About our ClubBPW Coffs Harbour has a long tradition of bettering our community. For the past 44 years, we have supported women, encouraged girls, educated females, succeeding in our efforts to lobby local and national governments regarding women’s issues and along the way, we’ve had a great time. BPW Coffs Harbour is a great way for local women to meet, network and socialize. A wide range of women working in the professions, business and industry have been members of the club since inception in 1972. BPW Coffs Harbour has been proactive in women’s affairs in the community for a long time, with a strong focus on professional and personal development. We continue to deliver programs for women. The members of BPW Coffs Harbour have a reputation for being committed, proactive, friendly, professional, smart...and lots of fun. Our members often go to Regional, National and International Conferences and continue to have a strong interest in international affairs, preparing resolutions for discussion and approval at the tri-annual BPW Australia National Conference. Having fun To ensure support of our projects we run events such as our annual Ball. In 2014 and 2015 we put on Halloween Balls at the home of one of our members with attendance of 70 to 100 people. In 2016 we held the Red Gala Night to promote Equal Pay Day at the same venue. Last year in 2017, despite taking the year off from hosting a ball, BPW Coffs Harbour ran a number of other fund raising events. See Past Events for photos and descriptions of our fun times.
Meeting Date and PlaceBPW Coffs Harbour meetings are usually held on the second Tuesday of every month. The venue, speakers and topics change each month, so join our mailing list to keep abreast with what is coming up. We also have BPW Members and Friends on the first Monday of each month at the Coffs Harbour Surf Club for morning tea at 10:00am Coffs Harbour Surf Club 23 Surf Club Road, Coffs Harbour Club Contact Details Email: coffsharbour@bpw.com.au. Why not come along and find out what we are all about? Want to go on our club's mailing list? | Upcoming events
Join a local network of lively and interesting women. We make real differences in women's lives by creating awareness, leading debate and driving change. And we network, learn and have fun along the way. |
We welcome youIf you are interested in finding out more about BPW in your local area, you are invited to join us at one of our meetings. Please check the events sections above to find out what's on this month. You can book online to attend. You will find out more about us, meet some of our wonderful members and enjoy a topical guest speaker. |
| From the Club President
Hello, I am the 22nd President of BPW because I am passionate about women in our society. I love BPW because I no longer feel powerless regarding issues that are affecting our female community such as superannuation and homelessness challenges for older women, inequity in pay packets and a lack of female participation on boards, just to name a few.
At BPW Coffs Harbour we run fun, interesting events, supported by intelligent, motivated women of all ages and stages. Our events include: Halloween Balls, The Red Gala Event, White Ribbon events, Equal Pay Day events, International Women's Day breakfasts, monthly dinners with interesting guest speakers, morning coffee sessions to foster personal connections; public presentations by professional women regarding women’s health and finances, and even the odd movie night. We are very proud that funds raised support two local, mature age, female students with scholarships to help them in their final year of study.
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I want to change the world but I want to have a good time doing it. I want to do well in business and I want smart, competent mentors who have done the hard work before me and are willing to impart their wisdom. I want young women to know their value and I want to be part of securing a better future for them. I want equality for women, which can only improve society as a whole. I want women to feel safe and cared for in our community no matter what their stage in life; I want to be a part of the change that needs to happen for all women in communities all around the world to feel secure. What do you want? Be the change that you desire through membership in our wonderful club. Kim Connolly |
About our club
In BPW, members matter most. We focus on issues and personal or professional development that is relevant to our own club. We enjoy different types of meetings, including dinner with a speaker, workshops to enhance our skills and social events where lifelong friendships are made.
Club Committee Members | Our Special Projects
Our members are currently supporting projects to empower women and girls in Australia and overseas. Our Past EventsTake a look at some of our club's past dinner meetings, workshops and social events. Members OnlyThis section can only be accessed by club members. |
Club ProjectsWe choose the local, national and international projects that our club members will support our club members have chosen to focus currently on these: |
Scholarships One of our main annual activities is to award the Maude Spielvogel Scholarship, (named in honour of a late President of BPW Coffs Harbour who taught at Orara High School), to a local mature-aged woman studying at tertiary level, who has overcome adversity and or disadvantage. In 2012 we initiated the Wendy Martin Education Encouragement Award to augment the scholarship. The two awards combined are worth $2000 to the two recipients. Our Two Very worthy recipients for 2017 are: Rachel Bennett - Maude Spielvogel Scholarship Ellen Cox - Wendy Martin Education Encouragement Award Rachel Bennett is in her final year of a degree in Secondary Education at Southern Cross University (SCU) Coffs Harbour. Ellen Cox will complete her degree in midwifery at SCU Coffs Harbour this year before continuing on to a graduate year in a Sydney hospital. BPW Coffs Harbour will be delighted to welcome these two young women into our Young BPW Membership ranks. Love Bites Program In 2015 we sponsored the Love Bites program for one of our local State High Schools. “LOVE BITES is an extremely successful school-based Domestic and Family Violence and Sexual Assault prevention program that evolved on the Mid North Coast of NSW. Over 100,000 high school students throughout Australia have participated in this interactive and innovative program aimed at 14-16yr olds.” We hope to continue to support this program into 2016. Collaborative projects In 2012 -13 we collaborated with Zonta Coffs Harbour on a Women on Boards Mid North Coast project to encourage women onto more boards and committees. Each year on International Women's Day, we combine with Zonta Coffs Harbour and Coffs Coast Business Women's Network to celebrate the achievements of women all around the world. We are also involved with White Ribbon Day in November, highlighting the prevention of violence against women. In 2015 we will join the Reclaim the Night March on 30 October and will assist with raising awareness by assisting Zonta with their White Ribbon Day activities. We are assisting though donation and assistance a local Days for Girls program. In developing nations, many girls are kept out of school either permanently or every month because they do not have the skills nor the materials to cope with something as ‘fundamentally female’ as menstruation. Day for Girls raises awareness of this obstacle to girls’ education, and produces and distributes sustainable feminine hygiene kits. By addressing the menstruation issue, Days for Girls deals with a taboo subject to help girls with period management and education as a key to social change. Our Equal Pay Day aims to involve the local community to think about the issue of why women are not paid equally and the consequences. In 2014 we highlighted the gender imbalance of women in trades and in 2015 we are focussing again on women and superannuation.
To fund our projects, we have opted to take on an annual fundraiser, a Halloween Ball at the home of one of our members who also generously sponsors the evening. Our Club SponsorsWe greatly appreciate our generous sponsors that have assisted with our events and projects. We would like to thank
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Book Warehouse – donation of book prizes for event raffles
Featured BPW Coffs Harbour Members |  |