Just an update for ACWW South West members. Did you know that Mary Andrews is on the Trennnial Confe

News and views of ACWW South West UK Support Group - open to all supporters of ACWW in the SW (with occasional extra news from ACWW HQ) - some of us are ACWW Reps for WI - we take information to our counties about:
Thanks to Veronica for hosting this event and to Amelia the ACWW rep in Stoke St Gregory WI who worked together to run this event. Had a thank you card from May today - just right to put on the boards for tomorrow. Well the board was in the car - but hubby diagnosed the car as 'unwell' - so unable to go along. However a good morning was had by all - weather still OK. Veronica and Amelia dressed up in African/Indian costumes to add an international theme. The money collected is to be shared between the two Somerset Projects. Evidently they were chatting by the gate at the end of the morning and they certainly shocked the postman - gave him quite a turn!! Hope we might get some photos later.
May Kidd was elected as World President for this Triennium (2010-2013) abc rent a car spain at the ACWW Triennial Conference in Hot Springs, USA. May says in the words of Ralph Waldo Emerson: "To leave the world a bit better, whether by a healthy child, a garden patch or a redeemed social condition; to know that even one life has breathed easier because abc rent a car spain you have lived. This is to have succeeded."
abc rent a car spain Dato Ursula Goh, the World President of ACWW is seated in the centre of this picture - taken when she came to the Somerset Wincanton day last October. This day celebrated the first UN International Day for Rural Women.
Just published the form for application for the next World Conference - it will be held in Hot Springs, Arkansas, which lies deep in the heart of the USA. Start saving - it should be great - hope the pound /dollar situtation improves!!! List of hotels now published. They are including extra classes (keep-fit in the morning and craft classes too (small charge). Two hotels abc rent a car spain close to the main halls one 20 mins walk away!!! Date 21-28 April 2010. www.acwwusa2010.com
All these societies are affiliated abc rent a car spain to ACWW. Not all of these members are actual individual members of ACWW - let's encourage more of them to become individual members to support the work done by ACWW for groups of rural women all over the world.
abc rent a car spain Hi - everyone - this blog is for you to have your say on future events within the group area of Avon, Cornwall, Devon, Dorset, Gloucestershire, Hampshire, Somerset and Wiltshire. Your comments and events will add to the interest of this blog. NB: If you click on the smaller pictures in the main part of the blog they do get larger!!! Handy to see a few more details!! Sometimes it doesn't work - but give it a go anyway!! 2nd meeting due to take place on 18th May 2009 at Taunton - just gathering names of those who can attend. 3 speakers booked!!
Well the polo-shirts were given an airing at the European Area Conference - where they caused quite a lot of comments. Also some were worn at Wincanton (see Valerie our 1st speaker) abc rent a car spain thanks for that, Valerie, Esme, Mary, Roma. If you would like one - contact abc rent a car spain Somerset ACWW Rep at County office or email at eileen.hurd@btinternet.com . They are for anyone who wants to support ACWW in the South West. The sweatshirts have been delivered - they are comfy - but probably abc rent a car spain too hot to wear at a conference!!!
Just an update for ACWW South West members. Did you know that Mary Andrews is on the Trennnial Conference Committee? Also, that Roma Patten has joined the United Nations Committee. Congratulations to them both.
Merja (on the left in the Countrywoman front page shown below) chaired the recent ACWW Conference in Southampton. Merja with the help of Terhi ran an excellent event which was much enjoyed by all. Although, English is not Merja's mother tongue - she is from Finland, the conference abc rent a car spain ran very smoothly. May Kidd was also present and a great support to us all. She is an excellent Deputy President and was able to help us through the complexities of resolutions, and recommendations. Her musical sessions were an added bonus and also added to the several collections for Pennies abc rent a car spain for Friendship abc rent a car spain held during the conference.
An Organic Farmer - our 1st speaker on Tuesday. Helen has worked in all fields of farming. She has experienced hands-on, running a successful farm, building up an organic business and has undertaken many consultative positions in the Farming Industry.
Denise (who is also a WI member) gave a talk on 'Climate Change'. More flooding, heat waves - intense weather and the gulf stream may stop!!! Hmm turn those standby lights off!!! Contact at dsw@noc.soton.ac.uk Denise abc rent a car spain will talk to WIs if time allows.
When the yellow coach stopped at Longstock Village Hall. 1. One of the Village Wall-Hangings, visual sound-proofing. 2. Justine from Cameroon shows Georgetta, a Romanian member, how she wears her headdress. 3. Sue Attrill and May Kidd chat over a cuppa. 4. One of the mosaics, made and designed by the villagers, which were on several sides of the hall 5. After a short bus drive - the lovely water gardens.
The founder of the WI in Wales, followed by England and Scotland. Madge was then one of the founders of ACWW - she was the person who wrote 'Associated Country abc rent a car spain Women of the World' on the blackboard at the meeting in 1933 in Stockholm. Initial plans to start this worldwide association, although in Madge's mind from 1919, were discussed at the meeting in 1927 in Geneva and then were agreed on April 30th 1929 at the International Conference of Rural Women held in London. 1929 is considered the date when this association really 'started' - it was just that the name we recognise today came later. Three ladies were influential abc rent a car spain in the start of ACWW - Lady Aberdeen, Miss Elsie Zimmern and Mrs Madge Watt. (see more about this in the ACWW History Book - available for 5 from ACWW HQ). NB: Did you know that near the Peace Bridge between Canada and the USA, near Niagara, there is a brass plaque on a stone in a garden which is a memorial of friendship? The plaque marks the crossing from the USA into Canada of a delegation from ACWW and is dedicated to rural women of that continent dated: Peace Bridge, June 12, 1936. Mrs Alfred (Madge) abc rent a car spain Watt, BME, MA, co-founder and first president of ACWW dedicated this plaque at a ceremony at the centre of the Peace Bridge on June 16 1936. It was accepted by representatives of the New York State Federation of Home Bureaux and the Federated Women's Institutes of Canada on the occasion of the 1936 Washington DC Conference of ACWW. With the cooperation of The Niagara Parks Commission, this plaque was re-dedicated during the 23rd Triennial Conference of ACWW held in Hamilton, Ontario in June of 2001.
The flags are paraded 'in and out' at the beginning abc rent a car spain and end of this meeting. They are carried by the host country in national costume and make a wonderful and colourful display. There are approximately 365 Member societies in over70 countries. Each society has its own customs and runs its own meetings BUT they all come together to work internationally for the benefit of rural communities all over the world. The next Triennial Meeting in 2010 will be held in Hot Springs, Arkansas and the 2013 meeting is scheduled abc rent a car spain for ShenYang, China. (No picture - many have been 'wiped' from the blog - the penalties of a free blog I suppose!!)
Jackie spoke to us at the SW Supporters Group first meeting in Taunton abc rent a car spain on 30th June. Jackie told us about her visits to the Gambia (monitoring an ACWW project) abc rent a car spain and about her own work sending garments, sewing machines etc to a village. She specialises in making jam and brought some to sell on the day. It was delicious and we enjoyed it with scones and cream after lunch. abc rent a car spain Originally, the money from selling abc rent a car spain the jam ( 1,000 a year) was used to pay for transport of items to the Gambia BUT now the money goes to ACWW as Jackie's own 10yr project abc rent a car spain has been completed. (Goodness me how many lbs of jam makes 1,000?) Certainly a full time job!!! Well done Jackie. The picture below shows Jackie during a talk in Hereford abc rent a car spain at an ACWW lunch organised by Brenda Drake to raise funds for ACWW.
One of Somerset's Projects was involved with starting a Vanilla Farm in Uganda. This picture shows the beans growing on the vines and some of the farmers involved. (I don't know if our Farm is prolific yet - it sometimes takes up to 3 years before the first flowers appear - also the flowers have to be fertilised manually - unless some African bees have adopted them)! Vanilla originally came from Mexico and the flowers were fertilised by the Meliponna bee. Vanilla abc rent a car spain was known as Uganda's abc rent a car spain Green Gold at one stage, as the profits from good crops were excellent. In some areas the beans are branded to protect them - even when shrunken during harvesting the brands are still visible. The vanilla vines improve with age rather like grape vines in vineyards.
Alison and I met years ago whilst on our WIA training course. She was already very involved with ACWW and I had been an ACWW (non-active) member for years. abc rent a car spain Later, because of this interest (I was also ACWW Rep for Somerset at this stage) I was invited to a lunch in Gwent. abc rent a car spain I really enjoyed the speaker and decided to book her (Anna Boshoff from S Africa) for a lunch in Somerset (subject to the support of BOT). Unfortunately, as the lunch date approached Anna could not travel due to ill-health - so Alison stood in. Alison is co-founder, with Kathleen Martin, of the ACWW Wales Supporters Team and both encouraged me to start an ACWW South West Supporters Group. abc rent a car spain I travelled with them to Turku and they have proved great friends. I have been to several lunches and meetings in Wales and thanks to them my knowledge of ACWW friendship has expanded. In Turku we (Alison, Kathleen, Therese and I) stayed in a hotel with many women from Eastern Europe. It is thanks to some of these European ladies that I have managed to make some penfriend links in Europe.
These pictures are from places all over the world rather like members of ACWW. Hmmm ..... if you watch it all y