Welcome 2013

13 January
I hope you all saw the article in the Sunday Telegraph commenting on the rising membership countrywide of the WI.Over 350 new WIs have been formed and there are 52,000 new members. Isn't that good news to start a new year! Let's hope that we can keep up the momentum. In previous years when I have been booking speakers for meetings I would often have to start by explaining what the WI is and what it does but recently even industrial firms and colleges know about the organisation and are keen to be associated with it.The reporter writing the article doesn't explain why it has happened and I don't think the members know either.Although we have modernised a little, the basic "package" is still the same. It isn't all due to the Calendar Girls and Tony Blair: it is more recent than that. Whatever the reason, let's not rest on our laurels and let's keep on welcoming the new intake.

10 January
First meeting today of the Current Affairs sub-committee and we have some new members coming along who will probably join us.We were running a bit short of workers so they are very welcome.Part of our job is to keep an eye on the BFWI mandates which have been handed down to us over the years.Those that are coming up to being 30 years old have to be reviewed because the 30 year rule requires that they are either re-endorsed or allowed to lapse. There was one this year from 1983 which was an appeal to the Press Council to rein in the media treatment of the royal family. In a way it is still relevant but at the moment the media is under scrutiny by a higher authority than the WI so we considered we could allow that one to lapse.We spent a long time working out the details for the By George! event in February and forward planning for the meeting fixed for National Science week in March.They both look super days so we hope the members will turn out to support us. In these dark winter days it is enjoyable to get out and meet friends.If one is able to gain a little new knowledge at the same time it is all to the good.

9 January
The local WI started the year with some quite strenuous chair exercises under the guidance of a physiotherapist. It is one way to get to grips with the extra pounds gained over the holiday and it was surprisingly good fun too.Everyone had a go with different degrees of success and it certainly warmed us up.We paid our subscriptions and the membership is now up to 66 in spite of 2 previous members deciding to retire from ill-health. They will be missed but not forgotten as they will be watched over and invited to most of our activities.The year ahead promises to be a busy one. We have a full committee, a new president and a planned programme.The extra interest sections eg craft, book group and discussion meetings are all flourishing and there are 2 new ones starting up---theatre and games evenings are being planned.Members were pleased to hear that their entry for the Big Walk, Little Splash was wanted for display at the April Council Meeting.What we really want is a photo of Michael Portillo reading it---any coloured jacket will do!

1 January
Happy New Year to any reader of the blog. I have changed the picture heading for the year. Before I have always gone for a gate or a doorway because I think the WI is an entrance to all sorts of things but I don't seem to have a really good one to hand. So how about this bridge? We are often asked to explain the links between the three levels of the WI movement so perhaps a bridge is a good image. Or the links between different WIs? Or the way the WI reaches out to others in the community? I leave it to you to decide and does it matter because it is a lovely bridge. But who knows where it is?