Information for New Members

New Members are always welcomed.

Use the contact us button or our facebook and instagram pages to talk to us.

WOODHATCH WI is part of the National Federation of Women’s Institutes (NFWI) and also the Surrey Federation of Women’s Institutes (SFWI). We have 30 + members from Woodhatch, Reigate, Redhill and the surrounding area. Meetings are held at 7.30pm on the second Monday of the month at The Woodhatch Centre, Whitebeam Drive, Reigate. We also hold other regular activities as listed on your programme, and other events throughout the year, which you will hear about at monthly meetings or find in our trips section

MEETINGS start with the Speaker which will either be a talk or demonstration which lasts about an hour. We then break for refreshments when there is time to chat with friends and meet new members and visitors. We then finish with the WI business, when you will hear announcements about forthcoming events.

THE PROGRAMME is planned a year in advance, and members are asked for ideas of speakers and activities which will be planned into a programme covering a wide variety of interests.

WOODHATCH NEWS is the monthly newsletter of Woodhatch WI.

THE SUBSCRIPTION for 2024 is £48 which is divided between Woodhatch WI, SFWI and NFWI. Subscriptions are due in April. If members belong to more than one WI, they pay the full membership to their main WI and £24 for their second and subsequent memberships.

DUAL MEMBERSHIP The member has full voting rights in both WI’s for all matters relating to that WI. However they only have voting rights in their main WI with regard to National and County Federation issues.

SURREY FEDERATION (SFWI) acts as an umbrella body for all the WI’s in the County and has a Federation Secretary who works in SFWI’s regional office at Unit 6 PARIS, Parklands, Railton Road, Guildford, GU2 9JX (01483 233230)

NATIONAL FEDERATION OF WOMEN’S INSTITUTES (NFWI) is an even bigger umbrella body for all the WI’s in England and Wales, and has an office and staff at 104 New Kings Road, Fulham, London SW6 4LY (telephone 020 7371 9300).

ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING is held every year, at which one delegate represents four WI’s.

RESOLUTIONS are subjects of social and topical importance, submitted by individual WI’s, then selected and discussed thoroughly at all levels. May is the month that Resolutions are debated at our WI, and then we vote on how we wish our delegate to vote at the Annual General Meeting. If the Resolution is carried at the Annual general Meeting, the WI is empowered to influence local and national policy-making.

AUDITIONS are held several times a year at different venues to hear new speakers for meetings, they give a shortened version of their talk and members can book to go and listen to them. Details are given out in our monthly meetings and in our newsletter.

ASSOCIATED COUNTRY WOMEN OF THE WORLD (ACWW) is a worldwide organisation to which the NFWI belongs. Each WI donates small amounts to ACWW and this money is used to help underprivileged women in third world countries. Woodhatch members donate some of their Christmas raffle money to ACWW.

WI PUBLICATIONS There is a Surrey Newsletter “Surrey WI News” issued every month, this is available online, and sent to all members by email.

WI LIFE is a magazine published 8 times a year by NFWI. This is part of the subscription and is posted directly to you.

WI BOOKS publish and sell books on various subjects and these are available from PARIS, Railton Road, Guildford, at Federation Meetings or occasionally at WI meetings.

COUNTRY MARKETS (previously WI Markets but now an independent company) our nearest markets are Bookham and Oxted. For more information about Country Markets telephone 01246 261508. www.country-markets.co.uk.

THE COUNTRY MARKETS PARCEL SCHEME provides a unique gift for all occasions. Deliveries of a selection of fresh Market goods can be made to most parts of the country. Telephone 01246 261508 or see the website.

TERMINOLOGY When we refer to our “Institute” or our “WI” we are talking about Woodhatch WI.