The WI has well and truly arrived demonstrated by its appearance as a chosen specialist subject on Mastermind. Congratulations to Sally Mabey of Glamorgan Federation for not only putting herself through what must surely be an ordeal but also for attesting her passion for the WI. There are such vast amounts of social history to be found within the WI; everything that the WI undertakes, at every level – national, federation and most definitely local – is history that is well worth preserving and building upon.
2012 is the WI Archive Year, so please do check if the completed minute books and memorabilia for your WI are logged and stored in the correct manner and place. If you need any help, federations have their own archivist who would be happy to give help and advice.
The WI has always been good at keeping records; it's the ‘where’ that has proved difficult! The National Federation of Women's Institutes archives are housed in the Women's Library at the London Metropolitan University, and the National Needlework Archive has a note and a very long list of all of the WI textiles up until a few years ago. With so many new WIs springing up it might soon need to update its records, especially the tablecloth department as this is more often than not the first craft or textile piece that a WI produces and owns.
Our archives tell us about the huge variety of activities that WIs used to partake in, and they are key to the organisation’s longevity. Every decade of the WI’s archives reflects the varying challenges and popular activities of the time. The essence of the WI does not change, its aims and objects remain constant; it is what is happening in society at any given time that shapes the WI. WIs have always played a role in shaping their communities, whether from within or as a consequence of a national mandate, with both giving rise to campaigning and action in some instances, and sometimes merely raising awareness of a particular issue.
At the top of this post I spoke of one woman's passion. For regular readers you might recall the passion in my posts about my trip to Germany in November 2011. This same passion ensured that renewable energy was powering the electricity and heat facilities that I visited on my trip. Following this, the participants have met, and yesterday we invited Secretary of State for the Environment, Chris Huhne, to join the discussions. He is aiming to take renewable energy from NIMBY to YIMBY, but to achieve this there needs to be much more involvement of and conversations with people. To ensure that we can still enjoy the luxury of turning on the lights with the flick of a switch in the future means that renewable energy needs to be talked about and established.
Mandates on the environment – in particular one from 1977 calling on government to look into the use of renewable energy – gives the WI a voice in this ongoing debate and need.
Finally, I was pleased to see the WI on the television again this Wednesday past, with members making bunting and decorating cupcakes on Alan Titchmarsh's show. "The WI was never like this", he commented when greeting Jazz from Shoreditch Sisters WI. Well, actually, the WI has ever been like this. Thousands of women down the years have become WI members in their early 20s, myself included, and had the media been as it is today I'm sure many of them would have looked as good on TV!
Friday, 3 February 2012
Monday, 23 January 2012
That was a week that was
To say that the WI has members in high places, and I mean high places, would be an understatement this week! You may or may not know, but HRH Queen Elizabeth is the President of Sandringham WI in Norfolk, and last week Her Majesty attended its monthly meeting, signed the minutes, listened to the speaker, gave a short address, enjoyed the home grown entertainment and took afternoon tea with the members. I was honoured to be invited to the meeting, together with our Honorary Treasurer Aleathia Mann, who is a member of Norfolk Federation. Our task was to judge two competitions: a Diamond Jubilee card in any medium, and six cupcakes decorated to reflect the anniversary. It was a wonderfully enjoyable and magical afternoon with a touch of the surreal about it, and yet it felt like any other village WI meeting with a VIP in attendance.
Sandringham WI has a prestigious royal history; its first President was Queen Mary. Her daughter-in-law Queen Elizabeth then took over, and now our Queen takes the presidential chair at the January meetings. Queen Mary played a large part in setting up the WI on the Norfolk estate, since she was so interested and intrigued to hear of the organisation that first began in Canada in 1897, but from 1915 was engaging the women of Wales and England.
The rest is history; a synopsis of which can be found on the NFWI website as well as in several books. Within these histories, mention is made of the NFWI’s first national Chair Lady Denman, after whom the WI college in Oxfordshire is named. As a lady of drive and determination, she left such an active legacy from which members have benefited and acted for almost a hundred years.
The essence of the WI is bringing women together to find company; to provide opportunities to learn new skills; make a difference within their communities; and possibly above all, be themselves and have fun. Empowerment and education were the original words much used, and the same is true today, but we may go about it in different ways.
The WI has always provided a place where women can be themselves. Mariella Frostrup, in response to a correspondent who was trying to find a way to cope with daily frustrations and let off steam, advocated the WI as one possible option. Nowadays when so much socialising is carried out online, nothing can beat the face to face interaction with like-minded, or otherwise, people in a safe place for a couple of hours a month. That, combined with the chance to learn something new every time, can begin and become an obsession!
Not much is completely and truly ‘new’ as someone somewhere has usually advocated the same, or a version thereof, years and years before; but having had a look at the Start website, I am thinking of cleaning without modern products enhanced by chemicals. They are offering “new ways” of cleaning with lemon, bicarbonate of soda and other natural elements: nothing new there! There are several WI books on the subject not least the last booklet produced by the NFWI, “Simple Solutions”, which sold in its thousands in 2004/5. Many of these old methods never loose their efficacy, and they were no doubt in use and under possible discussion when Queen Mary was President of Sandringham WI.
Sandringham WI has a prestigious royal history; its first President was Queen Mary. Her daughter-in-law Queen Elizabeth then took over, and now our Queen takes the presidential chair at the January meetings. Queen Mary played a large part in setting up the WI on the Norfolk estate, since she was so interested and intrigued to hear of the organisation that first began in Canada in 1897, but from 1915 was engaging the women of Wales and England.
The rest is history; a synopsis of which can be found on the NFWI website as well as in several books. Within these histories, mention is made of the NFWI’s first national Chair Lady Denman, after whom the WI college in Oxfordshire is named. As a lady of drive and determination, she left such an active legacy from which members have benefited and acted for almost a hundred years.
The essence of the WI is bringing women together to find company; to provide opportunities to learn new skills; make a difference within their communities; and possibly above all, be themselves and have fun. Empowerment and education were the original words much used, and the same is true today, but we may go about it in different ways.
The WI has always provided a place where women can be themselves. Mariella Frostrup, in response to a correspondent who was trying to find a way to cope with daily frustrations and let off steam, advocated the WI as one possible option. Nowadays when so much socialising is carried out online, nothing can beat the face to face interaction with like-minded, or otherwise, people in a safe place for a couple of hours a month. That, combined with the chance to learn something new every time, can begin and become an obsession!
Not much is completely and truly ‘new’ as someone somewhere has usually advocated the same, or a version thereof, years and years before; but having had a look at the Start website, I am thinking of cleaning without modern products enhanced by chemicals. They are offering “new ways” of cleaning with lemon, bicarbonate of soda and other natural elements: nothing new there! There are several WI books on the subject not least the last booklet produced by the NFWI, “Simple Solutions”, which sold in its thousands in 2004/5. Many of these old methods never loose their efficacy, and they were no doubt in use and under possible discussion when Queen Mary was President of Sandringham WI.
Wednesday, 11 January 2012
Happy New Year
A new year causes most people pause for thought - about many things. And the same new year brings us nearer, even closer, to that tipping point I mentioned in my last post. Our desire and determination to ' do our bit' for the environment to alleviate the situation is entirely personal. The WI has always stood firm on its concern for the future of community, whether that future be next week or many years hence. And it stands firm too on caring for communities of that future, not least of the people closest to us; friends, families, children and grandchildren.
On that entirely personal theme, I now have a small grandson who arrived into a world where his utter innocence and trust will be sorely trIed by the time he reaches manhood unless that over arching deal spoken of in Durban is reached and acted upon and not just brought up again next year in some seemingly exotic part of the world.
Pictures of such places are conjured up in many a WI meeting. Within 10 days of the new WI year I have heard of such subjects as Victorian Music Hall. Women's Health and Hyroglifics of Ancient Egypt as the topic for the month. All of interest to me and especially the latter, as this has always been one of my greatest fascinations. My first outing with my husband-to-be in 1972 was to see the treasures of Tutenkamun at the British Museum.
Lord Carnarvon together with Howard Carter who discovered his tomb will no doubt be spoken of by the current Countess of Carnarvon when she speaks about her new book, "Lady Almina and the Real Downton Abbey" at the literary lunch to be held at Denman College in February. Always remember, the Wi can take you wherever you want to go!
On that entirely personal theme, I now have a small grandson who arrived into a world where his utter innocence and trust will be sorely trIed by the time he reaches manhood unless that over arching deal spoken of in Durban is reached and acted upon and not just brought up again next year in some seemingly exotic part of the world.
Pictures of such places are conjured up in many a WI meeting. Within 10 days of the new WI year I have heard of such subjects as Victorian Music Hall. Women's Health and Hyroglifics of Ancient Egypt as the topic for the month. All of interest to me and especially the latter, as this has always been one of my greatest fascinations. My first outing with my husband-to-be in 1972 was to see the treasures of Tutenkamun at the British Museum.
Lord Carnarvon together with Howard Carter who discovered his tomb will no doubt be spoken of by the current Countess of Carnarvon when she speaks about her new book, "Lady Almina and the Real Downton Abbey" at the literary lunch to be held at Denman College in February. Always remember, the Wi can take you wherever you want to go!
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