Week 48 - Forest Gate

Introduce yourself
Adzovi Nyanyo Forest Gate Wi Essex Fed. President ( for my sins) (  Housing a Benefits Team Leader local govt. Mum of one , devotee of yoga, swing dance, drinking, supper clubs, searching for cocktail bars.

Why did you become a member of the WI?
Founder member of FGWI- first thoughts developed  at a friend's birthday meal. Thought it would be a good idea for  women to get together in a diverse community.

How would you sum up your WI?
Definitely large, -,opinionated women, who are all here to make a change ,  friendly, like a laugh, but care about our community

Why would you encourage other women to get involved in the WI?
I would encourage women to join the WI, to make friends, drink tea/ cocktails, eat cake, get involved in  and be part of  group of women from all walks of life,  and  from a diverse community, .  Showcase existing skills, learn new ones! Listen to  interesting speakers, boost their confidence levels, to stand up and make a difference.

What are you most looking forward to as part of the WI centenary in 2015?
I'm looking forward to being part of the bigger picture, and  an iconic organisation. Show people that we are resourceful, friendly, committed, feisty ,  confident , not afraid to  speak up  about issues that affect all women,  as well as making cakes, jam and crafts, and to encourage younger women and girls, that being  part of the WI  is  worth thinking  about .., . We have certainly put the WI on the map in Newham.

Week 45 - Wandsworth

Introduce yourself (tell us who you are, which WI you are part of, any role you have and what you do for a living)

My name is Claire Wilson and I am currently the Vice-President of Wandsworth WI in South West London. I work in the NHS and live in Balham, which is the part of Wandsworth where our WI meets. I have been a member of the WI for four years and on the committee for three years. 


Why did you become a member of the WI?

I moved to London in 2011 and wanted to make more friends who lived locally. I saw that my local WI in Wandsworth had the tag line 'Culture, Charity, Craft and Cake' and I thought that sounded like fun! I really like the way the WI gives you the opportunity to do so many things - make friends, learn skills, support local causes and campaign on important issues.

How would you sum up your WI?

We still focus our programme on the ethos of 'Culture, Charity, Craft and Cake'. Our craft themed meetings are always very popular, but we also enjoy hearing from speakers on other skills and of course social issues. We are a London WI with members hailing from lots of different countries. Our membership would probably be categorised as being on the 'younger' side - but we welcome all women and have members of a variety of ages. Regardless of our actual age, we are 'modern' women who also enjoy the traditional WI pursuits! We support the women's domestic violence service in Wandsworth by raising funds and also regularly collecting donations of toiletries and other needed items. We have a book group, a running group, and we've just launched a new craft group. Our membership has grown by 60% over the past year, so we are thrilled! We are a friendly bunch and often arrange social activities outside of meetings that anyone is welcome to attend, such as going to the local pub quiz.


Why would you encourage other women to get involved in the WI?

It's a fantastic chance to make new friends and try new things in a relaxed, welcoming atmosphere. On a local level, we have lots of fun and really appreciate the support and friendship of our fellow WI members. As a national institution, the WI is modern and member led, it's an organisation you can feel proud to be a part of.

 
What are you most looking forward to as part of the WI centenary in 2015?

I've really enjoyed celebrating the centenary throughout the year. Lots of us attended a celebration picnic in Hyde Park, with other London WIs that are part of the Surrey Federation. We loved meeting other WIs, holding the centenary baton and singing Jerusalem! Also, in June I was interviewed on local radio about the WI centenary. Although it was nerve wracking to be interviewed live on air, it was a fantastic experience! You can hear it here at about 36 minutes in https://soundcloud.com/wandsworthradio/wandsworth-tonight-extra-050615 

Week 43 - Market Harbrough

Introduce yourself
My name is Claire Salisbury, 34 and I am a member of Market Harborough WI, this is my second year and I am on the committee.
I work for company that sells pharmacy robotics in the UK and worldwide and I get to travel a lot and I also set up as a wedding planner for Lefkada, Greece three years ago which I do in my spare time!

Why did you become a member of the WI?
My mum joined first to meet new people as she worked from home. She told me about the meetings and undertook to build their website. I was giving lots of promotional ideas and finally she said, why don't you come and join us! I had a lovely email from the first president and founder Hazel Stacey and I went along to see what it was all about.
I had tried a couple of other WIs previously. The first was a nice evening but everyone was at least twice my age or older and exactly what my perception of the WI had been. Having read articles of young, modern WIs in London I was disappointed. The second group was more modern and average younger but there was a long waiting list so I forgot about it completely until about 18 months later when I was persuaded to try MHWI.


How would you sum up your WI?
Our phrase is old and new and I think we encompass that perfectly. We try to keep the ethos of the WI and the focus is on the local area and promoting women but with a modern, forward thinking outlook. We have members from ages 20s to 70s which is really great. We featured in an article about the new WI in The Sun newspaper Dec 2013

Why would you encourage other women to get involved in the WI?
Meet new people, try new things you might never have considered before. As well as the meetings you can also access the monthly social events which are only open to members. The meeting attendance is not compulsory so you can get as much out of the membership as suits your lifestyle or availability!

What are you most looking forward to as part of the WI centenary in 2015?
We are trying to do a number of events and theme things at our meetings all with a '100 theme' where ever we can.

Week 41 - Heath Charnock

Introduce yourself
Caroline Pharaoh Hesketh. Heath Charnock WI. I am President, media secretary, and also help booking our speakers.

Why did you become a member of the WI?
I joined because a friend of mine had been a member for a long time and encouraged me to go along.

How would you sum up your WI?
Friendly ladies of mixed age range. Was established in 1937, so has been going a long time.

Why would you encourage other women to get involved in the WI?
Would encourage other to join because of the social aspect, getting to know other women and learning about all sorts of stuff as well.

What are you most looking forward to as part of the WI centenary in 2015?

We have organised a Live Broadcast in a local theatre. All 236 have been reserved all ready. We are also hosting the Group meeting for 2015, the theme is 'The Mad Hatters Tea party' and this should be a really fun event.

Week 39 - Derby Federation

This week the account is being managed by Linda Singleton (Trustee), Diane McHarg (vice chair) Chrisse Booth (chairman), Bernadette Davies (Vice Chair) and Joan Rowland (Trustee).

Introduce yourself
Alfreton WI - I have been president, but don't currently hold office. First joined WI in 1984. As a Federation Trustee, I am editor of our inhouse monthly newsletter. I chair our Media Hub sub-committee which covers PR, our newsletter, website, a monthly page in Derbyshire Life, and Social Media. I am also personally responsible for our Federation Facebook page and Twitter account, and also helping our WI's to do their own Facebook pages, and Twitter when they want that, (most only seem to want FB at the moment, but it's a start!). I'm newishly retired having been an insurance broker for many years.


Why did you become a member of the WI?
I moved to a small village way away from my family and friends (husband's job) with 2 children and another on the way. At 23 weeks pregnant there were complications and after being hospitalized for a week, I was sent home to take it easy. A knock on the door proved to be the president of our local WI,  home made cake in hand, saying that she'd heard I was in trouble, and could the WI help with my washing! When baby 3 arrived safely, of course I joined!!


How would you sum up your WI?
I have moved around a bit, and experienced  various WIs. Sadly in this one 2/3 of the members are largely unenthusiastic and elderly, although the two don't have to go together. There's work to be done, and things are improving.


Why would you encourage other women to get involved in the WI?
WI is such an important part of my life and has made  a huge difference to me personally, I can't think of any woman that wouldn't benefit in some way.


What are you most looking forward to as part of the WI centenary in 2015?

The Royal Garden Party. Having given up my ticket (sob) due to the over-subscription, I was lucky enough to get a cancellation, so I had a second chance. Closely followed up by the AGM screening which I watched with a local group of WI's in an hotel, with lunch etc laid on too. As the only Trustee there, I was asked to cut the cake. I didn't have the same struggle as the Queen!.

Week 39 - The Alexandra

Introduce yourself
I’m Emma Watson, the President of The Alexandra WI, which is the WI for Muswell Hill and Crouch End in lovely North London. I’m an Australian who has lived in London for ten years, and an Architect by training now working in the retail property development sector in the UK. I’ve been a member of the WI for three years and, apart from my role as President, I’m responsible for our website and social media activities.

Why did you become a member of the WI?
I was looking for an opportunity to get more involved in my local community and to meet some like-minded local women. My late grandmother had been very active in the CWA (Country Women’s Association) in Australia, and my involvement in the WI makes me very proud to be carrying on her tradition.

How would you sum up your WI?
We are an eclectic group of truly fabulous North London women who meet next door to the iconic Alexandra Palace to learn and laugh.

Why would you encourage other women to get involved in the WI?
The best thing about the WI is that it is no one thing: it comes in all shapes and sizes and really is what you make of it. Throw away your preconceptions, try a few WIs and see what feels right!

What are you most looking forward to as part of the WI centenary in 2015?
As the year is progressing I’ve become so proud to be a part of such an amazingly rich tradition. I’m still learning about the immensely important role the WI has played in the advancement of women in the UK and the world since 1915. I am enjoying finding out about some of the influential campaigns initiated by the WI and what better time than this Centenary year to engage with this rich history?

Week 35 - Long Eaton

Introduce yourself
Hi! I’m Jo Bartram, Vice-President and Publicity Coordinator of Long Eaton WI in Derbyshire. I’m a 37 year old wife, mum, step-mum (Dan, 15 and Harvey, 12) and dog-walker (Trio, 9). I work at Queen’s Medical Centre in Nottingham as Centre Administrator for Arthritis Research UK Centre for Sport, Exercise and Osteoarthritis.

Why did you become a member of the WI?
As a child I can vividly remember my mum holding lively NWR (National Womens’ Register) meetings at our home. When she moved to rural Wales in 1996 she joined her local WI along with my Gran. I loved hearing about the activities they did and the companionship and friendship they found in the WI. So… when I saw an advert in a local a magazine about a WI starting in Long Eaton I went along and here I am! It didn’t take long for me to be added to the committee and I love it!

How would you sum up your WI?
Non-traditional, friendly, inspirational and fun for all ages. We don’t use the traditional top table nor do we sing Jerusalem but the ethos of the WI flows through LEWI.

Why would you encourage other women to get involved in the WI?
The combination of friendship, activities, outings and resolutions makes it hard to resist!

Week 33 - Elsenham

Introduce yourself
My name is Moyra Jackson and I am 56 years old. I am married and we have a daughter who is 24 and lives and works in London. I am Scottish and have settled happily into life in Essex after living in Germany for many years. I worked for a major bank for over 20 years then retrained in teaching and worked in an international school in Dusseldorf before moving here 3 years ago. I joined our local WI 2 years ago and last year was voted onto the Committee. I deal with communications mainly - posters, local newspaper articles, Facebook, Twitter and I am also events organiser.

Why did you become a member of the WI?
I was invited as a guest by my friend who was president at the time - and joined the next month. It helped me get to know people in the village and I enjoyed the feeling of becoming part of an association with a great history.

How would you sum up your WI?
Small - around 30 members  - and is very popular and active in village life. Our meetings are well attended. We have a crafts group meeting in addition to our monthly meetings, a lunch club and as a group are active in many village events.  

Why would you encourage other women to get involved in the WI?
There is something in it for everyone whether you are looking to just attend meetings or to take a more active role in the wider aspects of the organisation. And it's really good fun!

What are you most looking forward to as part of the WI centenary in 2015?

Moving with it into it's next 100 years. It's a great opportunity to tell people about our history, our present and most importantly our future.

Week 32 - Park Appleton

Introduce Yourself
Hello, my name is Gwyneth Richardson; I am the current President of Park-Appleton WI.  I am also a member of our Social Media team, along with 3 other ladies.
For many years, my husband and I, lived in Camp de Mar, in the SW region of the beautiful island of Mallorca but sadly, due to the failing health of my husband’s daughter due to MS, we returned to Warrington, 4 yrs ago.
Besides being involved in all matters of the WI, I enjoy gardening, reading, learning about The Internet and travelling.
I have 2 daughters, my eldest lives in Warrington and amazingly at the ripe old age of 44, gave birth to a baby girl, now 2yrs old and much loved.
My youngest, married to an American, lives in Denver, Colorado and has 3 boys.  The boys all play Ice Hockey and it is amazing, how much I have learnt about this sport, over the last 15 years.  I think I have visited all the Ice Rinks in the Denver area and even some out of State, so I can cheer the boys on in their game.


Why did you become a member of the WI?
When my husband (Allan) and I returned from living in Mallorca, it was so very difficult.  My old friends had new friends, so the dynamics of all my English friends had changed.
So after much discussion with Allan, I decided to start afresh but still keep in contact with ’old’ friends.
I joined 2 WI’s, that both met in the local Village Hall.  After 1 year of joint membership, I decided to join only Park-Appleton WI, as the ladies were very welcoming and above all-- friendly.  It was a very daunting experience walking into the Hall on my own, wrapped up within an inch of my life, from the English weather and occasionally struggling to speak English words that I had forgotten.  I couldn’t even spell my name in English!
Now it all seems so very amusing.


How would you sum up your WI?
Friendly and Welcoming!
We are an ‘old’ WI and have celebrated our 53rd Birthday.  We badly needed new younger members with fresh ideas or we would ‘fade away’.  So we set to work!
This year the committee have worked exceptionally hard---we started a Newsletter, which is very much appreciated.  We have a colourful and informative Notice board.  The Social Media Team work on Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest and StreetLife.
We have popular Walking and Gardening Groups and are now involved in many community activities and events.   Ladies even sing in the Community Choir.
Two coach trip, a theatre trip, Book Club are in the planning stage for 2016.
It is very hard work though rewarding and there is still much to do, in attracting new members.
Happily I can write-----our numbers are slowly creeping up.


Why would you encourage other women to get involved in the WI? 
It is a wonderful way of meeting ladies of all ages, making new friends, listening to great speakers and taking part in discussions, on serious and sensitive subjects.
The WI is what you want it to be!  You can just enjoy coming to a meeting or throw yourself into WI life with gay abandon!
 
What are you looking forward to as part of the WI Centenary in 2015? 
This centenary year has given our Institute a great sense of pride to belong to this wonderful organization.
Last year The Baton came to our Parish Hall, kick starting our celebrations.  Throughout 2015, The Cheshire Federation has organized many Centenary Events, which members have thoroughly enjoyed.   We have taken great pride in listening to our ladies recount their experiences at the Buckingham Palace Garden Party and the AGM in the Royal Albert Hall.
At our WI, we are continuing the celebrations even into next year, with a trip to Anglesey and of course will be visiting the very first WI.
More importantly we hope to gain new members due to the various TV programmes, which have publicized this great organization of ours.
Finally thinking of the future, from the TV series, ‘Star Trek’, I quote Capt. John Luc Picard, of the Starship, ‘ Enterprise’....  ’Our mission is to boldly go, where no one has gone before.



Week 31 - Baslow

Introduce yourself
Hello, my name is Ann McPhie, a member of Baslow WI and a WI Adviser for the Derbyshire Federation. I am a Past President of Baslow WI and currently a Joint Secretary sharing the role with a good friend,
Lorna. I do not have a paid job but the WI keeps me fully employed!


Why did you become a member of the WI?
I joined the WI when I moved to Derbyshire from Kent. I didn't know a soul. I looked in the Parish Magazine that someone had kindly dropped through my door, and saw the WI was meeting on Wednesday evening that week! I plucked up courage to walk into the hall. At the time there were over 70 members - quite daunting for a 29 year-old newbie! I need not have worried because as soon as I walked into the room three women, about my age, came up to me and said, "You're new aren't you? Do you fancy coming for a drink after the meeting?" And that was the start of it all for me, 32 years ago!


How would you sum up your WI?
We are a very active and welcoming WI, not traditional at all! We don't read Records of Meetings we don't sing Jerusalem. I edit the Newsletter and Website that substantially reduce time needed for 'business' - 'News & Information' at meetings. We walk, cycle, arrange outings and lunches etc. We are a very friendly bunch! I've seen many changes in Baslow WI since joining. Our membership numbers have plummeted and grown up again and are now pretty stable at around 60. We changed our meetings from evenings to afternoons and this helped increase membership. We are flexible; wehave to be to keep members interested. WI promotion is extremely important to us. As well as working together within our WI we join with other community groups eg SportsFest and Community Orchard. We have tried to make our WI fun, informative and relevant as well as 'inspiring' of course


Why would you encourage other women to get involved in the WI?
I would encourage anyone to join if they want to learn new skills, make new friends and feel a part of something as big as the WI. There are so many things I would never have done had I not joined Baslow WI. This is one of them! The WI teaches you to try new things and supports its members through life's ups and downs.


What are you most looking forward to as part of the WI centenary in 2015?
Briefly: (a) Centenary Meeting at The Royal Albert Hall. (b) NFWI Garden Party at Buckingham Palace. (c) Baslow WI is part of 'The Devonshire Group' we have various centenary events and outings planned. (d) I am also looking forward to sharing the centenary year with all the friends we have made on social media. People from as far afield as Tasmania, Canada and around the globe. (e) My week on the blog spot will be Bakewell Show week. Bakewell Show is a big agricultural and country show. The Derbyshire Federation will have a huge marquee at the show housing all sorts of competitions, sales tables, workshops and of course the catering area - visit it for the best cake and cuppa on the showground!

Week 30 - Catford

Introduce yourself
 
I'm Fiona J. and I'm the current President of Catford W I.   I also run the Twitter account.
I used to work in the City but took (early) retirement and now my life is a mixture of voluntary work (mostly for Greenwich & Bexley Community Hospice), and travel.  I have one daughter and three grandchildren, who live in Northern Ireland (where I visit as often as I can)

Why did you become a member of the WI?
One of my best friends, Sue, invited me along to a social evening. I remember saying, 'Women's Institute ! Me? I don't think so!', to which she simply relied, 'I'm in it?'. So I went along as a one-off. Met lots of terrific women, ate loads of yummy food - and never left. 

 
How would you sum up your WI?
Friendly and welcoming!
We're a diverse group of women who reflect the local area (ages, ethnicity, occupation, etc), and we've always encouraged everyone to make Catford W I exactly what they want it to be. We have events for all our members interests: walking; theatre; ten-pin bowling; Supper Club; Book Group; Darts Team; Cocktail Club...it just goes on and on.

Why would you encourage other women to get involved in the WI?
If they have as much fun with their local W I, as we do in Catford, it's a must!
Plus, there's companionship, support, learning - and sharing - skills...and cake! Cake at every opportunity: it seems to be a rule? 

What are you most looking forward to as part of the WI centenary in 2015?
Can't quite make up my mind between our Cocktail Club Meeting in September - or our Cruise in December!

Week 29 - Hatton Park

Introduce yourself
My Name is Helen Greenly, I am a member of Hatton Park WI in Warwickshire.  My role in the group is unofficial social media person, posting to the Facebook and Twitter pages for the group.  I am self employed providing social media services to charities, small businesses and 3rd sector organisations.  I have teenagers at home keeping me on my toes.

Why did you become a member of the WI?
I joined WI to meet new people and to be part of an organisation where there were lots of opportunities to try new things and get involved in community issues

How would you sum up your WI?
We’re a friendly group, that enjoys listening to speakers, going on outings and getting involved in our community.

Why would you encourage other women to get involved in the WI?
Its a great way to broaden horizons, try new things  and find out more about everything while having fun and making good friends.

What are you most looking forward to as part of the WI centenary in 2015?
Being part of a movement that 100 years on is as needed and as relevant (probably more so) than when it was founded.

Week 28 - Tea and Tents

Introduce yourself
Tea and Tents 2015 is a camping get-together exclusively for WI members. The awesome inaugural Tea and Tents event was in June 2014 in the Peak District, and is back by popular demand - Tea and Tents 2015 will be from 17th to 20th July at Walesby Forest campsite in Nottinghamshire and tickets have completely sold out! A key philosophy of Tea & Tents is that the whole programme is organised and delivered by the campers themselves (we are a talented bunch after all!), with the smooth running of the whole weekend supported by more lovely volunteers. The organising team is made up of 5 WI members: India Rabey from Gloucester Road WI in Bristol; Sue Carter from Renaissance WI in Worthing; Clare Barrett from Birchgrove WI in Cardiff ; Meryl Shirtcliffe from Old Dalby WI in Leicestershire; Rebecca Cobb from Tea and Tarts WI in Huddersfield

Why did you become a member of the WI?
We all became members of the WI at different times, but for similar reasons – friendship, fun, shared values, and cake!

How would you sum up your WI?
Tea and Tents is a celebration for what it means to be in the WI, full of sharing skills, love, laughter, and meeting new people.

Why would you encourage other women to get involved in the WI?
The WI is awesome, a great way to meet like minded women from all backgrounds and all ages, brought together through shared values and wanting to make friends and learn something new.

What are you most looking forward to as part of the WI centenary in 2015?
Some of the T&T Organising team were lucky enough to go to the Buckingham Palace Garden Party or Annual Meeting at Royal Albert hall (or both!) so Tea and Tents is the next event to look forward to!

Week 27 - Buckshaw Village

Introduce yourself
My name is Sue and I am a member of Buckshaw Village WI (we're Young and Dynamic!).  I look after the social media with regular blog entries using photos to illustrate what we do at our meetings and the friendly nature of our WI.  By day, I work as a Careers Officer at a local university.  

Why did you become a member of the WI?
I joined the WI after seeing an announcement in a local paper saying the group had started and texted the secretary with a few questions - which were answered promptly and with great charm.  I have always been crafty (that's in a nice way) and enjoy meeting new people and (being a bit nosy) finding out about different things - so the WI was a natural fit for me with regular meetings about different topics and with different activities mixed in.

How would you sum up your WI?
Young and Dynamic of course!  We meet in the evenings as many of our members are working women.  We're a friendly and supportive group of women aged from 30s to 70s.

Why would you encourage other women to get involved in the WI?
Why would you not want to be involved?  Each WI is different but what we all share is that we are all women and welcoming to new friends.  And to learning a bit more about a topic at a meeting, chatting and eating cake.  What's not to like?

What are you most looking forward to as part of the WI centenary in 2015?
Welcoming more women into the WI as they learn more about what  a great tour de force we are.

Week 26 - Bath

Introduce yourself 

I am Sue Deere and I am ‘techie lady’ for the Bath WI. I joined the committee to organise craft events but rather fell in to running the website and social media for our WI instead. I am a textile artist, running my own business selling my work and teaching craft workshops. I had to teach myself to set up a website, Facebook and Twitter accounts for my business, which is why  - by default really - I took on the techie role in our committee.

Why did you become a member of the WI?
I joined the WI when I moved to Bath to move in with my partner, Mark, after quite a few years of not even living in the same city. I wanted to make friends locally and was attracted to the evident vitality of the Bath WI. The first meeting I attended was an evening of singing with the head of music at Bath Abbey. There was a really nice atmosphere, with everyone chatting to whoever happened to be near them - no cliques! I was hooked and signed up on the spot for membership (and several craft workshops and the book club too!).

How would you sum up your WI?
On our website we say "We hope to provide an open, friendly and supportive environment that inspires women to learn new skills, discover new interests and share experiences” and I think we do just that, but for me personally what I see at our WI is incredible variety (of people and activities and interests), energy, friendship and support.

Why would you encourage other women to get involved in the WI?
I would encourage any woman to join the WI - it is a chance not only to make some wonderful friends, but it is also really empowering. It is an opportunity to learn so much and to be involved in shaping and directing the WI. The WI is made by its members and it is a fantastic opportunity to be a part of that.

What are you most looking forward to as part of the WI centenary in 2015?
We have a number of centenary celebrations planned. We already have our fantastic edible garden within the Bath Botanical Gardens which allows us to work with both the environment and the Bath community (including our many tourists who love to enjoy our garden too). It has been wonderful to have this opportunity to create something that adds to our local environment, provides an edible harvest and is educational too - we see parents and grandparents bringing children to see how vegetables grow and come time after time to see if the tomatoes have started to turn red or how big the beans are. We are fortunate to have a wonderful gardener on our committee who has designed the 2015 garden to reflect the history of the WI (including plenty of leeks to celebrate the WI’s Welsh roots) and the aims of the WI, with more exotic vegetables, colour and growth. We want to take further our aims and ambitions for the garden, increasing the sensory nature of the garden to make it safe and attractive to visually impaired members of the community and we are working with our local council to find a further piece of land to develop as a Bath WI copse! By the time it is our week to manage the Women of the WI Twitter account, I hope we will have more news…and may even be preparing to plant our trees. The centenary is a chance to both look back at where we have come from and to look forward to where we are going - and of course will be the focus of our 1 July garden party.

Week 25 - Broadclyst

Introduce yourself
I'm Shelley Tobin, I am President of Broadclyst WI. I'm a working Mum and specialise in fashion and dress history, currently working as Costume Curator for the National Trust and a local authority museum in Devon.

Why did you become a member of the WI?
I wanted to be more active in our local village, especially as my son became a teenager. I was interested in finding out about workshops and courses run by the WI, including Denman courses. I was aware of the history and already interested in that aspect, but also keen to get involved with current campaigns.

How would you sum up your WI?
We are a small friendly group, reborn nearly five years ago after the original group had folded. I decided to make enquiries about starting the group again when I discovered from a neighbour that the old WI had closed. We revived with about 20 people, but now have 12 on the books. It means that we share a lot together and are quite close knit as a group. Everyone is lovely, we all have different interests and backgrounds and get on so well, we look forward to our monthly meetings and socials.

We are represented at WI events and meetings, and our ambition is to get more involved in county and national events and campaigns. We encourage new members to join but find that there is a lot of competition in the village and it is difficult to recruit people who will commit to becoming members.


Why would you encourage other women to get involved in the WI?
On one level, it is a wonderful way to make new friends and to share support for each other.
It's a great way to learn new skills or find out about something new, or pursue an interest. The WI has the potential to offer so much to women. On a more serious note, the WI has proved that it can deliver in terms of campaigns based on very important issues and has made a really positive contribution to the lives of people in this country.

I am also interested in the work of the ACWW and the work done overseas to help improve women's lives.

What are you most looking forward to as part of the WI centenary in 2015?
We elected to send members to events this year so I have not participated in the he main meetings myself but I have enjoyed observing and reading about them. I look forward to reports from members who have attended the NFWI AGM and the garden party at Buckingham Palace, and our own garden party later on in June.

I am admin for our social media accounts, having set them up a little while ago, and enjoy posting and tweeting on a variety of subjects, including centenary news.