General Chat

Any members, If so what do you enjoy about it?

I was amused by a recent article in a parish magazine where they went to great lengths to say that they are not just about jam and Jerusalem and then went on, in the same report, to discuss the jam competition and recipes and printed alongside the words to Jerusalem.

So you won't be joining then !

Well I did give a talk at my local one recently but they didn't invite me to join.

I quite like jam.

Never been a member, but they seem to be enjoying a resurgence in membership and have updated themselves considerably. Lots going on.


http://www.thewi.org.uk/

When I gave the talk that was abundantly clear - they are trying to attract members who are not as old it would seem which I think is a great thing and a fitting way to celebrate their longevity and history.

It's the W I Centenary this year Cynthia, might give it a go ??

Yes it is - loads of events hence my talk. They do a good job at what they do and it was wonderful talking to them about things they had not thought about before but went away enlightened and raring to go.

I told my future m-i-l that I thought I would start collecting cook books ..........

........... two weeks later she gave me the Cheshire WI Cook Book, 5th edition (revised) dated 1965.

It is still our go-to book for certain jams and jellies, stuffings, and especially the Christmas pudding and cake.

It's also a place to check for old-fashioned comfort foods ................ though some of the recipes are VERY old-fashioned!

Even so, it is nowhere near as bad as the cook book her sister sent me a year or so later ......

....... Good Housekeeping's Cooking Is Fun, New Metric Edition, 1964, for high school students in domestic science :-D :-D

GH Cooking is Fun
Chapter One
Before You Start

1. Put on an apron
2. Always wash your hands
3. Read the recipe all through before beginning
4. Collect up all the utensils
5. Find all the ingredients
6. Remember that it is important to weigh or measure all the quantities exactly
7. Be sure to follow the recipe step by step

:-0 :-0 :-0


There is a good recipe for Mince Pies in there :-D

Oh darn - I forgot to put my apron on.
That must be why all my vol au vents turned out like biscuits.

I was 28/29 when I became a member of a new WI that met in the evenings. (Quite a break from tradition in 1968/9.) I was treasurer then for four years until we moved, we had at any time over 50 young members. We had a great social life with interesting talks, social evenings and a big drama section. We never sang Jerusalem although we followed the rest of the WIs in everything else, craft, flower arranging, entering competitions against other WIs. We have moved twice more since then and, although I have tried I have not managed to find another one like that one, even though I now fit the perceived age group of the WI.

eRRol ....


well, now you know what you have to do next time :-D

Renes is having problems accessing GR, and has asked me to post the following for her ................


I am a member ...and Secretary of my village group ...and representative of a collection of WI

I am off to hear a historic speech in Portcullis House, Victoria Embankment ,
100 yrs of the WI ;women as agents of social change

The WI is having a wonderful resurgence of member ...all different

Just google Shoreditch Sisters WI ...or Tea & Tarts Huddersfield

Most of the original Presidents were Suffragette members ...and that ethos
had remained within the W I ever since

Pleased you ventured in to a WI meeting, Errol, and survived the experience :-D



Renes

Although it was in the 1980's I did attend a few meetings. Even then the majority were in a lot older than me.

I found most people extended a warm welcome - if you were interested contact one of the 'officials'. There's usually a phone number in the Parish/Local mag.

I will be passing Portcullis house on Saturday Renes ??

Det, there are a couple of W Is who meet near me, I will investigate both??

Ann, I'd be the youngest at whatever W I I'd go to ;-)

I have never joined, but my mother was a member for many years. She had an English penfriend in the WI in Churchdown, Glos. Her name (long dead by now) was Mrs Stamp. I have a copy of a booklet she sent mum on the (Churchdown?) WI.

There is a local WI in our rural village of Hunua.

Huia do you know whic Churchdown WI that was there are two now and both have been going a long time I think. That is my village.

Not only survived but made many great friends too!

I won't join because it is all women and I certainly wouldn't think much of there being a Mens Institute.

The first British meeting was held at The Fox, now called The Fox Goes Free, in the village of Charlton, under the Trundle at Goodwood, between Singleton and East Dean.

There is a plaque on the wall there and it is worth a visit even if you have no interest in the WI.

There are mens' equivalents - up and down the country