WI Support Team
Chairman: Susan Spanswick
We have 6 WI Advisers and 2 Adviser Support
We all help and support WIs throughout Nottinghamshire - we can start a new WI, help an existing WI, and will put on training events for new Presidents, Secretaries and Treasurers.
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If you would like to join one of our WIs in Nottinghamshire or start a new WI, Please contact the County Office 01636 673550 or email: secretary@nottswi.org.uk
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September
Hello everyone, I hope you are all having a good Summer and looking forward to your WIs in full swing once again. As I write this much of the Covid-19 guidance we have been following is no longer mandatory, and I profoundly hope that this will remains the case. Whilst I was looking through the current Government guidelines to ensure I knew what was being said I found something that was remarkably easy to read and follow. So in case you haven’t seen it, this is the web address www.gov.uk/guidance/covid-19-coronavirus-restrictions-what-you-can-and-cannot-do#easy-read; it is worth having a look. As you return to your meetings keep safe, remember, plenty of ventilation, hand hygiene, don’t go if you are unwell and wear a mask if you want to. Meanwhile I look forward to seeing as many of you as possible with all the things you have crafted and produced over the lockdown at the “Welcome Back” event on the 17 September
Susan Spanswick, WI Support Team Chair
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August
As I write this on July 21st tonight, I will be attending my first WI meeting in a hall since lockdown started, I’m looking forward to it. However, I still appreciate and am grateful to Zoom, because over the last year it’s provided an amazing platform allowing WIs to meet and keep “business as usual”. It has also allowed the Federation to keep going; we have all become proficient in “virtual” meetings and there has been a whole calendar of on-line speakers and events for members. Whilst we are all looking forward to resuming physical meetings, Zoom and other virtual platforms are here to stay and we need to continue to embrace them.
We would like to start a “Virtual WI”. Having seen the success in other Federations it would be brilliant to be able to do the same in Nottinghamshire, it gives access to so many more women. Interested? If so, please contact me at susanspanswick@nottswi.org.uk. and we can have a “no obligation” chat, let’s get this going in Notts.
Susan Spanswick, WI Support Team Chair
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Be BOLD, Be INCLUSIVE, Be FLEXIBLE and GROW [P.21 WI Life}
Be BOLD – Have you had a speaker talking about the achievement of a woman? Has your WI offered members the opportunity to do something different?
Be INCLUSIVE – Are you really friendly and welcoming to new members or do you have to sit where and with whom you always sit?
Be FLEXIBLE – Have you surveyed your members to see if the time and place of meetings, including committee meetings and activities, are convenient for everybody?
GROW – Is your WI on Facebook and is it used well for promotion? If not, apply for funding from your local MP and for 3- 6 months send out a newsletter to 50-100 houses in the area.
These are just a few suggestions, we bet you can think of and do more.
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Data Protection for ALL members. When sending out emails to more than one WI member it is important that you put all recipients in BCC (blind carbon copy) not CC, as you are breaching data protection by showing other members’ email addresses. We are sure that everyone knows that members’ emails are for WI business only.
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The Annual Meeting Paperwork is under review and will be available shortly
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How many committee meetings should be held in a year. The constitution says a minimum of 6 meetings a year should be held. However, your WI may well need more meetings in order to keep up to date with news and events and of course planning for your main meetings may take some time. Remember the saying that "If you fail to plan then you plan to fail". I am sure that doesn't affect your WI but planning is an essential part of running a good WI and this is generally done at your WI Committee meetings.
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Question
My new member hasn't received WI Life why is this?
Answer.
In order to receive WI Life your new members' details need to be added to the MCS register with a date of joining. After her details are added she will start receiving WI Life, she will receive a New members pack from the Federation via her email or the Hornblower envelope sent to your WI and she will also receive a new member pack sent to her from National but only if her details are put on within three months of her joining. It is important that the MCS is kept up to date not only by adding new members but deleting members who are no longer in your WI.
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We have a page to help WIs - WI Guide and Promotions.
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