10th November
Our local WI craft group held a meeting this afternoon at which we set about planning the activities for the next few months.We are toying with the idea of doing some quilling and a bit of decoupage and also visiting some craft venues too.The main topic was what to do for this sampler for 2010 for which the Bucks Federation has asked every Bucks WI to contribute a page, rather like the County page in the Millennium book or the Book of Banners.The latter may be viewed at Stuart Lodge in High Wycombe or WIs can request it for display at one of the WI meetings. There is always the craft basket down there as well which is of interest to members and may be loaned.Anyway, we want to identify the main features of our town on our sampler but it is going to be difficult to fit everything on to one page especially with the inclusion of the name. Members are already sizing up little sketches and imagining the use of different crafts.
12th November
I attended the Annual Meeting of a troubled WI today. It is so sad when personal feuds infiltrate a WI. Private disagreements should not become public property and disrupt the activities of any WI but it does occasionally happen.Nowhere in the WI constitution does it say that anyone is voted on to a committee for more than one year: it is not a life sentence! It is for this reason that it is always best to go through the nomination procedure even if the outcome is probably a foregone conclusion. A president usually welcomes an election because it re-affirms that the members want her back; if she has had her doubts, she sees that she has been chosen, not just landed with the job.Every member has the right to serve on the committee and, once a committee member, has the right to stand as president.
13th November
The meeting of the Education and Current Affairs subcommittee was held today. We spent a long time conducting a review of the Eat, think and be Healthy evening which was quite hectic but seems to have been popular. Certainly it was good to be able to keep the entrance fee down, thanks to obtaining a small grant to help with the costs of hiring the hall and speakers.The visit to Dorney Lake had been successful too. Other events planned in the future sound promising but I am not sure whether modern technology has speeded up communication as heralded. We still spend ages waiting for replies from speakers or organisations which complicates the long run in to events which publicity in the Federation Monthly Letter demands. Either the notices appear too far in advance or we are accused of leaving it too late.
18th November
Every year the WI Shop takes to the road and is set up in some member's house, one South one North. These are pleasant events as members share a cup of coffee or tea and a mincepie and chat while choosing Christmas cards and gifts. There were fewer people attending in the North this time which was rather disappointing but quite a lot of sales were made.This is a chance for members who never visit the WI shop at Stuart Lodge to see what is available in greater comfort than down there.It is a case of use it or lose it, I'm afraid.
19th November
Cheddington village hall today for a talk called "In the steps of Darwin", except it wasn't! A Chairman's worst nightmare is when a speaker doesn't turn up or in this case double books. Anyway the meeting went ahead with a photographer showing wonderful pictures of wildlife in Africa.Everyone could see the vibrant colours of the birds and the close-ups of cheetahs and zebras as the photos were beautiful.I think the committee did very well to find such an excellent substitute at such short notice.I hope we will not receive too many grumbles because of the change of subject. It is impossible to phone round every WI to warn them when there is only 24 hours notice.
21st November
This evening it was the turn of the local WI to organise an evening of fundraising in the form of a quiz. We had 14 teams booked in from WIs, The Lions and golf clubs and a very professional quizmaster was in charge. I think he over-estimated our depth of general knowledge as lots of the questions were challenging. However, these quizzes are very popular round here so we didn't want easy repeat questions, did we?Well done to the winners who won by half a point--which was a surprise as I didn't think there were any half points! The members produced delicious desserts as advertised, the bar did well and there was a happy atmosphere--no fights but a lot of good natured banter between the teams.Next year we will do something different and try to entice the townspeople to come along and support us again as they usually do.We are grateful for the help given by husbands moving tables and generally carting boxes and dishes about.We billed it as a fun evening and I think it was.
Sunday 23 November 2008
Saturday 8 November 2008
New life
29th October
It was the last committee meeting before the Annual Meeting tonight so there was a lot of planning to do. Sometimes we have a glass of wine or snacks at the Annual Meeting to try to sugar the pill of so much business but I think we have left it too late this year. The programme for next year is organised and looks interesting and varied. We now need to thread in some competitions which are vaguely relevant to the subjects. There has been a marked improvement in the number of entries recently so we will continue to hold them.Looking back, the worst problem we have experienced is the way in which members happily sign up for tickets to County events and then receive "better offers" and think they can just cancel.One doesn't like to say that they must still pay if they cannot find a substitute, but there is no way the WI should lose money in this fashion.
31st October
There is a good write-up of our local Big Tidy Up in the weekly paper. Not everything is accurate but the photo is good and we all look very cheerful--which we were. Several people in the town have asked how we got on and admired our efforts so it was a good community exercise.The trouble is it needs doing again. I never noticed much litter until the Big Tidy Up and now I see it everywhere!
There was a good article in the Daily Telegraph about the WI's national Love Food campaign. This is a diet plan with a difference because it gives ways of food planning in order to reduce waste and waist and save money. As an antidote to the credit crunch, the WI is encouraging the rebirth of cooking skills with fresher food that has more nutrients and less fat and salt.
3rd November
I went along to the Public Hall this afternoon to help serve teas and drinks to the people who have given blood. Our WI has been doing this for several years but one of the regulars had to pull out at the last moment so I went for the first time.It is an admirable thing to do---to donate blood,not to serve teas--- and must be one of the most personal impersonal things one can do. I believe the law has changed the set-up for the other donations because of the perceived necessity for traceability nowadays. With blood, no one knows who gets whose. I fell to wondering whose blood I would like to have had and whose I wouldn't if I had seen them in the hall. My donor must be past his/her drip-by date after about 40 years. These people give blood which is such a personal transaction, yet some put up a wall and hesitate to talk to those offering them tea afterwards.It is true altruism and great to see.
Just heard from the Chaplain in BFPO that we can continue to send parcels to the forces as we are on our detachment's "Friends and Family" list. That's nice, isn't it? We didn't want to clog up the postal service for relatives so had enquired.
5th November
There were explosions outside the hall tonight but thankfully not within for our local WI Annual Meeting.I quite enjoy these meetings when we review the year but many members don't. They are either frightened to get landed with a job or just find it boring. We try to make ours lively but really if it proves difficult to get someone to volunteer to ask someone to give the thanks at a meeting, not to do it themselves, what hope is there? There is one change on our committee which is still too big in my eyes. I'll have to come off next year and put my money where my mouth is.
We have a born- again new President. Fifty four members, about 8 nominations for President and still we had to twist an arm to get a yes! Everyone is so busy these days. We were busy too--we had families and jobs and husbands that needed to be fed but I am told it's different today.
Good article in Woman's Weekly about the new-look WI this week. I haven't seen this magazine for ages and I couldn't help comparing it to WI Life and finding ours so much better. WI Life is not so desperately feminine as this, more ideas about the world beyond a "dream kitchen". Who dreams of kitchens anyway?
7th November
Local WI in the local newspaper again this week but no photos this time. It is just reporting the safe delivery of the knitted house to the playgroup. Also in the paper, another WI is praised for its continued support of the Carers Association providing cakes for every meeting and generally being around when needed. Another example of how WI members are vital to the community, but we do hide our lights under bushels.
It was the last committee meeting before the Annual Meeting tonight so there was a lot of planning to do. Sometimes we have a glass of wine or snacks at the Annual Meeting to try to sugar the pill of so much business but I think we have left it too late this year. The programme for next year is organised and looks interesting and varied. We now need to thread in some competitions which are vaguely relevant to the subjects. There has been a marked improvement in the number of entries recently so we will continue to hold them.Looking back, the worst problem we have experienced is the way in which members happily sign up for tickets to County events and then receive "better offers" and think they can just cancel.One doesn't like to say that they must still pay if they cannot find a substitute, but there is no way the WI should lose money in this fashion.
31st October
There is a good write-up of our local Big Tidy Up in the weekly paper. Not everything is accurate but the photo is good and we all look very cheerful--which we were. Several people in the town have asked how we got on and admired our efforts so it was a good community exercise.The trouble is it needs doing again. I never noticed much litter until the Big Tidy Up and now I see it everywhere!
There was a good article in the Daily Telegraph about the WI's national Love Food campaign. This is a diet plan with a difference because it gives ways of food planning in order to reduce waste and waist and save money. As an antidote to the credit crunch, the WI is encouraging the rebirth of cooking skills with fresher food that has more nutrients and less fat and salt.
3rd November
I went along to the Public Hall this afternoon to help serve teas and drinks to the people who have given blood. Our WI has been doing this for several years but one of the regulars had to pull out at the last moment so I went for the first time.It is an admirable thing to do---to donate blood,not to serve teas--- and must be one of the most personal impersonal things one can do. I believe the law has changed the set-up for the other donations because of the perceived necessity for traceability nowadays. With blood, no one knows who gets whose. I fell to wondering whose blood I would like to have had and whose I wouldn't if I had seen them in the hall. My donor must be past his/her drip-by date after about 40 years. These people give blood which is such a personal transaction, yet some put up a wall and hesitate to talk to those offering them tea afterwards.It is true altruism and great to see.
Just heard from the Chaplain in BFPO that we can continue to send parcels to the forces as we are on our detachment's "Friends and Family" list. That's nice, isn't it? We didn't want to clog up the postal service for relatives so had enquired.
5th November
There were explosions outside the hall tonight but thankfully not within for our local WI Annual Meeting.I quite enjoy these meetings when we review the year but many members don't. They are either frightened to get landed with a job or just find it boring. We try to make ours lively but really if it proves difficult to get someone to volunteer to ask someone to give the thanks at a meeting, not to do it themselves, what hope is there? There is one change on our committee which is still too big in my eyes. I'll have to come off next year and put my money where my mouth is.
We have a born- again new President. Fifty four members, about 8 nominations for President and still we had to twist an arm to get a yes! Everyone is so busy these days. We were busy too--we had families and jobs and husbands that needed to be fed but I am told it's different today.
Good article in Woman's Weekly about the new-look WI this week. I haven't seen this magazine for ages and I couldn't help comparing it to WI Life and finding ours so much better. WI Life is not so desperately feminine as this, more ideas about the world beyond a "dream kitchen". Who dreams of kitchens anyway?
7th November
Local WI in the local newspaper again this week but no photos this time. It is just reporting the safe delivery of the knitted house to the playgroup. Also in the paper, another WI is praised for its continued support of the Carers Association providing cakes for every meeting and generally being around when needed. Another example of how WI members are vital to the community, but we do hide our lights under bushels.
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