At 7 am on a fresh Dunedin winter’s morning, 100 young women from the local secondary schools gathered at The Edgar Centre, Dunedin’s premier sporting area, to listen to six inspiring young women who have followed diverse paths to achieve real success in their fields.

The aim of this breakfast is to show students that, even though you face apparently insurmountable obstacles, there is often an unexpected pathway to success.

Over bacon, eggs, mushrooms, hash browns and croissants, we listened to a world champion cyclist, a leading female plumber, a very successful finance adviser, a comedian and one of our local MPs, Rachel Brooking.

We were fortunate to have generous sponsors, who allowed us to keep the cost to students to a minimum.

The branch is grateful to our Life Member, Elisabeth Cunningham, who organises this each year with her normal efficiency.

To read more articles from The Circular (July-August 2025) issue 653, click on the tag below.