Monday 25 July 2011

Fighting stereotypes

A Daily Mail reporter ‘reliably’ informed their readers on Saturday that joining the Women's Institute is number 15 in a list of 30 “telltale signs you're really getting old”. This reliable information came from a poll of 2,000 respondents “from a wide age range” put out by a mutual assurance company.

How wrong could they be?! Joining the WI is NOT a sign of ageing – I joined at the age of 23 I am in no doubt that many thousands of current members joined in their early 20s and 30s, and I’m sure that some were even younger; there is some special ingredient in the organisation that keeps its members joining year after year.

The same reporter should have attended the Open Day at the NFWI's headquarters in London only last Wednesday to recognise the young age of members, but let's never forget that the WI is for every woman; there are no other criteria for becoming a member of the largest women's organisation across England and Wales.

The Daily Mail might like to check out the webpages of Buns and Roses WI, Fulham WI and Westcliff WI among many other WI groups of vibrant women of all ages – why don’t you come and join us and fine out how much the WI can offer?