WHITLEY WI

On Tuesday April 10th, Whitley WI members Joan Blackshaw and Susan Burtonwood visited the Warrington Museum display focusing on the Women’s Suffragette Movement.
There was a defaced 1903 penny on display — Women Suffragettes stamped the words ‘VOTES FOR WOMEN’ across the head of King Edward VII on one penny coins. Then when the coins were circulated they hoped to get more support from the public.
In 1910 a group of women in Warrington took part in an election. With dismay they discovered their election costs were £15; they made a collection of £5 towards the cost and one lady made a cookery book ( which was on display ) She sold copies and gave the total of £3 towards the election costs.
There is a new 50p coin this year recognising the bravery of the suffragette movement.

Chris Jones passed on a message from Joan Blackshaw our President, who was unfortunately absent, thanking us for the 80th birthday card and present that we gave her recently. Chris Jones and Anne Kennedy then informed us of our numerous forthcoming events and activities. Our new craft club is having it’s second meeting on April 11th and a new garden interest group has it’s first meeting on April 13th. As usual we have our monthly book club and monthly walk. On May 9th we have our Spring Outing to Llangollen, the Culture club goes to see the Titanic at the Lowry on May 12th and Pat Sharp is organising a ‘Behind the Scenes at the Albert Hall’ trip to London on June 23rd.

We then had an interesting talk by Rosalie Gorton regarding the link between Venice and the Egerton family of Tatton Park. Samuel Egerton went to Venice in 1730 to work as an apprentice to the art dealer and connoisseur Joseph Smith. Later when Samuel inherited the estate, much of the knowledge and artefacts that he acquired in the five years that he was in Venice, were used in the many improvements that he began to make to the house etc. from 1758. The portrait is of Samuel Egerton in Venice and can still be seen in Venice. In the house at Tatton Park there is Venice scene painted by Canaletto which was commissioned from the artist by Joseph Smith, whilst Samuel was in Venice.

We all met at Ann O’Brien’s for tea and cake then made our way to Wigg Island. The day started off dull and damp, but the sun eventually appeared.

As well as the scenery, we were also keen to get a glimpse of the ‘much talked about’ new Runcorn bridge. You can just about see it on the group photo in the background.

We came across a beautiful swan , which very kindly posed for a photo.

 

It was a very pleasant walk great opportunity to chat to each other whilst taking in the lovely scenery.

After the walk we made our way to the TEN LOCK FLIGHTS for lunch.

Here are the results of the resolutions shortlist selection process for the 2018 Annual Meeting.

2018 resolutions		Selections
1	Positive body image in a digital age	5215
2	Stop FGM	27,640
3	Raising awareness of modern slavery in the UK	20,299
4	Mental health matters	42,327
5	Healthier Mouth, Healthier Body	5560
	Total selections received	101,041

Mental health matters is ahead of the second placed resolution by over 14,000 selections.

This year’s total is the most selections cast since the individual selection process was introduced, and the first time over 100,000 selections have been cast by members.

The NFWI Board of Trustees has reviewed the results and agreed that one resolution (Mental Health Matters) will go forward to the Annual Meeting.

The wording of the resolution is as follows:

Mental health matters

Mental health matters as much as physical health. The NFWI urges all WI members to recognise the importance of parity between mental health and physical health, and take action to make it as acceptable to talk about mental health issues as much as physical health issues, and to lobby government for better support for mental illness.

On Thursday 1st February Whitley WI celebrated it’s 80th birthday at Warrington Golf Club.

We enjoyed a finger buffet followed by Joan Blackshaw, our president, cutting the Birthday cake whilst we sang Happy Birthday.

The “WI” that you can see here on the side of the cake is “Women Inspired” – our motto.

The Yellow corn on the blue background is the Cheshire WI crest.

 

 

 

 

Lucy Adlington gave us a marvellous talk on fashion in the last 100 years from the time of the Suffragettes.

Lucy studied mediaeval fashion at Cambridge!

Lucy changed her dress many times during her talk, for example we saw dresses from the austere times from the First World War, followed by the glamorous outfits of the wealthy in the 1920’s. Each change of outfit was accompanied by relevant music of the period. She danced the Charleston and gave us a wonderful Marilyn Munroe.

 

 

 

Lucy said “In 1938 the WI ladies would wear hats”.

Five committee members were duly given hats to wear!

 

 

 

 

 

Joan Blackshaw gave a vote of thanks to Lucy and then delivered a talk on the memories of some of our members from the years 1938 to 1958.

There was a WI quiz and a competition for the best picture of an historic dress. It was a wonderful evening.