Local Members Attend Major Event
WI members from all over Lancashire and Cheshire will be attending this year’s Annual General Meeting of the National Federation of Women’s Institute (NFWI).
The AGM, which is the largest single gathering of women in the UK, is to be held in the Echo Arena, Liverpool on Wednesday, 4th June. About a thousand members from Lancashire and Cheshire have already booked their seats, making nearly a fifth of the total audience of just over 5,000.
“I am delighted that the NFWI AGM is in Liverpool, the Capital of Culture, this year” says Helen Carey, former federation and NFWI Chair. “With such a large number of members attending from this region our fellow members from around the country will quickly realise how passionate we in the north west are about the WI.”
Guest speakers include scientist and lecturer Professor Averil MacDonald; neuroscientist, author and broadcaster Baroness Susan Greenfield and writer and broadcaster Sandi Toksvig.
The delegates will be debating two resolutions:
Inappropriate Imprisonment of the Severely Mentally Ill.
In view of the adverse effect on families of the imprisonment of people with severe mental health problems, this meeting urges HM Government to provide treatment and therapy in a more appropriate and secure residential environment.
and
Ban on Bottom Trawling.
This meeting asks HM Government to urge the E.U. to ban bottom trawling which causes catastrophic loss of marine life.
“It is a great pity that we currently have no WIs in Liverpool but I’m sure that when Liverpool women see what they are missing they will want to join” says Helen. “It may be that some women tend to think the WI is just for rural areas, but it offers opportunities to all women. WIs are being set up in diverse areas and places, including the centre of London and in workplaces. Anyone wanting to join should contact the federation offices in Leyland on 01772 459020 for more information or visit our website www.theWI.org.uk . “
-ENDS-
For further information please contact Eoin Redahan at the National Federation of Women’s Institutes (NFWI) Press Office on 020 7371 9300 ext. 209 or email e.redahan@nfwi.org.uk.
Notes to editors:
1. The WI is the largest women’s organisation in the UK with more than 205,000 members in 6,800 WIs. The charity campaigns on issues that matter to women and their communities from children’s diet and human trafficking to healthy eating and the environment.
2. For further information please visit www.theWI.org.uk
3. Example of previous resolutions include the resolution that saw the start of the ‘Keep Britain Tidy’ campaign (1954); a call for the dissemination of information on AIDS (1986); a resolution that called on members to take further action to reduce waste and conserve resources in their homes and communities (2005) and a call for Antarctica to be declared a wilderness park (1990).