Our Spring Commons Edge Area Meeting was held on Tuesday 7th May in Box Village Hall. It was well attended with members from Minchinhampton, Box, Nailsworth and Woodchester WIs. We were pleased to see Sandie Baker, our WI Advisor, who informed us on the details of how the voting for the resolutions is organised.
Our speaker was Robin Burton from Stroud Wassail, who spoke on the history of song and entertained us with unaccompanied, tuneful snippets! He spoke of the demise of people enjoying singing themselves at work and play. Nowadays, people are “listeners” rather than “singers” and these days few children actually learn nursery rhymes. The older generation can still remember their nursery rhymes but are not so good at recalling modern music!
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Imagine if no matter how hard you worked today, you couldn't afford to put food on the table. For millions of people around the world, that's the reality they face. A fair income gives you freedom, security and hope for the future. It allows you to feed your family and educate your children.
That is the power of trade done well. But unfair trade amplifies poverty. It makes the rich richer and leaves the poor behind. Traidcraft Exchange exists to do two things...
- To support people to harness the benefits of trade.
- To fight against injustice in global trade.
It's a simple mission, but it is changing lives all over the world.
Traidcraft Exchange run development programmes across Africa and South Asia to support poor and vulnerable people to get a better deal from trade.
They are working to rescue and rehabilitate men, women and children from work under debt
bondage and forced labour conditions in northern Bangladesh and Madhya Pradesh, India. The project will create alternate avenues of income generation and establish people’s institutions that will focus on preventing exploitation.
Your support to the Traidcraft stalls means these people can work as part of a group, giving them a stronger voice and a more secure income. That means they can start to afford the things that many of us are lucky enough to take for granted.
Thank you for continuing to support Traidcraft. Our next Sunday stall will be on Sunday July 21st after the 10am service.
If you imagine 1000 injustices... And picture each family affected, each abuse of power where the rich get richer at the expense of the poor...You still wouldn't be close to the scale of what's going on in the world right now. Injustice is everywhere.
But we can make things better - one small step at a time. Because it's through a thousand small steps that we actually start to make a difference. Together we can move towards a future where all trade is fair.
That’s what your support to Traidcraft means for the women of South Senegal – being able to afford the simple, everyday things that will make a world of difference to their children, because when you can’t afford the “little things”... well, you realise they aren’t so “little” after all.
Your support to the Traidcraft stalls means that fruit farmers in Casamance, South Senegal can come together and work as part of a group, giving them a stronger voice and a more secure income.That means they can start to afford the things that many of us are lucky enough to take for granted. Yacime, a fruit farmer and mother of five, explains:
“Before we formed the association, I couldn’t afford shoes for the children. “They used to ask their father, ‘Can we have shoes?’ and we had to say no. Now I can say yes, and they all have shoes which protect their feet on the way to school.”
For Yacime, the daily walk to school is just the first step of a bigger journey:
“I hope my children will get work after they complete their education and have jobs with salaries. I want success for my children – that is more important than success for me.”
Yacime herself never went to school, but thanks to your support, a brighter future for her children isn’t just a dream – it’s a reality.
That’s the beauty of trade when it’s done right – it keeps families happy, healthy and thriving – not just today, but for generations.
Thank you for continuing to support Traidcraft.
Our next Sunday stall will be on Sunday June 16th after the 10am service.
Jackie Natt 01453 731018.
Unfortunately, I missed the deadline for the May issue of the magazine. I very much regretted this as it included a tribute to Agnes Hutchinson, a very much respected and well-loved member of Box WI. So, I am including it this month and apologise for the late entry!
We were all very sorry to learn of the death of Agnes Hutchinson on 20th March aged 99. We offer our sincere condolences to Betty, her life-time friend. Betty and Agnes first met when teaching at Uttoxeter and then moved to Minchinhampton. They both joined Minchinhampton WI in 1982 and 5 years later joined Box WI. They were both very active members taking positions of secretary and treasurer for many years – no mean task! They went on 20 different courses at Denman College, amongst which were Elizabethan and Regency Dancing, Photography and Stumpwork Embroidery. Agnes was very talented in embroidery and produced beautiful work. During her last years at Ilsom House, Agnes enjoyed joining in the varied activities the home offered. It is good to know she was well cared for in her final years.
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We spent a most entertaining afternoon at our meeting on April 3rd. First of all we had an Easter Bonnet parade and competition, judged by our members. Afterwards, an enjoyable quiz with twenty very unusual questions.
Tea and hot cross buns, delicious home made biscuits and simnel cakes ended the afternoon.
Our next meeting will be at 2pm on Wednesday May 1st in the Library and new members are always very welcome.
In February we had a very interesting talk by Sue Simmonds on “Celebrities at the Market House.” It made me realise how many well-known and famous people actually live in our area! I must congratulate Sue on her ability to spot them and chat them up!!
On 27th March three of our members are going to the Annual Council Meeting in Cheltenham. The speaker for that event is Helen Pankhurst CBE, great granddaughter of Emmeline Pankhurst. She is an International Development and Women’s Rights activist and writer and will no doubt be a fascinating speaker.
Meetings at Box Village Hall are held on the 2nd Tuesday of each month, 10am business, coffee at 10.30am followed by a speaker. Visitors are warmly welcomed at 10.30am - £3 including coffee.
Geraldine Ames, President.
