August 2025

Kia ora koutou,
The daffodils are out in my garden so we must already be in August! As always, there’s plenty happening in our club, and I’m excited to share some updates and opportunities with you all.

A Note on Resilience and Community Support
I want to take a moment to acknowledge that the past few weeks and months have been challenging—for myself and for many others in our community. Work-based changes have brought a lot of stress, and while I’m fortunate to land in a confirmed position, I know that’s not the case for everyone. The unemployment rate in New Zealand is now the highest it’s been since 2020, and many in our community are feeling the pressure.
As a club, we have an opportunity—and a responsibility—to support one another. Whether it’s checking in on a friend, offering a listening ear, or contributing to local initiatives, every small act matters. Right now, you may have seen on social media, there’s a drive to collect cans (and other non-perishable food items) for the Hāwera Food Bank, and this is something we can all contribute to when we’re able. It doesn’t have to be just this month—regular support, even in small ways, can make a big difference.  You can donate yourself or bring along to our dinner on the 18th of August and I will ensure it gets to the right place!
Let’s continue to be a club that uplifts, connects, and cares. 💛

Scholarship Applications Open!

Our BPW Hāwera Women’s Education Scholarship is accepting applications. This scholarship supports local women in their educational journeys, and we encourage you to share this opportunity widely. The application form is available on our BPW Hāwera website, the link is here and further details can be found on our Facebook page. Let’s help spread the word and empower more women in our community!

Annual Wine Fundraiser – Let’s Raise a Glass!
Our popular wine fundraiser is underway! For each 12 bottles of wine sold $40 goes directly to BPW Hāwera, helping us fund initiatives like our scholarship programme. The more wine we sell, the more we can give back. So please consider placing an order and encouraging friends, whānau, and colleagues to do the same. Cheers to supporting women! You should have received the email with the order form already, if not, download the form here or email our Gmail account and we will send it out.  Offer closes on Monday 18th August so get onto it!

Committee News & Opportunities
We’re sad to see Anna step down from our executive committee at the next AGM due to other commitments. Anna has been a wonderful contributor, and we’re incredibly grateful for her generous offer: Dunlop Insurance will donate $600 annually to cover guest speaker dinners and gifts. What a fantastic legacy—thank you, Anna!

We’re also looking for new members to join our executive committee. It’s a great opportunity to learn, grow, and contribute in a supportive environment. If you’ve ever considered stepping up, now’s the time to reach out, we will distribute nomination forms next month.
And speaking of stepping up… my tenure as club president ends this October. We’ll need someone to take the reins and continue leading our amazing club. If you’re interested or want to know more, please reach out—I’m happy to chat.

August Dinner 18th August – Tech Tips & Tools. 

Please RSVP by Friday 15th August.
This month’s dinner meeting will be a little different. We’re inviting everyone to share their favourite technology or tech tips. Whether it’s an app that saves you time, a clever AI tool (like the one helping me write this newsletter!), or a digital shortcut or piece of hardware you swear by—bring it along! Let’s learn from each other and explore how we can make the most of the tools available to us.

Just a reminder to reduce cash handling for our executive team, who must take time out of their day to head into the bank, we kindly ask members to pay for dinners and raffles online whenever possible. This small change makes a big difference in simplifying club administration. Thank you for your cooperation!

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