Cora Hilda Blanche Wilding (15 November 1888 – 8 October 1982) was a New Zealand physiotherapist and artist, best remembered for her advocacy of outdoor activities and children’s health camps in the 1930s. She was instrumental in the founding of The Sunlight League in 1930, for which she held fundraising garden parties at "Fownhope", the Wilding family home in St Martins, Christchurch, and also the

Youth Hostel Association of New Zealand The Youth Hostel Association of New Zealand (often shortened to YHA New Zealand or YHANZ) is a youth hostelling association in New Zealand. it comprises 16 privately owned associate backpacker hostels—8 in the North Island, and 9 in the Sout ...

in 1932. She had trained as a physiotherapist in Dunedin during World War I, and been introduced to youth hostels during her extensive European travels in the 1920s when she painted and studied outdoor activities. Wilding was born in Christchurch, the son of

Frederick Frederick may refer to: People * Frederick (given name), the name Nobility Anhalt-Harzgerode *Frederick, Prince of Anhalt-Harzgerode (1613–1670) Austria * Frederick I, Duke of Austria (Babenberg), Duke of Austria from 1195 to 1198 * Frederick ...

and Julia Wilding, and a sister of tennis player Tony Wilding. Her indulgent father was a lawyer, and an athlete and cricket and tennis player. She was educated at

Nelson College for Girls , motto_translation = Loyalty, honesty and wisdom , type = State secondary, day and boarding , established = 1883; years ago , address = Trafalgar St , city = Nels ...

, where she was captain of the hockey team and school tennis champion. She retired as a physiotherapist in 1948, and moved from Christchurch to Kaikoura, where she painted for many years. She was made a patron of the Youth Hostel Association of New Zealand in 1938 and a life member in 1968. In the

1952 New Year Honours The New Year Honours 1952 were appointments by King George VI to various orders and honours to reward and highlight good works by citizens of the British Empire and Commonwealth. They were announced on 1 January 1952 for the British Empire, Austra ...

, she was appointed a

Member of the Order of the British Empire The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire is a British order of chivalry, rewarding contributions to the arts and sciences, work with charitable and welfare organisations, and public service outside the civil service. It was established o ...

for services to the community. The first Christchurch youth hostel (1965–1997), formerly Avebury House the Flesher home, was called the "Cora Wilding Youth Hostel" in her honour.

References

*''Cora and Co: The first half-century of New Zealand youth hostelling'' by Dion Crooks (1982, Youth Hostel Association of New Zealand)

External links

''Cora Wilding'' in the Dictionary of New Zealand Biography
{{DEFAULTSORT:Wilding, Cora 1888 births 1982 deaths New Zealand artists New Zealand activists New Zealand women activists New Zealand physiotherapists People from Christchurch People from Kaikōura New Zealand Members of the Order of the British Empire People educated at Nelson College for Girls People associated with The Group (New Zealand art)