The Younger Set may have since matured into the Evening Branch, but there were lots of familiar faces at the Tenterfield Golf Club on Saturday, March 24 as the local installment of the CWA (Country Women’s Association) celebrated its 50th birthday.
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Current president Lucy Sullivan said she’d hate to be known now as the Younger Set as she welcomed a packed room of women “and a few brave men” to the party. She hinted than down the line men may also be welcomed as CWA members, but perhaps not in the near future.
Extra-special guests Helen Barwick and Jimmy Koch are the offspring of the branch’s instigator Edna Koch, whom members credit with setting off the Younger Set on the right path.
Mayor Peter Petty was present to give official birthday congratulations on behalf of the community, providing an insight into the influence the CWA has in his circles.
“The CWA is still the strongest women’s lobby group in Australia,” he said, “and a call from the CWA makes politicians shake at the knees.”
He said he’d grown up with the CWA, his mother continuing to be an active member of the Bonalbo branch since joining as a 17-year-old. (She’s now 78.)
“My grandmothers on both sides were the same. I remember going around the cattle sales that were always catered by the CWA.
“Fifty years is a great achievement by any organisation.”
In providing a brief history of the branch’s five decades, member Mary Hennessy summarised the aims of the organisation as sharing friendships, meeting new people, supporting each other, working to make a difference and to raise awareness of problems in the local community.
She along with sister Helen Petrie and Val Mitchell have been members of what is now the Evening Branch since its inception, and were acknowledged with surprise life memberships on the day.
Mrs hennessy said the CWA is an organisation with a sound structure of rules and regulations which may sometimes not suit all but is possibly the reason it has continued for close to 100 years.
“It was formed in hard times out the need to help isolated country women. Some of these needs and problems still exist today.”
The Younger Set was formed in March 1968 by Mrs Koch supported by her fellow members as an alternative for a lot of mums who were unable to make the regular daytime meetings.
“Edna guided us as patroness for 23 years until her passing,” Mrs Hennessy said.
“The women with her and before were true country women living in a different era than today. These were women with great vision and resilience.
“Can we imagine the 1930’s and 40’s travelling to Armidale or Sydney for a meeting on dirt roads or slow trains, limited communications, maybe just a landline phone and the post?”
The two Tenterfield branches of CWA worked together until the Day Branch closed in 2015 after 90 years of service.
In early years local projects included the Baby Health Clinic, Big Birds Nest Childcare Centre, swimming pool heating, Life Education Van, playgrounds, hospital and Millrace Aged Care Hostel.
“Often funds were raised in very unconventional ways,” Mrs Hennessy said.
“We were involved in many other notable community events such as 1981 Back to Tenterfield Week, State Premier’s visit, Olympic torch relay and much more.”
The branch has donated emergency funding to families in times of crises, disaster relief in times of flood and bushfires, and even educational grants for students from Year 3 to tertiary.
“Whatever group we belong to has their way of raising funds that best suits,” Mrs Hennessy said.
“Ours mostly is by providing help, usually by cooking, street stalls, catering and helping other groups. Often we offer our help and other times our help is asked for.”
Mrs Hennessy concluded by putting out the call for new members.
“We face many challenges from falling membership and attracting younger women when there are rapid changes in technology, resistance to change and a host of other groups women can join and participate in that may not been around in early years.”
Despite the challenges ahead, the branch’s past 50 years were celebrated with members from fellow branches north to Glen Aplin and south to Armidale, sharing in a slab of birthday cake to mark the milestone, and the cameradie for which the organisation is known.
