With a history spanning back to the 1970s, the AWCCS has grown and merged to become the club it is today. We welcome all women with connections to North America and aim to be an inclusive and supportive organisation. The club is managed by the Board of Directors, members who volunteer, and are nominated and elected to serve on the Board.
Our History
The origins of the AWCCS go back to the early 1970s, when the wives of employees at Santa Fe, a supply company for the off-shore oil industry, began to hold informal lunchtime gatherings. Other American women in Edinburgh were soon attracted to their meetings, and in 1974 the American Women’s Club of Edinburgh was formally established and by-laws drawn up. In May 1998 the American Women’s Club of Edinburgh became the American Women’s Club of Central Scotland: Edinburgh, Central Region, Glasgow.
Our Members Today
Over the years the pattern of meetings has changed due to the diversity experienced in our membership. Up to 100 members strong, we try to meet alternatively in the day and the evening, and we usually meet at least once a month. Many monthly meetings continue to be held in Edinburgh, where the bulk of the membership lives, but an increasing number of “activities” take place in Glasgow. Such activities have always been central to the Club’s program. Some examples of activities are visiting museums and galleries, out-to-lunch, book group, and what is available depends on the particular interests of individual members. If you would like to organize an activity and can attract other members to it, we’ll have an interest group!
Close Connections
The Club has always had a close relationship with the U.S. Consulate-General in Edinburgh. From the beginning, we have been honored to have a female member of the Consulate, whether the Principal Officer, the wife of the Consul General, or a Consular Officer, as our Honorary President.
