Community spirit in the 1990s
1990
Federation Chairman – Mrs. Kay Bradley
Federation President – Mrs. Trixie Dilks
This year was the 70th anniversary of the Federation.
Celebration 70 was the title of the grand event organised at Dr. Challoner’s School in Amersham and it was thoroughly enjoyed by hundreds of members in glorious summer weather. 185 paintings were displayed, there was lots of craft, drama committee members acted as a human fruit machine, music was provided, banners displayed and hundreds of cups of tea were made.
WIs were formed at Widmer End and Heronsbrook.
Federation President – Mrs. Trixie Dilks
This year was the 70th anniversary of the Federation.
Celebration 70 was the title of the grand event organised at Dr. Challoner’s School in Amersham and it was thoroughly enjoyed by hundreds of members in glorious summer weather. 185 paintings were displayed, there was lots of craft, drama committee members acted as a human fruit machine, music was provided, banners displayed and hundreds of cups of tea were made.
WIs were formed at Widmer End and Heronsbrook.
1991
The tenants moved out of the ground floor of Stuart Lodge and the opportunity was taken to use the whole house for BFWI. A large committee room was created on the ground floor, literature was moved to a new site next to the car park, and part of the drama wardrobe was moved to the ground floor. The office was re-wired, central heating was upgraded and a new large storeroom built over the filled-in cellar replacing the old damp scullery. All these renovations were made financially possible by the excellent response from members at county events over the years, together with prudent investment of the funds available.
There was a record entry of 30 in the Silver Cup competition organised by the Craft sub-committee. This year’s item was a handkerchief in any craft medium and the cup was won by Miss Treleaven of Taplow and Hitcham WI.
Six coachloads of Bucks WI members went to Docklands in February and another six in August, while seven went to Gloucester, also in August.
The first taped version of the Newsletter was produced.
A WI was formed at Prestwood (Morning); Ibstone and Linslade(Morning) WIs reformed after closure.
There was a record entry of 30 in the Silver Cup competition organised by the Craft sub-committee. This year’s item was a handkerchief in any craft medium and the cup was won by Miss Treleaven of Taplow and Hitcham WI.
Six coachloads of Bucks WI members went to Docklands in February and another six in August, while seven went to Gloucester, also in August.
The first taped version of the Newsletter was produced.
A WI was formed at Prestwood (Morning); Ibstone and Linslade(Morning) WIs reformed after closure.
1992
Federation Chairman – Mrs. Kay Bradley
It had been decided by NFWI that the position of Federation President should be discontinued.
A very successful Summer Garden Party was held at the home of the Earl and Countess Howe at Penn. This involved the various Groups in the Federation, the members of each Group organising a stall, while there was country dancing by both adults and children and plenty going on to keep everyone well entertained.
The competition for WIs in the marquee at the County Show was entitled “Carnival Time” and 200 clowns, some staged in a circus ring, made a memorable display.
This year all WIs with a gross income of £1,000 had to register as Charities under the Charities Act 1992. This gave rise to much form filling and extra work for all WI treasurers!!
WIs were formed at Flackwell Heath (Morning), Furzton, Haydon Hill, Stony Stratford and Watermead & Weedon.
It had been decided by NFWI that the position of Federation President should be discontinued.
A very successful Summer Garden Party was held at the home of the Earl and Countess Howe at Penn. This involved the various Groups in the Federation, the members of each Group organising a stall, while there was country dancing by both adults and children and plenty going on to keep everyone well entertained.
The competition for WIs in the marquee at the County Show was entitled “Carnival Time” and 200 clowns, some staged in a circus ring, made a memorable display.
This year all WIs with a gross income of £1,000 had to register as Charities under the Charities Act 1992. This gave rise to much form filling and extra work for all WI treasurers!!
WIs were formed at Flackwell Heath (Morning), Furzton, Haydon Hill, Stony Stratford and Watermead & Weedon.
1993
Two resolutions were debated and passed at the Council Meeting held in October; one calling for influence to be used to enable benefits and pensions to continue to be collected from Post Offices and sub-Post Offices, and the other for intensification into research into the composition and disposability of sanitary products.
Links were set up between the WI and Bucks County Council for Emergency Planning in case of disasters in the county.
Two resolutions were debated and passed at the Council Meeting held in October; one calling for influence to be used to enable benefits and pensions to continue to be collected from Post Offices and sub-Post Offices, and the other for intensification into research into the composition and disposability of sanitary products.
Links were set up between the WI and Bucks County Council for Emergency Planning in case of disasters in the county.
It was announced that the Bucks Room in the new Willow Cottage at Denman College would be a twin room to accommodate a person with a disability and their carer.
Over 2,000 members spent two glorious days at the Festival of Feasts and Flowers in Haddenham, where the guest of honour was the National Chairman, Mrs. Susan Stockley.
Five coachloads of members went to Portsmouth to see the magnificent Overlord Embroidery in the D-Day Museum. The Overlord Embroidery is a modern-day counterpart to the Bayeux Tapestry, and tells the dramatic story of the Allied landings in Normandy on 6th June 1944.
No new WIs were formed this year, but Naphill and Naphill Afternoon WIs joined together to form Naphill Evening WI.
Over 2,000 members spent two glorious days at the Festival of Feasts and Flowers in Haddenham, where the guest of honour was the National Chairman, Mrs. Susan Stockley.
Five coachloads of members went to Portsmouth to see the magnificent Overlord Embroidery in the D-Day Museum. The Overlord Embroidery is a modern-day counterpart to the Bayeux Tapestry, and tells the dramatic story of the Allied landings in Normandy on 6th June 1944.
No new WIs were formed this year, but Naphill and Naphill Afternoon WIs joined together to form Naphill Evening WI.
1994
Federation Chairman – Mrs. Anne Jones
Buckinghamshire’s entry of a clown, a mask and a cake, with the theme “Carnival” gained second place in the Royal Show Challenge Cup competition at Stoneleigh in July.
In August our County Office, Stuart Lodge, was opened for three days to enable members to visit and see the renovations and extensions that had taken place over the past four years. There was a mini flower festival and sub-committees contributed displays from the attic to the storeroom. It was also the first opportunity for members to view the new wall hangings with contributions from nearly all the WIs in the county.
The Aylesbury Youth Orchestra gave a fine performance at “Last Night of the Proms” held at the Civic Centre in July, and “Welcome Christmas” saw the first performance of a new carol – When Love was born in Bethlehem – written, set to music and sung by WI members.
No new WIs were formed this year.
Buckinghamshire’s entry of a clown, a mask and a cake, with the theme “Carnival” gained second place in the Royal Show Challenge Cup competition at Stoneleigh in July.
In August our County Office, Stuart Lodge, was opened for three days to enable members to visit and see the renovations and extensions that had taken place over the past four years. There was a mini flower festival and sub-committees contributed displays from the attic to the storeroom. It was also the first opportunity for members to view the new wall hangings with contributions from nearly all the WIs in the county.
The Aylesbury Youth Orchestra gave a fine performance at “Last Night of the Proms” held at the Civic Centre in July, and “Welcome Christmas” saw the first performance of a new carol – When Love was born in Bethlehem – written, set to music and sung by WI members.
No new WIs were formed this year.
1995
In honour of the 75th anniversary of the Federation, the Annual Council Meeting was addressed by the Lord Lieutenant for Buckinghamshire, the Lord Cottesloe.
The fund raising ad-hoc committee organised four events – an evening with Rosemary Hawthorne when her subject was “Unmentionables”; a 75th Anniversary Lunch at which the guest speaker was Alison Neal as Mrs. Beeton; a Grand Car Boot Sale which, sadly, had to be cancelled due to terrible weather.
Yes – there was a fourth event too! This was a specially written musical review of the past 75 years entitled “Fancy That”, when the three performances at the Civic Centre in Aylesbury brought together talent from all parts of the Federation.
Over 100 members entered an “Heirloom for the Future” competition at Craft Day. So many people wanted tickets for “In the Mood”, a concert of Glenn Miller music, that the venue had to be changed to the Civic Centre. Following up the National Federation suggestion of support for Romania, the members responded so generously that over 1000 boxes filled with toiletry items were sent for Romanian Relief. Hundreds of members also visited “A Taste of the Forties” staged at the Chiltern Open Air Museum.
No new WIs were formed this year.
The fund raising ad-hoc committee organised four events – an evening with Rosemary Hawthorne when her subject was “Unmentionables”; a 75th Anniversary Lunch at which the guest speaker was Alison Neal as Mrs. Beeton; a Grand Car Boot Sale which, sadly, had to be cancelled due to terrible weather.
Yes – there was a fourth event too! This was a specially written musical review of the past 75 years entitled “Fancy That”, when the three performances at the Civic Centre in Aylesbury brought together talent from all parts of the Federation.
Over 100 members entered an “Heirloom for the Future” competition at Craft Day. So many people wanted tickets for “In the Mood”, a concert of Glenn Miller music, that the venue had to be changed to the Civic Centre. Following up the National Federation suggestion of support for Romania, the members responded so generously that over 1000 boxes filled with toiletry items were sent for Romanian Relief. Hundreds of members also visited “A Taste of the Forties” staged at the Chiltern Open Air Museum.
No new WIs were formed this year.
1996
A successful year for the fund raising ad-hoc committee began with “Music for a Summer Evening” at Stowe School in July. This was followed by the exhibition “A Galaxy of Gowns” at Wycombe Abbey School in August and an “Old Time Music Hall” at the Civic Centre in October.
Also in October, over 1,000 members took a day trip, in 21 coaches, through the Channel Tunnel and on to Boulogne.The Silver Cup competition for a knitted layette for a premature baby was a resounding success. There were 103 entries, the winner being Mrs. Rigozzi of Chesham WI, and the layettes were then distributed to Milton Keynes Special Care Baby Unit, Stoke Mandeville Hospital, Wycombe General Hospital and Wexham Park Hospital in Slough.
An imaginatively named event – “Sex, Shrouds and Steamboats” – was held in March. The four speakers had as their subjects; “From the Turin Shroud to Limpet’s Teeth’ which was about dating artefacts, “Helping Plants to Help Themselves”, “Sexier Ways of Controlling Pests” and “Isambard Kingdom Brunel”.
A successful year for the fund raising ad-hoc committee began with “Music for a Summer Evening” at Stowe School in July. This was followed by the exhibition “A Galaxy of Gowns” at Wycombe Abbey School in August and an “Old Time Music Hall” at the Civic Centre in October.
Also in October, over 1,000 members took a day trip, in 21 coaches, through the Channel Tunnel and on to Boulogne.The Silver Cup competition for a knitted layette for a premature baby was a resounding success. There were 103 entries, the winner being Mrs. Rigozzi of Chesham WI, and the layettes were then distributed to Milton Keynes Special Care Baby Unit, Stoke Mandeville Hospital, Wycombe General Hospital and Wexham Park Hospital in Slough.
An imaginatively named event – “Sex, Shrouds and Steamboats” – was held in March. The four speakers had as their subjects; “From the Turin Shroud to Limpet’s Teeth’ which was about dating artefacts, “Helping Plants to Help Themselves”, “Sexier Ways of Controlling Pests” and “Isambard Kingdom Brunel”.
Mrs. Judith Youl designed and made a beautiful model of Denman College with displays relating to courses that can be taken at the college.
WIs were formed at Bledlow Ridge (Morning), Gawcott and Hazlemere (Morning).
WIs were formed at Bledlow Ridge (Morning), Gawcott and Hazlemere (Morning).
1997
Federation Chairman - Mrs. Mary Miller
Mrs. Muriel Rutherford was awarded the NFWI Denman Cup for her monologue entitled “Wizard Women”.
The Centenary of the formation of the National Federation of Women’s Institutes was celebrated in Buckinghamshire at an event held in Haddenham entitled “Canada to Bucks”. Every available hall in the village was occupied and every sub-committee took part. Members from the Groups depicted past resolutions in a display entitled “A Moment in Time”; Art & Craft had a fantastic display of their work and demonstrations were running all day; Drama & Music had a rolling programme of scenes, sketches and songs; Sport & Leisure showed visitors how to line-dance, look for treasure and bounce on a castle; Home Economics cooked and sold pancakes all day; and Catering were working hard to produce refreshments for the more than 2,000 members and friends who attended.
In conjunction with Countryside Books the Federation produced “Buckinghamshire – A Century in Photographs” with contributions from a great many members. (A new Edition was produced for the federation centenary year and is available in the online store)
WIs were formed at Ickford, Shabbington & Worminghall and Princes Risborough (Morning).
Mrs. Muriel Rutherford was awarded the NFWI Denman Cup for her monologue entitled “Wizard Women”.
The Centenary of the formation of the National Federation of Women’s Institutes was celebrated in Buckinghamshire at an event held in Haddenham entitled “Canada to Bucks”. Every available hall in the village was occupied and every sub-committee took part. Members from the Groups depicted past resolutions in a display entitled “A Moment in Time”; Art & Craft had a fantastic display of their work and demonstrations were running all day; Drama & Music had a rolling programme of scenes, sketches and songs; Sport & Leisure showed visitors how to line-dance, look for treasure and bounce on a castle; Home Economics cooked and sold pancakes all day; and Catering were working hard to produce refreshments for the more than 2,000 members and friends who attended.
In conjunction with Countryside Books the Federation produced “Buckinghamshire – A Century in Photographs” with contributions from a great many members. (A new Edition was produced for the federation centenary year and is available in the online store)
WIs were formed at Ickford, Shabbington & Worminghall and Princes Risborough (Morning).
1998
To mark the forthcoming Millennium it was decided to open a special account with £2,000 that, with the addition of the proceeds from raffles at Council Meetings up to and including October 2000, would be divided between special care baby units in the north, middle and south of Buckinghamshire along with a Millennium Bursary.
In September five choirs took part in the Federation round of the NFWI Choir Festival. The choirs, Bletchley Belles, Broughton Pastures and Friends, Chiltern WI Choir, Cygnus and Hambleden Harmony, provided a delightful and varied programme that presented the adjudicator with difficult decisions to make. Bletchley Belles and Hambleden Harmony were chosen to represent Buckinghamshire in the area finals to be held in Cambridge in 1999.
A WI was formed at Little Missenden (Evening).
To mark the forthcoming Millennium it was decided to open a special account with £2,000 that, with the addition of the proceeds from raffles at Council Meetings up to and including October 2000, would be divided between special care baby units in the north, middle and south of Buckinghamshire along with a Millennium Bursary.
In September five choirs took part in the Federation round of the NFWI Choir Festival. The choirs, Bletchley Belles, Broughton Pastures and Friends, Chiltern WI Choir, Cygnus and Hambleden Harmony, provided a delightful and varied programme that presented the adjudicator with difficult decisions to make. Bletchley Belles and Hambleden Harmony were chosen to represent Buckinghamshire in the area finals to be held in Cambridge in 1999.
A WI was formed at Little Missenden (Evening).
1999
Federation Chairman – Mrs. Ann Spalton
The Buckinghamshire Federation Memorial Book was launched at the Annual Council Meeting in April. Members were invited to donate to a Memorial Fund in memory of a late member of their WI, names would be inscribed in a special book and, once funds permitted, the money would fund a Memorial Bursary at Denman College.
The major event of the year was the Summer Fair and Craft Spectacular, which took place in August at Wycombe Abbey School. The Craft Spectacular Exhibition attracted entries from over 100 members; from these 32 items were selected to be considered for the National Federation’s Craft Exhibition to be staged at Tatton Park in 2000. For two glorious days members enjoyed the exhibitions, a cavalcade of costumes from the drama wardrobe, an art exhibition, displays depicting “A Time of Your Life”, a display of WI banners, giant chess and lots more – all topped up with tea and cakes.
At Wycombe Abbey and the County Show we were also able to display the hundreds of knitted teddies sent in by members to support the Teddies for Tragedies appeal.
In September the two upper galleries at the High Wycombe Museum proved an interesting venue for a display of members’ craft work. The Exhibition commenced during Promotion Fortnight and was in place for six weeks. It provided not only a chance to show the excellence of our craft work, but was a wonderful opportunity to promote the WI.
At the end of the decade there were 159 WIs in the Federation.
The Buckinghamshire Federation Memorial Book was launched at the Annual Council Meeting in April. Members were invited to donate to a Memorial Fund in memory of a late member of their WI, names would be inscribed in a special book and, once funds permitted, the money would fund a Memorial Bursary at Denman College.
The major event of the year was the Summer Fair and Craft Spectacular, which took place in August at Wycombe Abbey School. The Craft Spectacular Exhibition attracted entries from over 100 members; from these 32 items were selected to be considered for the National Federation’s Craft Exhibition to be staged at Tatton Park in 2000. For two glorious days members enjoyed the exhibitions, a cavalcade of costumes from the drama wardrobe, an art exhibition, displays depicting “A Time of Your Life”, a display of WI banners, giant chess and lots more – all topped up with tea and cakes.
At Wycombe Abbey and the County Show we were also able to display the hundreds of knitted teddies sent in by members to support the Teddies for Tragedies appeal.
In September the two upper galleries at the High Wycombe Museum proved an interesting venue for a display of members’ craft work. The Exhibition commenced during Promotion Fortnight and was in place for six weeks. It provided not only a chance to show the excellence of our craft work, but was a wonderful opportunity to promote the WI.
At the end of the decade there were 159 WIs in the Federation.