WI Support Team
TEAM LEADER: Helen Ainley
We have 5 WI Advisers
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.
-------------------------------------------------
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
--------------------------------------------------
MARCH 2025
Well! We are in March and the year seems to be going far too fast already.
You will have seen in last month’s Hornblower that our Annual Federation Meeting has had to be postponed until the 14 June, this gives the members who are busy making their patchwork squares for the Sheila Norris Rose Bowl Competition a little more time to complete them. They can now be handed in at the Federation office by 30th May or taken along to the AFM. We are all excited to see the wonderful pieces of work you are creating.
Please may I gently remind you that subscriptions are due 1st April, these are now £51 for a full year. For this you are entitled to eleven monthly WI meetings free of charge, eight WI Life magazines, access to MyWI online which is a vast resource for anything WI as well as crafting, cooking etc. Also, you get access to free courses via the WI Learning Hub, if you haven’t already had a look at this you really are missing out, have a look - there is bound to be something that interests you. Plus being part of the WI brings a sense of belonging through friendship and fellowship. All this for less than £1 a week, what a bargain!
As always the WI Support Team are on hand if you need any advice and help with Annual Meetings but we are also very happy just to visit you for any of your WI meetings; we love to come out and get to know you so don’t be shy we always love an invitation.
As always you can contact the WI Support Team via myself at helenainley@nottswi.org.uk or via the Office.
--------------------------------------------------------
MCS REGISTER
After your Annual Meetings you may possibly have changes of officers, please can I remind you that these changes must be logged onto the Membership Communication System (MCS) as soon as possible after your meeting. This ensures that the details are carried forward, so the Yearbook is kept up to date and that mailings etc are sent to the correct person. The office also needs to update changes to passwords on Office 365. If you need any information about running your Annual Meeting it is worth having a look in the WI Handbook, it should be your go to for anything WI. You can find this on My WI or if you prefer a paper copy that can be requested from the Federation Office for a small charge for printing and postage.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Be BOLD, Be INCLUSIVE, Be FLEXIBLE and GROW
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.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
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.
------------------------------------------------------
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.
---------------------------------------------------
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.
------------------------------------------------