2025 Impact Event

WOW What a night!!! Thank you for supporting our 2025 Impact Event. It was an epic and inspiring evening getting together, hearing stories, learning about the needs we have right now in the community, and how we can work together to support those solutions. Our guests enjoyed complimentary bubbles, delicious nibbles, dessert, a cash bar, and great conversation.

The Aoraki Women’s Fund held its third annual Impact Event on Thursday evening at the Timaru Yacht Club, bringing together a vibrant crowd in celebration of collective giving and community empowerment.

• Thank you to our Q&A panel, Aoraki Woman of the Year Roselyn Fauth, former Aoraki Foundation trustee Jan Hide, and Roncalli Head Girl and Youth MP Maevi Fleming. With the panels host Jo Goodhew, they shared their stories of resilience, leadership, motherhood and, aspirations for the future — leaving the audience both entertained and inspired.. And thank you to our M.C. Beth Park. It was unfortunate that our guest speaker and Police Aoraki Area Commander, Vicki Walker, was unable to be with us due to her response to the windy weather event, we hope that you will have an opportunity to hear her story at a future Women’s Fund Event.

• This was a fabulous opportunity to connect with others who also care about making a difference for South Canterbury.

• The highlight of the evening was seeing the fundraising goal achieved and being able to gift back these donations as grants, into our community on the night, for immediate impact to the girls and women in South Canterbury. Thank you, everyone, for your support.

In 2025, the Aoraki Foundation Women’s Fund Impact Event organised the Impact Event as a new format! In the past, we sold 100 tickets at $100 each, and thanks to your generosity, we have been able to support initiatives that uplift and empower women and girls across our community.

We recognise that everyone’s circumstances were different, and sometimes it has simply not been possible to contribute $100 or attend the event. So we changed things up this year to make sure everyone could support us at a level they could afford, feel included, and still achieve our goal of raising $10,000 to go right back out to our community.

Reflecting on the evening, Chairperson Erin McNaught said, “We are incredibly grateful for the generosity and support shown by our community. It’s humbling to see so many people come together to make a real and immediate impact for women in our region.”

Each organisation shared heartfelt stories on the night, highlighting how these grants would make a tangible difference in the lives of women and girls across the region. Our guests then voted to help us decide on the allocation of the raised funds.

The funds were distributed to three impactful charities selected through a prior application process:

• Pinc & Steel – $3,750, supporting cancer rehabilitation

• Thrive for Life – $3,750, leadership experience for year 13 girls

• Gloriavale Leavers Support Trust – $2,500, helping women transition to freedom

Thank you to everyone who came on board to help us pull the ticket price down to $35. Your donations and discounts made a huge difference, and with our principal event sponsor Raine and Horne Timaru, those who sponsored the tables, the team at the Timaru Yacht and Power Club, we were able to reach the fundraising goal and host an incredible night. We are so grateful, thank you.

Photos were taken on the night by Eye Photography, and we can’t wait to share these with you soon.

Beyond the immediate impact of the grants, the Aoraki Women’s Fund is also working toward long-term change.

The endowment fund has quietly grown to $68,000, largely thanks to a committed group of 15 regular donors. The committee has set an ambitious but achievable goal: to grow the fund to $500,000 over the next decade. At that point, it will sustainably distribute $20,000 annually to causes supporting women and girls — and then hosting fundraising events can be an added bonus rather than the only source of funding.

The math is simple yet powerful. If 100 people commit to giving just $25 a month, the goal is within reach. With current donors averaging $50 monthly, the fund is already a third of the way there. It’s a testament to the strength of collective giving and the magic of compound interest.

For those inspired to join the movement, contributions start at just $5 a month. More information is available on the Aoraki Women’s Fund website - www.aorakifoundation.org.nz/womens-fund

Aoraki Foundation Chief Executive Richard Spackman acknowledged the team behind the event, saying, “The voluntary committee has done an outstanding job. Their energy, vision, and commitment made this evening a great success and continue to drive meaningful change for women in our community.”

The evening was a celebration of generosity, vision, and community spirit—proof that when women come together, real change happens.

The committee plans to host another Impact Event in 2026 and encourages anyone with a vision for supporting women to start thinking now — what solution could you offer, and how might the fund help bring it to life?

WOW! Thank you for helping us reach our $10,000 fundraising goal for our 2025 Impact Event Causes. Everything raised over and above this goal will go into our Women’s Fund, to help us respond to the needs of local women and girls in South Canterbury. So if you can, we would so appreciate further donations to grow the fund and be able to give more.

2025 Impact Event Causes - Thank you for helping us raise $10,000 to make an immediate impact on the lives of girls and women in South Canterbury. Our recipients of this year’s grants were:

• Thrive for Life - Leadership development for Year 13 female students.

• Pinc & Steel - Cancer rehab for South Canterbury women.

• Gloriavale Leavers' Support Trust - Educating agencies on supporting female leavers from Gloriavale.

Join us in continuing to support and accelerate opportunities for women by making a one-off or regular donation to our Impact Fund.

If 100 women donate $25 each month, we can invest and grow the fund to increase future giving. Imagine the long-term impact this could achieve — combined with annual events and fundraisers that create immediate benefits in our community.

Support the Aoraki Women’s team by coming together, sharing stories, and finding new ways to listen, learn, and respond to the needs of local women and girls.

Together, we can create lasting opportunities and meaningful change.