Page 5 - BPW-UK E-news - Edition 95 - August 2021

Stella Rule BPWUK Past National President 1977-1979

Whilst on holiday in Cornwall I had the pleasure of going to meet PNP Stella Rule and was made extremely
welcome. Stella had spent some time sorting through her BPW photograph collection and had thoughtfully written
some dates and names onto the reverse for me. It was a wonderful journey through a little bit of BPWUK history and
the work we have been doing so very well.
Stella and her BPW colleagues had successes, which, without the communication technology we now have,
must have proved difficult. We talked about the lobbying that she was involved with concerning girls’ education.
Stella was the Head Teacher at a school in Camborne, an area of beauty and poverty. This knowledge was used to
help formulate local policies when working with the Cornish County Education Department, but also when being part
of a delegation to Romania forty years ago when President Ceausescu was still in charge. Stella had been selected to
go along with BPWUK PNP Ivy Starkey, to see what the country was like while emerging from Communist rule. This
involved being taken to various approved locations, including schools, universities, and government departments.
They had a minder and a chauffeur and had been warned by our UK Embassy staff not to discuss opinions among
themselves even in the privacy of a bedroom. This must have been very disconcerting but strengthened the resolve
of our President. This knowledge helped them to report the findings back to the Women’s National Commission, all part
of the Helsinki agreement.
Today we are continuing with this advocacy work, through our working and interest groups that you can be a
part of. Let’s make this year a success by supporting each other and using our networking and lobbying skills to
achieve more great things.
Jo Kinsey

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has signed the UNHCR atement concerning the violation
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A hard copy has been posted to the leader of each devolved nation, plus
the Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab to register our solidarity.

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