Mrs Margaret Chapman, of Geraldine, ONZM, for services to rural women and rural communities
Margaret Chapman was National President of Rural Women New Zealand (RWNZ), National Councillor for the Canterbury region and Kakahu Branch President.
She instigated the RWNZ Enterprising Rural Women’s Awards, now NZI Rural Women NZ Business Awards. She is South Canterbury Provincial President and Chair of the RWNZ Region 2 Area Committee.
She was a Trustee of the Rural Communities Trust and New Zealand Landcare Trust. She is Secretary of the Geraldine Historical Society and co-authored ‘Jessie Mackay – A Woman Before Her Time’, a historical study of a Kakahu poet.
She is Secretary/Treasurer of Kakahu Hall. Mrs Chapman was a key driver of the Fairlie Mid-Winter seminars, organised a national writing competition to highlight women on the land, and, with ACC, instituted kid-friendly farm safety days within primary schools.