$5,000 for rural women’s networking event
A new women’s networking event in Bendigo to complement the annual Elmore Field Days activities is being supported with $5, 000 in Victorian Coalition Government funding, Deputy Premier and Minister for Regional and Rural Development Peter Ryan announced today.
Mr Ryan said A Salute to Rural Women, was the result of a collaboration between the Elmore Field Days and Women.i.s.e, a sub group of the Bendigo Business Council Incorporated standing for women who inspire, support and encourage.
“A Salute to Rural Women will celebrate the National Year of the Farmer and recognise and encourage women in rural business,” Mr Ryan said.
“The networking event acknowledges the challenges faced by rural businesswomen and farming communities from the prolonged drought, bushfires and recent devastating floods,” Mr Ryan said.
Mr Ryan said the organisers expected a capacity crowd at the event to be held on Tuesday next week in Bendigo.
“The keynote speaker is Angela Betheras from Gippsland, Victoria’s 2011 Rural Women’s Award winner, and the night will acknowledge and salute another 10 regional Victorian women who are actively making a difference in their communities,” Mr Ryan said.
“While the Bendigo Business Council and Women.i.s.e. members will pay to attend the dinner, the Coalition Government’s funding will provide free tickets for women from disadvantaged flood-affected communities in Buloke, Loddon, Gannawarra, Mitchell, Central Goldfields and Campaspe shires.”
Mr Ryan said Coalition Government funding for the event would be provided through the $1 billion Regional Growth Fund’s Putting Locals First Program.
“Putting Locals First is a $100 million initiative that enables regional communities to devise and deliver service and infrastructure responses that reflect local priorities,” Mr Ryan said.
“It is supporting stronger and more sustainable regional communities by building their capacity to drive development in their region.”
