Women's Institute
Olveston & Tockington Women's Institute
OLVESTON & TOCKINGTON W.I. is part of the National Federation of Women's Institutes which, with over 205,000 members and some 6,700 W.I.s, forms the largest organisation for women in the U.K. It was formed in 1915 to revitalise the rural communities and encourage women to become more actively involved in food production during the Great War. With 2010 marking our 92nd birthday, Olveston & Tockington W.I., is one of the oldest in the country.
The organisation long ago progressed beyond food. Nationally the W.I. enables women to develop new skills (Denman College offers a multitude of residential courses) and gives members an opportunity to campaign on issues that matter. Recent campaigns have included drives to highlight the problem of violence against women, to improve farm milk prices, reduction of excess packaging and the importance of saving the honey bee.
At Avon Federation level our EGM and AGM, held at Weston-super-Mare, feature well-known speakers -Gervaise Phinn, Lars Tharp of the Antiques Roadshow, and Katie Adie among others - and highlight important local issues such as the hospice movement. The Federation offers a wide variety of speakers and activities for members during the year.
At local level our monthly meetings, held on the 2nd Tuesday of each month in the Parish Hall at 7.30, usually feature a speaker and offer time for a chat, a cup of tea and a monthly raffle. Within the Institute, various smaller groups enjoy activities such as Skittles, Table Tennis and a Book Group and at our last Christmas meeting we all had a hilarious time with Kurling!
In recent years we have knitted Teddies for African children and hats for lonely sailors and for many years we organised a Prescription collection service, now no longer necessary. Every year at Christmas we make up gift boxes for deprived Eastern European children and this year we hope to raise funds for the Children's Hospice.
Details of upcoming meetings are regularly published in the community magazine, Meeting Point.
We are a friendly bunch and always pleased to welcome visitors, so if you feel like coming along we should be very happy to see you. For any more information please ring either Rita Garlick (Secretary) on 612115 or Rita Hitchcock (President) on 612790.
The picture below was taken at the Garden Party celebrating Olveston & Tockington WI's 90th Anniversary. The picture shows, from left to right, the WI's then President Mrs Audrey Shepherd, the Federation Chairman Mrs Carole King, and the WI's Secretary at that time, Mrs Carmen Pitts.
