surreyfed

CO-CHAIRS COLUMN (January 2024)

Happy New Year, Happy New Federation News format, Happy New WI Year.

2024 has started with some very sad news for us at the Federation. One of our Advisers, Helen Mayne King sadly died on Boxing Day. Helen had stepped back from ‘duties’ a few months ago to focus on her health and has been very much supported by members of her WIs (Pyrford WI and New Haw and Woodham WI) the other members of SFWI Member support team.
We are very much going to miss Helen’s sense of humour and fun and theway she was able to support us calmly and quietly, and the WIs she looked after. Helen had a lovely way of seeing the funny side to most situations, yet was always able to use her professional judgement and acquired knowledge to support WIs and members. She is missed as the President of Pyrford WI just as much as we miss her on the Members Support Team.
Please contact the Federation office if you would like details of Helen’s funeral arrangements and/or any donation opportunities in her name.
At the Annual Council Meeting in Dorking Halls on Monday 18th March, Jill and I will be ‘hanging out down by the stage’ during the lunch break. We would be delighted to meet you and for you to share thoughts, questions and ideas with us. If you haven’t booked a ticket yet, please do contact the Federation office to do so and come and tell us all about your WI. We look forward to seeing you there.

Angie Leach, Co-Chair, Surrey Federation

Well this is exciting! The first edition of our new-look Surrey Federations’ Surrey WI News. Angie and I hope you find the new format as exciting as we do. The editorial team are to be congratulated on their production, done so swiftly. We would love to hear your feedback.
We are hoping that you will let us know more about your WI’s activities in the “Over to you” section and more of you will be tempted to write articles about your particular interests for your magazine.
This has always been the time for new beginnings, wishes made and hope renewed. When did this urge to make wishes in the New Year come from? There are many theories but which one is your favourite and why? That would make an interesting series of articles!
Angie and I hope you have had a great Christmas and are able to make those
New Year Wishes with confidence.

Jill Mulryan, Co-Chair, Surrey Federation

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January 15, 2024

February WI Member Chat and Catch Up – show your love, is your WI climate aware?

By surreyfedEvents, Training, Training Page, What's On, Workshops

Please join us for a virtual meeting to enjoy time with other members and your WI Advisers.

January 12, 2024

Resolution Briefing Meeting – SFWI HQ

By surreyfedEvents, What's On

If you are a delegate for the NFWI annual meeting or presenting Resolutions at your own WI , please book and come along.

January 10, 2024

KSS (Kent, Surrey, Sussex) Air Ambulance Tour 10:30am – 12:30pm – FULLY BOOKED

By surreyfedEvents

Come along and learn about the Air Ambulance.

January 9, 2024

KSS (Kent, Surrey, Sussex) Air Ambulance Tour 2:00pm – 4:00pm – FULLY BOOKED

By surreyfedEvents

Come along and learn about the Air Ambulance.

January 9, 2024

WI Resolutions 2024

By surreyfedNews

Full notes on next year’s Resolution will be in the November/December issue of WI Life – as usual we will be running Resolution Meetings in April to discuss the proposed four resolutions and the mechanics of voting.

The Resolutions at the 2024 vote will be:

Dental Health Matters
Impacts of Poor Housing Conditions
Say ‘no’ Gambling Advertising
Improving Outcomes for Women in the Criminal Justice System.

The Resolutions at the 2024 vote will be:

Dental Health Matters
Impacts of Poor Housing Conditions
Say ‘no’ Gambling Advertising
Improving Outcomes for Women in the Criminal Justice System.

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December 29, 2023

CO-CHAIRS COLUMN (December 2023)

By surreyfedNews

A Seasonal Greeting to you all, and I hope you all find many things that bring you joy from your WI membership.

At our WIs we are beginning to enjoy our Christmas Celebrations. Joining together for Christmas meals, trips to the theatre, trips to Christmas Markets, trips to see the lights. Did any of you manage to get tickets for the Glow at Wisley? All these become part of our friendship within the WI.

We will have contributed more than friendship by collecting for the refugees sheltering within our communities: for the Women’s refuges, the piles of blankets, hats and knitted and crocheted teddies for patients in hospitals, Special baby care units and the ambulance service (see page 3). We have visited Care Homes, taking afternoon tea to the residents. Run or helped at Luncheon Clubs for people who lunch together, picked sackfuls of litter. We do like to be involved in our communities, don’t we? I nearly forgot the post box tops, crafted to perfection!

As well as all the Fun things we engage in within our WIs – from Book clubs to Zumba classes, all these activities get a little more sparkle in the Season of Christmas, so let’s enjoy ourselves with our WI friends, as well as with our families.

Merry Christmas!!
Jill Mulryan, Co-Chair, Surrey Federation

I have recently attended an NFWI Climate conference. The wonders of technology meant that although I was unable to attend in person, I was able to listen to it ‘Live via MYWI’

Someone asked if ‘craftivism projects’ were worth doing? Did the recipients take any notice? Was the effort worth the outcome? Did they make the recipient change their ways? Are they too subtle? I listened with great interest because this was the very conversation we had recently at the Campaign group of one of my own WIs (Vixen’s Voices which is a subgroup at Surrey Vixen’s virtual WI).

The panel members that responded gave answers along the lines of: If it brings people together to talk about common interests and concerns, then yes it’s worth it. If it prompts conversation anywhere then yes it’s worth it. If the ‘creators’ enjoy creating then yes it’s worth it, and lastly, we can never know the impact actions have because some impacts are not immediate but take years to manifest, so yes it’s worth it.

As a crafter, these responses pleased me and I can’t help noticing how the same principals are so fundamental in all we do in the WI. As we come to the end of 2023 and look forward to all that 2024 will bring, I hope that all Surrey Federation of WIs members are looking forward to many varied and fun opportunities with their fellow WI members. It brings me great joy to hear of the fun you have in your own WIs and we encourage you to let us know what we can do to bring you together with other members from around the Federation.

Plans for our new look Surrey News will include an area for you to contact other members in the Federation that share interests with you, where you can ‘find’ members from other WIs with similar interests to you and advertise activities for other members to come and join in with you or your WI. The Trustees really want to see our members’ lives impacted by their WI membership, now and in the future and, as always, we welcome help and suggestions from members.

Wishing you and your loved ones a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year.
Angie Leach, Co-Chair, Surrey Federation

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December 29, 2023