Happy New Year to everyone, from Grafton Branch CWA! Now that the New Year has started, this is an opportune time to let everyone know more about the Country Women’s Association- perhaps there could be people who have just moved to the area and are looking for a way to make new friends, or people who are thinking about pursuing another new interest at the start of a new year.
The CWA was formed in 1922 and is still bringing together women who share a commitment to improving the lives of other women and their families by lobbying government on key agenda issues, fundraising and teaching life skills.
As part of the largest women’s organisation in Australia, the aims of the not-for-profit Association are to: provide a forum for the voice of women in NSW; improve the conditions and welfare of all women and families, especially in regional and rural areas; support initiatives that enhance the value of ‘country living’ — especially in the areas of health and education; encourage development in regional areas and increase the viability of rural communities; and consult different levels of government on a variety of issues around the likes of health, education, agriculture, transport, telecommunications and the environment.
A brief summary of 2024 shows that Grafton Branch members have taken part in a wide variety of activities during the past year, and already plans are underway for 2025. In our meetings in 2024 we learnt information about a variety of topics in Agriculture and Environment including red fire ants, endangered Australian animals, seaweed, renewable energy, etc.
Australian fauna and flora are chosen to study each year by the State Agricultural & Environmental Committee, to encourage members to discover more about some of our native species.
A foe is also chosen to bring awareness to the pests having a negative impact on our land and waterways. For 2025, these are: Fauna- frogs; Flora- saltbush; Foe- common myna.
A Primary Product is chosen each year as a way of promoting Australian grown products, this year it is Australian grown cut flowers.
In 2024, members enjoyed cultural visits to Grafton Gallery to see the Dobell Drawing Exhibition, Memorial Park to see the CWA Sundial, to Yamba, the Saraton Theatre, the Anglican Cathedral, Coldstream Gallery, Grafton Gallery to see the JADA exhibition, the Tweed Gallery to see Margaret Olley artwork and also attended a workshop where we learnt to paint like Margaret Olley (our Woman of Note for the year). We also had lunches and morning teas at local businesses and a high tea in Maclean. We celebrated Chinese New Year and learnt facts about each calendar month.
Our country of study for 2024 was France and our International Officer told us interesting information about France at each meeting, we had a delicious international lunch in July, and made overseas donations included pocket pals, material aid and mother and baby packs. This year the country of study is South Korea (Republic of Korea)
We had cooking reports at every meeting and Land Cooking Competition days.
Although the CWA is not just tea and scones, we did quite a lot of cooking during 2024! We held a successful Bunnings sausage sizzle and cake stall and also a cake and handicraft stall at Team Aiden’s Christmas Market.
Members also baked for the CWA Jacaranda Morning Tea with its handicraft and cake stall and our rooms were decorated in the floral theme.
This Morning Tea was very successful with over 120 customers and people enjoyed being able to sit down for a delicious morning tea and escape the heat! Members also cooked scones for a Devonshire Tea at the Jacaranda Market.
Another morning tea was held during CWA Awareness Week with a guest speaker from Coffs/Clarence Domestic Violence Court Advocacy Service (the focus topic for Awareness Week 2024 was domestic violence). 2024 finished with members cooking a delicious Christmas lunch.
Regular Handicraft meetings were held during the year, until we were unable to use the CWA Rooms. So, we have been continuing with our handicraft at home but will temporarily be meeting in a new venue in 2025, at the Salvation Army Hall in Oliver St. Craft mornings are held on 2nd and 4th Mondays of each month, starting at 9.30am. Everyone is welcome, bring along some craft, and enjoy morning tea with other ladies who have similar interests and can share their knowledge, all types of crafts can be done- whatever is your area of interest.
During the year we have made donations locally to the Westpac Rescue Helicopter, Grafton Show Society, Warina Domestic and Family Violence services, we also donated toys and beanies to Grafton Base Hospital and also hamper items and money to supplement those hamper items to the Salvation Army before Christmas. CWA NSW also chooses a project to support for medical research for 3 yrs, so in 2024 we raised funds for Pancreatic Cancer research.
New members are always welcome to CWA. Grafton Branch meets on the 2nd Friday of each month. Morning tea is at 9.30am, followed by the meeting at 10am. The first meeting for 2025 will be on Friday, February 14. Our new (temporary) meeting venue is at Grafton District Services Club because the CWA Rooms where we usually meet are currently closed.
They were closed for 2 months in the second half of 2024 due to Council renovations to the building to comply with disabled access rules, then closed again in November after we discovered that the roof had leaked during a severe storm. The roof was then deemed unsafe by Council and, until it has been repaired, we have had to find new venues for all events. Our New Year’s wish is for a prompt return to our permanent home!
Anne McLellan