4m x 3m Omlet pen, cube, new auto door still boxed and coop light

[Patricia W]

Just reading in the paper about a new sort of WI for younger women. It's actually in York, not America.

 

Sounds great - but why just for "young" women? I'm quite attracted to the WI, but not the ones near me, where everyone seems retired and been there for years and years.. and you feel like an interloper from Planet Mars.

 

I am in my 60's ( but you'd never guess - ahem!). I work full time (and a bit) and don't want to be consigned to the s"Ooops, word censored!" heap just yet.

 

Any WI members out there able to change my mind- any other dynamic WI's out there - open to all ages??

 

Tricia

[Snowy]

I think the WI does vary very much from town to town - one in Leicestershire recently offered a trip out to do shooting and archery and all kinds of stuff! But others do just seem to do flower arranging. Omletina's WI are very 'with it', most of the ones very close to me are ancient! Worth having a look on their website and contacting a few to see what they do. They do have a college that you can access if you are a member, that looks brilliant! You could also start your own group I didn't like the 'Sisterhood' one - I think I read somewhere that the maximum age was 40? So at 44, but with two young children, I am too old!!

[Saronne]

When my daughter was 8, (she's now 23), she and her best friend wanted to see a demonstration of flower pressing given by our local WI. Although I wasn't a member, they kindly let me bring the girls to watch the session and learn.......

 

Unfortunately, the girls got the giggles whilst 'Jerusalem' was being sung. The more I shushed them, the more hysterical they became.... and we were asked to leave..

 

So much for the sisterhood!

 

 

Saronne x

[Ziggy]

I don't get this... if maximum age is 40, does that mean that if you join let's say at 36 or any age really, when you reach 40 they kick you out??

 

You'd think a group like that would be keen to bridge the generations... I find it so hard meeting anyone who is not of relatively close age to me (give or take 10 years), as life is taken by school and my daughters' friends' mum are all in their mid 30's to mid 40's... I know that with 4 daughters I will have lots of contact in life with younger women, my girls and their friends, but never really get to meet anyone who is presently in their 20's, or anyone past the mid-40's...

I had looked at my local WI, but the groups only seem to meet in evenings, which is not convenient for me as that's when homework/dinner/bedtime routines for the girls are, but one reason I'd have hoped to find a group was the thought of women from different ages being there (mind you, I have no idea who goes to my local groups, never got as far as finding out)...

 

Now their college is very close to here, and that too was an incentive to look into it... maybe I'll look into it all again when my girls are a bit older...

[laurmurf]

I think the '40' bit referred to their current age range rather than a barrier - i'm 47 and live in York. I've been in email contact with the sisterhood (and they've got a GREAT facebook page) and I'm going to the next meeting!

 

It's a victoria sponge competition within the group - we've all been emailed the recipe to stick to under WI rules and then they'll be a 'taste off'! The same evening there is a talk by the head of a refuge for women escaping domestic violence.

 

I am really impressed so far by the range of activities, the web information and the personal contact I've had since expressing interest. I don't feel the least bit unwelcome despite my crepitude!

 

Are you in York, Patricia W? Fancy coming along?

[Ziggy]

That sounds better... I did think a 'maximum age' would be weird and a bit impractical as they'd have to keep 'getting rid' of their members as they reach 40...

 

York is far away... that victoria sponge thing sounds great!

[Cinnamon]

I must say that I have never had any desire to join the WI, bit the Sisterhood thing sounds great, & I may have been tempted if I lived in York & not been 43

[Egluntyne]

I should say that you are doubly qualified, Laurie, with you actually coming from New York.

[Patricia W]

I'm an exile from Yorkshire on missionary work in Oxfordshire so York is spiritually if not practically close. I know the WI college well - lovely setting.

 

Actually I find joining anything difficult at the moment as I'm all over the country with work. Maybe there should be a " virtual" WI on the net...

 

Tricia