Current Creation Group Members
Dawn Maley
I constantly see the importance of women sitting in circle, connecting with women, supporting each other. It is hard to explain this call, this need , this yearning so when the opportunity to join these wonderful creators arose I jumped wholeheartedly into the cauldron of creation.
Women need to sit in circles, not because we need healing, for we are perfect as we are, but because we need replenishment. Women need to go deep. Sitting in circle nourishes the soul, the heart and the spirit. I feel seen, held and no longer alone in my feminine power when I sit in circle
There is old ancient magick that is reawakened in a circle of women.
Slowly it rises as you hear its call, that voice the whispers, slowly rising in volume till you can silence it no longer. That call to let go of the mantle forced upon us in so many ways. The magick is stirring can you hear it?
There is old magick that is spoken in the circles of women.
The Goddess hears our call as we sit, as we share, as we pour our words, our emotions, our angst into the circles, the cauldrons, the fires she hears us oh women she hears us. All the stories of pain, of anguish, of frustration are weaved into webs of love and support. Our secret depths ravaged, exposed and finally soothed.
There is old magick that still exists in the circles of women
It is here now, it is to be honoured, it is for the maiden, the mother, the transmuting women and the crone. It is yours.
So come step into the circle with me.
So who am I? I am a baby Crone, slowly & fully embracing this time of my life. I am the proud mother of 4 Queer adult children. I work full time for a charitable trust as a team leader. I am a Celebrant, so ritual and ceremony as important to me. I am also a qualified Massage Therapist and Clinical Aromatherapist. Recently I completed the facilitator training for Red Tent Aotearoa and have brought Waimakariri Silver Tent circles to North Canterbury.
Rochelle Montagne
Maryanne O'Reilly
I was introduced to braided women through my friendship with Rochelle and absolutely fell in love with the sense of support and community I found at my first gathering and became a regular volunteer every year after.
Being a volunteer let me feel that I wasn’t only a part of it but that I was helping to create the same sense of belonging for others that I felt at that first gathering. With every event I have learnt new things, met wonderful new women and came away with inspiration and a sense of peace and belonging that have carried me through difficult times.
I like to believe I bring enthusiasm, welcoming energy and the willingness to help out however I can. I have several years experience in administration and customer service roles, a Bachelor’s Degree in Visual Arts and a talent for macgyvering out of the box solutions for problems. Outside of Braided Woman I enjoy video games, arts & crafts, and ice skating.
Tania Hendriks
Who am I, a woman with many aspects, I am a Queenager with many years of working in groups and circles. When I first came to the Braided Woman’s Gathering. it was first time I felt the power of woman supporting woman. This was magical.
That ancient feeling of women sitting together sharing the work of being in this modern world, it is the work I am wanting to help others do, the work of being mother, teacher and nurturing the feminine in each of us. To hold space as others have held space for me.
I started out in this circle unsure of what this meant tome at the time, but then I kept coming back, first as a volunteer then as a cook. Now I feel blessed to be able to add my energy to guide more women to sit within circle. Together we can create the change within
ourselves, which can change the world. I am honoured to be a part of the Creation Group and to be able to share the opportunity to help others find theirstrengths, their peace and be a soft place to land, guiding them to recognise the divine beings they truly are.
Blessed Be!!
Jacinda
Kia ora koutou,
My name is Jacinda, and I am proud to call Ōtautahi home. I share my life with three horses and three cats, and I have a deep connection to both nature and the land.
My whānau roots run deep throughout Te Waipounamu, and I am passionate about embracing and sharing Māori culture. I joined Braided Women’s Trust because I believe in the kaupapa, the strength of wāhine supporting wāhine, and the positive impact this community creates.
I hope to contribute a Māori perspective and help weave cultural knowledge and connection into the many beautiful threads that make up Braided Women. I am excited to learn from others, build meaningful relationships, and be part of the continued growth and future of this amazing trust.
I look forward to connecting with and getting to know each and every one of you.
**Ngā mihi nui,**
**Jacinda**
*Blessed Be*
Lisa Scott
I’m excited to become part of the creation group in 2026 and stand alongside these phenomenal women.
I am passionate about providing safe, supportive spaces where women can feel truly seen – where you can show up just as you are, knowing you will be met with respect, acceptance, and compassion.
Every woman deserves access to spaces where she can feel heard, accepted, and empowered. It is about building one another up. It’s about connection, healing, and the simple but powerful act of showing up, for ourselves and for each other.
By bringing women together across all walks of life, we strengthen not only ourselves, but the relationships, families, and communities we’re part of.
Behind the scenes I am a holistic wellbeing coach, therapist, and kundalini yoga teacher. I support people in building emotional resilience and learning the skills to find calm within yourself, creating stronger, healthier relationships – first with yourself, then with others. I am also honoured to facilitate Red Tent North Canterbury women’s circles – I offer gatherings grounded in safety, connection, and shared empowerment – spaces where women can come home to themselves and one another. I understand deeply what it means to hold space for women, and to provide places where vulnerability is honoured and authenticity is embraced.
As part of the Braided Women’s Gathering Creation Group, I’m excited to be providing opportunities for women to connect, grow, and share learning, to be creating access to shared spaces where all voices matter, all feelings are welcome, and every woman is honoured for who she is. Together, we build trust, belonging, and deep sisterhood.
Sonia Milne
I have always wanted to be involved in creating and supporting a community like Braided Women Gathering Trust. When the opportunity arose to join the committee, I felt it was the right time in my life to step forward and contribute.
I bring a younger perspective, fresh energy, and creative ideas while deeply valuing the wisdom and experience of the women around me. At 32, I have experienced many of life’s challenges and opportunities, which have helped shape my resilience, strength, and understanding of the importance of community.
I am a creative person who enjoys sharing knowledge, learning from others, and helping wherever I am needed. I am adaptable, easy-going, and happy to support the Trust in any capacity that helps our gatherings and activities thrive.
Being part of Braided Women means being surrounded by inspiring women, learning from their experiences, and helping to create a welcoming space where new women feel supported, connected, and encouraged to be themselves.
Outside of Braided Women, I am a proud mum to two girls, an apprentice baker, and I enjoy crocheting and other creative pursuits. I am excited to contribute my enthusiasm, ideas, and commitment to the ongoing growth of our community.
Previous Creation Group Members
Anne Gregory (Founder and Vision Holder)
Some call it the Feminine Principle, some say the Divine Feminine or the Sacred Feminine, sometimes it’s called the Power of Yin, the Great Mother or the Goddess, Gaia or Papatuanuku.
It has names in many languages, in many cultures, throughout history, all across the world. It echoes through time and space.
This power of many names, lives within every woman. It grows and blossoms and heals whenever women gather together in love and support.
I have experienced this so many times, I know it in my blood. This is why I have shared the vision of
this Braided Gathering with those precious ones who are midwifeing it now and bringing it to Life.
Why am I doing this? Because it’s my Calling!
Blessed Be
Anne Gregory
Nilguen Kulpe
I am excited to be welcomed into the creation group this year and feel blessed to be surrounded in circle by amazing and passionate women.
I endeavor to bring my own unique strength to this group and am passionate about dancing in the divine feminine energy that is within us all.
For me having the courage to stand in this energy and embrace myself and others has been a gradual process. I am blessed to have women my friends and family who have worked as mortal weavers supporting me to evolve and whispering their truths as unbreakable threads of meaning and depth along this path called life.
I have come to understand that the world is woven, a creative web with the great pulse of life as its rhythm.
Sitting in circle for me continues the thread of connection to this web and reflects all the myriad facets of the divine.
I feel there is such an enormous need in our world for women to come together, sit in circle and share their life stories, their wisdom, laughter, tears and so much more.
I consider this a basic need as we are tribal people and need each other.
Therefore, I am willing to put my energy and heart into the birthing of a unique National Women’s Gathering which is so needed in NZ!
It’s surely exciting to be part of the Creation Group to make it happen!
Sally Lawson
Speak gently, my darling
And whisper your love to me
That it might land gently
in my very cells
in my very bones
Settling like magic
Sparkling lightly in my eyes
Gently shining in my very essence
Resting lightly on my lips
That I might draw it in
with every breath
And breathe it out
with every haaaaaahhhhhhh
That it might float around me
Glittering in the sun
That you and I are One.
Speak gently to me, my darling
And whisper your love to my heart
That I may walk with every step
Holding it tenderly and gently
in my very Soul.
For it is me, this love you speak,
it is me.
It is me
Sonya Yates
After being one of the regular support crew for the Braided Women gatherings, I am excited to now be a member of the Creation Group.
I have always felt very strongly about women’s issues, women’s voices and women’s rights and I believe in the difference it can make to speak our truth and be lovingly heard by other women. To truly be heard and our story witnessed and held by other women as we sit in circle at these gatherings can be life changing!
As women, I believe our voices are our power and together we are unstoppable, together we are more powerful then we can conceive and together we can change the world.
Martine F. Saltoun
Martine F. Saltoun is a passionate advocate for women’s empowerment, creativity, and holistic well-being.
With well over 20 years’ experience in the healing arts. As a Reiki Master Teacher, energy healer, and facilitator of empowerment workshops, Martine brings depth, compassion, and vision to the Braided Woman’s Trust Creation Group.
Her diverse background spans corporate, real estate, and the healing arts, giving her a unique ability to blend practical wisdom with emotional intelligence. Through initiatives such as her creative empowerment workshops, teaching Reiki and facilitating sound meditation groups, Martine inspires others to embrace their voice and their strength.
As a creation group member, Martine is committed to fostering a trust that weaves together the strands of women’s stories, strengths, and futures thus honouring the richness of individuality while celebrating the power of community.
We would also like to thank previous members; Annie Helm, Sonya Yates, Sharon Warren, Mandy Kiddie and Kerri Hirron for their invaluable input.
Past and Present
