Clean Rivers for People and Wildlife

This campaign is encouraging members to make and support applications to create bathing waters in rivers across England and Wales as a way to drive the cleanup of our precious waters.

Water quality in our rivers is shameful. Legally designated bathing waters must be regularly monitored for pollution. The NFWI urges its members, the wider public, local authorities, and Government to make, support and promote applications for officially designated bathing sites on appropriate stretches of rivers in their area. This will be instrumental to the clean-up of rivers as it has been for water quality improvement at coastal beaches.

In support of this Campaign, Jean Bates and her Campaigns and Concerns Team put on a Coffee Morning at WI House.

It was good to hear the enthusiastic and passionate team of Molly, Mandy and Victor from Nene Rivers Trust informing us of the great work they are doing to improve the environment in Northamptonshire.

CAMPAIGNS AND CONCERNS RESOLUTIONS FOR 2024
- shortlist announced (Malvina Keech (Cranford WI and Warkton Village WI))

National Federation has now announced the shortlist of four resolutions that was drawn up at the October meeting.  Your WI secretary should have received written confirmation of this.
They are -
* Dental Health Matters
* Impacts of Poor Housing Conditions
* Say ‘No’ to Gambling Advertising
* Improving Outcomes for Women in the Criminal Justice system
Information to help your decision on which to select as your favourite for the final National Annual Meeting agenda is on My WI, and in the November/December edition of WI Life, along with your voting form. This form must be sent (we suggest through your WI), to WI House by an absolute deadline of 11 February, preferably a little earlier. We will then collate all the Northamptonshire votes for passing the numbers on to NF. We should know the final one, or two, selected for the Annual Meeting by late February.

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RESOLUTIONS FOR 2024

I recently attended the National Federation’s Long List meeting (by Zoom). Every federation had the right to send a delegate to vote on their preferences, with the top few going on to the shortlist sent out to members for final selection. There were 100+ participants, and 58 resolutions were submitted for consideration. After considering each of these participants voted online, and the results were displayed instantly on screen for us all to see.
By the end of the morning we had a ‘first sort’ list of about a  dozen which had been considered worthy of further discussion for the shortlist, which we did after a short lunch break. In the afternoon we reviewed all the resolutions we had sorted out as ‘possibles’. The discussions were excellent - never underestimate the breadth of knowledge that exists amongst our thousands of capable members!
We then voted again on those ’possibles’ and came up with four we felt would be good topics for the WI to consider at the Annual NF meeting next year. Two of those final four have to be checked and slightly modified in conjunction with the submitting WIs, and all of them have to go to the solicitor to check for any legal reasons why we ought not to include them. Until these final checks are done attending participants are sworn to secrecy!
The final outcome is expected shortly and will be communicated to the federations and WIs and included in the November edition of WI Life, along with the individual voting form for each individual member. Each of us will be voting not for or against the resolutions on the shortlist, but rather on which is your favourite for discussions in your WI next spring, and then voted on by your delegate at the Albert Hall.
You will have until January to make your individual choice. We will collate all the Northamptonshire preferences and forward them to the National Federation.

Northamptonshire Federation supports NFWI resolutions, even those which were passed years ago.

From Jean, Chairman of Campaigns and Concerns committee - November 2022
Do you remember the resolution we passed a few years ago, Time to Talk?  Yes, we were focusing on mental health and how 1 in 2 of us will suffer from mental health issues over our lifetime.  How good then for me to share this news with you.
Chacombe WI learnt that The Elms, Mental Health Unit in Banbury, had a garden that required a much needed makeover.  The central flower bed welcomes staff and patients to the unit.  With no budget Chacombe WI went about obtaining generous donations from companies, charities and individuals.  You may imagine just how much work was entailed in this, but I have to tell you that the final result of a beautifully re-planted flower bed, has made such a difference to the front entrance of the unit.All of this work was detailed in a report in the local paper, The Banbury Guardian, with both before and after pictures showing 4 members who worked on this project.  What an excellent result all round, with good publicity for the WI as well (see also page 7).
My thanks to Rachel Taylor, Hilary Maggs, Rosemary Steel and Alison Castle, and to Chacombe WI for supporting this resolution.
If your WI has worked on a resolution, please let me share the good news.
Thank you Jean

From Jean, Chairman of Campaigns and Concerns committee - July/August 2022
My thanks to the members who came to support the recent Bee Day coffee morning, even though the weather could have been dryer and warmer.
NFWI and Ovarian Cancer Action, have recently given evidence to the Government to help shape their 10 year Cancer plan for England. Many members took part in a survey which helped NFWI tell the Government what they must do to turn the tide in Cancer care, to give women the best outcomes they deserve. In total NFWI received 2,300 complete responses, so thanks from all of us if you did complete the survey. Being a WI member and acting on our resolutions really does make a difference.
Thank you,

Ashley Welland Valley WI created a display for the local Community Shop in Cottingham, to celebrate “Show the Love”. Members made pom-poms and hearts and posted on them pictures of things they would not wish to lose to climate change. Big thank you to Chris West-Robinson who organised everything for them.

From Jean, Chairman of Campaigns and Concerns committee - April 2022
With household bills continuing to rise, we in the WI could remember the resolution we passed a few years ago called Food Matters. We are told that 1in 8 need to consider either eating or heating, and the WI has 10 tips to avoid food waste that could be most beneficial.
Of course many of us are practising these tips as we have never wasted food, cook from fresh, knew food rationing and had the benefit of home economics education at school. But perhaps I am sounding too old, and recommend that we now discuss these pointers to help prevent food waste with our children and grandchildren. They will think you trendy, as this has to be the way forward.
Top tips to avoid food waste;
1. Make use of all food, use leftovers. Recipes available recipes | Love Food Hate Waste
2. Improve storage, make sure items are visible in your cupboards.
3. Use meal plans and shopping lists.
4. Get to know “best before’ and “use by” dates. Make a note when putting away shopping.
5. Check the temperature of your fridge, it should be below 5c, but most are set at 7c.
6. Research food waste apps. Too Good To Go, Olio, No Waste.
7. Become a portion planning pro.
8. Compost it if you can.
9. Create or contribute to a community fridge
10. Help redistribute to those in need. https://fareshare.org.uk/
Thank you,

Northampton Martinis WI is working to raise awareness of ovarian cancer during March.  As well as posting every day on their public Facebook page, they have made these small gifts of eggs to give to their friends.

Brigstock WI decorated its WI hall with green hears to ShowThe Love

It shows the "good picnic with homemade sandwiches and drinks.  Then the bad" with all bought items and lots of rubbish left behind, with a poster detailing how long these items take to decompose. Display is at Hunsbury Library for all to see.

Warkton Village WI has, for several years, sponsored a local beehive as part of their climate awareness and has raised money selling bee bags and holding a raffle.

SOS for Honeybees 2009
In 2020 one member made honeybees welcome in her garden by building a Bug Hotel, providing water not only for the birds but also making it accessible for bees and other insects and she even discovered  a colony of bees used the old white bird box for a home,  highlighting the importance of areas that are left untouched.

Keep Britain Tidy 1954
WIs engage in the annual litter pick which has been rebranded many times.

Newnham WI