Lighting the Flame: Norfolk Women Reaching Women International Women's Day (IWD)

Guest blog written by Mary Dorrell, Chairman of Norfolk Federation PR Sub Committee, Digital Team Leader & Web Editor 

How often do we say "my back is killing me?" I thought about this recently, in Tanzania, when I witnessed so many back breaking jobs as women went about their daily tasks.

Back home and hoping for signs of spring, it is time to think about planting out my cabbages. Maybe not yet, but on the shores of Lake Victoria vegetables are planted on a two-month rotation, so there is always a crop to harvest as well as one to plant. The soil is rich, but water is difficult to bring to the fields. As a man moved the hose-pipe from plot to plot, the women carrying buckets on their heads, wanted to stop and chat, "You are welcome in our village". Women at work, building a sense of community. The cabbages being planted, I noticed, look much like ours; but the hazards are different. We were warned to expect a noisy night if elephants from the nearby Serengeti had to be chased off and I saw footprints across the fields from Africa's deadliest animal, the hippopotamus. But none of the locals expected the 15 foot python we chanced upon whilst walking through the reed beds and which horrified them; as well as providing an obvious explanation of the goat that had gone missing.

The welcome had been the same when we stood in line to join the Maasai women singing, days earlier. They taught me how to flip or toss the traditional women's Maasai collar (the action, it turns out, is in the shoulders, not the bosom). A useful skill now I am back in Norfolk? The Norfolk Women Reaching Women community has been preparing for Norfolk's 2018 International Woman's Day. In many countries IWD, March 8th, is the day when mothers are given flowers and in some countries it is a public holiday.  This year, thanks to Gressenhall Farm and Workhouse, we are combined the event with our traditional flower-giving day: Mothering Sunday, March 11th.

Consisting of over a dozen organisations; NWRW is convened by Norfolk Federation WIs and we have celebrated International Women's Day and Norfolk's equality and diversity together for some years. Amongst over twenty organisations, we include: the WI, Mother's Union, Soroptimists, Norwich Dedza Partnership and the Daisy Project. This year's event was called "Lighting the Flame" with an educational theme that is both a UN sustainable development goal and part of the WI aim to offer a wide range of learning opportunities. “Girls who see the flame lit by their mothers will one day light the fire for their own children.” said Patience Unazi of Diversity Plus, who had hand crafted items on sale as well as entertaining us with African story telling.

Our Keynote Speaker was Janet Clark of Gambian Aid Through Education, another local charity, that helps some of the poorest people in Africa by selling their handicrafts. "By helping the women in The Gambia we can get more children into education which is the path from poverty." Other locally based charities included The Freedom Charity working to prevent FGM in UK and organisations working with Norfolk women who have low self esteem: “This is a fantastic opportunity to network with other women’s organisations.” Mandy Proctor CEO, Leeway.

Part of the annual Mothering Sunday event,  Miriam Burroughs, of Gressenhall, told us: "The spring flowers are coming into bloom so spend some precious time together exploring our 50 acre site. There were activities for the whole family including stalls, crafts, talks, singing and story-telling. There was also be a chance to look behind the scenes at the Norfolk Collections Centre. And in the Mardlers’ Rest Café, a treat awaied with a free cream tea for all mothers!"

Much of what mothers and women do, around the world is back-breaking, but on this day over 20 organisations met together today, in friendship and sisterhood.

·      It was good to meet old friends and new.

·      It was good to hear familiar tales and new.

·      It was good to see connections being made and remade.

Let us continue to support each other in future endeavours!

Many thanks Gressenhall for their generosity of time and effort.

Thank-you, so much, everyone.

Participants in Norfolk IWD 2018

NORFOLK WOMEN REACHING WOMEN (NWRW)

Norfolk Federation of Women's Institutes (Conveners)

Associated Country Women of the World

Daisy Programme

Diversity Plus

Equal Lives

Freedom Charity

Gambian Aid Through Education

Girlguiding Norfolk

Leeway

Mothers' Union

NCC Domestic Abuse Co-ordinator

Norwich Dedza

Nurtured Naturally

Samia Malik

School Readers

Soroptimists

Women Against State Pension Inequality

Women's Equality Party

Women's International League of Peace and Freedom

Woodcraft Folk

Launching the Great Food Debates II: Food Poverty

The NFWI ‘s public affairs team write about the launch of the Great Food Debates II, which focuses on food poverty, and the new toolkit to help members organise food poverty debates.

Last week we launched the Great Food Debates II with an event in Parliament. The audience, who came from across the UK, bravely battled their way through the snow to attend a fascinating discussion on how we can work to stop food poverty in the United Kingdom.

The Great Food Debates II form the second phase of the Food Matters campaign, and follow on from the first Great Food Debate, which saw WIs and county federations organise over a hundred food discussion events to consider the issue of the country’s food security.

Lynne Stubbings with panellists Denise Bentley, Prof. Liz Dowler,
Carmel McConnell MBE, and Ann Jones

At the launch event Lynne Stubbings, NFWI Chair, chaired a panel of inspiring speakers, including Frank Field MP DL, Chair of the House of Commons’ Work and Pensions Select Committee.

The other members of the panel were: Ann Jones, Public Affairs Chair of the NFWI; Denise Bentley, founder of the First Love Foundation, which runs the Tower Hamlets food bank; Prof Liz Dowler, a highly respected academic on the issue of food poverty; and Carmel McConnell MBE, founder and CEO of Magic Breakfast.

We were also happy to welcome a number of parliamentarians to the event, including Emma Lewell-Buck MP who told us about her bill currently going through Parliament, which would require the Government to measure household food insecurity. Our thanks also go to Ruth George MP, Sandy Martin MP, and Baroness Lister for joining us and contributing to the discussion.

Ann Jones, Public Affairs Chair of the NFWI, responded on behalf of the WI and outlined the plan of action.

A quote from Ann Jones at the launch in Parliament 

As Ann Jones outlined at the launch, for the Great Food Debates II the NFWI is encouraging WIs and federations to organise debates on the topic of food poverty so that we can consider what steps need to be taken to ensure everyone has access to affordable, healthy food.  Holding a debate will allow you to learn about the issue of food poverty; particularly how it affects your local community, and to discuss the solutions to this problem.

The toolkit we are launching today will act as an aid to organising your debate, and it includes background information, discussion points, and actions your WI or federation can take to help tackle the issue in your local area.

This toolkit is part of the Food Matters campaign which was launched in 2016 in response to that year’s successful resolution which called on the NFWI to work to address the issues of both food waste and food poverty. The campaign has had a first phase focussing on food waste and a second on food poverty. We are close to completing work on the food waste phase, and have secured some very positive changes to policy and practice from supermarkets in order to reduce food waste.

Once you have learnt more about the issues of food poverty by hosting a WI Food Poverty Debate, we hope that you will be inspired to take action in your community. There are a number of things you could do, and these are outlined in the toolkit.

Download the toolkit now.

If you have any questions, please don’t hesitate to email the team on pa@nfwi.org.uk

International Women’s Day 2018 and the ‘Deeds not Words’ 100 Banners project

Every year International Women’s Day is observed on the 8 March and celebrates the social, economic, cultural and political achievement of women.

International Women’s Day this year is arguably more significant than ever as 2018 marks 100 years since some women in the UK were given the right to vote through the Representation of the People Act 1918. However, despite this important milestone for women’s progress, there is still an urgent need for more women at all levels of public life.

The campaign theme for International Women’s Day 2018 is #PressforProgress and calls for positive gains in gender parity. During the first few months of this year, WI members have already been playing an active part in pressing for progress and celebrating women’s rights.

Representatives from WIs involved in the 'Deeds not Words' project display their banners outside the Royal Albert Hall on International Women's Day

26 WIs in and around London were involved with Digital Drama’s ‘Deeds not Words’ project which aimed to make 100 banners to commemorate the centenary of women’s suffrage. These banners were then displayed at #March4Women in London on Sunday 4 March, a celebratory women’s march organised by Care International UK.

Each WI involved had a unique story behind what inspired their banner and using their expert WI crafting skills, members created some inspiring banners to hang high at the march.

Chelsfield Evening WI

Two members of Chelsfield Evening WI hold their banner outside Downing Street

Members of Chelsfield Evening WI, based in the London borough of Bromley, researched original suffragette banners to find inspiration for their own. Building upon some of the themes of hope, change and equality within the historical suffragette banners, Chelsfield Evening WI wanted to create a banner that encompassed what epitomises women today and a representation of its members including words that symbolise the women within its WI. 

Using hand and machine embroidery, they embroidered items which represent the interests of members such as cake, tea and craft surrounded by bunting made from the traditional suffragette colours of green and purple.

Forest Hill WI Craft Group

Forest Hill WI Craft Group took part in ‘Deeds not Words’ to commemorate those strong women who fought for the vote and to remind women in 2018 to speak up and make their voice heard in society.

The group made two banners for the project. The ‘Women Use Your Vote’ banner is a reminder that for varying reasons, many women today do not used their hard won vote. The aim of the banner is to encourage women to realise their vote does count, and that they should have pride in using it as it was achieved at a great cost.

The ‘Rosa May Billinghurst’ banner was inspired by local suffragette Rosa May Billinghurst and her focused and proactive leadership under difficult personal circumstances.

Rosa May was born near Forest Hill in Lewisham, South East London (1875-1953). She had polio as a child and needed to wear leg irons, using crutches or a modified tricycle to travel around. Rosa May played a very active role in the fight for suffrage. She was imprisoned for damaging post boxes and was force fed after going on hunger strike in Holloway. After chaining herself to Buckingham Palace gates, she attended Emily Wilding Davison’s funeral procession, dressed in white. Once the Representation of the People Act 1918 was passed, she stopped her activity.

Field Dames WI

Two members of Field Dames WI with their banner at #March4Women. Photo Credit: Tonya Robinson

Field Dames WI represented three women from the past 100 years on its banner, a suffragette, a young woman and a factory worker to represent the many women that worked in manufacturing and industry in Enfield during the 1950s and 1960s.

The ‘Women Unite!’ slogan was inspired by historical protest banners as members wanted to show a bold, clear message on their banner.

Stroud Green WI

Stroud Green WI’s banner was inspired by Edith Garrud, a suffragette and ju-jitsu instructor. Stroud Green WI enjoyed being part of the ‘Deeds not Words’ project as it gave them the opportunity to do something together and learn more about the history of a key figure in the suffrage movement.  

Woolwich & Plumstead Roses WI

Woolwich & Plumstead Roses WI wanted to incorporate its logo into the banner design, but also create a design with visual impact and a more powerful message. So they tweaked their rose logo to include a fist, representing the power and influence that women have when they club together to do something good.

Members donated small scraps of fabric that had meaning to them, so even if they weren’t involved in making the banner, they still felt like they were part of the project.

Lou Thompson, Vice President of Woolwich & Plumstead Roses WI said: “we were even more proud to be marching with our banner alongside all the other ladies who took part in the 100 Banners project - and thousands of others - at the #March4Women from Parliament Square on Sunday. The atmosphere was fantastic and proof that when we women get together we can make great things happen.”

Streatham WI

Members of Streatham WI used fabric and the logo they had used for their own banner. Streatham WI’s chosen colours incidentally are purple, green and white which fitted in nicely with the suffragette colours. Streatham WI thought carefully to ensure the message on the banner reflected the different life experiences of all the members. They wanted to recognise all that has changed while voicing their frustration over the worldwide progress yet to come. 

If your WI is holding an event to celebrate International Women’s Day 2018, get in touch at pr@nfwi.org.uk or share your celebrations on social media using hashtags #InternationalWomensDay and #PressforProgress. 

Resolution selection results announcement

Between November and February, every WI member had the chance to have their say about the resolution they wished to go forward to the Annual Meeting in Cardiff on 6^th June.

The results of the 2018 resolution shortlist selection process are:

2018 resolutions		Selections
1	Positive body image in a digital age	5215
2	Stop FGM	27,640
3	Raising awareness of modern slavery in the UK	20,299
4	Mental health matters	42,327
5	Healthier Mouth, Healthier Body	5560
	Total selections received	101,041

As mental health matters is ahead of the second placed resolution by over 14,000 selections, the NFWI Board of Trustees has agreed that this resolution will go forward to the Annual Meeitng.

This year’s total is the most selections cast since the individual selection process was introduced, and the first time over 100,000 selections have been cast by members.

The wording of the resolution is as follows:

Mental health matters

Mental health matters as much as physical health. The NFWI urges all WI members to recognise the importance of parity between mental health and physical health, and take action to make it as acceptable to talk about mental health issues as much as physical health issues, and to lobby government for better support for mental illness.

What happens next?

Members now have the opportunity to learn more about the issues, and to discuss the resolution in their WIs before deciding how they wish their delegate to vote at the Annual Meeting.

WIs and federations are also encouraged to hold discussion events in to allow members to consider how they wish their delegate to vote.

How does my WI cast our vote?

All WIs get one vote for the resolution – for or against.

Your WI can also choose to give discretion to your delegate to decide how to vote after hearing the presentations and debate at the annual meeting.

Only votes cast for and against the resolutions will be counted, in accordance with the voting procedure set out in the NFWI Memorandum and Articles of Association. Abstaining means that a delegate would not cast a vote, and therefore this abstention would not be counted.

What resources are available to support WI discussions?

To support members to get involved the Public Affairs team has produced a range of resources:

·         Detailed briefing notes about the resolution.

·         A PowerPoint presentation on the topic.

·         A quiz to test your knowledge.

·         A Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) document about the resolutions process.

·         A discussion guide with ideas about how to discuss the resolution in your WI.

·         Video - This film from charity Mind features young people talking about their experiences with mental illness

If you have any questions about instructing your delegate please contact your federation.

If you have any questions about the Annual Meeting resolution or the resolutions process please contact the NFWI Public Affairs Department.

Celebrating Federations and WIs 2018 anniversaries

2018 is a year marking significant anniversaries for the WI and for women’s history in Britain. Tomorrow marks 100 years since The Representation of the People Act received royal assent, which granted the vote to women over the age of 30 who met a property qualification.

Three years on from our centenary, 2018 is also 100 years since the WI’s first resolution was passed in October 1918. 

For many WIs and Federations around England, 2018 is also a special year for celebrating anniversaries. Several federations will be marking their centenary year, while many local WIs have also reached their 80th, 90th or 100th year since formation. 

Steeple Aston WI in Oxfordshire Federation

Written by Merrill Bayley, President of Steeple Aston WI

January 2018 meeting, Merrill stands aside whilst Julie H tells members more about the resolutions.  

In March 2018, Steeple Aston WI in Oxfordshire Federation will celebrate its centenary. Based in the small village of Steeple Aston, just north of Oxford, Steeple Aston WI is the oldest extant WI in Oxfordshire.

Towards the end of 1917, Mrs Vincent of Cedar Lodge Steeple Aston, called a meeting of the women in the village and told them of a new society called The Women’s Institute, which had just started in Anglesey North Wales in 1915. Miss L G Worrell took the minutes of the first documented meeting held on 21^st March 1918 and she subsequently became the first President. 

Members dressed up to re-enact Steeple Aston’s first WI meeting at Steeple Aston WI's 70^th birthday 

Having kept minutes diligently over the past 100 years with just a few gaps during WWII, Steeple Aston WI have a large collection of minutes and memory books. Over many years, members have covered these memory books with beautifully embroidered work which inside hold souvenirs and photographs taken at WI events and meetings. 

Steeple Aston WI's banner uses the motif of a cockerel 

Steeple Aston WI has always had the community at the centre of its efforts and achievements. During WWII, members organised the women of the village to make-do and mend and collect vegetables and fruit for picking and preserving. They also knitted scarves and socks for members of the armed forces overseas.

Today Steeple Aston WI continues to undertake various projects within the village. The WI is 36 members strong, with 4 new members joining recently.

A special programme of activities and speakers has been arranged for this milestone year, including a surprise outing for members in June. Its centenary dinner celebration will take place on 13^th March 2018 at the Village Hall. 

Birthday cards for Steeple Aston WI's 75^th Birthday celebrated at Linda Needle’s (President) home

If your WI or federation is celebrating a significant birthday this year, email us with stories and photos at pr@nfwi.org.uk as we would love to share your WI’s history and celebrations.

Keep your eyes peeled this year as we will continue to celebrate women’s suffrage and the many important resolutions that the WI have campaigned on over the past 100 years.  

#ShowTheLove 2018

WIs and Federations are crafting green hearts this February to protect the world we love from climate change.

The NFWI is a founding member of The Climate Coalition, the UK’s largest group of people dedicated to action on climate change and members have been crafting, baking and sharing green hearts to start important conversations about climate change since 2016. If your WI has not yet planned any green heart activities, we hope that you will be inspired by these ideas to #ShowTheLove.

Isle of Wight Federation has asked its 35 WIs to make a green heart which they will display outside its federation office on Valentine’s Day. They will then walk into Newport to hand out these hearts and raise awareness of the campaign.

Photograph: High Littleton and Hallatrow WI

High Littleton and Hallatrow WI in Avon Federation held a community workshop in January and made paper hearts with messages to send to its local MP. If you would like to take part in a similar activity, why not make paper seeded hearts, following our step by step instructions, attach it to the postcard insert in your February WI Life and send onto your MP.  

Photograph: High Littleton and Hallatrow WI 

Godalming Meadrow WI members crafting green hearts 

Godalming Meadrow WI in Surrey federation has arranged several activities. Its members will be delivering an assembly to a local girl’s school on Valentine’s Day about the campaign and have engaged four other schools to display ‘places they love’ in shop windows. 

Photograph: Godalming Meadrow WI

Godalming Meadrow WI will also been ‘bombing’ the high street with banners and crafting green hearts in its local café, inviting customers to join them. 

Ideas for the Reculver Beacon WI members

Reculver Beacon WI in East Kent Federation has put together packs so that its members can make a heart themed brooch, pin cushion or lavender wardrobe bag.

Claire Hallett, Reculver Beacon WI Secretary, explained the idea behind the packs: “As a lot of our members are working, it is difficult to get together during the daytime so we have made packs which our ladies can take home and bring back to show off what they have made for Show The Love in February.”

If your WI or federation are holding an event or crafting green hearts, remember to share them using the #ShowTheLove and get in touch at pa@nfwi.org.uk for stickers and resources.

Support our campaigns this festive season

The festive season is a time for fun, sharing gifts with friends and family, and of course enjoying delicious food. But it’s also a chance to make a difference in support of WI campaigns. This post gives you some top tips - from tackling unnecessary plastic waste to reaching out to combat loneliness.

Stay updated with the latest resolution news and campaign actions by subscribing to the NFWI’s Public Affairs Digest, an e-newsletter sent to your inbox once a month. You can sign up via the website.

End Plastic Soup

Our End Plastic Soup campaign seeks to raise awareness of the problem of marine pollution from microplastic fibres released from clothing when it is washed. Here are some ways you can help reduce your impact over the Christmas season.

Tackle clothing waste

• One rubbish truck full of textiles is landfilled or burnt every second. Instead of buying new clothes for your loved one that may not fit or suit them why not swap a clothing gift for a ticket to an event or activity, or a gift voucher that allows them to choose something they really love?  

• If you are given clothing that doesn’t quite fit or you don’t like, hold a clothes swap at your WI in the New Year or try upcycling the item to your taste or turn it into something else altogether! 

• New research from charity Hubbub found that one in four Christmas jumpers bought last year were thrown away or were unlikely to be worn again. Instead of buying a new jumper every year, dig out your old Christmas jumpers, swap with a friend or even refashion something you already own into a festive jumper. 

Wash well

• With lots of events and visitors over the Christmas period you may be washing clothes more often – ensure you are filling up your washing machine to the max, washing at a low temperature (30°) and using washing liquid instead of powder. These measures will help to reduce the amount of microplastic fibres released when washing your clothes. 

Avoid plastic waste

• Single-use plastics, or disposable plastics, are used only once before they are thrown away or recycled. Tackle disposable and single-use plastics by avoiding serving people with plastic plates, cups and straws and use paper or china if you are entertaining guests. 

• Single-use plastics include coffee cups and plastic bottles. Only 1% of disposable coffee cups are recycled, with the UK throwing away 2.5 billion of them a year. 38.5million plastic bottles are used every day in the UK – just over half make it to recycling, while more than 16m are put into landfill, burnt or released into the oceans. Once in the ocean they break down further into microplastics which fish can mistake for food. Re-usable alternatives are available - why not consider a re-usable aluminium water bottle or re-usable coffee cup as a gift and use it as a way to tell your friend or family member about the WI’s campaigns to tackle plastic waste. 

• Take inspiration from the NFWI Craft Committee’s creative, fun projects that use resources which would otherwise be thrown away. Why not use old milk bottles to make our festive fir tree or turn jam and baby food jars into a hot chocolate kit?

• The WI successfully campaigned to get a charge introduced for plastic bags in order to tackle waste. You can avoid using plastic bags for your Christmas shopping by using a bag for life or the WI’s cotton bag. 

Link Together

Our Link Together campaign recognises that loneliness can affect anyone, regardless of age, gender and life stage. The festive season is a great opportunity to reach out to others in your community.

• A small act of kindness could make a real difference to someone’s day over the festive period, such as calling a fellow member you haven’t spoken to in a while or taking the time to speak to neighbours who may be lonely. For more ways to get involved with the campaign, download our action pack.

Food Matters

Christmas is a time to enjoy good food and good company, but this can often mean more waste too. We can all play our part in reducing the waste that often comes with the festive season. Our Food Matters campaign focuses on reducing food waste so that good food isn’t wasted at all levels of the food chain.

Credit: iStock.com/Eivaisl

• According to Wildlife and Countryside Link, 114,000 tonnes of plastic packaging will end up in the bin - and not recycled - over the festive period. To avoid unnecessary wasteful packaging, buy your fruit and vegetables loose and be aware of what types of plastic can be recycled.

• No matter how hard you try there is bound to be some leftover food at the end of the festivities – you could use the leftover turkey to turn it into a completely different meal like this WI recipe for turkey in a leek and mustard sauce. Love Food Hate Waste also has lots of ideas about how to use up all your Christmas leftovers.

• Recycle your Christmas tree – if your tree has roots it will be possible to plant it in your garden or in a large pot with fresh compost, you can then bring it back into your house for next year. If your tree cannot be re-planted, check whether your council collects Christmas trees (which they usually turn into compost). If they don’t, then take it to the garden waste area of your local tip. Find your local council here. 

SOS for honey bees

While our honey bees will be tucked up in their hives for the cold weather, now is the time to start thinking about how you can support these precious pollinators once spring arrives. Our SOS for Honey Bees campaign calls for more research into the causes of bee decline, and for communities to create habitats to support pollinators.

• Now is the time to plan your spring planting, ensuring there’s plenty of pollen and nectar for bees to forage on throughout the seasons. Make your garden bee friendly using our gardening guide by planting these flowers. 

SOS for High Streets 

Our high streets campaign encourages members to celebrate their local high streets and urges decision makers to support high streets that are fit for the future. 

• Over the last ten years changes in shopping habits have hit the high street hard. When combined with a slowdown in consumer spending and increasingly high rental and business rates, many high street businesses are struggling. By shopping local to buy your gifts and food you are supporting the high street as a hub of social and community life. You can read more about the campaign online.