BPW CHB celebrates 130 years of NZ women’s right to vote

Kate Cullwick from Foxtrot Home will be speaking at the Camellia Breakfast in Waipawa.

BPW CHB is holding a fundraising breakfast next week to celebrate 130 years of NZ women’s right to vote.

One hundred and thirty years ago, NZ women led the world by being the first to gain the right to vote. Kate Shepherd is credited as the leader of the movement, but many others stood beside and behind her to make it happen.

In 1893 a petition, more than 270 metres long and with 32,000 signatures was unrolled in Parliament during the Electoral Bill debate, contributing to it being successfully passed.

September 19, NZ Suffrage Day, now commemorates the event.

Kate Shepherd is credited as the leader of the suffrage movement.

The white camellia became the symbol of the New Zealand suffrage movement, supporters of women getting the right to vote wore a white camellia, but those who didn’t wore a red camellia.

Business and Professional Women (BPW) CHB is celebrating Suffrage Day on Tuesday, September 19 with a Camellia Breakfast at the CHB Municipal Theatre in Waipawa. BPW CHB members will be providing breakfast, thanks to sponsorship from Waipawa Butchery, Countdown, Espresso Loco and Bostock. Kate Cullwick from Foxtrot Home will be speaking.

Wear your white camellia and come along. For details and to book go to BPW CHB Facebook page.

Supporters of women getting the right to vote wore a white camellia.

Established in 1939, BPW NZ works to improve the status of all women. It is an all-volunteer, apolitical organisation providing members with networking, leadership, advocacy and personal development opportunities.

BPW CHB is affiliated with BPW NZ and meets monthly for dinner and a speaker, guests are always welcome.

All proceeds from the breakfast go toward BPW CHB’s Second Chance Scholarship.

Each year BPW CHB awards scholarships to women returning to tertiary education. Applications for this year’s scholarship are now open to any woman from CHB who is over 25 and either enrolled on a course or planning to in the coming year.

Application forms can be obtained from BPW.CHB@gmail.com, and entries close on September 30.