Women’s Institute -anyone a member?

[TheHorrorsPersistButSoDoI]

Is anyone a member? Could you tell me a little bit about it and what you do?

There is very little advice, no sm page or anything for any groups and, as a huge social anxiety sufferer, I’d like to know a little bit before I just turn up and ask to join.

Are there a good mix of ages at your group, do you get together outside of the monthly meetings?
thanks.

I have been a member in the past. They vary hugely. Some WIs are younger in age and outlook and will do a wide range of activities. Mine did a flamenco workshop, chocolate making and had speakers on business and environmental topics.

Many, however, have much older memberships and will be very traditional with flower arrangements and Jerusalem featuring heavily in their programme. Some can be very set in their ways and rather unfriendly to anyone not like them. I suspect the lack of social media presence suggests they're older.

Personally I've found Ladies Circle a better fit for me. Mine does everything from archery to jewellery making

Mine seem very traditional and set in their ways. I would not touch them with a barge pole!

Some are traditional ‘jam and Jerusalem’ meetings. Others are more relaxed. Mine is not traditional and we have a mix of speakers on esoteric topics, craft evenings and socials.

Everyone at mine wears a name sticker so you don’t have to worry about forgetting names or not knowing people. There is tea and coffee (or wine) before the activity, then opportunity to mingle afterwards. There’s sometimes cake. Always biscuits.

Ladies Circle only take up to age 45!

I resigned six years ago over their stance on trans women. But you can go as a visitor to a meeting, paying a nominal sum, I think up to three times so you can see if a group suits you or not. They are very friendly places but the magazine is utter crap and the view of the organisation on things that affect biological women is baffling in the extreme. I belonged to one traditional and one less so.

I've been a member for 10 years, I was 43 when I joined. Our group is small, with 17 members. Some have much larger groups. So each group has a different vibe. My group is very informal, some are more traditional in their format so you can try a couple of different ones out if you want to see what suits. Our group is 40s-70s. Another local one is newer and 20s-60s. We mostly have Facebook pages, some have Insta and websites. We focus on fun and friendship, others love their crafting. If you message to say you would like to try a meeting they will usually arrange someone to look out for you and introduce you to others. There is usually a focus of the meeting so a speaker or a craft activity and some time to chat over refreshments. We have a very supportive group and do theatre visits, meals out etc. Hope you give it a try

I'm a member of large active group 90 members , age 30-70 prob but most of commuter around 45. It has been really wonderful for me, met lots of friends and experienced new things at a time that was good that it was about me not being a mum or child related.
I'd say look at websites or Facebook groups of your local groups see what their program of events is and visit, see which one fits your vibe and is friendly . We would make effort to welcome new people. Especially if they had messaged first to say they were coming on their own. They do vary, I don't hold much with the old guard but our group is amazing

@muddyford what is there stance on trans women please?

It's a while now so may not be accurate, but at the time they went headlong into saying anyone who said they were a woman was welcome. Regardless of how others felt.

@muddyford right 😡😓 I'm disappointed at that, my local one has been advertising recently and I was thinking of joining. Surely that defeats the whole purpose!?
I'll do some digging though and see if it is still relevant. Thank you.

Obviously I meant to type 'thier'! tuts at oneself

WI is now for anyone who identifies as a woman, in fact a well known self identifying female called Petra has risen through the ranks quite quickly, they are responsible for membership at a national level I believe. I went a couple of tines, found it way too cliquey and unfriendly.

https://www.mumsnet.com/talk/womens_rights/4820740-remember-petra-wenham-the-first-transwoman-to-be-on-the-wi-mag-cover

Several friends left after this, our local one used to have a long waiting list for membership, they are now advertising for members following this.

As PPs have said, WI groups vary quite widely. I've been a member for more than 10 years, we're mostly older (probably average age late 50s/60), but it's great fun. All our meetings have homemade cake (we take it in turns, never more than once a year) and have had a variety of speakers and activities, including capoeira, authors, a playwright, yoga, origami, women's health, sherry tasting, Islamic art. We also go on a lot of visits, eg historical walks, a yearly vineyard trip, and most recently to the Vagina Museum in London.

The WI does admit transwomen and the magazine pushes this, although I'm not sure how many groups it affects directly. But there is pushback as this was never put to members and many are unhappy with the policy. See link here https://twitter.com/WomensIns_Dec

Been a member for 10 years . Do I enjoy it ? Honesty , no not much but at £48 a year to attend , I see it as a place to go one a month to go to chill out for a couple of hours and have a chat with women I've got to know.
I joined as I'd just moved into an area , far away from friends and family, found it quite cliqey especially as the president / secretary / committee members are all best mates and have those they favour of not.
I also drive someone there and would feel mean if I stopped going.
As others have said go and try it out.

I should add, we're a very friendly group and arrange practical support and visits to members who are struggling in any way. We also have a waiting list to join.

Wow. I wasn’t expecting so many responses, thank you all.
It seems quite a mix of experiences then. I have googled, no website or FB group ( was hoping to have a look to see if it was mainly octogenarians or if it was a more mixed group, just so I could manage my expectations on what sort of things they offered).
I’m too old for ladies circle it seems.
Thanks for all the info you lovely lot.

I have a friend who is a member, and mostly enjoys it. But beware of getting sucked onto the committee!
I think you need to be sure that you want to join an all-female group - personally, that is very offputting for me, having had experience of an all-female workplace.

Tangent is Ladies Circle for women over 45. There are clubs all over the place. Worth a look to see if there's one in your area

I definitely don’t have the desire to be on a committee!

I have never heard of Tangent, thanks. I will see if there is one nearby.

You might find that instead you can link to your local federation area and they have a website or facebook page.

Have a look here: www.thewi.org.uk/about-us/structure/england

To find the name of your local federation area then google that.

There is also Inner Wheel and Soroptimists worth checking out. My local WI have very structured meetings and had an educational visit from Petra Wenham, a late transitioner, who talked about cracking his egg. There are plenty of other groups that do talks etc.

I joined WI a few months back. The group is only two years old so not mired in 'we always do it this way' and a good mix of ages. I've been to a wine tasting, arty evening, pamper evening and talk from a very amusing local bee keeper. There is a bookclub and a crafty group which meet between meetings. I haven't joined either of those.

Friend went to Tangent meeting recently as a guest. Found them so cliquey and rude that when asked if she would like to join she gave a straight no thank you.