WI Support Team
TEAM LEADER: Helen Ainley. Contact details helenainley@nottswi.org.uk.
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.
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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 07955 771784 or email: secretary@nottswi.org.uk
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Sheila Norris Rose Bowl Competition 2026
This year for the Sheila Norris Rose Bowl competition the WI Support Team would like you to produce washbags, preferably using recycled materials, and fill them with basic toiletries. These can be of any style or design. | They will be distributed to women’s refuges and homeless charities for women after judging, thus benefiting women in need. They will be judged on creative use of materials and overall appearance. You can enter as many times as you like; the winner will be presented with the Sheila Norris Rose Bowl to hold for a year. A certificate will be presented to the WI that produces the most washbags. These will be presented at our Nottinghamshire Federation Annual Meeting and Lunch on 6 May 2026. |
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.
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 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.
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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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.
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