14th June
Today six members from Bucks travelled down to NFWI Headquarters in Fulham to attend a "Stars in their Eyes" day which had been advertised in WI Life.The audience numbered just under 40 from all over the country, including two who had come down for the day from Westmorland. They had left home not long before us and travelled happily by train--- which makes one wonder who needs the HS2.
The first speaker, Dr Carolin Crawford was from the Institute of Astronomy at Cambridge University and her subject was the "Science and Beauty of Nebulae". She showed us marvellous pictures of outer space and taught us how to look at them and know what we were actually looking at: what sort of stars they were and whether they were growing or about to blow themselves apart. We looked at the Horse's Head nebula, the Eagle nebula and the Head of the Witch nebula and were shown the pillars of dust formed like stalagmites which are the next generation of stars, called proplyds.As a reluctant scientist, I found that it was really impressive to learn in Carolin's talk that when she enthused about the beauty of the pictures coming from large ground-based and space telescopes, she wasn't just admiring their clarity and technical achievement in being received but appreciating the sheer beauty of the stars and clouds themselves.
In the afternoon, we were treated to a wonderful talk from Dame Professor Jocelyn Bell Burnell who had been involved in the discovery of pulsars in the team which won the Nobel Prize for setting up the new branch of research called astrophysics.We heard about all the different types of light rays in the universe and of the importance of infra red images. Once more, we wondered at marvellous pictures and learned about the unimaginable measurements of time and space and that our sun is a third generation star. Science is poised to reveal that there are yet masses more planets circulating around other stars whose presence can be only guessed at now. Again I loved the way Jocelyn brought in art and the language of different cultures into her talk. As we struggled with the mathematics of millions of light years and billions of stars, there was the romance of language and poetry to help to keep one's balance as it were.I came away full of joy and amazement that by what was a sheer stroke of luck really, we had been granted planet Earth and quite willing to believe, if it had happened to us, it could have happened elsewhere in crowded space---OK the odds might be one to a million billions but what is that to an astro-mathematician? Half a grain of rice in a room packed full of rice is what our planet is. The other conclusion that must come to us all learning these things, is that there is a duty of care to the planet on which we ride for such a short time and sadly, this is not what the human race exercises in many places in our world today.
What do you think about having an astronomy related day for the Bucks' WIs? Let's give ourselves time and space to think about time and space.
Sunday 19 June 2011
Sunday 12 June 2011
The AGM et al
11th June
Only eight of our local WI members took advantage of a patchwork day class sponsored by the WI's annual bursary today. Every year the WI gives a bursary for either one member to go to Denman College or on alternate years to enjoy an educational course or an event free to the whole membership. This year we visited a craft shop which runs different craft courses and we chose patchwork. It was an excellent way to spend a few hours and we all came home with a small cushion, a covered notebook and enough lumps of co-operatively made patchwork to make a quilt which we will probably raffle to raise funds for the WI. The benefit along the way was to become familiar with a variety of modern sewing machines which seemed quite capable of doing the work without much human intervention at all.Also of course we enjoyed a good crack and sitting in the sun in the pub garden over lunch.
9th June
I am not going to say much about today's Book Group because there were few of us there and the novel was politely described by most as tripe so I had better not reveal the title for fear of legal repercussions.It is very rare for this to happen: someone will usually rise to the author's defence but there wasn't much anyone could find this time. However the good thing is that we are now back and synchronized with the County Library reading group pattern so shouldn't incur fines under the new system. We just need the local branch to remain open for our use.
8th June
The NFWI Annual General Meeting at Liverpool. We were back in the Echo Building on the dockside at the foot of one of these London Eye-like wheels which wasn't there last time.It's a good hall which held 4583 WI members comfortably.The singing of Jerusalem was as usual impressive and the business part ran like clockwork. The WI is in good heart;we have 102 new WIs and financially we are doing well. There was a statement about the proposed abolition of cheques which was meant to allay members' fears and a vague hint that the subscription might have to be raised next year. Our National Chair Ruth Bond reported on her activities on our behalf and tried hard to whip up a bit of enthusiasm among the members but it was hard going in a hall that size and so early on in proceedings.
We then heard from Erwin James, an ex-prisoner about being inside and his work now for prison reform which was relevant to the WI campaign for Care not Custody. This led naturally to the Campaigns up-date from the Board of Trustees.Two city librarians brought conflicting views on the closure of libraries resolution and although on different sides, they both talked a lot of sense. The discussion from the floor was lively but we all knew the motion would succeed.A report on Denman College followed in which Anne Harrison suggested every member made 5 cups of tea or coffee and sold them at £1 each and lo and behold, we would raise enough money to up-date the main house at the college which was beginning to need some TLC.
After lunch we tackled the agricultural resolution which had been billed all along as against mega farms. We knew the decision on this was going to be tight as many delegates on the coach had said they were holding different decisions from the WIs they were representing.The proposer from Wiltshire opened her speech by declaring she was against intensive farming per se and it was fascinating to watch the unrest spread from the WI Advisers at the back of the hall through to the delegates.Helen Browning spoke as usual very well for the resolution, very fairly not talking about organic versus non-organic but about the effect on Britain's countryside of mega farms and our lack of infrastructure to deal with things which the USA'S vast size could house comfortably. Peter Kendall, the Chairman of NFU spoke equally well about the threat to British farming if a blanket ban was put on large farming units and how if we lost our farmers we would be importing food produced abroad where animal husbandry was nowhere near up to our standards of humane animal welfare. Again excellent speeches and well argued views from the floor. The delegates were now thrown into confusion: the wording of the resolution was bad; the proposer hadn't stuck to the notes issued; what was "mega" anyway; and "I know these WIs would have voted differently if they had been here but they haven't given me leave to alter the vote"; this is too important an issue for the NFWI to get it wrong. The result was that someone moved to reject the resolution altogether, to go back and work it out properly and move immediately to the next business . For some reason this confused the Chair but eventually she was persuaded that this was a legal move, and the delegates as a woman rejected it. Exciting stuff and it was being discussed all the way home,in the cold waiting for coaches, on coaches and in service stations.
We simmered down and listened to Dr Rita Gardner begging us to support the teaching of geography to produce people who could tackle the problems of climate change. Then Sir Steve Redgrave told us about the work of Fairtrade in the cotton fields of Mali and Gambia. We finished with the singing WI group The Harmonies.
We didn't arrive home until after 11pm but even so I wasn't the only person there who will always try to attend the AGM because it inspires one for another year. If you are asked to be a delegate, say yes and go and see for yourself what happens. You can always go as an Observer but then you have to meet your own expenses: the delegates are assisted by the WI and their link WIs. As for the reporting back---it will all appear on the NFWI website and in WI Life so you just need to add what you saw and did around the meeting.Easy! Just don't rely on the national press to cover it because they hardly ever do unless we handbag someone.
7th June
Off to Liverpool for tomorrow's NFWI AGM. The coaches were on time, there were stops for refreshments and after an unscheduled trip through the Mersey Tunnel while trying to locate the hotel, we had several hours to explore the city and re-establish contact with the Beatles of our youth. A pleasant dinner all together in a comfortable hotel mixing with members from other Federations, in our case the Isle of Man and Somerset and then off to bed to watch the ferries on the Mersey twinkling with lights along the banks.
Only eight of our local WI members took advantage of a patchwork day class sponsored by the WI's annual bursary today. Every year the WI gives a bursary for either one member to go to Denman College or on alternate years to enjoy an educational course or an event free to the whole membership. This year we visited a craft shop which runs different craft courses and we chose patchwork. It was an excellent way to spend a few hours and we all came home with a small cushion, a covered notebook and enough lumps of co-operatively made patchwork to make a quilt which we will probably raffle to raise funds for the WI. The benefit along the way was to become familiar with a variety of modern sewing machines which seemed quite capable of doing the work without much human intervention at all.Also of course we enjoyed a good crack and sitting in the sun in the pub garden over lunch.
9th June
I am not going to say much about today's Book Group because there were few of us there and the novel was politely described by most as tripe so I had better not reveal the title for fear of legal repercussions.It is very rare for this to happen: someone will usually rise to the author's defence but there wasn't much anyone could find this time. However the good thing is that we are now back and synchronized with the County Library reading group pattern so shouldn't incur fines under the new system. We just need the local branch to remain open for our use.
8th June
The NFWI Annual General Meeting at Liverpool. We were back in the Echo Building on the dockside at the foot of one of these London Eye-like wheels which wasn't there last time.It's a good hall which held 4583 WI members comfortably.The singing of Jerusalem was as usual impressive and the business part ran like clockwork. The WI is in good heart;we have 102 new WIs and financially we are doing well. There was a statement about the proposed abolition of cheques which was meant to allay members' fears and a vague hint that the subscription might have to be raised next year. Our National Chair Ruth Bond reported on her activities on our behalf and tried hard to whip up a bit of enthusiasm among the members but it was hard going in a hall that size and so early on in proceedings.
We then heard from Erwin James, an ex-prisoner about being inside and his work now for prison reform which was relevant to the WI campaign for Care not Custody. This led naturally to the Campaigns up-date from the Board of Trustees.Two city librarians brought conflicting views on the closure of libraries resolution and although on different sides, they both talked a lot of sense. The discussion from the floor was lively but we all knew the motion would succeed.A report on Denman College followed in which Anne Harrison suggested every member made 5 cups of tea or coffee and sold them at £1 each and lo and behold, we would raise enough money to up-date the main house at the college which was beginning to need some TLC.
After lunch we tackled the agricultural resolution which had been billed all along as against mega farms. We knew the decision on this was going to be tight as many delegates on the coach had said they were holding different decisions from the WIs they were representing.The proposer from Wiltshire opened her speech by declaring she was against intensive farming per se and it was fascinating to watch the unrest spread from the WI Advisers at the back of the hall through to the delegates.Helen Browning spoke as usual very well for the resolution, very fairly not talking about organic versus non-organic but about the effect on Britain's countryside of mega farms and our lack of infrastructure to deal with things which the USA'S vast size could house comfortably. Peter Kendall, the Chairman of NFU spoke equally well about the threat to British farming if a blanket ban was put on large farming units and how if we lost our farmers we would be importing food produced abroad where animal husbandry was nowhere near up to our standards of humane animal welfare. Again excellent speeches and well argued views from the floor. The delegates were now thrown into confusion: the wording of the resolution was bad; the proposer hadn't stuck to the notes issued; what was "mega" anyway; and "I know these WIs would have voted differently if they had been here but they haven't given me leave to alter the vote"; this is too important an issue for the NFWI to get it wrong. The result was that someone moved to reject the resolution altogether, to go back and work it out properly and move immediately to the next business . For some reason this confused the Chair but eventually she was persuaded that this was a legal move, and the delegates as a woman rejected it. Exciting stuff and it was being discussed all the way home,in the cold waiting for coaches, on coaches and in service stations.
We simmered down and listened to Dr Rita Gardner begging us to support the teaching of geography to produce people who could tackle the problems of climate change. Then Sir Steve Redgrave told us about the work of Fairtrade in the cotton fields of Mali and Gambia. We finished with the singing WI group The Harmonies.
We didn't arrive home until after 11pm but even so I wasn't the only person there who will always try to attend the AGM because it inspires one for another year. If you are asked to be a delegate, say yes and go and see for yourself what happens. You can always go as an Observer but then you have to meet your own expenses: the delegates are assisted by the WI and their link WIs. As for the reporting back---it will all appear on the NFWI website and in WI Life so you just need to add what you saw and did around the meeting.Easy! Just don't rely on the national press to cover it because they hardly ever do unless we handbag someone.
7th June
Off to Liverpool for tomorrow's NFWI AGM. The coaches were on time, there were stops for refreshments and after an unscheduled trip through the Mersey Tunnel while trying to locate the hotel, we had several hours to explore the city and re-establish contact with the Beatles of our youth. A pleasant dinner all together in a comfortable hotel mixing with members from other Federations, in our case the Isle of Man and Somerset and then off to bed to watch the ferries on the Mersey twinkling with lights along the banks.
Thursday 2 June 2011
Out and About
1st June
Did you remember that this was National Family Week? Winslow WI did so planned a guided family walk around the town. The sun shone but only WI members turned up which was disappointing as it was halfterm too.Never mind we enjoyed the local history information and being able to really look at the buildings instead of just scooting past them on the way to do some shopping. It is surprising what one can learn from different coloured bricks and strange shapes added to old houses.Is Winslow alone in having so many pubs and little schools converted into houses?
Following on from the family walk the local WI then threw open its monthly meeting to anyone who wished to come along to hear a survivor from the 1939 Jewish children's exodus train tell her story. How well she spoke and reduced quite a few of the audience to tears! What she described and endured fitted in very neatly with the book I am reading at the moment, The Hare with the Amber Eyes. To come through that experience and keep such a positive view on life is remarkable and a lesson to those who feel hard done by at very minor inconveniences encountered in their lives.There were 23 visitors to this meeting so that made up for the disappointment of the walk in the morning.After that it was back to arranging all the events both at home and away for the next month which range from an outing to the Bank of England to getting together to see if anyone can remember how to tat.Several members had completed the NFWI survey on Water Supplies. The bring and buy book sale proved a success and was something different from a raffle.
21st May
I don't usually put anything in the blog about where I go outside the WI but a visit to Greys Court near Nettlebed has a strong WI connection.This Tudor country house was the home of the Bruner family until quite recently. Lady Bruner was our WI National Chairman for five years in the 1950s and played a vital role in setting up Denman College. Her portrait used to hang above the piano in the drawing room: I hope it still does. She appears very ladylike in the picture but history tells us she was no mean rider of a motorbike in her youth.The house and gardens are well worth a visit. The guide mentioned the Keep Britain Tidy in reference to Lady Bruner's husband but not the WI. Upstairs there was an embroidered cushion which said "Lady Bruner was a keen member of the WI". I wanted to say she WAS the WI. Then my husband said there was a poster displayed in the Gents about a WI exhibition on the site.Strangely it wasn't in the Ladies. Anyway, we found it behind the queue for refreshments and up a spiral staircase in this lovely old building.It was a very good exhibition about the WI during the World War and in the fifties.Around the room there were those stand up plastic display panels which covered campaigns and events up until 2006. It would be a good display to go out on loan and have circulating around the counties but would need to be updated. On the side tables were lots of leaflets about joining the WI as an Associate Member and a few copies of the Oxfordshire Federation newsletter dated February 2011.I was glad to see that it had been thought of as a good place for recruitment but was disappointed that it wasn't being kept up-to-date.
Did you remember that this was National Family Week? Winslow WI did so planned a guided family walk around the town. The sun shone but only WI members turned up which was disappointing as it was halfterm too.Never mind we enjoyed the local history information and being able to really look at the buildings instead of just scooting past them on the way to do some shopping. It is surprising what one can learn from different coloured bricks and strange shapes added to old houses.Is Winslow alone in having so many pubs and little schools converted into houses?
Following on from the family walk the local WI then threw open its monthly meeting to anyone who wished to come along to hear a survivor from the 1939 Jewish children's exodus train tell her story. How well she spoke and reduced quite a few of the audience to tears! What she described and endured fitted in very neatly with the book I am reading at the moment, The Hare with the Amber Eyes. To come through that experience and keep such a positive view on life is remarkable and a lesson to those who feel hard done by at very minor inconveniences encountered in their lives.There were 23 visitors to this meeting so that made up for the disappointment of the walk in the morning.After that it was back to arranging all the events both at home and away for the next month which range from an outing to the Bank of England to getting together to see if anyone can remember how to tat.Several members had completed the NFWI survey on Water Supplies. The bring and buy book sale proved a success and was something different from a raffle.
21st May
I don't usually put anything in the blog about where I go outside the WI but a visit to Greys Court near Nettlebed has a strong WI connection.This Tudor country house was the home of the Bruner family until quite recently. Lady Bruner was our WI National Chairman for five years in the 1950s and played a vital role in setting up Denman College. Her portrait used to hang above the piano in the drawing room: I hope it still does. She appears very ladylike in the picture but history tells us she was no mean rider of a motorbike in her youth.The house and gardens are well worth a visit. The guide mentioned the Keep Britain Tidy in reference to Lady Bruner's husband but not the WI. Upstairs there was an embroidered cushion which said "Lady Bruner was a keen member of the WI". I wanted to say she WAS the WI. Then my husband said there was a poster displayed in the Gents about a WI exhibition on the site.Strangely it wasn't in the Ladies. Anyway, we found it behind the queue for refreshments and up a spiral staircase in this lovely old building.It was a very good exhibition about the WI during the World War and in the fifties.Around the room there were those stand up plastic display panels which covered campaigns and events up until 2006. It would be a good display to go out on loan and have circulating around the counties but would need to be updated. On the side tables were lots of leaflets about joining the WI as an Associate Member and a few copies of the Oxfordshire Federation newsletter dated February 2011.I was glad to see that it had been thought of as a good place for recruitment but was disappointed that it wasn't being kept up-to-date.
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