Waikato Herald
  • Waikato Herald home
  • Latest news
  • Sport
  • Business
  • Rural
  • Lifestyle
  • Lotto results

Subscriptions

  • Herald Premium
  • Viva Premium
  • The Listener
  • BusinessDesk

Sections

  • Latest news
  • On The Up
  • Sport
  • Business
  • Rural
    • All Rural
    • Dairy farming
    • Sheep & beef farming
    • Horticulture
    • Animal health
    • Rural business
    • Rural life
    • Rural technology
  • Lifestyle
  • Lotto results

Locations

  • Hamilton
  • Coromandel & Hauraki
  • Matamata & Piako
  • Cambridge
  • Te Awamutu
  • Tokoroa & South Waikato
  • Taupō & Tūrangi

Weather

  • Thames
  • Hamilton
  • Tokoroa
  • Taumarunui
  • Taupō

NZME Network

  • Advertise with NZME
  • OneRoof
  • Driven Car Guide
  • BusinessDesk
  • Newstalk ZB
  • Sunlive
  • ZM
  • The Hits
  • Coast
  • Radio Hauraki
  • The Alternative Commentary Collective
  • Gold
  • Flava
  • iHeart Radio
  • Hokonui
  • Radio Wanaka
  • iHeartCountry New Zealand
  • Restaurant Hub
  • NZME Events

SubscribeSign In
Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.
Home / Waikato News

Inspiring speakers for International Women's Day event in Hamilton

Hamilton News
6 Mar, 2019 02:01 AM2 mins to read

Subscribe to listen

Access to Herald Premium articles require a Premium subscription. Subscribe now to listen.
Already a subscriber?  Sign in here

Listening to articles is free for open-access content—explore other articles or learn more about text-to-speech.
‌
Save

    Share this article

Former Parliamentary Speaker and MP Margaret Wilson and Royal New Zealand Foundation for the Blind advocate Susan Mellsopp. Photo / Hamilton City Council

Former Parliamentary Speaker and MP Margaret Wilson and Royal New Zealand Foundation for the Blind advocate Susan Mellsopp. Photo / Hamilton City Council

Two women who've overcome impairments are the guest speakers at an International Women's Day event to be held at Chartwell Library.

International Women's Day is marked on March 8 annually, and is a focal point for women's rights. Its roots are traced back to the American socialist movement in 1909, and in 1975 it was adopted by the United Nations.

The theme for the event at Chartwell Library, on March 7, is Celebrating Women and Inclusion. Former Parliamentary Speaker and MP Margaret Wilson and Royal New Zealand Foundation for the Blind advocate Susan Mellsopp.

Professor Wilson is an amputee who uses a walking aid. She is a highly experienced lawyer who has had a distinguished career as a Labour Party MP, including holding ministerial portfolios for Treaty Negotiations, Commerce, Courts and Employment, as well as being Attorney General.

"Having a disability has opened me up to more opportunities to live a fuller life than I could ever have imagined," she says.

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.
Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

Ms Mellsopp has been an active advocate for people with sight impairments for several decades, having come to terms with her own short-sightedness in her 30s. She is guided through her life by her trusty working dog, Jay, and is a frequent contributor to a working group on disability matters chaired by Hamilton City Council's Disability Advisor Judy Small.

Ms Mellsopp has travelled extensively overseas, and says she often reminds people of a quote which resonates strongly with her: "Life is for living – the only thing I can't do is drive a car or fly a plane!".

Both women will give talks on how they have overcome their impairments to lead busy and successful lives.

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

The event is free, and starts at 1.30pm. 7 March has been selected so the event does not clash with the launch of a book on the Waikato Women's Refuge, which will occur at the Central Library on Friday, 8 March.

Save

    Share this article

Latest from Waikato News

Waikato Herald

‘Lock all your doors’: Neighbours recount gunman on loose after Hamilton homicide

10 Jul 07:00 AM
Waikato HeraldUpdated

State of emergency declared for Tasman region, severe weather warnings across NZ

10 Jul 05:51 AM
Waikato Herald

'Highly venomous': Deadly sea snake washes up on Coromandel beach

10 Jul 05:38 AM

From early mornings to easy living

sponsored
Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

Latest from Waikato News

‘Lock all your doors’: Neighbours recount gunman on loose after Hamilton homicide
Waikato Herald

‘Lock all your doors’: Neighbours recount gunman on loose after Hamilton homicide

10 Jul 07:00 AM

An alarming Facebook post was the first sign something was amiss, a neighbour says.

State of emergency declared for Tasman region, severe weather warnings across NZ
Waikato HeraldUpdated

State of emergency declared for Tasman region, severe weather warnings across NZ

10 Jul 05:51 AM
'Highly venomous': Deadly sea snake washes up on Coromandel beach
Waikato Herald

'Highly venomous': Deadly sea snake washes up on Coromandel beach

10 Jul 05:38 AM
Man accused of fatal shooting, stealing car at gunpoint appears in court
Waikato Herald

Man accused of fatal shooting, stealing car at gunpoint appears in court

10 Jul 02:50 AM
Solar bat monitors uncover secrets of Auckland’s night sky
sponsored

Solar bat monitors uncover secrets of Auckland’s night sky

NZ Herald
  • About NZ Herald
  • Meet the journalists
  • Newsletters
  • Classifieds
  • Help & support
  • Contact us
  • House rules
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms of use
  • Competition terms & conditions
  • Our use of AI
Subscriber Services
  • Waikato Herald e-edition
  • Manage your print subscription
  • Manage your digital subscription
  • Subscribe to Herald Premium
  • Subscribe to the NZ Herald newspaper
  • Gift a subscription
  • Subscriber FAQs
  • Subscription terms & conditions
  • Promotions and subscriber benefits
NZME Network
  • Waikato Herald
  • The New Zealand Herald
  • The Northland Age
  • The Northern Advocate
  • Bay of Plenty Times
  • Rotorua Daily Post
  • Hawke's Bay Today
  • Whanganui Chronicle
  • Viva
  • NZ Listener
  • Newstalk ZB
  • BusinessDesk
  • OneRoof
  • Driven Car Guide
  • iHeart Radio
  • Restaurant Hub
NZME
  • About NZME
  • NZME careers
  • Advertise with NZME
  • Digital self-service advertising
  • Photo sales
  • NZME Events
  • © Copyright 2025 NZME Publishing Limited
TOP