Tuesday, 16 May 2023 12:55

Rural Support Trust appoints inaugural GM

Written by  Sudesh Kissun
Maria Shanks is no stranger to working with farmers. Maria Shanks is no stranger to working with farmers.

The inaugural general manager of Rural Support Trust, Maria Shanks is no stranger to helping rural communities.

Shanks, who took up her new role this month, was previously an extension manager for Beef + Lamb NZ and worked closely with the RST Waikato branch.

Shanks says she's looking forward to getting around the country and meeting those involved in the regional trusts to gain an understanding of the valuable work they do - not only during times of crisis, but in building resilience for the future.

"In my previous role I was lucky enough to see the work Rural Support Trust does on the ground, and the outstanding resource they provide to rural communities.

"Rural life, both farming and growing, will always have its challenges, and our goal is to walk alongside rural people during those tough times and help them come out of it stronger.

"I'm looking forward to supporting the Trust's work so our rural people, who play such a big role in the livelihood of New Zealand, feel empowered and appreciated for the work they do."

The Rural Support Trust is a collective of 14 regional trusts that offer a free, confidential service to rural farming communities to help during times of crisis. It is also known for its commitment to improving the health and wellbeing of the rural community, and in 2022 partnered with TV presenter Matt Chisholm to start a conversation about rural mental health through their 'Time Out Tour' national roadshow.

National chair Neil Bateup says the Trust is pleased to welcome Shanks into the role.

"We're very excited to have Maria join us. Alongside her previous rural industry experience it was clear to us that she is passionate about helping rural communities and encouraging those important conversations around mental health and resilience.

"The past few years has seen unprecedented demand for the help and support the Trust provides, from the recent flooding in the North and droughts in the South, Covid and mycoplasma bovis, they've all taken a huge toll. As a national organisation we are very aware of the pressures farmers and growers are facing right now and will continue to face in the future."

Bateup says as general manager, Shanks will focus on strategy and leadership at a national level, and maintaining the Trust's crucial relationships with key funders, sponsors, and stakeholders.

"By having centralised oversight of our national priorities, it will free up capacity on the ground and allow the regional trusts to identify opportunities to further support rural people where it's needed and ensure no one is left behind."

More like this

Dairy power

OPINION: The good times felt across the dairy sector weren't lost at last week's Beef + Lamb NZ annual meeting.

Farmer input needed to combat FE

Beef + Lamb New Zealand (B+LNZ) is calling on livestock farmers to take part in a survey measuring the financial impact of facial eczema (FE).

Featured

LIC Space folds for good

Farmer co-operative LIC has closed its satellite-backed pasture measurement platform – Space.

Editorial: Time for common sense

OPINION: The case of four Canterbury high country stations facing costly and complex consent hearing processes highlights the dilemma facing the farming sector as the country transitions into a replacement for the Resource Management Act (RMA).

National

DairyNZ Farmers Forum underway

Over 300 farmers and rural professionals have gathered in Hamilton for the first DairyNZ Farmers Forum for this year.

Machinery & Products

Shearing legend hooked on CanAm

Sir David Fagan, world-renowned competitive sheep shearer with 642 shearing titles worldwide and a knighthood to his name, now runs…

50 years of tractor pull

This year, the Fieldays Tractor Pull, in association with PTS Logistics, mark a major milestone – 50 years of crowd-thrilling…

The Wrangler's birthday bash

It's the Wrangler Limited’s 30th birthday and to celebrate the milestone a prototype of the E Series Wrangler - a…

» Latest Print Issues Online

Milking It

Free speech

OPINION: The Free Speech Union is taking this one too far.

Drug survey

OPINION: New national data from The Drug Detection Agency (TDDA), a leading workplace drug tester, shows methamphetamine (meth) use is…

» Connect with Dairy News

» eNewsletter

Subscribe to our weekly newsletter