Special lunch to welcome women
Women of all migrant groups are welcome to a special lunch in Te Puke later this month.
The idea is for them to meet each other and learn about the many local services available to help them settle well in the community.
The free Migrant Women’s Day lunch is on June 16, at the Te Puke Plunket rooms from 10.30am-1.30pm, and being organised by Te Puke Plunket and sponsored by Rural Women NZ.
Plunket’s community services coordinator Dale Snell says the new initiative is driven by the desire to offer a welcoming environment for women from the many diverse ethnicities that make up the Te Puke community.
Dale says migrant women can feel lonely, isolated and afraid to reach out to help and advice.
The lunch puts out the welcome mat and, as well as a beautiful selection of food, there will be information shared at the event including mother and baby advice, how to access local services such as English lessons, driving lessons, playgroups and coffee mornings.
“Our community sees the need for our migrant families to be well supported, welcomed and better informed about the opportunities our wonderful town has to offer,” says Dale.
Rural Women area secretary Jo Gravit says the lunch aims to give greater self-confidence to women who are new to the community.
“Empowering women is the traditional role of Rural Women. With the changing nature of the Western Bay we must recognise the increasing diversity of our small towns and encourage newcomers to feel more included.
“We recognise the huge part migrant families play in the social and economic fabric of Te Puke — on our orchards, farms and in our businesses. They work so hard and contribute greatly.
“We hope the luncheon will inform women what our community has to offer — but just as important is for the women to let us know where they have gaps in information and knowledge about what services are there for themselves and their families when they need help.”
Welcoming Communities co-ordinator Haidee Kalirai says the lunch is an example of how locals can connect newcomers to services and open opportunities to build connections.
Welcoming Communities is a new subregional pilot by Immigration NZ that partners local councils with the community to roll out the welcome mat for newcomers.
For more information on the lunch, or to let Dale know you would like to attend, email dale.snell@plunket.org.nz. You can also simply turn up on the day.