Promotion all ways

25 September
I spent most of the day with one of Bucks'WI Advisers promoting the WI in Asda in Bletchley. We were there at the invitation of the management to represent the WI along with other community organisations during the course of that week. The staff made us very welcome, giving us a prime site, two tables and chairs and coffees whenever needed.This is the biggest Asda in Europe and it certainly is vast. We had a steady stream of visitors to our display and it was interesting to watch how people approached. Some make a positive bee-line and say something like "I've been meaning to enquire into the WI for some time so it is good to see you here". Others wander close and one knows that we have to make the first move and a rather unrelated approach is the best tactic.People-watching is always fascinating, isn't it?
Anyway I think we will have done rather well and I hope that the members of the various WIs which we were recommending follow through in a welcoming manner. What I think could also be done in that store is to form a staff WI as NFWI did in Selfridges in London. Asda has a huge staff and premises which could be used and we could approach them through the staff association which seems pretty active after viewing the noticeboard in its staff only area.
26 September
Local WI committee tonight at my house which involved a bit of heavy dusting! As we come up to annual meetings it is worth considering whether the committee has become too large.I know we are lucky that we can raise a lot of people willing to stand when other WIs struggle but it is fairly difficult for me to muster 12 chairs and fit them into my lounge. This problem may just put some members off taking their turn to host the committee meeting. The extra womenpower is welcome but many jobs can be farmed out to non-committee members. What do you think?
We are approaching our annual meeting so will be taking nominations this month and the financial statement has gone for examination to the volunteer auditor.We are also planning the Group Meeting in October when we shall be hostess WI.Because we can afford the space and we know we have an excellent speaker, we have opened this to other organisations in the town which will be a bit of subtle promotion and a chance to attract people to our fund-raiser in November.