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| Some of the people at the International Women’s Day breakfast held at New Norfolk last week. |
DESPITE the very welcome, steady rain in the early hours of March 5, more than 40 women attended an International Women’s Day Breakfast in the Derwent Valley Council social rooms.
Those present heard stories of challenges, resilience and hard work from four guest speakers. The first speaker was Rosalie Martin, founder of Chatter Matters Tasmania, 2017 Tasmanian Australian of the Year, and 2020 Derwent Valley Australia Day Ambassador, who spoke about the importance of being true to yourself.
Next, New Norfolk Business Alliance chair Nicola Rouleston emphasised the power of saying “yes” when opportunities to contribute and be kind arise. Agrarian Kitchen co-founder Severine Demanet recounted how personal expectations can be changed by new opportunities, and the value of adaptability, collaboration and respectful relationships.
The final speaker, Local Government Women’s Association state president Debra Thurley, described how life took unexpected turns on her journey to finding her voice and the importance of women taking up leadership roles.
Staging local events for International Women’s Day has been a personal initiative of Derwent Valley Councillor Julie Triffett, who was delighted with this year’s event. “When women share their stories of personal triumph over struggles with fear, lapses of confidence, traumatic events and restrictive social expectations, they give hope, encouragement and inspiration to others. Listening to the stories of these four women did just that,” she said.
