Since 1928, the Country Women’s Association (CWA) has been supporting women, children and families and for most of her life Echuca’s Delia Currie has been involved.
“Our primary purpose, as described in our constitution, is to improve the circumstances of disadvantaged and vulnerable women, children and their families in need throughout rural, regional and metro areas of Victoria,” Ms Currie said.
“It also provides a great platform to learn new skills including cooking, embroidery, patchwork, cake decorating, metal work and pottery, as well as a range of crafts, along with an opportunity to compete at the state exhibition if you wish.”
The CWA was first established in Echuca in 1956 and it has existed in some form or another since that time.
There are currently 12 members of the Echuca-Moama branch including a couple who make the drive from Deniliquin to attend.
Some of Ms Currie’s earliest memories are of having afternoon tea at the CWA rooms, and it was a forgone conclusion she would follow in the footsteps of her mother and grandmother before her and join the organisation.
“I joined the CWA when I started my own family and I haven’t left. I still get as much out of it today as when I started 36 years ago and it provides me with friendship, compassion and industriousness,” Ms Currie said.
The Echuca-Murray branch meets on the second Tuesday of each month from 10am to 11.30am at the CWA Hall in High St. Every third Tuesday it hosts a craft day.
“Our monthly meetings could include a special guest speaker, visit to a place of interest, collection of charitable goods for local community organisations or helping members with craft ideas,” Ms Currie said.
Meetings also have a range of competitions in line with a monthly theme.
Members can also sell excess fruit and vegetables, or craft items, on the trading table which can help with their membership fee.
Ms Currie said the group had a lot of fun and laughter and every member had a voice.
“It is an organisation; if you miss a meeting, someone keeps you informed. We have relaxed informal meetings which keep us within the CWA guidelines,” Ms Currie said.
“There is a yearly fee to join but that’s it, and it works out to be a very cheap club to belong to. Members are also covered by insurance when undertaking CWA duties.”
Every member receives a copy of the Victorian Country Women magazine every two months and an e-newsletter every other month.
Mr Currie is proud of the good work the Echuca-Moama branch does through helping the community, including making trauma teddies, supplying dignity bags and toiletries, catering for events to raise funds for other community causes and collecting items for repurpose needed by other organisations in the community.
She said in 2022 the Echuca-Murray branch would celebrate its 65th anniversary.
The Echuca day branch folded about eight years ago and the Echuca-Murray branch took over managing the CWA hall.
Ms Currie said back in the day the Echuca group was one of the biggest in the state and included member branches from Echuca-Murray, Boobook (Deniliquin), Campaspe, Bamawm and Milloo.
“Our group has been honoured to have had two state presidents. You can go from a branch member to involved at the group level and then on to state level,” Ms Currie said.
She said the CWA ran a catering room at the Royal Melbourne Show and the Bendigo Sheep and Wool Show which were always hugely popular and were some of its biggest annual fundraisers. It also runs pop-up Devonshire teas each fortnight at the Melbourne head office in Umina, along with a Christmas fete in December.
CWA Victoria is part of CWA Australia and all members are part of ACWW (Associated Country Women of the World) — a worldwide organisation — which holds a yearly conference to which Victoria CWA always sends a delegation.
“You get out of it what you put into it, but I just love how I get to meet a whole range of people with a different range of interests, it is really rewarding.”