ELSENHAM WOMENS INSTITUTE

The Women's Institute has been up and running in Elsenham for over 80 years now, first as an afternoon meeting and later changing to evenings as more of the members took up daytime jobs.

We meet now on the third Thursday of the month (except December when the meeting is on the second Thursday) in Elsenham Village Hall at 7.45 p.m.

Our monthly meetings cover a wide and varied range of topics, from crafts, cookery, gardening, health and fitness to subjects of local and historical interest, so there is hopefully, something for everyone. There is also the opportunity to voice our concerns, and to vote, on matters of national interest at the Resolutions meeting each May, the results of which go on to the Triennial or Intermediate General meeting at national level.

In April each year we join other local Institutes for the traditional Spring Group Meeting. By pooling our resources we can run to a more expensive speaker and over the years have been entertained by some well-known personalities; last year the speaker was Jeremy Spake, who proved to be a truly hilarious entertainer and a really nice man, with a soft spot for WI apparently! There is usually an amusing ‘Dramatic Production’ provided by the more theatrically inclined members and, in true WI tradition, a competition and always some good refreshments!

In past years we have competed at both County and District level in Crafts, Cookery and Flower Arranging, with some notable results. Nearer home, we hold a Quiz Evening in the village at least once a year to help boost our funds and WI members are regular flag-sellers on behalf of Cancer Research and the RNLI when the annual door-to-door collections come round. Funds are also raised for other charities at the August meeting which is held at the garden of one of our members, as well as other times throughout the year. There are some very lovely trees in the village which were planted by the WI in 1983, and a bench was donated and placed in the Memorial Garden to commemorate the Millennium. At most village events, WI ladies can usually be found serving teas and cakes!

We are delighted to find our membership on the increase again and we are always glad to welcome visitors to our meetings. Why not give it a try, you have probably got a lot to contribute, as well as to gain, from it. We look forward to seeing you!

Contact telephone number: 01279 813786                               February 2003