WI under water at Pann Mill

May 11th
I happened to watch "Ready, steady cook" this afternoon. Angela Baker was a participant with her new husband Rev Charles Knowles.Angela was Miss February on the WI Calendar and it was her husband's death from cancer which inspired the local WI members to pose nude for the calendar.It was lovely to see her so happy after her recent marriage to Charles who had been a friend of John's.It was also pleasing to hear her say that the only thing she criticised the film of Calendar Girls for was the way in which it looked as if the NFWI hadn't supported the members in planning the calendar when they had been given approval all along.But that wouldn't have been such a good story, would it?
May 13th
It was National Mill Day today and the BFWI was booked to attend the open day at Pann Mill in High Wycombe. We were all geared up with a treasure trail, a promotion stand and a good site.The WI has been a part of this open day for 3 years now because it links in with local heritage and the Environmental Centre on the Rye.
Last year there wasn't enough water in the river to turn the mill wheel.How different this year! From the cover of our tent we watched the river level rise at least 6 inches as the rain came down non-stop. We abandoned the trail as no parent or child would enjoy trekking about the Rye looking for items of natural interest.Several people, mostly WI members already, dropped in to talk or shelter but there was hardly anyone there. Such a shame because the setting is lovely and the mill was going great guns grinding the corn and so much work had gone into the preparation nearly all done by volunteers.
Anyway when the RNLI bailed out the WI did too! We had got to the point when we were all wet, the tent needed the water on the roof shaken off every 2 minutes and our display was sodden.The things we do for the WI!
There was a good article in the Stella magasine part of the Sunday Telegraph talking about the growth of new WIs catering for younger members. It was a well written piece, very positive with lots of photos of members in Fulham and Islington. They looked very glamorous in their little black dresses but the other photos were what was described as the traditional WI image. Unfortunately, the editor had gone back to wartime pictures of members in turbans making jam and unflattering shots of icecream-eating members at the AGM. I agree that the average WI member of today doesn't wear smart little black numbers for the monthly meeting but neither do they wear pinnies and turbans! We may not be under thirty but we still dress up well and engage in all the activities that the younger WIs are now embracing too. Just a bit unfair I thought and we have some Bucks members who are under thirty and working. The reasons why these young members join are exactly the same as when we older members did--the need for friendship, a place and voice in the community and the chance to be ourselves and have fun.