In her welcome, at our Annual New Year Lunch in the Havelock North Function Centre Branch President Paddy Bayley, made special mention of the disruption COVID 19 had on everyone during 2020.
The 80 members attending were completely unaware that this was not only a very special day but also a special year for their Branch President. They soon found that they needed to be in good voice for what was about to occur. 40 years ago, in February 1981, Paddy joined NZ Founders Society as a member of the Wairarapa Branch. She had arranged a special anniversary cake, and decided the best way to acknowledge this milestone, was (quoting Paddy) “to share my celebration with you all.......my good friends in our Hawke’s Bay Founders Branch”. Members showed their appreciation by singing “For she’s a jolly good Fellow”. It was only a short time later that her husband Richard informed everyone it was also Paddy’s birthday. This announcement was followed by a hearty rendition of “Happy Birthday”.
Once normality was re-instated Paddy welcomed our speaker – Professor Kay Morris Matthews. Kay had patiently waited almost twelve months while the Covid regulations continually disrupted our plans during the past year. First she spoke on her recent book titled “Lifting Horizons”, a biography on Anna Elizabeth Jerome Spencer (1872 – 1955). This book tells the complex story revealed by the author’s three year hunt for the real Anna Elizabeth Jerome Spencer. She was always know to her family and close friends as Bessie. Hundreds of young women knew her as their headmistress at Napier Girls’ High School. Tens of thousands of New Zealand women came to know her a Jerome Spence, founder and leader of the New Zealand Women’s Institutes. This book will be available from MTG Hawke’s Bay.
Kay also mentioned that an exhibition “For Home and Country: Women’s Institutes in Hawke’s Bay, will be opening this year at MTG Napier. “The aim of the Institutes were to provide opportunities whereby rural women often isolated from one another, and lacking any organised support structure, could meet other women and gather and share information. Institutes became the main focus for adult education and social activity in many rural settlements and rural towns throughout Aotearoa New Zealand.”
Our special Founders Grace was read by Andy Duncan prior to the meal. During the afternoon two members received their New Zealand Founders membership certificates and badges. At the conclusion of the afternoon, members participated in the reading of the New Zealand Founders Pledge.
NZ Founders National & Branch President, Paddy Bayley with National & Branch Vice President, Kath La Rooy cutting Paddy’s 40th Anniversary cake.
New member, Joy Kennerley, receiving her NZ Founders Membership certificate & badge
New member, Robyn Hewetson, receiving her NZ Founders Membership certificate & badge
Professor Kay Morris Matthews book