Frequently Asked Questions
What’s the WI?
The Women's Institute or WI was formed in 1915 to bring together women in rural communities and encourage them to become more involved in producing food during the First World War. The WI was inspired by an organisation set up in Canada in 1897. Find out more about the WI here on http://www.thewi.org.uk/.
The WI has developed over the past hundred years and we feel very proud to be setting up the Swallowtail WI in the WI’s centennial year.
Is it all Jam and Jerusalem?
Quite simply no. The WI is changing and while there are many WIs across the country who still remain true to their traditional origins, there are newer WIs setting up who are blending the old and the new. That’s what the Swallowtail WI intends to do. We love the history and traditions and want to incorporate them with new ideas and new technology. You’ll find us as active online as we are in person. Just check out our social media hang outs - Facebook, Twitter and Pinterest.
We do play Jerusalem and some of us make jam. A lot of us bake, knit and craft but we also do burlesque, hula hoop and go geo-caching.
Our speakers and activities are themed around our eclectic tastes. You may find someone talking about butterflies, vintage fashion or the history of the WI. Or we might be cooking, flower arranging or learning how to do the charleston. Check out our Calendar of Events page to see what we have coming up.
I want to come and visit
Fantastic, we would love to see you. We meet on the second Tuesday of every month at the Gage Road Chapel, from 7.30 - 9.30 pm. You can arrive anytime after 7 pm. There is ample parking.
All you need to do is drop us an email and we’ll put you down on the guest list. It’s £4 to come along as a visitor and this covers our running costs and your drink and yummy cake. We will look out for you on the night and introduce you to other members. We are a very friendly group, always pleased to welcome new people, so there is no need to be nervous the first time you come.
You can come along three times as a visitor before you need to decide if you want to become a member.
What happens at a meeting?
Every WI runs their meetings differently. We start our meeting at 7.30 pm by playing Jerusalem. It’s a tradition we like to honour. We don’t consider ourselves great singers so we’re happy to just listen but members are free to sing along - either option is fine.
We have a speaker or activity for the first half of the evening. Then we break for a drink and a slice of cake or biscuit, provided by our members on the cake rota. There is a gluten free alternative.
After the break we have the business portion of our meeting, it normally lasts about half an hour. This is when the WI gets together and talks about any forthcoming events, dates for the diary, ideas for future meetings and anything else that the members want to discuss. Swallowtail WI is organised by a committee but it’s run by and for the members.
How do I join?
To join the Swallowtail WI you need to come and visit us at a meeting. You can arrange that by emailing us.
If you come along and like it then you can join straight away or go home and think about it then send us an email to confirm you would like to become a member. We will get you to fill out a membership form and either pay by cheque on the night or via BACS.
There is an annual membership fee that is set by National Federation. This covers the cost of eleven meetings: the venue hire, speaker, activities and your refreshments. Occasionally we organise extra events or activities that may have an additional fee but these events are optional.
You will also receive eight copies of the WI Life magazine during the year.
We have a cake rota and ask that every member contributes. You can bake something yourself or bring along a packet of yummy biscuits. We try to provide an alternative to dietary restrictions so let us know if you have any. You don’t need to be an expert baker, we love cake in all its forms and are definitely not there to judge.
If I identify as a Female, can I still join the WI?
Yes, you'll be very welcome! Please request to come visit us by dropping us an email..
The Women's Institute or WI was formed in 1915 to bring together women in rural communities and encourage them to become more involved in producing food during the First World War. The WI was inspired by an organisation set up in Canada in 1897. Find out more about the WI here on http://www.thewi.org.uk/.
The WI has developed over the past hundred years and we feel very proud to be setting up the Swallowtail WI in the WI’s centennial year.
Is it all Jam and Jerusalem?
Quite simply no. The WI is changing and while there are many WIs across the country who still remain true to their traditional origins, there are newer WIs setting up who are blending the old and the new. That’s what the Swallowtail WI intends to do. We love the history and traditions and want to incorporate them with new ideas and new technology. You’ll find us as active online as we are in person. Just check out our social media hang outs - Facebook, Twitter and Pinterest.
We do play Jerusalem and some of us make jam. A lot of us bake, knit and craft but we also do burlesque, hula hoop and go geo-caching.
Our speakers and activities are themed around our eclectic tastes. You may find someone talking about butterflies, vintage fashion or the history of the WI. Or we might be cooking, flower arranging or learning how to do the charleston. Check out our Calendar of Events page to see what we have coming up.
I want to come and visit
Fantastic, we would love to see you. We meet on the second Tuesday of every month at the Gage Road Chapel, from 7.30 - 9.30 pm. You can arrive anytime after 7 pm. There is ample parking.
All you need to do is drop us an email and we’ll put you down on the guest list. It’s £4 to come along as a visitor and this covers our running costs and your drink and yummy cake. We will look out for you on the night and introduce you to other members. We are a very friendly group, always pleased to welcome new people, so there is no need to be nervous the first time you come.
You can come along three times as a visitor before you need to decide if you want to become a member.
What happens at a meeting?
Every WI runs their meetings differently. We start our meeting at 7.30 pm by playing Jerusalem. It’s a tradition we like to honour. We don’t consider ourselves great singers so we’re happy to just listen but members are free to sing along - either option is fine.
We have a speaker or activity for the first half of the evening. Then we break for a drink and a slice of cake or biscuit, provided by our members on the cake rota. There is a gluten free alternative.
After the break we have the business portion of our meeting, it normally lasts about half an hour. This is when the WI gets together and talks about any forthcoming events, dates for the diary, ideas for future meetings and anything else that the members want to discuss. Swallowtail WI is organised by a committee but it’s run by and for the members.
How do I join?
To join the Swallowtail WI you need to come and visit us at a meeting. You can arrange that by emailing us.
If you come along and like it then you can join straight away or go home and think about it then send us an email to confirm you would like to become a member. We will get you to fill out a membership form and either pay by cheque on the night or via BACS.
There is an annual membership fee that is set by National Federation. This covers the cost of eleven meetings: the venue hire, speaker, activities and your refreshments. Occasionally we organise extra events or activities that may have an additional fee but these events are optional.
You will also receive eight copies of the WI Life magazine during the year.
We have a cake rota and ask that every member contributes. You can bake something yourself or bring along a packet of yummy biscuits. We try to provide an alternative to dietary restrictions so let us know if you have any. You don’t need to be an expert baker, we love cake in all its forms and are definitely not there to judge.
If I identify as a Female, can I still join the WI?
Yes, you'll be very welcome! Please request to come visit us by dropping us an email..
