30th August
Bucks County Show today.After all the rain the actual showground was already a sea of churned up mud but luckily because of the long spell of wet weather, it hadn't been possible to cut the fields set aside for car parking so the wheels stayed on top of a cushion of long grass.It is always pleasant to wander round and meet WI members either for a cup of tea or in the Home and Garden tent where the competitions are staged.I think there were 19 entries from WIs this year because the theme was very topical "Olympic Glory". It is amazing the different interpretations there are on any subject and this year was no exception. We all thanked the Heavens we were not called upon to be the judges as the standard was very high again. Bledlow WI, Longwick WI and Brill WI all deserved their medals.A lot of work goes into setting up these displays by the WIs but we must not forget the hours spent by the organisers planning the event and of course, the judges for doing their job early in the morning in uncomfortable surroundings whatever the weather.
28th August
The WI book group met in spite of it being a holiday month and nearly everyone was present. We had read "Pillars of the Earth" by Ken Follett which was an extremely long book to tackle. Most of our readers thought it a very good story full of interesting details about medieval stone-masons building cathedrals and wicked barons riding amok among the local peasantry.The book was filled with powerful women and the hero was a celibate monk but it was a man's book---lots of gore, rape and pillage---but I suppose that is what the Middle Ages were like really. We are going for something more recent next time with a bit of humour thrown in too.
27th August
Bank Holiday Monday so it is the day for local shows and events. We never learn that it is also the day when the weather throws whatever it can down on us---if it isn't rain, it is a high wind to test the tents or blazing sun to make the animals' and small children's lives a misery.This time it was rain in fierce bursts and sudden gusts of wind.The local WI didn't have a display tent again but most members were present either in the crowd or helping on other stalls for different local organisations. I am sure quite a lot of WI business was conducted on the field in an informal manner because it is an event of importance in the life of the community
9th August
This evening the Great and the Good of BFWI met for supper in Buckland Village Hall. This supper is an annual event hosted by different WIs across Bucks and it affords the committee members who serve the federation a chance to get together socially. It is not a freeby but everyone feels it is worth the outlay just to be away from committee work and meet as people again. As you will imagine some business always creeps in and there is a lot of passing of papers and parcels but it is predominately social. It also brings some funds to the hostess WI. This year it was Buckland, Drayton Beauchamp& Aston Clinton WI who provided a wonderful meal for us.
8th August
The local discussion group met to talk about "Water". Well, we had done "Alcohol" the time before and two members had attended the Current Affairs day event on "Water,water everywhere" last month and wanted to share some of the information they had gathered there.The conversation flowed tonight and ideas were swapped for saving water and sins owned of particular ways in which we waste water.Actually it is a huge topic when you cover droughts, floods,sport and recreation. One realises how much we take for granted in this country and how lucky we are living when and where we do.The WI has always campaigned to help countries where water is scarce and recently has led a campaign to stop people buying bottled water in a land with excellent water services;by doing so,road traffic is increased and yet more plastic is produced to pollute the atmosphere.
Sunday, 2 September 2012
Wednesday, 8 August 2012
Al fresco
4th August
The President of our local WI held a garden party today to which everyone was welcome.The weather did not look promising as we set up marquees and stalls in the morning but the rain held off until we came to dismantle them in the late afternoon. Then it made up for lost time as we cowered beneath the remaining two gazebos and clutched bags of assorted sale items and display materials.The event was a great success: we raised some funds, drank many cups of tea, ate lots of cake and enjoyed an exchange of news and gossip.That's what garden parties are about, isn't it? However, there was a serious element to this social gathering because we were collecting signatures in support of our combined bid with the Town Council for a grant to establish a fitness area in the town. Several members were not aware of this project and the display, held over from when the Olympic Torch passed through, put them in the picture with lots of information.We need some letters to be written now and yet more forms to be filled in and then we will see what happens. It will do us good to extend our sporting activities beyond the sofa in the wave of enthusiasm engendered by the Olympics.
24-25th July
With a WI friend I have been spending the best part of two days at Denman College. Although we were booked in for a day course we decided to treat ourselves to dinner,bed and breakfast the night before. This was a very good idea because we were able to travel in a leisurely way to Abingdon, meet up with others already resident for 3 or 4 day courses.The food is excellent, the accommodation first class and the house as lovely as ever. I cannot say I like the new reception desk in the foyer because being vertically challenged, I would have liked a periscope to see the faces of the people behind the facia. Anyway, why were they behind the thing instead of stepping forward to greet us on arrival as they used to do? We had time to explore the gardens in the sunshine and had the opportunity to meet two members of the NFWI Board of Trustees.
Our course was about symbolism in art which was very interesting; the tutor was good and we were accommodated in the new lecture hall which was comfortable. After dinner, we asked permission to gate-crash two sessions of other courses: one on gardening and the other on rambling three fairly local rivers. I think the latter might be good for our Bucks Federation weekend as it can be done at any time of the year. The tutors take in flora and fauna as well as churches and village architecture along the way---not too far to walk either. I must remember to suggest it to our Denman Representative.
The Denman College experience is something I am sure all WI members should enjoy. Have a look at the latest brochure because we must keep the reservations coming in to enable our college to continue to function. After all, we are one of the federations nearest to Marcham in Oxfordshire.
The President of our local WI held a garden party today to which everyone was welcome.The weather did not look promising as we set up marquees and stalls in the morning but the rain held off until we came to dismantle them in the late afternoon. Then it made up for lost time as we cowered beneath the remaining two gazebos and clutched bags of assorted sale items and display materials.The event was a great success: we raised some funds, drank many cups of tea, ate lots of cake and enjoyed an exchange of news and gossip.That's what garden parties are about, isn't it? However, there was a serious element to this social gathering because we were collecting signatures in support of our combined bid with the Town Council for a grant to establish a fitness area in the town. Several members were not aware of this project and the display, held over from when the Olympic Torch passed through, put them in the picture with lots of information.We need some letters to be written now and yet more forms to be filled in and then we will see what happens. It will do us good to extend our sporting activities beyond the sofa in the wave of enthusiasm engendered by the Olympics.
24-25th July
With a WI friend I have been spending the best part of two days at Denman College. Although we were booked in for a day course we decided to treat ourselves to dinner,bed and breakfast the night before. This was a very good idea because we were able to travel in a leisurely way to Abingdon, meet up with others already resident for 3 or 4 day courses.The food is excellent, the accommodation first class and the house as lovely as ever. I cannot say I like the new reception desk in the foyer because being vertically challenged, I would have liked a periscope to see the faces of the people behind the facia. Anyway, why were they behind the thing instead of stepping forward to greet us on arrival as they used to do? We had time to explore the gardens in the sunshine and had the opportunity to meet two members of the NFWI Board of Trustees.
Our course was about symbolism in art which was very interesting; the tutor was good and we were accommodated in the new lecture hall which was comfortable. After dinner, we asked permission to gate-crash two sessions of other courses: one on gardening and the other on rambling three fairly local rivers. I think the latter might be good for our Bucks Federation weekend as it can be done at any time of the year. The tutors take in flora and fauna as well as churches and village architecture along the way---not too far to walk either. I must remember to suggest it to our Denman Representative.
The Denman College experience is something I am sure all WI members should enjoy. Have a look at the latest brochure because we must keep the reservations coming in to enable our college to continue to function. After all, we are one of the federations nearest to Marcham in Oxfordshire.
Sunday, 22 July 2012
Is this the time for banner-waving?
19th July
I hope every WI member is keeping tabs on the debate about milk prices and the dairy industry. The WI has always supported the farmers in their campaign to end the injustices of the difference between the cost of producing a pint of milk and the price offered to the farmers by the supermarkets. In Buckinghamshire the number of dairy farms which have gone out of business over the past decade is alarming. If the state of affairs is not altered all our milk soon will be imported. The housewife can make a point here by refusing to buy milk from the supermarket even if the price is lower than what is supplied by the local roundsman. The big supermarket chains have to listen to the WI buyer. We did it with plastic bags and food labelling so let's get together to save the dairy farmers! Forget about border control people and airport personel: they have got jobs and can afford the time to negotiate but the dairy farmer is losing his livelihood right now. Look out for the new WI posters for this campaign and if you know of a good site for display, order some or (don't say who suggested this!), casually leave them close to the relevant shelves in your local supermarket.
17th July
Local WI book group today and we were discussing "Half a Yellow Sun" by Adichie which is all about the civil war in Nigeria and the fall of Biafra. This took place at the end of the 1960s when many of us were either at college or rearing children. I think we all remembered the photos of starving babies which were used to publicise appeals for aid posted in banks and on public hoardings but this novel really brought all the suffering home to us.The writing is very powerful and the book has an interesting structure. It had us searching atlases and recent history books for places and names: one member even unearthed a road map from a parent who had been working in Nigeria in the years before the conflict.What a lot of wars are really about the mining of oil and the machinations of the West to keep it flowing out of the Third World and into their fuel tanks.This novel was about the effects of the war on pairs of lovers,families and communities and the waste of all the advantages gained from the growth of education and healthcare during the years before independence which brought old tribal jealousies to the fore again.
12th July
The old sub-committee which used to be called Education and Current Affairs is now to be called just Current Affairs.Perhaps we could have called it Just Current Affairs! Apparently everyone thought the former title too dull and that it put the WI members off getting involved with its work: they don't want to be educated any more. Pity really, as the WI is an educational charity and education is a part of the movement's history and aims.The committee has had many successful events where the educational element has been dressed up and these have been popular with members. At present we are planning a day on Caring Matters in September which we hope will help people who find themselves caring for someone either now or will do in the future, to feel not so alone and to realise what a lot there is on offer for those caught up in this situation. Unfortunately we have to charge for an entrance ticket because we must cover the price of hiring a hall. Perhaps we should have tried for sponsorship but can a charity apply for charity from another? Anyway come along and learn how to work the system. There are a lot of carers in the WI and they save the national economy masses of money so deserve to benefit from the services out there.We are also planning some fun events but beware, they may be masking an educational element or even be tied in with one of the NFWI's current campaigns such as milk, water or care of the environment.
11th July
We enjoyed a really interesting discussion evening today. We had all been asked to bring along an item which meant something to us and talk about it. It need not be financially valuable but should be of special value to the owner. Actually, this might be a good idea for one of those occasions when the speaker cancels at the last minute.The items brought varied from a large piece of boating equipment to a small everyday fork, from a framed embroidered picture treasured after its maker had died to a picture of a jukebox which someone had bought and was her pride and joy, bringing back memories of the swinging sixties and all that jazz! I think everyone really enjoyed themselves and had to take part and of course, we all learned a little more about each other which is an important aspect of being a WI member---the friendship bit.
I hope every WI member is keeping tabs on the debate about milk prices and the dairy industry. The WI has always supported the farmers in their campaign to end the injustices of the difference between the cost of producing a pint of milk and the price offered to the farmers by the supermarkets. In Buckinghamshire the number of dairy farms which have gone out of business over the past decade is alarming. If the state of affairs is not altered all our milk soon will be imported. The housewife can make a point here by refusing to buy milk from the supermarket even if the price is lower than what is supplied by the local roundsman. The big supermarket chains have to listen to the WI buyer. We did it with plastic bags and food labelling so let's get together to save the dairy farmers! Forget about border control people and airport personel: they have got jobs and can afford the time to negotiate but the dairy farmer is losing his livelihood right now. Look out for the new WI posters for this campaign and if you know of a good site for display, order some or (don't say who suggested this!), casually leave them close to the relevant shelves in your local supermarket.
17th July
Local WI book group today and we were discussing "Half a Yellow Sun" by Adichie which is all about the civil war in Nigeria and the fall of Biafra. This took place at the end of the 1960s when many of us were either at college or rearing children. I think we all remembered the photos of starving babies which were used to publicise appeals for aid posted in banks and on public hoardings but this novel really brought all the suffering home to us.The writing is very powerful and the book has an interesting structure. It had us searching atlases and recent history books for places and names: one member even unearthed a road map from a parent who had been working in Nigeria in the years before the conflict.What a lot of wars are really about the mining of oil and the machinations of the West to keep it flowing out of the Third World and into their fuel tanks.This novel was about the effects of the war on pairs of lovers,families and communities and the waste of all the advantages gained from the growth of education and healthcare during the years before independence which brought old tribal jealousies to the fore again.
12th July
The old sub-committee which used to be called Education and Current Affairs is now to be called just Current Affairs.Perhaps we could have called it Just Current Affairs! Apparently everyone thought the former title too dull and that it put the WI members off getting involved with its work: they don't want to be educated any more. Pity really, as the WI is an educational charity and education is a part of the movement's history and aims.The committee has had many successful events where the educational element has been dressed up and these have been popular with members. At present we are planning a day on Caring Matters in September which we hope will help people who find themselves caring for someone either now or will do in the future, to feel not so alone and to realise what a lot there is on offer for those caught up in this situation. Unfortunately we have to charge for an entrance ticket because we must cover the price of hiring a hall. Perhaps we should have tried for sponsorship but can a charity apply for charity from another? Anyway come along and learn how to work the system. There are a lot of carers in the WI and they save the national economy masses of money so deserve to benefit from the services out there.We are also planning some fun events but beware, they may be masking an educational element or even be tied in with one of the NFWI's current campaigns such as milk, water or care of the environment.
11th July
We enjoyed a really interesting discussion evening today. We had all been asked to bring along an item which meant something to us and talk about it. It need not be financially valuable but should be of special value to the owner. Actually, this might be a good idea for one of those occasions when the speaker cancels at the last minute.The items brought varied from a large piece of boating equipment to a small everyday fork, from a framed embroidered picture treasured after its maker had died to a picture of a jukebox which someone had bought and was her pride and joy, bringing back memories of the swinging sixties and all that jazz! I think everyone really enjoyed themselves and had to take part and of course, we all learned a little more about each other which is an important aspect of being a WI member---the friendship bit.
Thursday, 5 July 2012
Making scenes
5th July
I realise that I may have been feeling rather tired but I am in the midst of a blazing row with the NFWI Moodle which is the members' training section of the NFWI website. As members we are all encouraged to acquire a password so that we may enjoy the benefits of this modern site. Ha! I have been going in and out for about 2 years now using my password but today it tells me that it is invalid and I must have forgotten my password. So I went through the usual period of self-doubt---perhaps I used capital letters? Perhaps I used a password for something else eg the house alarm? Finally I decided to appear to confess to having lost/forgotten my password, though I knew I hadn't, in order to get another to gain access to the site. The administrator then delivers another utterly unmemorable password by e-mail. OK. I'll go in with this new one. A little grid comes up with "add new password" and "add old password" which, of course is now established as "forgotten and invalid" so the whole charade starts again.Catch 22. Spit! So I have risked excommunication by sending an acerbic e-mail to NFWI.
Me, one of the members who has been fighting tooth and nail to get the WI to embrace the web locally in Bucks!
4th July
We enjoyed another really different type of monthly meeting tonight. It involved role play under the direction of two magistrates from the local Bench. Not only was it informative but also great fun to do.We were delighted to learn that the efforts of the craft group producing items for the 90th Anniversary display in the Market Square on Sunday had resulted in over £300 worth of sales. The raffle for a friendship quilt made by the members, a patchwork cushion and a coffee cosy had raised a further £143. The display looked good and had been of interest to visitors and who knows might have attracted some new members too.The County Chairman visited and the press had taken photos and some interviews were conducted.
1st July
Besides taking a stall at the Farmers Market to promote our WI's 90th anniversary until 2pm, the Bucks Education & Current Affairs Committee held an afternoon event in the Public Hall. A Dickens of a Good Tea. The speaker talked about the links between the life of Charles Dickens and the characters in his novels. This was interspersed with readings and it was all very enjoyable. The tea was home-produced and voted excellent.Bertie Pearce ended with a magic trick which resulted in the amazement of not only the audience but also those working in the kitchen: where on earth had that raw egg come from? This event was a bit of an experiment to see whether WI members would like sometimes to come with their families to meetings on a Sunday. There were over 70 people present so perhaps they did but it would be nice to know what they thought of the idea.
I realise that I may have been feeling rather tired but I am in the midst of a blazing row with the NFWI Moodle which is the members' training section of the NFWI website. As members we are all encouraged to acquire a password so that we may enjoy the benefits of this modern site. Ha! I have been going in and out for about 2 years now using my password but today it tells me that it is invalid and I must have forgotten my password. So I went through the usual period of self-doubt---perhaps I used capital letters? Perhaps I used a password for something else eg the house alarm? Finally I decided to appear to confess to having lost/forgotten my password, though I knew I hadn't, in order to get another to gain access to the site. The administrator then delivers another utterly unmemorable password by e-mail. OK. I'll go in with this new one. A little grid comes up with "add new password" and "add old password" which, of course is now established as "forgotten and invalid" so the whole charade starts again.Catch 22. Spit! So I have risked excommunication by sending an acerbic e-mail to NFWI.
Me, one of the members who has been fighting tooth and nail to get the WI to embrace the web locally in Bucks!
4th July
We enjoyed another really different type of monthly meeting tonight. It involved role play under the direction of two magistrates from the local Bench. Not only was it informative but also great fun to do.We were delighted to learn that the efforts of the craft group producing items for the 90th Anniversary display in the Market Square on Sunday had resulted in over £300 worth of sales. The raffle for a friendship quilt made by the members, a patchwork cushion and a coffee cosy had raised a further £143. The display looked good and had been of interest to visitors and who knows might have attracted some new members too.The County Chairman visited and the press had taken photos and some interviews were conducted.
1st July
Besides taking a stall at the Farmers Market to promote our WI's 90th anniversary until 2pm, the Bucks Education & Current Affairs Committee held an afternoon event in the Public Hall. A Dickens of a Good Tea. The speaker talked about the links between the life of Charles Dickens and the characters in his novels. This was interspersed with readings and it was all very enjoyable. The tea was home-produced and voted excellent.Bertie Pearce ended with a magic trick which resulted in the amazement of not only the audience but also those working in the kitchen: where on earth had that raw egg come from? This event was a bit of an experiment to see whether WI members would like sometimes to come with their families to meetings on a Sunday. There were over 70 people present so perhaps they did but it would be nice to know what they thought of the idea.
Thursday, 28 June 2012
Collapsing worlds
19th June
The WI Book Group met this afternoon to talk about "Children of Men" by P.D.James. Those among the group who are P.D. James fans found this novel just as a-typical as "Death comes to Pemberley".It certainly engendered a lot of discussion and some had seen the film which apparently was very different to the book.The whole idea of the human race suddenly being unable to reproduce was quite disturbing.The effect on people as individuals and on governments was explored in the story and provided many different views among our readers.And what about the end? Was it hopeful or was the lead character going to abuse his power as others had done before him? Or was that abuse the only solution? Fascinating stuff! Was there a Christian message contained in the book as some readers thought? Even if we were not sure whether we had got the right end of the stick, we could all enjoy the lovely style of writing and the descriptions of a disintegrating landscape, especially as much of the action took place in the Oxford streets that we know so well.
18th June
The Bucks Federation of WIs put on a day's event called "Water,Water everywhere...nor any drop to Drink" at the Hub in High Wycombe. It was a pity that the audience was smaller than hoped because the calibre of the speakers was extremely high.Of course we had just come through a very wet week when the hosepipe ban had been lifted but no one should imagine this is anything but a temporary relief in the grand scheme of things.We are still using more water daily than the skies or the underground aquafers can replenish.Dr Mark Brandon, the polar oceanographer advisor to Frozen Planet, spoke well and showed fascinating pictures of his adventures.Professor Charles Ainger offered some solutions to individuals and water companies while explaining the costs and problems. We heard about WATERAID from Janet Wells and the world of the Marine Conservation Society from Paul Biggin. In the afternoon Roger Lerry told us about the local chalk streams and their problems.The NFWI with ACWW has been running campaigns to try to encourage people to conserve water. WI members, nearly a quarter of a million of us, could make a difference and teach our families to be aware of this problem. Never mind hosepipe bans: start at home with fewer showers, less deep baths, water butts, re-using water for flushing, stop the tap while you brush your teeth etc.A more complicated system would be if we stopped using our wonderfully safe water for every function and had a domestic fitting to safeguard drinking water in the home. Todays sytem is built on mutual distrust: the water companies dare not risk downgrading purification in case of legislation and the public buys bottled water because it doubts the water provided by the water companies.There's a national campaign for you!
The WI Book Group met this afternoon to talk about "Children of Men" by P.D.James. Those among the group who are P.D. James fans found this novel just as a-typical as "Death comes to Pemberley".It certainly engendered a lot of discussion and some had seen the film which apparently was very different to the book.The whole idea of the human race suddenly being unable to reproduce was quite disturbing.The effect on people as individuals and on governments was explored in the story and provided many different views among our readers.And what about the end? Was it hopeful or was the lead character going to abuse his power as others had done before him? Or was that abuse the only solution? Fascinating stuff! Was there a Christian message contained in the book as some readers thought? Even if we were not sure whether we had got the right end of the stick, we could all enjoy the lovely style of writing and the descriptions of a disintegrating landscape, especially as much of the action took place in the Oxford streets that we know so well.
18th June
The Bucks Federation of WIs put on a day's event called "Water,Water everywhere...nor any drop to Drink" at the Hub in High Wycombe. It was a pity that the audience was smaller than hoped because the calibre of the speakers was extremely high.Of course we had just come through a very wet week when the hosepipe ban had been lifted but no one should imagine this is anything but a temporary relief in the grand scheme of things.We are still using more water daily than the skies or the underground aquafers can replenish.Dr Mark Brandon, the polar oceanographer advisor to Frozen Planet, spoke well and showed fascinating pictures of his adventures.Professor Charles Ainger offered some solutions to individuals and water companies while explaining the costs and problems. We heard about WATERAID from Janet Wells and the world of the Marine Conservation Society from Paul Biggin. In the afternoon Roger Lerry told us about the local chalk streams and their problems.The NFWI with ACWW has been running campaigns to try to encourage people to conserve water. WI members, nearly a quarter of a million of us, could make a difference and teach our families to be aware of this problem. Never mind hosepipe bans: start at home with fewer showers, less deep baths, water butts, re-using water for flushing, stop the tap while you brush your teeth etc.A more complicated system would be if we stopped using our wonderfully safe water for every function and had a domestic fitting to safeguard drinking water in the home. Todays sytem is built on mutual distrust: the water companies dare not risk downgrading purification in case of legislation and the public buys bottled water because it doubts the water provided by the water companies.There's a national campaign for you!
Sunday, 17 June 2012
Joining in
13th June
Nearly 70 WI members gathered at the Holiday Inn, Aylesbury at noon today for the Literary Lunch 2012. The sun shone so they could wander out into the courtyard to enjoy their welcome drink before sitting down to a very nice lunch. The guest speaker was Roma Tearne whose novels we know from our book groups are very popular with WI members. We were especially lucky because we were able to buy copies of Roma's latest work which is not being released until 5th July.To actually have her to speak this week was a bit of a coup as she is about to launch a film at the National Gallery in 2 days time.Roma is an artist and a film-maker as well as a novelist. She left Sri Lanka at the start of the civil unrest and this country, coloured by her own and her family's experiences, features in 3 of her novels. Because she describes the brutal torture which occured in that country, she will never be allowed back to visit. Many of Roma's concerns reflect the campaigns of the WI such as Violence against Women, the closure of libraries and Amnesty International.I think several of us listening to her, wondered how such a little person could be so powerful in her writing and her art. She knew nothing about the WI but was very impressed by the sense of fellowship in the room, based on village groups within the county.Her next book, like "The Swimmer", is based in Suffolk in a small village community in the 1950s/1960s so she asked us for the WI contact numbers in Ipswich so that she can research the WI activities in a rural setting.
6th June
The local WI meeting was a first in one way as the Town Mayor was invited to be our speaker. He had been warned that he couldn't express party political sentiments and he avoided that possible pitfall. He brought along maps of the town, wish lists and notes of costs for various services or constructions that might find their way on to our desired features.So in small groups we set about the planning of our town over the next 20 years.Amazingly the members agreed that we would need another 400 houses but where to put them? Your backyard or mine? How can our little town, blessed with an extremely busy road right down the middle, an inconvenient Health Centre, a dodgy bus service,little food shops with hardly enough space to function and limited local employment cope with the demands of a growing population which we want to use the town as a town, and not just a place to sleep?
You can imagine the level of noise in our hall! But we sent the Mayor away with plenty of ideas and we secretly felt that the WI members could make a good job of sorting out problems in planning because we are very practical people.It is a pity more WI members don't have the time to become councillors or members of parliament: a cry which has gone up from the NFWI for many years.
3rd June
I hope everyone has enjoyed the Jubilee and been able to celebrate the event in some way or other. Our little town pulled out all the stops so that every organisation or group within it was catering for a part of the population at some stage of the weekend. The inhabitants responded and braved the ghastly weather in true Blitz spirit. If the Queen can do it, so can we.The WI part in all this was to provide a 3 course dinner for the amateur players' production of Our Glorious Queens. It was a lot of work, both in the planning and in the serving but everything went well.These big events always do, if everyone does what is asked of them or what they have volunteered to do; no more, no less.I remember being told that was the secret of being a good WI member, that and coming to the regular monthly meeting.
Nearly 70 WI members gathered at the Holiday Inn, Aylesbury at noon today for the Literary Lunch 2012. The sun shone so they could wander out into the courtyard to enjoy their welcome drink before sitting down to a very nice lunch. The guest speaker was Roma Tearne whose novels we know from our book groups are very popular with WI members. We were especially lucky because we were able to buy copies of Roma's latest work which is not being released until 5th July.To actually have her to speak this week was a bit of a coup as she is about to launch a film at the National Gallery in 2 days time.Roma is an artist and a film-maker as well as a novelist. She left Sri Lanka at the start of the civil unrest and this country, coloured by her own and her family's experiences, features in 3 of her novels. Because she describes the brutal torture which occured in that country, she will never be allowed back to visit. Many of Roma's concerns reflect the campaigns of the WI such as Violence against Women, the closure of libraries and Amnesty International.I think several of us listening to her, wondered how such a little person could be so powerful in her writing and her art. She knew nothing about the WI but was very impressed by the sense of fellowship in the room, based on village groups within the county.Her next book, like "The Swimmer", is based in Suffolk in a small village community in the 1950s/1960s so she asked us for the WI contact numbers in Ipswich so that she can research the WI activities in a rural setting.
6th June
The local WI meeting was a first in one way as the Town Mayor was invited to be our speaker. He had been warned that he couldn't express party political sentiments and he avoided that possible pitfall. He brought along maps of the town, wish lists and notes of costs for various services or constructions that might find their way on to our desired features.So in small groups we set about the planning of our town over the next 20 years.Amazingly the members agreed that we would need another 400 houses but where to put them? Your backyard or mine? How can our little town, blessed with an extremely busy road right down the middle, an inconvenient Health Centre, a dodgy bus service,little food shops with hardly enough space to function and limited local employment cope with the demands of a growing population which we want to use the town as a town, and not just a place to sleep?
You can imagine the level of noise in our hall! But we sent the Mayor away with plenty of ideas and we secretly felt that the WI members could make a good job of sorting out problems in planning because we are very practical people.It is a pity more WI members don't have the time to become councillors or members of parliament: a cry which has gone up from the NFWI for many years.
3rd June
I hope everyone has enjoyed the Jubilee and been able to celebrate the event in some way or other. Our little town pulled out all the stops so that every organisation or group within it was catering for a part of the population at some stage of the weekend. The inhabitants responded and braved the ghastly weather in true Blitz spirit. If the Queen can do it, so can we.The WI part in all this was to provide a 3 course dinner for the amateur players' production of Our Glorious Queens. It was a lot of work, both in the planning and in the serving but everything went well.These big events always do, if everyone does what is asked of them or what they have volunteered to do; no more, no less.I remember being told that was the secret of being a good WI member, that and coming to the regular monthly meeting.
Saturday, 2 June 2012
The big stage
1st June
I know that I am not the only person quite thankful that the temperature has dropped.I have emptied my fridge to await delivery of salmon for the Jubilee dinner in the town which the local WI is to provide.The shopping is to be done today and the food distributed around to storers and cooks.We are very glad to report that we now have 4 members with Health&Hygiene certificates following the latest course so we are under strict controls! It's going to be a very posh do with waitresses in black and white with little aprons a la Lyons Corner House. No bunny girls!
In the morning a meeting was held at the County HQ for the chairmen and secretaries of the 6 sub-committees. This is held every year once the sub-committees have fixed their members so that everyone is following the same practices when organising events and writing minutes It was also an opportunity to chew over the AGM at the Royal Albert Hall.
30th May
An early start for the coach journey up to the Albert Hall for the NFWI Annual General Meeting. Two coaches travelled from Bucks and both arrived in good time.It is always impressive to see the hall filled with colour from the summer clothes but I never saw a single hat this year.The singing of Jerusalem is wonderful and then it is straight into the business side of the meeting. Ruth Bond, our National Chair(man) announced a successful year with 19,000 new members and reported on a busy twelve months of campaigning. She spent some time introducing the new National Federation website which hopes to incorporate links into each county so that they are all combined under the one umbrella. This may prove the answer to Bucks' problems with its website: if our members don't seem so keen on going immediately into ours, outsiders can find their way into Bucks via NFWI. After all, it is through the website that the WI is gaining new members.Ruth gave an up-date on the sale of WI Foods but there were none on show at the meeting.
Aleathia Mann then presented the Annual Review and the financial state of the WI, very cleverly comparing the financial report to a piece of knitting.The NFWI is financially sound but Denman College had made a worrying loss because of the falling numbers of students. This trend must be stopped or the future of the college becomes problematical. It needs 60 beds full per night.
The Lord Julian Fellowes then spoke tying in his theme of "strong women" with his books, television series and films including Mary Poppins.He spoke well and was amusing and was much appreciated by the audience.
The resolution on providing more midwives was moved with a back-up from Professor Lesley Paige, the President of the Royal College of Midwives. Professor Bosanquet from Imperial College agreed with our aims but suggested different ways to answer the problems. Unfortunately when he sought to encourage more money to go to management, the members began a slow handclap. It was obvious that this was unpopular, but his other ideas were acceptable and well reasoned.The debate from the floor was good and well managed. The resolution was carried 5939 to 214 votes.
After a resume of the campaigns it was a picnic lunch in the sunshine on the steps of the Albert Memorial before our return to the hall for the Guiness Book of Records attempt on the largest number of people knitting for 15 minutes at the same time.I don't know whether we were successful but it was fun to watch.
Dr Maggie Aderin-Pocock with 2 year old on her hip then spoke about the need to encourage women and girls into science and talked about her work with global telescopes in South America and the mind-boggling information gained from the Hubble telescope.I don't know whether the presence of the child was to shame the WI for not encouraging better childcare facilities when it came up as a resolution years ago or to show that the modern woman can have it all--motherhood and a successful career--but it was distracting for the listener, already struggling with a very fast delivery and God knows what it was doing to her spine.I found what Maggie was saying as an astronomer, was interesting but many found it difficult.Mind, the child behaved very well as she must have known it would.
Ruth Bond gave a rather valedictory speech in tone but warned that the WI's constitution was coming under review and that all WIs should make time to consider it.Then the stage was cleared for a brief commercial demonstration from 2 couples from the Strictly Come Dancing series which was very colourful and the meeting closed with the singing of all 3 anthems.
An interesting day as always, but not one of the greatest. We are off to Cardiff in 2013 on a Saturday which is a change. See you there!
I know that I am not the only person quite thankful that the temperature has dropped.I have emptied my fridge to await delivery of salmon for the Jubilee dinner in the town which the local WI is to provide.The shopping is to be done today and the food distributed around to storers and cooks.We are very glad to report that we now have 4 members with Health&Hygiene certificates following the latest course so we are under strict controls! It's going to be a very posh do with waitresses in black and white with little aprons a la Lyons Corner House. No bunny girls!
In the morning a meeting was held at the County HQ for the chairmen and secretaries of the 6 sub-committees. This is held every year once the sub-committees have fixed their members so that everyone is following the same practices when organising events and writing minutes It was also an opportunity to chew over the AGM at the Royal Albert Hall.
30th May
An early start for the coach journey up to the Albert Hall for the NFWI Annual General Meeting. Two coaches travelled from Bucks and both arrived in good time.It is always impressive to see the hall filled with colour from the summer clothes but I never saw a single hat this year.The singing of Jerusalem is wonderful and then it is straight into the business side of the meeting. Ruth Bond, our National Chair(man) announced a successful year with 19,000 new members and reported on a busy twelve months of campaigning. She spent some time introducing the new National Federation website which hopes to incorporate links into each county so that they are all combined under the one umbrella. This may prove the answer to Bucks' problems with its website: if our members don't seem so keen on going immediately into ours, outsiders can find their way into Bucks via NFWI. After all, it is through the website that the WI is gaining new members.Ruth gave an up-date on the sale of WI Foods but there were none on show at the meeting.
Aleathia Mann then presented the Annual Review and the financial state of the WI, very cleverly comparing the financial report to a piece of knitting.The NFWI is financially sound but Denman College had made a worrying loss because of the falling numbers of students. This trend must be stopped or the future of the college becomes problematical. It needs 60 beds full per night.
The Lord Julian Fellowes then spoke tying in his theme of "strong women" with his books, television series and films including Mary Poppins.He spoke well and was amusing and was much appreciated by the audience.
The resolution on providing more midwives was moved with a back-up from Professor Lesley Paige, the President of the Royal College of Midwives. Professor Bosanquet from Imperial College agreed with our aims but suggested different ways to answer the problems. Unfortunately when he sought to encourage more money to go to management, the members began a slow handclap. It was obvious that this was unpopular, but his other ideas were acceptable and well reasoned.The debate from the floor was good and well managed. The resolution was carried 5939 to 214 votes.
After a resume of the campaigns it was a picnic lunch in the sunshine on the steps of the Albert Memorial before our return to the hall for the Guiness Book of Records attempt on the largest number of people knitting for 15 minutes at the same time.I don't know whether we were successful but it was fun to watch.
Dr Maggie Aderin-Pocock with 2 year old on her hip then spoke about the need to encourage women and girls into science and talked about her work with global telescopes in South America and the mind-boggling information gained from the Hubble telescope.I don't know whether the presence of the child was to shame the WI for not encouraging better childcare facilities when it came up as a resolution years ago or to show that the modern woman can have it all--motherhood and a successful career--but it was distracting for the listener, already struggling with a very fast delivery and God knows what it was doing to her spine.I found what Maggie was saying as an astronomer, was interesting but many found it difficult.Mind, the child behaved very well as she must have known it would.
Ruth Bond gave a rather valedictory speech in tone but warned that the WI's constitution was coming under review and that all WIs should make time to consider it.Then the stage was cleared for a brief commercial demonstration from 2 couples from the Strictly Come Dancing series which was very colourful and the meeting closed with the singing of all 3 anthems.
An interesting day as always, but not one of the greatest. We are off to Cardiff in 2013 on a Saturday which is a change. See you there!
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