acwwsouthwest UK: April 2009

Thursday, 30 April 2009

Report of Unique School Water / Text Book Project in Cameroon

Received report of Ursula Goh visiting this Somerset project. It was great to hear that all has gone well and to receive the report so soon after her visit. The Unique School were very efficient in using the money and actioning this project. This is a picture from another Unique School as I could not download the actual pictures from the report - but it gives an idea of the uniforms for the children. Somerset have 37% of our total at present.

New Countrywomen

Good write up of Ladies Day at Cheltenham. Pity they didn't use one of these pictures in WI Life instead of 2 pictures of horses. (Strangely enough we know what horses look like!!) Pleased that a letter from a Somerset member was included - Liz would be surprised about that!! I like the picture of the newly formed Midlands Group (they've had 2nd meeting since this report). Anphia's request for members to consider donating the price of a loaf rather than a penny for Pennies for Friendship and her article ' which was part of her speech' at the Concert Day was noted - she is quite right - but members do react slowly to these requests!!! Except, of course, N Ireland who are magnificent in their generosity - well done to them. Counties and societies with 6,000+ members take note!!!

Wednesday, 29 April 2009

Soup Lunch - done and dusted.

Well, all those worries for nothing. Binegar WI came up trumps as usual - got there earlyish to find Ruth W had been up and put out lots of tables and chairs in the main hall and got the chairs out for the afternoon Welcome club. 6 different soups, lovely home made bread and fantastic cakes were prepared by members. Good turn out of people and the B&B and raffle well supported. Everyone seemed to enjoy the lunch and stayed chatting for ages. Ashwick & Oakhill WI and Litton & Hinton Blewitt WI supported us and in total over £220 was taken - banked it straight away. Thanks to all who helped.

Tuesday, 28 April 2009

Future events planned within the SW Group

Future Events planned so far within the group:
22 June, Somerset, ‘Spotlight on Africa’ – at Compton Dundon nr Street - bring a mug lunch £6.50 - 4 speakers booked: H. Durrant, Oxfam, WRW with roles of men and women in Sub-Saharan with examples from a recent visit to Mali, J Hall - Miles Tea (African plantations), J Gregory - Gambian Project 10 yrs+ and R Stoakley - 'Living with the Sanburi' in N Kenya . African 'market' stalls lunchtime with authentic African music. (have some volunteers to show 'Cameroonian crochet' (pic) - well they are practising!!) Displays of many crafts, beadwork, -Fairtrade, African pictures, books, materials, cards for sale. Unusual gift ideas.

28 September – Hampshire’s - ACWW - ‘Here – Now -The Future' £20.00 - lunch included. Speakers: M Cadzow, M Mackay, James Gibson from Tear Fund. At Golden Common near Winchester.
Gloucester had a very successful day at Cheltenham Races, Devon had a great International Day and have an ACWW Project day planned. Cornwall had an ACWW / Fairtrade Day. Valerie Stevens, Dorset, plans to visit Hungary in June she will be visiting a project Dorset are supporting there. I'm sure more news will be forthcoming from other counties soon and we should hear more at our day planned for ACWW supporters & Reps on 18th May at Wilton Lodge, Taunton.

Sunday, 26 April 2009

Soup Lunch in Binegar Village Hall

Soup Lunch on Wed, 29th April (ACWW Day) in village hall. WI members making soup, bread, cakes. B&B and raffle, Projects CD, display boards paperwork etc Fingers crossed all goes well. Soup and cakes arriving - will need a lorry to get it all to the hall!!!

Saturday, 25 April 2009

Somerset Roadshow

Held an 80th b'day draw at todays' roadshow - worked well - certainly Jenny from Milborne Port WI who won 1st prize of £40 was delighted. NB: £20 to ACWW and £20 to County from this draw too - so a 'real' change which some members said they enjoyed!!

Monday, 20 April 2009

Glos activities

29th April - Glos are holding a Campaign and Debate Day under the auspices of Women Reaching Women - hope they give a thought to ACWW Day during the proceedings - some reps think WRW/ACWW work well together. Hopefully we shall hear more if Eunice can attend the meeting on 18th May at Taunton for ACWW Reps and supporters. We are looking forward to hearing about the C&D Day it sounds good.

Tuesday, 14 April 2009

Further donations received for Cameroon Project

Just received further donation from Litton & Hinton Blewitt WI for our Cameroon Project - will post off tomorrow. Over £1,000 paid off thanks to Somerset WIs for their support.
20th April project total stands at 30% paid - hope for further funds after 29th April - ACWW Day

Monday, 13 April 2009

Spotlight on Africa - 22nd June

Traditional ACWW picture to show the basis of the day:

Join us for an entertaining day and learn about the lives of women in AFRICA. Cameroon, Mali, Gambia, Kenya to name but a few countries of this diverse continent. Experience a 'different' day - be inspired by talks, music, pictures, food and much, much more.

A lunchtime 'African Market' has been arranged, giving you the opportunity to view samples of African craft plus stalls to buy cards, photos, books, crafts, recipes, material, jewellery, etc - an ideal chance to buy that unusual gift whilst supporting many worthwhile charities. Fairtrade will also have a stall!! Tickets £6.50 to include lunch - please bring your own mug (1/2 pt). Apply by 1st June!!! There will, of course, be a raffle! This day incorporates both WRW, ACWW and other charities. We are also hoping to have info about the new WI project, Women and Climate Change which shows how to act on issues explored with WRW.

One of Somerset's completed ACWW projects in India

This is a picture of one of our successfully completed projects in India - lovely

'thank you' at the back.

Wednesday, 8 April 2009

RE: 2013 Conference

Received a letter from ACWW (sent to all ACWW Reps and member Groups) informing them that both the groups who had volunteered in Finland to hold the 2013 Conference had withdrawn. The request required by September 30th 2009 is for further volunteers.

Friday, 3 April 2009

Category One

We are pleased to announce that Somerset has become a Category One member of ACWW.

Thursday, 2 April 2009

Info required?

Info required - let me know what is going on in your area - OR - better still add it on yourself!!! It is very simple to start a google account of your own - takes 5 seconds and then you will be able to add comments and items to this blog!!!

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.