20th October
Mutiny in the ranks at the local WI Book Group when at least 2 members refused to continue reading the Amy Tan book "the Kitchen God's Wife".Yet several other readers loved the novel because it reveals insights into the Chinese way of life and the traditions of this fascinating culture.The strength of the women up against mental and physical hardship was amazing and helped one to understand the history of matriarchal power in that country. We are now embarked on an Ian Rankin thriller so perhaps I shall be the next rebel.
23rd October
Thank Goodness I now have something better to read! I bought a couple of the books written by Kate Adie who was the main speaker at today's Half Yearly Council at Aylesbury. Kate Adie is an excellent speaker with wonderful clear diction and she gave a well constructed talk. The themes were risk and danger and although she underplayed her own bravery, she has obviously witnessed very dangerous situations during her working life on battle fronts around the world and had some scary moments.
The Bucks Federation is well organised for its 90th anniversary in 2010. There are lots of events and competitions already planned. Joy Greasley, the NFWI vice-chairman is always a delight to listen to. She gave an amusing account of her experiences since joining the WI. The general standard of presentation from the stage was good with a variety of people advertising forthcoming events. I enjoyed especially the reading of the Bucks winning entry for the Lady Denman Cup written by a member from one of our newer WIs.
25th October
Armed with litter pickers and sacks borrowed from the AVDC and from Encams, 14 local WI members went litter picking this morning as part of the NFWI Big Tidy Up campaign launched by Bill Bryson on radio and TV last month.We were joined by members from other town organisations and actually it was an enjoyable exercisein cold but dry weather. We covered 5 areas of the town and were amazed to find in an hour and a half, we had collected 26 sacks of rubbish. We thought we were a pretty clean town! We are lucky to have a friendly and efficient regular road sweeper so we invited him along for the photoshoot. Several car drivers tooted at our florescent green safety tabards. I think/hope it was in support, as if we were on duty on an industrial strike picket line--some thought it was more likely to be in derision.However, it was suggested that the WI repeated the sweep but we will have to see about that.
27th October
The Education & Current Affairs Sub-committee organised the Eat,Think and Be Healthy evening in Winslow Public Hall today.This was over-subscribed so there were about 100 members present which was heartening after the last health day had to be cancelled from lack of support. The Nintendo people with 2 WiiFit machines wanted to take over the meeting but had been booked only as a sideshow (WIs may book Nintendo for their own meetings).Consequently there had to be a lot of jigging of the programme to fit as many people as wanted through the trials. For once WI members were encouraged to be in the hall an hour before the advertised time. It may never happen again! The main speakers from Nestles and the Blood Pressure Association were interesting and the side stalls did a brisk trade. Luis Mendelez, our meditation expert, is the only person I know who has been able to keep 100 WI members absolutely silent for 3 minutes at a time! Hopefully we all picked up some useful tips about what and what not to eat but on the whole the audience was fairly knowledgeable so we may have been preaching to the converted. Perhaps the real gain will be if some have been strengthened in their resolve to improve their ways. Good news about the wine and the chocolate though!
Wednesday, 29 October 2008
Friday, 10 October 2008
Crafty methods
6th October
Eleven of the local WI members spent the day learning how to cut glass and we all produced a frame for a mirror and a hanging mobile thing to catch the light wherever we chose to exhibit it.I must admit that I expected to need the first aid kit either immediately or in the days following the activity but the Health & Safety people would have been very relieved as we escaped accident-free.These craft schools are very enjoyable as everyone gets to know each other while taking part in a common project. The stumbling block is being able to find a meeting place which doesn't raise the cost beyond a reasonable level or indeed finding a hall not taken up by playgroups.This was our second craft session and both times we have had to hold them in private houses which is very pleasant for the guests but a bit daunting for the hostess.
8th October
This evening two of our members attended a meeting up at Emberton for the WI Press reporters. This event is one of two called by the Federation Press Officer which is a good idea as she is new to the job and this way members get to know her. The speaker was John Falding, a retired editor from the Financial Times.I think those attending would have liked more practical advice on writing their columns as most of them have built up or inherited good contacts with their local papers. There were a lot of different papers represented on our evening, stretching across all our county borders. We have always given reports rather than blatantly advertised forthcoming events which our Press Officer seemed to want us to do. However most local papers do not welcome advertising except as straightforward paid for advertising so we have always "sneaked" in forthcoming events. Also we did not see the point of passing our press reports through her for the papers, although we were quite willing to advise her of events planned. The Press Officer in history has been the link with WI Life and the national papers and local media so I don't know whether the WI reporters will be very happy or co-operate with this new idea.WI reporters are aware of the benefits of e-mail for photos for the newspapers and many are using this method to good effect. We were able to cite good examples of coverage as well as those which did nothing to enhance the WI image--and it was those that we hoped would be helped by the evening held.
Eleven of the local WI members spent the day learning how to cut glass and we all produced a frame for a mirror and a hanging mobile thing to catch the light wherever we chose to exhibit it.I must admit that I expected to need the first aid kit either immediately or in the days following the activity but the Health & Safety people would have been very relieved as we escaped accident-free.These craft schools are very enjoyable as everyone gets to know each other while taking part in a common project. The stumbling block is being able to find a meeting place which doesn't raise the cost beyond a reasonable level or indeed finding a hall not taken up by playgroups.This was our second craft session and both times we have had to hold them in private houses which is very pleasant for the guests but a bit daunting for the hostess.
8th October
This evening two of our members attended a meeting up at Emberton for the WI Press reporters. This event is one of two called by the Federation Press Officer which is a good idea as she is new to the job and this way members get to know her. The speaker was John Falding, a retired editor from the Financial Times.I think those attending would have liked more practical advice on writing their columns as most of them have built up or inherited good contacts with their local papers. There were a lot of different papers represented on our evening, stretching across all our county borders. We have always given reports rather than blatantly advertised forthcoming events which our Press Officer seemed to want us to do. However most local papers do not welcome advertising except as straightforward paid for advertising so we have always "sneaked" in forthcoming events. Also we did not see the point of passing our press reports through her for the papers, although we were quite willing to advise her of events planned. The Press Officer in history has been the link with WI Life and the national papers and local media so I don't know whether the WI reporters will be very happy or co-operate with this new idea.WI reporters are aware of the benefits of e-mail for photos for the newspapers and many are using this method to good effect. We were able to cite good examples of coverage as well as those which did nothing to enhance the WI image--and it was those that we hoped would be helped by the evening held.
Sunday, 5 October 2008
Tickets to ride
30 September
The best part of today was spent sending off tickets for our health day event "Eat, think and be Healthy" to which there has been an excellent response. It is however interesting to note that only 2 WIs from south of Aylesbury have applied: this proves that it is a firm belief held among members that it is further to travel up the county than it is for us northerners to travel down! Many of us spend hours travelling down to the High Wycombe area for events when those from the Thames Valley look upon anything North of Aylesbury as the outskirts of Birmingham and quite beyond consideration.Perhaps it is because in north Bucks there are gaps between our towns and villages where there appears to be no human habitation. Should we go back to the practice of putting on maps "Here be dragons"?
Another hobbyhorse brought on by a closing date, closely followed by another. If I see another 2"x2" gold envelope sent as an SAE for 6 tickets to an event, I shall be heard screaming for miles around.Luckily the travellers to Norwich do not commit this sin so it was trouble-free to send off their final instructions for the November break.
1 October
The local WI met tonight and we enjoyed a very professional talk from the founder of the Ethical Food Company which is very local to us.It tied in well with the work we did last year on the Great Milk Debate and members were interested and felt challenged in matching their beliefs with the practical economics of buying ethically. Food for thought, dare I say? We have more names now volunteering to help with the Big Tidy Up but I'm not sure we have many new people willing to stand for next year's committee which is a shame. Anyway we welcomed 4 new members and there are a couple more in waiting so that is good news.
3 October
Three Bucks members left today for a holiday in the Canadian Rockies. I taxi-ed one down to Heathrow but the other pair went under their own steam. I must admit that I wanted to do this to make sure they all met up safely before leaving and I could relax and know they were on their way.I need not have bothered as we all found each other easily and were soon swept along with what looked like half of Devon and Wiltshire WI Federations.Those federations are experienced travellers with the Collette Worldwide people: some have been to New Zealand with them whereas we have gone only as far as Sicily which was a bit of a test run.I hope some more of our Bucks members will ask to go to Norway in 2009 and the Oberammagau trip in 2010 which will be promoted at the Autumn Council Meeting this month.It was freezing at Heathrow but the sunshine made our countryside a joy to drive through.
4 October
A local lady phoned tonight to enquire about joining the WI. She said she didn't know the WI did things like quizzes and holidays but she had read in the Parish Magazine about our activities and wondered whether she and a friend could come along next month. I heard myself saying that it might not be the best as it was our annual meeting and we wouldn't have a speaker etc. and then I thought what a negative response I was making. I have now delivered to her house a copy of our programme and a list of diary events and our extra interest groups and a copy of the WILife and the Green Letter so now I have probably scared her off completely! I'll keep you informed or maybe not...
The best part of today was spent sending off tickets for our health day event "Eat, think and be Healthy" to which there has been an excellent response. It is however interesting to note that only 2 WIs from south of Aylesbury have applied: this proves that it is a firm belief held among members that it is further to travel up the county than it is for us northerners to travel down! Many of us spend hours travelling down to the High Wycombe area for events when those from the Thames Valley look upon anything North of Aylesbury as the outskirts of Birmingham and quite beyond consideration.Perhaps it is because in north Bucks there are gaps between our towns and villages where there appears to be no human habitation. Should we go back to the practice of putting on maps "Here be dragons"?
Another hobbyhorse brought on by a closing date, closely followed by another. If I see another 2"x2" gold envelope sent as an SAE for 6 tickets to an event, I shall be heard screaming for miles around.Luckily the travellers to Norwich do not commit this sin so it was trouble-free to send off their final instructions for the November break.
1 October
The local WI met tonight and we enjoyed a very professional talk from the founder of the Ethical Food Company which is very local to us.It tied in well with the work we did last year on the Great Milk Debate and members were interested and felt challenged in matching their beliefs with the practical economics of buying ethically. Food for thought, dare I say? We have more names now volunteering to help with the Big Tidy Up but I'm not sure we have many new people willing to stand for next year's committee which is a shame. Anyway we welcomed 4 new members and there are a couple more in waiting so that is good news.
3 October
Three Bucks members left today for a holiday in the Canadian Rockies. I taxi-ed one down to Heathrow but the other pair went under their own steam. I must admit that I wanted to do this to make sure they all met up safely before leaving and I could relax and know they were on their way.I need not have bothered as we all found each other easily and were soon swept along with what looked like half of Devon and Wiltshire WI Federations.Those federations are experienced travellers with the Collette Worldwide people: some have been to New Zealand with them whereas we have gone only as far as Sicily which was a bit of a test run.I hope some more of our Bucks members will ask to go to Norway in 2009 and the Oberammagau trip in 2010 which will be promoted at the Autumn Council Meeting this month.It was freezing at Heathrow but the sunshine made our countryside a joy to drive through.
4 October
A local lady phoned tonight to enquire about joining the WI. She said she didn't know the WI did things like quizzes and holidays but she had read in the Parish Magazine about our activities and wondered whether she and a friend could come along next month. I heard myself saying that it might not be the best as it was our annual meeting and we wouldn't have a speaker etc. and then I thought what a negative response I was making. I have now delivered to her house a copy of our programme and a list of diary events and our extra interest groups and a copy of the WILife and the Green Letter so now I have probably scared her off completely! I'll keep you informed or maybe not...
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