2016 NFWI Annual Meeting – The Brighton Centre – Saturday 11th June 2016
Delegates’ Report
The meeting opened with the singing of Jerusalem.
Appointment of returning officers and tellers:
It was proposed, seconded and voted on to appoint the returning officers.
Adoption of standing orders
These were proposed, seconded and voted on.
Chair’s Address:
Janice Langley welcomed the members to the 2016 NFWI Annual Meeting. She spoke about the wonderful Centenary year the WI had experienced from a Fair in Harrogate, the Ballet at Covent Garden at the end of the year and of course having the Queen and members of the Royal Family in attendance at last year’s Annual Meeting in the Royal Albert Hall where 5,100 members had attended.
The WI is not just a group of women getting together but an organisation providing education and friendship. This year’s main concern is, of course, Denman. The cost of the listed building is constantly increasing and although the numbers are up and the type of courses available are more varied it is always under threat. There will be 4 open days to encourage members to go and visit and learn what a wonderful asset Denman is to our WI. A collection for the Saving of Denman raised at the meeting raised £4,852.
On the NFWI website there are now a number of projects where you can download the information and learn something new.
We have had 123 new WI’s open in the year bringing our total membership to over 226,402 in over 6,300 WI’s
Hon. Treasurer’s Statement:
The NFWI Trustees had managed the finances effectively and used the monies for the benefit of our members. As of September 2015 our total income was £6.83 million and the expenditure was £7.28. A lot of the costs were education and training for members including the cost of WI Life which every member received. There was £9.13 in endowments and funds. WI Enterprises Ltd., is a separate entity and had made £.72 million in profit. Denman has its own funds and not subsidised by subscriptions from members. It costs over £100,000 the facility without essential renovation work that will need to be done.
Resolutions:
The first Resolution was: “We call upon HM Government and the NHS to provide facilities to enable carers to stay with people with Alzheimer’s disease and dementia that have been admitted into hospital”
There were presentations both for and against the resolution. Our speakers were Brett Terry from the Alzheimers Society FOR the Resolution. It has been proved that having carers with the patient provided better quality of care and therefore quicker recovery time. They understood what the patient needed and kept them calm and happy. The end result would be the well being of the patient.
Nurse Rozalyn Jackson, NHS Nurse spoke AGAINST saying she believed there was a different way of dealing with the problem. Arguments against were the cost of providing this with a NHS stretched already for funding. Also put pressure on carers or family members to stay with the patient when it could be a time for respite. It was also felt that the money should be found to train all nursing staff in the care of dementia patients.
I voted on behalf of Deddington, Stoke Lyne, Bodicote and Adderbury & District for the Resolution as instructed. The Resolution was passed with 79% of the votes.
Guest Speaker Rona Fairhead, BBC Trust Chairman:
Rona has a Law Degree, Masters in Business Administration from Harvard. Held various management positions in large Corporations including the Morgan Stanley, British Aerospace, Imperial Chemical Industries and the Financial Times Group. She is married and has three children, also holds a pilots licence. Rona received the CBE in 2012.
Rona discussed the tough choices due to budget cuts over the next 5 years. it is the job of the BBC to provide educational, public awareness programmes and good dramas. It is the job of the Trust not to tear everything apart but to build a better BBC.
This was followed by lunch.
Resolution:
The second Resolution was: “The WI calls on all supermarkets to sign up to a voluntary agreement to avoid food waste, thereby passing surplus food on to charities thus helping to address the issue of increasing food poverty in the UK”
Tristram Stuart, Founder Feedback gave a very good speech FOR the resolution saying that although the big supermarkets were giving food to food banks and other charities they were in a position to influence the farmers and providers of our food to also pass this on rather than destroy it.
Alice Ellison Environment Policy Adviser, British Retail Consortium spoke AGAINST the resolution. It is not just the supermarkets and food providers to control waste but a large proportion comes from home waste. This should be addressed and knowledge in how to buy sensibly and use food up.
I voted on behalf of Deddington, Stoke Lyne, Bodicote and Adderbury & District for the Resolution as instructed. It was passed with 82.7% of the votes.
Guest speaker Baroness D’Souza, Lord Speaker:
Frances D’Souza was created a Lord Temporal as Baroness D’Souza of Wychwood in Oxfordshire on 1st July 2004. She was elected Lord Speaker in September 2011. She discussed the House of Lords and how it was now far larger than it needed to be with 800 members. Peers are being asked to vote to limited the number to 500, no larger than the House of Commons. Peers are appointed for many reasons and there is an increasing number of MP’s The work of the Lords is to scrutinise and revise legislation.
It is also proposed there at no time should there be a political majority and only 20% should be cross benchers or independents.
Chair’s remarks:
Janice Langley advised there will be a NFWI census to find out what the members want in the future. Communication is crucial and social media is the way of the future.
The WI is made up of three levels with clear structure with boundaries that make us one organisation. The constitution gives the WI purpose and allows every federation and WI to be unique and individual. However, we must all abide by Charity Law.
Three words describe the future, Technology, Time and Tradition.
Technology: The best tool for communication is the WI website, a page for every WI. The Moodle is great for educational documents, training and informtion. The MCS has details of every member and hopefully in the future everyone’s email address will be on the system.
Time: More members are now working and the amount of time for the WI is more limited. It is important that everyone have the opportunity to be an officer, committee member or Trustee. Meetings should be flexible and not set in stone.
Tradition:
The WI is about education and friendship and as we move on into the modern future we should remember the original concept.
Closing:
We sang Happy Birthday to the Queen on her 90th Birthday followed by rousing songs as the last night of the Proms. We were led by Sidonie Winter and opera singer and the Uckfield Concert Brass.
More information on the NFWI Annual Meeting can be found in WI Life and on www.thewi.org.uk
Margaret Halstead