theWI Adderbury & District Meeting – Thursday, 5th February 2015 –
Two Campaigns from previous year’s Resolutions still being acted on: Notices from the NFWI 2015: SOS for High Streets and Town Centres About the mandate – SOS for High Streets Delegates at the 2013 AGM on 1 June passed an NFWI Board resolution on the ‘decline of our high streets and town centres’ with an 87% majority: ‘The NFWI notes with concern the continuing decline of our high streets and the damaging effect this has on local communities. We call on every member of the WI to support their local shops and make the high street their destination of choice for goods and services. We call on decision-makers to work collectively, at all levels, to help bring an end to the decline of our high streets and to ensure that high streets flourish and provide a focal point for local communities.The face of the high street is in flux. High streets dominated by butchers, bookshops and bakers are no longer the norm, but the WI’s campaign is not about nostalgia. We want to see high streets and town centres that are fit for purpose in the 21st Century and meeting the needs of communities as well as consumers. – See more at: http://www.thewi.org.uk/campaigns/current-campaigns-and-initiatives/sos-for-high-streets#sthash.DJa7lZ3N.dpuf “Our campaign for a high street of the future. The challenges facing our high streets ad town centres reach to the heart of all of our communities. Share your views in our survey.” Did you take part in the “nation-wide day of action to celebrate the 98th anniversary of the first WI meeting on 16 September 2013?” Did you know you there’s a downloadable “action pack” and a SOS for high street poster for downloading; there’s also the opportunity to “make a high street pledge to send to Headquarters.” Then what about the Campaign – SOS our Bees: “Honey Bees 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 honey bee population, this meeting urges HM Government to increase funding for research into Bee Health.-Hindon & Fonthill Bishop WI – Wiltshire Federation. The decline of honey bees represents a major loss in biodiversity as honey bees are not only responsible for producing honey, but play a vital role in pollinating plants. Approximately a third of our human diet is directly dependent on bees, making them central to our existence. Despite some recent improvements, winter 2012/13 was the worst on record for colony loss of honeybees. Wild and solitary bees are in trouble too; two bumblebee species are already extinct in the UK, and solitary bees have declined in over half of areas studied. Bee decline is multi-faceted, with decreases in availability of habitat for forage, changes in the climate, pests and diseases, and pesticide use all playing a role in accelerating that decline. Such declines amount to a major threat to biodiversity, not just for bees but for the many species of plants they help to pollinate. Resources to help you take action for bees: Bees gardening leaflet Bees recipes leaflet Contact Public Affairs for hard copies New resources available to help call for a strong Bee Action Plan. The government has recently published a Bee Action Plan; the draft National Pollinator Strategy. CONSULATION NOW CLOSED. During the last year, the NFWI has worked hard to help persuade the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs that a joined-up, comprehensive Bee Action Plan is needed if we are to tackle bee decline effectively. The Plan is currently out for public consultation, providing a key opportunity to tell government...
Read MoreFairtrade Fortnight, Banbury – February 23rd to 7th March 2015
It’s Fairtrade Fortnight again – 23rd February to 7th March – and two “Big Brew” Events have been arranged for Banbury. I had not realised that the Fairtrade Fortnight was a NFWI current campaign and neither had I realised that the NFWI was a founder member of the Fairtrade Foundation in 1992. I had known that the Fairtrade Foundation came into being to help improve the lives of farmers, workers and their families in far-flung countries, get a fairer deal for their poverty driven existence, be more in charge of the future and strive to end the poverty of that future. Here’s a quote from – theWI INSPIRINGWOMEN Page for Fairtrade Fortnight – “During Fairtrade Fortnight (24 February – 9 March) campaigners up and down the country celebrate the difference Fairtrade makes to the lives of farmers who grow the products we enjoy in the UK. Fairtrade is about better prices, decent working conditions, local sustainability and fair terms. This year’s event will see the launch of a dedicated campaign aiming to bring about a landmark change in the banana industry. In the last 10 years, a bitter price war has seen the UK supermarket sector almost halve the shelf price of loose bananas while the cost of producing them has doubled. This is trapping many of the farmers and workers who grow them in poverty. Whilst Fairtrade provides a vital safety net for some banana farmers and workers, many still suffer. The WI is backing the campaign for change. To campaign in your community this Fairtrade Fortnight, click below for all the resources you’ll need (campaign guides, leaflets, t-shirts etc): Click here for all the resources you need. And don’t forget to sign the petition and support Fairtrade Fortnight on Facebook and Twitter. – See more at: http://www.thewi.org.uk/campaigns/news-and-events/current-news-and-events/current-campaigns-and-initiatives/fairtrade/fairtrade-fortnight#sthash.bXvqzVrS.dpuf” Reading through this page I clicked “here for all the resources you need” and “And don’t forget to sign the petition and support Fairtrade Fortnight on Facebook and Twitter.” – well I did, only to find the relevant links not available. May I suggest you go onto Facebook and Twitter and search for the Fairtrade Fortnight Page on both sites and find the resources and petition…. Fairtrade Fortnight in Banbury – 23rd February to 7th March 2015: Big Brew Events: Thursday, 5th March: – 10 – 12pm – the Whistling Kettle on Market Place for Fairtrade Tea and Coffee Saturday, 7th March: 11 – 1pm – The Community Action Group at Marlborough Road Methodist Church Hall for Fairtrade Tea and Coffee plus eco material to view and community members recyclable items to give away. Margaret Halstead And here’s a Fairtrade Fortnight Poster for: The Whistling Kettle “Big Brew” Event on Thursday, 5th March 2015 –...
Read MoreOFWI Programme for 2015 – Tuesday, 24th February 2015
MARCH EVENT Committee NOTES 10 & 11th Go Online Computer Course Memb Tackley 19th Speakers Selection Day Yr Bk Stanford-in-the-Vale 24th OFWI ACM BOT Oxford Town Hall 30th Denman Day Visit BOT Denman 31st Jane Austen Centre, Bath C Arts Coach APRIL 14-21st Baton Link through Oxfordshire BOT Various venues 21st Go Online Computer Course Memb Tackley 22nd Indoor Bowls S & L tbc 28th Resolution Debate Memb Horton-cum-Studley tbc Garden Visit / Quilt Show H & G tbc MAY 6th Evening event F Affs tbc 13th Events coach...
Read MoreAdderbury & District WI 2016 Adderbury Calendar Competition – Friday, 20 February 2015.
At our Calendar Competition committee meeting last week, our discussion centered on possible final details of our calendar. We decided to produce a poster for distribution about the village and today, Diane and Margaret posted copies of their joint poster at the Library, another on a notice board within St. Mary’s Church, another at a bus stop shelter and one in a friend’s home window. Diane will put one up at The Institute on Monday. We also agreed to approach the Village website to spread word of our competition And this is our poster….. Our next meeting is on Tuesday, 3rd March 2015. Our meeting was well attended and especially by Caroline awaiting the birth of her first grandchild. We later heard from Caroline that her daughter gave birth to a baby son, Henry, that very same evening. We send warmest congratulations to all the...
Read MoreWI Meeting Minutes for Thursday 5th February 2015
Our President Caroline welcomed 32 members, wishing those not at the January meeting a happy New Year. Three apologies were recorded in the register. Minutes of the meeting held on 8 January 2015 were approved and signed by the President Matters arising: Diane reported that the WI calendar committee will meet on 11 February to agree the size. Another article about the project has appeared in Contact. Diane asked members to inundate her with pictures. Committee report: A ticket for the OFWI 400+ club has been bought. Caroline described the content of News and Views. It was agreed on a show of hands that, for a trial period of a year, a copy would be bought for every member from our funds. These would be available at the monthly meetings for members to collect. WI adviser Stella Oakes will be at our AGM in March. Caroline reminded members that new committee members would be needed for 2015/16 and again asked everyone to consider putting their names forward at the AGM. Current committee members are in the process of drawing up an inventory of WI property and a list of other items we are able to borrow. Suggestions for visits this year included an evening visit to Sulgrave Manor, following the talk last year by Simon Snow. This was well received and will be arranged for an evening in the summer. Several members showed interest in a day at Denman, including a cookery demonstration at a cost of £35. Dates were available in April, June, August and September. NFWI Resolutions Copies of this year’s proposed Resolutions were displayed during the evening. During the break for refreshments members recorded their votes for the one which they would prefer to go forward to the Annual Meeting at the Albert Hall in June. Fund-raising for Frank Wise There has been very little interest in the suggestion of a swishing evening, and the fee asked by a book illustrator to give a talk at the library proved too costly. The library is still booked for 26 March and it was agreed to have a social evening, perhaps with a book swap, a scarf swish for £1 and a raffle. Members could bring friends. Nibbles would be provided but a charge made for drinks. A £21 licence would be needed. Future activities: Reading group members were unable to meet in January and so will meet at Su Lutter’s on Wed 11 February to talk about both a novel (The Unlikely Pilgrimage of Harold Fry) and a non-fiction book (Sisters of Sinai). The needlecraft group will meet at Caroline’s on Wed 18 Feb, The next Committee meeting is on Wed 25 February to which anyone considering joining the committee will be very welcome.The OFWI Annual Council Meeting is on 24 March, which Diane and Laura hope to attend and the North Oxfordshire Group meeting this year is at Bodicote on 22 April. For this there are 14 places for members from our WI. Members were asked to add their names to a list if they wished to be there. The speaker will be Judith Hadder. Adderbury and District WI funds cover the costs of our members who attend. Volunteers will be needed to make cakes and to run the WI refreshment stall at Party in the Park on Sat 20 June. The price for the pitch is not yet known but all profits come to the WI. June Stilgoe has kindly offered us a farm walk and supper on Thurs 25 June. All members are welcome for the supper even if they are not able...
Read MoreWI News Updates from FaceBook – Thurslday 12 February 2015
“Diamond Jubilee Awards” Well done to Marion Burton and Anita Mobbs from Doveridge WI for winning the WI Outstanding Achievement Award at the Keep Britain Tidy Awards this afternoon” See on FaceBook for story. Mail Online – “Naked Calendars to erotic fiction…..the latest shocker from the WI” “A WI writing club – The Monumental Women’s Writing Group – from Wellington WI, Somerset, created a book of short stories for charity and the last tale in the compilation is a work of erotic fiction called The Conquering Gibraltarian Adonis” See – Mail Online – www.DailyMail – A report by Paul Harris for The Daily Mail – and it’s on our WI FaceBook Page “Inside Out South East, 09/02/2015 – Natalie Graham’s report of the WI’s story in its centenary year ” from Hastings – the story of one of its oldest member, Joan Johnson, now 101 years, becoming President at the age of 94 – WI centenarian having a tattoo to celebrate! See the full story on BBC iPlayer Margaret Halstead ...
Read More