You can’t keep a good WI down, even during a pandemic.
Finding a different way of providing a service to our members has been a challenge for the committee finding ways to entertain, enrich and engage our members. Zoom and the post office have proved vital in keeping everyone in touch.
There have been some positives too with our ladies carrying out charitable acts such as knitting and crocheting hats for the homeless, helping members and friends with errands where they have been isolating and working with local charities such as CFSG and Good Companions.
As a group we have been able to source Zoom speakers who we probably would not have been able to had we been meeting in person. Recently we heard from Chris Duffin who was a female prison governor, notably being the first woman at HMP Strangeways and at Dartmoor Prison. In contrast in our January meeting, we were entertained by Jo May, a percussionist who taught us how to play the spoons. Very funny, entertaining and light-hearted – just what we all needed during a gloomy lockdown. At these meetings we have been joined by WI members from all over the country, swelling our numbers and opening up opportunities for our members to join them too. We have “Numbers are as easy as Pi” in February, a stuntman in March and a speaker from the Women’s Centre in April – a real variety of topics.
As our craft and other activities are unable to go ahead, we have a monthly quiz or games night where various members take turns to entertain us with bingo, a themed quiz or games or even a scavenger hunt. These are proving popular with time for a catch up and chat.
In addition to Zoom we have also delivered “meetings in a bag.” These usually include a puzzle page, a craft activity, a newsletter, an edible treat, and we have also included sunflower seeds and daffodil bulbs.
If any local ladies would like to give us a try, visit us for a meeting in either February or March and find out more of what we’re about.
Please email us at [email protected] for more details and a link to join us.