several years prior to that but says it took her quite a bit of courage to step up and manage a farm by myself, while also balancing being solo mother. “But I found the right people to work with and that helped me achieve what I wanted. The knowledge I didn’t have I discovered through DairyNZ and Tiller Talk Group. I focused on improving my weaknesses to become the best dairy manager I could be.” “The regional leaders help present workshops in their regions and connect with other members in social forums. It’s also about connecting communities and I help leaders to connect with rural professionals who are part of our network.” Kerri Robson and Angela Strawbridge at the Dairy Women’s Network conference (top). TAONUI LAND COMPANY KP Contracting Manawatu Agricultural Contractors • Ploughing • Cultivation • Drilling & Direct Drilling • Hay & Baleage made into Conventional, Rounds & Medium Squares • Harvesting – Wheat, Barley & Maize • Spraying Pasture & Crops • Hay, Baleage & Straw for Sale Peter: 027 447 7345 Jason: 027 242 8555 Office: 06 329 6882 Congratulations on your success. Pilet Contracting Limited, proud to support Taonui Land Company
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