Kaitaia business women win Anne Todd Issues Award for second time

BPW Kaitaia's Ciaran Torrington (left), Teri Stout, Mary Dar, Esther Fryer, Sandy White, Nancy Peterson, Tina Dawson and Pam Dawson preparing to celebrate their success at the national conference. Photo / Supplied

Business and Professional Women Kaitaia won the Anne Todd Issues Award for the second year running at the 53rd New Zealand Federation of Business and Professional Women national conference held at Takapau, Hawke's Bay, last month.

"It has been an amazing journey for BPW Kaitaia," club president Ciaran Torrington said.
"The One in 4 Campaign (against sexual violence) has grown from a community project to a national and now international BPW campaign, with clubs in Sri Lanka, Australia and Nepal offering their support."

She also accepted the Bronze, Silver and Gold Keys to Achievement for personal and professional development for women, and the Margery Toulson Award in acknowledgement of her growth and potential for governance and senior leadership.

The club had a strong presence at the conference, with eight members attending.

Teri Stout argued passionately from personal experience, for mandatory arrest for breaches of protection orders, which led to the BPW Kaitaia resolution being passed unanimously. Ciaran presented on her experience and future in leadership and governance, and the entire Kaitaia contingent presented on the One in 4 Campaign, to a standing ovation.

Club members are now fundraising to participate at the BPW International Congress in Cairo in October, where the club will be amongst the nominees for the BPW International Action Award.

There they will work to rally support amongst the 104 countries with sister clubs, before heading to the Commission on the Status of Women at the United Nations in New York in March next year.

"We have identified the critical need for discussion on the empowerment of sexual abuse survivors through empathy and support to reduce poverty, develop leadership, good education and economic opportunities for women and girls, and bring good health and justice to our rural communities," Ciaran said.

The club is grateful to Pub Charity and the Kaitaia/Far North sponsors who contributed to a "distinctly Kaitaia" raffle that was well supported at the conference, raising funds for the trip to New York.