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The Members' Blog

Authorship
Until January 2020, this Blog was the voice of an individual WI member. Over her 40 years of membership, our Blogger had made a very fine contribution to this and other Federations in England. With interests in crafts, reading and writing and in travel, she also took an active part in campaigning for women's welfare and education and on environmental issues. While she has now handed over the Blog to the wider Bucks membership, her archived blog posts are a testament to someone who always made the utmost of her membership, and a rich source of information about the part the WI can play in today's society.

30/10/2014 0 Comments

Different Crafts

28th October

This month the local WI Reading Group had read "After you'd gone" by Maggie O'Farrell. Although this was the author's first novel we had collectively read her later titles beforehand and enjoyed them, so we felt fairly safe ordering another from the County Library collection. Three readers didn't get on with this one at all but the majority were appreciative. There was a wide discussion on the issues raised by the story eg the stresses that can arise in a marriage between a man from a strict Jewish family and a girl brought up as a loosely committed Christian.We admired the structure of the book from its absolutely gripping prologue right through to its slightly ambiguous conclusion. The switches between the stories of the 3 generations of women meant that one had to concentrate properly so as not to become confused which irritated some readers. The sympathetic treatment of intense grief was wonderfully well done and very moving to read. There were some amusing situations described during the inter-action of the lovers caused usually by Alice's volatile and spontaneous character. Well worth reading.One by-product of reading this novel is that we all now know what an axolotl is even if we are sure we have missed the hidden significance of its presence in the book.

27th October

Today there was a slightly smaller attendance at the craft group because of halfterm in the schools. Members showed off their Christmas decorations made during the last fortnight. We are hoping that one of our number will teach us next time how to create a really attractive fluted bell. If we all use the same two materials we can save money by one person doing the buying in advance. We also listened to the account of our three "tutors" who led a day school at a neighbouring WI at the weekend. Judging by the photos of the padded boxes produced, it seems to have been very successful. The instructors returned home absolutely exhausted even though they had done an enormous amount of preparation beforehand so that the students would be able to complete a box in the time available.

21st October

Three of us drove down to Stuart Lodge, High Wycombe to share in the Open Day. Most of the Trustees were in attendance and there were organised tours of the building which were appreciated by the new members who were visiting the headquarters for the first time. The WI shop was open and the new practice of selling craftmaking equipment seems to be a welcome idea. Certainly we were soon burrowing among the materials on offer and eagerly falling upon just the bit of red or just the little oddment of embroidery thread which had been sought elsewhere---and the prices were amazingly cheap. The shop is open more often now and the times advertised in the Bucks Newsletter so keep a look out. I'm not sure whether coffees are always available but if you have come a long way...Well worth a visit.

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15/10/2014 0 Comments

Legal Matters

Legal matters

10th October

One of our local WI members has a daughter working in Greece with girls rescued from the slave trade which operates through the "Balkan Gate".A coffee morning was set up to raise funds for this cause because we felt it fitted in to the National WI's campaign against "Violence against Women". We were told harrowing tales of what these girls suffer and how they can be sold and re-sold across Europe. The work also is relevant to the Modern Slavery Act which the WI backs. There are 27 million people trapped in slavery today and this is part of a campaign to help in victim restoration and to raise awareness.We left feeling great admiration for the workers who are committed to giving their time and lives in such a worthy cause.

8th October

What do you understand by the words "joint enterprise"? This was the topic set for the WI discussion group tonight.Several members had done their homework and were able to explain that it is an activity of two or more people usually for profit which may be a partnership or any business in which they invest,work or have equal management control with an agreed goal or purpose. In court this means that everyone involved will be liable for any penalty incurred. In everyday circumstances this can be fraud, burglary or even murder. There has been a movement against this ruling because there have been recent cases where someone has been unknowingly present when a serious crime has been committed and become an unfortunate example of being in the wrong place at the wrong time or not having the intelligence to realise what is happening. It was a good topic and we wondered whether we might return to it and see whether it might be something the WI could take on board nationally.

7th October

A group of members from our WI spent the morning at the Magistrates Court in Milton Keynes. This came about because we had had a speaker last year who set up a trial court room case at the monthly meeting. I didn't realise that if it is convenient for the court's schedule, members of the public may go along to the court and sit in to listen. We split our time between 2 courts and a magistrate gave us an introductory talk to explain what we were about to see and hear and then we watched and listened behind a glass panel.At the end of the morning, we re-convened to discuss what we had seen.We were concerned at the waste of time and money when the defendants don't turn up for their hearings and at the restrictions on what the magistrates could actually do about persistent offenders. It is so sad when youngsters over 17 get themselves so caught up with relationships that when they break down, they react in fury and have to live with this black mark on their records for life. It was a fascinating, interesting but sometimes depressing way to spend the morning.

Come the evening, we were out again to the Group meeting where Annie Gray in costume gave us a marvellous talk about the history of tea. It was a well-attended meeting and I think we all enjoyed it very much and the refreshments were wonderful. Our group had had successes this year in the Regional Quiz and in the County Show competition and we have all gained new members so we finished the day feeling pretty tired but quite pleased with ourselves!

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15/10/2014 0 Comments

Autumn Activities

1st October

This morning one of the local WI members held a Bring&Buy coffee morning to raise funds for our project to help provide a Life Skills flat at the Furze Down School.A good crowd attended which included a party from the school who were made very welcome.It is hoped that the proceeds will be in the region of £300 which will bring our efforts to a close at about £1000. We have enjoyed the various activities offered over the summer so it has never seemed a chore to fund-raise.In return for our contribution, our President has been asked to "top out" the building.

The speaker at the monthly meeting was a slim and attractive young lady who is a fully trained and self-employed blacksmith. We had thought of this as being a male province which she told us is exactly the expectations of the majority of people whom she meets at craft shows and exhibitions.When she described the processes we were amazed that she hadn't the muscles of a prizefighter. She was an engaging speaker and the exhibits which she had on display were very artistic and varied.Obviously items of metalwork were set on another table to the one covered in our new embroidered WI cloth which was proudly revealed for the first time this evening. The members of the craft group were congratulated on the work and the various crafts incorporated were explained. Arrangements were made for the Christmas dinner and nominations were requested for next year's committee. It was a well attended meeting which had attracted some visitors from the town.

30th September

The book group has been reading "Twenty chickens for a Saddle" which I must admit I thought was going to be an up-market Western but turned out to be the story of an unusual childhood spent in Botswana. Someone had done research into the author Robyn Scott who is just 33 years old but has built on her upbringing a remarkable list of successful work for health causes especially on the African continent. Those of us who struggled on against the small print and recycled paper used in the production of the book really enjoyed it. There were many topics worthy of discussion viz. home education, the spread of AIDS and HIV and its toll in Africa, the happy-go-lucky attitude to rearing children amongst so many dangers which would make H&S officers quake at the knee and the threats to the beautiful countryside from poaching and de-forestation.

The readers noted the recent death of the Duchess of Devonshire. We had read the obituaries which contained many of the stories of her life which we had shared this year in the Mitford Letters. Of course the Duchess was a WI member and used to make gentle fun of the times when she was a speaker at WI meetings. Also in the Sunday Telegraph at the weekend there had been an article in the Life section about the boom in WI membership and although it is changing in many ways, it still remains true after 100 years to its insistence on good fresh food.

The reading group is now a group of 16 and we will have to call a halt on taking in anyone else as we just haven't the room in our houses to seat more people. Also the sets from the library usually consist of 10 books which means we have to share. If the book is long or concentrated reading it gives the sharers only a fortnight to read and we are all busy people: from now on, we have a waiting list. Good in a way but we hate having to refuse people. We are 10 years old now so perhaps we ought to start again or form an extra one.

29th September

Plans were made for the presentation of the new tablecloth at the monthly meeting. It was hoped to attract some publicity in the local press but in case this was impossible it was a good idea to take some photos ourselves.We are a bit concerned about how the cloth can be protected as we want it to be used as often as possible but being cream, it is just waiting to have something spilt on it---probably coffee. Anyway it is finished and we are going to make Christmas decorations for ourselves and then do some different craft in the new year.

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