The Walcha Branch of the Red Cross Society reformed at a meeting held in the council chambers on Saturday, February 15, 1930 following an address by Major P. L. Murray, the Assistant Commissioner for the Red Cross branches, who was visiting various centres in the northern NSW.
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The officers elected were: Mrs Edith Norton president; Mrs Mary E. Fenwicke and Mrs. Hamilton vice-presidents; Mrs. Benzie secretary and Mrs Hahesy treasurer.
Until 1938, the ladies held their meetings in the Scout Hall, a building that, during World War I, had been their Derby Street tearooms before being sold in 1921 and moved to become the scouts’ “gunyah” adjacent to Blair’s Gully in South Street.
One early function was a baby show with several different categories. It cost a shilling to enter and prizes were awarded for the champion infant as well as for the baby with the cutest dimples, curliest hair, most attractive blue or brown eyes, best physique, heaviest under nine months and the fastest boy or girl crawler under 12 months.
Knitting and sewing were ongoing tasks and, each year, the branch made dozens of garments for the Red Cross After Care centre including pyjamas, nightdresses, petticoats, shirts, singlets, bloomers, booties and socks. They bought bolts of suitable material and had cutting-out and sewing evenings in a variety of different premises, often using borrowed treadle sewing machines and tables.
The outbreak of war on September 3, 1939, caused a major increase in Red Cross activities in the district. New sub-branches were established at Nowendoc, Brackendale and Round Swamp while the existing Tia-Yarrowitch sub-branch took on its share of extra work.
In June 1940, the Walcha Red Cross formed a Voluntary Aid Detachment (VAD) and in August 1940 joined forces with the newly formed Walcha branch of the Women’s Voluntary Service (WVS) to assist each other in various fundraising activities.
Perhaps the most successful event was the Red Cross statewide “Air Race Competition” to Geneva and back for a total distance of some 30,000 miles by the specified route. Every shilling raised by a branch would take its imaginary aeroplane one further mile along the journey; the “aeroplane” travelling the greatest distance by Red Cross Day on Friday, June 16, 1944 would be the winner.
Walcha was the first to reach Geneva, with Grafton in hot pursuit, but was unable to retain the lead giving way to Bathurst, Moree and Headquarters.
