Long-standing Volunteering Career: Rubina Curtis

I joined the Civil Service Women's Headquarters Rowing club in 1957 and was awarded Civil Service Colours in 1969 after racing in an VIII against Cambridge, London and Reading Universities. I was also in the winning IV at the Home Countries (ie England, Scotland, etc.) International event in 1971 at Castle Semple in Scotland. Before and after that I coxed and therefore coached innumerable beginners in IVs and VIIIs until well after I retired. It is always a pleasure to be on the River Thames. The river conditions, weather and scenery are always changing and I am sure the exercise helps to keep one healthy. I had not been in a boat now for some years until a few weeks ago when I proved I could still get into one for an outing in a double scull!

My rowing Club is now known as Barnes Bridge Ladies Rowing Club and in my note of thanks to the Chairman, CSSC, for his letter I said the following. My membership of the Club has covered an interesting time for women's rowing, as this aspect of rowing has expanded greatly during these decades from a relatively small minority sport to one being widely popular and successful. My Club has contributed considerably to these changes throughout this period.

As an example of this you may like to recall that several Captains of our Club were in a supporting party that went to the Olympic Games in Montreal in 1976 where some of our members were competing in the first such Games in which women rowers could so compete. The party included the now late Irene Sanders who gained one of your Merit Awards.

Today, as President of the Club, I am more likely to be found supporting crews at regattas (all our rowing competitions are national or international events as we are the only Civil Service ladies rowing club), encouraging past members, now widely scattered, to keep in touch and also encouraging London based delegates at CSSC Conferences to advertise our Club in their Departments.