Any Women's Institute Committee Members on here?

[CheeseandPlumChutney]

Hi there
I'm hoping you can help. I've been offered the chance to do some talks at local WI meetings about my start up business (I'm a food producer). I have been asked how much I would charge to do the talk. I have also been asked if as well as the talk there could be an optional practical activity for people to try which relates to the food I make. I have no idea how much to charge for the talk and then there is the cost of ingredients per person which would be about £2.50 each.

Do I suggest a sum for the talk and then a separate cost per person for the food (which they could eat there and then or take home).

Or do I lump it all in together.

I've also been asked what my travel expenses would be. One of the WIs is in my village but another is about 14 miles away.

What do people normally charge for talks and mileage? Do I charge the WI for the cost of the ingredients or the members.

I'd really like to do this as it would be a great way to promote my start up business but there'd be quite a bit of prep and cleaning up to do etc so don't want to be under selling myself.

Thanks for any insights.

No-one?

anyone?

Sorry no help just bumping for you

Not a committee member but I recently gave a talk at a WI meeting. They paid me £50 - the standard rate they pay to all their speakers - plus mileage of 45p per mile.

Not WI but I'm a charity committee member and we pay speakers £20 for one hour.

We pay between £0 and £40 for a speaker. This usually includes whatever they are bringing or doing. Would expect yours might be on the 40 side. The free ones are usually hobbyists who show us things and talk to us. Then £20 ones usually speakers from businesses or organisations / charities etc who are there to talk rather than be hands on. £40 ones have included printing workshop, gin tasting etc. Maybe you have a case for asking for more though depending on number you're catering for.

We wouldn't charge members extra though really as they already pay to attend meetings. However you could take things to sell and earn more money that way.

Ultimately some WIs will be willing to pay more than others. Some wont be able to afford much at all. Membership numbers can vary by a lot from one WI to another which gives the majority of a WIs funds to spend on this sort of thing so some will have more money than others. You'll probably just have to make a suggestion then see if that is agreeable to them.

I'm not a WI member but have given talks to WI's for years. £50 for the talk is pretty standard, plus the mileage of 45p per mile you've mentioned, nearly 55, but if you're travelling from a longer distance you'd be justified in asking a bit more for time spent travelling to and from. I do a straightforward talk, with/without illustrative slides and sometimes with display objects, but if you are supplying something like food samples, cakes, etc. then I think you'd be justified in factoring the cost of this into your fee, especially in view of COL increases.

Some WI's have an extremely large membership list, not all are the same, and if you're taking samples along or giving a demo. of something people can eat/use afterwards you'd need to cater for the larger numbers to be on the safe side and avoid potential embarrassment, even if not all members attend that meeting. The larger WI's might well be able to absorb some additional speaker costs, but this is less likely with the smaller ones.

Thank you all very much - that's really helpful!