Eynsham WI is approaching its 103rd Birthday in March and sadly it may well be its last. We need new members including those who would like to take on an organising role. Have you been thinking about joining the WI? Were you a WI member of another branch? Or would you just like to find out more about us? For more information about membership etc please contact Wendy Thompson on 01865 881144.
We meet once a month on the 2nd Thursday in the Scout Hall and have a varied programme of talks, social events and craft sessions. The next meeting is on 12 February and Ruth from CraftShed is talking about stained glass, demonstrating and enabling those who wish to make an item.
We warmly welcome visitors and ask for a £5 contribution.
The following is an article by Peter Taylor, Eynsham News Editor, published last summer in Edition 74 and reproduced with his permission.
Changing times
We hear a lot about changes in the make-up of our society, locally and globally. And those changes often mean that ‘old’ things have to be thought through afresh, maybe brought to an end – or, at the very least, changed to ‘fit’ new times and new needs.
Eynsham News were invited to pay a visit to the Women’s Institute (WI), who now meet on the second Thursday of each month in the Scout Hall. Members of the WI very much enjoy the all-women camaraderie of their meetings but, at the same time, they are realising that they are on a steady decline, which could even lead the village WI to end. As invaluable as Eynsham WI members find their monthly meetings, and the friendships and support networks that exist from day to day, they note that the average age of their members is getting rather high!
Valerie told us, ‘The WI is excellent for meeting people, especially if you are new to Eynsham. I joined after I retired, mainly because I wanted to meet Eynsham people – and it worked! Everyone was friendly and, since a lot of the people are Eynsham-born, they helped me find lots of new friends.’
Other members say it’s great to have a forum that focuses on women’s concerns. At national level, the WI speaks to government on behalf of women, so its role is important.
Having an intake of younger women – mums and singles – would inevitably change the nature of Eynsham WI, but the current members will embrace the changes in order to help this valuable women’s network find its place in a new generation.
WI facts
The first WI was set up in Anglesey in 1916 by Madge Watt. It was a vigorous campaigning organisation which embraced politics as much as ‘jam making’.
In 1918, the national WI tackled the government of the day on the national housing crisis. (Sound familiar?)
In 1927, they were campaigning against marine pollution – and how that echoes in the 2020s!
The Eynsham WI was formed in 1923.
The local WI has an annual programme of trips, visits and talks, and members can follow online course with the WI Learning Hub.