Wickhambrook Womens Institute Reports

June & July 2004

The WI movement started in Canada in 1897 when Mrs Hoodless, who had lost a child through illness, realised that with more knowledge of hygiene and nursing her child could have been saved. She determined that country women, often living quite isolated lives, needed to be educated in these matters and so, from such small beginnings, the movement grew. Now every year in June, the WI AGM is held at various venues around the country. At the meeting, resolutions, which have been chosen and discussed by every member, are debated and voted on.

In May our village WI discussed this year's resolutions and the delegate instructed how to vote. The topics were: The Trafficking of Women and Children, AGM Crops and the Funding of the Air Ambulance Service. The organisation now has a powerful voice which can influence Government decisions. After the business of the May meeting there was a Blind Auction which raised £70 for funds and was very comeptitive and noisy - Sotheby's look out! Also in May some of theRReading Group went to see the film Touching the Void which was enjoyed more than the book and The Merchant of Venice at the Theatre Royal had members remembering their school Shakespeare as the Theatre was full of teenagers and teachers.

In June we said farewell to Peggy Garner, a member for 20 years, who is off to Spain. So with Sangria and a few toasts we waved goodbye as she set sail to the sunshine, (it was pretty hot and sunny here at the time!) The speaker that evening was Michael Horne who spoke about theatre in the Middle Ages in this area. The Wickhambrook Players are following a long tradition especially the fight between the good and evil in pantomime.