Click here to read our April update

Maureen Harwood​

National Vice-Chairman

Maureen has been a club member for over 40 years first joining Hoddesdon Women’s Club in 1973 and then moving to Rye Park Women’s Club 25 years later. For a lot of that time she served on her local Association, The Herts. Lea Valley, as Chairman and secretary.

She is married to Derrick who was a Territorial Army Officer and has two daughters, and two grandsons. she has always worked in Admin and for 19 years worked for a French Bank Maureen served as Vice-chairman at Head Office for five years and then took over as Treasurer for NAWC until 2013 when she took on the position of Chairman which she held for 5 years. She is now once again a vice-chairman.

For many years Maureen served as Chairman of the Restoration Committee for her local church she is also a Sunday School teacher.

There doesn’t seem to be a lot of time for hobbies, she can knit and sew and she likes trying new crafts but it would probably only be a one-off.

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April Update

I start this Newsletter by paying tribute to HRH Prince Philip, The Duke of Edinburgh who died on Friday 9th April. Your committee has sent a letter of condolences to the Queen on behalf of NAWC but for all of us it is a sad day he has always been in our lives. He had been involved in many charities but the one he will always be remembered for is The Duke of Edinburgh Award Scheme, it gave millions of young people the chance to do something adventurous, be part of social care and to be socially interactive with others as well as having fun. We think of our Queen at this time, she has lost her husband of 73 years and many in our Association will be able to identify with her. Our thoughts are with her and her family at this sad time.

After an unbelievable year it looks like we could be back on track, or is it a road map? Not quite there but if all goes to plan groups such as ours could be allowed to meet after 17th May. It is still a bit confusing so we must wait and see but definitely after 21st June we should be back to normal. I don’t suppose many clubs will be back in their halls until September but if the venue allows and the club feels able you can go back in the summer if you want to. This would, of course, be entirely up to the individual club NAWC can only advise.

Clubs could, however, take advantage of the good weather to come and meet up in parks, go for walks, have a lunch or afternoon tea, coffee mornings anything so that we get together again and can enjoy each other’s company once more. It might be a bit strange to go out after all this time but persevere ladies and you will get there. We will be fundraising for NAWC and Marie Curie Nurses so how about “Walk a Marathon” in a month. We can provide sponsor sheets and it is amazing how a little walk each day mounts up, not only are you raising money for a worthy cause but getting that all important exercise as well.

Our clubs are all about friendship and though the physical contact has not been there we have been able to keep together by letter, emails, ‘what’s app’ groups and telephone calls, all those who have been keeping in touch with members are to be congratulated.

We are starting to organise our events again and this year we are hoping to have a weekend away in Norwich and we are looking into the possibility of having two Christmas concerts. Next year we have lunches booked on the Thames and in the West Midlands and hopefully an afternoon tea in Derbyshire. Our conference has been moved to May 2022 as it would have been nigh impossible to get it organised for September this year. However, this would be a one-off hopefully back to normal in 2023.

As we said in our letter to the clubs the committee are all willing to stand again to see us through, and a decision has been made that the subscriptions for last year 2020/2021 are suspended and those who paid have had them carried forward to this year 2021/2022 we don’t know of many other organisations who have been that generous but it was the way the committee felt was fair.

So, Ladies it is back to business, fingers crossed, and if anyone is looking at this website for the first time see if there is a club near you, or maybe start one.

You would get plenty of help to get going, for many members being a part of NAWC has been a lifesaver during this lockdown.

Our best wishes to you all and as always stay safe,

Chris and the Committee