General 4 — Zonta Northern Beaches

We connect. We elevate.

The Zonta Club of Northern Beaches is a dynamic group of women actively working to make the world a better place for women; both in Australia and internationally.

Introduction to Zonta

Zonta is not an acronym. This Sioux symbol in the logo means “to band together for a purpose” or “to stand together”- in a word, “loyalty.” This symbol is the Sioux way of saying “to carry together.”

Zonta envisions a world in which Women’s Rights are recognised as Human Rights and EVERY WOMAN is able to achieve her Full Potential.

It was founded in 1919 and the Zonta Club of Northern Beaches was Chartered in 1975. It is one of many local Zonta Clubs; all of whom are part of Zonta International. The Zonta Foundation for Women is the entity that delivers fewer, larger international projects that all Clubs support.

Zonta International boasts over 29,000 members in more than 1150 clubs across 63 countries, a truly global organisation. In 2019, Zonta celebrated its centenary, and continues to look forward to another century of empowering women through advocacy.

Zonta Club of Northern Beaches

The Zonta Club of Northern Beaches is a member of Zonta International and as with all clubs aligns its objectives with Zonta International in:

improving the legal, political, economic, educational, health and professional status of women through service and advocacy

working for the advancement of understanding, goodwill and peace through a world fellowship of executives in business and the professions

promoting justice and universal respect for human rights and fundamental freedoms

uniting internationally to foster high ethical standards, to implement service programs and to provide mutual support and fellowship for members who serve their communities, their nations and the world.

Zonta International is proudly non-partisan and non-sectarian, with members from a diverse range of cultures and professional backgrounds. Zonta District 24 covers most of New South Wales and the Australian Capital Territory.

We meet each month on the 4th Monday at 6.45pm for 7pm at The Sands Hotel Narrabeen

Meals are ordered at the bistro. Visitors are most welcome -contact zontab@gmail.com.

Our history

The Club was chartered as the Zonta Club of Warringah in 1975 with 14 charter members when Maggie Vaile, a local and member of Sydney 1 Zonta Club invited local business women to join her in a local club.

Maggie was the first President, and the Guest of Honour at the Charter Dinner was Lady Helen Cutler, the wife of the then Governor of NSW. In June 2003 the Club changed its name to its current name, Zonta Club of Northern Beaches Inc.

Selected highlights include:

We work ongoing with the Northern Beaches Domestic Violence Network, Women's Shelter. Women & Children First, Community NB, CatholicCare, Council, High Schools and TAFE.

2023 Gold Award Birthing Kit Foundation -packing 58000 kits

2023 Chartered Zclub Mater Maria Catholic College Warriewood.

2022 Award for Outstanding Contribution to Domestic Violence Network

2019 Pittwater Women of the Year

2015 Zonta Achievement Award for Young Indigenous Women- ongoing.

2014 Chartered Zclub Mackellar Girls Campus

2010 Birthing Kit Packing Days in schools 1988 Australia Day Beach Breakfast

2005 International Women's Day Breakfast

2000 Student Support grants for high school girls- ongoing

2000 ANZAC Day March, Avalon Beach

1995 Study Grants for disadvantaged women - ongoing

1993 Zonta Student Awards presented - Young Women in Public Affairs- ongoing

1992 16 days of Activism local events

What we do

Broadly we support the advancement of the status of women through fundraising, advocacy and delivering tangible help by putting together e.g. birthing kits.

As a result, the Club has raised money to buy a Guide Dog; funded a Water Well in Sri Lanka; provided overseas financial support to a school in South Africa, a girl in Kenya and currently to two school girls in the Solomon Islands.

Some of Local Projects include:

Breast Care Cushions - provided to patients at Northern Beaches Hospital and SAN Wahroonga since 2002

Birthing Kits - 58,000 kits packed and distributed to developing countries through the Birthing Kit Foundation

Kitchen Starter Kits - provided to women leaving Women & Children First ( Refuge) and the Shelter (women only)

School Starter Kits for their children

Study Grant Program to enable women at Women & Children First, and Shelter to return to the workforce

Student Support grants for high school girls on Northern Beaches

Support single Mum in Solomon Islands with education expenses

Z Club

Zonta International encourages young people to prepare themselves to assume roles of responsibility and leadership in the world.

Through the opportunities Zonta International can provide, we hope that students will strive to promote fellowship and understanding among all people of the world.

Z Clubs have been chartered at:

2014 Mackellar Girls Campus, Manly Vale
2023 Mater Maria Catholic College Warriwood

Members meet with students 3 times per term during their lunchtime. The students follow the same activities as the club - Service and Advocacy.

Breast care cushions

Through the production of Breast Care cushions, ZCNB members support women’s recovery and wellbeing after surgery resulting in a mastectomy or lumpectomy. ZCNB produces and distributes approximately 400 cushions per year to SAN Wahroonga and Northern Beaches Hospital.

These cushions provide physical and emotional support to individuals who have had surgery for breast cancer. Cushion production provides opportunity for both hands-on sewing, stuffing, packaging as well as a social get-together. There is an ongoing need to fundraise for the purchase of materials.

We also provide denim cushions for men on request.

Birthing Kits

Every hour 33 women die of complications related to pregnancy and childbirth. An estimated 385,000 women die annually in childbirth, many from preventable infections.

Through the production/packing of Birthing Kits, ZCNB members support women’s access to a clean, safe birth and the health of the newborn baby. The recipients are in humanitarian crisis and under-resourced settings throughout the world.

Birthing Kits address the seven ‘cleans’ needed for safe delivery. For many years the club held at least one birthing kit assembly day for community involvement. The frequency of assembling and the number of kits depends on funds raised through donations and fundraising events. A $5 donation will pay for one kit to be assembled and delivered to a woman needing a basic hygienic birthing environment.

ZCNB has supported members of Mackellar Girls Campus Z Club, Mater Maria Catholic College Z Club, students from Narrabeen Sports High and Barrenjoey High pack minimum of 200 kits each school. All schools raised most of the funds to purchase the materials for the kits.

Helping a local girl through studies

Years ago, a young mum and her 3 small children moved from the Women's Refuge to Transitional Housing, when she saw information about a Zonta study grant.

Her goal was to study Accountancy. The Committee Chair met with her but she barely made eye contact. Nevertheless, the Club gives her $1000 to start her studies.

One year later we review her situation - and we see a vibrant, confident woman who has done well in her studies. At the end of year she graduates!

15 Years later, we received a phone call: "Remember me? I am now CFO of a major company. How can I thank you?" She did so in person: attending our dinner with her now young adult son to say thank you. Her company then generously supported our fundraising for a number of years.

Helping someone escape abuse

This story is best told by the woman we helped:

"I refused a Zonta study grant in Y12 as I was too ashamed, so they gave me the money as an award on school speech night!
Four weeks later one of my teachers met me in the shopping centre. He was shocked by my weight loss. He rang the Zonta contact and by that afternoon I moved into the Women’s Shelter away from my abusive father. Zonta helped me set up a bedsit in Redfern near TAFE and, yes, I got 2 High Distinctions!"

Advocacy

We advocate for equality, education and an end to child marriage and gender-based violence. Zonta expands opportunities for women and girls through our international education programs and service projects.

Zonta has a seat on the Equality Rights Alliance and General Consultative Status with the United Nations Economic and Social Council and participatory status with the Council of Europe. Members are in contact with their local MP on relative issues.

Locally the Club supports women and girls through education and work skills under the motto:

“Educate a woman and you educate her family. If you educate a girl, you educate the future.”

The Club has an active campaign to encourage applicants for the Zonta Young Indigenous Women Achievement Award and the Zonta Young Women in Public Affairs Award.

In 2015 representatives of the Club joined the Northern Beaches Domestic Violence Network and play an active role on the committee.

2023 we organised the Walk for 16 days of Activism from Manly to Shelley Beach, greatly supported by the community and a police presence on land, sea and air!

In addition, we support Zonta International service projects sending a portion of funds raised to Zonta Foundation for Women to support self-help programs worldwide, in partnership with organisations like UNIFEM and UNICEF.

In 2019 the Club was honoured to be awarded the International Women’s Day Pittwater Women of the Year Award by the Hon. Rob Stokes, state member for Pittwater, for the Club’s ongoing commitment to the community.

How we operate

We welcome anyone who shares our passion.

There are numerous ways to get involved that depend on your wish to contribute: a Friend of Zonta, a Member and up through to more formal positions.

The Club gathers for service, advocacy, fellowship and governance through the following:

Special events
Fundraising events
Normal club meetings
Formal board meetings

Meetings for Members are held on the fourth Monday of every month, except December, starting at 7.10pm and concluding approx. 8.30pm. Dinner at the venue prior to the meeting is optional.

Board and Committees

The Board comprises:

President / Treasurer / Secretary / Three Directors

Each Director represents a committee. Currently we follow the Zonta International standing committees and all other club business is run on a project/portfolio basis.

Our Club has the following committees:

Advocacy / Service / Status of Women / Membership