Chairman’s report to ACM 2017

  1. Report on the last financial year’s events.

In the 12 month period from 1 November 2015 the federation committees put on a number of events.Special Events put on a Christmas Show in November, their popular Supper Quiz Night in February, Literary Lunch in April, a Bridge Tea in June, the Queen’s Birthday Celebration tea in July and a Fashion Show in October. The Special Events committee also ran the New Speakers Auditions at 3 different venues during the year. The Home Economics or HE committee arranged some popular and very successful workshops, there wasRibbon Embroidery, Crochet, Tailoring Trousers, Machine embroidery, Goldwork and Food Hygiene Level 2 Certificates. They also put on a variety of cookery courses on a Saturday and these proved very successful.The committee arranged a Flower demonstration with tea event but because it was so over-subscribed another Flower demonstration, which was also full, had to be arranged. In November they organised a Harvest Fayre, with interesting stalls, at the Manor Farm Tythe Barn. The Public Affairs, Leisure and Science committee (PALS) arranged another Historical London walk in November, Ten Pin Bowling in February, Mah-Jong in April, Croquet in July and Golf in September. Membership ran 4 committee workshops and a Resolution Briefing meeting. In November the WI Advisers attended the Annual Meetings of more than 50 WIs. In January the Surrey Serenaders choir, who are self-funding, held a very successful fund raising Burns Night at East Horsley Village Hall.The Board of Trustees organised the Annual Council meeting and Autumn Federation meetings as well as a number of Treasurer workshop’s. Some of our members went on a Middlesex Federation organised, boat trip up the Thames in September. Surrey at Denman was a full house and although the 2017 weekend will be 3 nights we will be returning to 2 night weekends in future since it has proved more popular.The federation was well represented at both the Edenbridge & Oxted Show as well as the Surrey County Show.

After taking over as your chairman in March I initiated some changes and new ideas. The Board of Trustees held 2 ‘Meet the Board’ meetings where 3 members of the WIs local to the venuewere invited to a question and answer session with the Trustees. Communications to more members has now been initiated through the use of Facebook and Twitter as well as more information getting on to the Federation web site. We will continue toprovide a full set of information in the Surrey WI News. During 2016 there were 4 WIs who unfortunately went into suspension. They are Walton on the Hill, Kingswood Warren, West End Esher and Sutton Green. However there were 6 new WIs formed. Ashtead Wings, Bake, Natter & Roll Farnham, Egham Nightingirls, Weybridge, Normandy Nightingales and Cuddington.

  1. So far in this financial year.

Two new committees have been set up. The first is Communications and Publicity who deals with all forms of communications and publicity. This committee is responsible for coordinating all the publicity material that is generated within the Federation including Surrey WI News, Facebook, Twitter, the web page and the year book.The second change is the merger of the Special Events committee with some aspects of the Public Affairs, Leisure and Science (PALS) committee to form the Events committee who are responsible for leisure and fundraising events. As a result we have a number of self-funding interest groups which now report to the Board of Trustees on a regular basis rather than to the PALS committee. They are the 2 Science groups within Surrey as well as the camera Club and Crafty Ladies. Association Women of the World (ACWW) has to be run outside the control of the federation but the board gets the reports and are fully supportive of what they do. For Public Affairs I would like to encourage members to form self interest groups to campaign on particular issues. If you are interested in Campaigning and have a particular campaign you would like to get involved with, please contact the federation office and we will put you in touch with other like-minded people. Hopefully this time next year we will have a number of self-motivated campaign groups within the federation.

So far this year Events have put on 2 very successful Christmas shows with the Surrey Serenaders choir and Geraldine Horn. In January there was the Supper Quiz Night, which is always very popular, and a trip to Denbies Vineyard with some wine tasting. There have been 2 new speaker auditions sessions. The HE committee continue to run courses in Baking Skills, Preservation as well as Cakes & Biscuits. These are proving so popular that other venues, where they can be run, arebeing investigated. Workshops, which have taken place are in Goldwork, Cracker making, Machine Embroidery, Trouser making and an Art Class. The WI Advisers attended about 60 WI Annual meetings and so were very busy in November. This year only 3 WIs have been suspended, Cobham Evening, Fairlands and Grayswood. However again the number of WIs starting up exceeds the number suspended with the start of Tooting, Streatham Common, Downview Dames and Wandsworth Common. It cannot be underestimated the amount of work involved in starting up new WIs and we have our WI Advisers to thank for this. It is estimated that there are more than 8,500 members in Surrey now with the number of WIs being about 178. At the beginning of the month the Surrey Serenaders choir entered the Godalming Music Festival and were awarded 2 Cups for their performance.

  1. What is planned for the rest of the financial year

In April Membership will be holding a number of Confident Speaking workshopsaround the county. There is a Resolution briefing meeting on 5 April. HE has arranged workshops on Wet Felting, Knitted jewellery, a Demonstrator Certificate courseand more events will be arranged later in the year. On Thursday 29 June there will be two talks on ‘Surrey Then and Now’ by Rupert Matthews at the Tithe Barn, one in the afternoon and one in the evening. Events have arranged a trip to Woburn Abbey on 18 June and are considering another later in the year starting on the East side of the County. There is the Literary Lunch at Guildford Golf Club on 27 April. Again there will be a Bridge tea on 22 June and more New Speaker Auditions will be held. On 6 and 27 May the Surrey Serenaders choir will be putting on a show open to all at different venues. This is a fund raising event for both Denman and the Surrey Serenaders. Please remember that if you are interested in any federation event you should contact the office to get details and find out about ticket availability.With 2018 being the Federation Centenary year the Trustees are planning how we would like to celebrate. This year I am pleased to say that we will have a presence at the Surrey County Show on 29 May, the Cranleigh Show on 2 Julyand the Edenbridge and Oxted Show on 27 and 28 August. Please make the effort to support the committees who have worked very hard to ensure that we have a presence at theshows and also arrange competitions for members to enter. The Surrey at Denman Weekend is 13 to 16 July, a three night break, and there are still places available if you would like to go. The Board have decided that we will not be organising a Denman Workshop day in future, but will instead invite Groups to arrange a Taster day for new to Denman members, where the federation pays for the coach. If there are any Groups interested in taking advantage of this offer they should contact the office. The offer has been taken up for 2018 but the following year is available. Please note that you have to fill a 52 seater coach with members who have not been to Denman before. At least 3 ‘Meet the Board’ sessions are being arranged this year, and all committees are constantly planning more events. I am very lucky to have such a willing group of hard working Trustees and thank them for all their help and support. The Federation would not operate without the support of the staff in the office. Thank you to Jo, Sue, Jenny and Jess for all your help. This is the last time Sue will be seen at a Federation meeting as she tells me that she will be retiring at the end of August. Enjoy your retirement Sue.