Team work key to conference

 The conference alternates between the North and South Islands each year with the 2015 event being held at the ITL Stadium in Invercargill on March 18-19.

An eighteen-member conference committee, made up of Dairy Womens Network's volunteers and staff, as well as sponsor representatives, started planning the organisation's biggest and most successful annual event in April.

"The fact we are able to hold conferences every year that leave women feeling inspired and motivated to effect positive change in their lives and businesses, doesn't happen by accident," says DWN chief executive Zelda de Villiers.

"It comes down to a very hard working conference committee every year, and some fabulous sponsors and supporters."

This year is Invercargill farmer, Loshni Manikam's, first time as DWN conference committee chair and second time on the organising committee.

"It's very well done and a whole lot of work," she says.

"There is a huge amount of dedication and commitment shown by the committee members to provide a bigger and better conference every year."

DWN members apply to take a space on the committee once the description of roles are released, and are then selected by the national office.

"Everybody works really hard in the lead up to conference, and it's awesome to work towards a positive common goal with your peers," says Manikam.

"But probably the most crucial work is done by the workshops sub-committee. They have a big job because it's the workshops that really attract members to come to the event, and what they really take the most away from."

She says the four areas that are covered by the workshops are aligned with DWN's four key strategies, which changed earlier this year to developing and recognising talent within the organisation and dairy industry, finance, a healthy work environment and compliance.

"We have eight workshop options for members to choose from – a combination of hard and soft skills, covering topics such as financial success, limiting your legal liability, a practical lameness workshop, a Southland farm tour and an environmental workshop, among others," says Manikam.

Another highlight of the conference, she says, is the awards evening where the Dairy Woman of the Year and Dairy Community Leadership Award are announced.

"It is a jam-packed one-and-a-half day conference that has an incredible amount of work put into it for the best part of a year," she says.

"And the awards evening is such a great way to celebrate each other.

"We have a very strong committee this year, who have already put in hundreds of hours of work, but we have all enjoyed the opportunity for learning and upskilling that the Network provides by giving us the chance to organise an event of this size and calibre.

"It's really exciting and we can't wait to see all our work put into practice in March."

Early bird registration is now open. For more information about the conference and to register visit www.dwn.co.nz.

Conference committee:

1. Loshni Manikam (Southland), DWN volunteer
2. Rachel Haskew (Nelson), DWN volunteer
3. Linnet Burns (Southland), DWN volunteer
4. Lauren Jordan (West Coast), DWN volunteer
5. Katrina Thomas (Southland), DWN volunteer
6. Alison Ferris (South Waikato), DWN volunteer
7. Jo Sanford (Southland), DWN volunteer
8. Megan McCracken (Northland), DWN volunteer
9. Karen Forlong, DWN convenor coordinator
10. Sonya Anderson (Southland), DWN volunteer
11. Zelda de Villiers, DWN chief executive
12. Kym Gibson, DWN events manager
13. Chris Stevens, DWN board representative
14. Zellara Holden, DWN office manager
15. Cath McCraw, ASB rural manager
16. Sue Duffy, CRV Ambreed
17. Jessica Ruddenklau, Balance
18. Nicole Wheaden, AgriNZ