The Mid Canterbury branch of Rural Women New Zealand (RWNZ) will hold a women’s health and rural skills day on July 3 at the Ashburton A&P Showgrounds.

The event will include lessons in butchery with Bill Den Baars, trailer-backing with Donald Shearer, and a women’s health segment with Dr Emma Andrew.

RWNZ regional leader Frances Beeston says the organisation approached local women in the primary sector to find out what areas they most wanted to upskill.

“We did a bit of a survey.

“We went to Young Farmers, Farming Mums and different groups and asked what skills people wanted to learn, and butchery skills and backing a trailer were quite popular.”

The day’s cost is $20 for RWNZ members and $25 for non-members, and morning tea and lunch are provided.

“We are hoping for a mixture of both RWNZ members, and also just rural women in our community.

“We have made it between school hours so people can drop the kids at school and come along for the day.”

Beeston said the day is about increasing rural women’s skill sets and providing attendees with an opportunity to network and learn more about RWNZ.

“Rural Women as an organisation are always doing a lot around policy and advocating for women in health and education.

“In Wellington, where our head office is, there are a lot of opportunities for leadership and development, whether it is health, children or education.

“We are always submitting and advocating for those issues.”

To register, email [email protected].

Similar events will be held in Timaru on July 1 and Darfield on August 2.

By Claire Inkson