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Eckington WI is part of the largest voluntary organisation for women in the UK with 205,000 members in England, Wales and the Islands. We play a unique role in providing women with educational opportunities and the chance to build new skills, to take part in a wide variety of activities and to campaign on issues that matter to them and their communities. We welcome women of all ages and interests.
If it hadn’t been for the vicar’s wife of the day opening a Ladies Club, Eckington WI would be celebrating its 90th birthday this year. As it is, we were suspended for two years, and only celebrated our 70th birthday a couple of years ago. We were first formed in about 1919 as according to the county federation records we were in existence in 1920. Pershore WI was formed in 1919 and it seems logical that word reached the villages soon afterwards. However, in 1936 the vicar’s wife formed a ladies group, and it was thought that there was not room for two such groups in the village, so the WI was suspended but it was reformed in 1938 when war clouds were gathering. We don’t know what happened to the vicar’s wife’s group but it doesn’t exist today! During the war the WI took a very active role in village life, organising the preservation of the many tons of jam which were canned in the village, helping settle evacuees, and running cookery courses looking at ways of coping with meagre rations, as well as knitting countless socks for the troops.. The Institute grew rapidly and during the ‘60s and ‘70s often numbered 70 odd members, and had a thriving drama group and choir. Today our membership is more modest, averaging about 32-35, but we are still very active. Our meetings take the form of a social time with tea, a speaker, and then our business meeting. We organise a monthly lunch at a different venue each time, as well as a monthly walk. We participate in county events and enjoy access to Denman College in Oxfordshire, which is the WI’s own excellent further education facility. We meet on the first Wednesday of each month (except August) at 7.30pm in the village hall and we always welcome new members. Please ring our president, Nadine Smith on 751119 if you are thinking of coming, and she will arrange for you to be met at the door. There’s nothing more intimidating than entering a noisy village hall on your own and not knowing anyone. Most of us have been there and done that and have survived and have met new friends along the way, so don’t be shy, Lorraine (our webmaster - she’s still not joined!) |
| 5 January | Christine Seal | Arts & Crafts Movement |
| 2 February | Karen Tomlin | Breast Care - Raising money for the new Worcester Breast Care Unit. Bring your old bras for recycling. Raffle will be in aid of the Worcester Breast Care Unit |
| 2 March | Sonia Hooper | Dogs in Films. Sonia trains dogs for film and well-known TV programmes. Some of the dogs will be with her at the meeting |
| 6 April | Ray Sturdy | Peru - the Land of the Incas. One of this popular speakers’ talks with slide show. There will be a books and magazines stall. |
| 4 May | Resolutions and social evening. We will discuss the resolutions chosen to be presented at the National AGM in Liverpool on June 8th and instruct our delegate to vote on our behalf. There will be a plants and cuttings stall. | |
| 1 June | David Chatterley | History of the Teddy Bear. This speaker has featured on BBC Hereford & Worcester, and members and guests are invited to bring their bears along to the meeting. |
| 6 July | Meg Farmer | 101 Children. Mrs Farmer fostered children for 20 years and will talk about her experiences - ‘good, bad and ugly’. Bring childrens’ books and toys for donation to Acorns Childrens’ Hospice. |
| 3 August | Outing to Broad House Farm at Cutnall Green near Droitwich to learn how to propogate and to look at the gardens and have tea. | |
| 7 September | Rod Gillett | Gamekeeping and the Countryside. Our WI walking group met Mr Gillett on Bredon Hill during one of our monthly walks. After many years as a gamekeeper his knowledge of the countryside is vast. Members are asked to bring countryside finds. |
| 5 October | Anne Angood | Sri Lanka. The Indian Ocean teardrop country will be revealed by Anne who lived and worked there for 6 years. Anne will later be selling greetings cards produced by women of Sri Lanka. |
| 2 November | Annual Meeting | There will be a cake and pickles stall. |
| 7 December | Party and Social Evening, with food and lots of people. Don’t miss it! |