Country Women Show Strength In Adversity

There were over 400 members of the NSW Country Women’s Association (CWA) who attended the CWA Conference in Bega from May 3 to 6 this year, 200 of whom were voting members.

While there were fewer participant numbers than in years past, those present reported that it was great to catch up with old friends, meet new members and listen to presentations from a range of guest speakers.

Leading the way for the guest speakers was the Governor of NSW, the Hon. Margaret Beazley AC QC. The Governor spoke about the conference theme of ‘Strength in Adversity’, relating it to the 99-year history of the CWA, which had seen members working together to successfully lobby and raise funds to address issues affecting women and children in rural and remote areas.

She made mention of the CWA’s Drought Aid Scheme which commenced in 2018 and had seen over $19 million raised to help communities beset by drought, as well as the organisation’s sterling commitment over the past three years to support medical research and treatment of endometriosis.

NSW Minister for Women, Bronnie Taylor took the floor next, speaking about CWA’s advocacy and leadership in all issues for women and children in rural and remote areas, be they agricultural, environmental, health, transport or telecommunications.

The CWA has always been an effective vehicle for women’s voices to be heard.

Keynote speaker Lucy Bloom, an accomplished business leader with a background in advertising, start-up innovation, and experience as CEO of two major international aid charities, spoke of ‘Strength in Adversity’ being great, but ‘Strength in Diversity’ being far more important.

Ms Bloom challenged participants to look around them and recognise that there was a problem if they saw people who looked just like them.

She said diversity brought with it a range of backgrounds and experiences and different ways of approaching issues.

Ms Bloom spoke of her three key values of courage (a muscle that needed to be exercised), kindness (which is contagious) and fun. The Griffith branch of the CWA is dedicated to improving conditions and the welfare of rural women and their families.

They are actively involved in agriculture and environment, cultural, international, land cookery and handcrafts at the branch, group and state levels.

The Griffith branch meets on the second Thursday of each month at 7pm in their rooms at 129 Banna Avenue and welcome members of all ages.

The CWA was formed back in 1922 when women living in country areas were fighting isolation and a lack of health facilities. Within one year, the Association was already a unified and resourceful group of women making things happen. They’ve only strengthened over the years since.

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• CWA
• Community