Jessie Vasey

Holding each other close: Muswellbrook Social Club

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 […]

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Member Stories, War Widows ProgramADF families, ADF Member Families, Australian War Widows, connecting war widows, defence families, Guild social clubs, Jessie Vasey, social club connection, social connection, veteran families, war widow community, war widow friendships, war widow gatherings, war widow support, war widow wellbeing, War Widows, War widows social clubs

July 31, 2026

An object with a story – Patterns of comfort

80 years of the Guild means 80 years of history and memories woven into personal possessions. War widows and veteran families carry pieces of our shared history in their homes, these pieces holding the stories of those who owned them and a reflection of the time they lived in. Through the years, our members have been kind enough to occasionally share items with us so we can pass on those memories and

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Member Stories, War Widows Program80th Anniversary, ADF families, ADF Member Families, Australian Comforts Fund, Australian veterans, Australian War Widows, defence and veteran families, defence families, family history, Jessie Vasey, veteran community, veteran families, War Widows, war widows Australia, wartime knitting

July 31, 2026

Together we still stand text with two war widows in the background standing side by side. The Guilds 80th Anniversary.

Share your story: 80 years of war widows and veteran families

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

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Awareness, War Widows Program80th Anniversary, ADF families, ADF Member Families, Australian War Widows, connecting war widows, defence families, Defence spouse, Jessie Vasey, Jessie Vasey CBE OBE, The Guild, veteran families, War Widows, War Widows NSW

July 1, 2026

Jessie Vasey CBE OBE. Our founder, 80th anniversary of the Guild. 80 years of supporting war widows and veteran families.

1946: how the War Widows’ Craft Guild began

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

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June 19, 2026

80th Anniversary afternoon tea at Government House. War widows and board staff.

The best within us: 80 years on at Government House

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

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June 18, 2026

Watch international women's day video about the story of our organisation: the story of women empowering women.

Celebrating International Women’s Day: honouring Jessie Vasey and the legacy of our war widows

Join us in reflecting on the extraordinary contributions of Jessie Vasey and our war widows As we celebrate International Women’s Day 2025, we are reminded of the incredible strength and resilience of women who have shaped history. This year, we honour Jessie Vasey CBE OBE and the Australian War Widows Guild, and the remarkable efforts

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Advocacy, Commemorations, Contribution, Member StoriesInternational Women Day, IWD2025, Jessie Vasey, War Widows, Womens Empowerment

March 5, 2025

An object with a story – Patterns of comfort

Share your story: 80 years of war widows and veteran families

1946: how the War Widows’ Craft Guild began

The best within us: 80 years on at Government House

Celebrating International Women’s Day: honouring Jessie Vasey and the legacy of our war widows

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