Powerful friends step in to help unwell Theresa Gattung

Prominent business woman Theresa Gattung is recovering at home after a serious health scare. Photo / Greg Bowker

Well-known friends of Theresa Gattung have stepped into the prominent businesswoman's shoes as she recovers from a serious health scare.

The former Telecom chief executive was admitted to hospital last week and is now resting and recovering at home as she awaits test results.

Gattung is the director of My Food Bag, the Royal NZ SPCA and online marketplace MyCare.

She is also the co-founder of charitable organisation World Women which recently launched SheEO New Zealand, an international initiative aimed at funding start-ups founded or run by women.

Friend and fellow My Food Bag co-founder Cecilia Robinson along with businesswoman Kirsty Reynolds and television producer Julie Christie have taken the reins of World Women for Gattung until her health improves.

The three will cover Gattung's meetings and speaking engagements.

"Theresa is at home now and is resting which is awesome, so we are just trying to help out as much as we can," Robinson said.

Cecilia Robinson of My Food Bag has stepped up to help out friend and colleague Theresa Gattung who has suffered a health scare. Photo / Jason Oxenham

And with International Women's Day falling this week Robinson said "there is a lot to be said about women helping women."

Robinson, Christie and Reynolds are all members or "activators" of SheEO.

SheEO - which already operates in America and Canada - brings together 500 local women who each contribute $1100 to create a funding pool of half a million dollars.

The $500,000 fund gets split between the five ventures as a no-interest loan, which is paid back over five years.

Since launching in October last year, SheEO has received applications from more
than 100 women-led ventures.

There have also been 350 who have signed up as "activators".

"We are thrilled with the number of activators who have come on board so far and
we still need more," says Robinson.

The aim is to sign up 500 Activators by the end of March which will create a
funding pool of $500,000 for the five ventures.

Gattung told Robinson the goal was achievable because New Zealand women were supportive of each other.

"I said to Theresa New Zealand is so much smaller than Canada and the US but we have the same goal.

"Theresa said yes but women in New Zealand are absolutely amazing. We have women from all walks of life signing up and they get to make a tangible difference for these women."

The applications have been shortlisted down to eight, with the five selected ventures to be announced at the 2018 SheEO NZ Summit at Hilton Auckland on April 9.

The shortlisted finalists are:

CHIA
Producers of CHIA and AWAKA, plant-based and nutrient-dense beverages in Nelson, New Zealand.

Cilantro Cheese
A micro-artisanal producer of goat milk cheeses committed to keeping a small carbon footprint while producing a high-quality product.

DermNet
Provider of authoritative information about the skin for anyone in the world with an internet connection.

Dove River Peonies
Pure Peony creams, soap and shampoo naturally heals irritated inflamed skin using
scientifically proven peony root extract from our organic farm.

Guardian Angel Security
True peace of mind for remote and isolated staff with fit-for-purpose GPS duress devices, 24/7 specialised monitoring and support.

Memory Foundation
The foundation, with a network of brain fitness coaches, restores memory confidence and productivity into older age.

Pomegranate Kitchen
Pomegranate Kitchen is a catering social enterprise employing former refugee women as cooks.

ShearWarmth
Warmth the way nature intended, ShearWarmth makes traditional, quality blankets
from wool traced back to their family farm in the King Country.