Twenty-one years at the helm: Aileen Watkins OBE and the making of the Guild Part of our 80th anniversary series, honouring the war widows who built this organisation. When the War Widows’ Guild began in NSW in 1946, it had almost nothing. No offices of its own, no housing, no reliable income. What it had was a founding idea […]
80 years of stories: Aileen Watkins OBE Read More »
Member Stories, War Widows Program
War Widows Social Clubs have always been a place where friendships are forever remembered, even decades later. From the beginning, our social clubs have existed to make sure no war widow faces life alone. Formed in the tradition set by our founder Jessie Vasey CBE OBE who “welded” widows together so they had voice, companionship and practical support, the clubs offer belonging built on a shared loss that only those who’ve lived it
Holding each other close: Muswellbrook Social Club Read More »
Member Stories, War Widows Program
80 years ago, war widows in NSW came together for the first time. They were demanding fair treatment, fair compensation, and a place in the system that had largely overlooked them. Jessie Vasey gathered them, not to seek sympathy, but to build a community grounded in dignity, self-help and mutual support. That community has lasted 80 years. The need it answered has not
Share your story: 80 years of war widows and veteran families Read More »
Awareness, War Widows Program
80 years ago, a group of war widows met in Sydney and refused to be forgotten. This is the story of how the Guild began and the story of the woman who made it happen. It was a winter afternoon in Sydney, Tuesday, 4 June 1946. In the conference room of the Grand United Order of
1946: how the War Widows’ Craft Guild began Read More »
Awareness, War Widows Program
International Widows’ Day, held on 23 June, is a day to recognise widows and the lives they carry forward. This day is meaningful for many, and an opportunity to understand a little better the stories of 250+ Million of women affected by widowhood. A day we can acknowledge their different experiences across the world and different generations. The women who built their lives in
On International Widows’ Day, we’re acknowledging every widow — here and everywhere Read More »
Awareness
On the afternoon of 17 June, war widows came together at Government House, Sydney for an afternoon tea hosted by our Patron, Her Excellency the Honourable Margaret Beazley AC KC, Governor of New South Wales. It was the first gathering of our 80th anniversary year and, looking back on it now, a fitting way to
The best within us: 80 years on at Government House Read More »
Awareness, War Widows Program