EMBLAZONED on a well used carrier bag under the heading Women’s Institute is “A Modern Voice for Women”.

The age of the carrier bag is uncertain, but the slogan carries the same message today as always. We have enjoyed the cut and thrust of discussing resolutions down through the decades and one that Cornwall put forward.

It shows how a letter from one concerned Cornish WI member can gather momentum and gain the full backing of the whole WI movement in the UK to lobby the government on one important issue, “Disposal of Fallen Stock”, gained 98.6 per cent in favour. That item is just a minute facet of the WI.

Remembering many of those past milestones in our lifetime, education and information, holidays (home and abroad), concerts and drama competitions, “speaking with confidence” days, sporting activities, nervously taking part in glider flights, and of course, a multitude of craft and cookery classes, then there are our exceptional stays at Denman especially when Cornwall took over the college for our stay.

These are just a few of the glorious days that make up our WI adventure, with education and friendship always at the top of the list.

RCS has always been a red letter time especially when royalty visited our marquee particularly remembering the recently deceased delightful Duchess of Kent. There is nothing that Cornish members have not tried, even swimming lessons at a ripe old age and the very proud recipient receiving a 10 metre achievement certificate. The WI always engages first class tutors!

The list of events available published in this months CN underlines the popularity of the WI with the modern WI member, so we have much to look forward to this October covering a wide range of interests from a quiz to an evening with a murder mystery evening, our highly anticipated annual meeting, with a very impressive list of speakers. There are even more splendid diversions later on in the autumn.

Members are going to be fortunate again to procure free trees this autumn, with further information in the forth- coming CN. Last years trees are flourishing, however its taken some extra stamina to keep them watered this summer.

The WI has always avidly supported “Fair Trade” and there is a reminder that Fairtrade Fortnight is from September 22 to October 5 and this year’s theme is “Brew it Fair” asking people to host a Tea Party In the UK. Tea is more than a drink, its part of who we are. We drink more than 100-million cups of tea a day.

No WI event would function without a cup of tea or coffee (preferably Fairtrade). There has been an urgent appeal to help these hard-working tea, coffee and cocoa farmers by purchasing their products after suffering huge losses due to devastating weather conditions.

We could also indulge ourselves by buying a bar of Cadbury Chocolate. Cadbury are partnering Fairtrade by helping to restore the forests around the cocoa farms.

By Sheila Goldsworthy