We are a wide age range WI in Great Notley, meeting every 3rd Thursday at the NGCA hall at 7.45pm. We have interesting speakers, activity meetings and crafting sessions. Our various sub groups include; Bookclub, Brunch club, Craft group, Gardening, Knit and Natter, and a cinema group. These sub groups mostly meet on an alternative Thursday evening, but some meet at differing locations and times. We also serve refreshments at the monthly Repair Cafe in the main hall.
Plus we do lots in the community, we are sure you have seen how we love to decorate the Village Post and the Jubilee Oak for the Remembrance Service ( as well as making poppies throughout the year for Fred (British Legion) to sell). We decorate the Village Post at Christmas, we help to arrange the Great Notley Parish community Christmas carols and crafts annual event, serving teas, coffees and refreshments at various events throughout the year as well as sitting on the annualy Great Notley Village Fete committtee.
The Aim of the WI is:
To offer opportunities for all women to enjoy friendship, to learn, to widen their horizons and together to influence local, national and international affairs.
About the Women’s Institute:
The Women’s Institute started in Stoney Creek, Ontario, Canada in 1897 as a ‘self help’ group for farmer’s wives. Adelaide Hoodless’s youngest child had died from drinking contaminated milk and she was determined that it shouldn’t happen to other children. She set up the Women’s Institute with the aim of educating and supporting its members which is a tradition the WI upholds to-day. Since its inception the WI has been non-sectarian and non-party political. However, as the largest women’s organisation in the country, we are a force to be reckoned with and continually campaign for changes and improvements to the position of women and that of their families. We pride ourselves on the fact that all members pay the same subscription and are equal in all ways.
Margaret Robertson Watt brought the idea of WI to Great Britain in 1915 and the first meeting was held on September 16th in Lanfairpwll on the Isle of Anglesey. Subscription to the WI was set at 2/- (10 pence).
The organisation spread quickly throughout England and Wales and The Federation of Essex Women’s Institutes, FEWI, was formed in 1917 and now has more than 165 WIs with some 6,500 plus members. Both Scotland and Northern Ireland have similar organisations in The Scottish Rural Women’s Institute and the Northern Ireland WI.
Timing of sessions
Third Thursday of every month 19:45 to 22:00
(Main Hall)
Contact Details
Telephone: Deborah 07973 734878 or Linda 07713 754414
Email: joinourwi@googlemail.com
Facebook: @Woman’s Institute Notley Green – WINGs
Instagram: @WINotleyGreen.wings