Western News: October 09, 2018

WESTERN NEWS Latest Christchurch news at www.star.kiwi
Tuesday October 9 2018 5
City woman leads young farmers
Local
News
Now
Fire rages, homes at risk
• By Ashleigh Monk
and Emily O’Connell
TECH-SAVVY businesswoman
Lynda Coppersmith has become
the first female chief executive of
Templeton-based New Zealand
Young Farmers.
Ms Coppersmith, 48, took up
the position on October 1 and
said her first week was “very
busy.”
“I’ve been learning a lot – I’m
at brain-saturation point I think,
but it’s been great to talk to
everybody and understand the
business.”
Ms Coppersmith said she
had been out of the primary
industries for more than six
years, and was pleased to be
back.
“I really enjoyed my time
when I worked in the industry.
It’s something that’s in your
blood, and you get quite passionate
about it,” she said.
“Having grown a few leadership
skills in the meantime, I
thought this looked like a great
opportunity to get back into the
industry.”
She said she was “chuffed” to
be the first woman to hold the
chief executive position at NZ
Young Farmers.
“I think every time we see
more diversity and women
getting more senior roles in organisations,
it’s a win. It brings a
different perspective to what we
do, and I think that’s great.”
She was looking forward to
visiting clubs and drumming
up interest in farming for young
people.
“I’m keen to understand
who young farmers are, what’s
important to them, what they’re
worried about, what they’re
excited about and that kind of
thing,” she said.
“I think that’s a really important
role that we play, and I can
see there are opportunities to
grow that further, to look at filling
that gap and meet the target
of getting an extra 50,000 people
into the industry.”
Ms Coppersmith was
completing a Master of Business
BREAKING
NEW
GROUND:
Lynda
Coppersmith
is the first
female chief
executive of
NZ Young
Farmers.
Administration through
Canterbury University and
hoped to graduate in
December.
NZ Young Farmers has a
network of almost 80 clubs, runs
the iconic FMG Young Farmer
of the Year contest and works in
schools to get students excited
about career opportunities in
the primary industries.
POPULAR: Caregivers and
children line the banks at The
Groynes last year.
Take a Kid
Fishing Day
to go ahead
•From page 1
The reserve’s fishing lakes
were closed on August 12 and
reopened on August 23.
The weeds were then removed
by a mechanical harvester six
weeks after the spraying.
The free Take a Kid Fishing
event will be held from 9am on
Sunday.
Skilled anglers from fishing
clubs will be there to help at all
four lakes. One lake is reserved
for children eight years, where
an expert angler will assist for a
limited time, tackle supplied.
A limited number of loan rods
would be available for hire, and
attendees were advised to dress
suitably for the conditions.
Suffrage
Series
FREE
at the Arts Centre
TUE 16, wed 17 & FRI 19 Oct
The Great Hall, The Arts Centre
The Suffrage Series celebrates the diverse range of women we have in Canterbury.
A partnership series between Christchurch City Council, Heritage
New Zealand Pouhere Taonga and The Arts Centre.
Online booking required: Eventbrite.co.nz
#inspiremeCHCH
Women’s Suffrage -
a cultural journey
tuesday 16 October 7-9pm
Women on Fire
wednesday 17 October 7-9pm
A Woman’s Voice
friday 19 October 7-9pm
FOR more information and updates visit
ccc.govt.nz/heritageweek