A very warm welcome to Sir Gâr - Carmarthenshire Federation of Women’s Institutes.

I am delighted to introduce you to the County of Carmarthenshire, which is situated in South Wales and named the Garden of Wales. There are many attractions for visitors, including Dylan Thomas’ Boathouse in Laugharne, home to the great poet and where he spent the last four years of his life. Or visit Aberglasney, set in the Tywi Valley; a garden lost in time, and an inspiration for poetry since 1477. The gardens are steeped in history with a restored Elizabethan and Jacobean cloister and parapet walk.

There are 63 WIs in our federation and each one has its own personality with various interests and activities. Some WIs focus more on crafts, others on sports, with the popular darts, table tennis and bowls competitions as well as games such as Scrabble, dominoes and 'Tip It' being very popular during the winter months.

This year we are also giving taster days in fishing, canoeing and archery. With so much publicity given to health and fitness, our federation and other federations in Wales are organising Walking your Way to Health walks, initiated by the ITV Wales health and fitness campaign, Wales on the Move.

We encourage new members to visit several WIs before they decide which is the most suitable for them. A few of our WIs meet in the afternoon but the majority meet in the evening. The federation sub-committee organise a very wide choice of events with taster days where members can try out various crafts. There is something for everyone.

If you would like to know more about the WI in our federation please contact the WI Office where our friendly secretary will be delighted to help you. Our aim in Sir Gâr is to gain laughter, fun, friendship and learning out of our WI membership, and we hope that we can invite you to do the same.

Megan Hopkin Thomas
Federation Chairman