Mingenew Midwest Expo: Women Inspiring Better Business’ big plan for special brunch at 40th celebration

Women Inspiring Better Business will have a presence at the Mingenew Midwest Expo for the first time this year, hosting a “collaborative brunch” to inspire and unite enterprising ladies from across the Mid West. WIBBs is a Geraldton-based not-for-profit founded in 2009 to encourage women of all occupations — from business owners to homemakers — to build networks and personal connections. Chair Barbara Thompson said the brunch would include a presentation from “extra special” guest speaker Leonie Noble, president of the National Rural Women’s Coalition. “Leonie is pretty amazing, and she’s just recently returned from representing Australian women at the United Nations,” Ms Thompson said. “We have a very strong alliance with the NRWC, who do some amazing work, and Leonie has also been on the WIBBs board. “I just thought, what a great opportunity to take Leonie out to Mingenew, because the Expo attracts women from Dongara, Geraldton, Carnamah, Three Springs — everyone goes.” Ms Noble will discuss her own journey as well as key issues WIBBs and the NRWC are advocating for, including equity and equality. Ms Thompson said the expo would be the first agricultural show WIBBs had been involved with, and that everyone at the organisation was brimming with excitement. “We’re all about promoting networks for better economic and social development for women, and we work across all industry sectors, and we welcome all women,” she said. “It’s about empowering women and supporting them, and encouraging them to have a go. “If you need help, reach out, because there are people and networks there, and if you’ve got good networks you can tap into, it makes a world of difference.” The message was just as relevant to women on remote farms and stations as it was to those in cities and major regional centres, Ms Thompson said. “Women are a very big part of this region and the fabric of our economy, especially women on farms,” she said. “They’re often the backbone of the household; there’s not much women don’t do on a farm.” Ms Thompson, who works as an employment facilitator for Rural Enterprises, has seen firsthand the tenacity and ingenuity of bush women. She said it was these qualities being put into action that had led to the explosion in popularity of station stays in recent years. “When I was working in economic development, we did some work with people on stations, and encouraged some of them to open up station stays,” Ms Thompson said. “Number one, because they get to meet people and share stories and talk, and number two, because it gives them an income, some cashflow. “There’s opportunities out there, but it’s not until you get women together that you can create, through networks, conversations where women inspire and support one another. “It opens up doors of opportunity.” Though based in Geraldton, WIBBs endeavours to support women throughout the Mid West and Gascoyne, holding occasional workshops in Carnarvon and Dongara. “We always do our best to reach out and support other women in other regions, where we can,” Ms Thompson said. “When everyone’s a volunteer, it just makes it a little bit trickier, but we always do our very best.” The WIBBs brunch will be held at the Recreation Centre Pavilion from 9.30am on the second day of Expo, August 10. This year’s McIntosh and Son Mingenew Midwest Expo will be held August 9 and 10. Read the official McIntosh & Son Mingenew Midwest Expo 2023 program (30MB).