Suffrage breakfast to mark first vote for women
A special women’s suffrage breakfast will be held next week to commemorate 125 years since women got the vote in New Zealand.
The breakfast event will be held in Horowhenua District Council’s chambers on Friday September 19 at 7.30am and will feature a variety of women speakers. All proceeds from the event will go to an initiative called Bare Essentials, which is aimed at helping local girls and women who experience ‘period poverty’ — financial hardship resulting in difficulty buying vital sanitary supplies.
Former Wellington City Councillor and advocate for women in democracy Stephanie Cook will speak at the breakfast, along with Muau¯ poko Tribal Authority’s Di Rump, and te reo Ma¯ ori student and spoken word poet Sharntelle Cassidy.
Local college head girls Meaghan Davenport and Myellah Harvey, of Manawatu¯ College, along with Sina Crichton from Horowhenua College and Levlava Itielu of Waiopehu College will also speak.
Spokesperson Sophie Parrant said the speakers would talk about what it means to be a woman today, as well as their journeys and aspirations for the future.
She said the breakfast event was about “celebrating the 125 years since our mana wa¯ hine fought to get us the vote”.
Tickets the the breakfast are $20 and include a waffles breakfast.
They are available for purchase until Saturday 15th December from the council offices and from Te Takeretanga o Kura-ho-po¯ in Levin.