FEDERATION NEWS 2022
14 September 2022
9 September 2022
We are truly saddened by the news of the passing of Her Majesty the Queen and offer our deepest condolences to the Royal Family. She was a loyal and dedicated member of the WI for 80 years, and never failed to show her support for us throughout her time as Queen. We thank her for her dedication, service and fellowship. Many of our members have fond memories of her and will treasure these for years to come.
5 September 2022
COMPETITION REMINDERS:
− WI Day ‘Flower Power’ Competition (Enclosure June 2022) deadline 16th September 2022
− HFWI Handicraft Competition 2022 (Enclosure June 2022) deadline 21st September 2022
− Joy Ward Silver Trophy Poetry Competition (Enclosure April 2022) deadline 4th October 2022
− HFWI Calendar Competition 2024 (Enclosure April 2022) deadline 31st January 2023.
26 August 2022
It is all change at WI House from the 1st September 2022. We will be open 4 mornings a week instead of 2. This will give you a greater access to WI House and staff.
Monday Closed
Tuesday 9.30am – 2.30pm Caroline Wright and Marcia
Wednesday 9.30am – 2.30pm Assistant Federation Secretary and Marcia (contactable but working from home)
Thursday 9.30am – 2.30pm Assistant Federation Secretary
Friday 9.30am – 2.30pm Caroline Wright
26 August 2022
It is with regret that we have said goodbye to Jane Jenkins on her retirement. She finished working at WI House on Tuesday, 26th July and I’m sure you will all want to wish her the best for the future.
11 July 2022
4 June 2022
3 May 2022
1 May 2022
MEMBERSHIP SUPPORT COMMITTEE FOR MAY 2022 NEWSLETTER
GROUPS
WI Groups did not meet during the pandemic, but may be thinking of arranging meetings. It is entirely up to your Group to decide whether you meet or not, and to arrange the format of your group meetings. If your group has decided not to meet perhaps you could let your Adviser know for information.
2022 RESOLUTION
Your link delegate will be getting in touch with your WI this month to find out how you wish them to vote at the National Annual Meeting. Your WI need to decide whether you are going to vote for the resolution, against the resolution or give your delegate discretion to vote after hearing the debate. The resolution is: Women and Girls with ASD & ADHD - under-identified, under-diagnosed, misdiagnosed, under-supported
SUBSCRIPTIONS 2022 – 2023
Your subscription for this WI Year was due on 1 April so if you have not yet paid and intend to remain a member please do so as soon as you can. If you do not wish to renew your membership, please could you let your WI Treasurer know.
TRUSTEE ELIGIBILITY SHEET
The beginning of the WI Year and formation of new committees is a good time to sign your trustee eligibility sheet. Your secretary will be organising this. You can download the sheet from My WI or from the Useful Documents page on our Herefordshire section of the website.
https://herefordshire.thewi.org.uk/useful-documents
As ever your volunteer advisers are here to help you so,please get in touch. We would love to hear from anyone who is thinking of forming a new WI, or who is interested in becoming a WI Adviser. Thank you.
Membership Chairmen: Cherril Watkins and Alison Lord
Contact details on https://herefordshire.thewi.org.uk/about-us/wi-advisers
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CHANGES AND UPDATES TO 2021/2022 YEARBOOK:
BRAMPTON BRYAN WI (from 14th April 2022)
Brampton Bryan WI is now suspended.
MUCH BIRCH WI (from 19th April 2022)
Much Birch WI is now suspended
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THE ROYAL THREE COUNTIES SHOW 2022:
Volunteers, remember that you will receive a free entry ticket worth £21.85 for use on that day. Volunteers can also be non members so neighbours, friends, family members, all are welcome with the bonus of a free ticket for the day. Do not forget that you can do more than one shift over the three days.
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FLOOD ACTION IN HEREFORDSHIRE
MONDAY 26th SEPTEMBER 2022 at 7.30pm
WELLINGTON COMMUNITY CENTRE, HR4 8AT
Mary Dhonau OBE, a specialist independent property flood resilience consultant working to raise local flood awareness will be giving a presentation at Wellington Community Centre on Monday 26th September 2022 at 7.30pm.
ALL WI MEMBERS AND NON-MEMBERS ARE WELCOME.
Subject to Government guidelines at the time of the event, we reserve the right to reduce the number of people attending or to cancel. You will be informed if this is the case as soon as possible. If the event has to be cancelled any monies paid will be refunded.
We look forward to seeing you there.
Enclosure is with your secretary.
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Denman Announcement: For the attention of all Federations and WIs
Denman Announcement – 25th April 2022
In October 2021 we shared with all members (via their federations and MyWI) that the Denman Estate was to be sold. This followed an extensive period of consultation over the previous 12 months, coordinated by the NFWI Trustees operating as Corporate Trustee of the Denman Trust and in conjunction with the Charity Commission. At this time we also shared with you that ‘during’ the sale process we would be bound by legal confidentiality and would not therefore be able to share any details of any offers or ongoing negotiations. We did however commit to letting you know of the completed sale as soon as we were legally able to share this information.
We are writing to you to let you know that the sale of the Denman Estate was completed today.
For the sale of the Denman Estate, the duty of the NFWI Trustees (operating as the Corporate Trustee of the Denman Trust) was to ensure that the charity achieved ‘best value’ as defined in charity law. They also had a legal responsibility to appoint a qualified Surveyor to lead and guide the sale process. Following a thorough process executed in line with the NFWI Procurement Policy, Daniel Watney LLP were instructed to undertake this role. Following the sale process, we can confirm that the Denman Trust achieved a sale price of £8.5m for the Denman Estate. This is significantly more than the market value for the estate and the charity thanks both Daniel Watney LLP and our solicitors, BatesWells, for their support in helping achieve best value. The purchaser has a family connection to Marcham Park (the previous name of the estate and the name it will revert to from this point onwards) and they are intending to make the estate their family home.
With regard to the proceeds of sale, you will be aware that the Denman Trust must first discharge its debts and financial liabilities (including the costs of the sale). This includes repayment of the £1.5m loan made from NFWI to the Denman Trust in 2020. After this, the Denman Trust will engage with the Charity Commission about how the remaining proceeds can be used. This money will of course be restricted for use against the Denman Trust’s charitable object, but the Charity Commission will also work with us to agree the proportion of the funds that can be accessed and the proportion to be held in Permanent Endowment (invested to deliver a return which the charity can use over time). We will of course keep you updated with the outcome of these discussions.
As alluded to already, this has not been an easy process. However we would like to take this opportunity to say thank you to our NFWI Trustees (current and past), our Denman staff team and to all of you who have continued to support the work of the Denman Trust over the past two years. That hard work and continued support means that with the sale of the Denman Estate we can now ensure that whatever the new model for the Denman Trust looks like, that it will reach and meet the needs of the widest number of members across the organisation, both now and in the future. Denman Announcement: For the attention of all Federations and WIs
Melissa Green
General Secretary of the National Federation of Women’s Institutes
Sent on behalf of the NFWI Board of Trustees and Corporate Trustee of the Denman Trust.
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4 APRIL 2022
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4 APRIL 2022
Digital News for APRIL 2022 newsletter
WI HANDBOOK
NFWI have produced a new version of the WI Handbook in digital format.
A reminder that you can access the Herefordshire pages on the NFWI website at this address: https://herefordshire.thewi.org.uk
Under the Tab Useful Documents on the Herefordshire page you will find the WI Handbook, the WI Constitution and a guide to the MCS.
Alison Lord digitalchampion.hfwi@gmail.com 01544 340256 07896888629
4 APRIL 2022
MEMBERSHIP SUPPORT COMMITTEE FOR APRIL 2022 NEWSLETTER
OFFICER TRAINING FOR PRESIDENTS AND SECRETARIES
We are intending to trial a new approach to officer training in April. The session (date to be advised) will be a combined update and training session for Presidents and Secretaries. We would like to use the expertise of existing Presidents and Secretaries to advise new officers and so we will be inviting any current President and Secretary together with new Presidents and Secretaries to meet together for an interesting session. Please keep an eye on the website and on the Facebook page as it will also be advertised there.
OFFICER TRAINING FOR TREASURERS
There is already a very comprehensive training module for Treasurers on WI Training. This is accessed with your ‘My WI’ login from a link on the bottom of the NFWI webpage. https://witraining.thewi.org.uk/.
Should you need any extra assistance, please contact your adviser who will help. If you are using the NFWI spreadsheet there are comprehensive instructions on its use on ‘My WI’ and all other aspects of the paperwork.
https://mywi.thewi.org.uk/running-your-wi/wi-finances
MEMBERSHIP DATABASE (MCS)
MCS representatives please can you ensure that as well as updating your database with your new members, you also add in their Positions and any information that has changed about your WI i.e., change of venue, change of week you meet as otherwise it will not change on the WI website. Thank you.
As ever your volunteer advisers are here to help you so,please get in touch. We would love to hear from anyone who is thinking of forming a new WI, or who is interested in becoming a WI Adviser.
Membership Chairmen: Cherril Watkins and Alison Lord
Contact details on https://herefordshire.thewi.org.uk/about-us/wi-advisers
30 MARCH 2022
VIRTUAL RESOLUTION EVENT
On Monday, 25th April, 2022 at 7pm via Zoom, NFWI will host a discussion on this year’s resolution led by Dr Hannah Belcher, researcher at King’s College. Dr Belcher will cover the late and missed diagnosis of autistic women.
Anyone wishing to attend must register their interest by email to pa@nfwi.org.uk. Joining instructions will be sent out by NFWI nearer the date.
Margaret Simcock
Chair
Herefordshire Federation WI
90 St Owen Street
Hereford HR1 2QD
Tel: 01432 272268
21 MARCH 2022
Almeley W.I
When Almeley, a small village in the north-west corner of Herefordshire, founded its W.I in 1923 at the end of the first war, life was very different. The farms in the area were still worked by horses and most women would have worked in the home looking after their families. Most residents would have had some connection to the land and there would have been few incomers looking for a peaceful retirement. An afternoon or evening out to attend a W.I meeting would have been an opportunity to see friends and neighbours and to exchange news and, (dare I say it, gossip), as well as fulfilling the more noble aims of the W.I.
In common with other W.I's in the country, our group disbanded during the second war, reopening in 1945. By 1952 there were 60 members, a really good membership given that the population of the village was just 480. This means that Almeley W.I would be celebrating its 95th anniversary this year, quite a remarkable achievement.
However, as the years have gone on our membership has gradually declined despite many efforts and there is little prospect of increasing this on the horizon. We have to accept that times have changed, with the pace really increasing in the last few years, especially technological change which we have become so aware of during the pandemic. Although we have managed to keep going as a group during this time thanks mainly due to this technology, on reviewing our current situation we have had to accept that our declining membership has reached a critical point with little prospect of any recovery and has led us to take the decision to suspend our W.I.
As things change we need to change with them and bearing this in mind I think this has been a courageous decision. Who knows where the next few years will take us but hopefully with shared kindness and humour we will continue to get together for mutual support and friendship.
I would like to take this opportunity to pay tribute to all those women in the past 95 years who have contributed in any way to the running of this W.I, and a big thank you to all our members, past and present. Definitely not a ' monstrous regiment of women' but a kind, supportive and helpful group from whom I have learned a great deal.
Denise Mullis March 2022
17 MARCH 2022
Monday, 21st March is the last Craft and Chat in the present series. Over the last two years we have all enjoyed the varied crafts demonstrated on Monday mornings. Now we are looking forward to sunny summer weather (hopefully!) and many activities including the Jubilee celebrations.
Craft and Chat is going to have a summer break. I am sure that you have plenty of ideas to work on - crochet, dotting, free embroidery and perhaps visiting Abergavenny or Long Melford to meet Andrea or Stuart in their shops. I do hope that many of you will visit the fantastic Royal Three Counties Show at Malvern between the 17th and 19th June where Herefordshire Federation will be running the WI Marquee on Avenue C Row 1 where you will find outstanding refreshments as well as lots of crafts and displays.
Craft and Chat will return in September so watch out for details in August and join again for crafty Monday mornings. Information will be on Try Booking, WI Wanderers and the Herefordshire WI web site. Contact me if you have ideas for demonstrators or need any information about Craft and Chat or the Herefordshire Federation on chair@herefordshirewi.org.uk.
Best wishes for a most enjoyable summer and I shall look forward to seeing you again in September,
Margaret Simcock
16 MARCH 2022
Cleaner required for two hours per month on either a Tuesday or Wednesday starting in June at WI House, 90 St Owen Street. Cash remuneration by arrangement..
For further details and to apply contact chair@herefordshirewi.org.uk
8 MARCH 2022
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1 MARCH 2022
MEMBERSHIP SUPPORT COMMITTEE MARCH
ANNUAL MEETINGS - This is your new Annual Meeting month, where you will be electing your committee and President for the
coming year April 2022 to March 2023. Please read Section 4.3 of the new WI Handbook 2021 which is all about the Annual
Meeting; you will find it very useful. The Handbook is on My WI and also on the Herefordshire pages of the NFWI website. See
link:. https://herefordshire.thewi.org.uk/federationnews
TREASURERS - Treasurers are reminded that you should send WI House a copy of your audited Financial Statement and your
budget for the coming year as soon as you can after the end of the Financial Year and no later than 31 March 2022 once they
have been presented to your members at your Annual Meeting.
OFFICER TRAINING FOR PRESIDENTS AND SECRETARIES - We are intending to trial a new approach to officer training in April.
The session (date to be advised) will be a combined update and training session for Presidents and Secretaries. We would like
to use the expertise of existing Presidents and Secretaries to advise new officers and so we will be inviting any current President
and Secretary together with new Presidents and Secretaries to meet together for a interesting session. Please keep an eye on
the website and on the Facebook page as it will also be advertised there.
OFFICER TRAINING FOR TREASURERS - There is already a very comprehensive training module for Treasurers on WI Training.
This is accessed with your ‘My WI’ login from a link on the bottom of the NFWI webpage. https://witraining.thewi.org.uk/
Should you need any extra assistance, please contact your adviser who will help. If you are using the NFWI spreadsheet there
are comprehensive instructions on its use on ‘My WI’ and all other aspects of the paperwork.
https://mywi.thewi.org.uk/running-your-wi/wi-finances
As ever your volunteer advisers are here to help you so please get in touch. We would love to hear from anyone who is thinking
of forming a new WI, or who is interested in becoming a WI Adviser.
Membership Chairmen: Cherril Watkins and Alison Lord
Contact details on https://herefordshire.thewi.org.uk/about-us/wi-advisers
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24 FEBRUARY 2022
HEREFORDSHIRE FEDERATION OF WOMEN’S INSTITUTES
COACH ONLY TO THE NEC – THE FESTIVAL OF QUILTS
THURSDAY 18TH AUGUST 2022
Date: Thursday 18th August 2022
Place: NEC, Birmingham
Cost: £20.00 coach only
Time: Pick up from Leominster, Broad Street Car Park (HR6 8DD) 7.45am
Hereford, Bus Station, Commercial Road (HR1 2EP) 8.15am
Ledbury, Market House (HR8 1DS) 8.45am
Open to WI members and non-members
Details: HFWI are running a coach to the NEC for the Festival of Quilts on Thursday 18th August
2022. The coach will drop us off outside the venue at 10.00am and pick us up at 4.00pm. You will be
responsible for purchasing your entry ticket which can be obtained via the website
https://www.seetickets.com. Advance ticket prices listed: Adult £17; Concession (60+) £15.00; Children
under 18s FREE. Car parking charges at the NEC can be quite expensive so forget about the hassle of
driving up to Birmingham and take the coach instead.
Show Highlights are: The Textile Galleries; Great British Quilter ‘Hope’ Mini Quilt Challenge; Kaffe
Fassett: Creative Textiles Studio; Creative Inspirations; 2021 Quilt Competition Winners. There are
workshops, exhibitions and of course a wide array of stalls to satisfy all our crafters. Don’t delay and
book your seat now.
Closing date MONDAY 25TH APRIL 2022.
FOR ANY FURTHER DETAILS PLEASE CONTACT admin@herefordshirewi.org.uk or phone Tel: 01432 272268 on Tuesdays or Wednesdays
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HEREFORDSHIRE FEDERATION OF WOMEN’S INSTITUTES
THEATRE AND SHOPPING TRIP TO CARDIFF
THURSDAY 26th MAY 2022
PERFORMANCE – BEAUTIFUL, THE CAROLE KING MUSICAL
Date: Thursday 26th May 2022
Place: New Theatre, Cardiff, performance at 2.30pm
Cost: £45.00 Includes coach and ticket (tiered stalls)
£15.00 for coach only
Time: Pick up from Leominster, Broad Street Car Park (HR6 8DD) 8.15am
Hereford, Bus Station, Commercial Road (HR1 2EP) 8.45am
Ross on Wye, Wilton Road Car Park (HR9 5JA) 9.15am
Open to WI members and non-members
Details: A brand new production of the Award Winning West End and Broadway show, Beautiful
– The Carole King Musical, comes to the New Theatre Cardiff.
Long before she was Carole King, the chart-topping music legend, she was an ordinary girl with an
extraordinary talent. Beautiful tells the inspiring true story of King’s remarkable rise to stardom, from
being part of a hit song-writing team with her husband Gerry Goffin, to her relationship with fellow
writers and best friends Cynthia Weil and Barry Mann, to becoming one of the most successful solo acts
in popular music history.
Along the way, she wrote the soundtrack to a generation, with countless classics such as:
(You Make Me Feel Like) A Natural Woman, Take Good Care of My Baby, You’ve Got a Friend,
So Far Away, It Might as Well Rain Until September, Up on the Roof and The Locomotion.
Running Time: Approximately 2 hours and 30 minutes including interval.
This excursion will also give you an opportunity to do some shopping and enjoy a lunch in the Welsh
Capital.
After the theatre tickets have been allocated there will be some seats available on the coach for those
who wish to visit Cardiff only, cost £15 each.
Closing date THURSDAY 14TH APRIL 2022. The theatre tickets will be handed out on the coach.
FOR ANY FURTHER DETAILS PLEASE CONTACT admin@herefordshirewi.org.uk or phone Tel: 01432 272268 on Tuesdays or Wednesdays
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21 February 2022
MEMBERSHIP SUPPORT COMMITTEE FEBRUARY 2022
ANNUAL MEETINGS
Your WIs will now be thinking about your Annual Meeting to be held next month in March, where you will be electing your committee and President for the coming year April 2022 to March 2023. Please read Section 4.3 of the new WI Handbook 2021 which is all about the Annual Meeting and you will find it very useful. The Handbook is on My WI and also on the Herefordshire pages of the NFWI website. See link below.
https://herefordshire.thewi.org.uk/federationnews
TREASURERS
Treasurers are reminded that you should send WI House a copy of your audited Financial Statement and your budget for the coming year as soon as you can after the end of the Financial Year and no later than 31 March 2022 once they have been presented to your members at your Annual Meeting. Subscription flexibility continues this year so this is also something your committee should be discussing, as last year. This document is also on My WI and the Herefordshire website.
https://herefordshire.thewi.org.uk/federationnews/federation-news-2022
SUSPENSIONS
The membership year does not end until 31 March 2022, so all memberships are valid up to that date. If you are worried about the future of your WI and the lack of officers, you should contact your WI Adviser to discuss your next steps, which as a last resort could be suspension. No WIs will be suspended unless there is a democratic vote to suspend from all voting members. It is NOT a decision of the committee alone and also all suspensions will be supervised by your WI Adviser.
OFFICER TRAINING
We will be announcing information about officer training next month.
As ever your volunteer advisers are here to help you so please get in touch. We would love to hear from anyone who is thinking of forming a new WI, or who is interested in becoming a WI Adviser.
Membership Chairmen: Cherril Watkins and Alison Lord
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CARTSHED PLANT FAIR: Wednesday 27 April 2022 Broxwood Court 10-4pm
We have had a request for volunteers at this fair to assist for a morning or an afternoon session, various tasks,
stewarding, helping with car parking, etc. Volunteers would of course get free entry to the fair.
If you are interested please can you get in touch with Claire Davies on:
claire@farmpoint.co.uk or 07773 607049
21 February 2022
A NEW APPROACH TO THE COGAN CUP
T H E C O G A N C U P 2 0 2 2
A N I N S P I R I N G W O M A N
Decide who you feel is outstanding and who you would like to feature.
Decide how you would like to make the presentation which should reflect a radio programme.
Use your imagination. 15 minutes is the maximum time.
A team can be up to a maximum of ten. The team number should be suitable for the presentation.
The competition will be held on Monday, 19th September, 2022 at St John’s Hall, St Owen Street, Hereford HR1 2PR at 7.00pm.
Any Questions?
What type of woman? This is your choice which could be anyone from Boudicca, Florence Nightingale or Margaret Thatcher to Betty Boothroyd or Beyonce. Anyone.
Type of Presentation? As on a radio with sound effects if appropriate. Information from Wikipedia, etc for guidance and information. Items read from books or any style of writing - journalistic, poetry, play script - the choice is yours. Again – use your imagination.
For further details contact Veronica – madgenve01@gmail.com or chair@herefordshirewi.org.uk
£8 per team. Give a brief outline (50 words maximum) of how you intend to present your entry.
£2 for supporters and members payable on the night. A WI can enter more than one team. Closing date for entries – 28th June, 2022.
Enclosure with your secretary
13 February 2022
There will be a joint Federation training course for those who are interested in becoming Independent Financial Advisers. Please see information below. Note that the closing date is MARCH 3
IFE TRAINING COURSE – Thursday 10 March, 10-4.00pm
Worcestershire Federation WI House,7 Elgar Business Centre, Moseley Road, Hallow,
Worcester WR2 6NJ
The course is suitable for new trainees and IFEs wishing to refresh and will be led by Carla Auger IFE Trainer
Bring your own lunch; tea and coffee will be provided.
If you would like to attend this course, please complete and return the form to Fiona on admin@wfedwi.org.uk by 3 March 2022
There is a £20 fee per person. Payment can be made by BACS (Worcestershire Federation of WIs (business account) Co-operative bank Sort Code: 08-92-99 Account: 65455807) or by cheque (please make payable to ‘WFWI’)
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IFE TRAINING COURSE, Thursday 10 March, 10-4pm
…………………………………….. Federation would like to send …..…trainees and …..…IFEs to refresh.
Federation contact Name: ………………………………………………………………………………………..
Federation email address: ………………………………………………………………………………………..
Please list attendees name below:
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
10.
We will be paying £…….…. Via BACS □ or sending a cheque for £…………□
11 February 2022
Internet Safety Awareness Talk
here is the information about our Internet Safety Awareness talk. Please note this will be a visual presentation with real life examples, so it is designed to be both interesting and engaging. This will be followed by practical advice on how to stay safe online. If your venue does not have a projector and screen then we will bring one with us. We do not charge for our Internet Safety Awareness talk because our Community Interest Company (CIC) is a not for profit organisation setup to benefit the community. If you would like to make a small donation to support our CIC then this would be very welcome.
Here is a brief outline as to what we cover:-
- Dangers of the Internet and Scams with real life examples
- Bogus E-mails, fake websites
- Telephone Scams
- Real vs fake scam texts messages
How to Report if you’ve been scammed
- Methods on how to stay safe
- Pause, Think and Check
- Use Strong Passwords – simple vs complex, password managers
- Safe Browsing, VPNS,
- Online Shopping
- Social media
- Two Factor Authentication
- Install Anti-Virus Software
- Device Security – operating system updates, backups
At the end of presentation there will be opportunity for questions and to take away our Top Ten Tips on How to Stay Safe - leaflet
If you have any other questions or queries please don’t hesitate to get in contact with us. Also please take the opportunity to view our website at https://www.computersinthecommunity.org.uk
Kind Regards
Claire Saunders
Director
Tel:- 01568 701866
E-mail:- info@computersinthecommunity.org.uk
https://www.computersinthecommunity.org.uk
facebook.com/computersinthecommunitycic
3 February 2022
TRIP TO CARDIFF CANCELLED
The trip to see Hairspray at Cardiff on 17th February has been cancelled through lack of support. Sorry to all of those who were interested.
17 January 2022
Subscription Flexibility Guidance for WIs
(taken from My WI)
https://mywi.thewi.org.uk/essential-information/subscription-rates/subscription-flexibility-guidance-for-wis
This initiative gives WIs the freedom to make an annual decision in the run up to the subscription renewal on whether to charge members the full amount of the WI portion (as set by the NFWI and National Council each year), to reduce the WI portion of the subscription, or to waive the WI portion completely. This decision should be determined annually based on your level of reserves and the money you plan to spend in the year ahead. Therefore, although you may be able to waive or reduce the portion for one year, you may decide the following year that it is necessary to request the full portion. This decision must be made whilst ensuring that your WI still has enough funds year on year to carry out its charitable objects and offer a meaningful WI experience. WIs need to ensure they are making the best decision for their WI, and although we advise WI committees to discuss this annually with members, the decision is ultimately down to the committee based on the above considerations.
Please note, this does not affect the NFWI and federation portions of the subscription, and the full NFWI and federation portions (also set by the NFWI and National Council each year) will still need to be paid annually, at the appointed time.
The subscription from April 2022 to March 2023 is £44, of which £12.10 (27.5%) goes to the NFWI, £10.30 (23.4%) to the federation, and £21.60 (49.1%) to the WI. This means the minimum amount to be collected from each member in April 2022 is £22.40 (NFWI+ federation) and WIs have flexibility over charging the remaining £21.60.
How does it work?
The payment system will be exactly the same as in previous years, with WIs still responsible for collecting the NFWI and federation share of the subscription at a local level and passing this on. The difference is that WIs can now choose whether to collect the full WI share, a reduced WI share, or waive the WI share completely.
Every year in the run up to the subscription renewal, these steps will need to be taken:
- Organise a committee meeting where the committee will go over the WI programme and budget for the coming year in order to present a decision to the members on what to do about the WI portion of the subscription. Use the questions in this guidance to determine the best decision for your WI. Ensure the decision is minuted.
- Consider new members and how your WI would cater for an increased membership. This is particularly important if your WI is waiving or reducing their portion, as this might attract new members (including new dual members) and your WI needs to be prepared (logistically and financially) for this.
- Present the decision to your members, giving the rationale and background to your decision as appropriate.
- Ensure that all members are aware of the decision in time for membership renewal in April, and that you promote this to prospective members when thinking about recruitment.
- Always remind your members that any decision made is only for the coming renewal. It is not a permanent decision, and the WI portion of the membership subscription will be reviewed every year.
Questions for WI committees to consider when determining what option to offer their members
The following questions are designed to help your committee decide whether there is room in your accounts to waive or reduce the WI portion, or if you should keep it the same. This process will need to be repeated annually to ensure your WI is making the best financial decision regarding whether to keep the full WI portion of the membership subscription in place or reduce it in any way.
- What is your WI’s budget for the coming year?Once you have planned your programme of events for the year, you’ll be able to identify how much money is needed for each event or activity. Even if you haven’t yet planned your entire programme, you should have an idea of the costs of different events and activities, and you should make allowance for this. You will also need to take into account any venue hire and other associated costs of running your meetings. There may be promotional activities your WI was planning on doing which need accounting for as well. Don’t forget to also budget for unforeseen costs, such as needing to change your planned activities at the last minute.WIs need to ensure that the WI programme is in keeping with the WI’s charitable objects and educating your members. The budget needs to be designed to provide educational aspects throughout the year, whether at the meetings or other events.
- Do you have enough funds currently to cover the costs for the coming year?Looking at the money currently in your WI’s account and your budget for the coming year, you may already have the right amount to cover your costs, or you may be relying on the WI subscriptions. The committee needs to determine whether you have enough funds to be able to waive or reduce the WI portion of the subscription, or if the whole portion is needed in order to pay all associated costs for the year.Due to unforeseen circumstances, your WI may have saved money in the past year because you have not been able to do all the events/activities/trips that were planned. Your WI may have been doing everything virtually for the past year which may have saved money as well. Your WI may consider continuing to do things virtually, or even have some of the clubs be virtual or the winter months have virtual meetings to save on costs.If your WI often relies on fundraising to cover some annual costs, this should not be taken for granted, as the amount you raise in fundraising will differ year on year.
- Does your WI have a reserves policy?Just because you have funds available in your WI account does not mean you can automatically waive or reduce the WI share, and you need to think carefully about your 5 level of reserves and the consequences of using reserves to cover WI subscription costs, even if just for one year. As Trustees of your WI your role is not only to support the current year but also to ensure you look ahead to the future and support the long-term future of your WI.Read more about reserves policies and how to use them here: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/charities-and-reserves-cc19/charities-and-reserves
- How many members do you have and how many members are you sure will renew?Depending on the number of members you currently have, you may have enough money in your account for the next year without needing to collect the WI portion of the subscription. Of course you may not be sure if all the members will renew but it would be good to have a general idea of who may renew. This will help to estimate how much money could come in April and how much of that is needed to cover the planned programme and how much will go into reserves. Also think about whether your WI is planning on charging visitors fees this year and how that could help with the budget.You also need to consider new members, especially if you are planning to reduce or waive the WI share, and think about how your WI would be able to cater for a much increased membership.
- Thinking about the next 5 years, would it be better to keep it the same this year and waive the fee the year after that?
The decisions can be different year on year. Maybe this coming year is not the best time to have less money coming in from subscriptions, and instead waiving or reducing the fee could be something best placed in two years’ time. If your committee want to reinstate the full portion the year after, think about the effect this will have on the members and the impact it could have on the budget in two years’ time, for example.
NFWI resuming meeting guidance
12 January 2022 Version 16
Following updates to the Government Covid advice, NFWI has simplified and updated the resuming meeting guidance with immediate effect.
Full details of the Covid safety advice for England is available on gov.uk
Full details of the Covid safety advice for Wales is available on wales.gov
Very important: From Sunday 26 December 2021 the rules in Wales changed. The maximum number of people who can meet indoors is 30 and the maximum number of people who can meet outdoors is 50. Social distancing of 2 metres is required in offices and all public spaces.
From Monday 6 December 2021 in Wales and Tuesday 11 January 2022, in England, following up a positive lateral flow test with a PCR test is no longer necessary. Please self-isolate immediately if you receive a positive lateral flow test.
From Friday 10 December 2021, face coverings will be required by law in most indoor settings in England
‘Settings which are exempt from wearing a face-covering include:
- Restaurants, cafés and canteens
- Bars and shisha bars
- Gyms & exercise facilities
- Photography studios
- Nightclubs, dance halls and discotheques
In indoor settings where a face covering is not legally required, you should still continue to wear a face-covering in crowded and enclosed spaces where you may come into contact with other people you do not normally meet.’
Musts
- Ensure any venue used by the WI is well ventilated (WI)
- Ensure access to handwashing facilities and/or an adequate number of hand sanitisers. (WI)
- Ensure Covid guidance is clear and accessible to all members (WI)
- Wash/sanitise their hands and cover coughs and sneezes.(Members)
- Stay at home if you have any symptoms. This includes members, visitors and speakers. (Members)
- Take a lateral flow test (LFT) before attending a WI event. This is for people who are symptomless. (Members)
- Self-isolate if you receive a positive LFT (Members)
- If you have or develop symptoms get a PCR test and self-isolate. (Members)
- Inform your WI Committee if you attended a WI meeting/activity and have tested positive for Covid in the last 10 days.(Members)
- Self-isolate if told to do so by NHS Test and Trace or NHS Wales Test, Trace, Protect. (Members)
- Wear a face covering in indoor public spaces unless exempt. If you are exempt please inform your WI Committee before attending a WI meeting or activity. (Members). Members do not need to reveal the nature of their exemption, they just need to update that they are exempt. If a member or visitor arrives at a meeting without a face covering please do remind them to wear one. Be aware that members and visitors who update their face covering exemption at a meeting also do not need to give details of what makes them exempt. NB. Face coverings remain mandatory in Wales and have been reintroduced as mandatory in most indoor settings in England from 10 December 2021.
- If a WI is holding or attending an activity where there is no physical exercise, photography, or eating/drinking face masks need to be worn throughout. (Members)
- If a WI is taking part in an exempt activity such as physical exercise, photography, or where eating/drinking is taking place e.g. Christmas party then members need to arrive wearing face masks and remove them safely (use hand sanitiser first) for the activity e.g. before exercising, having their portrait taken or when sat down to eat.
- Please think about safe distances when face coverings are removed.
- Face coverings need to be worn again once the exempt activity is finished. (Members)
- WIs in Wales planning activities in public spaces such as a pub/café can only meet in groups of six. For example, a WI with 18 members could book three tables for six and a WI with 20 members could book four tables of five.
Recommended
- Whilst no longer mandatory it is recommended WIs continue to keep a register of all attendees at WI meetings and activities for NHS Test and Trace and NHS Wales Test, Trace, Protect. (WI)
- Whilst social distancing is no longer mandatory you may choose to limit the close contact you have with people you do not usually live with. The Welsh safety guide specifies social distancing of 2 metres. (Members)
- Government advice is that it is recommended to be double vaccinated (and any booster vaccinations) to increase individual safety and help keep others safe. (Members)
Key points for WIs relating vaccination status:
- Please remember that vaccines are not mandatory and some people cannot have vaccines for health reasons. Accepting a vaccination remains a personal and individual choice and not a matter that the WI should be involved with.
- Members do not have to prove they have been vaccinated or have had a recent negative test to gain entrance to a WI meeting or activity and WIs are not entitled to request this information.
- Use of the NHS Covid passports is not mandatory. In both England and Wales adopting them is voluntary for individual organisations. NFWI is not asking WIs to adopt the NHS Covid passport. Please check with any venues you hire if they have any Covid passport rules in place. For your information, they are encouraged for large scale events such as:
- Indoor non-seated events of more than 500 people, where people are mixing closely for prolonged periods.
- Outdoor non-seated events of over 4,000, where people will be mixing closely for prolonged periods.
- Any event, which has more than 10,000 people in attendance.
- From 15 November the Covid pass is needed for cinemas, theatres and nightclubs in Wales.
- From 15 December, in England, you’ll need to show your NHS COVID Pass at nightclubs, some venues and large events to show you’re fully vaccinated, have had a negative test result in the last 48 hours, or you have an exemption.
There is more information on the NHS Covid pass on gov.uk and wales.uk.
This includes information on how to get an NHS Covid pass in England and how to get a Covid pass in Wales.
Please note WIs should still be thinking about safety planning for all events. This includes safety with regards to Covid and general safety to reduce risk of harm. Government guidance on gatherings is continually monitored and updated to reflect the changing situation and so we would encourage you to stay in touch with changes.
Once a recurring event has been risk assessed the safety measures identified need to be in place for each following event (and regularly reviewed and updated as necessary). The same event does not need another full risk assessment unless something has changed or a significant length of time has passed since the last event of its type was held but your Committee or Board must always be confident that the document reflects the latest guidance and information.
This means that for monthly WI meetings one risk assessment for the first meeting back is sufficient. The Committee then just need to consider if any changes have happened since the last monthly meeting that would prompt a fresh risk assessment.
Please see the NFWI Health and Safety Guidance which includes a risk assessment form.
Lastly, may we extend a huge thank you to all our WIs and federations for continuing to adapt and adjust to evolving circumstances in the wake of Covid.