Denman College Diamond Celebration

23rd September
I think it was 24 of us from the Bucks Federation who had spent the weekend making cakes for the Denman College Diamond Anniversary celebrations. The neighbouring federations around Marcham each undertook to do the refreshments for one day during the week of celebration. The Denman kitchen provided the ingredients for the rolls and sandwiches but it was up to us to make the cakes. It was an early start and because this was the first day Bucks were the guinea pigs to see whether it would work. There were too few urns and problems with the water supply but besides that, it was with a sense of achievement when we finished the day having looked after over 600 guests plus staff and stewards over lunch and tea.A heavy shower of rain at lunchtime ensured that everyone came in to eat at the same time but the atmosphere was sunny both sides of the serving tables. No one commented on the fact that two out of the 24 Bucks caterers had black eyes. I thought there would be the usual quips plus mention of the current WI campaign re. Violence against Women but narry a one.I hasten to add that both eyes were the result of accidents with bicycles which is pretty noteworthy as one lady must be well on towards her eighties!
Those of you who didn't go to Denman missed a treat. The flowers were wonderful dotted around the grounds all very modern but absolutely beautiful. It was good to see Diana Kerley the former Denman College Head of Staff flying about in her black boots just like old times. She never walks when she can run! There were masses of things to see and do in the marquees and across the gardens but I left the inside activities until later in the week when I was to steward and not fill rolls all day.
24th September
This was a long committee which got a bit out of hand as we heard of mutters against the rise in the subscription, about the last year's rather dull speakers and general dissatisfaction with the amount of things organised in the run up to Christmas. Have you noticed how the car has become a sort of confessional box these days? People air views that would not be heard elsewhere.What gets me mad is when the same people who complain about the subscription don't turn a hair at agreeing to an extra event eg Christmas dinner which costs the same as the sub. but is eaten in one evening! There was the usual complaint that it was no use circulating the sheet for nominations to the NFWI Board of Trustees because "We don't know anyone". I would have thought the arrival of WI Life would have helped with this problem but no...
The committee will wear name badges for the next meeting as would you believe some members are not sure who we are either. Perhaps I was tired, but I admit I was looking round for a bag of lime!
25th September
Back to Denman this morning and the weather was bright and sunny. I was stewarding inside the Main House which would have been where I would have picked, if given a choice. I just love that place. The flowers inside the house were wonderful and so imaginative. And then the quilts were on display which had been on view when we went to the NEC in Birmingham and I got to talk to the lady who had created the winning quilt.Then there was the sound of the piano being played wafting up from the drawing room and then two harpists. Magic! Ann Stamper the WI Archivist was in attendance upstairs giving advice to members worried about their WI scrapbooks and memorabilia.Lots of visitors were not WI members and they were enquiring into how they could attend courses and many were absolutely bowled over by the bedrooms. I went over in the lunch break to see the new Holly Cottages and the Ferris Home Economics hall. Everything is impressive and state of the arts with equipment and I really believe that the College will go from strength to strength from now on. Lots of Bucks members visited over the days when I was there so there were lots of positive comments which restored my belief in the WI after last night's blues.
26 th September
Spent the morning on the phone sorting out a muddle created by the travel firm which is dealing with the November holiday. What on earth possessed it to send the invoices direct to the travellers who wanted insurance instead of me I'll never know. Luckily most people said they had thought it rather strange to be asked to pay twice and had waited to see what would happen next, but one had dutifully sent off a cheque to the firm because they had put a closing date on the invoice and she didn't want to miss it!
WI Life arrived and as the members who went to the training session said, it had another extremely young face on the cover. Could we not feature the members of the Board of Trustees: then members would have no excuse to say they don't know what they look like.