The dazzling smiles on weary faces say it all.
These hard-working rural women from dairy country across the hills and valleys of the Baw Baw ranges surely deserved a rare treat and chance to put their feet up.
Often too weary juggling farming and family life, and with little cash to splash on themselves, a small group of 14 local women recently benefited from a great initiative driven by United Dairy Farmers Victoria and Community College Gippsland.
They came from all directions – briefly escaping their busy lives on the land for the day.
Travelling to CCG’s Warragul campus from dairy farming properties at Lang Lang East, Drouin, Neerim, Poowong, Ranceby, Lillico, Willow Grove, Yannathan, Ripplebrook, Rokeby and Coverlea, just to name a few.
Students and trainers from CCG’s Hair and Beauty School were also out in force offering a full range of free treatments for their special guests.
CEO Sue Geals said the Women on the Farm Pamper Day was all about CCG supporting the farming community, with the assistance of funding provided by the Gippsland branch of United Dairy Farmers of Victoria.
“All participants had a great choice of manicures, pedicures, make-up sessions, haircuts, hair treatment and styling,” Ms Geals said.
“And they had a great chance to catch-up with others over a cuppa, scone or lunch as well as chatting to the students providing tender care.
“It’s always a great opportunity and real-life experience for students in our hairdressing and beauty courses to practice both the social skills and technical expertise they’ll need to be successful in this industry.
“Our team was very happy to host the day, by providing access to our campus salons as well as the treatments from students under supervision of their qualified trainers.
“It was great that our guests enjoyed themselves. All the laughter made that obvious!”
Participant Ebony Arms of Neerim said the Women on the Farm Pamper Day at Community College Gippsland was all about providing a relaxing social activity to help increase individual wellbeing and resilience.
As Regional Membership Co-ordinator for Gippsland United Dairy Farmers she helped event organisers Elaine Cuthbertson and Julie Welch to identify and recruit participants.
“This gave us a chance to check in on people and ask how they are doing,” she said.
“It was so well run and incredibly relaxing. I think we all walked out feeling so much better.
“Women on farms tend to take care of everyone else first and we don’t do enough for ourselves. When money is tight, our personal health and self-grooming can come last.
“A bit of pampering, being shown some love, and just getting off the farm helps everyone enormously. There was such a buzz around the building – it was great!
“When times are bad, people on farms so often just keep their heads down and keep working. It’s really the ones we don’t see in a while that we should all worry about,” Mrs Arms said.
“I think this Women on the Farm Pamper Day delivered the exact aim of letting people escape their worries for a day at least.
“Events like this give us all a chance to ask how others are doing and an extra reason to make an effort to check in on them. Small gestures can make a huge difference.”
For more information on Community College Gippsland phone 5622 6000 or visit www.ccg.as.au.
