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AAP
AAP
Health
Stephanie Gardiner

A Joy to lead CWA into its next century

Joy Beames has been elected president of the NSW Country Women's Association. (AAP)

Rural woman Joy Beames is described as someone who always goes out of her way to help others.

Mrs Beames, who was recognised for helping farmers recover from a devastating bushfire in 2017, has been elected president of the NSW Country Women's Association.

Mrs Beames, from Dunedoo in central west NSW, was elected at the association's centenary conference in Sydney on Wednesday.

"It's such a privilege to be taking the association into its next 100 years of advocacy and support for rural and regional NSW," she said after her appointment.

"Alongside our members, I look forward to continuing the hard work that has been a hallmark of our association throughout its first century."

Mrs Beames has a long history of rural advocacy.

She has been a member of her local CWA branch for 30 years, and received awards for organising a donation drive to help farmers who lost their livelihoods in the Sir Ivan fire, which burnt through 55,000 hectares near Dunedoo in 2017.

"Joy always has time to help those in need without asking for anything in return," Centre for Volunteering chief executive Gemma Rygate said at the time.

Mrs Beames said the CWA will continue to push for access to health services, housing, as well as the rights of farmers and the environment under her leadership.

At the conference, members have voted to advocate for better diagnosis and treatment for endometreosis, more funding for women's refuges, and affordable housing for older women.

It has also voted to lobby the NSW government to urgently develop a gas decarbonisation roadmap for the state.

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