THE Cornish Times received a letter from Mrs J Stanton, Liskeard, it said:

It was sad to see Liskeard Country Market make the front page because it was closing, but as the markets longest-standing member, I’d like personally to thank the Cornish Times and the many other local businesses and groups for the support they gave us in recent years. 

However, there was one factor not covered in your report (15/2/23) which contributed to the market’s decline and needs to be better known. 

When I joined in 1985 the market was one of 12 thriving WI markets which has sprung up across Cornwall after Liskeard was formed in 1955, when the national federation had already established a reputation for good quality produce. Then, I think it was in 2005, the Charity Commission decided the markets were compromising the Women’s nstitute’s charitable status, as they needed to become a separate entity. They were allowed to continue trading as WI Country Markets for a few years, but eventually were asked to drop WI from their title. 

That was when the decline started, imperceptible at first, but gradually the smaller the markets started to struggle and began to close. When the life-style changes mentioned by Lorna Grim started to kick in and the numbers continued to dwindle until now only Callington and Wadebridge remain. 

The Women’s Institute is registered as a charity for the main reasons as public schools education. I hope most readers will agree that it is a blatant misuse of the English Language to describe a school charing fees that few can afford as either public or a charity, when state schools providing free education for all children are taxed as businesses – as indeed are hospitals and many other truly public and free institutions. 

The Labour Party has pledged to remove this anomaly as will the W.I also lose it’s charitable status. I’d love to know whether retaining it so far has helped it thrive or whether it also as I suspect, has suffered a slow decline. With many of the younger generation inspired by Greta Thunberg to seek a less consumerist and exploitative way of life, might both arms of the former W.I enjoy a resurgence if they were reunited. 

Can I see a glimmer of light at the end of the tunnel? Here is hoping.