SFWI Resolutions Meeting on 25.11.23Members of WIs across the Staffordshire Federation met to be briefed about the four shortlisted Resolutions for 2024 and recent campaigning. Ros Langford attended on behalf of Broughton WI.
SFWI Education & Public Affairs Chairman, Karen Sulway briefly outlined the resolution process and hoped that WIs would submit possible new resolutions for 2025 early in the New Year. Karen also highlighted the Federation’s link with Staffordshire Women’s Aid, and spoke about the vigil that SFWI trustees and other women’s organisations had taken part in the previous evening in Stafford Market Square in support of ‘No more violence against women’. SFWI Chairman Helen Mancey welcomed two members of So-Sew WI (Penkhull, S-o-T), who told us about the recent campaigning activities they had been involved in regarding the NFWI 2023 ‘Clean Rivers’ campaign and also the ongoing campaign to ‘Stop violence against women’. The 4 shortlisted resolutions for 2024 were then briefed in more detail and arguments for and against each of them were put forward by members of the audience. They will take all of this information back to cascade to their WIs. Finally, Helen introduced Rebecca who gave us insight into the impact of Violence against women’ on both women and their families. Rebecca’s story was typical of the tragedy that every women impacted by violence has to face, but also the inspiring way that she had moved forward including achieving a 1st class Hons. degree and now working to help improve the lives of other abused women through the medium of art. She had bought along some of her art which helped explain all the complex issues that women have to face when exposed to domestic abuse and violence. Her story was very moving and inspirational and we thanked her very much for sharing it with us. Members also shared how their WIs already supported Women’s Aid groups or how they might do so in the future. A really interesting and thought provoking meeting. Members must vote for their preference of the 4 shortlisted resolutions and WIs must send the tally for each to Federation Offive (Cornerstone) before 11th February 2024. More information on the 4 shortlisted 2024 resolutions is laid out in this month’s WI Life magazine… they are Dental Health matters Impacts of poor housing conditions Say no to gambling advertising Improving outcomes for women in the Criminal Justice System.@womensinstitute #womensinstitute The 2023 Resolution was passed with an 84% vote in favour, giving a mandate to work on this in the coming year. Broughton WI voted against the Resolution as we thought the resolution title was ambiguous implying action was being taken to support wildlife, - whereas in the resolution, there was no mention of cleaning up rivers to support wildlife, - only so that humans to bathe in the cleaner waters.Broughton members visit the BIFoR research facility at Norbury. 5.9.22Press report on the SFWI Education & Public Affairs visit to BiFoR (near Norbury). Pam Smith and Pam Trafford attended from Broughton WI. A fascinating visit!
The Future of Trees & Leaves We know that the Climate Emergency is said to be the greatest threat to the planet and we are looking to science as the way to avert disaster. But did you know that important science is happening right here in Staffordshire to help with the understanding of how trees will react to increasing levels of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere? The Birmingham Institute of Forest Research (BIFoR) near Norbury Junction is a world-leading centre on how climate change and new invasive pests and diseases will have on forests, a major source of carbon capture and storage. Members from WIs across Staffordshire were given a guided tour of the facility this month by Deanne Brettle, a member of the Birmingham University's Team that runs the facility and their experiments which are conducted at Mill Haft. Mature trees are subjected to increased concentrations of carbon dioxide and data is collected from every aspect of the forest environment - photosynthesis, tree growth, leaf litter, soil microbes, plants, fungi, insects and wildlife. In fact everything is monitored and scrutinised - under controlled conditions which is some feat given that it is in a natural forest. The visit was organised by the Staffordshire Federation of Women's Institutes Education & Public Affairs Committee. Chairman Karen Sulway summed up the visit as a fascinating insight into the complex subject of how trees and their leaves will evolve and impact on other facets of the environment. It brought home to the group how everything is intertwined and how every action has many effects. The BIFoR facility opened in 2017 and will operate for 10 years. Early indications show that trees can adapt to increased carbon dioxide, at least in the short term. SFWI Seasonal Workshops at the YFC, County Showground on 27.11.21Yvonne, Pat K. and Ros attend the paper-cutting seasonal workshop at the Young Farmer's Club and produced some really beautiful pictures. Thanks to Clare Copestake for tutoring the course.
Dear Presidents and Secretaries
Sadly due to the Pandemic, as you know we were unable to hold our Annual Meeting in October 2020 at The County Show Ground. To meet legal requirements we need to hold our Annual Meeting prior to 30th December 2020 and we hope you will join us for this short virtual meeting. An invitation is attached. Yours in Friendship. Helen Newman SFWI Chairman On behalf of Staffordshire Federation Board of Trustees INFORMATION FROM NFWIThe WI (National Federation of Women's Institutes)
17 June at 11:58 Membership Subscription Extension The NFWI has been very concerned about the disruption this lockdown period has had on WI meetings and activities and your membership experience this year. We recently held consultations with all federations to discuss ways in which we can acknowledge this in our membership subscription this year. We are delighted to share with you that as a result we are offering a three month extension to this year’s membership subscription. The next renewal date for membership subscriptions will therefore be 1st April 2021. In addition, from this point onwards, membership renewals will always be in April. This is to acknowledge the feedback many of you shared with us during the recent Strategic Vision consultation about the challenges of the January payment date and how you wished to see this changed in the future. We have added full FAQs to My WI to help you understand a bit more about the process and how this will impact WIs. The FAQs can be found here: https://mywi.thewi.org.uk/…/faqs-membership-subscription-ex… We know that many WIs have responded creatively to the practical challenges posed by lockdown and we continue to be inspired by the activities being delivered to ensure members remain connected during this difficult time. However, we do appreciate that this period has meant that many members have experienced disruption to their WI experience and therefore we hope the additional three months will provide some compensation to acknowledge the disruption. We are aiming to ensure that this message reaches all members as soon as possible. As well as the formal notification to federations and this announcement on social media, there is a memo in the July WI Life magazine and a letter in the July WI mailing. We hope that by ensuring the message is consistent across all our channels of communications, it will reach all members; but please do ensure you share the news with all the members in your WI too.The WI (National Federation of Women's Institutes)17 June at 11:58 Connecting with members: The first News Bulletin from SFWI during the Coronavirus 'Lockdown'.NFWI Annual Meeting / Resolutions
SFWI Carol Service 2.12.19
Staffordshire Federation WI’s Carol Service was held in the historic Lichfield Cathedral on Monday 2nd December. Over 350 members of the WI from around Staffordshire including 12 members of Broughton WI were joined by distinguished guests and members of adjoining Federations at the service.
The Hart School Choir from Rugeley sang the Carol of the Bells and In the Bleak Midwinter beautifully, and the Rev. Sarah Morris, (Chaplain at Drake Hall H.M.P., where ‘Time for Cake’ WI is based) gave an uplifting address and suggested what Mary might have thought about giving birth to Jesus. The Story of the Nativity unfolded with Readings by the Federation Trustees, matched with well-loved Carols. SFWI’s Press and Publicity Officer, Karen Sulway said.. “lt was a joy to be part of the celebration that made Christmas seem so much closer to hearts and minds.” Thank you to Anne Clews, Dianne James, Yvonne French and Pam Smith who volunteered as ‘Collectors’ at the Service. Update: The SFWI Board of Trustees 2019 - 2020
SFWI Centenary Spring Council Meeting
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What a busy day we all had in store for us at the Spring Council meeting. held at the County Showground, Stafford. Hilary Edwards from the North Staffs Premature Baby Unit was there to receive the hundreds of knitted cardigans made by our members. Hilary brought along some of the kit needed for the tiny babies including special nappies and even a tiny dummy.
Our guest speaker in the morning was the Lord Lieutenant of Staffordshire, Sir Ian Dudson, who was accompanied by his wife. He gave us a lot of backround information on the history of the Lord Lieutenancy, and what his role currently involves. His first and foremost duty is to uphold the dignity of the Crown, and he is the Queen's representative in Staffordshire. He was dressed in full regalia, complete with silver spurs, and attends over 300 official events each year. He will continue in office until the age of 75 years, so there will be no easing up at retirement age! From 1957 to 1949 all the Lord Lt's. were either Earls, Lords, Barons or Viscounts and he is the first Lord Lt. to not be from the landed gentry or have a military back ground. There are several ladies who act as Deputy L.Lt's, but as yet the office of the Lord Lieutenant of Staffordshire has not been held by a female. |
Our guest speaker in the afternoon was Mandy Hickson (shown below).
Mandy was one of the first female pilots in the front line Tornado GR4 squadron, - flying fifty-million pound fast jets for the Royal Air Force, she worked in a constantly challenging, yet exhilarating environment. It is a rare thing to be a female 'Top -Gun' pilot. Mandy told us that more men have walked on the moon than there has been women who have flown fast jets.
Her presentation was very motivational and inspirational - using many humourous anecdotes from her career. She told us that no matter what age, - we should always have a 'goal', and that with positive thinking, and hard work, our dreams can come true. (A slideshow of photos from the day can be seen below. ) |
S.F.W.I. Annual Council Meeting 15th October 2013
The Ingestre Suite at the County Show ground was bursting at the seams with W.I. members from all over the County, and many others had been unable to get tickets to the event this year. Perhaps one of the biggest attractions was the guest speaker, - Adam Hensen, (farmer and T.V. presenter of programmes such as Countryfile). Adam gave an insightful and enthusiastic talk about his career interspersed with amusing anecdotes, and signed copies of his books which were snapped-up by members.
The guest speaker in the morning was Peter Lien. Peter is the Chef Manager of the WI Cookery School at Denman College. After university, he trained as a chef at Leith's School of Food and Wine where he won the Laurent Perrier Student of The Year Award.
The theme of his presentation was ' Are today's mothers better cooks than the mothers of the 1970's?' He went on to explain how we had all become more adventurous in our cooking recipes and in the ingredients we use today. |
Peter teaches all kinds of cookery classes but has a particular interest in Asian cuisine thanks to his ethnically diverse family background.
At the end of the meeting, Broughton W.I. member Ros Langford was introduced to the audience as one of the three new Staffordshire Federation Trustees.
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Pat Evans's amazing competition entry. A bag made from 'up-cycled' Sainsbury's plastic bags
SFWI Spring Council Meeting 19th March 2013
Nine members of Broughton W.I. attended the Spring Council Meeting. The guest speaker in the morning was Alex McMurtrie from the Cabinet Office Honours Committee. His enlightening talk was entitled 'The Honours Scandal', - which highlighted the under-representation of women on the Honours list. He encouraged us to put forward nominations particularly for women who have made a difference to their communities. He said that currently there was a gravitational pull for most nominations to made for people in the South of the country. In the recent New Year's Honour's list for example Staffordshire people comprised only 0.7% of the awards, including very few women. He encouraged us to play a part in redressing this imbalance. Further details can be found on www.gov.uk/honours.
In the afternoon our guest speaker was Dr Michael Leach, - a wildlife journalist and photographer who works with the likes of David Attenborough. His talk entitled ' A funny way to make a living' outlined his career from school to present, and the skills and photography techniques he uses to get the right photograph which might be used in just a 10 secs. clip in a BBC wildlife programme. He recalled 'nailing' a dead rabbit (eyes averted) onto the hard shoulder of a motorway to attract predators when filming a documentary about the 'Wildlife of Motorways' This attracted some very incredulous looks from passing motorists as you can imagine!
In the afternoon our guest speaker was Dr Michael Leach, - a wildlife journalist and photographer who works with the likes of David Attenborough. His talk entitled ' A funny way to make a living' outlined his career from school to present, and the skills and photography techniques he uses to get the right photograph which might be used in just a 10 secs. clip in a BBC wildlife programme. He recalled 'nailing' a dead rabbit (eyes averted) onto the hard shoulder of a motorway to attract predators when filming a documentary about the 'Wildlife of Motorways' This attracted some very incredulous looks from passing motorists as you can imagine!
At the Spring Council meeting held at the County Showground on Tuesday 19th March, our President, Margy Horton was presented with a certificate by the County Chairman, Mrs Denise Moreton having successfully passed the rigorous course requirements to become a County Adviser. Margy now supports a group of W.I.'s and is thoroughly enjoying her new role.
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Staffordshire Federation W.I. Carol Concert at Lichfield Cathedral. 22.12.12
SFWI ANNUAL COUNCIL MEETING 16.10.12
At the meeting we had two excellent speakers. Our first speaker was Helen Carey, who was National Chairman 1999 - 2003. She was chair of the NFWI AGM at which the then Prime Minister,Tony Blair was given the slow handclap!
In her presentation, Helen spoke about ways in which the WIs could help to improve the quality of life in their local community, and the importance of the WI archives. In 2005, she wrote 'Bows of Burning Gold', celebrating 90 years of the Women's Institute.
Our second speaker was Diane Louise Jordan of 'Blue Peter' fame.
Diane gave a very inspiring presentation with references to specific events that had occurred in her own lifetime |
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Launch of the NFWI E-Learning Hub
Every adventure requires a first step…
Wednesday, January 24th 2024 is the big day! We'll be celebrating International Day of Education by officially opening the WI Learning Hub, ready to fill your days with endless learning opportunities. Find out more at
https://learninghub.thewi.org.uk/
Subscribe to our newsletter for updates - https://rb.gy/w0tmzn
#WILearningHub #InternationalDayofEducation #LifelongLearning #NewYearNewBeginnings
Wednesday, January 24th 2024 is the big day! We'll be celebrating International Day of Education by officially opening the WI Learning Hub, ready to fill your days with endless learning opportunities. Find out more at
https://learninghub.thewi.org.uk/
Subscribe to our newsletter for updates - https://rb.gy/w0tmzn
#WILearningHub #InternationalDayofEducation #LifelongLearning #NewYearNewBeginnings
THE SFWI 'IT'S CHRISTMAS' EVENT 21.11.23
What an amazing SFWI ‘It’s Christmas!’ event we all enjoyed at the County Showground on 21st November!
Three amazing, inspirational speakers - thought provoking and entertaining. Wonderful stalls to buy lots of Christmas presents and a display of competition entries and SFWI Committee information.
Thank you so much to Verity and the Events Committee for putting on such a good show… one of the best ever. We came away feeling we had really had the best time and laughed so much too.
We look forward to another wonderful event in the spring.
Three amazing, inspirational speakers - thought provoking and entertaining. Wonderful stalls to buy lots of Christmas presents and a display of competition entries and SFWI Committee information.
Thank you so much to Verity and the Events Committee for putting on such a good show… one of the best ever. We came away feeling we had really had the best time and laughed so much too.
We look forward to another wonderful event in the spring.
2024 Resolutions Shortlist
Please read the information coming out in WI Life and at our January meeting, be prepared to vote for your preferred Resolution from the 4 shown below .....
11th June 2022. NFWI Meeting at Liverpool.
Wendy attended as our delegate. Her report will be published shortly.
The Resolution has been mandated and WI will be campaigning on it in the coming year.
NFWI reports: We are delighted to announce that the resolution has passed by 96.5%
There were 4738 votes in favour and 171 against, meaning that we will now be campaigning on this issue.
The full wording of the resolution is:
Women and Girls with ASD & ADHD - under-identified, under-diagnosed, misdiagnosed, under-supported
Women and girls presenting with autistic spectrum disorder (ASD) and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) are going undiagnosed. The NFWI calls on the government and funding bodies to fund research into the female presentation of ASD and ADHD, and for action to be taken to improve the diagnosis process for women and girls, to ensure that they are equipped to better manage these conditions and do not suffer in silence. The NFWI further calls on WI members to raise awareness within their WIs of the issues facing women and girls with ASD and ADHD.
There were 4738 votes in favour and 171 against, meaning that we will now be campaigning on this issue.
The full wording of the resolution is:
Women and Girls with ASD & ADHD - under-identified, under-diagnosed, misdiagnosed, under-supported
Women and girls presenting with autistic spectrum disorder (ASD) and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) are going undiagnosed. The NFWI calls on the government and funding bodies to fund research into the female presentation of ASD and ADHD, and for action to be taken to improve the diagnosis process for women and girls, to ensure that they are equipped to better manage these conditions and do not suffer in silence. The NFWI further calls on WI members to raise awareness within their WIs of the issues facing women and girls with ASD and ADHD.
2022 Resolutions Shortlist Briefing Meeting
Michelle and Ros attended the briefing on behalf of Broughton WI, where the 5 shortlisted Resolutions were discussed. The information will be shared with Broughton WI Members at our January 2022 meeting.
Yvonne's work with the Chelsea College of Art and WI Project was launched as a virtual exhibition on WI Day.
KAREN's CAMPAIGN CORNER (6)
SOS - HONEYBEES
Honeybees may struggle at this time of year with cool conditions
and few flowers around.
If you see an exhausted bee, mix 2 tablespoonfuls of granulated sugar with one of water and leave in a saucer near the bee. For the long term, sow some wild flower seeds now. They will appreciate them later in the year and so will you ! You could even win the Garden Festival Trophy competition with a photo of your wild flowers....
SOS - HONEYBEES
Honeybees may struggle at this time of year with cool conditions
and few flowers around.
If you see an exhausted bee, mix 2 tablespoonfuls of granulated sugar with one of water and leave in a saucer near the bee. For the long term, sow some wild flower seeds now. They will appreciate them later in the year and so will you ! You could even win the Garden Festival Trophy competition with a photo of your wild flowers....
January edition of the SFWI News Bulletin
The WI (National Federation of Women's Institutes)
Update regarding Denman
On behalf of the NFWI Board of Trustees, it is with great sadness that we announce our proposal to close Denman permanently. We appreciate this will be difficult news for you, as it is for the NFWI Trustees and our staff. Most of all, this is a difficult time for the dedicated and passionate Denman staff team who are at risk of redundancy.
For a number of years, Denman has been operating without unrestricted reserves and operating a cash-flow model reliant on future bookings. This has always made Denman vulnerable to any economic changes and particularly so during this period of complete lockdown.
Throughout lockdown, the NFWI Board of Trustees have been carefully examining the financial position of Denman and considering all possible options. As the proposed reopening date of 1 July approached, it became clear that Denman would be unable to open and operate its full range of services, and that participants and visitors were uncomfortable visiting, which meant the scheduled courses were no longer viable.
This has been an extremely difficult decision and has not been taken lightly. Significant work has been undertaken over the last 18 months to address Denman’s financial challenges and rebuild its reserves position, including the introduction of a new business plan in June 2019 which opened up the opportunity to develop non-educational activities on site as a way of increasing income. This has been incredibly positive and we saw a significant reduction in deficit in the last financial year. Denman has also been helped enormously by the money received from the Saving Denman Appeal and Love Denman, as well as other donations and legacies that we have received over the years. However, Denman’s lack of unrestricted reserves and the cash-flow position meant that the College was left in an incredibly vulnerable position when faced with a minimum 3 month closure during the lockdown period.
We would like to thank all members for their support of Denman over the years, including their enthusiasm and support for the recently established ‘Denman at Home’ courses. We are absolutely delighted that this programme has proved so popular, and in the short term it is our intention to continue to deliver and grow this offer to ensure that members can continue to access the high quality Denman activities that we have always prided ourselves in. You can sign up to these courses via the Denman website here: www.denman.org.uk
This announcement and accompanying FAQs were sent to WIs via federations on 21 July, so we hope this news has already reached most WI members. If you did not receive this information via your WI, you can find the FAQs on My WI, which should help to explain the background and process in more detail. These will be updated over time; however please note that we do not have answers to everything at the moment, as we are still within the consultation period and have not yet fully explored some of the complex legal and financial practicalities. If the proposal is taken forward following the staff consultations, we will also be hosting a series of Zoom Q+A calls for WI members in September, where you will have the opportunity to ask any questions about Denman. Whilst we know how upsetting this news is for many WI members, please hold any further questions for these calls. The FAQs can be accessed here: https://mywi.thewi.org.uk/nfwi-news/articles/denman-update
If you did not receive the FAQs from your WI and are unable to access My WI, please email [email protected] to request a copy.
All members with existing bookings will be contacted separately and will be refunded in full within 30 days of this announcement. You do not need to contact us to arrange this as you will be contacted directly by the team.
Please note the closure is currently only proposed, as we have formally entered a consultation period with all Denman staff facing redundancy. The consultation period is an opportunity for staff to make representations on the proposal; therefore no decision can be made until the consultation period has ended.
Update regarding Denman
On behalf of the NFWI Board of Trustees, it is with great sadness that we announce our proposal to close Denman permanently. We appreciate this will be difficult news for you, as it is for the NFWI Trustees and our staff. Most of all, this is a difficult time for the dedicated and passionate Denman staff team who are at risk of redundancy.
For a number of years, Denman has been operating without unrestricted reserves and operating a cash-flow model reliant on future bookings. This has always made Denman vulnerable to any economic changes and particularly so during this period of complete lockdown.
Throughout lockdown, the NFWI Board of Trustees have been carefully examining the financial position of Denman and considering all possible options. As the proposed reopening date of 1 July approached, it became clear that Denman would be unable to open and operate its full range of services, and that participants and visitors were uncomfortable visiting, which meant the scheduled courses were no longer viable.
This has been an extremely difficult decision and has not been taken lightly. Significant work has been undertaken over the last 18 months to address Denman’s financial challenges and rebuild its reserves position, including the introduction of a new business plan in June 2019 which opened up the opportunity to develop non-educational activities on site as a way of increasing income. This has been incredibly positive and we saw a significant reduction in deficit in the last financial year. Denman has also been helped enormously by the money received from the Saving Denman Appeal and Love Denman, as well as other donations and legacies that we have received over the years. However, Denman’s lack of unrestricted reserves and the cash-flow position meant that the College was left in an incredibly vulnerable position when faced with a minimum 3 month closure during the lockdown period.
We would like to thank all members for their support of Denman over the years, including their enthusiasm and support for the recently established ‘Denman at Home’ courses. We are absolutely delighted that this programme has proved so popular, and in the short term it is our intention to continue to deliver and grow this offer to ensure that members can continue to access the high quality Denman activities that we have always prided ourselves in. You can sign up to these courses via the Denman website here: www.denman.org.uk
This announcement and accompanying FAQs were sent to WIs via federations on 21 July, so we hope this news has already reached most WI members. If you did not receive this information via your WI, you can find the FAQs on My WI, which should help to explain the background and process in more detail. These will be updated over time; however please note that we do not have answers to everything at the moment, as we are still within the consultation period and have not yet fully explored some of the complex legal and financial practicalities. If the proposal is taken forward following the staff consultations, we will also be hosting a series of Zoom Q+A calls for WI members in September, where you will have the opportunity to ask any questions about Denman. Whilst we know how upsetting this news is for many WI members, please hold any further questions for these calls. The FAQs can be accessed here: https://mywi.thewi.org.uk/nfwi-news/articles/denman-update
If you did not receive the FAQs from your WI and are unable to access My WI, please email [email protected] to request a copy.
All members with existing bookings will be contacted separately and will be refunded in full within 30 days of this announcement. You do not need to contact us to arrange this as you will be contacted directly by the team.
Please note the closure is currently only proposed, as we have formally entered a consultation period with all Denman staff facing redundancy. The consultation period is an opportunity for staff to make representations on the proposal; therefore no decision can be made until the consultation period has ended.
SFWI News Bulletin Issue 3 July 2020
SFWI Annual Council Meeting:15.10.19
THE NEW CENTURY BEGINS ( Press report by K.Sulway)
Can you imagine 700 ladies singing Jerusalem ? Truly uplifting. This was how
the 101st Annual Council meeting of the Staffordshire Federation of Women's Institutes began and it set the scene for an inspiring day.
The morning speaker was Professor Maggie Andrews of Worcester University
who gave an insight into the social history of women during the 20th century.
She gave fascinating facts, particularly about local women who battled for
equality, not just in respect of the fight for women's votes but also regarding pay
and working conditions.
Kate Humble was the speaker for the afternoon and she kept the ladies
spellbound as she explained how she became involved in television and her journey to become one of the nation's much loved presenters of live broadcasts such as Springwatch and Lambing Live.
Her easy style of delivery was illustrated with footage of some of her most
difficult challenges to capture extraordinary wildlife in their natural surroundings.
The day also enabled Members to buy items from the Country Market stalls as
well as items from invited suppliers.Competition entries and information boards about courses at Denman College; campaigns such as Climate Change and
visits & events planned for 2020 were also on display.
Can you imagine 700 ladies singing Jerusalem ? Truly uplifting. This was how
the 101st Annual Council meeting of the Staffordshire Federation of Women's Institutes began and it set the scene for an inspiring day.
The morning speaker was Professor Maggie Andrews of Worcester University
who gave an insight into the social history of women during the 20th century.
She gave fascinating facts, particularly about local women who battled for
equality, not just in respect of the fight for women's votes but also regarding pay
and working conditions.
Kate Humble was the speaker for the afternoon and she kept the ladies
spellbound as she explained how she became involved in television and her journey to become one of the nation's much loved presenters of live broadcasts such as Springwatch and Lambing Live.
Her easy style of delivery was illustrated with footage of some of her most
difficult challenges to capture extraordinary wildlife in their natural surroundings.
The day also enabled Members to buy items from the Country Market stalls as
well as items from invited suppliers.Competition entries and information boards about courses at Denman College; campaigns such as Climate Change and
visits & events planned for 2020 were also on display.
Broughton WI's Choir rounded off the enjoyable day
by singing 'The Smallest Seed' - an anthem specially written by Martin Jones and Shan Jones to celebrate
the SFWI Centenary.
by singing 'The Smallest Seed' - an anthem specially written by Martin Jones and Shan Jones to celebrate
the SFWI Centenary.
Developing skills with a sewing machine
Pat Kennedy and Vicki Evans attended a ‘Get to know your own sewing machine’ course at Cornerstone on Saturday 16th August. Vicki went for silver ribbon whilst Pat went for purple. Looks to have been a very useful course. 🤗
Margy competing in the SFWI Bridge Tournament at Brocton Golf Club.
September 2019.
SFWI Centenary Service at St Mary's Church and reception at the County Buildings, Stafford
10th April 2019
Broughton WI County Show exhibits are featured in the August edition of 'Craft Beautiful' magazine.
SFWI 2019 Centenary Quiz: 28th February
at the County Show Ground. Stafford
Our team of Pat Kennedy, Pam Trafford,
Yvonne French and Wendy Benbow
represented Broughton WI in the SFWI
Centenary Quiz. There were 88 teams
entered and the theme for the picnic
tables this year was 'Celebrating Women'
and violet, white and green colours. The
interpretations of the theme were amazing
with Norbury A and B teams creating really well planned and colourful designs. This competition was won by Hayes Green WI. The quiz itself is eight rounds and is lots of fun. It was won by worthy 4 x champions Rolleston on Dove WI. Well done to our team .. and thanks to those who had to step-in at the last minute.
Yvonne French and Wendy Benbow
represented Broughton WI in the SFWI
Centenary Quiz. There were 88 teams
entered and the theme for the picnic
tables this year was 'Celebrating Women'
and violet, white and green colours. The
interpretations of the theme were amazing
with Norbury A and B teams creating really well planned and colourful designs. This competition was won by Hayes Green WI. The quiz itself is eight rounds and is lots of fun. It was won by worthy 4 x champions Rolleston on Dove WI. Well done to our team .. and thanks to those who had to step-in at the last minute.
SFWI Carol Service at Lichfield Cathedral 3.12.18.
Seven members attended the SFWI 2018 Carol Service. Lichfield Cathedral was decorated to amazing effect with 22,000 white paper 'doves of peace' created by children from local Junior schools.
As well as the traditional carols, the
'Ta-Rowdles' Choir (Hammerwich WI) sang three beautiful christmas songs, and Ros Langford as SFWI Vice Chairman did one of the readings. Afterwards Broughton WI members and guests enjoyed our traditional coffee and mince pies in the George Hotel. Thank you to Beryl Roe for arranging this once again.
As well as the traditional carols, the
'Ta-Rowdles' Choir (Hammerwich WI) sang three beautiful christmas songs, and Ros Langford as SFWI Vice Chairman did one of the readings. Afterwards Broughton WI members and guests enjoyed our traditional coffee and mince pies in the George Hotel. Thank you to Beryl Roe for arranging this once again.
SFWI Homes and Gardens Day
17th April 2018
Lucy wins the Floral Art Trophy
Lucy entered the floral art competition for an arrangement in a kitchen utensil. She used a collander as the base for her design, and was awarded first place with 19/20 marks. She was presented with the Lichfield Co-operative crystal vase by international flower arranger Ian Lloyd. Ian demonstrated six different and spectacular flowerarrangements in the afternoon, - each one inspired by a musical. Ros was lucky enough to win one of these arrangements in the raffle.
Participating in the SFWI Quiz 22.3.18
The picnics had a blue 'Planet Earth' theme.
Saving Denman Update!!
To the 20th of March 2018, WI members have raised a whopping £623,950! This is incredible! Thank you so much to all those who have contributed, and who are continuing to send in those donations! a HUGE thank you from all of us at Denman!
To the 20th of March 2018, WI members have raised a whopping £623,950! This is incredible! Thank you so much to all those who have contributed, and who are continuing to send in those donations! a HUGE thank you from all of us at Denman!
SFWI Annual Council Meeting
10th October 2017 at the County Showground
Lots of trophies collected by Broughton WI members and two very inspiring women speakers.
SFWI Trip to Chatsworth 8th September
Pat Kennedy, Ros Langford and Sheila Moulton enjoyed a trip to Chatsworth organised by SFWI to hear a talk by Lord Burlington (son of the Duke of Devonshire) on how they are trying to reduce the environmental impact of Chatsworth as a tourist hub, large estate and old buildings.A very interesting talk was followed by lunch and then a walk around the House or garden.
Visit to Denman 13th -15th June 2016.
Carol Benbow, Ros Langford and Sheila Moulton attended a 3-day visit to Denman organised by SFWI. Carol and Ros did a pastel painting course and Sheila went on a vist to Blenheim Palace gardens as part of her course. It was a thoroughly enjoyable few days, and we look forward to our next visit.
SFWI Homes and Gardens Day
19th April 2016
at the County Showground.
What a fabulously successful event this was, with two really interestingand entertaining speakers, competitions and many stalls.Photos from the day can be seen on the slideshow below.
Centenary Celebration at JCB
20th November 2016
The penultimate SFWI Centenery event of 2015 was the Centenary Celebration hosted by JCB.The event was doubly oversubscribed so 220 members and guests attended the November event , and a second event will be held in January to accommodate 220 more. Broughton was well represented and we took along our friends and husbands to share the experience too. After coffee and welcome, we visited the JCB Experience before having a fabulous lunch, followed by a talk by Matt Gorman of Daylesford Organic Farm foods. The men loved browsing the amazing mchinery and engines on display and the raffle was well supported. A very enjoyable time was had by all, and it is hoped to put on a further event in the summer, with a factory tour and afternnon tea.
Annual Council Meeting 13.10.15
Twleve members attended the SFWI Annual Council meeting at the County Showground on 13th October, and it was by all accounts one of the best meetings yet with two exceptional speakers, the stage decorated with artefacts from Foxfield railway, and lots of displays, competitions and stalls for members to view. This year Broughton WI members had success in competitions too, with Pam Trafford coming second for her fabulous story and Judy Thompstone coming joint third in the water-colour painting competition, ( see below).
NFWI Centenary Annual Meeting: 4.7.15
Pam Smith attended as our delegate at the Centenary meeting in the Royal Albert Hall on Thursday 4th July. Margy, Ros and Betty had observer's tickets and of course Sheila Moulton attended as our SFWI Chairman. After a month of unseasonable icy blasts and chills the day of the Centenary WI Annual Meeting was also the first day of summer weather we had seen this year. It seemed a slight shame to be inside the great dimly lit dome of the Albert Hall but this did not dampen the high spirits of 5000 ladies all in their finery and determined to have a day to remember – with cake too!!
After preliminary bag searches we all piled in and with a certain amount of controlled chaos we found our allotted seats. Staffordshire delegates were most fortunate – with seats on the 5th row of the stalls and within 40 feet of the stage and a good view of the Royals!
Proceedings commenced with an introduction from NFWI chairman Janice Langley who explained that we would be singing Jerusalem when the Royal party arrived and that the whole event was being screened live via the internet.
Next was the Treasurer’s report for 2014-15. Julia Roberts reflected on the first 100 years of the WI and that its principles are the same today as they were in 1915 when subs were 2 shillings. This is the same proportion of average income (2%) as it is today at £36. The WI starts the next 100 years in a healthy position and has a commitment to keeping it affordable. She also revealed that the Duchess of Cambridge is considering joining Sandringham WI.
We were then joined onstage by HM The Queen, The Princess Royal and The Countess of Wessex. They received a tumultuous standing ovation which lasted for several minutes before they took their places in red velvet armchairs. The Queen wore a duck egg blue coat with matching large brimmed hat. Princess Anne was in a white two piece suit edged with coral trim with a matching blouse. Sophie wore a stunning white dress with gathers to one side and looked stunning.
At this point we sang the National anthem followed by Jerusalem. The sound of 5,000 ladies singing such stirring words brought many tears to many eyes – mine included – it was a very special moment for us all.
The Queen then received the centenary baton which had travelled 18,000 miles since 1st January 2014. We then had a live link up to Angelsey where the first WI meeting was held. After the presentation of prizes the Queen gave a short speech on the changes in women’s lives over the last 100 years but noted that the WI has remained unchanged in its principles of inspiring women. Her Majesty then declared the meeting open and three granddaughters of WI members – in their very best party dresses and with quite a few nerves - presented posies. The Royal party then left the stage to cut the centenary cake and take a piece home!
After preliminary bag searches we all piled in and with a certain amount of controlled chaos we found our allotted seats. Staffordshire delegates were most fortunate – with seats on the 5th row of the stalls and within 40 feet of the stage and a good view of the Royals!
Proceedings commenced with an introduction from NFWI chairman Janice Langley who explained that we would be singing Jerusalem when the Royal party arrived and that the whole event was being screened live via the internet.
Next was the Treasurer’s report for 2014-15. Julia Roberts reflected on the first 100 years of the WI and that its principles are the same today as they were in 1915 when subs were 2 shillings. This is the same proportion of average income (2%) as it is today at £36. The WI starts the next 100 years in a healthy position and has a commitment to keeping it affordable. She also revealed that the Duchess of Cambridge is considering joining Sandringham WI.
We were then joined onstage by HM The Queen, The Princess Royal and The Countess of Wessex. They received a tumultuous standing ovation which lasted for several minutes before they took their places in red velvet armchairs. The Queen wore a duck egg blue coat with matching large brimmed hat. Princess Anne was in a white two piece suit edged with coral trim with a matching blouse. Sophie wore a stunning white dress with gathers to one side and looked stunning.
At this point we sang the National anthem followed by Jerusalem. The sound of 5,000 ladies singing such stirring words brought many tears to many eyes – mine included – it was a very special moment for us all.
The Queen then received the centenary baton which had travelled 18,000 miles since 1st January 2014. We then had a live link up to Angelsey where the first WI meeting was held. After the presentation of prizes the Queen gave a short speech on the changes in women’s lives over the last 100 years but noted that the WI has remained unchanged in its principles of inspiring women. Her Majesty then declared the meeting open and three granddaughters of WI members – in their very best party dresses and with quite a few nerves - presented posies. The Royal party then left the stage to cut the centenary cake and take a piece home!
The resolution was next on the agenda and there were some heartfelt appeals on both sides not least because there had been an amendment to the wording at the last minute which very few WI members had been made aware of. Although the amended wording was voted for there was then a request to move to the next business as it was felt the breadth of the resolution was too large and lacked clarity.
This was voted for with around a two thirds majority (by my reckoning) and so the resolution was abandoned.
The first guest speaker was Lucy Worsley – Curator of the Royal Historic Palaces (which looks after unoccupied Royal palaces) and TV presenter. She wore a beefeater red sleeveless taffeta dress and gave a very animated and enthusiastic talk on the history of the WI. Lucy is based at Hampton Court which has 1324 rooms! She is currently working on a documentary about the WI and explained how during the First World War the government asked the WI to help with food production. The WI also introduced women to public life i.e. how to vote, take minutes etc. and also began the democratizing of society – where else would the lady of the manor make tea and cake for her maid other than at a monthly WI meeting?
She also told us that Jerusalem was originally a suffragette anthem but was adopted by the WI. The WI had had its largest membership in the 1950s but began to decline in the 60s.
A rebirth began after the Calendar Girls film and the experiences of Tony Blair who met his nemesis at the AGM in 2000. Lucy then revealed some inside information about the making of The Calendar Girls – the buns in one of the shots were not homemade but had been purchased at the Co-op!! The cherries on the top had been added by one of the ladies from her own pantry which she removed after filming to re-use them in her Xmas cake!! The documentary will be shown in a few weeks on T.V. and will be called “ Cake bakers and troublemakers!”
A sunny picnic lunch was spent on the grass and steps around the Prince Albert memorial. The park was covered in an army of ladies dressed in their best, out for a day to remember - a few grass stained dresses were not going to deter anyone from having a very special day out in London!
In the afternoon we listened to Dame Tanni Grey-Thompson, Director of UK Athletics and a non party member of the House of Lords. She began by saying that speaking in front of 5000 WI ladies was infinitely more terrifying than competing in front of 10,000 people in an athletics stadium. Despite her trepidation Tanni was a very entertaining speaker who was very at home on stage and in my view could make a living as a stand up comedian – or should that be sit down comedian?! She told us that after being paralysed at age 7 she decided to take up sport and found she had a talent for wheelchair racing.
Tanni is very independent and really dislikes having to be carried upstairs where there is no lift but she made an exception during the bid for the 2012 Olympics where she was faced with a set of stairs and the only two people who could carry her up them was Sir Steve Redgrave and David Beckham!! Nowadays in her political career she works for Legal Aid and disability rights and also campaigns for women to take up sport as 80% of women are unfit due to their caring roles within the family which means their own health is put second.
Our final speaker was Helena Morrisey CBE who launched the 30% club in 2010 which aims to get 30% female board members in the top 100 UK companies. She says things are improving as there are no longer any all male board members but she was spurred on to set the organization up after being overlooked for promotion after the birth of the first of her 9 children, being told her commitment was questionable. Helena is not in favour of legislation but prefers to work with men to encourage the qualities of female and male ways of working and use men’s position of power to encourage women. Globalisation and technology have allowed us to change the way people work so that power is not top down but built on networks. Women are more empathetic then men and she wants to encourage business to use this skill so that instead of women having to fit in with the way men work they can use their different qualities to work together.
Janice Langley then summed up the day saying how much had changed since 1915. A hundred years ago women were admitted into the police. Their uniforms were provided by Harrods and they weren’t allowed to carry a truncheon. An umbrella was suggested as a suitable weapon! The WI has been both praised and ridiculed for its choice of resolutions but we have changed the world in many ways – e.g. the plight of the bees and care in custody.
700 new members join the WI each week and on this inspiring note we sang Jerusalem again before joining our coaches to return home to our towns and shires.
This was voted for with around a two thirds majority (by my reckoning) and so the resolution was abandoned.
The first guest speaker was Lucy Worsley – Curator of the Royal Historic Palaces (which looks after unoccupied Royal palaces) and TV presenter. She wore a beefeater red sleeveless taffeta dress and gave a very animated and enthusiastic talk on the history of the WI. Lucy is based at Hampton Court which has 1324 rooms! She is currently working on a documentary about the WI and explained how during the First World War the government asked the WI to help with food production. The WI also introduced women to public life i.e. how to vote, take minutes etc. and also began the democratizing of society – where else would the lady of the manor make tea and cake for her maid other than at a monthly WI meeting?
She also told us that Jerusalem was originally a suffragette anthem but was adopted by the WI. The WI had had its largest membership in the 1950s but began to decline in the 60s.
A rebirth began after the Calendar Girls film and the experiences of Tony Blair who met his nemesis at the AGM in 2000. Lucy then revealed some inside information about the making of The Calendar Girls – the buns in one of the shots were not homemade but had been purchased at the Co-op!! The cherries on the top had been added by one of the ladies from her own pantry which she removed after filming to re-use them in her Xmas cake!! The documentary will be shown in a few weeks on T.V. and will be called “ Cake bakers and troublemakers!”
A sunny picnic lunch was spent on the grass and steps around the Prince Albert memorial. The park was covered in an army of ladies dressed in their best, out for a day to remember - a few grass stained dresses were not going to deter anyone from having a very special day out in London!
In the afternoon we listened to Dame Tanni Grey-Thompson, Director of UK Athletics and a non party member of the House of Lords. She began by saying that speaking in front of 5000 WI ladies was infinitely more terrifying than competing in front of 10,000 people in an athletics stadium. Despite her trepidation Tanni was a very entertaining speaker who was very at home on stage and in my view could make a living as a stand up comedian – or should that be sit down comedian?! She told us that after being paralysed at age 7 she decided to take up sport and found she had a talent for wheelchair racing.
Tanni is very independent and really dislikes having to be carried upstairs where there is no lift but she made an exception during the bid for the 2012 Olympics where she was faced with a set of stairs and the only two people who could carry her up them was Sir Steve Redgrave and David Beckham!! Nowadays in her political career she works for Legal Aid and disability rights and also campaigns for women to take up sport as 80% of women are unfit due to their caring roles within the family which means their own health is put second.
Our final speaker was Helena Morrisey CBE who launched the 30% club in 2010 which aims to get 30% female board members in the top 100 UK companies. She says things are improving as there are no longer any all male board members but she was spurred on to set the organization up after being overlooked for promotion after the birth of the first of her 9 children, being told her commitment was questionable. Helena is not in favour of legislation but prefers to work with men to encourage the qualities of female and male ways of working and use men’s position of power to encourage women. Globalisation and technology have allowed us to change the way people work so that power is not top down but built on networks. Women are more empathetic then men and she wants to encourage business to use this skill so that instead of women having to fit in with the way men work they can use their different qualities to work together.
Janice Langley then summed up the day saying how much had changed since 1915. A hundred years ago women were admitted into the police. Their uniforms were provided by Harrods and they weren’t allowed to carry a truncheon. An umbrella was suggested as a suitable weapon! The WI has been both praised and ridiculed for its choice of resolutions but we have changed the world in many ways – e.g. the plight of the bees and care in custody.
700 new members join the WI each week and on this inspiring note we sang Jerusalem again before joining our coaches to return home to our towns and shires.
Royal Garden Party
In recognition of the WI Centenary, a Royal Garden Party was held at Buckingham Palace on a very windy 2nd June in the presence of HRH The Duchess of Cornwall, HRH The Countess of Wessex, and HRH Princess Alexander and the Duchess of Gloucester.
Pat Evans represented Broughton WI, and Sheila Moulton, Ros Langford, Margy Horton Sheila Kettle and Pam Smith were also lucky enough to attend this memorable day.
Pat Evans represented Broughton WI, and Sheila Moulton, Ros Langford, Margy Horton Sheila Kettle and Pam Smith were also lucky enough to attend this memorable day.
NFWI Centenary Celebrations
The Federation Centenary Baton started its journey from the oldest WI in the country at Llanfair P.G (Anglesey, N. Wales) and will end its journey at the Albert Hall during the NFWI Centenary AGM in London on June 4th 2015. It came to Staffordshire on 25th June. More pictures can be found on the NFWI website:
http://www.thewi.org.uk/what.../centenary-celebrations-2015
http://www.thewi.org.uk/what.../centenary-celebrations-2015
The Federation Centenary Link Baton was hosted by W.I. Groups in SFWI from 25th June to 2nd July 2014.
Twelve photographs were selected to represent Staffordshire and were uploaded onto the memory stick inside the centenary baton. They include one of Broughton W.I.'s Croxton Well Dressing design in 2012, and also a photo of Ros with two of the Abbots Bromley Horn dancers. The twelve photos are shown on the slide show below.
The NFWI 'Inspiring Women working together' conference at the County Showground 11.3.14.
The NFWI Board of Trustees has arranged a series of conferences, which will be taking place across the country from March 5th to May 1st 2014. The second of these 'Inspiring Women Working Together' Conferences took place at the County Showground Stafford on 11th March (for Federation Trustees and Advisers) and on 12th March for WI Presidents from across the region.
Ros, Margy and Sheila Moulton attended the conference which gave an overview of everything the NFWI has to offer to the membership and provided an opportunity to meet the NFWI Chair, Officers, board members and staff.
The presentations were built around the three layers of the WI:
(1) The WI is here to inspire you
(2) The WI is everything you want it to be
(3)The WI is what you make of it.
There was lots of new information about campaigns, the value of using the social media and updates about the 'Centenary Federation Link' including an opportunity to see the baton first-hand.
Participants were shown the new pop-up 'Promo Totem', and how to craft a simple 16 page booklet (packed full of information) by folding a piece of A4 paper. A simple and inexpensive publicity idea! Janice Langley (NFWI Chair) ended the day by suggesting that groups of Federations and WI's might work together to offer joint craft fairs and other activities which would provide greater opportunity to members at a more economical cost.
Ros, Margy and Sheila Moulton attended the conference which gave an overview of everything the NFWI has to offer to the membership and provided an opportunity to meet the NFWI Chair, Officers, board members and staff.
The presentations were built around the three layers of the WI:
(1) The WI is here to inspire you
(2) The WI is everything you want it to be
(3)The WI is what you make of it.
There was lots of new information about campaigns, the value of using the social media and updates about the 'Centenary Federation Link' including an opportunity to see the baton first-hand.
Participants were shown the new pop-up 'Promo Totem', and how to craft a simple 16 page booklet (packed full of information) by folding a piece of A4 paper. A simple and inexpensive publicity idea! Janice Langley (NFWI Chair) ended the day by suggesting that groups of Federations and WI's might work together to offer joint craft fairs and other activities which would provide greater opportunity to members at a more economical cost.
Broughton W.I. members visit National H.Q. 17.10.13
Pam Smith and Ros Langford had won tickets in the ballot to visit National H.Q. and on a sunny autumn day on the 17th October 2013, they arrived in London to find that the centre of the city was in virtual shut down due to a protest march by Teaching Unions. This was further hindered by a slow moving privately owned military tank that was slowly trundling around the streets of the capital protesting about pot-holes in the nation's roads, whilst probably inadvertently adding to them!
No matter, - by using their bus-passes, shanks pony and a taxi they eventually reached their destination at New Kings Rd., Fulham where NFWI H.Q. is located. After a very welcome cup of tea, Janice Langley (NFWI Chair) introduced both herself and Julia Roberts, (Chair of Membership) before we were asked to have souvenir photographs taken with them.
We were then given insight and information about various departments from Anne Wheeler (Finance) Anne Wheeler; W.I. Enterprises Mark Linacre (W.I. Enterprises); Kaye McIntosh ( W.I. Life); Rachel Barber (Public Affairs and Communications), and were encouraged to ask questions. This was followed by a tour of the various departments on the four-storey building, where we saw the next edition of W.I. life being collated. A very interesting visit was followed by yet another hectic trip across London and then a four hour jouney home due to malfunctions across the rail network! Further photos of the day's visit can be seen on the slideshow below.
This was followed by presentations from various key members of staff at H.Q. They included Jana Osborne the General Secretary, who was born in Prague and who has a wealth of experience as a journalist, interpreter, and in employment law. Her role was to implement all policies formulated by the Board of Trustees and also the management of all NFWI Resources.
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Food security has been working its way up the public agenda for some time now. Rising demand for meat and dairy products from Asia, droughts in the USA, competition with biofuels and other factors have combined to push up food prices to the point where some of us are spending a significant part of our income on the household shop. Although probably no more than we were in the middle of the last century, before cheap food became something we take for granted. Food banks have been appearing to try to relieve food shortage for those who are struggling to afford it, while in some parts of the world people are obliged to schedule a day or two a week when they will have no meals at all. Malnutrition and civil unrest are coming closer.It was concerns like this that prompted the Women’s Institute (WI) to commission a report on the future of food in the UK, which was launched in January at a meeting in York in December 2012, and entitled, ' Food for thought'.
The debate organised by Staffordshire W.I. at the County Showground brought together a panel of speakers to discuss the concept of global food security, from government, academia, farming and food retail with an audience which was open to members of the public as well as members of the W.I. It soon became clear what a complex area this is. Food is such a central part of our lives that our food system is deeply tied up with everything else we do, and it can be viewed through very different lenses. The consensus of the audience In the end came down to what we value, and what we are prepared to pay for, which has a lot to do with education. This prompted the two most popular questions, - what strategies can be put inplace to ensure less waste of food in farming, processing, and retail, and the need to educate our children about food preparation, nutrition and reduction of waste.
Further information can be obtained on line:
food for thought: global and national challenges of food security and you can download the report from:
http://www.thewi.org.uk/__documents/public-affairs/food-security/food-security_dec2012_web_rev130108-1.pdf
The debate organised by Staffordshire W.I. at the County Showground brought together a panel of speakers to discuss the concept of global food security, from government, academia, farming and food retail with an audience which was open to members of the public as well as members of the W.I. It soon became clear what a complex area this is. Food is such a central part of our lives that our food system is deeply tied up with everything else we do, and it can be viewed through very different lenses. The consensus of the audience In the end came down to what we value, and what we are prepared to pay for, which has a lot to do with education. This prompted the two most popular questions, - what strategies can be put inplace to ensure less waste of food in farming, processing, and retail, and the need to educate our children about food preparation, nutrition and reduction of waste.
Further information can be obtained on line:
food for thought: global and national challenges of food security and you can download the report from:
http://www.thewi.org.uk/__documents/public-affairs/food-security/food-security_dec2012_web_rev130108-1.pdf
NFWI AGM in Cardiff on June 1st 2013
Pam Smith was our delegate for the NFWI Annual General Meeting at the Motorpoint Arena in Cardiff.
The speakers for the event were William Shawcross – Chair of the Charity Commission; Griff Rhys Jones – comedian, actor, presenter and author; and the renowned author, journalist and broadcaster, John Humphrys.
The meeting began with an extraordinary general meeting, followed by an exciting annual agenda including the Public Affairs resolution - 'Decline of our high streets and town centres' - for voting.
The speakers for the event were William Shawcross – Chair of the Charity Commission; Griff Rhys Jones – comedian, actor, presenter and author; and the renowned author, journalist and broadcaster, John Humphrys.
The meeting began with an extraordinary general meeting, followed by an exciting annual agenda including the Public Affairs resolution - 'Decline of our high streets and town centres' - for voting.
N.F.W.I. A.G.M. Albert Hall
London Wednesday 30th May 2012.
Margy Horton, Betty Hill and Ros Langford went down to London for the NFWI AGM at the Albert Hall on Wednesday 30th May. The sound of almost 7,000 ladies singing 'Jerusalem' in the magnificent Albert Hall was a 'special' moment!
NFWI Chair Ruth Bond welcomed members and in her address she outlined the new NFWI web-site, and announced that a W.I. hamper was currently on display in Harrod's shop window! This was followed by the Hon.Treasurer's report who likened the managing of the accounts to knitting patterns , - some being straight forward stocking stitch, but the complicated NFWI accounts ... more like that of a fairisle pattern! Despite the economic climate, income has increased from membership and grant funding, but investment income and that from educational activities has fallen. This point was enlarged upon by Mrs Ann Harrison from Denman College who gave a plea to members to try to make greater use of Denman, which has suffered a loss in income over the past year. Only 3% of NFWI members visited the College last year. Denman needs a minimum of 60 guests per night to break even! There is a 10% discount for members visiting Denman for the first time, and cheaper courses are available between November and March. A free taxi service to the College is available from Oxford and Didcot railway station to facilitate travel to Denman by members.
The first Guest Speaker was The Lord Julian Fellowes, (baron Fellowes of West Stafford). Scriptwriter, actor, novelist, film director and screenwriter as well as a Conservative Peer
He wrote the script for the film Gosford Park for which he won an 'Oscar', .and the hugely popular T.V. series - Downton Abbey, and more recently the mini 'Titanic' T.V. series. He gave an entertaining talk about his career to date. |
Then, following brief presentations and a short debate 96% of delegates voted to support the resolution calling for the Government to invest in the employment of more of midwives. After a hasty lunch in Hyde Park, we returned to the hall to take part in an attempt to break the Guiness Book of Records for the most people knitting simultaneously to celebrate traditional craft skills.
The afternoon's guest speaker was Dr Maggie Aderin Pocock MBE. As a child she told us she had a dream about 'space' inspired by the little moon puppets on the children's T.V. programme, the' Clangers'. A few years later, hooked by Star Trek her ambition took shape: she was going to be an astronaut! Despite being diagnosed with dyslexia, she went on to become a space scientist, with a PhD in mechanical engineering.
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The systems she's worked on have varied from instruments to detect landmines more effectively, to machines that probe the heart of stars by converting the starlight gathered by huge eight-meter telescopes into the component rainbow colours, and then analysing them to find out what's happening billions of miles away.
Referring back to her childhood dream, she said... "dreams don't show up on government surveys or school league tables but they are the fuel that makes us want to get up and get on.We don't encourage kids to aim high in case they fall over. Failing isn't a problem – interesting things happen along the way, as any entrepreneur will tell you". She is looking to recruit the next generation of space scientists and engineers into her team: young people able to think expansively and eager to shape the future. This could mean making satellites to monitor climate change or creating self-guiding rovers to search for life in our solar system.
The afternoon's surprise event was a dancing display by 'Strictly' dancers Kristina Rhiannoff, Robin Windsor and Artem Chigvintsevby with 2010 Strictly Champion Kara Tointon. Then delegates concluded the meeting by a rendition of 'Jerusalem', 'Land of Hope and Glory' - in Welsh, and then an emotive 'God Save the Queen' - just days before Queen Elizabeth II's Diamond Jubilee.
A very moving day!
Referring back to her childhood dream, she said... "dreams don't show up on government surveys or school league tables but they are the fuel that makes us want to get up and get on.We don't encourage kids to aim high in case they fall over. Failing isn't a problem – interesting things happen along the way, as any entrepreneur will tell you". She is looking to recruit the next generation of space scientists and engineers into her team: young people able to think expansively and eager to shape the future. This could mean making satellites to monitor climate change or creating self-guiding rovers to search for life in our solar system.
The afternoon's surprise event was a dancing display by 'Strictly' dancers Kristina Rhiannoff, Robin Windsor and Artem Chigvintsevby with 2010 Strictly Champion Kara Tointon. Then delegates concluded the meeting by a rendition of 'Jerusalem', 'Land of Hope and Glory' - in Welsh, and then an emotive 'God Save the Queen' - just days before Queen Elizabeth II's Diamond Jubilee.
A very moving day!
Up-date on NFWI attempt to break 'Guiness Book of Records' for the most people knitting simultaneously for 15 minutes.
WE DID IT!
Members knitted individual loops that were joined together to form one long chain; representing the links formed by individual WI members throughout the UK.
Part of the chain was then used for a display at the Old Naval College in Greenwich, ( see above), along with a giant blue and white papier maché anchor made by school children as part of the ‘Start Imagining’ campaign for the Queens Diamond Jubilee celebrations. |
3,083 WI members knitted their way into the Guinness Book of World Records in May this year during the NFWI AGM at the Royal Albert Hall, London, by breaking the record for the most people knitting simultaneously for fifteen minutes to celebrate traditional craft skills. (The previous record for the most number of people knitting simultaneously for fifteen minutes was 1,146.)
Ros Langford from Broughton W.I. was one of the 3,083 W.I. members who collectively broke the World Record!
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Congratulations to Margy Horton (our President) who became a W.I. Adviser in June 2012.
'More Midwives' Campaign
The NFWI has launched More Midwives campaign after a resolution on the employment of more midwives was passed at the 2012 AGM with a 96% majority:
There are chronic shortages of midwives. The NFWI calls on the Government to increase investment in the training, employment and retention of midwives in England and Wales to ensure services are adequately resourced and are able to deliver a high standard of care. Please support the campaign by signing our petition in support of more midwives! |
There is a shortage of midwives in the UK, resulting in fragmented, rushed care and extra demands on maternity services.
Midwives are facing increasing pressure with chronic staff shortages, the ongoing baby boom and increasing numbers of complications in pregnancy. Combined, these challenges are making it harder to deliver a high standard of care to women and their children and mean that despite increases in the number of NHS midwives, maternity units are still short staffed. |
S.F.W.I. Spring Council Meeting 2012
In the middle of a March heatwave, nine of our members went to the County Showground for the County Spring Council meeting. There were two speakers lined up for the morning session. Firstly, as a follow-up to the 'Save our Libraries' campaign we were given a very informative talk about the operation and services provided by the Staffordshire Libraries Service. The second session entitled 'Chasing Paper Skeletons' gave us an insight into the work of Marion Armstrong, from the Staffordshire Birth's, Death's and Marriages Registry Office based in Leek. She gave us helpful advice, and some humerous anecdotes about tracing our ancestors through various 'paper' records.
After lunch, we were entertained by guest speaker Julie Peasgood (shown right). Julie grew up in Grimsby and is a successful and versatile TV presenter and journalist as well as an established actress. Warm, engaging, friendly and honest she gave us an acount of her career on stage, T.V. and as a presenter, and most recently as a writer. Her talk was both enlightening and funny and was concluded with an orchestrated, loud,... 'Birds Eyes Peas - POP!' ....from the 900 members in the audience.
Broughton also found out that they had won the watercolour painting competition for the 'Rose Deag Rose Bowl', when Ros Langford's 'Sporting Theme' painting of hurdler Colin Jackson took first place.
After lunch, we were entertained by guest speaker Julie Peasgood (shown right). Julie grew up in Grimsby and is a successful and versatile TV presenter and journalist as well as an established actress. Warm, engaging, friendly and honest she gave us an acount of her career on stage, T.V. and as a presenter, and most recently as a writer. Her talk was both enlightening and funny and was concluded with an orchestrated, loud,... 'Birds Eyes Peas - POP!' ....from the 900 members in the audience.
Broughton also found out that they had won the watercolour painting competition for the 'Rose Deag Rose Bowl', when Ros Langford's 'Sporting Theme' painting of hurdler Colin Jackson took first place.
Spring Council Meeting 22nd March 2011
Nine of our members travelled to the County Showground to join with hundreds of others from W.I.s across Staffordshire. In the morning we listened to two excellent presentations; - a very informative one about Osteoporosis where amongst other things we found out that 1 in 2 women over 50 years will be prone to this debilitating condition; and a second from Marie Brennan of the Birmingham Assay Office who told us that as a result of the intense lobbying by the W.I. the E.U. had been thwarted from replacing our current robust assay-system with one that would have allowed manufacturers to self-hallmark which could have resulted in fraudulent practice.
Denise Moreton told us that the 2 topics to go forward to the National AGM in Liverpool were (1) Introduction of Mega-farms (2) Closure of Public Libraries.
In the afternoon we were introduced to Miranda Krestovnikoff, (shown right), - a presenter on BBC TV's 'Coast' and the 'One Show', and 'Countryfile'. A Zoologist and expert diver, we were given an insight into her exciting world and some of the wildlife she has researched and filmed off the coasts of the U.K. We learnt among other things that before going diving, men have to shave-off their beards to ensure a good seal around the face mask; that puffins flap their wings more than 400 times a minute and have the record for holding the greatest number of fish in their beaks at one time (78!); and that the study of the scales on a shark's skin lead to the creation of a similar sructure in silicon swim suits that had enabled Olympic athletes to break so many swimming records at the Bejing Olympics. Miranda has two young children who are already 'water babes', she has written a book and is also an accomplished musician - playing 4 different instruments. We were all left wondering how this active and vibrant and engaging young lady found the time to fit everything into her busy life.
Sheila Moulton, one of our members who is also the County Treasurer made an excellent presentation peppered with some light-hearted moments - perhaps the Chancellor of the Exchequer should take note in his forthcoming budget!
Denise Moreton told us that the 2 topics to go forward to the National AGM in Liverpool were (1) Introduction of Mega-farms (2) Closure of Public Libraries.
In the afternoon we were introduced to Miranda Krestovnikoff, (shown right), - a presenter on BBC TV's 'Coast' and the 'One Show', and 'Countryfile'. A Zoologist and expert diver, we were given an insight into her exciting world and some of the wildlife she has researched and filmed off the coasts of the U.K. We learnt among other things that before going diving, men have to shave-off their beards to ensure a good seal around the face mask; that puffins flap their wings more than 400 times a minute and have the record for holding the greatest number of fish in their beaks at one time (78!); and that the study of the scales on a shark's skin lead to the creation of a similar sructure in silicon swim suits that had enabled Olympic athletes to break so many swimming records at the Bejing Olympics. Miranda has two young children who are already 'water babes', she has written a book and is also an accomplished musician - playing 4 different instruments. We were all left wondering how this active and vibrant and engaging young lady found the time to fit everything into her busy life.
Sheila Moulton, one of our members who is also the County Treasurer made an excellent presentation peppered with some light-hearted moments - perhaps the Chancellor of the Exchequer should take note in his forthcoming budget!