More good wishes

On returning to the office this morning (where water has been restored, hooray!) we were touched to find yet more messages from our friends around the country. There was a lovely email from our neighbours in Oxfordshire, who send good wishes and offered support. Another email was from the members of East Sussex Federation who also offered support to the people of Gloucestershire. Jana Osborne, NFWI General Secretary sent her good wishes and drew our attention to a page of information on the NFWI website which may be of interest to anyone looking for ways to aid the process of rebuilding.

Newly elected NFWI Board member Stephanie Fort, from North Yorkshire, sent good wishes to everyone affected by the floods too and her colleague from the NFWI Board, Joy Thomson emailed to say how she hopes things are getting back to normal for us all. I replied to each of these emails on your behalf, thanking everyone for such kind thoughts and saying how very much we appreciated them.

Shortly after reading the emails, I had a telephone call from Joan, Chairman of the Isle of Wight Federation, who is now in touch with members of Sandhurst WI. Members of Amesbury WI in neighbouring Wiltshire Federation are also making contact with their colleagues in Newtown, Tewkesbury WI.




On a more personal level, there was also a small parcel for me from a Norfolk member. I had admired Jane's bracelet when she was at one of the taster days at Denman a couple of weeks ago - it was a rather unusual design and just "my" colour. Inside the parcel was one of these fun bracelets for me with a delightful hand made card - how very generous of her! I often remark on how fortunate I am to have so many lovely WI friends and count myself one lovely friend the richer this afternoon. And yes, I love my bracelet - thank you, Jane.

Volunteers needed

I've had a request for volunteers to help with the distribution of drinking water during the next few days. If you could offer around four hours one day to lend a hand, please get in touch with me via the GFWI office 01452 523966 or send me an email. This offer isn't only restricted to WI members - please get your partners, friends, sons and daughters involved in this community effort too!

I'd really appreciate your support on this one, please!

Gradually getting back to normal

The GFWI office in Brunswick Square will reopen from today, Monday, but until the water supply is reinstated, will close at lunchtime each day. The Executive will meet on Wednesday, 1st August at 9.30am for the rearranged July meeting.

Watch for further information here or on our website www.gfwi.org.uk

Thank you all for your patience, but most of all, thanks to Liz, Carolyn and Bev for keeping things ticking over during the last week. We really appreciate their commitment.

When the worst is over

We're trying to think how GFWI members can offer help once the crisis stage of the floods is over. So far, getting about the county and reaching those most in need hasn't been possible, so offers of hot meals and other assistance have been a challenge to communicate. However, the WI will be here long after many of the other support agencies have gone home, moved on to work on other priorities and I think we could make a difference in the clean up operation which will surely go on for several months.

If you have ideas how your WI could offer to help, by actually going along and offering elbow grease, providing food and drinks or other respite from the long haul which will surely follow this weeks events, please let me know. You can email me, or leave a comment by clicking "comment" at the foot of this message. I suggest we use our WI network to put people in touch with one another - I am happy to help you do that.

Messages of support (2)

Glamorgan send all their love and best wishes for all your members, and our thoughts are with you.
You know if we can help then please contact me.
Love Linda --- Federation Chairman

Messages of support

I am receiving messages of support from our friends around the country, including Board members Joy Greasley, Joy Thomson and Liz Eaton. This morning I also received the following email from Northumberland members:

I am writing on behalf of the Board of Trustees, the members and staff of Northumberland and Tyneside Federation to ask if you would please pass on our thoughts and prayers to any of your members whose homes and/or business have been affected by the atrocious weather.

With Best Wishes
Ann Pringle
Federation Secretary
Northumberland Federation of Women's Institutes

Such messages are very much appreciated and I have replied to all on your behalf.

Until further notice

The WI office in Gloucester will remain closed until further notice due to the lack of power and water. I can be reached at home, on my normal telephone number and am happy to field calls.

I'm really grateful to staff and members for their support right now. Carolyn is keeping a watching brief on the situation, despite having no power or water in her own home. Unable to reach the office, Liz set up a temporary communication centre chez Glenda, from where they managed to telephone members who might not know of the cancelled garden party. Fortunately we managed to get in touch with Bev before she made her way in this morning, allowing her to concentrate on family concerns.

We have postponed the Executive meeting by a week, until August 1st, by which time we hope the situation will have improved.

I have heard this morning that Noelle arrived home just before midnight on Friday and understand that Helene and Lucy, from M & S, also reached home safely. Relieved about that.

So, stay dry if you can, those of us who are not badly affected are thinking of our friends who are.

Thinking of everyone

Listening to the news today, it's clear that many of our members and those in neighbouring Federations are dealing with difficult situations as a result of the heavy rain on Friday. I hear that as well as many flooded homes, a huge area of our county could well be without mains water shortly and likely to be so for several days.

Hard to know what to say, except that you and your families are all in my thoughts. A cancelled garden party suddenly seems somewhat unimportant on the grand scale of things, don't you agree?

Our opinions valued

A group of members from Stonehouse WI and three from Brimscombe and Thrupp WI came into the house on Friday morning to offer their opinions about some of Marks and Spencer food packaging. I joined them, with Eco-team leader Lisa from Tutshill WI
and Vice Chairman Margaret as well as Noelle from NFWI in London.

To begin with, the answers were none too difficult - of course, we prefer packaging to be minimal, recycled and reused where possible. But Helene and Lucy, M & S marketing and packaging specialists, had tougher questions for us when they threw freshness and labelling requirements into the equation. We hope our answers were useful to their team and look forward to seeing changes - maybe as a result of our contributions!

We finished the morning with a delicious lunch courtesy of Marks and Spencer and said our goodbyes in the torrential rain which had fallen throughout the morning.

We hope that Lucy and Helene arrived home safely, in spite of rail cancellations from Gloucester, and that Noelle's journey did not come to an abrupt end at Swindon. Severe weather conditions meant that getting home proved more of a challenge than we expected but hopefully we were all ahead of the worst.

Regretfully...

We have had to take the decision to cancel the Garden Party next Thursday. Our hosts, Kit and Keith Turner inform us that the field, which was to be used as a car park, is under water as a result of the torrential rain today and, even if it drains, it is unlikely to be dry enough to withstand the pressure of cars. In view of the weather forecast for next week - not good - and the preparations which would have been needed during the next few days, we think it is best to make the decision now.

I'm really sorry about this and thank Glenda and the Home Economics Committee for all the hard work and careful preparation which they put into the event. I also send my thanks to Ashleworth WI who were to have prepared and served tea this year - I hope that the team will keep all their plans together so that we can enjoy the benefit of their talents at another occasion shortly.

Phone calls will be made on Monday to WIs who had booked tickets to the event, and of course, a full refund will be given.

As I drove home from Gloucester this morning, taking several detours to avoid floodwater, I thought of our members in Longlevens, in Tewkesbury and other areas of the county likely to be under water and realise that many of you may be facing more serious problems than a cancelled garden party. I hope that the weekend will bring some relief from this terrible rain and that no further damage will be done. We are thinking of you all.

Home from Denman

I'm back from Denman, where I've been helping with the Textile Treasures exhibition and acting as College Chairman for a week. It's been fun, but rather hard work! We staged the exhibition last weekend, ready for the arrival of students on Monday morning.

Sue Lewis, of Suffolk East Federation designed the exhibition and did a wonderful job of ensuring that all exhibits got space to breathe and look their best. Did you see the Lydbrook WI table runner in the first photograph?

On Wednesday it was the official launch of the exhibition, which will go on tour (together with another 200 pieces) around the ICHF shows next year, to Exeter, Cardiff, Brighton, Harrogate, Glasgow and Birmingham. I'm going with it, so hope to see you there!

All week, the college was busy with students coming and going, doing Taster Days which were a great success. It was lovely to see so many familiar faces and quite a few Gloucestershire members too.
On Sunday, it was the College Open Day and we welcomed 900 members to look around. Fortunately the rain held off for most of the time and it only just began to rain steadily as everyone was heading home.

It was good to see how proud members are of their college and to be reminded of what a very special place this is.

It was even better to sleep in my own bed last night though!!

Cause for celebration!

A loud cheer went up at a full Denman College tonight at the announcement that a new WI had been formed. Margaret Clarke telephoned the news through to me as everyone held their breath awaiting the news.

Congratulations to Redbrook WI, formed by WI Advisers Christine Davey and Margaret Clarke who followed the official procedures to add another young WI to our Federation. Welcome to you all - you're joining a great bunch of women and we all wish you a successful future as part of GFWI.

Gloucestershire's 1000

I'm sure everyone in Gloucestershire knows about the 1000th birthday celebrations of our county, but you may like to read more about what's happening here.

One item which I feel sure will interest a few of our members celebrates the writing tradition around Gloucestershire, and a competition is being held. I know we have some talented writers in our membership and it would be wonderful for your memories to be included in the publication which will result from this competition.

More details about Write Around Gloucestershire can be found at the website.

Causing a stir

It was shown whilst I was still away on holiday but I realise that the first BBC documentary about the WI has provoked a fair bit of opinion both within the organisation and beyond. Liz kindly put a news clipping on my desk from (I think) the Daily Mail which features the same group of ladies and I have to say, reading it left me with a better understanding of why so many people have wanted to talk about the programme.

I felt uncomfortable reading some of the statements expressed in the article, particularly those which suggest that no-one else in the WI has fun, that everyone wears polyester and has grey hair. (Hmm. We'll skim over that last one!) Sorry, before I accept criticism on behalf of this bunch of WI members, the facts have to be correct. And anyway, who cares whether we wear thongs or directoire knickers?

The great strength of the WI is that it can cater for everyone, regardless of age or interests. Each WI is free to put together their own programme, to formulate their meetings in a way to suit themselves and the constitution is flexible enough to accommodate women of all types. Here in Gloucestershire, we have WIs of all shapes and sizes, old ones, young ones, traditionalists and non-confomists. There is room for all.

So, when I read about a WI in an article such as this, I wonder why the challenges are being laid down? How can someone who has "appointed" herself set out to show such a deeply democratic organisation how it should be done?

What do you think?