The Waipā Women’s Hub marked its first year in operation with a pre-Christmas bash that also served to thank businesses and organisations that have supported them.
Vicky Wallis, left, with other Waipā Women’s Hub committee members Linda Rumbles, Lesley Egglestone, Dee Wilson, Monique Venn, Sarah Wrightson, Carmen van Straalen, Di Johnston and Katrina Hudson. Photo: Viv Posselt
The soirée at Te Awamutu’s Lyceum Club premises served also as the Hub’s official launch to a wider public.
Group founder Vicky Wallis said they had been operating in partnership with the Te Awamutu Lyceum Club for much of the past year, offering women the club’s spacious Bank St venue to gather socially, listen to speakers and attend activities and workshops.
The idea, she explained, is to help women enhance their lives via virtual and in-person events across four core pillars – heal and nurture, learn and develop, grow and empower, and love and support.
She would also like to see the Hub become the venue of choice for women’s events across Waipā.
“We’re about helping women fulfil their potential. We want them to be happy and effective citizens who contribute positively to their family and their community. This has been my passion project for a while… I want to see it grow in 2025.”
Vicky Wallis speaking at last month’s official launch of the Waipā Women’s Hub. Photo: Viv Posselt
The Hub started after Vicky spoke about that ‘passion project’ to Te Awamutu’s Carmen van Straalen, who thought it was a great idea. Vicky and husband Pete had moved from Auckland to Waipā in early 2021, and it was Vicky’s moves to find a new circle of friends and embed herself in the community that brought her into contact with Carmen.
The Hub has a healthy online following and about 50 paid members.
Hastings born Vicky nurtured early thoughts of becoming an architect but ended up training as a primary teacher, attaining a certificate in horticulture and landscape design, and further qualifying in career development. She taught at various Auckland schools before heading the careers department at Mt Albert Grammar, working with the Auckland branch of Cate (Careers Advisors and Transition Educators), and then leading careers guidance at three other Auckland high schools. She ended up opening her own life coach business, applying a holistic approach to helping people craft or reignite their career and life plans.
Now working with husband Pete and a member of the Te Awamutu Rotary Club, she is keen to use some of that wider experience to support Waipā women to do the same.
“The Hub isn’t a service club, it’s not here to fundraise … I simply want to help women make the best of their lives and am very open to hearing what Waipā women want.”
* This online version corrects the name to Vicky Wallis and she was born in Hastings, not Hamilton.
Waipā Women’s Hub founder Vicky Wallis, right, with early supporter Carmen van Straalen, pictured in front of the butterfly linking the group to change and re-birth. Photo: Viv Posselt
