The Platz and Chats event, in the Dunsandel Community Centre, in Dunsandel, on October 3, is to help revitalise and boost energy levels, not only for members of the Dairy Women's Network in Selwyn, but their partners and any other interested members of the public. It starts at 4pm.
Dairy Women's Network regional leader Cheyenne Wilson is new to the Selwyn area, but has been a regional leader for three years, previously in Mid Canterbury and North Canterbury.
After six years in the dairy industry, progressing from a calf-rearer to farm manager, Cheyenne has taken a step back to part-time farm work to study fulltime towards a degree in Agribusiness and Food Marketing at Lincoln University.
She says women often forgot to take the necessary time to re-energise themselves, before helping others.
It was her passion, and driving force, to encourage rangatahi (the younger generation) to get involved in the primary industry.
Cheyenne was a finalist in the Ahuwhenua Young Maori Farmer of the Year in 2018, and has developed strong networks in the primary industry as well as being involved with organisations such as Dairy Women's Network, New Zealand Young Farmers and Rural Women New Zealand.
She said the Dunsandel event was a chance for women to ''let their hair down and socialise'' in a relaxed setting, which includes informative wellbeing workshops, with hairdressing, fashion and make-up tricks and tips, and drinks and nibbles.
''As busy women in dairy, we sometimes forget to take the time for us. It's a good time to get women off the farm post-calving, let their hair down and socialise.''
''I am really looking forward to meeting dairy women in the Selwyn Region and [being] involved in bringing informative modules and workshops to them,'' she says.
Farmstrong's Gerard Vaughan will talk about a recent women in agriculture survey, and lead an interactive wellbeing workshop with information on how to ''refill our cups''.
Following the event, there is an option to join Cheyenne and fellow regional leader Stephanie Beeston (also formerly of Mid Canterbury) to network with other dairy women in the area during a buffet dinner at the Dunsandel Country Cafe and Bar. It costs $40 per person. Registrations can be made at www.dwn.co.nz/events
