Buckinghamshire Federation of Women's Institutes
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  • Home
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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. 

Welcome 2019

17/1/2019

8 Comments

 
The decorations are down and stowed away. There is a light dusting of snow outside. All the sweets and chocolate have been eaten so, except for the national state of uncertainty, we may all return to the normal routine. For your blogger, that means catching up with WI local events and activities.
Last night the discussion group met to consider what London meant to individual members. Our hostess began by asking everyone, in a sentence to identify her focus on the city, so from the word go we knew that all had a different slant on the topic. Talk ranged from history and culture to recent changes and future developments as well as pressing problems such as flooding and disintegrating sewers. It proved a very interesting subject. The final conclusion was that we were all proud of the city and found visits exciting but we didn’t want to live there.
The Happy Stitchers re-convened last week. In spite of the distractions of the festive period, progress had been made on various craft projects. One member has started on an entry for the Silver Cup at the Council meeting in May but we haven’t got much further with ideas for the WI pennant required for the 2020 celebrations: it seems to be going to be a lot larger than we had originally envisaged.
Each of the last four Januarys for me has started with a WI funeral and this was no different when I attended the memorial service of a much-loved former member. It occurs to me often on these occasions that we find that we hardly knew anything of the achievements and gifts of the women celebrated until the eulogy. What a lot of talent is almost wasted to the WI at all levels. Other organisations I am told make a point of finding out the skills of a member’s working life and drawing on them. I am not suggesting that if one has no specific expertise one shouldn’t be welcomed but if one was responsible for splitting the atom or matron to a large hospital or taking part in some important event that information or skill could be harnessed in the WI. Why are members allowed to hide their lights under bushels?
The local WI monthly meeting was well attended, the new officers coped well and a lot of news was exchanged. The speakers were two young farmers talking about today’s farming. Several members were a bit doubtful about how interesting this would be but they need not have worried: these two were lively and brought to us a lot of information. Of course, Brexit raised its head but how could it not if one is hearing about an industry involved with international trade. We would recommend these speakers to other WIs---perhaps with the proviso that there is not large number of vegans in the audience! Afterwards two members whizzed through the resolutions before members handed in their vote for what they wanted to be discussed at the AGM of the NFWI in June. I say “whizzed” because they just added points to what they hoped members had read already in WI Life. After all we will be able to do more when the decision is made.
 
 
​
8 Comments
Hilary Haworth
18/1/2019 11:56:32 am

Really interested by the points in your fourth paragraph about members' career experience and skills being lost to the WI. I think this is sometimes down to individuals' reticence or an unwillingness to 'brag', sometimes to a desire to leave work at the door, but I do agree that there are too few mechanisms within the WI to capture and draw out of women what their strengths and abilities are.

And how often do any of us, truly, sit down next to a member and really try to learn of their story?

Reply
blogger link
24/1/2019 06:27:18 pm

We are missing out on the abilities in organisation and admin. which many of our members have. Skills and experience in industry and business can be useful in resolution discussions and can provide contacts with speakers. We have artists and fine needlewomen who could help other members realise their own potential. It would be nice to know where to look and help new people feel they are valued.

Reply
Pat Poole
18/1/2019 01:33:04 pm

I also agree with HH, we should not hide our light under a bushel. When 3 of us (we didn't know each other) joined our WI we gave a short synopsis of our lives to the members . That would not appeal to all but maybe the newby could write a short piece and the President or Secretary read it out if reticent to stand up and speak.

Reply
blogger link
23/1/2019 11:20:06 am

I think that would be a bit daunting, Pat. However some time ago new members were "presented" to a WI.If they were introduced and members told where they had come from (town/working life) and which road they had moved into, Links could be forged more quickly and info gleaned. Sometimes not even the name is properly given.

Reply
Betty Furner
22/1/2019 03:16:03 pm

I agree blogger, I did a WI mermory for Christine Hobbs ex Speakers and Publications.

A very happy and healthy new year blogger and also to your WI.

Reply
blogger link
23/1/2019 11:26:13 am

If this reply appears on the blog it is thanks to you and Brian! Guess what too---this morning that ridiculous grid had disappeared. I may have been recognised as a human being unable to cope in the electronic world.
Happy new year to you and yours and keep keeping me company in blog land.

Reply
Betty Furner
28/1/2019 09:26:09 am

I am glad it is all happiness in the bloggers household.
Technology is sent to try us and try us it does, but we get there!!!

Hilary Haworth
1/2/2019 07:18:06 am

I've heard of some WIs having a 'Speed Dating' evening when perhaps a Speaker doesn't show up. Perhaps that would be an option?

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  • Home
  • What we do
    • Board and Committees
      • Federation Trustees
    • Speaking out
      • Resolutions
      • Campaigns
        • Get On Board
        • Stop Modern Slavery
        • Make a Match
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      • 101 words
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    • Centenary+1 Celebrations
  • Join Us
    • About Bucks WIs
    • Find a WI (Map)
      • Morning WIs
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  • Gallery
  • Your WI
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  • Covid advice