Page 3 - Leighton News May 2019
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After the last issue of Leighton News I hope you don’t all think of the WI as being somewhere to go to practise
baking, sewing, knitting or flower arranging. You might get the chance to try your hand at all of those things,
but you might also get the chance to learn about climate change, microplastics or mason bees or to have a go at
darts or kurling – but not on ice. There is so much to the WI and new on Powys Montgomery Federation’s
calendar this year is WALKING NETBALL with taster sessions for members being held around the county.

As mentioned in the previous article the WI is a campaigning organisation and in June members will go to the
Annual Meeting to debate the decline in bus services and why women are not taking up the chance to be
screened for signs of cervical cancer. In the 1960s, 2,500 women died annually from cervical cancer and it was
the WI who brought forward the much needed national conversation on this issue. The WI began educating its
members about screening facilities and encouraged women to ask for the test which was extremely under-
utilised at the time. But we still need to raise awareness, hence the latest resolution.

The NFWI was one of the first organisations to
talk about HIV and AIDS following its 1986
resolution ‘to inform the general public of the
true facts concerning the disease AIDS’ and
used its unrivalled network of local
organisations to educate the public and get
people talking about the issue.

NFWI also campaigned on equal pay for equal
work in 1943 and because of a resolution in
1954, calling for a campaign to ‘preserve the
countryside against desecration by litter,’ the
Keep Britain Tidy group was formed. The 1958 Litter Act was attributed largely to Keep Britain Tidy, and MPs
thanked the WI for the role it played in transforming litter policy. Over 60 years later many WIs still take part
in Keep Britain Tidy’s annual ‘Great British Spring Clean’ to bring people together and clean up their
communities.

A WI in Leighton?

If you’d like to know more and think you might like to see a WI in
Leighton, you are warmly invited to an informal meeting in Leighton
Village Hall on Wednesday 22nd May at 7.30 pm. Come and meet
some of the trustees and members of Powys Montgomery Federation
and chat about what joining the WI might mean for you. You never
know – there might even be cake! Before that come along to this
year’s Spring Show on 11th May at Buttington/Trewern Community
Centre at 2.30p.m. (£3 entry)

For more information get in touch with federation secretary
Jane, on 01686 630632, email info@pmfwi.org.uk or the federation chairman,

Jean Hurrell, on 01938 553736, email jean@swnynant.co.uk.
WEDNESDAY 22ND MAY LEIGHTON VILLAGE HALL 7:30 pm
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