PRESS RELEASE 7TH APRIL 2010

PRESS RELEASE

HRH PRINCESS ALEXANDRA HONOURS VADS

HRH Princess Alexandra honoured the memory of the Voluntary Aid Detachment (VAD) nurses at a reception to celebrate the centenary of their formation at London’s New Cavendish Club on March 31, 2010.

Her Royal Highness met former VADs and representatives of The British Red Cross and members of the New Cavendish Club.
Princess Alexandra unveiled a plaque, renaming the Club’s main banqueting room as “The Centenary Suite”.

Club Chairman Susan-Ann Dowle comments:  “It has been our very great pleasure to welcome Her Royal Highness.  The Club has always been synonymous with these brave ladies, many of whom left sheltered privileged homes for the rigours of the Front.  It is our honour to keep their memory alive.”

The organisation was founded in 1909 with the help of the Red Cross and Order of St. John to support medical services.  At the outbreak of World War I there were 74,000 VADs working as assistant nurses, ambulance drivers and cooks both in the UK and abroad.  Their role continued until the end of World War II and the setting up of the National Health Service.  Distinguished VADs include novelists Agatha Christie and Mary Borden; writers Vera Brittain and  Kathleen Haddon, and war poet May Wedderburn Cannon.

The New Cavendish Club was formed in 1920 by the VAD nurses to enable them to continue to meet after the war.  Gentlemen were accepted in 1985 in the Club and while retaining their associations with the founding members, now provides modern facilities in central London at affordable prices to a broad range of members

Victoria Hyam, Manager, 0207 723 0391 victoria@newcavendishclub.co.uk
Deborah Roberts, Meetings and Events Manager,0207 723 0391 deborahroberts@newcavendishclub.co.uk
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April 7th, 2010

To view photographs www.philgammon.co.uk/cavendish_club_hrphotos