Enterprising Rural Women celebrated at Annual Awards   13 Nov 2016

Enterprising Rural Women celebrated at Annual Awards

The 2016 Enterprising Rural Women Awards have been announced overnight, with the winners displaying dynamic, resourceful and successful entrepreneurship and business acumen, the Minister for Women Louise Upston says.

Rotorua’s Amy Dibley, Founder and Director of Physio Direct was named the supreme winner of the annual awards, which are run by Rural Women New Zealand to showcase successful rural business women.

Minister Upston has praised all of the nominees and award winners, saying the six supreme award finalists can be an inspiration to all women, and in particular exemplified the opportunities that exist for rural women to thrive.

“Owning a business empowers women, helps the economy to grow and promotes gender equality. When women achieve greater economic success, they increase the well-being of their families and the wider community they live in. It’s no surprise that the number of women entrepreneurs is growing,” Ms Upston says.

“These women show us the importance of attitude, integrity and being true to yourself, and It’s great to see such a diverse range of innovative businesses represented in the awards, including rural health services, agricultural contracting, high quality manufacturing and hospitality.

“The awards celebrate women who have set ambitious business goals and who know there is no substitute for hard work, and I am delighted to join in congratulating these businesswomen from high-growth sectors who have received such well-deserved recognition”.

The six finalists in the 2016 Enterprising Rural Women Awards:

• Barbara Faulls: Smiths Farm Holiday Camp, Pictonwww.smithsfarm.co.nz Smiths Farm offers a quality holiday with space, peace and the clean country air and has been rated as 4+STAR and Enviro Silver by Qualmark.
• Bernadette Jackson: LaValla Estate, Tuakau: www.lavalla.co.nz
This venue is a function and event centre with accommodation and a theatre.
• Marian Hirst: Bay Blueberries, Hastings: www.bayblueberries.co.nz
Bay Blueberries is passionate about producing quality apples and blueberries in an environmentally friendly and sustainable manner. It won the 2016 Balance Farm Environmental Supreme Award for the East Coast Region.
• Monique and Lyn Neeson: Shear Warmth, Taumarunui: www.shearwarmth.co.nz Shear Warmth produce top quality wool blankets, made in New Zealand and can be traced back to wool grown on the family farm.
• Helen Slattery: Slattery Contracting Limited, Matamata:
www.slattercontracting.co.nz
The Slattery Family has been involved in ag contracting since the mid-1950s, starting hay making and cultivating land. The business has grown from harvesting conventional hay bales, ploughing and undersowing to a wide range of services.
• Amy Dibley: Physio Direct, Rotorua: www.physiodirectnz.com
Amy started Physio Direct when she realised that many small rural areas do not have adequate physiotherapy services.

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