The Merry Murray Madams Red Hat Chapter recently celebrated their first birthday with great fanfare, marking a successful year of frivolity and fun for the group.
The group, which was started by Lesley Starr in April 2022, has quickly become a go-to destination for women over 50 looking for social interaction and a good time.
Ms Starr, who has been a Red Hatter since 2010 and was previously a Queen of a chapter in Adelaide, saw an opportunity for a purely social group for women her age when she moved to Wahgunyah in November 2020. She put the word out on social media and soon the Merry Murray Madams were born.
“The group currently has around 22 members, with new ladies joining each month,” Ms Starr told the Free Press.
“We offer three outings per month, so everyone has the opportunity for contact at least once a month. One of those outings is our regular Hatter Natter held at the Corowa RSL on the first Tuesday of each month at 10.30am.
“This is essentially our ‘meeting’ day where we plan ahead, organise carpooling, share ideas, etc. and some stay for lunch.”
The purpose of the organisation is for women over 50 to socialise, have fun, be frivolous and ‘grow old disgracefully’. Members wear purple clothes and red hats, as per the poem ‘Warning’ by Jenny Joseph because ‘red and purple don’t go!’.
The Merry Murray Madams celebrated their first birthday in style by inviting members of other chapters to join them for lunch at Ms Birdies at Corowa RSL last Thursday.
“Ladies from Albury, Wodonga, Cobram, Numurkah, Shepparton, and Geelong all came together to make it a brilliant day,” Ms Starr said.
“We were entertained by Anthony Tenace singing all the songs that we love and the dance floor was full.”
Anyone wishing to know more about the Merry Murray Madams Red Hat Chapter can give Lesley Starr a call on 0414 895 232 or come along to a Hatter Natter on the first Tuesday of any month.
The Red Hat Society was started in the United States in 1998 and has since spread to other countries. It aims to provide a social outlet for women over 50, who may have retired from work and feel a sense of isolation. The society encourages members to embrace their age and to have fun in a supportive and inclusive environment.