Breast Cancer UK Ambassador Programme helps people reduce their risk of breast cancer

Guest blog written by Nikki Mattei, Ambassador Programme Project Manager, Breast Cancer UK

Breast Cancer UK is a small national charity with a focus on prevention and reducing risk.  The charity aims to help people lead healthier lives with a particular focus on the environmental and chemical causes of the disease.  It believes our exposure to the mixture of chemicals, present in many everyday products and in our environment, could be making us more vulnerable to breast cancer. 

Breast Cancer UK launched its Ambassador Project in 2016 with support from The Big Lottery Fund in order to educate people in communities across the country about the accepted and potential risk factors for breast cancer.  Ambassadors are trained and provided with resources to go out into their communities and deliver talks about breast cancer prevention.

A real need for prevention

It is predicted that 1 in 8 women will get breast cancer at some point in their lives.  55,000 people are diagnosed with the disease every year and incidence rates have more than doubled since records began in 1971.  1 in 5 will be under the age of 50.  It is alarming that so many younger women are being diagnosed with breast cancer and it is not a trend we can put down to screening and awareness alone.

In recent years, breast cancer awareness has become enormously visible – most people know that they should be checking their breasts and know that they should report any changes to their doctor.  However, there is not always high awareness about breast cancer risk factors and, importantly, what action can be taken to reduce those risks with some studies suggesting that 1 in 4 cases are preventable.

The risk factors for breast cancer are many. It is known that a lack of exercise, being overweight, having a family history, alcohol consumption and various medications such as HRT for example are directly linked to an increased risk of breast cancer. 

There is growing scientific evidence to suggest that a group of chemicals known as Endocrine Disrupting Chemicals (EDCs) present in our environment and used in many everyday products may also increase our risk of the disease. Breast Cancer UK aims to raise awareness of these chemicals, campaigns for universal measures to reduce our exposure and supports scientific research so that we better understand their role in breast cancer. 

We are looking for more Ambassadors

We all want to prevent breast cancer, to prevent the agony that is felt when one of our close friends or family is diagnosed and, whilst we are glad to see more women surviving breast cancer, we would all rather none of them had to go through it in the first place. 

The Breast Cancer UK Ambassador Programme was launched in 2016 to address the lack of focus on the risk factors for breast cancer but also to show people that they can take positive action themselves.  We knew that the best way to get across our prevention message was talking to people face-to-face in clubs, community groups and local companies.

Our Ambassadors are fully trained on the known and suspected risk factors for breast cancer and equipped with presentation tools, leaflets and ongoing support to help them deliver their message in a positive, upbeat way – showing people what they can do rather than what they can’t.

As well as sharing information, our Ambassadors become part of a growing community of people who are not prepared to accept that breast cancer is inevitable, but that we can take action to reduce our risk.  In doing so, we hope that breast cancer incidence rates will eventually start to fall.

Since the programme began, we have recruited and trained 36 volunteer Ambassadors across the country but we still need more!

Our next Ambassador Training Day is on Saturday 12 May in Birmingham and there are still some places available.  Travel expenses will be reimbursed and a cooked lunch is also provided.  You will learn about the rise in breast cancer rates, the acknowledged and potential risk factors, how the disease starts and then, most importantly, you will be provided with resources and advice to go out into your own community and deliver ‘Let’s Prevent Breast Cancer’ talks.

If you are interested, you can read more and sign up for the May Training Day (or put your name down for the next one) on our website.

Host a ‘Let’s Prevent Breast Cancer’ talk

Our Ambassadors are always on the look out for groups to talk to and we would welcome the opportunity to hear from any WI groups who would like to host one of our talks.

The talk covers the following:

• How breast cancer develops
• Risk factors for breast cancer
• Why oestrogen is significant for breast cancer
• Simple ways to reduce your risk and lead a healthier life

The talk consists of a quiz, PowerPoint presentation and short film, followed by questions, taking about an hour in total. All guests are provided with useful literature to take away.

If you would like to enquire about hosting a talk and find out more, please go to our website and complete the booking form at the end of the page.

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.