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.
Sunday, 24 October 2010
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?
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