Cover Story: Winter Warmers

Winter warmers

As temperatures cool, residents at Mertome Aged Care & Retirement Village are kept warm and toasty thanks to some gorgeous handicrafts, made and donated by the talented local Country Women’s Association of WA.

As winter approaches, our residents will be kept extra warm and cosy thanks to some hand-crafted items, made with love and passion by the Country Women’s Association of WA. Without being asked, these amazing women picked up their knitting needles and thread and chose to make our residents feel loved and toasty, making them laugh and smile from ear to ear. The Country Women’s Association of WA provide support to a number of important causes in Australia, from raising funds, advocating for others, to selflessly volunteering their time.

This organisation holds close the values we at Hall & Prior strive to uphold and model. The residents, staff and community greatly appreciate and admire the wonderful work this organisation does. We can’t thank them enough or adequately express the impact their kindness has had on our residents.

A brief history of the CWA in Australia

The troubled early years of the 20th Century inspired an explosion in the demand for women’s rights worldwide. Following Canada’s lead in enabling the empowerment of rural women, the Country Women’s Association (CWA) was initiated in Australia in 1922, with NSW and Queensland - followed by Western Australia (1924), Victoria (1928), South Australia (1929), Northern Territory (1933), and Tasmania (1936). The Associated Country Women of the World (ACWW) was formed in 1933, and gives voice to over nine million rural and non-rural women in more than 80 countries.

The First Annual Conference of the Country Women’s Association of Australia was held in Adelaide in 1946. These women were quick to realise strength lay in unity, and CWA quickly became a large, resourceful, influential women’s organisation. The members worked tirelessly to set up baby health care centres, fund bush nurses, build and staff maternity wards, hospitals, schools, rest homes, seaside holiday cottages - and much more. Women of all ages were involved, with the younger ladies forming a strong “Younger Sets” movement, which lasted for many years. In 1936, the CWA Cookery Book and Household Hints was first published - a collection of recipes and household hints contributed by members who had “made do” during the Depression. This remains a best seller today, having been updated from time to time.