COUNTRY Women’s Association (CWA) Sawtell Branch celebrated their 100 years of community service with a commemorative plaque unveiling on Sawtell’s First Avenue, followed by morning tea.

Guests included Member for Coffs Harbour Gurmesh Singh and Mrs Lee Ann Brogmus, Nurse Unit Manager for Family Health within the North Coast area.

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The Sawtell CWA Restrooms opened in 1953 and included a ‘Sister’s’ Room to hold Baby Health Care Clinics, which continue to this day.

It is one of very few still functioning today, with over 500 babies accessing this service every year.

Sawtell CWA President Mrs Jackie England told the gathering how these services came about.

“NSW Health identified a need as the mortality rate amongst babies in their first year was higher than that of the men on the battlefields of the Great War,” she said.

“The services were slow to take off and in 1922 lobbying led by Mrs Grace Munro saw two things of great importance happen; the NSW Country Women’s Association was formed and the first Baby Health Care Clinic was established at Moree.

“Restrooms were established all over NSW by the CWA, many with baby clinics attached,” Mrs Munro told the gathering.

“These rooms run by CWA ladies offered a place for travelling women to stop and have a cup of tea, feed children and freshen up.

“Seaside holiday houses were established also to give inland women and children a break from the drudgery, isolation, heat and dust they endured daily.”

One such establishment was built at Coffs Harbour.

Following the plaque unveiling by Gurmesh Singh MP in the centre of Sawtell village there was a CWA staple, a delightful morning tea of traditional CWA scones, tea and coffee at Sawtell RSL.

It was well attended with over 50 visitors, many being CWA of NSW members from our local area.

By Andrea FERRARI