acwwsouthwest UK: August 2008

Thursday, 28 August 2008

News items

1. Great news - another support group is going to be formed in the Midlands - not sure of the name yet - congratulations to Sue and friends.
2. ACWW invited to Denman Diamond event - are you going?
3. Getting ready to attend Southampton Conference - will be thinking of Alison who has to have an op around this time - fingers crossed for you Alison - it will be odd to be there without you.
4. A large group of ACWW committee members and friends to attend Somerset Wincanton Lunch including, Ursula Goh -World President, May Kidd - Deputy World President, Anphia Grobler - World Treasurer, Elsie Browne - Agriculture Committee, Rose Rajbansee - Caribbean Area President and two of her friends and Sharon Hatton from Canada (UN committee). Why not come along - it should be a great day.

Wednesday, 13 August 2008

ACWW information

Just had a letter from a member of a WI in Cheshire wanting information about ACWW to tell her members. She had looked at the net and then scouring thro' WI Life back as far as March she found my name so wrote to me. She had discovered my letter about ACWW Penfriend Links. She didn't want a link - she wanted information about ACWW - she had been on the ACWW site, but thought I might have more of the type of information she needed. Come on WI Life - I think you need a regular column for ACWW in every issue - it is not good to think that it is so difficult to find out about ACWW for members. Please add your comments about this state of play!!! Have suggested she buy the book of the history of ACWW but meantime I shall post her a parcel of information and some leaflets. Any comments about this?

Sunday, 3 August 2008

Congratulations to Hampshire Federation of WIs

Hi - this is nothing really to do with ACWW in essence, BUT it does affect women everywhere. Congratulations on the TV programme - although the research was essential - certain aspects were probably exagerated (by the programme) for maximum 'entertainment', BUT for once the WI came out heads held high with a genuine and very worthwhile cause - safety of 'working women'. Your resolution on legalisation for brothels is a cause long overdue. It was interesting that New Zealand are yet again way ahead of the UK as they were with Votes for Women. This also ties in with Trafficking, Violence Against Women etc all on the agenda already for NFWI - 2009 may well be very interesting!!

Friday, 1 August 2008

A Day out from the Conference

I wonder where we will go on our day out from the Southampton Conference? Below are pictures of some of the places our group went on our day out in Turku.

Our group visit in the afternoon

We finished up at the local hall shared by the Farmers

'union' and other local groups. We had drinks and yummy cheesecake.

Then we toured the craft workshops. This is a picture of most of the ladies staying at our hotel in Kaarina on the outskirts of Turku.

Our Morning visit to the islands near Turku

In the morning we visited

a sheep farm on one

of the islands. The sheep

are taken out to another island

in an outboard motor boat. The sheepdog herds the sheep to one end of the island and then it runs like mad to the boat. The farmer and dog then zoom off. They leave the sheep to forage all summer.They are known as salt-water sheep as no fresh water on those islands.

In the Market Square at Turku

The market square in Turku - there were lots of flowers, food, clothes and leather goods.

We went here on our first day of exploration!!!

Just been again (Aug 08) mostly fruit, veg, flowers, and fish this time (lots of berries too).

View of Southampton Harbour and Quingdao

Southampton

Not long until Southampton Conference - it will be interesting to see this city from a visitors point of view rather than a day trip (it is about 2hours from my home). This is certainly a city of contrasts from the harbour to the countryside. Southampton is twinned with Qingdao - "Switzerland of the Orient", a beautiful seaside city, which is located in the southeast part of Shandong Province. To the east, a short distance across the Yellow Sea, lie Korea and Japan, making Qingdao an important city for international trade.

For thirty three years, up to 1949, Qingdao was a colony of Germany and Japan. Thus, Qingdao has a great deal of European architecture. This foreign architecture - a remnant of the colonial past adds to the attractions of this seaside city. The red roofs, green trees, blue sea and azure sky make Qingdao a colourful picture. Surrounded by the sea on three sides, Qingdao attracts many tourists.

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26th ACWW Triennial Meeting in the USA

For: ACWW South West Supporters Group

Hi - everyone - this blog is for you to have your say on future events within the group area of Avon, Cornwall, Devon, Dorset, Gloucestershire, Hampshire, Somerset and Wiltshire.
Your comments and events will add to the interest of this blog.
NB: If you click on the smaller pictures in the main part of the blog they do get larger!!! Handy to see a few more details!! Sometimes it doesn't work - but give it a go anyway!!
2nd meeting due to take place on 18th May 2009 at Taunton - just gathering names of those who can attend. 3 speakers booked!!

Now we have polo shirts and sweatshirts

Well the polo-shirts were given an airing at the European Area Conference - where they caused quite a lot of comments. Also some were worn at Wincanton (see Valerie our 1st speaker) thanks for that, Valerie, Esme, Mary, Roma. If you would like one - contact Somerset ACWW Rep at County office or email at eileen.hurd@btinternet.com. They are for anyone who wants to support ACWW in the South West.

The sweatshirts have been delivered - they are comfy - but probably too hot to wear at a conference!!!

Merja Siltanen, European Area President and May Kidd, Deputy President

Merja (on the left in the Countrywoman front page shown below) chaired the recent ACWW Conference in Southampton. Merja with the help of Terhi ran an excellent event which was much enjoyed by all. Although, English is not Merja's mother tongue - she is from Finland, the conference ran very smoothly.

May Kidd was also present and a great support to us all. She is an excellent Deputy President and was able to help us through the complexities of resolutions, and recommendations. Her musical sessions were an added bonus and also added to the several collections for Pennies for Friendship held during the conference.

Mrs Madge Watt

The founder of the WI in Wales, followed by England and Scotland. Madge was then one of the founders of ACWW - she was the person who wrote 'Associated Country Women of the World' on the blackboard at the meeting in 1933 in Stockholm. Initial plans to start this worldwide association, although in Madge's mind from 1919, were discussed at the meeting in 1927 in Geneva and then were agreed on April 30th 1929 at the International Conference of Rural Women held in London.

1929 is considered the date when this association really 'started' - it was just that the name we recognise today came later. Three ladies were influential in the start of ACWW - Lady Aberdeen, Miss Elsie Zimmern and Mrs Madge Watt. (see more about this in the ACWW History Book - available for £5 from ACWW HQ).

NB: Did you know that near the Peace Bridge between Canada and the USA, near Niagara, there is a brass plaque on a stone in a garden which is a memorial of friendship? The plaque marks the crossing from the USA into Canada of a delegation from ACWW and is dedicated to rural women of that continent dated: Peace Bridge, June 12, 1936. Mrs Alfred (Madge) Watt, BME, MA, co-founder and first president of ACWW dedicated this plaque at a ceremony at the centre of the Peace Bridge on June 16 1936. It was accepted by representatives of the New York State Federation of Home Bureaux and the Federated Women's Institutes of Canada on the occasion of the 1936 Washington DC Conference of ACWW.

With the cooperation of The Niagara Parks Commission, this plaque was re-dedicated during the 23rd Triennial Conference of ACWW held in Hamilton, Ontario in June of 2001.

Turku 2007 - the last World Triennial Meeting

The flags are paraded 'in and out' at the beginning and end of this meeting. They are carried by the host country in national costume and make a wonderful and colourful display. There are approximately 365 Member societies in over70 countries. Each society has its own customs and runs its own meetings BUT they all come together to work internationally for the benefit of rural communities all over the world.

The next Triennial Meeting in 2010 will be held in Hot Springs, Arkansas and the 2013 meeting is scheduled for ShenYang, China.

(No picture - many have been 'wiped' from the blog - the penalties of a free blog I suppose!!)

Jackie Gregory, ACWW Speaker

Jackie spoke to us at the SW Supporters Group first meeting in Taunton on 30th June. Jackie told us about her visits to the Gambia (monitoring an ACWW project) and about her own work sending garments, sewing machines etc to a village. She specialises in making jam and brought some to sell on the day. It was delicious and we enjoyed it with scones and cream after lunch. Originally, the money from selling the jam (£1,000 a year) was used to pay for transport of items to the Gambia BUT now the money goes to ACWW as Jackie's own 10yr project has been completed. (Goodness me how many lbs of jam makes £1,000?) Certainly a full time job!!! Well done Jackie.

The picture below shows Jackie during a talk in Hereford at an ACWW lunch organised by Brenda Drake to raise funds for ACWW.

Vanilla Farm

One of Somerset's Projects was involved with starting a Vanilla Farm in Uganda. This picture shows the beans growing on the vines and some of the farmers involved. (I don't know if our Farm is prolific yet - it sometimes takes up to 3 years before the first flowers appear - also the flowers have to be fertilised manually - unless some African bees have adopted them)! Vanilla originally came from Mexico and the flowers were fertilised by the Meliponna bee. Vanilla was known as Uganda's Green Gold at one stage, as the profits from good crops were excellent. In some areas the beans are branded to protect them - even when shrunken during harvesting the brands are still visible. The vanilla vines improve with age rather like grape vines in vineyards.

Alison and Somerset

Alison and I met years ago whilst on our WIA training course. She was already very involved with ACWW and I had been an ACWW (non-active) member for years. Later, because of this interest (I was also ACWW Rep for Somerset at this stage) I was invited to a lunch in Gwent. I really enjoyed the speaker and decided to book her (Anna Boshoff from S Africa) for a lunch in Somerset (subject to the support of BOT). Unfortunately, as the lunch date approached Anna could not travel due to ill-health - so Alison stood in.

Alison is co-founder, with Kathleen Martin, of the ACWW Wales Supporters Team and both encouraged me to start an ACWW South West Supporters Group. I travelled with them to Turku and they have proved great friends. I have been to several lunches and meetings in Wales and thanks to them my knowledge of ACWW friendship has expanded.

In Turku we (Alison, Kathleen, Therese and I) stayed in a hotel with many women from Eastern Europe. It is thanks to some of these European ladies that I have managed to make some penfriend links in Europe.