These Granite Belt women's secret to empowering each other

Three very different women with one important thing in common

Kellie Cusack, Hayley Latham and Erin Long have barely anything in common, other than the fact that they're women empowering other women. Picture: Liana Walker

A SOCIAL worker, a life coach and a long-term resident might not think they would have much in common.

But these three women make up a group of many called Women Empowering Women, which does exactly what the title says.

Friday is International Women's Day and Hayley Latham, Kellie Cusack and Erin Long have spoken to The Border Post about the importance of having a group like theirs.

Mrs Latham started the group when she moved to Stanthorpe in 2017 and realised how isolated she was in coming to a town where she knew no one.

Kellie Cusack was like Mrs Latham, new to town and looking to form new friendships.

Hayley Latham, Kellie Cusack and Erin Long all enjoy each other's company despite being very different people. Picture: Liana Walker

"There was so many other women in the situation I was,” Ms Cusack said.

"The connection was so important to me in those first few months.”

Mrs Long's story was entirely different. She had family ties to the Granite Belt and had resided in the region for 15 years. But she was living with fibromyalgia and chronic fatigue, and as a self- proclaimed introvert she didn't get out much.

"I wanted to get out of my skin and have a reason to get up on a Monday morning,” she said.

"As someone who's got ties here, it was amazing that there was so many new people.”

Coming together and having a safe space to talk to other women, they've all discovered just how empowering the women of the Granite Belt are.

"Women here are so strong and so courageous,” Mrs Latham said.

"It's tough living in a country town. There's many women doing it alone on properties. There's a lot of domestic violence out there.

"I just see a lot of courage and strength.”

"It's a much bigger sense of community where women will often go outside of themselves to help others,” Mrs Long said.

Ms Cusack added: "I always look forward to Mondays because you never know who's going to be there or what their background is.”

The Women Empowering Women group meet every Monday at Jamworks at 10.30am and welcome anyone (but leave the husbands at home).