As others see us

20 July
An early start to help steward in the WI tent at the Chiltern Show at Great Missenden. Our site was very close to the main stage so we were able to follow the various items featured throughout the day. It was very rewarding to see that most of the recommendations for the awards for work in the community were put forward by WI members. These were not just for local members but for people who had been spotted as making a worthwhile contribution to the life of others in their home area. The WI was also well represented in the prize list for the original writing competition. One of our own WI members was highly commended so we felt very proud about that.
Apparently attendance had been low the day before but it was fine on the Sunday. However it does work out very expensive for the families visiting and it may be wise for the organisers to make more favourable terms for family tickets in order to increase the gate figures.We were promoting the WI of course and had lots of members drop in to see us and the usual amount of people saying that they will join as soon as they retire! We joined when we were mothers and working part-time too, a lot of us so why can't others? I don't believe it is any harder for the modern younger mother than it was for us.
22 July
This evening I attended the meeting arranged by Post Offices Ltd re. probable closures in North Bucks. The WI has been fighting these closures nationally for several years now and we have been writing letters to all and sundry in the hope of influencing the powers that be against adding to rural isolation.There was a representative from Post Watch, an organisation which has been fairly sympathetic towards our concerns but which in reality has very few teeth to alter these rulings. The meeting was attended by about 50 people and all the old arguments were aired both for and against. We were told that we could make our concerns known and send up more information to back our cause during the consultation period but one felt it was a foregone conclusion. The inadequacies of local transport had not been fully considered in a practical fashion. OK one can get a bus from Twyford to Marsh Gibbon to visit the Post Office but with the best will in the world what can one do in Marsh Gibbon for two hours before starting the return journey! And why consider closing a branch which is growing in its custom in favour of one where the trader wishes to retire?
The writing was on the wall for Post Offices when the Government altered the payment of pensions and removed other services from the PO counters. And then to keep saying to the elderly "Look this up on the Web and pay this over the Web" is ludicrous! Why should they be forced to have a computer or to have to ask a family member to do it for them ?
25 July
The local WI craft group enjoyed a really amusing session working on the exhibit for the Winslow Show. It is great fun working together and coming up with solutions to problems and arguing the feasibility of someone else's mad ideas.It is also amazing what strange things people keep which they think may come in useful..and they do! Adaptation is the name of the game on these occasions.
30 July
The local WI committee met tonight over a glass of wine to discuss the results of the questionnaire which we had sent round our members last month. There was a 60% response which is marvellous and better still the majority had positive comments to make. We discussed each question and our WI secretary has prepared an immediate report for our September meeting and the committee has the beginnings of an action plan built on the replies. It was a very useful exercise to see whether we were providing the members with the WI which they wanted. We have gained new ideas for speakers, suggestions for extra activities and constructive comments on the running of our meetings. I will write more about our findings at a future date when we are a bit further along the line with planning. I do recommend that WIs do take a look at themselves every now and again. This idea came through a meeting which two of our members attended which had been organised by the Member Services sub-committee. There is another one planned for September so watch the Green Letter for dates and time.