Meet three s.a. women changing the game in couture, tech and mental health.
Nikki Atkinson Susie Williams Suzi Evans
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Meet three SA women changing the game in couture, tech and mental wellness
They’re designing couture wool wedding dresses, spearheading a unique community app, and supporting mental resilience in our regions. We meet the remarkable SA finalists in the 2024 AgriFutures Rural Women’s Award, ahead of International Women’s Day.
Nikki Atkinson from the Flinders Ranges, Susie Williams from Willunga and Suzi Evans from the Murray Mallee are the powerhouse SA finalists in the prestigious 2024 AgriFutures Rural Women’s Award, which celebrates and supports the phenomenal women shaping the future of our rural industries, businesses and communities.
The South Australian winner will be announced on 26 March, taking home a $15,000 Westpac grant to elevate their project or business, as well as access to professional development opportunities and alumni networks. They’ll go on to represent the state at the national gala dinner in Canberra, where the national winner and runner-up will claim an additional $20,000 and $15,000 Westpac grant respectively.
All three women say it’s a huge honour to be nominated. For Susie, the award is a fantastic chance to shine a spotlight on regional women who are achieving so much for their communities and state, but sometimes get a bit overlooked. Nikki says it’s also a great chance to encourage people from Adelaide to look a bit further when they’re shopping and support small businesses that are so vital to our regional economies.
Wool wedding dresses: The future of fashion
Get ready to ditch your outdated perceptions of wool clothes – chunky knit jumpers are so last century! Meet Nikki Atkinson, a couture bridal designer with 25 years of expertise and a force for the future of sustainable wedding fashion.
Nikki’s dream of creating wedding dresses from Australian merino wool became a reality in 2022 when she finally found the right fabric supplier after years of searching. Now, as the proud owner of Horrocks Vale Collections, she’s leading the way in sustainable, wool-based bridal wear.
Named after the family’s merino sheep farm in the southern Flinders, Horrocks Vale Collections is the (only!) go-to destination for breathtaking ready-to-wear and custom wool wedding dresses for brides of every size and shape. Nikki’s business is a world-first, and she says she’s “very excited” by the growth in bookings as word spreads about her gowns’ blend of fashion, comfort and sustainability.
Nikki is teaching brides that wool isn’t just for winter – it’s the ultimate breathable fabric to keep you cool or cosy on your big day, adapting to your body temperature like magic. Plus it looks and feels so silky and soft that when people first saw and felt her collection at Adelaide Fashion Week, they were astounded.
“Even though I’ve been in the wedding industry forever, I’m starting from scratch again because I’m having to educate people about the wonders of wool,” Nikki says.
And it’s not just about style – Nikki’s gorgeous gowns are at the forefront of the sustainable fashion movement. Wool is 100 per cent biodegradable, steering clear of the microplastic pollution caused by the petroleum-derived polyester dresses in many bridal shops.
That’s not just a big win for her small “farm-to-fashion” regional business, it’s great news for the environment: “We are going to have to switch to more organic fibres because fashion is one of the biggest landfill contributors in the world,” she says.
Tech meets community on the Fleurieu App
Susie Williams is a country girl on a mission. Instead of just advocating for shopping local, she’s created an app to help people do it. The Fleurieu App is literally your “one-stop shop” for everything you need to know about the Fleurieu Peninsula and Kangaroo Island, including local news, events and weather, plus where to dine out, stay, shop and even find a tradie.
Passionate about helping rural communities thrive, Susie Williams’ groundbreaking app (which is also available as a web version) aims to give locals an easier way to support each other. “I wanted to help small businesses and keep the community connected,” says Susie. “Rural regions can be pretty isolating at times.”
For Susie, the app is not just a business tool but a means of making a difference. “Connection and bringing people and their businesses together is extremely exciting,” she says.
“When the economy is hurting, like at the moment, small regional businesses find it hard to survive – and that’s tough to watch.
“That’s why I am determined to provide a free product. I rely on advertising to fund the app.”
Because there’s no pay wall, Susie runs the app as a passion project alongside her day job. Susie’s not getting paid for her work, but she hopes that will change as the number of people using the app grows – it’s already been downloaded more than 70,000 times since it launched in 2019.
Advertising on the app “is a cost-effective way to reach your audience, cheaper than newspaper ads, and it’s accountable because it’s digital and interactive,” she says. Adelaide businesses that supply the Fleurieu and KI are also welcome to advertise on it.
The app is even handy for visitors, helping them discover and support local businesses. “That’s a great bonus, and it’s so important for city people to remember our regional communities and support them, because ultimately every region is part of the state’s economy,” Susie says.
Building resilience in rural SA
Suzi Evans embodies rural resilience, but she’ll be the first to admit her life isn’t always rosy. When she tragically lost her son, Muzz, to suicide in 2018, grief made it impossible for her to get out of bed on some days – and she still sometimes faces “really bad times”.
During her recovery journey, Suzi delved into positive psychology, finding solace in understanding how the brain works. Now, armed with this knowledge, she’s empowering other regional South Australians through her Workbench for the Mind resilience program.
As a mental health first aid trainer, Suzi designed the program to provide practical tools for managing emotions. “I have bad days, but having a purpose to give back helps. Muzz isn’t here anymore, but if I prevent another life from being lost or help a grieving parent, it eases my pain.”
Accessibility is crucial for Suzi’s initiative. Despite Workbench for the Mind being available as an online self-paced course, she recognises the limitations of internet connections in rural communities. Her goal is to eventually reach as many rural South Aussies as possible, with plans that include installing the program in libraries and schools down the track.
“In regional areas, mental healthcare barriers like cost, accessibility and stigma might leave people without help from doctors or psychologists,” Suzi says. “My program offers practical steps to prevent spiralling down when mental healthcare is unavailable.”
Beyond online availability for individuals, Suzi extends her program to businesses, schools, and communities with tailored workshops. Her aim is clear – to create mentally healthy environments through practical plans that aren’t hard to put in place.
“I think mental health awareness is already there,” she says. “We don’t need any more awareness. What we need is to start some action and give communities some tools that can help everyday people today.”
Read more about the 2024 AgriFutures Rural Women’s Award finalists and past winners here.
by The Post
in Community, Education, Events, In the media, Industry, Regions