Hi Everyone

I apologise for the lateness of this newsletter but seemingly the last few months have been extremely busy, so much so that my husband Greg wondered if I still lived at home!! You will have received your September mailout from Central Office and I hope that you have attended to, or taken note of, the items requested or mentioned in this document. When you send your reports to Central office, could you please send me a copy as well so I can use the information in them to present the South Pacific Area Report in India. If I don’t have your information, then I can’t put it in my report. Nominations for Officers and Specified Committee Chairmen closed in September and this information will be circulated in early December.

I do not know who has been nominated for any position so we will all find out soon. The South Pacific Area will have a postal ballot for the election of Area President and this will occur in 2013. Again, information will be sent at the required time. It is very important that all voting member societies exercise their right to vote and therefore have a say in who is your Area President for the next triennium. All other elections take place at the Triennial Conference in Chennai in September 2013, so if your society is not sending delegates then please contact me and we can arrange for someone to be a proxy delegate for you.

I have attached a copy of the Climate Change report, which was carried out at the Conference in Tonga. Emma apologised for the lateness of this report but it was held up in the corridors of the CSIRO. The Board meeting in London in October was a very busy time and proved to be a fruitful meeting with many lengthy discussions taking place. All seems to be in hand for the Triennial Conference and we have been asked to encourage our members to attend. The hostess society, “The Daughters of Mary Immaculate” and the TCC committee are working very hard to provide a wonderful conference and a culturally exciting experience of India. It is now time to start working on your “shopping bags” for the conference and further information is available from me if you don’t have the details.

At this time we have approx. 50 people taking part in the Pre-Conference tour, which has been organised by Gilpin Travel in Dubbo. This is not a CWA of NSW tour but an Area tour, which was decided upon at the Area Conference in 2011, to enable enough numbers to make the tour viable. If you require anything further about this then again, please contact myself. We certainly made a “splash” with our “Women Walk the World” effort.

The final figures will show in the new year, as there are some funds which will not be forwarded until the end of the financial year for some societies, but you certainly took to it with gusto and proved what a wonderful and generous group of ladies (and, of course, family and friends). The good news is that this event will be on again in 2013, so put on your thinking caps and “think outside the square” to make it even bigger and better. Maybe your family and friends can make a donation this cause instead of purchasing Christmas gifts- just a thought. As a light hearted way of some further “Pennies Collections” all the members of the Board, at the Board meeting, were given a “doll” to travel with them between now and Chennai. As the dolls are handmade but made of the same fabric, the aim of the idea was to show that across the world even though were all different, we are ultimately all the same.

The members of the Board can name their dolls, and dress them as they wish and we will meet up at the Triennial Conference and see where they have all travelled. Members can also send a postcard to the doll from their Area just to show how widespread we area, and if you wish, some coins to help her get to India would be helpful. Our South Pacific Area doll has been named Warrawe Matilda. Warrawe means “Strong Woman” in the Darug language and therefore the members of Nepean Group thought this was appropriate. I have attached her photograph and if you would like her to visit your Branch or Group, please feel free to take her along and share the fun. I have attach a photo of her and the poem which goes with her on her travels (South Pacific Area doll photo and poem), so even if she is not there is person, she is there in spirit.

We have already collected approx. $800 so far on our travels! As I have said, I have been very busy in the past twelve months so I have attached the report I presented to the Board meeting, so that you can see my travels. I would like to thank Heather Brennan for her wise counsel and support over the past twelve months and we are looking forward to meeting you all again in Chennai. I have been asked by the Projects Committee to monitor two projects, early in the new year, one in Tuvalu and the other in Papua/New Guinea so it seems that 2013 will be just as busy.

The accounts for the 12 months to 31st July are at the auditors and I will send these out as soon as I receive them back. We seem to have made a healthy profit from the Conference in Tonga and will have a tidy sum top send to the Princess’ Health Research Fund and also a tidy amount to put towards bringing some South Pacific delegates to the 2014 Area Conference. I hope you have a wonderful festive season and perhaps time spent with your families over the new year and I look forward to keeping in touch with you all.

My kindest regards and Best Wishes

Ruth Shanks,AM South Pacific Area President

Hi All

From all reports I have seen and heard, there was lots of activity on Sunday 29th April, 'ACWW day' and the day that we let the world know about ACWW and the work we do. Many members, friends and associates took part in this activity and suggestions have been made that we continue to do this every year.

So that we can make a big impact when the collection from the South Pacific Area goes to London, would all Australian societies remit their money to the SPA bank account and I will send it as one lump sum, but I will acknowledge each society from which the money has been received. If I can receive this money before the end of this month, as it needs to be in London by June. Would New Zealand and island societies like to send their money direct to London to save two exchange rates but please let me know what you have sent?

If you have any interesting stories and or photos of the Walk, if these could be sent both to me and to London direct and the most interesting photograph received will be used on the cover of one of the future edition of “The Countrywoman”

I would like to add another reminder about nominations and resolutions and recommendations for the conference in Chennai. Please refer to your November mailout from London.

It is also time to be starting your bag making activities for the Triennial Conference and I hope that we will have many, many contributions from the South Pacific.
I will attach the information for the Pre-Conference Tour to India. You will see there are three items and I would be grateful if you could disseminate this information to any member you have on an internet database and also through your officers, branches and groups/divisions etc. The tour sounds great and it seems is great value for money.
Island Societies:

Please note: If you would like to apply for Project funding either from the South Pacific Area or ACWW London, please go to the ACWW Website under projects and download the Projects Submission form. When completed please send a copy to myself and also to London for the Worldwide funding, or if it just for funding from the South Pacific (small projects) then send direct to me.

I have reminded Societies who have not paid their subscription and have had replies from most. Would you all check to make sure that your subscription has been sent to London, as if it is NOT paid by June there is a reapplication fee to be paid. If your society is having trouble paying, please let me know and I will see what can be done.
It is now getting into Winter and a little colder but that is a great time maybe to carry out small projects to raise some funds for ACWW.

I have attended QCWA International Weekend in Maleny Queensland, CWA of NSW International Weekend in Armidale, CWA of NSW State Conference and numerous branches within NSW extending the knowledge to our members of ACWW. I will shortly be visiting East Timor (in June) to visit the Alola Foundation and CTKDS in Lospalos to see the work they do and find out how we can help them. I also have a visit to CWA of A National Conference in Hobart,(August) followed by a short tour of Victoria for CWA in Vic. (September) This will be followed by as visit to CWA in SA in late September followed by the yearly visit to London for the 2012 Board meeting. I have also have a number of Group visits in October for conferences on my return.

If there is anything I can do to assist you with your work for ACWW please feel free to make contact and I will endeavour to work with you all.


Ruth Shanks,AM South Pacific Area President

Extracts from ACWW Area President's Newsletter:

Welcome to 2012 one and all

It is great to be in contact with you all again and I hope we can work together through 2012 and improve the lives of others across the world, and especially across the South Pacific.

Women Walk the World’ 29th April 2012
Have you all made arrangements for your participation in this great event. Not only is it an event to raise much needed funds for ACWW, but it is also a great opportunity to provide greater awareness of the work we do and the work we can do if we have further assistance.

I will attach a few documents to this newsletter and I hope they will assist you with your organisation for this momentous day.

These documents will be:-

1. Imagine
2. Women of the World- a poem written by a speaker at the Conference in Arkansas which is a lovely piece of verse for all to read.

Could I ask that any sponsorship received on this day be collected and transferred to the Area President’s Account by 31st May 2012? All monies will then be sent to London with notation of all money received from each society.
You will have all received the December mail out with a number of items which you should all be aware of, take notice and maybe take action.

1. Board and Executive meeting minutes
2. Circular 1- Nominations for Officers and Specified Committee Chairmen.
3. Circular 2- Call for resolutions and recommendations.

Item 2- As you would all be aware every position on the Board is open for nomination each Triennium. A person can serve two terms in each position (i.e. 6 years) but cannot serve more than 4 terms on the Board. All voting societies will have received the appropriate documentation and information on how to nominate a person for a position.  These are very specific instructions and if not carried out correctly, the nomination becomes invalid.  They MUST be sent in the envelope provided. If you wish to make a nomination, please carry out these instructions carefully.

Item 3- Member societies can send a resolution and/or a recommendation for consideration for the agenda at the Triennial Conference.  Please give due consideration to topics for this agenda and again follow the criteria set out in the papers forwarded to your society.

The booklet for the South Pacific Area in Tonga has been completed and is, at this moment, at the printers. These booklets will be posted to all attendees and to all societies in the Area. I am hopeful that this will happen before the end of March, 2012. I have some lovely photos of the preschool children in Tonga receiving the goodies from the Conference so if you would like some of these photos, just let me know and I will email them to you.

Chennai, 2013- I hope many of you have already decided to start saving to attend the Conference in Chennai.  I have had some discussion with a travel agent and it seems the approximate cost of a 12-14 day trip prior to the Conference will cost in the vicinity of $3.500.  This includes the airfare to and from India as well.  It does not include the cost of registration for the Conference nor does it cover the cost of accommodation for the conference.

I would really like to have some idea of people who would be interested and I ask that those who might be able to attend please make contact with me just so we can work on numbers.  This tour would be available to all members of all societies in the South Pacific.  Flights can be arranged from various cities with the Area as the preliminary pricing was NOT done with a Group booking where everyone has to leave at the same time and from the same place.  This gives everyone more flexibility with their travel. If you could contact me by the end of March would be great and I will then be in touch with further information when it comes to hand.

I have recently attended a very well organised International weekend with CWA of NSW and will travel to QCWA International weekend in March. I will attend the CWA of NSW Conference, which is the 90th Anniversary Conference in Sydney in May, and also the CWA of Australia Conference in Hobart in August.  I have then been asked to visit some branches in Victoria on my return from Hobart so my calendar is filling up nicely for the year.
If there are any Island societies who have an impending project and would like some assistance, can you please let me know so that I can pass on information to other societies who are always looking for projects to work towards? New Zealand Rural Women are particularly looking for a water project to assist.

That is all for now, so please members, please attend to the above mentioned matters and also keep in touch with your needs and expectations.

Cheers for now

Ruth Shanks,AM South Pacific Area President

Extracts from ACWW Area President's Newsletter:

Hello everyone,
It’s newsletter time again and I have quite a lot of information for you and some items for your attention. I would like to say a special thank you to all those who attended the South Pacific Area Conference in Tonga.  It was a great success and I hope we can continue with the good work, which was achieved at the conference.

• Thank you also to all the societies, who made donations to assist us to get the Pacific Island women to the conference.  All societies were represented except the Solomon Islands so I believe this was a credit to you all.
  
  
• The conference booklet will be sent out early in 2012 so all Societies and all attendees will receive a copy.
  
  
• Following the Conference I stopped off in New Zealand and through the courtesy of Rural Women New Zealand and WI in New Zealand, I travelled through the South Island on  meet and greet trail.  Thank you to all those who offered me hospitality and also a special thank you to Jeanette Tarbotton for her capable driving and hospitality at her home.  I hope I was able to provide some feedback about ACWW activities and instil some enthusiasm for the work we do.
  
  
• I then was only home for a short while and travelled to London for the Board meeting. This was a very productive meeting and much positive work was achieved with a lot of positive thoughts as to the future of ACWW.
  
  
• The restructure of the office staff is proceeding well and we look forward to working with the new staff and keep everyone up to date with procedures, etc.
  
  
• Women Walk The World:-  this is our major effort for 2012 and I hope that everyone is enthused about the concept.  It is very much a locally owned project and societies, branches and/or individual members need to “own” the product and carry out their own sponsorship, promotion etc as befits for your own area.   I will attach a sponsorship form to this newsletter so that you can print as many copies as you would like to enable your members to attract their own sponsors.  I would like all money raised to be sent to me be 31st May 2012, so it can be sent to London in one lump sum.  I will acknowledge each and every donation when the funds are sent to London.  I did hear a rumour that the Rural Women New Zealand are going to figuratively attempt to walk the length of New Zealand!! This is a challenge for all to try for.
  
  
• There are societies who have asked for an updated ACWW Constitution since the conference in Arkansas. As there had to be some alterations made to the Constitution with regards to resolutions at the Conference and also changes which were required to be made to comply with UK Charity Laws, this has not been completed as yet.  The Constitution Committee which was set up by the Board in 2011 has been working diligently on this task, and as you can imagine, it is not an easy one. I will keep you up to date with what transpires and at the moment, you need to transpose the 2010 changes into the copy which you have.
  
  
• At the Board meeting, the Area Presidents had a small amount of time for discussion as we felt this was not enough, we requested that at each future Board meeting, room and time be made available for the 9 Area Presidents to informally meet and discuss Area activities and maybe have some constructive input into the functioning of the Areas as part of ACWW. This we felt, was a way of further cohesive activities on a world- wide basis.
  
  
• I would remind you, at this time, all positions become vacant at the World Conference in Chennai in 2013. Each position is only for one term, i.e. three years, and then the position becomes vacant. This is the time you need to be thinking about who is the best person for a position and if there is a person in your society who would be able to fulfil that role.  Each person can only nominate for one position so much thinking needs to be done and then, of course, the person needs to be asked if they would like to be nominated for the position.  Nominations will be called for probably in the first half of 2012 so put your thinking caps on and hopefully find someone to nominate.  PS I will finish my second term as your Area President so am not able to stand for this position again.
  
  
• We are continuing with the foreign currency collection and if you have any further funds then let me know and we will arrange collection. 
  
  
• Stamps are also continuing to be collected and sold and this is raising extra funds for the work in the SPA.
  
  
• I am working on a Project submission form for the Area and this will enable those societies who are looking for funding to fill in the appropriate form with all details and a budget and these will then be available for Societies to pick up on a special project.  This will also enable us to follow up on the projects and monitor them as well.  There are much better checks and balances on the monies we send to the societies if the funds can come through the one Area account.
  
  
• I am having discussions with a travel agent at the moment, re the proposed tour in India prior to the World Conference.  This was mentioned at the Conference in Tonga and I will have some further information shortly.
  
  
• CSIRO- I will attach a newsletter from the CSIRO girls from the Conference in Tonga and this will update you as to what is happening with the report.

I would like to wish you all best wishes for the coming festive season and I hope that you, your families and your societies have a happy and prosperous 2012.

Ruth Shanks,AM South Pacific Area President