RWNZ Enterprising Rural Women Award

Media release
For immediate release
5 March 2012

Deadline looms for entries in the RWNZ Enterprising Rural Women Award 2012

Women looking at new ways of promoting their small rural business should look no further than the RWNZ Enterprising Rural Women Award 2012.

“With the deadline of 16 March now looming, we’re reminding women to send their entries in,” says Rural Women New Zealand national president, Liz Evans.

In their fourth year, the Awards attract welcome publicity for both entrants and winners.

“Rural Women New Zealand’s aim is to grow dynamic rural communities, and giving a boost to women in rural business is a very positive way of achieving this,” says Mrs Evans.

The diversity of entrants has seen past winners include an animal homeopathy business, a farm walk and home-stay enterprise, a forestry trucking company, a children’s merino sock producer and a traditional-style cheese maker.

Tineke Verkade of Homeopathic Farm Support, the 2010 Supreme award winner, says “[The Award] gives recognition for somebody who is maybe not well known; gives recognition of rural women who are working hard, who have a really good product. It definitely gives them a boost. It gets you to look at your business and you learn so much from it.”

Last year’s Supreme winner, cheese maker Lisa Harper of Sherrington Grange Limited, agrees. “Winning the Enterprising Rural Women Award 2011 was a real confidence boost that I was on the right track. That meant more to me than anything else.”

The RWNZ Enterprising Rural Women Awards 2012 are open to small businesses with 10 full-time staff or less that have been operating for at least two years. If in partnership, women must be an active partner of 50 per cent or more. Past entrants are welcome to re-enter.

There are three award categories: the Telecom North Island Award, the Access Homehealth South Island Award, and new this year, the Fly Buys Online Business Award.

Each category winner will receive $1000 and a trophy, and will go on to compete for the Supreme Award 2012, which will be announced at the Rural Women New Zealand national conference in Hawera on 21 May.

Entry forms and further information can be found on the website www.ruralwomen.org.nz.

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