9th December
One of the Bucks Federation's sub-committees met today for an IT surgery to learn about the new technology which it has bought so that its members will be able to wire up speakers in a blase fashion and without undue nervous tension.Everyone should be able to see the advantage of this training at future events.It was a successful and enjoyable session. We went on to explore the NFWI website with its Moodle (training scheme), our own Bucks Federation website which is heralded for release soon and then on to the National Chairman's blog and Twitter site. We came away screen-blind but very confident; so watch out you non-users of computers we are coming to get you involved too !
This will probably be my last entry on the blog for 2010. May I wish my readers a Happy Christmas and a prosperous New Year with many enjoyable experiences shared in your WIs.How about a resolution for the new year to make a comment on this blog or to drop in on the WI websites at National, at Stuart Lodge and the numerous others across the county? I promise you wont feel a thing except a bit smug and deservedly so!
8th December
The discussion group members shook the snow from their boots and enjoyed a cosy evening talking about old wives tales and sayings.This was pretty light-hearted stuff after last month's talk of Care not Custody. Probably the most interesting part was the regional differences to the same saying. We almost strayed into a reprise of talk on superstitions and we came to realise that in the days before Health and Safety regulations the old wives were warning of the dangers around us in another way. What a lot were gloomy forecasts of disasters and evil designs in inanimate objects! We touched on the possible closure of our library and agreed to talk about that at our next meeting.
7th December
The book group met this afternoon and of course there was quite a bit of discussion about the possible closure of the local branch library. It would certainly be a great miss for our group as we depend on the Library Service for our multiple copies of books to read.We do sometimes buy in bulk when titles are on offer but on the whole we rely on the library. The book we had all read was The House at Riverton by Kate Morton which suffered slightly from its resemblance to Downton Abbey recently covered on ITV. Actually it had similarities with those kind of family sagas such as the Forsyte Saga and Upstairs, Downstairs: not surprisingly as we recognised that authors were using the same sources for the background of their stories. One of the references in Riverton was a book written by a maid from Gayhurst House near Tyrringham which is local to us. I tried to find it in the library stock but there isn't a copy available now.The book also had echoes of Rebecca and the Nancy Mitford books which are all treating the same period but it was well constructed, keeping its secret until the end and making everyone finish the book.
6th December
Some of our local WI members went out for a Christmas Dinner together tonight. We invite partners to these events as they are not a bona fide part of the membership and not every member wants to attend. It is a way of saying thank you for all the phone calls our partners answer, the chair-moving and the provision of a shoulder to weep on when everything WI seems in danger of going pear-shaped.These parties are always very noisy affairs and good fun. The food was excellent again this year and we hire the community bus so that no one need worry about being found driving under the influence of drink which would be very embarrassing and give the local press a gleeful opportunity for a really damaging headline.
Monday, 13 December 2010
Sunday, 5 December 2010
Music to our ears
3rd December
The final event of the BFWI 90th anniversary took place at Haddenham this evening when a Christmas Concert was held in the local church.The BFWI certainly knows how to choose dramatic weather for its events. We will never forget the rain at Stowe and, not now, the cold at Haddenham. The walk across to the floodlit church over crunchy snow beside the frozen pond really set a Christmas feeling to the evening. The Aylesbury Concert Band played seasonal music and accompanied the singing.The playing of the Haddenham Handbell Ringers was so clear and silvery and sounded lovely in the church.How the players in the band managed to play the right notes with icy fingers I don't know: the temperature was just above freezing because the tower under scaffolding for repairs was open to the four winds and at least two were blowing cold air through the building. Luckily the music was great, especially the duets by Jacqueline and Susan, and the readings were amusing so we began to forget about the cold. It was so good to hear some WI produced music which has been missing recently in WI events.It was only as we headed into a snow storm on the way home that I realised I was warm enough to feel my toes!
It was also very heartening to hear in the concert interval that it is possible that following the promotional activities at the "Calendar Girls" we may be about to witness the birth of a new WI in Aylesbury itself. Did you realise that there have been at least two new WIs formed in Bucks last year? How come I didn't know about all these developments? Did I miss the announcement in the WI Newsletter? We should be shouting this sort of thing from the rooftops to encourage the others. After all this growth in membership is a national trend and it looks as though we are on the bandwagon.
1st December
I visited one of the smaller WIs in the County this morning for its Annual Meeting. It was feared that the members were not going to be able to find the 3 officers because most of them had already served their turn and wanted a break. Same old problem you might say but we managed to re-arrange things a bit and I am sure they will be fine for another year. Some small WIs are a lesson to those larger than themselves and here was further evidence that small is beautiful.The members had taken part in nearly every BFWI event even though transport is often a problem. They had participated in WI holidays, entered competitions, helped in the setting up of a new WI in close proximity to their own in spite of the imagined threat to themselves and done sterling work in the village community. I was told the average age could be 75 but they had been cavorting about on a float in the village fete parade---don't tell Elfin Safety! A lesson to us all.
It was the local WI Christmas meeting tonight. In spite of the snow there was a good turn-out and once indoors the warmth was there for all to feel.We voted on the split for the profit from our Murder Mystery Evening between the WI and the refurbishment of the meeting place on the Market Square. The new appointments for next year were announced and mention was made of the threat of closure for our local branch library. This tied in well with the exhortation to have our voting forms ready next meeting for the resolutions to go up to the NFWI AGM in June. Also the date was given for our extra group craft activity in June which is being funded from our money-raising events so that everyone can reap the reward for their hard work. And then.....we degenerated into a very noisy game of beetle and some pretty unfortunate carol singing! The fact we needed a little glass to keep out the cold on the way home may have had something to do with this. It was a lovely evening and now let Christmas begin.
The final event of the BFWI 90th anniversary took place at Haddenham this evening when a Christmas Concert was held in the local church.The BFWI certainly knows how to choose dramatic weather for its events. We will never forget the rain at Stowe and, not now, the cold at Haddenham. The walk across to the floodlit church over crunchy snow beside the frozen pond really set a Christmas feeling to the evening. The Aylesbury Concert Band played seasonal music and accompanied the singing.The playing of the Haddenham Handbell Ringers was so clear and silvery and sounded lovely in the church.How the players in the band managed to play the right notes with icy fingers I don't know: the temperature was just above freezing because the tower under scaffolding for repairs was open to the four winds and at least two were blowing cold air through the building. Luckily the music was great, especially the duets by Jacqueline and Susan, and the readings were amusing so we began to forget about the cold. It was so good to hear some WI produced music which has been missing recently in WI events.It was only as we headed into a snow storm on the way home that I realised I was warm enough to feel my toes!
It was also very heartening to hear in the concert interval that it is possible that following the promotional activities at the "Calendar Girls" we may be about to witness the birth of a new WI in Aylesbury itself. Did you realise that there have been at least two new WIs formed in Bucks last year? How come I didn't know about all these developments? Did I miss the announcement in the WI Newsletter? We should be shouting this sort of thing from the rooftops to encourage the others. After all this growth in membership is a national trend and it looks as though we are on the bandwagon.
1st December
I visited one of the smaller WIs in the County this morning for its Annual Meeting. It was feared that the members were not going to be able to find the 3 officers because most of them had already served their turn and wanted a break. Same old problem you might say but we managed to re-arrange things a bit and I am sure they will be fine for another year. Some small WIs are a lesson to those larger than themselves and here was further evidence that small is beautiful.The members had taken part in nearly every BFWI event even though transport is often a problem. They had participated in WI holidays, entered competitions, helped in the setting up of a new WI in close proximity to their own in spite of the imagined threat to themselves and done sterling work in the village community. I was told the average age could be 75 but they had been cavorting about on a float in the village fete parade---don't tell Elfin Safety! A lesson to us all.
It was the local WI Christmas meeting tonight. In spite of the snow there was a good turn-out and once indoors the warmth was there for all to feel.We voted on the split for the profit from our Murder Mystery Evening between the WI and the refurbishment of the meeting place on the Market Square. The new appointments for next year were announced and mention was made of the threat of closure for our local branch library. This tied in well with the exhortation to have our voting forms ready next meeting for the resolutions to go up to the NFWI AGM in June. Also the date was given for our extra group craft activity in June which is being funded from our money-raising events so that everyone can reap the reward for their hard work. And then.....we degenerated into a very noisy game of beetle and some pretty unfortunate carol singing! The fact we needed a little glass to keep out the cold on the way home may have had something to do with this. It was a lovely evening and now let Christmas begin.
Monday, 29 November 2010
Differing needs
20th November
At Lacey Green Memorial Hall today BFWI held a fund-raising lunch for ACWW (Associated Country Women of the World), the organisation to which the WI is affiliated.This is where the Pennies for Friendship collections which the WIs make, go every year. It is a shame that many members know nothing about the work that this worldwide organisation does for rural women wherever they live.Recently BFWI has been collecting for a self-help scheme in Kenya and has raised over £3000 for this group. The money raised today was the conclusion of this particular appeal so we will need to choose another one for the next year. Margaret Mackay who is the UK member of ACWW in charge of projects spoke today about the set-up of the ACWW and described the different kinds of good projects it carries out and then finished with pictures from our adopted scheme. We saw the women planting seeds for fruit and vegetables, setting up irrigation networks and harvesting their crops for home consumption and for sale.We enjoyed listening to Liz Eaton from Oxfordshire Federation of WIs talking about her sponsored cycle ride around Mount Kenya to raise funds for an orphanage for girls near Nairobi.Presently it is caring for 32 girls but wants to expand to hold another 80.This is an on-going project because girls are not valued in Kenya and therefore abandoned at the roadside when they are orphaned: their parents are often victims of HIV/Aids. The boys are more likely to be looked after by grandparents as future workers to bring money into the family.Both speakers made us feel privileged to be where we are with our families well-fed and healthy, living under a roof and able to go to school. If you want to know more about ACWW or become a member go to www.acww.org.uk and about the orphanage visit Liz Eaton's website. Liz will also speak at meetings within a reasonable distance of Oxford.
25th November
It was quite entertaining to be asked to promote the WI at the matinee performance of Calendar Girls at the new theatre in Aylesbury. Actually most of the audience were already members, some from as far afield as Hertfordshire and Cambridge so it was really a case of chatting to friends while waving a great big yellow sunflower in one's hand.I think the evening audiences would be more promising for recruitment purposes. Can you imagine that 4 women I spoke to didn't even know the connection between the calendar and the WI!
In the evening I went along to the meeting about the possible closure of 14 libraries in Bucks. Poor old Andrew Carnegie must be turning in his grave! I think the WIs ought to take this issue to heart and see what the members can do to help. It is no use saying it must not be considered as the savings have to be made. We must make the best job of it that we can and bring positive ideas to the next stage of these public consultation meetings.
At Lacey Green Memorial Hall today BFWI held a fund-raising lunch for ACWW (Associated Country Women of the World), the organisation to which the WI is affiliated.This is where the Pennies for Friendship collections which the WIs make, go every year. It is a shame that many members know nothing about the work that this worldwide organisation does for rural women wherever they live.Recently BFWI has been collecting for a self-help scheme in Kenya and has raised over £3000 for this group. The money raised today was the conclusion of this particular appeal so we will need to choose another one for the next year. Margaret Mackay who is the UK member of ACWW in charge of projects spoke today about the set-up of the ACWW and described the different kinds of good projects it carries out and then finished with pictures from our adopted scheme. We saw the women planting seeds for fruit and vegetables, setting up irrigation networks and harvesting their crops for home consumption and for sale.We enjoyed listening to Liz Eaton from Oxfordshire Federation of WIs talking about her sponsored cycle ride around Mount Kenya to raise funds for an orphanage for girls near Nairobi.Presently it is caring for 32 girls but wants to expand to hold another 80.This is an on-going project because girls are not valued in Kenya and therefore abandoned at the roadside when they are orphaned: their parents are often victims of HIV/Aids. The boys are more likely to be looked after by grandparents as future workers to bring money into the family.Both speakers made us feel privileged to be where we are with our families well-fed and healthy, living under a roof and able to go to school. If you want to know more about ACWW or become a member go to www.acww.org.uk and about the orphanage visit Liz Eaton's website. Liz will also speak at meetings within a reasonable distance of Oxford.
25th November
It was quite entertaining to be asked to promote the WI at the matinee performance of Calendar Girls at the new theatre in Aylesbury. Actually most of the audience were already members, some from as far afield as Hertfordshire and Cambridge so it was really a case of chatting to friends while waving a great big yellow sunflower in one's hand.I think the evening audiences would be more promising for recruitment purposes. Can you imagine that 4 women I spoke to didn't even know the connection between the calendar and the WI!
In the evening I went along to the meeting about the possible closure of 14 libraries in Bucks. Poor old Andrew Carnegie must be turning in his grave! I think the WIs ought to take this issue to heart and see what the members can do to help. It is no use saying it must not be considered as the savings have to be made. We must make the best job of it that we can and bring positive ideas to the next stage of these public consultation meetings.
Tuesday, 16 November 2010
Fighting talk
15th November
There's no doubt about it. The WI is hitting the headlines these days... and all for the right reasons.Today there is a snippet about how the WI is joining once more with the National Farmers' Union to renew the fight for the dairy farmers. You remember the Great Milk Debate events a couple of years back. Perhaps we will have to organise some more meetings in areas different to those where past meetings were held.This time Sainsburys is voicing its concern that the price of milk to the farmer is so low that 3 dairy farmers go out of business every day.If the WI is continuing to promote local produce, it must support this industry.
Still on food-- what about the coverage of the Jam Festival at Denman College? We had a half page spread on that in the national Sunday papers written by William Langley which was excellent publicity for the WI as it is today. The sub-title expressed his admiration for the WI which he says has "a knack for preserving tradition while moving with the times".We can forgive the puns, if he delivers the message. I wonder how many members from Bucks entered the competition. At least they wouldn't have had the difficulties in getting their entry to Abingdon that those from the outposts would have suffered. Just how does one wrap a jar of jam to go through the post?
Earlier in the week there was a reported spat between a Shropshire WI and the Elfin Safety people working for Network Rail. Apparently WI members had been maintaining a station platform garden for years and had suddenly been stopped in case one of their number fell on the line. Naturally the members were outraged but it turns out that Network Rail does in fact encourage WIs to undertake these activities and has been known even to pay the insurance for the members, provided they follow their safety guidelines but some of these Shropshire lassies were over 90 years old! Age-ism raises its nasty head again. Gardening obviously keeps one fit.
10th November
The local WI discussion group met tonight.We discussed the WI campaign Care not Custody as well as we could with no real expertise amongst us.We are thinking of inviting a magistrate or someone familiar with the Courts to come along to talk informally with us.Obviously one must be in favour of improving the system so that the unstable criminal gets treatment rather than become lost in a prison, for everyone's sake. But how can this be done now that the psychiatric institutions have been closed and the sufferers are released into community care? And how can the WI alter this situation?
The latest issue of WI Life contains the resolutions for selection for the AGM in 2011 and the voting form for the WI members. We must think when we vote which resolution we can best promote and stand a chance of making a difference. Sometimes just writing to MPs is not enough because what we are asking for is too huge even for them; it is a lifetime's mission. I think the care for the mentally ill who have committed a criminal act, for whatever motive, falls into that category.
Something outside the resolution list which we could all get our teeth into is the proposed closure of public libraries or the idea of making them in to community-run volunteer establishments. Watch out for consultation meetings in your area and keep your eye on this local issue--as well as the high speed train, of course!
There's no doubt about it. The WI is hitting the headlines these days... and all for the right reasons.Today there is a snippet about how the WI is joining once more with the National Farmers' Union to renew the fight for the dairy farmers. You remember the Great Milk Debate events a couple of years back. Perhaps we will have to organise some more meetings in areas different to those where past meetings were held.This time Sainsburys is voicing its concern that the price of milk to the farmer is so low that 3 dairy farmers go out of business every day.If the WI is continuing to promote local produce, it must support this industry.
Still on food-- what about the coverage of the Jam Festival at Denman College? We had a half page spread on that in the national Sunday papers written by William Langley which was excellent publicity for the WI as it is today. The sub-title expressed his admiration for the WI which he says has "a knack for preserving tradition while moving with the times".We can forgive the puns, if he delivers the message. I wonder how many members from Bucks entered the competition. At least they wouldn't have had the difficulties in getting their entry to Abingdon that those from the outposts would have suffered. Just how does one wrap a jar of jam to go through the post?
Earlier in the week there was a reported spat between a Shropshire WI and the Elfin Safety people working for Network Rail. Apparently WI members had been maintaining a station platform garden for years and had suddenly been stopped in case one of their number fell on the line. Naturally the members were outraged but it turns out that Network Rail does in fact encourage WIs to undertake these activities and has been known even to pay the insurance for the members, provided they follow their safety guidelines but some of these Shropshire lassies were over 90 years old! Age-ism raises its nasty head again. Gardening obviously keeps one fit.
10th November
The local WI discussion group met tonight.We discussed the WI campaign Care not Custody as well as we could with no real expertise amongst us.We are thinking of inviting a magistrate or someone familiar with the Courts to come along to talk informally with us.Obviously one must be in favour of improving the system so that the unstable criminal gets treatment rather than become lost in a prison, for everyone's sake. But how can this be done now that the psychiatric institutions have been closed and the sufferers are released into community care? And how can the WI alter this situation?
The latest issue of WI Life contains the resolutions for selection for the AGM in 2011 and the voting form for the WI members. We must think when we vote which resolution we can best promote and stand a chance of making a difference. Sometimes just writing to MPs is not enough because what we are asking for is too huge even for them; it is a lifetime's mission. I think the care for the mentally ill who have committed a criminal act, for whatever motive, falls into that category.
Something outside the resolution list which we could all get our teeth into is the proposed closure of public libraries or the idea of making them in to community-run volunteer establishments. Watch out for consultation meetings in your area and keep your eye on this local issue--as well as the high speed train, of course!
Tuesday, 9 November 2010
Plans and more plans
4th November
At the meeting of the Education and Current Affairs sub-committee today we spent most of the time completing arrangements for the coming ACWW event in Lacey Green. The trouble with the WI is that one has always to plan so far ahead so there were plans made for events in March, May and July 2011 which makes one feel halfway into the new year already. Every month the NFWI publishes its NFWI News in the same way as the county federations present theirs and it is part of this committee's remit to keep up with the campaigns on which NFWI is working.This means sifting through information so that we can encourage our WI members to become involved on such issues and mandates which have been passed at AGMs.It may be the survey on re-cycling facilities or Care not Custody or labelling of food with the real country of origin.It is all interesting stuff but it is quite a struggle to find opportunities to engage the Bucks members in these activities: we seem to be always lagging behind but usually manage to get there in the end.
2nd November
Local WI book group today when we were discussing "Lacuna" by Barbara Kingsolver. We had enjoyed her novel "The Poisonwood Bible" set in what used to be the Belgian Congo but this time she was writing about Mexico and the USA between the 1920s and the Cold War. No wonder it takes 10 years between novels because the author researches her stories so thoroughly.To weave the exile of Trotsky in Mexico with the works of the great muralist Diego Rivera into the stories of her fictional characters takes some doing.Not everyone enjoyed this book but I think even those who didn't finish learned a lot about the history of Russia after the revolution and Lenin's death and about the dreadful period of MacCarthyism in America which is not so long ago.The scenery in Mexico was wonderfully described.There was humour too and some memorable cameo portraits among the characters. I really enjoyed this novel although its length was a bit of a challenge which took over from all domestic duties until finished.
30th October
It was a triumph but the local WI members are absolutely exhausted after hosting a Murder Mystery evening for 147 people.We served a 3 course supper and the tickets were sold out a fortnight beforehand.Every year we have a big fund-raiser which we hope will attract people from outside the WI as well as members from other WIs in neighbouring villages. We have built up a reputation for good events and the townspeople support us. Some of this goodwill comes from the fact that we pass a proportion of the profits back into a community project: this year it will be towards the re-furbishment of the little meeting hall in the town centre, last year it was the surgery.Anyway the players were excellent, having written a play especially for us. The food was good, the kitchen members worked their socks off and the front of house waitresses were speedy. It was nice to receive messages of thanks and appreciation from the audience but not a good time to suggest that we repeat the event as soon as possible!
At the meeting of the Education and Current Affairs sub-committee today we spent most of the time completing arrangements for the coming ACWW event in Lacey Green. The trouble with the WI is that one has always to plan so far ahead so there were plans made for events in March, May and July 2011 which makes one feel halfway into the new year already. Every month the NFWI publishes its NFWI News in the same way as the county federations present theirs and it is part of this committee's remit to keep up with the campaigns on which NFWI is working.This means sifting through information so that we can encourage our WI members to become involved on such issues and mandates which have been passed at AGMs.It may be the survey on re-cycling facilities or Care not Custody or labelling of food with the real country of origin.It is all interesting stuff but it is quite a struggle to find opportunities to engage the Bucks members in these activities: we seem to be always lagging behind but usually manage to get there in the end.
2nd November
Local WI book group today when we were discussing "Lacuna" by Barbara Kingsolver. We had enjoyed her novel "The Poisonwood Bible" set in what used to be the Belgian Congo but this time she was writing about Mexico and the USA between the 1920s and the Cold War. No wonder it takes 10 years between novels because the author researches her stories so thoroughly.To weave the exile of Trotsky in Mexico with the works of the great muralist Diego Rivera into the stories of her fictional characters takes some doing.Not everyone enjoyed this book but I think even those who didn't finish learned a lot about the history of Russia after the revolution and Lenin's death and about the dreadful period of MacCarthyism in America which is not so long ago.The scenery in Mexico was wonderfully described.There was humour too and some memorable cameo portraits among the characters. I really enjoyed this novel although its length was a bit of a challenge which took over from all domestic duties until finished.
30th October
It was a triumph but the local WI members are absolutely exhausted after hosting a Murder Mystery evening for 147 people.We served a 3 course supper and the tickets were sold out a fortnight beforehand.Every year we have a big fund-raiser which we hope will attract people from outside the WI as well as members from other WIs in neighbouring villages. We have built up a reputation for good events and the townspeople support us. Some of this goodwill comes from the fact that we pass a proportion of the profits back into a community project: this year it will be towards the re-furbishment of the little meeting hall in the town centre, last year it was the surgery.Anyway the players were excellent, having written a play especially for us. The food was good, the kitchen members worked their socks off and the front of house waitresses were speedy. It was nice to receive messages of thanks and appreciation from the audience but not a good time to suggest that we repeat the event as soon as possible!
Sunday, 24 October 2010
Putting on a performance
22nd October
The WI is in the news again because a former member of Yarmouth WI on the Isle of Wight made a dying wish that as many people as possible might see a film in which she had appeared. Way back in the 1950s and 1960s, Pamela Green had been known as the Queen of Curves because of her roles on rather risque postcards and magazine shots, so perhaps the Calendar Girls were not as ground-breaking as we all originally thought.
20th October
It was good to hear that the Bucks WI members who had travelled to Canada had returned safely and thoroughly enjoyed their holiday. This tour was organised especially for WI members so they took in Stoney Creek where the WI movement started. They found it quite moving to think that they had been standing in the little room beside the very table on which the original constitution had been signed. The bulk of the party came from the Avon and the Worcestershire Federations but in true WI fashion our members made friends quickly and didn't feel overwhelmed by the larger party.There were some brave husbands there as well.
I should imagine I was not alone in being surprised to read in the national press that our WI Headquarters had lost the list of members who had attended the AGM in Cardiff in June. It was claimed that this was delaying the issue of the CD for the Christmas markets because the delegates' singing of Jerusalem at the meeting had been recorded and permission had to be given for our voices to be heard.How ridiculous is that! We were all told that the recording was being made so those who didn't want their voices to be heard along with 4000 others, didn't have to sing. Anyway, NFWI hadn't lost the list and if it had, the federation secretaries hadn't so a blanket permission could be given in a matter of moments. So girls, if you hear yourself issue a duff note, you cannot withdraw it now!
19th October
Our local WI group enjoyed a first class meeting tonight when a dwarf actor came to tell us about his experiences in the film world. He was very entertaining and obviously delighted in sharing his stories with us all. The refreshments were fantastic and the news of what had been happening in the various WIs was very interesting. One of the WIs in our group is forever writing up to the WI Headquarters in New Kings Road about concerns in every day life. Fine, but they always get a dig in about the rise in subscriptions for those on a fixed income. This year the rise is all of 50p. as you all know but off they all go on outings and on trips to the theatre without a thought of needing to save 50p on the costs of the weekly food shop. On the way home ---too late, as usual--- I thought of a good reply: it was the cost of replying to all those letters that probably necessitated the rise in subscriptions. No, to be fair, the reason for this year's letter was the proposed abolition of cheques. There I agreed with them. I'm going to keep a track of how often I cannot NOT use a cheque both in private life and in WI matters.I don't see why we should all have to have a credit card or internet bank accounts either. Getting back to the rise in subs I heard of a local member who took a holiday with one of the coach firms advertised in that little book of tokens we receive when we renew our membership. The firm offered a 5% discount which was more than the whole subscription she paid earlier in the year!
18th October
Those who missed the Autumn Federation Event at the Town Hall in High Wycombe missed a treat. It was unusual in being an afternoon event which precluded those members in the workplace but for the rest of us it was very convenient. Lucy Worsley, the Chief Curator of Historic Royal Palaces spoke about past life in Kensington Palace and she used our Bucks Federation new laptop and projector which had been purchased with a grant from AVDC. What a good speaker she was---so enthusiastic, such a vibrant little person whom most of us thought, when we first saw her, was someone's 13 year old daughter! There was so much information given in such an entertaining manner that many couldn't resist buying her book in which she writes the history of the staff and courtiers in Queen Charlotte's employ.
This talk was followed by a conversation piece about some of the experiences of three former members of our own Executive while they set up the big events of recent Bucks WI history. That was good too, and amusing---some experiences probably better in remembrance when at the time when actually struggling against deadlines and ghastly weather conditions.I wonder whether we could persuade them to repeat this at WI meetings.
Next a delightful musical interlude by Lisa Nelson and Eleanor Turner on flute and harp in which they delighted us with music by Mozart and Eric Scott the Jazz composer. It really was a super afternoon's entertainment and all credit to those who organised the programme.
The WI is in the news again because a former member of Yarmouth WI on the Isle of Wight made a dying wish that as many people as possible might see a film in which she had appeared. Way back in the 1950s and 1960s, Pamela Green had been known as the Queen of Curves because of her roles on rather risque postcards and magazine shots, so perhaps the Calendar Girls were not as ground-breaking as we all originally thought.
20th October
It was good to hear that the Bucks WI members who had travelled to Canada had returned safely and thoroughly enjoyed their holiday. This tour was organised especially for WI members so they took in Stoney Creek where the WI movement started. They found it quite moving to think that they had been standing in the little room beside the very table on which the original constitution had been signed. The bulk of the party came from the Avon and the Worcestershire Federations but in true WI fashion our members made friends quickly and didn't feel overwhelmed by the larger party.There were some brave husbands there as well.
I should imagine I was not alone in being surprised to read in the national press that our WI Headquarters had lost the list of members who had attended the AGM in Cardiff in June. It was claimed that this was delaying the issue of the CD for the Christmas markets because the delegates' singing of Jerusalem at the meeting had been recorded and permission had to be given for our voices to be heard.How ridiculous is that! We were all told that the recording was being made so those who didn't want their voices to be heard along with 4000 others, didn't have to sing. Anyway, NFWI hadn't lost the list and if it had, the federation secretaries hadn't so a blanket permission could be given in a matter of moments. So girls, if you hear yourself issue a duff note, you cannot withdraw it now!
19th October
Our local WI group enjoyed a first class meeting tonight when a dwarf actor came to tell us about his experiences in the film world. He was very entertaining and obviously delighted in sharing his stories with us all. The refreshments were fantastic and the news of what had been happening in the various WIs was very interesting. One of the WIs in our group is forever writing up to the WI Headquarters in New Kings Road about concerns in every day life. Fine, but they always get a dig in about the rise in subscriptions for those on a fixed income. This year the rise is all of 50p. as you all know but off they all go on outings and on trips to the theatre without a thought of needing to save 50p on the costs of the weekly food shop. On the way home ---too late, as usual--- I thought of a good reply: it was the cost of replying to all those letters that probably necessitated the rise in subscriptions. No, to be fair, the reason for this year's letter was the proposed abolition of cheques. There I agreed with them. I'm going to keep a track of how often I cannot NOT use a cheque both in private life and in WI matters.I don't see why we should all have to have a credit card or internet bank accounts either. Getting back to the rise in subs I heard of a local member who took a holiday with one of the coach firms advertised in that little book of tokens we receive when we renew our membership. The firm offered a 5% discount which was more than the whole subscription she paid earlier in the year!
18th October
Those who missed the Autumn Federation Event at the Town Hall in High Wycombe missed a treat. It was unusual in being an afternoon event which precluded those members in the workplace but for the rest of us it was very convenient. Lucy Worsley, the Chief Curator of Historic Royal Palaces spoke about past life in Kensington Palace and she used our Bucks Federation new laptop and projector which had been purchased with a grant from AVDC. What a good speaker she was---so enthusiastic, such a vibrant little person whom most of us thought, when we first saw her, was someone's 13 year old daughter! There was so much information given in such an entertaining manner that many couldn't resist buying her book in which she writes the history of the staff and courtiers in Queen Charlotte's employ.
This talk was followed by a conversation piece about some of the experiences of three former members of our own Executive while they set up the big events of recent Bucks WI history. That was good too, and amusing---some experiences probably better in remembrance when at the time when actually struggling against deadlines and ghastly weather conditions.I wonder whether we could persuade them to repeat this at WI meetings.
Next a delightful musical interlude by Lisa Nelson and Eleanor Turner on flute and harp in which they delighted us with music by Mozart and Eric Scott the Jazz composer. It really was a super afternoon's entertainment and all credit to those who organised the programme.
Friday, 15 October 2010
Talk about Talk
14th October
Well, that's a first! Someone hauling me over the coals because my blog is not up-to-date.I wish I could give the excuse that it is because I am having trouble using the computer in bi-focals but that has only happened now while my proper reading specs are being up-graded---or down-graded, whichever way you look at it.
So last night a small party of us made plans for our local WI's big fund-raiser at the end of the month. The time was mostly taken up with shopping and cooking lists as well as discussion on whether we should use some disposable crockery in order to save on work in the kitchen. Is it more environmentally friendly to use light and heat or to throw masses of plastic away? We don't want standards to drop because the clientele has become used to our events being rather special. The result is that we are going to have a bit of both but you will be pleased to hear no plastic cutlery! We are nearing capacity with the sale of tickets which is good news as knowing numbers makes planning so much easier.
13th October
Our subject for discussion at our meeting tonight was "celebration" and we had a first class cause for worldwide celebration in the freeing of the Chilean miners which was taking place even while we sat comfortably in a member's house.We had been thinking that celebration nearly always involves food but in actual fact lots of celebrations are small scale personal feelings of thanksgiving for the natural world around us; our families and gardens bring joy and a sense of achievement. Many of us bemoaned the commercial led celebrations which seem to sprout up throughout the year. The festivals of all the religions in our nation are cause for celebration to whoever follows that faith but Hallowe'en has highjacked All Saints' Day and so has Christmas been changed into a trade bonanza.The growing fashion for memorial services for ordinary people like ourselves not just the great and the good was welcomed: held after the traditional funeral or wake that we all remember. Mind not all of those were dreary affairs. Celebration and thanksgiving seem to have been interwoven since the caveman brought home his kill. It will be a sad day when no one can think of something to lift the spirit nor a single thing for which to be thankful.
11th October
A small gathering of craft people met to think about winter activities. While we are so small we cannot really afford to have separate demonstrations but there are some other members thinking of joining us on these afternoons. We will probably have a go at the competition for a handbag which the Arts and Home Crafts subcommittee is running in the Spring across Bucks and there is nothing wrong with spending a couple of hours in companionable sewing , knitting or making cards.
6th October
Unfortunately I missed my local WI meeting tonight as I had a family commitment. I know the members voted against buying a sound system for the WI which is interesting. Apparently they sorted each other out about standing up to talk from the floor and not engaging in conversation among themselves while being addressed from the top table: a bit of group therapy there obviously! I hate missing meetings because one loses out on booking for events and this year for the first time for donkey's years I didn't order a WI diary. I'll never find another which will have the information which I so often want.I was told years ago that the most valuable thing a WI member can do is to regularly attend the meetings. It certainly works the other way around.
4th October
Down to the Bucks Federation Office today for the annual Dates Meeting. This is when representatives from all the county subcommittees gather together to claim dates for the next year's activities planned by their own committees. This is very necessary to avoid similar types of events occuring in the same month or there being too many planned for the same venue etc. I always call it "the day of the long knives" but it isn't really like that! This meeting was rather special because we used the new laptop and projector which the BFWI bought with the help of an AVDC grant---paperless society here we come!. You will be seeing this equipment in use for many events in the future.
Well, that's a first! Someone hauling me over the coals because my blog is not up-to-date.I wish I could give the excuse that it is because I am having trouble using the computer in bi-focals but that has only happened now while my proper reading specs are being up-graded---or down-graded, whichever way you look at it.
So last night a small party of us made plans for our local WI's big fund-raiser at the end of the month. The time was mostly taken up with shopping and cooking lists as well as discussion on whether we should use some disposable crockery in order to save on work in the kitchen. Is it more environmentally friendly to use light and heat or to throw masses of plastic away? We don't want standards to drop because the clientele has become used to our events being rather special. The result is that we are going to have a bit of both but you will be pleased to hear no plastic cutlery! We are nearing capacity with the sale of tickets which is good news as knowing numbers makes planning so much easier.
13th October
Our subject for discussion at our meeting tonight was "celebration" and we had a first class cause for worldwide celebration in the freeing of the Chilean miners which was taking place even while we sat comfortably in a member's house.We had been thinking that celebration nearly always involves food but in actual fact lots of celebrations are small scale personal feelings of thanksgiving for the natural world around us; our families and gardens bring joy and a sense of achievement. Many of us bemoaned the commercial led celebrations which seem to sprout up throughout the year. The festivals of all the religions in our nation are cause for celebration to whoever follows that faith but Hallowe'en has highjacked All Saints' Day and so has Christmas been changed into a trade bonanza.The growing fashion for memorial services for ordinary people like ourselves not just the great and the good was welcomed: held after the traditional funeral or wake that we all remember. Mind not all of those were dreary affairs. Celebration and thanksgiving seem to have been interwoven since the caveman brought home his kill. It will be a sad day when no one can think of something to lift the spirit nor a single thing for which to be thankful.
11th October
A small gathering of craft people met to think about winter activities. While we are so small we cannot really afford to have separate demonstrations but there are some other members thinking of joining us on these afternoons. We will probably have a go at the competition for a handbag which the Arts and Home Crafts subcommittee is running in the Spring across Bucks and there is nothing wrong with spending a couple of hours in companionable sewing , knitting or making cards.
6th October
Unfortunately I missed my local WI meeting tonight as I had a family commitment. I know the members voted against buying a sound system for the WI which is interesting. Apparently they sorted each other out about standing up to talk from the floor and not engaging in conversation among themselves while being addressed from the top table: a bit of group therapy there obviously! I hate missing meetings because one loses out on booking for events and this year for the first time for donkey's years I didn't order a WI diary. I'll never find another which will have the information which I so often want.I was told years ago that the most valuable thing a WI member can do is to regularly attend the meetings. It certainly works the other way around.
4th October
Down to the Bucks Federation Office today for the annual Dates Meeting. This is when representatives from all the county subcommittees gather together to claim dates for the next year's activities planned by their own committees. This is very necessary to avoid similar types of events occuring in the same month or there being too many planned for the same venue etc. I always call it "the day of the long knives" but it isn't really like that! This meeting was rather special because we used the new laptop and projector which the BFWI bought with the help of an AVDC grant---paperless society here we come!. You will be seeing this equipment in use for many events in the future.
Thursday, 30 September 2010
For rich tapestry read webbing
28th September
We enjoyed a really amusing Book Group meeting this afternoon. It helps if the novel read is very funny which "We are all made of glue" by Marina Lewyncka certainly is.It contains all sorts of humour: that of embarrassing situations, the almost Chaplin humour of ridiculous physical situations, the wit of the choice of names of the characters, the fun of misunderstandings through broken English or garbled messages left on phones and the reactions of the characters. Even the cats have strong personalities! But beneath all this the author has serious concerns about the modern fabric of society where there are so many breaks in the material.She discusses the treatment of the elderly by the Welfare State and the threat of the worldwide web to youngsters suffering from family breakdown and looking for somewhere to belong again. We need glue of different kinds because if the bonding breaks down in ourselves, all the threads that were stuck together to make us what we are ruptured. We are stuck with the early beliefs instilled in us by our early family life.Nationalism, patriotism, class and religion hold us all in bondage.A marvellously well constructed book with a good ending and such fun! Members, a piece of borrowed advice; if you are looking for a man, try B&Q because he will come with a complete toolkit!
Not everyone liked the book which made for some good discussion and of course, we went off track on other topics.
25th September
Did you catch up on the Love Food, Hate Waste campaign report in the national press? Apparently this campaign which the National WI helped to run has resulted in a cut of food waste by more than 250,000 tons over the past year. You remember we were asked to use up leftovers in intelligent ways, not to buy too much food and to ignore some best before dates. There was also a 4% reduction in packaging waste per food item according to WRAP another scheme supported by WI. So we are not crying in the wilderness. Let's see how the swishing sessions work in this programme to act sensibly with our resources and reduce landfill too.
23rd September
A group of us from the Bucks WIs' subcommittees met this morning to be introduced to the new Bucks Website and to learn how to publish information on it.We need to be able to update items about forthcoming events organised by our committee members and keep the WIs informed on what has happened too. We also need to attract outsiders to come to some meeting and be drawn in to become a member.However it is not just the non-member we need to inspire but also the member who has not bothered to consult the website and has not felt she wants to communicate with other members electronically. Yet these same people are quite happy to join Facebook, blog or Twitter and many use Scype to keep in touch with relatives at a distance. Why not exchange views and ideas with fellow WI members? So let's hope, when this new website is launched very soon, there will be a surge of interest.
Our Web-mistress has set up an attractive home page and established many links which are easy to contact. We certainly enjoyed finding our way around the site and you cannot wreck the thing by experimenting. Actually one has to be very knowledgeable to be able to cause lasting damage to a website. Please, when this is launched, spend some time during the bad weather months looking at it and we can all learn together. It might be amusing to write up your adventures with modern technology because I think there is a rich vein of humour in some of the situations in which these clever machines throw us.
We enjoyed a really amusing Book Group meeting this afternoon. It helps if the novel read is very funny which "We are all made of glue" by Marina Lewyncka certainly is.It contains all sorts of humour: that of embarrassing situations, the almost Chaplin humour of ridiculous physical situations, the wit of the choice of names of the characters, the fun of misunderstandings through broken English or garbled messages left on phones and the reactions of the characters. Even the cats have strong personalities! But beneath all this the author has serious concerns about the modern fabric of society where there are so many breaks in the material.She discusses the treatment of the elderly by the Welfare State and the threat of the worldwide web to youngsters suffering from family breakdown and looking for somewhere to belong again. We need glue of different kinds because if the bonding breaks down in ourselves, all the threads that were stuck together to make us what we are ruptured. We are stuck with the early beliefs instilled in us by our early family life.Nationalism, patriotism, class and religion hold us all in bondage.A marvellously well constructed book with a good ending and such fun! Members, a piece of borrowed advice; if you are looking for a man, try B&Q because he will come with a complete toolkit!
Not everyone liked the book which made for some good discussion and of course, we went off track on other topics.
25th September
Did you catch up on the Love Food, Hate Waste campaign report in the national press? Apparently this campaign which the National WI helped to run has resulted in a cut of food waste by more than 250,000 tons over the past year. You remember we were asked to use up leftovers in intelligent ways, not to buy too much food and to ignore some best before dates. There was also a 4% reduction in packaging waste per food item according to WRAP another scheme supported by WI. So we are not crying in the wilderness. Let's see how the swishing sessions work in this programme to act sensibly with our resources and reduce landfill too.
23rd September
A group of us from the Bucks WIs' subcommittees met this morning to be introduced to the new Bucks Website and to learn how to publish information on it.We need to be able to update items about forthcoming events organised by our committee members and keep the WIs informed on what has happened too. We also need to attract outsiders to come to some meeting and be drawn in to become a member.However it is not just the non-member we need to inspire but also the member who has not bothered to consult the website and has not felt she wants to communicate with other members electronically. Yet these same people are quite happy to join Facebook, blog or Twitter and many use Scype to keep in touch with relatives at a distance. Why not exchange views and ideas with fellow WI members? So let's hope, when this new website is launched very soon, there will be a surge of interest.
Our Web-mistress has set up an attractive home page and established many links which are easy to contact. We certainly enjoyed finding our way around the site and you cannot wreck the thing by experimenting. Actually one has to be very knowledgeable to be able to cause lasting damage to a website. Please, when this is launched, spend some time during the bad weather months looking at it and we can all learn together. It might be amusing to write up your adventures with modern technology because I think there is a rich vein of humour in some of the situations in which these clever machines throw us.
Wednesday, 22 September 2010
September sorties
18 September
Did you pick up that article in the national press about the WI singers called The Harmonies who are releasing their first album at the end of October? They are obviously wanting to catch the Christmas market and need the support of the WI members. The singers are also featured in the M&S campaign promoting tea and cakes to play lip service to our image, while branching out into the pop music world.
16 September
It was lovely to be able to spend the evening celebrating a tenth birthday with one of our Bucks WIs. I remember when Fairford Leys WI was formed; the new members had to paddle across muddy ground to a portacabin but now they meet in a lovely hall with all mod. cons.The community has grown to about 5000 people and it is establishing a strong community identity which acknowledges the part the WI has taken in bonding the place together. It was the WI that was a prime mover in setting up the annual Fair on the Square which has become an important date in the calendar for the village.
There was a good atmosphere with music and tasty food and a chance to look back on the photographic record of the ten years the members had spent together. This WI is gaining members and keeping the founder members too. Congratulations!
15 September
After spending the morning wrestling with the technology of a new laptop, it was pleasant to come home to a gathering of the local WI play-readers. There were not many of us but we read two plays and enjoyed talking of past dramatic occasions when drama took a much greater role in our own WI and at NFWI level also. Next time when we meet we are going to read the play which our WI took to the Regional Contest in Cambridgeshire many years ago.That is if we can remember where we each put our copy. We were ever so disappointed that the NFWI pulled the plug on that competition at that stage, never holding a final. Apparently the money ran out which doesn't stop us bearing a grudge---we almost certainly would not have won but think of the glory in taking part.I shall never forget telling two rather startled policemen at 11.30pm somewhere near Baldock that we had just come first in a drama festival. Well they were the only other people in the service station at the time!
14 September
It was up early and away to Hampton Court Palace today on the outing arranged by the Education and Current Affairs sub-committee. Sixty members and friends spent a very busy day exploring the palace and gardens with two excellent guides.We learned a great deal about the Tudors which followed on nicely from the Henry VIII and All That day last June. Then the icing on the cake was for a small group of us to tour the Royal School of Needlework. We admired the conservation work going on there, as well as the exhibition of past masterpieces made by the students. I think we would all like to have been able to touch the lovely things on show and the bookshop held wonderful books which were very tempting too.The rain kept away until the journey home, the coaches were dead on time and the traffic reasonable. We returned exhausted and vowing to return to see what we hadn't had time to view in the few hours we had there today.
9 September
The Education and Current Affairs sub-committee met today and were faced by a long agenda.We spent the major part of the meeting deciding on our programme for the next year and some events for the one to follow. One always has to think so far ahead with the WI. Plans are well advanced for the Alternative Christmas lunch in aid of ACWW in November. Every year the WIs pay out a donation to ACWW in the Coins for Friendship scheme but few members really know what this organisation does. So this is a chance to hear all about it and also listen to an Oxfordshire member's efforts to raise money by cycling in Peru. We are aware of members' feelings and concerns about the planned disappearance of cheques in 2016 and also their worries about the new high speed train due to carve its way across Bucks.We are planning a BFWI response on grounds which will not set one parish council against another. A NIMBY approach is not the answer. Then where shall we go next for an educational outing next year and who can we persuade to speak at our Tree event in March? Everyone has a job to do before the next meeting in November.
8 September
At the local WI Discussion Group this evening we had set ourselves the topic of "climate".Well, the British are supposed to talk a lot about the weather so it seemed a safe choice. And so it proved:there was never a real gap in talk. We learned about the danger facing our islands if the Gulf Stream or the Atlantic Conveyor, as it is more scientifically known, becomes cooler. Then there are the problems of flooding and the effect of enforced migration which is extremely topical at the moment.There are those who have too little water and those who have too much, problems whci already cause friction in international relations. Was our weather really changing or do we just remember childhood experiences of seasonal extremes? What effect does the weather have on our mood? Don't we just talk about the weather because it is a safe common factor? It was in past times but now we have the shared topic of health and sex according to the media. Great subject, good wine, the chance to laugh together and the opportunity to get to know each other better.Why don't you encourage your WI to form a discussion group?
Did you pick up that article in the national press about the WI singers called The Harmonies who are releasing their first album at the end of October? They are obviously wanting to catch the Christmas market and need the support of the WI members. The singers are also featured in the M&S campaign promoting tea and cakes to play lip service to our image, while branching out into the pop music world.
16 September
It was lovely to be able to spend the evening celebrating a tenth birthday with one of our Bucks WIs. I remember when Fairford Leys WI was formed; the new members had to paddle across muddy ground to a portacabin but now they meet in a lovely hall with all mod. cons.The community has grown to about 5000 people and it is establishing a strong community identity which acknowledges the part the WI has taken in bonding the place together. It was the WI that was a prime mover in setting up the annual Fair on the Square which has become an important date in the calendar for the village.
There was a good atmosphere with music and tasty food and a chance to look back on the photographic record of the ten years the members had spent together. This WI is gaining members and keeping the founder members too. Congratulations!
15 September
After spending the morning wrestling with the technology of a new laptop, it was pleasant to come home to a gathering of the local WI play-readers. There were not many of us but we read two plays and enjoyed talking of past dramatic occasions when drama took a much greater role in our own WI and at NFWI level also. Next time when we meet we are going to read the play which our WI took to the Regional Contest in Cambridgeshire many years ago.That is if we can remember where we each put our copy. We were ever so disappointed that the NFWI pulled the plug on that competition at that stage, never holding a final. Apparently the money ran out which doesn't stop us bearing a grudge---we almost certainly would not have won but think of the glory in taking part.I shall never forget telling two rather startled policemen at 11.30pm somewhere near Baldock that we had just come first in a drama festival. Well they were the only other people in the service station at the time!
14 September
It was up early and away to Hampton Court Palace today on the outing arranged by the Education and Current Affairs sub-committee. Sixty members and friends spent a very busy day exploring the palace and gardens with two excellent guides.We learned a great deal about the Tudors which followed on nicely from the Henry VIII and All That day last June. Then the icing on the cake was for a small group of us to tour the Royal School of Needlework. We admired the conservation work going on there, as well as the exhibition of past masterpieces made by the students. I think we would all like to have been able to touch the lovely things on show and the bookshop held wonderful books which were very tempting too.The rain kept away until the journey home, the coaches were dead on time and the traffic reasonable. We returned exhausted and vowing to return to see what we hadn't had time to view in the few hours we had there today.
9 September
The Education and Current Affairs sub-committee met today and were faced by a long agenda.We spent the major part of the meeting deciding on our programme for the next year and some events for the one to follow. One always has to think so far ahead with the WI. Plans are well advanced for the Alternative Christmas lunch in aid of ACWW in November. Every year the WIs pay out a donation to ACWW in the Coins for Friendship scheme but few members really know what this organisation does. So this is a chance to hear all about it and also listen to an Oxfordshire member's efforts to raise money by cycling in Peru. We are aware of members' feelings and concerns about the planned disappearance of cheques in 2016 and also their worries about the new high speed train due to carve its way across Bucks.We are planning a BFWI response on grounds which will not set one parish council against another. A NIMBY approach is not the answer. Then where shall we go next for an educational outing next year and who can we persuade to speak at our Tree event in March? Everyone has a job to do before the next meeting in November.
8 September
At the local WI Discussion Group this evening we had set ourselves the topic of "climate".Well, the British are supposed to talk a lot about the weather so it seemed a safe choice. And so it proved:there was never a real gap in talk. We learned about the danger facing our islands if the Gulf Stream or the Atlantic Conveyor, as it is more scientifically known, becomes cooler. Then there are the problems of flooding and the effect of enforced migration which is extremely topical at the moment.There are those who have too little water and those who have too much, problems whci already cause friction in international relations. Was our weather really changing or do we just remember childhood experiences of seasonal extremes? What effect does the weather have on our mood? Don't we just talk about the weather because it is a safe common factor? It was in past times but now we have the shared topic of health and sex according to the media. Great subject, good wine, the chance to laugh together and the opportunity to get to know each other better.Why don't you encourage your WI to form a discussion group?
Monday, 6 September 2010
Autumn is here
5th September
Throughout the best part of 2010 BFWI to celebrate its 90 year history has been granted a room in the High Wycombe Museum.It is a lovely display and many people have commented favourably on it.Also during the summer holidays the WI has held small craft groups for children in the same room and on the first Sunday of the summer months there have been craft demonstrations too.Today the subject was the gentle art of crochet and two BFWI committee members and a couple of WI members went down to demonstrate their skills.Surrounded by lots of items of crochet we immediately found ourselves with nine visitors who wanted to learn to crochet. It was great fun because several of them had never held a hook in their lives and others could do a bit or had forgotten how to start.These people had picked up the notice in the local press and were not WI members. However I shouldn't be surprised if they don't become members in the future. They all said how much they had enjoyed themselves and thought it a pleasant way to spend a Sunday afternoon.They all went home proudly clutching mis-shapen pieces of work! I felt a bit guilty about the ordinary museum visitors who followed the sound of chatter and walked into a room full of people trailing wool and wielding hooks but curiosity usually got the better of them and they completed their tour.
1st September
It was agreed to write to suggest that BFWI makes a contribution to the discussions on the new High Speed Railway and that members should keep an eye on labelling of country of origin on meat, fish and poultry in supermarkets following the mandate at the AGM in June.We also want to make ourselves heard in defence of the cheque which is threatened with extinction.Although we had not done very well with our exhibit at the County Show, one of our members had come first in the county competition for a piece of original writing for the Lady Denman Cup. The sound in our new premises goes up to somewhere in the ceiling so some of us suggested we should enquire into buying a small microphone system. Our speaker spoke clearly but her tone was rather expressionless and became lost in the roof.It is difficult for the officers as well sometimes.Perhaps we could put some of our funds towards a lapel mike or apply for a grant.All the group activities which the WI hold are up and running for the autumn so we should be out of mischief for at least 3 months.
31st August
What a lot of reading has been going on this month! We started with discussion about Katharine McMahon's novel The Crimson Rooms which everyone had enjoyed.The plot was good, the location fairly local, the period within our parents' memory and the writing was atmospheric.We are still not sure of the endings of this author's novels as we tend to interpret them in different ways so we shall have to ask her about them when she comes to speak at the BFWI Literary Lunch next June.We also resumed talk about Wolf Hall which is so long that it takes everyone time to read but I think our group deserve praise for completing the book: an article in the Telegraph reported that only two out of 35 readers questioned had managed to do this! I don't know how they could stop reading and now we hear there is to be a sequel. Obviously the author is planning to kill Thomas Cromwell off after all. I thought she would never be able to release him. The book which we had all been supposed to have been reading was the Olive Readers by Aziz which is one of these post Armageddon sort of novels.Here opinion was divided between those who were fascinated by it and those that thought it was absolutely ridiculous. The general theme was that the possession or lack of water would define the world of the future which is probably true but all the submarine rocket ships and bubbly globes and flashing lights was too much for some of us. We had also read The Glass Room by Simon Mawer which was about a house in Czechoslovakia built for an artistic rich family with Jewish connections and what befell the building and the family through the World Wars up to the present day. It was beautifully written and well researched.Another recent publication was The Angel's Game by Zafon which is a Gothic novel, very dark and powerful and complicated but a real page-turner of a novel.
26th August
No wonder this county is famous for ducks! The County Show suffered the same fate as the BFWI did for the Stowe Garden Party except the mud was worse. The WI had a reasonable amount of room this year and the competition for a Celebration entry was eye-catching. There was plenty to see and do in the marquee. Our WI won no prizes but at least we did better than the 100 other WIs who never even tried. Unfortunately for the organising committee the attendance was only half that of last year but one presumes the losses can be set against other years.The Bucks County Show is said to be one of the best nationally so it would be a pity to lose it.
Throughout the best part of 2010 BFWI to celebrate its 90 year history has been granted a room in the High Wycombe Museum.It is a lovely display and many people have commented favourably on it.Also during the summer holidays the WI has held small craft groups for children in the same room and on the first Sunday of the summer months there have been craft demonstrations too.Today the subject was the gentle art of crochet and two BFWI committee members and a couple of WI members went down to demonstrate their skills.Surrounded by lots of items of crochet we immediately found ourselves with nine visitors who wanted to learn to crochet. It was great fun because several of them had never held a hook in their lives and others could do a bit or had forgotten how to start.These people had picked up the notice in the local press and were not WI members. However I shouldn't be surprised if they don't become members in the future. They all said how much they had enjoyed themselves and thought it a pleasant way to spend a Sunday afternoon.They all went home proudly clutching mis-shapen pieces of work! I felt a bit guilty about the ordinary museum visitors who followed the sound of chatter and walked into a room full of people trailing wool and wielding hooks but curiosity usually got the better of them and they completed their tour.
1st September
It was agreed to write to suggest that BFWI makes a contribution to the discussions on the new High Speed Railway and that members should keep an eye on labelling of country of origin on meat, fish and poultry in supermarkets following the mandate at the AGM in June.We also want to make ourselves heard in defence of the cheque which is threatened with extinction.Although we had not done very well with our exhibit at the County Show, one of our members had come first in the county competition for a piece of original writing for the Lady Denman Cup. The sound in our new premises goes up to somewhere in the ceiling so some of us suggested we should enquire into buying a small microphone system. Our speaker spoke clearly but her tone was rather expressionless and became lost in the roof.It is difficult for the officers as well sometimes.Perhaps we could put some of our funds towards a lapel mike or apply for a grant.All the group activities which the WI hold are up and running for the autumn so we should be out of mischief for at least 3 months.
31st August
What a lot of reading has been going on this month! We started with discussion about Katharine McMahon's novel The Crimson Rooms which everyone had enjoyed.The plot was good, the location fairly local, the period within our parents' memory and the writing was atmospheric.We are still not sure of the endings of this author's novels as we tend to interpret them in different ways so we shall have to ask her about them when she comes to speak at the BFWI Literary Lunch next June.We also resumed talk about Wolf Hall which is so long that it takes everyone time to read but I think our group deserve praise for completing the book: an article in the Telegraph reported that only two out of 35 readers questioned had managed to do this! I don't know how they could stop reading and now we hear there is to be a sequel. Obviously the author is planning to kill Thomas Cromwell off after all. I thought she would never be able to release him. The book which we had all been supposed to have been reading was the Olive Readers by Aziz which is one of these post Armageddon sort of novels.Here opinion was divided between those who were fascinated by it and those that thought it was absolutely ridiculous. The general theme was that the possession or lack of water would define the world of the future which is probably true but all the submarine rocket ships and bubbly globes and flashing lights was too much for some of us. We had also read The Glass Room by Simon Mawer which was about a house in Czechoslovakia built for an artistic rich family with Jewish connections and what befell the building and the family through the World Wars up to the present day. It was beautifully written and well researched.Another recent publication was The Angel's Game by Zafon which is a Gothic novel, very dark and powerful and complicated but a real page-turner of a novel.
26th August
No wonder this county is famous for ducks! The County Show suffered the same fate as the BFWI did for the Stowe Garden Party except the mud was worse. The WI had a reasonable amount of room this year and the competition for a Celebration entry was eye-catching. There was plenty to see and do in the marquee. Our WI won no prizes but at least we did better than the 100 other WIs who never even tried. Unfortunately for the organising committee the attendance was only half that of last year but one presumes the losses can be set against other years.The Bucks County Show is said to be one of the best nationally so it would be a pity to lose it.
Friday, 13 August 2010
Singing in the rain
12th August
A slightly different group of the local WI members met tonight to plan the fund-raising event booked for the end of October. As usual we are sharing the proceeds with a local good cause: this time, the fund to refurbish the meeting room on the Square where the WI used to meet for many years until it outgrew the premises and got fed up with regularly blowing the fuses when switching on the speakers' projectors! We are trying to make sure that very few members have to be incarcerated in the kitchen and so miss all the fun. Of course the more we do ourselves the more profit there will be, but there comes a point when one has to recognise that we are taking advantage of our willing helpers. So this time we are shopping around for labour-saving services whenever possible---naturally we are not going to lose our excellent reputation for delicious desserts.
11th August
The discussion group met today and spent two hours talking about "respect". I heard once that part of the examination for one of the older universities was a three hour paper on one abstract word such as "charity" or "mercy". It took two hours for 7 people to discuss "respect" and it was extremely entertaining as well as raising concerns on the loss of many outward signs of respect and, more seriously, it was thought that the whole concept seems to be in danger of disappearing.We ranged from respect for age, authority, place, religion to the worth of history. We took in the recent cases where the stepping stones in Dovedale have been lifted up with lumps of cement and an ancient bridleway on Exmoor which is to be covered in concrete, all for health and safety reasons.The discussion was not all negative because we found out who was still admired and respected by those present which as you may imagine caused some argument!
10th August
After all that IT RAINED, almost from start to finish! The spirit of the Blitz took over and everyone made the best of it and agreed that it was a wonderful day.There were about 1300 people at Stowe to celebrate the Bucks Federation's 90th anniversary. Seventeen coaches massed in the carpark. The tents and marquees proved themselves watertight and the Temple provided cover for the needlework exhibits and the lovely birthday cake. The trade stalls were interesting and the children enjoyed the physics experiments at one stall as well as the games provided in the open. Some brave souls ventured into the grounds to see the lake and count temples. The church was welcoming and the sound of the bells was lovely. A small group gave an impromptu rendition of Jerusalem in the church attracted by the echo.The brass band played manfully throughout the afternoon; the sale of Pimms was brisk because they had to be drunk in competition with the wasps which always head for the Pimms tent at any event.The picnics in the competition were beautiful if a bit bedraggled by the rain and the Group and WI stalls provided lots for people to see and buy.Beneath dripping umbrellas everyone talked and laughed and appreciated what had been arranged for the day. Well done to all who organised the day and it wasn't your fault it was the wettest day of the year in Bucks.
9th August
Today was spent by Executive members, committee members and helpers recruited into the workforce in setting up the WI event at Stowe Landscape Gardens. I think many members will have no idea of the enormity of planning such an event nor of the sheer physical strength needed by this party to put on an occasion like this. Where and when do you begin? Booking the venue and marquees and extra mobile loos; the tickets and the coaches; the band and the trade stalls are all matters outside the WI that have to be organised.Within the federation, a huge quantity of cake must be baked and one beautiful one iced and decorated for ceremonial cutting. Then there has to be a large van hired and some WI member has to be prepared to drive it. It has to be loaded with all the items from Stuart Lodge that the Executive and committees need for their stalls. Space has to be allocated inside the tents and once on site the tents have to erected. For this the WI member is at least a foot too short to fasten the fabric sides, hammers have to be wielded, safety concerns considered, tables carted about the site and draped.Never is that old cliche "Things don't just happen" more true than on occasions like this and I think we all owe a great debt of gratitude to Executive and to Betty Furner for masterminding such an event which will do us credit in the eyes of everyone who attends whether a WI member or a casual visitor. Thank you.
A slightly different group of the local WI members met tonight to plan the fund-raising event booked for the end of October. As usual we are sharing the proceeds with a local good cause: this time, the fund to refurbish the meeting room on the Square where the WI used to meet for many years until it outgrew the premises and got fed up with regularly blowing the fuses when switching on the speakers' projectors! We are trying to make sure that very few members have to be incarcerated in the kitchen and so miss all the fun. Of course the more we do ourselves the more profit there will be, but there comes a point when one has to recognise that we are taking advantage of our willing helpers. So this time we are shopping around for labour-saving services whenever possible---naturally we are not going to lose our excellent reputation for delicious desserts.
11th August
The discussion group met today and spent two hours talking about "respect". I heard once that part of the examination for one of the older universities was a three hour paper on one abstract word such as "charity" or "mercy". It took two hours for 7 people to discuss "respect" and it was extremely entertaining as well as raising concerns on the loss of many outward signs of respect and, more seriously, it was thought that the whole concept seems to be in danger of disappearing.We ranged from respect for age, authority, place, religion to the worth of history. We took in the recent cases where the stepping stones in Dovedale have been lifted up with lumps of cement and an ancient bridleway on Exmoor which is to be covered in concrete, all for health and safety reasons.The discussion was not all negative because we found out who was still admired and respected by those present which as you may imagine caused some argument!
10th August
After all that IT RAINED, almost from start to finish! The spirit of the Blitz took over and everyone made the best of it and agreed that it was a wonderful day.There were about 1300 people at Stowe to celebrate the Bucks Federation's 90th anniversary. Seventeen coaches massed in the carpark. The tents and marquees proved themselves watertight and the Temple provided cover for the needlework exhibits and the lovely birthday cake. The trade stalls were interesting and the children enjoyed the physics experiments at one stall as well as the games provided in the open. Some brave souls ventured into the grounds to see the lake and count temples. The church was welcoming and the sound of the bells was lovely. A small group gave an impromptu rendition of Jerusalem in the church attracted by the echo.The brass band played manfully throughout the afternoon; the sale of Pimms was brisk because they had to be drunk in competition with the wasps which always head for the Pimms tent at any event.The picnics in the competition were beautiful if a bit bedraggled by the rain and the Group and WI stalls provided lots for people to see and buy.Beneath dripping umbrellas everyone talked and laughed and appreciated what had been arranged for the day. Well done to all who organised the day and it wasn't your fault it was the wettest day of the year in Bucks.
9th August
Today was spent by Executive members, committee members and helpers recruited into the workforce in setting up the WI event at Stowe Landscape Gardens. I think many members will have no idea of the enormity of planning such an event nor of the sheer physical strength needed by this party to put on an occasion like this. Where and when do you begin? Booking the venue and marquees and extra mobile loos; the tickets and the coaches; the band and the trade stalls are all matters outside the WI that have to be organised.Within the federation, a huge quantity of cake must be baked and one beautiful one iced and decorated for ceremonial cutting. Then there has to be a large van hired and some WI member has to be prepared to drive it. It has to be loaded with all the items from Stuart Lodge that the Executive and committees need for their stalls. Space has to be allocated inside the tents and once on site the tents have to erected. For this the WI member is at least a foot too short to fasten the fabric sides, hammers have to be wielded, safety concerns considered, tables carted about the site and draped.Never is that old cliche "Things don't just happen" more true than on occasions like this and I think we all owe a great debt of gratitude to Executive and to Betty Furner for masterminding such an event which will do us credit in the eyes of everyone who attends whether a WI member or a casual visitor. Thank you.
Tuesday, 27 July 2010
In the eyes of the public
27th July
Here we are, not yet in the silly season for the media, and one cannot open a national paper without there being some mention of the WI! I exaggerate of course but the WI has had a very busy month for promotional articles which makes up in a way for the tiny mention of the AGM in Cardiff. Our National Chairman, Ruth Bond was interviewed on Breakfast TV about the planned launch in October of the Harmonies' album The Voices of the WI.The members who attended the AGM were recorded singing Jerusalem as one part of the album. Apparently Universal Records has invested £1 million in this project so we had better buy it for all our relatives to get it on to the top record charts. There has also been a lot of publicity for the cakes which are going to appear in supermarkets acknowledging the WI recipes used but not, I hasten to add, actually cooked by WI members --that is still the province of Country Markets and us locals."Young, hip and part of the WI" was the heading for another feature on our membership growth based on a reporter's visit to the new WI in Islington with a photo of pretty, lively faces enjoying an evening at their meeting. That article was followed by an explanation in another paper of why we couldn't directly collect for Help the Heroes because of our charitable status. Although members had been sending goodies out to the troops for several years and supported the forces in every way they could, they are not allowed to contribute anything from their funds into the monies of another charitable organisation. And then, blow me! featured in a glossy supplement, there was an ex-Bucks WI president looking absolutely gorgeous (and we who knew her in that role know exactly how old she is) interviewed about her life on the Continent as a very popular DJ. So it is not the young WI member who is hip but also the longstanding one! My sister-in-law and two friends wandered mistakenly into a WI meeting in Cumbria thinking they were going to support a friend in the mobile theatre visit to the village.They were made very welcome and although they got rather giggly when they realised their mistake, they didn't know how to get out without appearing very rude so they stayed and enjoyed a talk about hats.Well, you never know maybe they will become members after this chance encounter.
20th July
The local WI book group met today. It was too hot to sit outside so we retreated indoors. Several people had read "Once a Landgirl" by Angela Huth which was much lighter than our recent selected novels. We suspected that the author having concentrated on one of the girls from the original book, might very well produce stories based on the lives of the two other girls. We didn't feel it held our interest as well as the first book because Prue's life had become just another rather amusing take on a girl's search for love in post war Britain.We had also been reading Crimson Rooms by Katherine McMahon but because not everyone had had sight of a copy, we have held discussion of that title over until next time. However as one member declared it the best novel she had read for ages, I think we have picked a winner here.A few had been reading Wolf Hall by Hilary Martel which is a wonderful historical novel based on the life of Thomas Cromwell. No wonder it won the Booker Prize as it is a wonderful novel which keeps one reading far into the night. The good thing too for us is that it has been done as an audio book so our member with sight problems could listen, although she had to get a member of the family to produce a character chart for her. It is confusing because Henry VIII gave out titles and posts at such regular intervals that one has to concentrate on who is being addressed in conversation. Although the novel covers only the time when the king was trying to obtain a divorce from his first wife until Anne Boleyn's miscarriage, it is a fascinating account of the intrigues at court and Cromwell's rise to power. The character of Cromwell is so appealing that I don't think the author could bring herself to recount his subsequent fall from grace and end.
8th July
The Education and Current Affairs sub-committee met today. Committees receive a bad press.Who was it that said"Committees are made up of the unwilling, chosen from the unfit to do the unnecessary"? However the WI wouldn't manage on any level without them: they can be enjoyable and rewarding meetings. It is good when what has caused a lot of work goes well and people are appreciative. This was certainly so over our committee's Henry VIII day and the recent Nature Ramble. So of course we set about planning events for the rest of the year and 2011 which we hope members will support and enjoy.Following the meeting we had a short presentation from the Bucks County Council on the provision of help to women (and men) suffering from domestic violence, especially those in rural areas. The NFWI survey carried out last year had made everyone aware of the incidence of this problem.The WI is a valuable source of information and power for good on family issues so to question and ignore the information wrung from individuals is to be guilty of stuffing unpleasant truths under a cosy pillow of respectability.If we think back to colleagues at work, friends, children unable to go swimming in case their bruises are noted, cross generation abuse where the elderly relative suffers rough handling and calculated mental cruelty, who can say she is unaware of the problem or doubt its frequency? Uncomfortable knowledge it may be, but if the WI can do anything to help, it should.How can we call ourselves a caring organisation if we turn our backs on those suffering from domestic violence?
Here we are, not yet in the silly season for the media, and one cannot open a national paper without there being some mention of the WI! I exaggerate of course but the WI has had a very busy month for promotional articles which makes up in a way for the tiny mention of the AGM in Cardiff. Our National Chairman, Ruth Bond was interviewed on Breakfast TV about the planned launch in October of the Harmonies' album The Voices of the WI.The members who attended the AGM were recorded singing Jerusalem as one part of the album. Apparently Universal Records has invested £1 million in this project so we had better buy it for all our relatives to get it on to the top record charts. There has also been a lot of publicity for the cakes which are going to appear in supermarkets acknowledging the WI recipes used but not, I hasten to add, actually cooked by WI members --that is still the province of Country Markets and us locals."Young, hip and part of the WI" was the heading for another feature on our membership growth based on a reporter's visit to the new WI in Islington with a photo of pretty, lively faces enjoying an evening at their meeting. That article was followed by an explanation in another paper of why we couldn't directly collect for Help the Heroes because of our charitable status. Although members had been sending goodies out to the troops for several years and supported the forces in every way they could, they are not allowed to contribute anything from their funds into the monies of another charitable organisation. And then, blow me! featured in a glossy supplement, there was an ex-Bucks WI president looking absolutely gorgeous (and we who knew her in that role know exactly how old she is) interviewed about her life on the Continent as a very popular DJ. So it is not the young WI member who is hip but also the longstanding one! My sister-in-law and two friends wandered mistakenly into a WI meeting in Cumbria thinking they were going to support a friend in the mobile theatre visit to the village.They were made very welcome and although they got rather giggly when they realised their mistake, they didn't know how to get out without appearing very rude so they stayed and enjoyed a talk about hats.Well, you never know maybe they will become members after this chance encounter.
20th July
The local WI book group met today. It was too hot to sit outside so we retreated indoors. Several people had read "Once a Landgirl" by Angela Huth which was much lighter than our recent selected novels. We suspected that the author having concentrated on one of the girls from the original book, might very well produce stories based on the lives of the two other girls. We didn't feel it held our interest as well as the first book because Prue's life had become just another rather amusing take on a girl's search for love in post war Britain.We had also been reading Crimson Rooms by Katherine McMahon but because not everyone had had sight of a copy, we have held discussion of that title over until next time. However as one member declared it the best novel she had read for ages, I think we have picked a winner here.A few had been reading Wolf Hall by Hilary Martel which is a wonderful historical novel based on the life of Thomas Cromwell. No wonder it won the Booker Prize as it is a wonderful novel which keeps one reading far into the night. The good thing too for us is that it has been done as an audio book so our member with sight problems could listen, although she had to get a member of the family to produce a character chart for her. It is confusing because Henry VIII gave out titles and posts at such regular intervals that one has to concentrate on who is being addressed in conversation. Although the novel covers only the time when the king was trying to obtain a divorce from his first wife until Anne Boleyn's miscarriage, it is a fascinating account of the intrigues at court and Cromwell's rise to power. The character of Cromwell is so appealing that I don't think the author could bring herself to recount his subsequent fall from grace and end.
8th July
The Education and Current Affairs sub-committee met today. Committees receive a bad press.Who was it that said"Committees are made up of the unwilling, chosen from the unfit to do the unnecessary"? However the WI wouldn't manage on any level without them: they can be enjoyable and rewarding meetings. It is good when what has caused a lot of work goes well and people are appreciative. This was certainly so over our committee's Henry VIII day and the recent Nature Ramble. So of course we set about planning events for the rest of the year and 2011 which we hope members will support and enjoy.Following the meeting we had a short presentation from the Bucks County Council on the provision of help to women (and men) suffering from domestic violence, especially those in rural areas. The NFWI survey carried out last year had made everyone aware of the incidence of this problem.The WI is a valuable source of information and power for good on family issues so to question and ignore the information wrung from individuals is to be guilty of stuffing unpleasant truths under a cosy pillow of respectability.If we think back to colleagues at work, friends, children unable to go swimming in case their bruises are noted, cross generation abuse where the elderly relative suffers rough handling and calculated mental cruelty, who can say she is unaware of the problem or doubt its frequency? Uncomfortable knowledge it may be, but if the WI can do anything to help, it should.How can we call ourselves a caring organisation if we turn our backs on those suffering from domestic violence?
Wednesday, 30 June 2010
Normal service has been resumed
29th June
Dear Reader, I rather hope that you have missed me throughout this month but the truth of the matter has been that for some reason or other, best known to itself, the family computer died. Technology is all very well until it goes wrong. What worries me is that we are forever being encouraged to rely on the www. and to become a paperless society without taking into account what happens when information technology fails or is sabotaged. And as for doing away with cheques...the mind boggles! Isn't it galling to have to visit someone who one thinks would make a lovely grandson, if one needed any more, for advice and rescue?
22nd June
I joined around 60 WI members on one of the summer rambles arranged by the Leisure and Performing Arts sub-committee. These rambles are very popular because one gets to walk in areas not usually explored previously by the walkers and there is always good food at the end. The Steeple Claydon ramble was exactly so. We were walking in lovely green countryside, plenty of trees, few stiles and dry underfoot. We passed in front of Claydon House where people were scattered about the grounds drinking Pimms and listening to jazz from the drawing room. It was a beautiful summer evening and we were able to escape from the TV's post mortems on the budget. I hear many WIs are well advanced on the Triathlon organised by NFWI for this summer. I reckon our WI should not have decided to give it a miss because although we are short of cyclists, we could have shared a bike and done short runs along the cycle track and reached the desired mileage probably in relative safety. It is not too late---we have until October after all.
21st June
The Chairmen and Secretaries of the sub-committees met down at Stuart Lodge this morning. The purpose of this meeting is to reinforce the "house style" for BFWI as there are always a few changes in office every year. It was useful this time as our Treasurer explained some of the rules about VAT charges in respect to county meetings. The federations are VAT rated and the part of the subscription which we as WIs pay to the BFWI incurs VAT. We are also being encouraged to use e-mails as much as possible to cut down on the rising postage costs.
15th June
The local WI reading group met today to discuss "Lighthousekeepig" by Jeanette Winterson. It is a short novel completely different to the author's other works and I thought it was wonderful; so poetic and so imaginatively original. I read it through twice and even made notes of favourite parts but quite a few people present hadn't bothered to finish it. It had been a bit confusing to listen to on tape for our nearly blind member but she enlisted her husband's help to point out the chapter or story breaks from the written copy: the professional reader had not made this clear. The arrangements of the chapters had confused another reader but in spite of that she had enjoyed the novel. But I wish more had persevered because we ended up talking about odds and ends which had been read during the month and I felt thwarted!
14th June
The Education and Current Affairs day called "Henry VIII and All That" at Cheddington was a great success which I know I shouldn't say as I was so heavily involved in its running. But it was: the speakers were excellent, the jester was made welcome at lunchtime, the food was good and the caretaker had had curtains made for the top lights especially for the WI following our remarks after the Holland Day. The screen showed up better in spite of the bright sunshine. We had all worked very hard on this event. The cooking alone had been going on for days beforehand and just to serve out and clear away after 180 people is a logistical nightmare. It also means that the committee members see and hear very little of the proceedings that they have so carefully planned. However, it becomes worth it when members stop to say "Well done" or write/e-mail to congratulate us. We learned a lot from our speakers and hopefully it will encourage members to visit Hampton Court with us in September.
9th June
The local WI Discussion Group met this evening to work its way through a conversation kit on the whys and wherefores of electronic health record data banks. This is a topical subject as the government is discussing this at the end of the month. We have sent up our thoughts to be included in its consultation. Our WI is fortunate to have members with experience in the Health Service past and present so we benefitted form their input. It is a subject worth thinking about as you may not be aware that already the data bank holds a lot of medical information about us without needing to consult us at all about whether we want to opt out or not. Ask your doctor as practices vary.
8th June
Of course, it rained today! Whenever our WI decides to go al fresco, it rains. It was our part of the NFWI's national coffee morning week. There was a good turn out in spite of the weather and we have probably contributed a reasonable sum towards an educational bursary.
Dear Reader, I rather hope that you have missed me throughout this month but the truth of the matter has been that for some reason or other, best known to itself, the family computer died. Technology is all very well until it goes wrong. What worries me is that we are forever being encouraged to rely on the www. and to become a paperless society without taking into account what happens when information technology fails or is sabotaged. And as for doing away with cheques...the mind boggles! Isn't it galling to have to visit someone who one thinks would make a lovely grandson, if one needed any more, for advice and rescue?
22nd June
I joined around 60 WI members on one of the summer rambles arranged by the Leisure and Performing Arts sub-committee. These rambles are very popular because one gets to walk in areas not usually explored previously by the walkers and there is always good food at the end. The Steeple Claydon ramble was exactly so. We were walking in lovely green countryside, plenty of trees, few stiles and dry underfoot. We passed in front of Claydon House where people were scattered about the grounds drinking Pimms and listening to jazz from the drawing room. It was a beautiful summer evening and we were able to escape from the TV's post mortems on the budget. I hear many WIs are well advanced on the Triathlon organised by NFWI for this summer. I reckon our WI should not have decided to give it a miss because although we are short of cyclists, we could have shared a bike and done short runs along the cycle track and reached the desired mileage probably in relative safety. It is not too late---we have until October after all.
21st June
The Chairmen and Secretaries of the sub-committees met down at Stuart Lodge this morning. The purpose of this meeting is to reinforce the "house style" for BFWI as there are always a few changes in office every year. It was useful this time as our Treasurer explained some of the rules about VAT charges in respect to county meetings. The federations are VAT rated and the part of the subscription which we as WIs pay to the BFWI incurs VAT. We are also being encouraged to use e-mails as much as possible to cut down on the rising postage costs.
15th June
The local WI reading group met today to discuss "Lighthousekeepig" by Jeanette Winterson. It is a short novel completely different to the author's other works and I thought it was wonderful; so poetic and so imaginatively original. I read it through twice and even made notes of favourite parts but quite a few people present hadn't bothered to finish it. It had been a bit confusing to listen to on tape for our nearly blind member but she enlisted her husband's help to point out the chapter or story breaks from the written copy: the professional reader had not made this clear. The arrangements of the chapters had confused another reader but in spite of that she had enjoyed the novel. But I wish more had persevered because we ended up talking about odds and ends which had been read during the month and I felt thwarted!
14th June
The Education and Current Affairs day called "Henry VIII and All That" at Cheddington was a great success which I know I shouldn't say as I was so heavily involved in its running. But it was: the speakers were excellent, the jester was made welcome at lunchtime, the food was good and the caretaker had had curtains made for the top lights especially for the WI following our remarks after the Holland Day. The screen showed up better in spite of the bright sunshine. We had all worked very hard on this event. The cooking alone had been going on for days beforehand and just to serve out and clear away after 180 people is a logistical nightmare. It also means that the committee members see and hear very little of the proceedings that they have so carefully planned. However, it becomes worth it when members stop to say "Well done" or write/e-mail to congratulate us. We learned a lot from our speakers and hopefully it will encourage members to visit Hampton Court with us in September.
9th June
The local WI Discussion Group met this evening to work its way through a conversation kit on the whys and wherefores of electronic health record data banks. This is a topical subject as the government is discussing this at the end of the month. We have sent up our thoughts to be included in its consultation. Our WI is fortunate to have members with experience in the Health Service past and present so we benefitted form their input. It is a subject worth thinking about as you may not be aware that already the data bank holds a lot of medical information about us without needing to consult us at all about whether we want to opt out or not. Ask your doctor as practices vary.
8th June
Of course, it rained today! Whenever our WI decides to go al fresco, it rains. It was our part of the NFWI's national coffee morning week. There was a good turn out in spite of the weather and we have probably contributed a reasonable sum towards an educational bursary.
Sunday, 16 May 2010
One thing after another
13th May
Every two years at the beginning of May, the members of the various sub-committees in BFWI are appointed to serve for another two years. Every year in May they give themselves a shake and change officers or responsibilities.So today Education and Current Affairs met to sort itself out for another year.Unfortunately we are losing our Chairman and the sub-committee is below strength anyway at the moment and we are running up to a very active summer with big events planned. This will mean us calling in promises from helpers outside. I wish we could get some more volunteers to join us but we seem to suffer from an unfortunate image. People think we are a load of blue stockings and therefore either dull or forbidding. And we are not at all like that. Our meetings are lively and the events we plan are popular but still this idea persists. So go on prove me wrong and make enquiries: it is only six meetings a year!
Great was the rejoicing that we have won a grant to buy a laptop to go with our recent purchase of the projector which many of you saw in use at the Celebration Lunch at Newton Longville. The trip to Paris had gone well and there was talk of a follow-up to another European attraction. There are events planned for this year and next at Denman College. However the bulk of the meeting was taken up with arrangements for our Tudor Day, Henry VIII and All That which is over-subscribed. If you missed a ticket, think if you had been on the committee you would have been able to attend!
12th May
The local WI held its second Discussion Group evening and although we had come ready to talk about packaging and labelling as per this year's resolution, the subjects discussed were far-ranging. We have decided to try to bring to every meeting to start us off some item either in the media or in real life that has amused us. This practice can torpedo the whole evening but it is a good way to make people relax, along with the wine of course.We did discuss packaging but also the lack of parity in payments in for leave and allowances to natural parents and adopting parents. And of course keeping party politics out of it, we reviewed the TV coverage of the election and reminisced on elections of former years without the media coverage.
11th May
The County Library had come up trumps this time with enough copies of "The View from Castle Rock" by Alice Munro for us all to read at the same time and an audio version too. The majority enjoyed this very different way of approaching one's own family history---turn most of it into short stories. This method brought home the privations of the early Scottish settlers in Canada. Life was tough in those days; the women were amazingly strong physically and mentally just to cope with the everyday struggle against the elements, the frequent childbirths and the early loss of life. We have the Angela Huth "Once a Landgirl " in hand for next time and "Lighthousekeeping" which sounds intriguing.Our group is comfortably sized at ten members which means that even when folks are away on holiday there is a good number present. Also of course, we need time to discuss the travel as well, so we should call absentees fieldworkers.
10th May
The local WI craft group spent the afternoon pooling resources for the BFWI competition "Celebration". We have decided on our theme, now it is what to include and what to leave out, what accessories will be allowed. We didn't have time to actually do anything with a needle and thread this afternoon.
5th May
Resolution evening tonight at the monthly meeting. Members are a bit disappointed that there is only the one going up to the NFWI AGM at Cardiff next month. We entertained a member from a neighbouring WI who is to represent us this year as our delegate. Our Vice-Chairman took us through the resolution and we did agree with it in the main, although some members would have preferred it if the one about flood management had been chosen. One of our members brought up an issue about allowances for adopting parents and it was decided to write to our MP as soon as we knew who he/she was to be, to seek for support when the social welfare scheme is next reviewed. As there are only 4000 adoptions in UK per year, it was thought too small a subject to go up as a resolution for next year.
We were disappointed that our nominee for the community award in the town had not won so in true WI fashion we made enquiries about the system of choosing the winner so that we wouldn't risk being unsuccessful another year! Our new venue is proving comfortable and we will probably benefit from its garden space if we stage a barbeque-type meeting in August to replace our missed meeting because of the snow in January.
Disappointingly no one would mastermind the WI tent at the Winslow Show so for the first time for more than 20 years there will be no WI presence on August Bank Holiday Monday. The trouble is that the people who do things are also doing them for other town organisations and we shouldn't grumble at that but wouldn't it be wonderful if someone who had never done anything like that before suddenly volunteered...and pigs might fly!
Every two years at the beginning of May, the members of the various sub-committees in BFWI are appointed to serve for another two years. Every year in May they give themselves a shake and change officers or responsibilities.So today Education and Current Affairs met to sort itself out for another year.Unfortunately we are losing our Chairman and the sub-committee is below strength anyway at the moment and we are running up to a very active summer with big events planned. This will mean us calling in promises from helpers outside. I wish we could get some more volunteers to join us but we seem to suffer from an unfortunate image. People think we are a load of blue stockings and therefore either dull or forbidding. And we are not at all like that. Our meetings are lively and the events we plan are popular but still this idea persists. So go on prove me wrong and make enquiries: it is only six meetings a year!
Great was the rejoicing that we have won a grant to buy a laptop to go with our recent purchase of the projector which many of you saw in use at the Celebration Lunch at Newton Longville. The trip to Paris had gone well and there was talk of a follow-up to another European attraction. There are events planned for this year and next at Denman College. However the bulk of the meeting was taken up with arrangements for our Tudor Day, Henry VIII and All That which is over-subscribed. If you missed a ticket, think if you had been on the committee you would have been able to attend!
12th May
The local WI held its second Discussion Group evening and although we had come ready to talk about packaging and labelling as per this year's resolution, the subjects discussed were far-ranging. We have decided to try to bring to every meeting to start us off some item either in the media or in real life that has amused us. This practice can torpedo the whole evening but it is a good way to make people relax, along with the wine of course.We did discuss packaging but also the lack of parity in payments in for leave and allowances to natural parents and adopting parents. And of course keeping party politics out of it, we reviewed the TV coverage of the election and reminisced on elections of former years without the media coverage.
11th May
The County Library had come up trumps this time with enough copies of "The View from Castle Rock" by Alice Munro for us all to read at the same time and an audio version too. The majority enjoyed this very different way of approaching one's own family history---turn most of it into short stories. This method brought home the privations of the early Scottish settlers in Canada. Life was tough in those days; the women were amazingly strong physically and mentally just to cope with the everyday struggle against the elements, the frequent childbirths and the early loss of life. We have the Angela Huth "Once a Landgirl " in hand for next time and "Lighthousekeeping" which sounds intriguing.Our group is comfortably sized at ten members which means that even when folks are away on holiday there is a good number present. Also of course, we need time to discuss the travel as well, so we should call absentees fieldworkers.
10th May
The local WI craft group spent the afternoon pooling resources for the BFWI competition "Celebration". We have decided on our theme, now it is what to include and what to leave out, what accessories will be allowed. We didn't have time to actually do anything with a needle and thread this afternoon.
5th May
Resolution evening tonight at the monthly meeting. Members are a bit disappointed that there is only the one going up to the NFWI AGM at Cardiff next month. We entertained a member from a neighbouring WI who is to represent us this year as our delegate. Our Vice-Chairman took us through the resolution and we did agree with it in the main, although some members would have preferred it if the one about flood management had been chosen. One of our members brought up an issue about allowances for adopting parents and it was decided to write to our MP as soon as we knew who he/she was to be, to seek for support when the social welfare scheme is next reviewed. As there are only 4000 adoptions in UK per year, it was thought too small a subject to go up as a resolution for next year.
We were disappointed that our nominee for the community award in the town had not won so in true WI fashion we made enquiries about the system of choosing the winner so that we wouldn't risk being unsuccessful another year! Our new venue is proving comfortable and we will probably benefit from its garden space if we stage a barbeque-type meeting in August to replace our missed meeting because of the snow in January.
Disappointingly no one would mastermind the WI tent at the Winslow Show so for the first time for more than 20 years there will be no WI presence on August Bank Holiday Monday. The trouble is that the people who do things are also doing them for other town organisations and we shouldn't grumble at that but wouldn't it be wonderful if someone who had never done anything like that before suddenly volunteered...and pigs might fly!
Monday, 26 April 2010
April in Paris
21st April
Today the local WI entertained itself with another session of playreading. We read two short plays which were quite enjoyable and not too dated in spite of being sets which were physically pretty old. We are now going to explore the idea of using the Bucks County Library playsets (if they still exist) as it would be expensive to buy sets unless we were seriously thinking of putting on a production.Our WI used to be very strong on drama but besides winning the South East Region WI competition about 10 years ago we have avoided the stage since.Most of that original cast are still members but they are all short of spare time for the commitment to rehearsals and evening presentations.
16th-19th April in Paris
We will all remember the date of the volcanic ash alert because that was the weekend Bucks WI members travelled to Paris by Eurostar to celebrate in style the 90th anniversary of the Bucks Federation of WIs.Thirty of us left St Pancras International on the Friday morning, arrived in Paris at 2.30pm local time and stopped the traffic as we crossed to our coach outside the Gare du Nord. Our guide said it had never been done before but we explained we always did that at the Albert Hall! We enjoyed a three hour tour of the city in gorgeous sunshine with our lovely guide. We checked in to the hotel and then walked to a nearby restaurant for a celebratory dinner. You can imagine the level of noise and chatter in there but we did stop for a few minutes to drink a toast to BFWI.We got lost on the way home ---the wine may have had something to do with that! It certainly seemed farther and we had to ask for directions quite often.
Next morning 14 of us went with Elizabeth, our guide to Versailles. We travelled on the RER public transport system and our fare seemed to get smaller by the minute as Elizabeth did deals with the ticket office. We had great adventures with the closing doors on the train but all arrived safely if slightly bruised at the palace. And the sunshine was wonderful, lighting up all the gold on the gates and in the rooms inside. After a lunch sitting outside on the pavement of a good restaurant, we explored the palace gardens and wandered about in the sunshine. Our guide took some members back to the hotel while two of us attempted to go up the Eifel Tower. Actually we just looked at the queue and found out it would be a 2 hour wait for a lift, so decided to find another cafe outside in the sun instead.
While we were away the others had explored museums, art galleries and visited the Galeries Lafayette for le shopping.
Next day sun still shining, 20 of us boarded a bateau mouche and glided down the Seine listening to a commentary in 7 different languages. After that everyone went off in different directions to view the Louvre collection, the gardens or the Impressionist paintings at the Musee d'Orsay.
The travellers tended to gather together in the hotel garden in the evening to plan further forays or to talk over what they had done. People were sitting out until 10pm like starlings gathering before bedtime.Other guests were stranded trying to get coaches and trains home. One party from Finland left to endure a 30 hour coach journey; we never found out how some girls from the Balkans were going to make it.
Next day we had until 3.30pm before joining the coach to return to the station which was packed with people trying to board trains as their flights had been cancelled.People were queuing to get in to the station never mind get a ticket. Thank Goodness BFWI didn't decide to go by air! A young Irish couple helped us with our luggage on and off the train and several of the party thought they were Eurostar staff.I overheard one of the party doing a grand job promoting the WI. What an easy way it is to travel to Europe by Eurostar! I don't think I shall fly again.We arrived home tired but happy to find our local coach waiting to deliver us across the county.
From messages received on our return everyone seems well content with her short break: the hotel was good and the travel firm that took us had thought of everything to ensure that we enjoyed ourselves---even the weather.
Today the local WI entertained itself with another session of playreading. We read two short plays which were quite enjoyable and not too dated in spite of being sets which were physically pretty old. We are now going to explore the idea of using the Bucks County Library playsets (if they still exist) as it would be expensive to buy sets unless we were seriously thinking of putting on a production.Our WI used to be very strong on drama but besides winning the South East Region WI competition about 10 years ago we have avoided the stage since.Most of that original cast are still members but they are all short of spare time for the commitment to rehearsals and evening presentations.
16th-19th April in Paris
We will all remember the date of the volcanic ash alert because that was the weekend Bucks WI members travelled to Paris by Eurostar to celebrate in style the 90th anniversary of the Bucks Federation of WIs.Thirty of us left St Pancras International on the Friday morning, arrived in Paris at 2.30pm local time and stopped the traffic as we crossed to our coach outside the Gare du Nord. Our guide said it had never been done before but we explained we always did that at the Albert Hall! We enjoyed a three hour tour of the city in gorgeous sunshine with our lovely guide. We checked in to the hotel and then walked to a nearby restaurant for a celebratory dinner. You can imagine the level of noise and chatter in there but we did stop for a few minutes to drink a toast to BFWI.We got lost on the way home ---the wine may have had something to do with that! It certainly seemed farther and we had to ask for directions quite often.
Next morning 14 of us went with Elizabeth, our guide to Versailles. We travelled on the RER public transport system and our fare seemed to get smaller by the minute as Elizabeth did deals with the ticket office. We had great adventures with the closing doors on the train but all arrived safely if slightly bruised at the palace. And the sunshine was wonderful, lighting up all the gold on the gates and in the rooms inside. After a lunch sitting outside on the pavement of a good restaurant, we explored the palace gardens and wandered about in the sunshine. Our guide took some members back to the hotel while two of us attempted to go up the Eifel Tower. Actually we just looked at the queue and found out it would be a 2 hour wait for a lift, so decided to find another cafe outside in the sun instead.
While we were away the others had explored museums, art galleries and visited the Galeries Lafayette for le shopping.
Next day sun still shining, 20 of us boarded a bateau mouche and glided down the Seine listening to a commentary in 7 different languages. After that everyone went off in different directions to view the Louvre collection, the gardens or the Impressionist paintings at the Musee d'Orsay.
The travellers tended to gather together in the hotel garden in the evening to plan further forays or to talk over what they had done. People were sitting out until 10pm like starlings gathering before bedtime.Other guests were stranded trying to get coaches and trains home. One party from Finland left to endure a 30 hour coach journey; we never found out how some girls from the Balkans were going to make it.
Next day we had until 3.30pm before joining the coach to return to the station which was packed with people trying to board trains as their flights had been cancelled.People were queuing to get in to the station never mind get a ticket. Thank Goodness BFWI didn't decide to go by air! A young Irish couple helped us with our luggage on and off the train and several of the party thought they were Eurostar staff.I overheard one of the party doing a grand job promoting the WI. What an easy way it is to travel to Europe by Eurostar! I don't think I shall fly again.We arrived home tired but happy to find our local coach waiting to deliver us across the county.
From messages received on our return everyone seems well content with her short break: the hotel was good and the travel firm that took us had thought of everything to ensure that we enjoyed ourselves---even the weather.
Saturday, 3 April 2010
31st March
A busy WI day today because the 90th Anniversary of Bucks WI Federation Celebration Lunch took place in Newton Longville. The hall was full to capacity and everyone had been allocated to a table so that there was no scramble for places. The meal was excellent, good portions and well cooked and leisurely.After the official toast there was continual chatter and the projector was showing the celebratory samplers which the WIs had submitted last year. It was a good occasion to show them off. After lunch Lyndsey Haubner talked about her experiences as an extra for films and TV which was an interesting insight into behind the scenes life in the theatrical world.
In the evening it was down town to watch Winslow WI's Fashion Parade. Again the hall was full to overflowing and the set-up was highly professional with a catwalk, musical accompaniment and a spotlight. The models were from our own WI plus a couple of young daughters drafted in and I don't think they will mind me saying that they were of all shapes and sizes and ages, real life people not these twiglike creatures seen parading in the fashion houses.There were stalls around the hall and the wine flowed. The clothes were from GreenHouse and they looked good and felt good too as several of the models bought outfits but left some for the rest of us! The commentary was excellent and the models really entered into the swing of the thing. It was good fun and attracted a lot of non-members from the town which is what we aim to do when holding a fund-raising event. I am told that the rehearsal in the afternoon was dire which just goes to show the truth of the saying that that presages a successful event.It was a resounding success and I think Winslow WI should be proud of itself.
30th March
The Book Group met this afternoon. We were slightly reduced in numbers because of illness but a good turn out really.The novel under discussion was "The Alchemist's Daughter" by Katherine MacMahon which was considered better than "The Rose of Sebastopol" which we had read the month before. People preferred the more definite ending to this book and enjoyed the historical setting. We talked about the theme of nature v. nurture and whether one could possibly in these times bring up a child in such isolation from the outside world even if one went along with home education. Also we wondered whether the heroine, when she showed the baby round her laboratory, was going to repeat her father's experiment with her education with the new child or whether the "we" has meaning herself and the local priest. So maybe the ending wasn't as straightforward as we at first believed. We learned quite a bit of physics too with this book! We are going to give this author a rest for a while and our next book is Alice Munro's "View from Castle Rock" and probably "Once a Landgirl" by Angela Huth.
A busy WI day today because the 90th Anniversary of Bucks WI Federation Celebration Lunch took place in Newton Longville. The hall was full to capacity and everyone had been allocated to a table so that there was no scramble for places. The meal was excellent, good portions and well cooked and leisurely.After the official toast there was continual chatter and the projector was showing the celebratory samplers which the WIs had submitted last year. It was a good occasion to show them off. After lunch Lyndsey Haubner talked about her experiences as an extra for films and TV which was an interesting insight into behind the scenes life in the theatrical world.
In the evening it was down town to watch Winslow WI's Fashion Parade. Again the hall was full to overflowing and the set-up was highly professional with a catwalk, musical accompaniment and a spotlight. The models were from our own WI plus a couple of young daughters drafted in and I don't think they will mind me saying that they were of all shapes and sizes and ages, real life people not these twiglike creatures seen parading in the fashion houses.There were stalls around the hall and the wine flowed. The clothes were from GreenHouse and they looked good and felt good too as several of the models bought outfits but left some for the rest of us! The commentary was excellent and the models really entered into the swing of the thing. It was good fun and attracted a lot of non-members from the town which is what we aim to do when holding a fund-raising event. I am told that the rehearsal in the afternoon was dire which just goes to show the truth of the saying that that presages a successful event.It was a resounding success and I think Winslow WI should be proud of itself.
30th March
The Book Group met this afternoon. We were slightly reduced in numbers because of illness but a good turn out really.The novel under discussion was "The Alchemist's Daughter" by Katherine MacMahon which was considered better than "The Rose of Sebastopol" which we had read the month before. People preferred the more definite ending to this book and enjoyed the historical setting. We talked about the theme of nature v. nurture and whether one could possibly in these times bring up a child in such isolation from the outside world even if one went along with home education. Also we wondered whether the heroine, when she showed the baby round her laboratory, was going to repeat her father's experiment with her education with the new child or whether the "we" has meaning herself and the local priest. So maybe the ending wasn't as straightforward as we at first believed. We learned quite a bit of physics too with this book! We are going to give this author a rest for a while and our next book is Alice Munro's "View from Castle Rock" and probably "Once a Landgirl" by Angela Huth.
Tuesday, 30 March 2010
willing bodies
26 March
Two of us did our bit this afternoon serving teas etc to the blood donors. This is a pleasant chore which the local WI undertakes for the NHS van whenever it visits the town. The nurses reckon it is a great help and the donors certainly appreciate a cuppa while their bodies adjust to losing an armful of blood, as Tony Hancock would have said.Actually this is a promotional opportunity as quite a lot of chat goes on about who one is and why one is serving tea so what with the Calendar Girls in the current thinking, people were interested in the WI. I must admit that quite a few male donors were wondering whether their wives and partners ought to join. We may have got one new member this way . I'll keep you informed.
25 March
The northern round of the Intercounty Quiz was held tonight in Buckingham. This is an annual event when the brains of the WI members in Bucks, Herts and Bedfordshire are pitted against each other. Heats are held within the counties so that 6 teams may be selected to compete in the final in June. So not only do we have intense rivalry between the county federations but also between the north and south of each county too.Apparently our winning teams achieved lower marks than the winning teams down south which is a bit galling! I hope the southerners contested the loom answer too and as for Kingston -upon-Hull, I'm speechless! Only joking! It was a pleasant evening as usual and very well organised too.
23 March
Tonight we went to see the "Calendar Girls" at Milton Keynes Theatre. What a marvellous show it is! Usually when we go to the theatre, I meet at least one WI member from around the north of the county but last night surrounded by WI members from all over the place, I saw no one I knew.The theatre was packed and the humour of WI activities was much appreciated. The producer has been so clever at managing the nude scenes that no passing Lord Chamberlain could have raised a legal case, only an eyebrow perhaps! The WI organisation must be forever grateful to the real calendar girls for what they achieved for the WI image as well as for leukaemia research-- and the sofa, of course.
22 March
The Group Meeting this evening was very enjoyable. The speaker was Gill Fraser an exTV presenter on Heart of the Country who had worked with John Craven who has also come to talk in Bucks some time ago.Gill was entertaining as she described the hazards of moving into a former vicarage. The locals still associated the house with the responsibilities of the parish church so that her family became saddled with the annual church fete ,carol singers and the Sunday School productions. Several people bought copies of the book recording these events called "More tea less Vicar".The hostess WI then thought to address the problem of members insisting on sitting with members from their own WIs at group meetings by playing a game which muddled up everyone and forced them to talk outside their immediate circle. IT WORKED! And of course everyone said how nice it was to chat to someone different...so why didn't they do it before? We see many members from neighbouring WIs in the local butchers and shopping in the High Street so they are not so strange.
Two of us did our bit this afternoon serving teas etc to the blood donors. This is a pleasant chore which the local WI undertakes for the NHS van whenever it visits the town. The nurses reckon it is a great help and the donors certainly appreciate a cuppa while their bodies adjust to losing an armful of blood, as Tony Hancock would have said.Actually this is a promotional opportunity as quite a lot of chat goes on about who one is and why one is serving tea so what with the Calendar Girls in the current thinking, people were interested in the WI. I must admit that quite a few male donors were wondering whether their wives and partners ought to join. We may have got one new member this way . I'll keep you informed.
25 March
The northern round of the Intercounty Quiz was held tonight in Buckingham. This is an annual event when the brains of the WI members in Bucks, Herts and Bedfordshire are pitted against each other. Heats are held within the counties so that 6 teams may be selected to compete in the final in June. So not only do we have intense rivalry between the county federations but also between the north and south of each county too.Apparently our winning teams achieved lower marks than the winning teams down south which is a bit galling! I hope the southerners contested the loom answer too and as for Kingston -upon-Hull, I'm speechless! Only joking! It was a pleasant evening as usual and very well organised too.
23 March
Tonight we went to see the "Calendar Girls" at Milton Keynes Theatre. What a marvellous show it is! Usually when we go to the theatre, I meet at least one WI member from around the north of the county but last night surrounded by WI members from all over the place, I saw no one I knew.The theatre was packed and the humour of WI activities was much appreciated. The producer has been so clever at managing the nude scenes that no passing Lord Chamberlain could have raised a legal case, only an eyebrow perhaps! The WI organisation must be forever grateful to the real calendar girls for what they achieved for the WI image as well as for leukaemia research-- and the sofa, of course.
22 March
The Group Meeting this evening was very enjoyable. The speaker was Gill Fraser an exTV presenter on Heart of the Country who had worked with John Craven who has also come to talk in Bucks some time ago.Gill was entertaining as she described the hazards of moving into a former vicarage. The locals still associated the house with the responsibilities of the parish church so that her family became saddled with the annual church fete ,carol singers and the Sunday School productions. Several people bought copies of the book recording these events called "More tea less Vicar".The hostess WI then thought to address the problem of members insisting on sitting with members from their own WIs at group meetings by playing a game which muddled up everyone and forced them to talk outside their immediate circle. IT WORKED! And of course everyone said how nice it was to chat to someone different...so why didn't they do it before? We see many members from neighbouring WIs in the local butchers and shopping in the High Street so they are not so strange.
Saturday, 20 March 2010
Talk of trees and bridges
14 and 15 March
With another BFWI member, I attended the Rainforest Conference run by Taylors of Harrogate (Yorkshire Tea) at Denman College. There were WI members from all over the country in spite of the fact that it was Mothers' Day.Ruth Bond our National Chair was there and three others from the WI National Executive.Jonathan Wild, who you remember spoke so well at the AGM in the Albert Hall, had organised the event.Speakers included Tony Juniper , Special Envoy for HRH The Prince of Wales from the Prince's Rainforest Project and Simon Counsell Director of Rainforest Foundation UK who all gave excellent presentations on work being done across the world. Erika Bjureby also from the Rainforest Foundation described her experiences in Peru but as far as I was concerned the most inspirational speaker was Cristina Talens, the Ethical Trading Manager at Bettys & Taylors of Harrogate who talked about her trip to the Selva Central region of Peru's Amazon rainforest. Cristina without the aid of graphs and charts brought home to us the problems of the farmers in the forest and how the women are protecting their rights to land and their means of survival against the advances of big business, such as the timber and oil companies.
Of course there is no such thing as a free lunch and it is obvious that Taylors want those who attended to cascade information down to the WI County Federations.After all we have passed mandates on these issues. WIs help by collecting the tokens off the tea and coffee packets in response to which the firm has planted over three million trees but more importantly it has been able to employ people like Cristina to go out and give practical help to the women.And it is mostly women as there are very few men over 40 or anyone for that matter left after liquidations by the Shining Path.She gives them advice on how to prevent the people being exploited in world markets.It was really impressive to listen to these slips of girls talking about living in Peru a year at a time and learning to eat grubs for the best of possible reasons ---not to glorify themselves for some television camera crew.
I hope BFWI will be able to hold some event to highlight these issues either under the umbrella of ACWW or at an International Day or perhaps at Group level.
11 March
Most of our time at the Education and Current Affairs meeting today was spent in organising our Tudor Day but we have also written a letter on your behalf to enquire into provision of services, especially in rural areas of Bucks, for women caught up in domestic violence and abuse. We then experimented with a conversation kit issued by NEF on the pros and cons of electronic patient records.This was an enjoyable exercise which stimulated debate and we think that discussion groups would like to use this kit.If there is anyone reading this who is still part of a discussion group, please make yourself known to Sara at BFWI's Stuart Lodge.
8 March
Well, the Join me on the Bridge campaign for International Women's Day got some good publicity although I don't know of anyone from Bucks who went down to the Millennium Bridge. We could have used Marlow Bridge, I suppose or one over a motorway. The most media interest seemed to come from the Humber Bridge where I am not sure what happened between the WI and the Hull Football Club but it did result in the WI being mentioned on Match of the Day which must be a first!.
With another BFWI member, I attended the Rainforest Conference run by Taylors of Harrogate (Yorkshire Tea) at Denman College. There were WI members from all over the country in spite of the fact that it was Mothers' Day.Ruth Bond our National Chair was there and three others from the WI National Executive.Jonathan Wild, who you remember spoke so well at the AGM in the Albert Hall, had organised the event.Speakers included Tony Juniper , Special Envoy for HRH The Prince of Wales from the Prince's Rainforest Project and Simon Counsell Director of Rainforest Foundation UK who all gave excellent presentations on work being done across the world. Erika Bjureby also from the Rainforest Foundation described her experiences in Peru but as far as I was concerned the most inspirational speaker was Cristina Talens, the Ethical Trading Manager at Bettys & Taylors of Harrogate who talked about her trip to the Selva Central region of Peru's Amazon rainforest. Cristina without the aid of graphs and charts brought home to us the problems of the farmers in the forest and how the women are protecting their rights to land and their means of survival against the advances of big business, such as the timber and oil companies.
Of course there is no such thing as a free lunch and it is obvious that Taylors want those who attended to cascade information down to the WI County Federations.After all we have passed mandates on these issues. WIs help by collecting the tokens off the tea and coffee packets in response to which the firm has planted over three million trees but more importantly it has been able to employ people like Cristina to go out and give practical help to the women.And it is mostly women as there are very few men over 40 or anyone for that matter left after liquidations by the Shining Path.She gives them advice on how to prevent the people being exploited in world markets.It was really impressive to listen to these slips of girls talking about living in Peru a year at a time and learning to eat grubs for the best of possible reasons ---not to glorify themselves for some television camera crew.
I hope BFWI will be able to hold some event to highlight these issues either under the umbrella of ACWW or at an International Day or perhaps at Group level.
11 March
Most of our time at the Education and Current Affairs meeting today was spent in organising our Tudor Day but we have also written a letter on your behalf to enquire into provision of services, especially in rural areas of Bucks, for women caught up in domestic violence and abuse. We then experimented with a conversation kit issued by NEF on the pros and cons of electronic patient records.This was an enjoyable exercise which stimulated debate and we think that discussion groups would like to use this kit.If there is anyone reading this who is still part of a discussion group, please make yourself known to Sara at BFWI's Stuart Lodge.
8 March
Well, the Join me on the Bridge campaign for International Women's Day got some good publicity although I don't know of anyone from Bucks who went down to the Millennium Bridge. We could have used Marlow Bridge, I suppose or one over a motorway. The most media interest seemed to come from the Humber Bridge where I am not sure what happened between the WI and the Hull Football Club but it did result in the WI being mentioned on Match of the Day which must be a first!.
Friday, 5 March 2010
Plus and minus
4th March
Now that's what I like to see! "Supermarkets will cut down on packaging after WI campaign" headline in today's Daily Telegraph. Apparently the supermarkets will cut down on needless packaging such as individual wrapping for vegetables and cardboard trays for fruit after a campaign led by the Women's Institute.They are also going to help consumers to waste less food by selling smaller loaves of bread and providing recipes for leftovers. Shops will offer more recycling facilities for plastic bags and other packaging. I know it has taken a while from the start of our campaign but it has been a success and just proves that we can make the difference which all the political jargon urges us to do.
3rd March
The local WI enjoyed a very lively talk about superstitions and it showed how many of us profess not to be superstitious but don't take any chances, either just in case...Our next meeting is going to be an open one because it is on a subject that will appeal to family members too. We spent a lot of time planning the coming fashion show and the Group Meeting which sounds fascinating because its title is More Tea, Less Vicar---should be fun.
The vexed topic of ballots for WI events which are over-subscribed came up again. The system of decision dates was explained because the county federation cannot work on a first come, first served basis. Places have to be allocated in ratio not only of applications per WI but also on how they have been allocated for recent events. For this reason an account is maintained of the allocations made and this is referred to each time and taken into consideration. Unfortunately, like criticism, it is the disappointment that is remembered more than the success so that people feel done wrong by, whenever they miss out. No one realises the heartache of having to turn members away even though it tells the organising committee that it is planning things that the members want to attend.
1st March
A nice bright new federation newsletter arrived today. I took it away with me and compared it to the one from Avon Federation which was very like our old Green Letter but blue. The members from Avon thought ours very swish so take heart those on the editorial team when people criticise the change.
I told you the weather and the cancellation of the Resolution Selection Meetings would have a detrimental effect on the voting for the resolutions. We should be ashamed of ourselves at how few members put in a vote---just about a quarter of the Bucks membership. If in the general election this apathy is shown among the female votes we deserve to be tied to railings and have tomatoes thrown at us instead of forced feeding!
23rd February
Local meeting of the WI Book Group. The distribution of "set books" had been a bit chaotic so we finished up discussing "The Rose of Sebastopol" again and indulging in a book swap. We have now submitted a new list to the library and begun investigating prices of some recent titles to buy multiple copies.We all enjoy these meetings because we throw in travel reports of members' holidays as well but I will not embarrass anyone by mentioning some of those! Next time we should have read another Katherine MacMahon, "The Alchemist's Daughter".
A group of us had a little meeting to try to organise a better website entry for our local WI with a tie-in to the Town Council website as well as BFWI's new website. This was very interesting as we could gather round a couple of laptops and see what we were talking about. We need the Town Council mention for promotion so that needs to be aimed at the newcomer to the town but we also want to show off to other WIs in the County and advertise ourselves on the county federation for casual enquirers. Different horses for different courses. Luckily we have some IT whizzkids as members so I am sure something wonderful will emerge in the fullness of time.
Now that's what I like to see! "Supermarkets will cut down on packaging after WI campaign" headline in today's Daily Telegraph. Apparently the supermarkets will cut down on needless packaging such as individual wrapping for vegetables and cardboard trays for fruit after a campaign led by the Women's Institute.They are also going to help consumers to waste less food by selling smaller loaves of bread and providing recipes for leftovers. Shops will offer more recycling facilities for plastic bags and other packaging. I know it has taken a while from the start of our campaign but it has been a success and just proves that we can make the difference which all the political jargon urges us to do.
3rd March
The local WI enjoyed a very lively talk about superstitions and it showed how many of us profess not to be superstitious but don't take any chances, either just in case...Our next meeting is going to be an open one because it is on a subject that will appeal to family members too. We spent a lot of time planning the coming fashion show and the Group Meeting which sounds fascinating because its title is More Tea, Less Vicar---should be fun.
The vexed topic of ballots for WI events which are over-subscribed came up again. The system of decision dates was explained because the county federation cannot work on a first come, first served basis. Places have to be allocated in ratio not only of applications per WI but also on how they have been allocated for recent events. For this reason an account is maintained of the allocations made and this is referred to each time and taken into consideration. Unfortunately, like criticism, it is the disappointment that is remembered more than the success so that people feel done wrong by, whenever they miss out. No one realises the heartache of having to turn members away even though it tells the organising committee that it is planning things that the members want to attend.
1st March
A nice bright new federation newsletter arrived today. I took it away with me and compared it to the one from Avon Federation which was very like our old Green Letter but blue. The members from Avon thought ours very swish so take heart those on the editorial team when people criticise the change.
I told you the weather and the cancellation of the Resolution Selection Meetings would have a detrimental effect on the voting for the resolutions. We should be ashamed of ourselves at how few members put in a vote---just about a quarter of the Bucks membership. If in the general election this apathy is shown among the female votes we deserve to be tied to railings and have tomatoes thrown at us instead of forced feeding!
23rd February
Local meeting of the WI Book Group. The distribution of "set books" had been a bit chaotic so we finished up discussing "The Rose of Sebastopol" again and indulging in a book swap. We have now submitted a new list to the library and begun investigating prices of some recent titles to buy multiple copies.We all enjoy these meetings because we throw in travel reports of members' holidays as well but I will not embarrass anyone by mentioning some of those! Next time we should have read another Katherine MacMahon, "The Alchemist's Daughter".
A group of us had a little meeting to try to organise a better website entry for our local WI with a tie-in to the Town Council website as well as BFWI's new website. This was very interesting as we could gather round a couple of laptops and see what we were talking about. We need the Town Council mention for promotion so that needs to be aimed at the newcomer to the town but we also want to show off to other WIs in the County and advertise ourselves on the county federation for casual enquirers. Different horses for different courses. Luckily we have some IT whizzkids as members so I am sure something wonderful will emerge in the fullness of time.
Tuesday, 9 February 2010
Positive thinking
3rd February
The local WI met for the first time at its new venue, welcomed a new President and two new members joined.I think everyone was glad to be back together after the cancellation of the January meeting because of snow.The new premises met with general approval but we have agreed to re-orientate ourselves in the room when we have a normal meeting because we got a little cold spread out in a huge circle so that all were on the outer colder areas of the space.This arrangement was requested by our speaker who demonstrated "Singing for All" and she got us all singing almost immediately.It was a fantastic evening and as one new member said "If someone this afternoon had told me I would be singing Oompah rounds that evening with a bunch of strangers I would not have believed them---in fact I would not have gone along at all!" BUT she joined, phoned to say what fun it had been and could she help at the next event.I think a lot of us suffered the same misgivings but ended up feeling really enthusiastic and cast away the winter blues.
The downside of the meeting was that it was reported that only a small percentage of our members had voted on the resolution selection which is very disappointing and I should imagine has been mirrored across the federations. Partly this has happened because of cancelled WI meetings and the selection meetings during the snowfalls but some of it is because of the apathy which some feel about the WI outside their own village hall.
At Christmastime the local paper ran a feature on the WI after one of the editorial team had visited a WI in Towcester. She wrote of failing numbers and the fact that the movement needed younger members (the usual cry but quite sympathetically written) and she headed the article with a picture of Winslow WI's Big Tidy Up.As a result of this Winslow WI President has written to invite the reporter to the Fashion Show which it is holding at the end of March. The President has also invited her to be a model! This week in the Advertiser there has appeared a letter of mild protest from Towcester saying that it had gained members just as the WI nationally was gaining members and telling everyone about the new "young" WIs springing up around the country.Then at the weekend one of the colour supplements featured the group formed at Shoreditch in London and there was an article about the possible collaboration of the NFWI with Mumsnet over shared concerns and interests such as the non-violence against women campaign.I am sure the readers (Does one call them readers?) of Mumsnet will be tempted to investigate our WI website and the WI could well gain younger members through this idea.
There was also in the local paper a very full report done by three WI members on a new bus route in the Stony Stratford area. They had experimented by using the service at different times of day to see whether it was a successful solution to the transport problems in that region. The inauguration was a response to the WI's action in reporting on rural isolation issues. Positive thinking and a practical approach which gets results so the WI can make a difference and act outside the village hall!
The local WI met for the first time at its new venue, welcomed a new President and two new members joined.I think everyone was glad to be back together after the cancellation of the January meeting because of snow.The new premises met with general approval but we have agreed to re-orientate ourselves in the room when we have a normal meeting because we got a little cold spread out in a huge circle so that all were on the outer colder areas of the space.This arrangement was requested by our speaker who demonstrated "Singing for All" and she got us all singing almost immediately.It was a fantastic evening and as one new member said "If someone this afternoon had told me I would be singing Oompah rounds that evening with a bunch of strangers I would not have believed them---in fact I would not have gone along at all!" BUT she joined, phoned to say what fun it had been and could she help at the next event.I think a lot of us suffered the same misgivings but ended up feeling really enthusiastic and cast away the winter blues.
The downside of the meeting was that it was reported that only a small percentage of our members had voted on the resolution selection which is very disappointing and I should imagine has been mirrored across the federations. Partly this has happened because of cancelled WI meetings and the selection meetings during the snowfalls but some of it is because of the apathy which some feel about the WI outside their own village hall.
At Christmastime the local paper ran a feature on the WI after one of the editorial team had visited a WI in Towcester. She wrote of failing numbers and the fact that the movement needed younger members (the usual cry but quite sympathetically written) and she headed the article with a picture of Winslow WI's Big Tidy Up.As a result of this Winslow WI President has written to invite the reporter to the Fashion Show which it is holding at the end of March. The President has also invited her to be a model! This week in the Advertiser there has appeared a letter of mild protest from Towcester saying that it had gained members just as the WI nationally was gaining members and telling everyone about the new "young" WIs springing up around the country.Then at the weekend one of the colour supplements featured the group formed at Shoreditch in London and there was an article about the possible collaboration of the NFWI with Mumsnet over shared concerns and interests such as the non-violence against women campaign.I am sure the readers (Does one call them readers?) of Mumsnet will be tempted to investigate our WI website and the WI could well gain younger members through this idea.
There was also in the local paper a very full report done by three WI members on a new bus route in the Stony Stratford area. They had experimented by using the service at different times of day to see whether it was a successful solution to the transport problems in that region. The inauguration was a response to the WI's action in reporting on rural isolation issues. Positive thinking and a practical approach which gets results so the WI can make a difference and act outside the village hall!
Thursday, 28 January 2010
Technology and food
28 January
This morning I e-mailed the WI Life to thank the editorial team for including the gluten-free recipes in the January issue.They will be really useful to individual members and to those of us who cater for events within our own WIs or at County occasions. I also criticised the faintness of the print and those pages printed with black backgrounds because people with failing eyesight find problems with this style of presentation.The reason I am telling you all this is because I received a prompt and polite reply from the editor so it is worth sending up your comments: they are read and one obtains a report on what is being done about one's concerns.
27 January
Today there were two training sessions held at Stuart Lodge High Wycombe for those wanting to know how to set up a powerpoint presentation. The Federation now has a lovely new projector for use at events. A tutor from Denman College came along to instruct and it was absolutely fascinating.The actual linking up of the machines is pretty straightforward but to be able to experiment with preparing a presentation of one's own and be assured that one wasn't going to destroy the whole set-up or wipe out all Mr Gates' information system with one press of a button was very exciting.I think that there may be a new set of speakers for WI meetings just waiting to be asked to entertain the members.
26 January
Several WIs have sent members on the Basic Food Hygiene courses which have been set up in Bucks during January.Twelve of us spent the day being instructed by Jill Brand from Denman College and then sat the test paper which we all hope will result in the issue of a certificate.No WI event where food is on sale or even just provided should be without someone holding this certificate especially in this day and age when people are sue -happy.Having studied the various things that can invade our food and premises, there were some students not so keen on taking lunch! Of course several of the students were preparing food at work and for other charity causes so to run a course like this benefits the community in general as well.
21 January
The Education and Current Affairs subcommittee held its postponed meeting today. The main item under discussion was planning for the June Henry VIII and All That event at Cheddington which is taking shape. We have some excellent speakers booked and some good ideas for sideshows etc.We are also enquiring about a Tudor theme outing for the autumn.Other WIs in Bucks and other federations are taking advantage of schemes such as Awards for All so we are going to encourage our WIs to explore these because we feel opportunities are being missed.We welcomed two members who came as observers to today's meeting. If you would like to come and see what goes on at any of the subcommittees please contact Sara our Federation Secretary and she will tell you when the next meeting is going to be held.All would be pleased to see you.
19 January
The local WI reading group met this afternoon. We finished discussing Ivanhoe from last month.I think it was obvious that these days people haven't the length of attention span that former generations possessed or perhaps learned. Our book this time was The Rose of Sebastopol by Katherine MacMahon whom we had heard speak at the Chesham Book Event in November. Generally this novel was well received.As you can guess from the title it was a historical novel about the Crimea War. Strange how the battles were treated then rather like spectator sports, in spite of the horrific injuries sustained.Also there was a different slant on Florence Nightingale in this book. It was a romance, I suppose and it had an uncertain ending which we have left to sort out next time as some readers hadn't quite finished.There was a lot of detail about needlework in the novel too which fit in well with yesterday's visit made by the Craft Group to buy materials to start ribboncraft. We were so exhausted after that that we had to go out to lunch to celebrate being able to get out of our houses after imprisonment by snow!
This morning I e-mailed the WI Life to thank the editorial team for including the gluten-free recipes in the January issue.They will be really useful to individual members and to those of us who cater for events within our own WIs or at County occasions. I also criticised the faintness of the print and those pages printed with black backgrounds because people with failing eyesight find problems with this style of presentation.The reason I am telling you all this is because I received a prompt and polite reply from the editor so it is worth sending up your comments: they are read and one obtains a report on what is being done about one's concerns.
27 January
Today there were two training sessions held at Stuart Lodge High Wycombe for those wanting to know how to set up a powerpoint presentation. The Federation now has a lovely new projector for use at events. A tutor from Denman College came along to instruct and it was absolutely fascinating.The actual linking up of the machines is pretty straightforward but to be able to experiment with preparing a presentation of one's own and be assured that one wasn't going to destroy the whole set-up or wipe out all Mr Gates' information system with one press of a button was very exciting.I think that there may be a new set of speakers for WI meetings just waiting to be asked to entertain the members.
26 January
Several WIs have sent members on the Basic Food Hygiene courses which have been set up in Bucks during January.Twelve of us spent the day being instructed by Jill Brand from Denman College and then sat the test paper which we all hope will result in the issue of a certificate.No WI event where food is on sale or even just provided should be without someone holding this certificate especially in this day and age when people are sue -happy.Having studied the various things that can invade our food and premises, there were some students not so keen on taking lunch! Of course several of the students were preparing food at work and for other charity causes so to run a course like this benefits the community in general as well.
21 January
The Education and Current Affairs subcommittee held its postponed meeting today. The main item under discussion was planning for the June Henry VIII and All That event at Cheddington which is taking shape. We have some excellent speakers booked and some good ideas for sideshows etc.We are also enquiring about a Tudor theme outing for the autumn.Other WIs in Bucks and other federations are taking advantage of schemes such as Awards for All so we are going to encourage our WIs to explore these because we feel opportunities are being missed.We welcomed two members who came as observers to today's meeting. If you would like to come and see what goes on at any of the subcommittees please contact Sara our Federation Secretary and she will tell you when the next meeting is going to be held.All would be pleased to see you.
19 January
The local WI reading group met this afternoon. We finished discussing Ivanhoe from last month.I think it was obvious that these days people haven't the length of attention span that former generations possessed or perhaps learned. Our book this time was The Rose of Sebastopol by Katherine MacMahon whom we had heard speak at the Chesham Book Event in November. Generally this novel was well received.As you can guess from the title it was a historical novel about the Crimea War. Strange how the battles were treated then rather like spectator sports, in spite of the horrific injuries sustained.Also there was a different slant on Florence Nightingale in this book. It was a romance, I suppose and it had an uncertain ending which we have left to sort out next time as some readers hadn't quite finished.There was a lot of detail about needlework in the novel too which fit in well with yesterday's visit made by the Craft Group to buy materials to start ribboncraft. We were so exhausted after that that we had to go out to lunch to celebrate being able to get out of our houses after imprisonment by snow!
Wednesday, 13 January 2010
Entrance 2010
13th January 2010
It is already 13 days into 2010 before I have wished you a Happy New Year but everything WI related which I planned to attend has so far been cancelled because of snow.It was lovely to enjoy a white Christmas but now it is above a joke! If any of you logged on yesterday and was amazed to find an unexplained photo of a gate on my blog, here is the reason for its appearance.The intention of this blog was to report on WI events and the life of a WI member so I thought while I was cooped in and not really doing anything related to WI, I would edit or reorganise my blog. Instead of a portrait of myself which is usual on blogs, I would insert a logo of some sort. Easier said than done.When I finally saw my photo had made it on to the blog (albeit in the wrong place), the euphoria was so intense I had to go and lie down in a darkened room.
What I wanted to intimate was that the WI opened doors and gates to all sorts of different activities and interests. If the NFWI can do away with the WI Tree, I could have something symbolic for my logo. Anyway, I like doors and gates. In another life when I was teaching information skills to schoolchildren, I once set Doors and Gates as a topic. You should have seen what they came up with! Wrought iron gates, doors on cabin cruisers and the mechanics behind rising hinges---it was great fun for all concerned.Lights are a good topic too but I'm way off course now...
For the moment or perhaps the year, the photo will stay where it is but I hope you get the idea.
What did you think of the new Bucks Green Letter? I think the editorial team probably went a bit over the top on the use of colour but it is a great temptation when one finds one can do something to try to do everything to show one can! The photos didn't print up all that well but it is up to us to provide good clear material to be included. It is still a tool to help the WI committees to be efficient and this is successfully achieved plus a bit of information on what has happened recently within the Federation which is interesting.I always like telling members about the good events which they have missed in order to encourage them to make sure they sign up for the next opportunity.Please remember to vote for the resolution on the form in the WI Life and get it to your WI Secretary even if your meeting has been cancelled. It is the first time every member has had a vote at this stage of the proceedings and I fear the weather will have a detrimental effect on the number of votes used.
The new national logo was mentioned on New Years Day in the media which was good publicity but of course it was reported that this was to get away from the Jam and Jerusalem image of the WI.Was our tree representative of Jam and Jerusalem? I failed to make that connection all these years. They could have been using a gate like me with the addition of a bramble branch perhaps.
How about a New Year's Resolution to comment on this blog to stop me running off at a tangent.
It is already 13 days into 2010 before I have wished you a Happy New Year but everything WI related which I planned to attend has so far been cancelled because of snow.It was lovely to enjoy a white Christmas but now it is above a joke! If any of you logged on yesterday and was amazed to find an unexplained photo of a gate on my blog, here is the reason for its appearance.The intention of this blog was to report on WI events and the life of a WI member so I thought while I was cooped in and not really doing anything related to WI, I would edit or reorganise my blog. Instead of a portrait of myself which is usual on blogs, I would insert a logo of some sort. Easier said than done.When I finally saw my photo had made it on to the blog (albeit in the wrong place), the euphoria was so intense I had to go and lie down in a darkened room.
What I wanted to intimate was that the WI opened doors and gates to all sorts of different activities and interests. If the NFWI can do away with the WI Tree, I could have something symbolic for my logo. Anyway, I like doors and gates. In another life when I was teaching information skills to schoolchildren, I once set Doors and Gates as a topic. You should have seen what they came up with! Wrought iron gates, doors on cabin cruisers and the mechanics behind rising hinges---it was great fun for all concerned.Lights are a good topic too but I'm way off course now...
For the moment or perhaps the year, the photo will stay where it is but I hope you get the idea.
What did you think of the new Bucks Green Letter? I think the editorial team probably went a bit over the top on the use of colour but it is a great temptation when one finds one can do something to try to do everything to show one can! The photos didn't print up all that well but it is up to us to provide good clear material to be included. It is still a tool to help the WI committees to be efficient and this is successfully achieved plus a bit of information on what has happened recently within the Federation which is interesting.I always like telling members about the good events which they have missed in order to encourage them to make sure they sign up for the next opportunity.Please remember to vote for the resolution on the form in the WI Life and get it to your WI Secretary even if your meeting has been cancelled. It is the first time every member has had a vote at this stage of the proceedings and I fear the weather will have a detrimental effect on the number of votes used.
The new national logo was mentioned on New Years Day in the media which was good publicity but of course it was reported that this was to get away from the Jam and Jerusalem image of the WI.Was our tree representative of Jam and Jerusalem? I failed to make that connection all these years. They could have been using a gate like me with the addition of a bramble branch perhaps.
How about a New Year's Resolution to comment on this blog to stop me running off at a tangent.
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