Page last updated on Monday, 28-May-2012 14:00:43 BST

Hanpshire W.I. LogoGodshill W.I.

Godshill W.I. was founded in 1925; was suspended during world war two and resumed again in July 1948.

 

As most of us are ladies of a certain age we stick to our second birthday and therefore we are in our (very) early sixties. Over the years, membership has been around thirty with occasional surges and plunges.


The W.I. Movement was founded to meet the need for knowledge and information. The early Godshill meetings reflected this very clearly. In some ways our meetings still do but, and herein lies a volume of change, members today do not have the necessarily limited horizons of our predecessor. We now have information available for the taking; for work, pleasure and for the sheer enjoyment of satisfying idle curiosity. Our speakers come to entertain, surprise, challenge and still, to inform us.


Over the years, recorded in the minute books, one can see social history unfolding. Until recently one would not have been aware that any member owned anything as familiar as a Christian name. There were slight hints of forelock tugging in respect of certain names, a custom happily confined to the archives. It is safe to say that in many ways the style of meetings has changed considerably, as has the language used to record them. No one now gives “hearty thanks” but. Of course, the sentiment remains the same.


Godshill has a reputation within the Fordingbridge Group of W.Is and beyond for being lively, young, innovative and just a little idiosyncratic. The “young” image is not so much due to actual youth as to a youthful outlook, a “can do” approach to things. We certainly take our membership seriously but we inject our own style of enthusiasm and while noting the official guidelines we do not use them as barriers.


We participate in many local events and some further afield such as the W.I. tent at the New Forest Show. A competition which always produces some truly excellent entries and gives us a huge sense of triumph if we are up among the prizewinners. We give help and support to all the other village events and like to think that all the other organisations in Godshill know they can rely on the W.I.


We meet on the first Wednesday of the month in Godshill Village Hall at 2.15 p.m. All members and visitors are greeted at the door. Members pay 50p towards the price of the tea and visitors pay £2.00. We sit around small tables for our meeting and there are no special places. We start with W.I. business and then it’s the turn of the speaker before we finish off with a very good tea and chat. Meetings usually finish about 4.30p.m

 

Our Reading Group meet on the afternoon of the third Wednesday of each month and the Swimming group meet on a Monday at 9.30am at Sandy Balls during term time.


If you would like to know more about us why not come and join us for tea. You would be very welcome.

 

 

 

 

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