15 years in role a milestone

This year marks a significant milestone for me as I celebrate 15 years in the role of manager at the Women's Network.

As a fresh-faced 30-year-old I began this new chapter in my life in June 2003, and could never have imagined where it would take me. It's a role I still find incredibly exciting, with so much more to learn in this ever-changing community world.

Fifteen years down the track we have had numerous changes in policy as varying governments have stamped their mark on the non-profit and social development sectors. Community agencies continue to work hard, often under-resourced and with ever increasing expectations on service delivery.

The Women's Network is no exception to this, although we do not receive any government funding via contracts. Everything we do is funded through sheer hard work, meaning lots of fundraising, grant applications, seeking sponsorship, and stretching every dollar as far as it can go. We continue to do a lot with very little, and despite funding challenges at times, our team never stops believing in the value of what we do in our community.

In honour of my 15 years at the helm I would like to take this opportunity to thank everyone who has supported me in my role. Former and current committee members, incredible volunteers, our tireless community colleagues and partners, funders and sponsors, and everyone who has walked through our door, picked up the phone for a chat, and joined in with our activities and services.

Every conversation is a learning experience, providing opportunities for reflection and active change. Many of the women that we have walked alongside over the years maintain contact with us and it is deeply rewarding when they share their success stories with us, or touch base again when challenges arise. Every small change that an individual makes is a step in a different direction, and it is these victories that play such a vital part in the "highlights reel" of our collective story. I look forward to adding to these as we journey on together.

A couple of weeks ago members of our dynamic committee put together a mid-winter celebration with our "Soulstice Songfest" at Lucky Bar and Kitchen. Around 130 folk turned out on a Wednesday night to enjoy a three-hour concert featuring music and a smattering of poetry. The entertainers and styles were as diverse as our community, with strong representation of wahine performing original music featuring indigenous instruments and stories unique to Aotearoa New Zealand. It was a remarkable evening. Special thanks go to Georgie and Matt from Lucky for hosting us, all our talented performers for gifting us their time, and to Terry Sarten for ensuring it all came together from vision to action.

There is more to look forward to in the coming weeks as we finalise the programme details for our "Winter Wonderfest" in partnership with our fabulous friend and supporter Sarah Williams from Space Studio and Gallery.

This will be the fourth winter festival programme, and it is set to entertain, inspire, and motivate you during these shorter days and longer nights. We know that the winter months can be particularly challenging for some people as our natural desire to hibernate sometimes means that we can feel socially isolated. The Winter Wonderfest is set to be jam-packed with activities to lure you out of your comfort zone, and it all begins on August 18 and runs for two weeks through until September 1. Watch this space for full festival details coming soon.

In the meantime, remember to be kind to yourself, stay connected with the people that nourish your soul, and find time to enjoy being outdoors where you can, it's great for improving energy and helping to boost your serotonin levels too. To find out more about what's happening you can check out our Women's Network Whanganui Facebook page or email: womnet.wang@callplus.net.nz