Kingston Bagpuize with Southmoor
Womens' Institute
We are delighted to welcome you to our web site, our virtual W.I.
The W.I. is the largest voluntary women's organisation in the UK. The ideals of the Women's Institute are truth, justice, tolerance and friendship. The W.I. exists to educate women to enable them to provide an effective role in the community, to expand their horizons and to develop and pass on important skills.
This webpage was compiled to help and interest our members and to tell the rest of the world what our aims are, what we do and why we exist.
Community participation
We welcomed a group of nineteen visiting Belguim ladies from Sint-Niklaas, on June 10th, 2010. We sat down in groups at tables, gave them an English tea, crustless cucumber sandwiches etc., with a great selection of cakes and discussed similarities and differences between our lives. We had a lovely time chatting in three languages (French, Flemish/Dutch and English). They seemed to have enjoyed their visit, hopefully, as much as we enjoyed having them.
Please go to 'Scrapbook~2' on the left menu for further photos.
Our W.I. came into its own in 2009 when we were involved with the film that was being made in our village by villagers.Here is a photo of some of our band of wonderful caterers.
Julie Carpenter, Sue Melling, Sue Weaving and Hilary Clements
Our Secretary Sue Weaving's farm kitchen soon became a cuisine focal point with a merry band of cooks and helpers. We made hearty mid morning snacks, lunches, and baked cakes by the dozens for weeks and weeks. Much of this food then was assembled and packed into containers and taken by cars to the relevant locations. Quite some task.
Our WI catered for the film crew, provided bed and breakfast and loads of other help. We and villagers became film extras,made costumes, found the locations, and kept everyone well fed.
Love Food Champions Project
The WI's Love Food Champions are working in their communities to help individuals reduce food waste.
We also campaign on wider policy issues including: human trafficking and violence against women, adult education and trade justice. Now in 2009 our campaign is for honey bees.
"Bee
Aware!"
"Honeybees play a vital role in the pollination of food crops and in our environment. In view of concerns about the accelerating decline in the UK honeybee population, this meeting urges HM Government to increase funding for research into bee health." WI Life.
Come on - Be active! Be involved! Be a member!
So, come browse and discover more about us! We hope that you enjoy your visit to our website and will return soon. Better still, maybe you will come along to our meetings and see what we are all about.
Don't be Shy, Don't miss out, Why not Join our W.I.?
The WI's own residential college.
Situated only 5 minutes drive away from our village is Denman College, Marcham, Oxfordshire. We in Kingston Bagpuize W.I. are so fortunate to have the college so near to hand but sadly we don't take as much advantage of this as perhaps we should.
Denman College provides an excellent study programme from Day Courses,Weekend and Midweek Breaks to Summer Schools.
They also have conference and training facilities. Details of these activities can be found by selecting this link.
Denman College is a member of the Adult Residential Colleges Association (ARCA)
Studying at Denman is an opportunity not to missed. The bedrooms are nearly all en-suite and the teaching blocks are very well equipped and comfortable and come with excellent tutors.
So what does the W.I. offer?
The W.I. offers women the best opportunity to make an impact in their communities, to influence local, national and world issues affecting the social, economic and environmental life of families and communities, and to learn traditional and new skills.
Did you know that since its inception in 1915 the W.I. has campaigned on a wide range of issues including Domestic Violence , Equal Pay, Oil Pollution, Aids, Farm Gate Milk Prices, Care of Our Environment, Stop Climate Chaos, Chemicals and Health, Supermarkets, Fairtrade Fortnight, Children's diets, exercise and health, Healthy Eating, and Supermarket Packaging Campaign.
In 2007 we campaingned against the closure of Community Hospitals. 'This meeting urges HM Government to stop the closure of Community Hospitals, which provide essential services to local people'.
Our 2009 Campaign is for Increase of funding for research into bee health.
Recently members attended Denman College for an 'Ancestry Day'. The day was so oversubscribed that Denman had to adjust the seating to allow another 20 people in. It proved to be a very interesting day, even for a seasoned campainger such as me, and most members went away determined to either start to research their family trees or try our luck at the 'leaves' that we learnt about. [ leaves lead to branches that we may all have on our trees]
We also attended a great day at Denman enjoying demonstrations on Christmas Cooking and Christmas Flowers. I know I was inspired by the Cookery demonstration in particular and have aleady made many of the recipes. Sadly although I mean to have a go and follow the inspirational ideas that were shown with the Flower Demo, I haven't manged this yet - blame Christmas preparations and Christmas itself. Why don't you pay a visit to Denman? See here....