Thank you!!

So many contributions for the Flood Book, it's going to be hard to pare it down to the necessary size. I think Gloucestershire members could fill a book the size of War and Peace with their anecdotes, their stories and experiences of these last few weeks.

This is going to be a very special book indeed and I can't wait for you to see it!! Thank you to everyone who has sent a photograph or wtitten contribution. Every single one was marvellous and we hope to include as many as we can.

Flood book

Though I'm on holiday right now, I hear that contributions to the book we're working on are coming in all the time. Thank you for your support on this - we really need all your stories, photographs and appreciate the tight time scale doesn't make it easy.

If you've still got something to send, please email Sue Wilson, or post it to her or the office as soon as possible. We want to make sure that everything makes publication!!

Back to normal!

Isn't it good to have running tap water to drink again?

Good wishes from Banffshire

Sharing kind thoughts sent from our friends in Banffshire, Scotland, this morning. Lorna, their Federation Secretary emailed to say they were thinking of everyone affected by the floods and hoping that things are improving.

Lorna said:
"I am busy getting ready for our show at the weekend. It is a big part of our local farming scene. It will be a strange show as there won't be any livestock but in true British spirit it is going ahead and I hope the sun shines as that brings people out.
Several agricultual Shows have been cancelled due to the weather, but the one thing about Keith show is that it will never be flooded as it is held on a hill - but it can get very muddy so it may be wellies all the way.

What a summer! Surely it can only get better. Best wishes to all.

GFWI have a particular friendship with Banffshire members and share news on a regular basis. It's always good to hear from our friends up there in Scotland!

In a Gloucester Shoe Shop

Sue Wilson, GFWI Press Officer and soon-to-be WI Adviser just emailed me this photograph which made me smile. I think quite a few members could have made use of these, don't you?

Thank you, Sue!

Shop local

Cheltenham was looking really lovely yesterday and there was plenty of parking, as you can see. The shops were virtually deserted and many of the cafes and coffee shops still closed. This must surely be the case elsewhere in the county as the events of the last few weeks continue to have devastating effects.

Time, if there ever was one to shop local and support our local businesses, don't you think?

Floods in Fairford

Marion Lloyd, secretary of Fairford WI emailed me this morning with their news :

"Several of our ladies have had to move out of their homes, with 6 months being the time they have been told they can move back, although in some cases it will be before then. Fairford was cut off from both ends, I was doing a first aid course and had to travel over 10 miles to do 2 miles, some of our members offered help wherever possible as our old people's home was flooded and there was no electricity/hot meals but, as usual, the 'Dunkirk' spirit came through. It is was very sad to see carpeting and furniture etc. being loaded up outside houses, and a couple of members are very upset, but when we think of Worcester and Tewkesbury we were very, very lucky."

Marion went on to encourage everyone to support Fairford Steam Rally/horticultural tent on the 18th/19th August, please. Both Marion and Kathy Lewis, Secretary of Meysey Hampton WI will be there all Saturday morning and Sunday afternoon and look forward to seeing you there.

Lending a hand in Quedgeley

After the call for volunteers to help with the water distribution went out, I telephoned a few WIs to ask for their help on this. Members of Glevum WI helped out in the morning and the evening sessions, and Vice-Chairman May and I joined members of Frampton on Severn WI in the afternoon. As you can see, a couple of WI husbands joined us too - thank you both. We worked alongside Severn Trent employees, a couple of plumbers who had been brought in from South Staffordshire, City and County Council staff and Debbie Llewellyn, City Councillor for Quedgeley and her family, all of whom have spent hours in Tesco car park this last week!

It was actually quite fun helping out and gave us a new opportunity to see how things are. It could still be several days before much of the tap water in the county is drinkable, so this water distribution will continue for the foreseeable future. Chedworth WI have offered to help out next week and perhaps your WI might consider lending a hand? Any offer would be greatly appreciated to relieve the people who have been working non-stop for over a week now. In just over four hours we gave out somewhere between fifteen and twenty pallets of bottled water and were pleased to see how responsible people are when it comes to taking only what they need.

Pam, Frampton on Severn President, explained to Mums that boiled bowser water is better for their youngsters than the bottled water, much of which has high sodium levels. We read the labels carefully so we could ensure that families with babies and young children took home the lowest-sodium brands.

A bonus in the form of a visit from Dr Tim Brain, Chief Constable, in the afternoon. He arrived to thank everyone for their community effort and spoke highly of the generous spirit throughout the county in the last few days. As head of Gold Command, the multi-agency committee which organised the operation to get the county through the crisis, he has done a wonderful job of keeping everyone together.