​HAPPY CHRISTMAS TO ALL READERS OF THE BUCKS WI WEBSITE
 
9th December
While the world leaders were in conference in Paris on Climate Change the local WI's Discussion Group was talking about pollution. We may not be able to come up with any earth changing solutions but at least, because everyone had done some homework before the meeting, we are fully aware now of the different types of pollution and horrified by the immensity of the problem.However we can become more thoughtful shoppers and consumers and try to teach the future generations to question what the throw-away society is doing to the planet. Some of the re-cycling schemes do not bear close scrutiny because they leave a massive carbon footprint eg when waste is transported across the world to be used to make goods which are then shipped back for sale here. Is the paperless society really successful or just an exercise in moving the paper elsewhere? How can the waste that ends up in the oceans be prevented from damaging the natural environment? And how can those "islands" of discarded plastic be removed? Next time anyone goes on a cruise, let her find out about the waste from the ship.We also thought about the litter despoiling Everest and again cluttering up space---what goes up must come down.There are some things that have improved in the UK which must have appeared impossible to achieve from small beginnings; the banning of smoking in many public places, the collection of sorted household rubbish for re-cycling by councils, the control of excess car emissions and the Clean Air Act. At the end of the evening we realised that we had forgotten to think about the microbeads being washed down our drains in to the sea which is one of the listed resolutions proposed for next year's NFWI Annual General Meeting and there had been no mention of the idea of making green hearts for St Valentine's Day to remind people about the dangers of climate change.
 
2nd December
At last we were able to hold the monthly meeting back in the new school premises from which we had to be excluded during its building.However we all agreed that the wait had been worthwhile. Space, warmth and light: what more could we want? Our new President introduced her committee and team of helpers and it was agreed to have a stall at the Art and Craft market in the town in April. Members heard about the centenary reception for Bucks WIs in Aylesbury and a letter of thanks was read from Woman's Aid. The proposed resolutions for the AGM in Brighton were read out and introduced in a little more detail than what appears in WI Life .Every member was urged to use her vote to choose her favourite to go forward. December is our Christmas party meeting so there was lots of lovely food and drink on offer. Then our new Singing Group made its debut by entertaining us with some traditional carols---a pleasant end to a busy year. Members were reminded that the January meeting is always the second Wednesday of the month and with that we all went home in good spirits.

​30th November
Two members from our WI attended the Vintage Tea at Amersham today. There were about 150 people present in a lovely new venue where there was plenty of space for tables laden with sandwiches and scones,real china crockery and the tea came in a variety of beautiful teapots.It was all very elegant and the members had dressed to match the occasion with lots of gorgeous hats and probably wedding outfits on show. There was music and a buzz of non-stop talk. Our County Chairman closed the afternoon and at the same time brought our WI Centenary Year celebrations to an end.
 
25th November
The Chairman of Buckinghamshire County Council held a reception for the Bucks Federation of WIs in the Judges' Lodgings in Aylesbury this evening. One member from each of the county WIs was invited to attend. Luckily our WI was able to send 4 members because we had people who are serving or had served on county committees.Mr Bill Chapple addressed us and was followed by the Lady Vice-Lieutenant for Bucks and it was good to find out that they both had been aware of the WI in their family upbringing and admired the WI for its part in comunity life.The refreshments were lovely, the room was very crowded and full of talk. In fact someone said it was like an old girls' school re-union---I hope she meant old girls as former students! Certainly the great and the good of the BFWI were there.
 
24th November
The families of members who attend the Book Group have every right to claim for neglect over the weeks when we were reading "Before I Go to Sleep" by S.J. Watson. We heard how some readers had read the book at a sitting which didn't finish until 2am and others who had failed to greet the day until noon.It was certainly a novel that got under you skin and several of us were not able to concentrate on anything else.It was a thriller about a woman who had suffered an accident which was so traumatic that she suffered the type of amnesia which meant she could remember only one day at a time and started every day with a clean sheet as regards her past life.For once we tackled the notes for book groups in the back of this edition but even without these I think we would have been discussing the plot and the characters for a very long time. There is a film of the book but I don't think I should like to watch it as the novel made such an impression on me that I wouldn't like to see a different take on it.
 
23rd November
The Resolution selection meeting was well attended and thank goodness there were eight possible motions to discuss.It is an interesting selection this year but some of  them are extremely wordily presented; I imagine those that are successful will need to be pruned a little before being presented in Brighton next June.The WI Advisers and members of the BFWI sub-committees each took one of the resolutions and kept everyone interested. There were lots of questions which added to the basic information provided by the NFWI.It is a fact that after attending one of these meetings one sees in the press or on the media relevant articles which bring added information on the subjects. It is not easy to hide one's own opinion when presenting resolutions but today that was achieved . Now, it is up to those in the audience to do as well when they repeat the process in their own WIs. There is no such thing as a free lunch but we know there are WIs who never set much score to the business of choosing the resolution. Every member is asked to vote for one listed in WI Life but many do not cast a vote or think that that's that, and why bother to bring it to the Annual General Meeting.
 
19th November
I visited the exhibition at the Aylesbury County Museum today. It is well worth seeing before it closes in March 2016. Of course, it is a part of the WI Centenary celebration and also Bucks 95th anniversary. There are banners on display and lots of archives from the WI collection. Also accounts of local activities which have been taken from individual WI record books and there is a craft display too.There was a steady trickle of visitors while I was there and they were not all WI members so it should be good for promotion.