The Australian Women's Weekly April 2020

What a month it’s been. It seems one minute we were rejoicing at the rains and encouraging everyone to visit our great Aussie towns, and the next we were cancelling events and wondering if we should be leaving the house at all. It’s not hard to get overwhelmed with all the information (and misinformation) flying around. Social media is so often a hub for feeding our anxieties, so I thought I’d share something I saw on Instagram that actually helped soothe mine a little: Viruses are contagious. So is panic. Fear. Hysteria. Calm. Love. Enthusiasm. Kindness. Joy. Choose wisely. Of course we are not going to cure a pandemic by simply thinking positively, but we can make an effort to remain connected, from a safe distance of course! Try smiling…

A GREAT LOSS We were most grateful to read your mention of the sudden tragic death of Saskia Beer (Editor’s Letter, AWW, March). Here in South Australia we are still in shock over her sudden passing and all our thoughts go to her family, especially to her much-loved mother, Maggie, who was so proud of her daughter and her successes. It is still impossible to believe that she has gone. Indeed a most tragic loss and totally incomprehensible. C. Kelly, via email. HER MAGDA-STY I wish to commend you on your wonderful article on the vibrant Magda Szubanski (There’s Something About Magda, AWW, March). I grew up watching her on Fast Forward and loved her characters Lynne and Michelle. She’s a comic genius! She has campaigned for various issues throughout…

A royal send-off IT WAS DUBBED Meghan and Harry’s farewell tour, a clutch of UK engagements that marked the end of their official royal duties. And for the House of Windsor, March 2020 will certainly go down in the history books. Unable to reach a compromise with the monarchy’s brains trust, Prince Harry and Meghan are now heading off to a self-funded life in North America of their own making. The loss to the monarchy was painfully evident as the duo’s swansong dominated global front pages. In his red Royal Marines mess jacket, Harry held Meghan tight and the couple received a standing ovation at the Royal Albert Hall. In his speech Harry said, “A lot of you tonight have told me you have my back”. While on a surprise…

RALLYING CALL Women in Chile, Brazil and Mexico come out in a show of strength on International Women’s Day, calling for their governments to step up. BRIGHT SPIRITS Glowing in fluro yellow, Katy Perry travelled to Bright, Victoria, for a special concert with a message of “gratitude and unity” for the bushfire-affected region. SISTER ACT Nicole Kidman posted this snap of her sister Antonia and mum Janelle on International Women’s Day to “celebrate the deeply special women in our lives”.…

FRIENDS IN NEED Amid the coronavirus uncertainty, two generous friends from Queensland, Addyson McGuire, six, and Lucy Shaban, four, spent their pocket money on toilet paper they hand-delivered to pensioners in their neighbourhood. UNITY IN COMMUNITY Heartwarming images, such as the photo below from Northcote in Melbourne, show kindness abounds in challenging times. Similar community initiatives have been spotted as neighbours spread resources, and love, by generously providing spare toilet paper to those caught short. LEAN ON US Local shops are doing what they can to support their community members. The Sun Bookshop in Melbourne’s inner west promised to deliver books to readers in lockdown, while the Belgrave RSL in Melbourne’s east is lifting spirits by giving away free toilet paper rolls with each purchase of Corona beer.…

Every second Tuesday afternoon, Toni Thomas eagerly heads off to her favourite place in the world, a local Learning Club. It’s here she volunteers to work with a group of young and eager kids who – thanks to a wide-ranging program from The Smith Family – are getting a helping hand with both their educational and social needs. The Club runs every school day, providing kids in need with a much welcomed afternoon tea plus a safe space to do their homework where help is at hand should they run into any problems. This is just one aspect of The Smith Family’s Learning for Life sponsorship program, an initiative aimed at making sure that kids in poverty can keep up with their peers when it comes to education. And it’s…