You are in:  Women's Institute > How to join > Find your WI > England > Surrey > Projects & Events >

Projects & Events

DENMAN COLLEGE

Members fully support Denman College, the NFWI's college in Oxfordshire.

Surrey Federation held a weekend at the College in May this year for a two-night break from 21 to 23 May. Among the courses this year was one entitled "Viva Las Vegas". If this sounds unlike WI, it was  a really happy course doing some modern dancing to all-time favourite songs by members of "The Rat Pack" among others. It was thoroughly enjoyed by all who took part including Elizabeth Fisher, Jane Randell and recently retired Denman College rep. Bette Dexter.

Dancing at Denman
Each room at the college is supported by a Federation or other sponsor. The Surrey Room has had a complete makeover to make it lighter and brighter.
Denman twin
Members have created a new wallhanging for the room depicting the various activities that took place during our 90th anniversary celebrations last year. This has been hung over the mantelpiece.
Denman wallhanging
Here are a few photographs showing details of the embroidered squares and the ladies who made it
Scarecrow

Roundel

Cockerel

ladies at work

Wallhanging makers

ACWW

Our members are very keen to support the work of ACWW, and collect foreign and old sterling coins which raises income on a regular basis.

SFWI also supports special projects such as that we supported in 2009 in India where women from three marginal groups in the district of Tamil Nuda are being trained in non-traditional embroidery and needlework skills and this is well under way. The aim is to train 20 women from each group in the first year, building up to 300 women after five years. There is a demand for embroidered fabrics locally and this will help them become self-sufficient.

Our ACWW representative is Gwendoline Foster who is happy to visit WIs to talk to them about any aspects of ACWW.

ACWW rep

Gwendoline Foster

Gwendoline chaired a meeting in April 2009 to form a regional support group of South East Federations for ACWW.  The members are joining together to attend and support ACWW conferences, and although Gwendoline could not attend the Arkansas conference in April due to the ash from the Icelandic volcano, Kay East of Kent East Kent Federation attended from the group.

On 15 October, International Day for Rural women, we will be holding an event entitled "Honey for the Honies" at East Horsley Village Hall.  A tea of honey-based food will be served, such as honey bread, baklava etc. and Kay East will be reporting on her experiences in Arkansas.The main speaker will be Tim Lovett, President of the British Beekeepers' Association  and Reigate Beekeepers will be there with produce to sell. A very full afternoon of only two hours from 2pm to 4pm is really value for money at a cost of £7.50.

WOMEN REACHING WOMEN

After the Millennium there was a promise that certain development goals should be met across the  world. WI joined with Oxfam and others to raise awareness of these goals and on September 13 we will be holding a day conference at East Horsley Village Hall to hear some of the results that have occurred to date. Adam Askew Head of England Campaigns for Oxfam and Nancy Lindisfarne who attended the Copenhagen Summit on Climate Change will be there to report on their experiences and discuss the issues involved.