New Zealand Young Farmers launches new Club on West Coast

Young Farmers is back in action on the West Coast with around ten people showing up to the brand new Westland Young Farmers' first meeting, ahead of the AGM. Photo / Supplied

Networking, events, working bees and socialising are back on the calendar for Young Farmers on the West Coast.

The brand-new Westland Young Farmers' Club has been launched for anyone from rural communities in the district aged 15 to 31-years-old to join.

Tasman Regional Chair Cheyenne Wilson said the decision was made to form a new Club to service the West Coast, based in Greymouth, after a number of people expressed interest in getting involved.

"This is really exciting for all young people on the West Coast because you don't have to work on a farm to join as a member, you could work in any part of a rural community or just want to sign up to make new friends."

The club was a good opportunity to get off the farm to network and to meet new people, Wilson said.

"Socialising is such a big part of being a club, not to mention the leadership opportunities that you can gain through Young Farmers."

Isolation was one of the biggest issues young people faced on the Coast, especially since it was a large, vast area that was sometimes hard to access, Wilson said.

"Farmstrong research has proved how being a member of New Zealand Young Farmers has a positive impact on mental wellbeing by getting people off the farm for events and meetings and giving members something to look forward to. All the evidence is there that there's so much to gain."

The Club officially launched two weeks ago and has its first AGM tomorrow at the Speights Ale House, where an executive team will be formed.

Wilson hoped everyone in the rural community would get behind and support the new club and its members.

"We want farm owners and corporates to support their employees to join and help them find the time to get along to meetings and events."

New Zealand Young Farmers CEO Lynda Coppersmith said it was great to see young people in the district want to get involved with the organisation and what it had to offer.

"We're really looking forward to helping Westland Young Farmers as the club grows and seeing young people in the area come together."

"It's heartening to see young people still turning towards Clubs to network and make new friends, especially in this digital age. It just goes to show how important having something to look forward to such as a meeting or event is and how you just can't beat face to face interaction."

Westland Young Farmers will meet once a month and has replaced Grey Valley, which was put into recess in 2019.

For more information and to sign up as a member please visit www.youngfarmers.co.nz