Written by Jane Cutler, Chair, Science and Society Team
The resolutions about Modern Slavery and Stem cell donation are now WI mandates.
 
Are you using slave labour?
I am sure that I have in the past. But am I using it now? What about the guy with an Eastern European accent who cleaned our windows on that hot sunny day last week? Okay I gave him an ice cream and tipped him but was it his own window cleaning business or was he a Modern Day Slave? And how do I find out? And what about those builders who put up extensions for a really good price and only the boss speaks English? And just how do we know if the staff at the local “really cheap car wash and they do a good job” are getting paid a decent wage?

Now getting more personal do you use nail bars? Here’s a more positive story. A WI member had suspicions that slave labour was used at her nail bar. She tipped off the police and a prostitution ring was uncovered and dealt with. You see this is a case where
YOU CAN MAKE A DIFFERENCE!
The recent Centre for Social Justice and Justice for Social Care recent report states that at least 100,000 victims of slavery are being abused and exploited by traffickers and crime gangs in Britain today. This is 10 times higher than a Home Office assessment six years ago!

So how can we WI members tackle this problem?

• Be aware what is happening locally. (In Cheddington we were astonished to learn of slavery happening on our doorstep. Several people were arrested and given long sentences in 2012 in a high profile case.)
• When the price of new clothes is too cheap to be true ask yourself why. Were they made in a sweat shop?
• Read the NFWI website for updates on the campaign.
• Ask your WI Secretary to make the NFWI End Modern Slavery Briefing available to all members online. Here you may read advice on how to spot slavery from the Metropolitan Police
• Being socially distance aware, discuss what actions you and your WI will take in your community.

 
BE SLAVE AWARE!!

Bucks Climate Ambassadors were invited to attend this event by the Science and Society Sub Committee. We were given space for an information table at the side of the main stage so Cath Campbell and I set out leaflets and information sheets on our bright green table cloth (which used to be a curtain) and decorated the front with crochet green hearts bunting.  We were delighted to meet members from all around the county and during the breaks we had very interesting conversations about the topics raised by the speakers and about the information we had brought with us. We were so pleased to hear that many members had engaged in Show the Love activity on 14 February.
 
The Science and Society committee had chosen four really interesting speakers from the science and environmental fields of energy innovation, climate change, geology and materials science.
 
I was very interested to hear Professor Melanie Loveridge talk about how her work on lithium ion technology was contributing to the UK commitment of net zero carbon emissions by 2050.  The effective function of these kind of batteries will be key to the function of electric vehicles in the future.
 
Jane Tubb told the story of a pioneering geologist Gertrude Elles who made a major contribution to the understanding of geological time and also encouraged women to study natural sciences at a time when their education was very limited.
 
Dr Ceris Jones explained the whole host of changes that farmers have seen as a result of changes in the UK climate.  They have noticed an increase in extreme weather events and that generally winters are getting warmer. She outlined the many things that farmers and agriculture can deliver as part of the solution.  What would help farmers and growers to achieve the NFU target of net zero by 2040 will be positive government policy, clear standards for animal welfare, food safely, imports and laws and most especially that everyone is working together towards the same clear goals.
 
Dr Anna Poszajski’s presentation was very funny, intriguing and interactive as she told us about the science of her cross channel swim.  In case you might be considering such a swim apparently the best snack to eat is a chocolate mini roll, you need to select an appropriate swimming costume and there are 4 species of jellyfish which you really don’t want to encounter as they sting.
 
The new venue in Aylesbury was easy to find and local parking had been arranged with stewards on hand to help; the venue organisers were most welcoming and the facilities were good, including free tea and coffee but already there was hand sanitiser available for everyone.  We were lucky that this meeting could still go ahead as only days later came the national lock-down and the cancellation of so many other events.
 
 
Yvonne Alton
March 2020
 

I bet you didn’t expect me to be writing June’s Chairman’s chat, neither did I! In April the Trustees co-opted me back onto the Board and in May I was elected as Chairman by the Trustees. It was felt continuity would be helpful during this difficult time that we are all trying to cope with, or is it that the devil you know is better than the devil you don’t know!
I have been thrilled to go to various WIs and take part in their monthly meeting by Zoom, the first was in the north of Bucks, Thornborough and Thornton WI and I joined in their quiz, then the next night zoomed down south to Bourne End WI and also joined in their quiz! Both nights I partook of a glass of wine as I didn’t have to drive!
Through the National Federation I went on a virtual tour of the National Gallery on Friday 15th at 2pm to a talk by Christine Bradstreet titled ‘Women, art and wet nurses’, there were 210 of us WI members attending. Did you know that there are only 12 paintings by women held at the National Gallery and only 10 of those are actually hanging!
Kelly Mauger of Denman has had various cookery lessons online again by Zoom and we have cooked blueberry muffins and millionaires shortbread together with over 200 ladies; it has been very good for one’s mental health to join in with one’s fellow WI members and feel a part of this marvellous organisation. 
Those of you who have crafted the Bags for Scrubs have responded magnificently to the call and there is more about that inside this Bucks News.
We know that many of you do not have access to a computer and we applaud the WI committees that are going the extra mile to keep you abreast of what is going on. I have rung and spoken in person to some of you and I intend to telephone more of you, so beware I know you are at home!
Thursday 21st May is our 100th anniversary of the formation of the Buckinghamshire Federation of WI and we should have been carrying our banners through the streets of Aylesbury, however we will parade them next year and boy will it be a grand affair! So keep them safe, clean and tickety boo and we will unfurl them in 2021.
We are sensibly planning for the worst with Coronavirus while working for the best; trying to stay calm, caring for those who self- isolate and being considerate and look out for one another; it isn’t just about me, it’s about us. The WI is a community in which each life and each person counts.