Meetings, ANC and Brussels...oh, and a wedding

My last entry was several days ago because life, both with the WI and otherwise, has been rather hectic of late. A spate of internal meetings followed by the September Board of Trustees meeting took up some of this time. A Board meeting is always important because that is where the 'running' the NFWI really happens. 13 members of the Board of Trustees only meet five times in a year so this is the place where all of the organisation’s activities are discussed; approaches by other individuals and organisations are brought to the table; and issues are voted on and decided. Money is also discussed as in any organisation, and offers and opportunities for all 207,000 members are heard and deliberated, resulting in a packed programme across the two days.

This time, we also finalised the format and contents of the Annual National Council. This is an annual forum/conference for all Federation Chairmen and Treasurers from across the 69 Federations (the areas roughly denoting the county boundaries in England and Wales). 138 leaders come together for discussion of the many issues that affect and inform the whole of the WI, and the exchange of information and ideas. This year we discussed how to expand our organisation, how we are perceived, and how we truly are as we begin the five year countdown to our centenary in 2015,

My time was well and truly taken up with meetings but right in the middle of these two big events was an even larger one; my daughter’s marriage. Anyone who has been the 'mother of the bride' will understand the many last minute things to suddenly need to be done or, at the very least, considered.

And now I'm off to Brussels to speak to MEPs about out Country of Origin Labelling campaign (COOL). I'll tell you how I get on very soon.