History of The WI
The Women's Institute Movement in Britain started in 1915. During the First World War it was formed to encourage countrywomen to get involved in growing and preserving food to help to increase the supply of food to the war-torn nation.
The first one to be formed was at Llanfair PG on Anglesey, North Wales.
Here in Stanwick, there have been previous WI's. In 1918 the Rushden Argus reported that "Stanwick W.I. knitted 132 pairs of socks and gave them to the soldiers and sailors. ". If you know anything about previous Stanwick WI's, we'd love to hear from you with your experiences or photos. Please email them to [email protected] .
in late 2010 village resident Sue Foster organised a meeting to see if there was any interest in setting up a new one. This first meeting saw the Old School Rooms heaving with women of all ages showing an interest in joining up. And so Stanwick WI was born!
Sue talked of Stanwick being a place with a sense of community; a sense of belonging, and read from a book about Stanwick which celebrates exactly that. This is the hope for Stanwick WI.
(from www.Stanwickwarmemorial.co.uk by Fred Page)
"“I have learned that war is not about great generals with their power of leadership, or about their tactics or the efficiency of supplies, war is about men and women – their stoicism or cheerfulness, their fear or their bravery, their resilience or their stubbornness.
What was it that prompted one lady of the village to send pipes and tobacco to every soldier?
What was it that prompted so many ladies to give up so much time to organise market days, fetes, concerts and many other events to raise money for presents for the soldiers?
What was it that enabled so many families to give up eggs so that they could be sent to hospital for the wounded?
What inspired the children so assiduously to collect these eggs and take them to school to be sent on?
These self same children surrendered their precious toys so that Belgian refugee children living locally would receive Christmas presents. It must be remembered that in those days (unlike today, when the shelves of every charity shop are full of unwanted toys) children had very few toys to play with.
What was it that allowed the ladies to knit countless woollens for the soldiers at the front?
It is something called “community spirit”, much akin to the “esprit de corps” in a regiment, without which a unit is useless. It is like a common stream that flows through a village or town. It is essential if a village is to survive and, if it dries up, the village dies and becomes lost in the mists of history."
To read more from Fred Page click here
To find out more about the history of Stanwick click here.
The first one to be formed was at Llanfair PG on Anglesey, North Wales.
Here in Stanwick, there have been previous WI's. In 1918 the Rushden Argus reported that "Stanwick W.I. knitted 132 pairs of socks and gave them to the soldiers and sailors. ". If you know anything about previous Stanwick WI's, we'd love to hear from you with your experiences or photos. Please email them to [email protected] .
in late 2010 village resident Sue Foster organised a meeting to see if there was any interest in setting up a new one. This first meeting saw the Old School Rooms heaving with women of all ages showing an interest in joining up. And so Stanwick WI was born!
Sue talked of Stanwick being a place with a sense of community; a sense of belonging, and read from a book about Stanwick which celebrates exactly that. This is the hope for Stanwick WI.
(from www.Stanwickwarmemorial.co.uk by Fred Page)
"“I have learned that war is not about great generals with their power of leadership, or about their tactics or the efficiency of supplies, war is about men and women – their stoicism or cheerfulness, their fear or their bravery, their resilience or their stubbornness.
What was it that prompted one lady of the village to send pipes and tobacco to every soldier?
What was it that prompted so many ladies to give up so much time to organise market days, fetes, concerts and many other events to raise money for presents for the soldiers?
What was it that enabled so many families to give up eggs so that they could be sent to hospital for the wounded?
What inspired the children so assiduously to collect these eggs and take them to school to be sent on?
These self same children surrendered their precious toys so that Belgian refugee children living locally would receive Christmas presents. It must be remembered that in those days (unlike today, when the shelves of every charity shop are full of unwanted toys) children had very few toys to play with.
What was it that allowed the ladies to knit countless woollens for the soldiers at the front?
It is something called “community spirit”, much akin to the “esprit de corps” in a regiment, without which a unit is useless. It is like a common stream that flows through a village or town. It is essential if a village is to survive and, if it dries up, the village dies and becomes lost in the mists of history."
To read more from Fred Page click here
To find out more about the history of Stanwick click here.