Retired Red Hat Ladies (RHL) ‘queen mum’ Jan Childs is coming out of retirement to start a new chapter of the 50-plus women’s group in Rochester.
She had a 16-year involvement with the group and, after a series of community requests, will stage the first meeting of the Rochester RHL chapter in May.
The Red Hatters, as they are more affectionately known, is an international social group for women who are 50 years or older, founded in the United States in 1998.
A worldwide movement, it encourages members to break out of their shell and have some fun and laughter.
The members are easily recognisable by their adopted uniform - a red hat, purple clothing and as much jewellery as possible.
The first Australian Red Hat Society group was the Rose City Red Hatters in Warwick, Queensland in July 2001. The Australian movement is the second largest in the world, behind the US.
Florence Slattery, who became known as the ‘supreme matriarch’, discovered the Red Hatters on a trip to the US and decided to start a chapter here in Australia on her return. She celebrated her 100th birthday in June 2016 and passed away the following year.
Mrs Childs hasn’t been totally “out of touch’’ with the group, being a member of the Kyabram group.
And she has hit the ground running in Rochester, having only moved to the town in September last year. She is already planning a 22nd RHL birthday event on July 25 in Rochester.
Mrs Childs said she hoped to “go out’’ the same way as the Australian founder of the group, Mrs Slattey, who a week before he death attended a luncheon with her red hat firmly in place and with fingernails painted.
Mrs Childs started her involvement with the society in Queensland and when she moved to Victoria with her husband Vincent started an RHL chapter in Kilmore.
That’s where she became a ‘queen’, the RHL preferring the titles of queen and vice queen instead of the traditional presidential titles.
Rochester did have an RHL chapter which folded several years ago and Mrs Childs already has 12 names on her “interested parties’’ list.
Such is the interest in the society in the US that the original hat and boa are housed in the Smithsonian Institute.
Mrs Childs said she was looking forward to being able to offer Rochester women an opportunity to become involved in a chapter and she was certain people from Echuca, where a group has recently folded, would also have an interest in becoming involved.
“Several of those ladies travel occasionally to Kyabram,“ she said.
Mrs Childs has already booked The Tavern for the 22nd birthday event, where she may invoke one of the group’s traditions, where attendees wear a red dress and purple hat to celebrate a birthday.
Anyone interested in becoming involved with the Rochester Red Hat Society can contact Mrs Childs on 0419 509 040. The formation meeting will be held on May 8 at 10.30am in the back room of the shire hall.