"We debated the pros and cons with a formal organisation, versus the merits of just staying as a group of 'mates' actively doing something in the community. In the end the benefits of being WI outweighed all the others, the identity and reputation of the WI, the political voice that it would give us and the accessibility to new members were strong factors," explains Lisa Lovering.

Tutshill WI was founded in January 2004 and its membership grew from 15 to 40 in that year alone. "Our members are mostly from early thirties to late forties, with a wide mix of occupations and social types. We have doctors, high flying civil servants and full time mums. We have social workers, ex-army officers, nurses, HR professionals, accountants, farmers and people running their own businesses all challenging the traditional WI stereotype," Ceri Crossland explains.

"We also put something back into our community. We have been involved in fundraising for the local primary school (raising £3,350), run a food festival to promote local quality produce, run an evening on 'Chemicals and Health' and supported numerous other events such as the local carnival and being consulters on the Parish Plan."

"We deliberately set out to challenge perceptions of what the WI is about by holding our first meetings in a pub. The singing of Jerusalem is a tradition in some of the older WIs, but we are creating our own traditions.

"We try to produce a varied and fun programme, with a mix of arts and crafts (jewellery making, ceramic painting), social events (salsa dancing, wine tasting, a midsummer champagne picnic), education (compassion in world farming, chemicals and health) and adventure (quad biking, hiking).

"One of our most popular activities was the sloe gin making evening. Even our AGM we ran as a party with a Mexican theme, with food, cocktails and Latin American music," says Lisa Lovering.