26 November
The members of our own WI plus some from neighbouring WIs enjoyed a lovely tea party this afternoon in a private house. Not only were the cakes definitely up to WI standard but there was also an interesting selection of books on offer as part of a book swap. The activity was in response to the plea from Denman College to finance some building improvements to the college by asking members to provide cups of tea @ £1 each to their friends and neighbours. This way the NFWI calculates that if every member of the 210,000 or so membership just sold one cup, sufficient money would be raised with little effort.A good idea and a very pleasant way to achieve the required funds.
25 November
What a lovely afternoon about 100 WI members from across the county enjoyed today! Such a simple idea too! Fill a room with people interested in craft of all kinds and get them to "Show and Tell" in true kindergarten manner, have a bargain sales table of materials and thread and serve teas.It was marvellous to see what others had created and the bulk of it was the result of putting their skill into making something of their own design, not just following a printed pattern. Some of the work was inspired by foreign travel where a traditional craft had been studied and then adapted into use in the home country.I lost count of the different crafts on display and some of the items produced were to die for. If you missed this meeting watch out for the next wherever it is held.Bucks doesn't need Kirstie Allsopp!
24 November
A few of us drove over to the WI shop which was temporarily set up in a private house in Stony Stratford. There was another at Little Missenden on the same day.This scheme enables those of us at a distance from Stuart Lodge in High Wycombe to see what is on offer.The northern shop seemed very busy when we were there and there was a good selection of items from which to choose.Then of course there was the opportunity to chat over a mince pie and coffee.
23 November
This wasn't an official WI event but as it was held by one of our local WI members, lots of the WI attended. We heard a presentation by a representative of the Food Bank which has its headquarters in Milton Keynes. I think people who just go to the centre for shopping have no idea of some of the poverty in the various communities within the city grid. As we were told, it only needs a combination of misfortunes to reduce a family to needing a basic box of food: most boxes are given out over a short period of time and all who receive are referred by a social welfare body or a church or a job centre to avoid the system being abused.I think the work of this organisation, completely staffed by volunteers, ties in well with the NFWI work with the campaign to make people aware of the domestic violence against women. Quite a few reduced to desperate straits are escaping a home where violence has become too much to bear.A tin of baked beans can sometimes be a feast. The Food Bank can only deal with food that does not require refridgeration as neither it nor the recipients have the means to keep things frozen.The WI has always kept the needs of the family as part of its aims and objects so the afternoon was relevant to what the WI is about.
Sunday 27 November 2011
Saturday 19 November 2011
Competitions and campaigns
14 November
The local WI craft group has been invited to take part in the town's Christmas Tree Festival so its members are putting their minds and hands to work on our entry. Although it isn't a competition we want to do our best and basically if truth was told we want to be the best. Did you watch Kirstie Allsopp on ITV this week pitting her skills against other WIs at the Hampshire and New Forest Show? She became very competitive and is in awe of WI judges.I must admit that I don't think the average WI member would go so far as to take an expensive course in some new craft in order to enter a class but it makes more interesting television and is good publicity. All the exhibits looked good and professional and the members were a suitably mixed bunch of normal people enjoying themselves, although competing.How lucky Hampshire Federation is to still have a designated marquee at their county show!
10 November
A very busy meeting of the Education & Current Affairs sub-committee today.It is part of this committee's job to keep up-to-date with the national and county campaigns.At present there is a lot of activity about the planning system reform, the scaling back of the legal aid system and the threatened closure of libraries.The WI has mandates on all these topics so every WI member may do her bit by keeping the government aware of the likely impact on women in the UK from changes in legislation. Locally, of course we are working on the care of stroke victims and their carers and BFWI has also been asked to be part of the consultation process on the trial of street lighting cuts in Buckinghamshire. At the same time we try to host interesting events and outings to broaden the members' minds, such as writers' workshops and historical or environmental days.It all sounds rather blue-stockingish but we also have a lot of fun. I wonder if anyone would like to come and join us or just arrange to sit in on a meeting? You would be welcome so get in touch with the office at Stuart Lodge.
8 November
The local book group has been reading Noughts and Crosses by Malorie Blackman. This is a prize-winning teenage novel. Several readers thought it too tough meat for teenagers but when you see what they watch on screen I don't agree.The majority considered the novel well worth reading. It is a Romeo and Juliet story set in an indeterminate time and place where the white population is subservient to the coloured---the reverse of the school segregation battles in the American South. The author doesn't give us a happy ending and the characters are so well drawn albeit in simple language that we did care about their decisions as they grow up and struggle against the society operating in the world around them.
The local WI craft group has been invited to take part in the town's Christmas Tree Festival so its members are putting their minds and hands to work on our entry. Although it isn't a competition we want to do our best and basically if truth was told we want to be the best. Did you watch Kirstie Allsopp on ITV this week pitting her skills against other WIs at the Hampshire and New Forest Show? She became very competitive and is in awe of WI judges.I must admit that I don't think the average WI member would go so far as to take an expensive course in some new craft in order to enter a class but it makes more interesting television and is good publicity. All the exhibits looked good and professional and the members were a suitably mixed bunch of normal people enjoying themselves, although competing.How lucky Hampshire Federation is to still have a designated marquee at their county show!
10 November
A very busy meeting of the Education & Current Affairs sub-committee today.It is part of this committee's job to keep up-to-date with the national and county campaigns.At present there is a lot of activity about the planning system reform, the scaling back of the legal aid system and the threatened closure of libraries.The WI has mandates on all these topics so every WI member may do her bit by keeping the government aware of the likely impact on women in the UK from changes in legislation. Locally, of course we are working on the care of stroke victims and their carers and BFWI has also been asked to be part of the consultation process on the trial of street lighting cuts in Buckinghamshire. At the same time we try to host interesting events and outings to broaden the members' minds, such as writers' workshops and historical or environmental days.It all sounds rather blue-stockingish but we also have a lot of fun. I wonder if anyone would like to come and join us or just arrange to sit in on a meeting? You would be welcome so get in touch with the office at Stuart Lodge.
8 November
The local book group has been reading Noughts and Crosses by Malorie Blackman. This is a prize-winning teenage novel. Several readers thought it too tough meat for teenagers but when you see what they watch on screen I don't agree.The majority considered the novel well worth reading. It is a Romeo and Juliet story set in an indeterminate time and place where the white population is subservient to the coloured---the reverse of the school segregation battles in the American South. The author doesn't give us a happy ending and the characters are so well drawn albeit in simple language that we did care about their decisions as they grow up and struggle against the society operating in the world around them.
Saturday 5 November 2011
Annual Meeting
2nd November
Tonight was the time for the local WI to hold its annual meeting and there was a good attendance. Some members do not enjoy this meeting so think of other things to do. If they intend to try to escape being assigned duties in helping to run the WI, they have another think coming! We always catch up with them and this year with a slightly smaller committee there will be no hiding place. The review of the year is always interesting and never ceases to amaze me at what we manage to achieve within the 12 months. We have increased our membership, attended lots of out of town events and done well in competitions.Some reservations were expressed on parts of the recent fundraiser but so what: in 8 years there is room for a slight blip and anyway the majority enjoyed themselves.The various sections continue to flourish so there are plenty of opportunities to share different interests, whether it be craft or badminton, reading or walking, discussion or becoming a lady who lunches.A few of us are getting together to take part in the local church Christmas Tree Festival which at the moment seems to involve a lot of cut and paste and collecting toilet roll cardboard centres but I am sure will look quite professional in the end.
What did you think of the last issue of WI Life? It was the one that focussed on the history of the WI. I read it from cover to cover and thought it was really interesting. It would be worth making a visit to the Women's Library to examine some of the exhibits. It was pleasing to see our BFWI archivist mentioned and of course you may read about our history in Bucks if you go on to the BFWI website. This website is in the process of being revitalised so keep your eyes open for when it launches in its new format.
Tonight was the time for the local WI to hold its annual meeting and there was a good attendance. Some members do not enjoy this meeting so think of other things to do. If they intend to try to escape being assigned duties in helping to run the WI, they have another think coming! We always catch up with them and this year with a slightly smaller committee there will be no hiding place. The review of the year is always interesting and never ceases to amaze me at what we manage to achieve within the 12 months. We have increased our membership, attended lots of out of town events and done well in competitions.Some reservations were expressed on parts of the recent fundraiser but so what: in 8 years there is room for a slight blip and anyway the majority enjoyed themselves.The various sections continue to flourish so there are plenty of opportunities to share different interests, whether it be craft or badminton, reading or walking, discussion or becoming a lady who lunches.A few of us are getting together to take part in the local church Christmas Tree Festival which at the moment seems to involve a lot of cut and paste and collecting toilet roll cardboard centres but I am sure will look quite professional in the end.
What did you think of the last issue of WI Life? It was the one that focussed on the history of the WI. I read it from cover to cover and thought it was really interesting. It would be worth making a visit to the Women's Library to examine some of the exhibits. It was pleasing to see our BFWI archivist mentioned and of course you may read about our history in Bucks if you go on to the BFWI website. This website is in the process of being revitalised so keep your eyes open for when it launches in its new format.
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