Keinton Mandeville (& Surrounding Villages) WI

Jam, Jerusalem, naked ladies, calendars, bigger buns – is this what you think of when you hear WI? Asked to describe a typical member of the WI what would you come up with? Old, stout, tightly permed grey hair, wearing a floury pinny from all the cake and jam making? I do not believe that this fits the description of the hundreds of smart, funny, intelligent members of my acquaintance.

The WI is the biggest women’s organization in the country with over 200,000 members and this is the picture that the media and general public come up with.

Rarely is it recognized that the WI pioneered women’s rights in the early 20th Century, or that we have campaigned on issues as crucial as breast cancer screening and equality of pay, or that many campaigning bodies seek WI input to enhance their own aims.

Campaign update:

No more violence against women

Stop Climate Chaos coalition

Find out more about current and past mandates on campaigns

There is no such thing as a stereotypical WI member

Last year an additional 16,000 members joined the organization, new branches being established in many areas of the country. Could you be one for this year?

Why not give us a try, you will find friendly members who have a wide range of interests, we have interesting/fun evenings and visiting speakers covering a wide range of topics, always followed by refreshments – and yes you will see that some members do make lovely cakes!

We meet on the third Thursday of each month in the village school at 7.30.

I know that it is not easy to walk into a room full of people who are already friends and know each other very well; you do not have to do this! If you would like to try a meeting to see if you would want to join please contact me and I will arrange for you to come along with one of the members.

Tel: 01458 223067 or email me on pam.brown@btinternet.com

COMMITTEE & RESPONSIBILITIES

President: Pam Brown 223067

Vice President: 850825

Treasurer: Sharon Green 223899

Deputy Treasurer: Jill Jackson 223867

Secretary: Kay Zielonka 224141

Minutes Sec: 850825

Hostess Rota: Jill Jackson 223867

Programme Sec: Frances Underwood 224060

FAMILY

· National Federation of Women’s Institutes (London)

· Affiliated to: Associated Country Women of the World (ACWW)

· Denman College, Oxford

· Somerset County Federation (Wilton Lodge, Taunton)

· Sedgemoor Group

MEETINGS

7.30 pm – Third Thursday in the Month at Keinton Mandeville Village School

Pub Lunch: Last Monday in the month.

Programme for 2011