The Cornwall Federation of Women’s Institutes
The WI movement began at Stoney Creek in Canada in 1897 when Adelaide Hoodless addressed a meeting for the wives of members of the Farmers' Institute.
The first Women’s Institute in Britain was formed in 1915 with two clear aims, to revitalize rural communities and to encourage women to become more involved in producing food during the First World War. Since then the aims have broadened and the WI is now the largest women’s organisation in the UK, playing a unique role in providing women with educational opportunities and the chance to build new skills as well as the opportunity to take part in a wide range of activities and to campaign on behalf of women and their communities.
The Cornwall Federation of Women’s Institutes is run from their own purpose built, eco friendly, County House near Truro.
Communication with approximately 170 branches in Cornwall is a complex task and the Cornwall Federation established a dial-up internet connection around eight years ago, followed by introducing broadband in 2007, with the help of the actnow reach project.
Frances Armstrong, Federation and Company Secretary says ‘”We are delighted to be receiving a rebate from actnow reach towards our broadband connection costs. This has helped make it possible for us to take advantage of broadband and all the benefits it offers in terms of speed and efficiency.
Broadband makes it easier for us to communicate with members, local groups and other organisations without the frustration of the type of ‘glitches’ that occur with a dial-up internet connection. We receive many photos by email, for our County News newsletter and other purposes and with broadband this is now considerably faster and more straightforward.
We run our own website, www.cornwallwi.org.uk. It is so much easier to update it now that we have broadband. We are saving time and avoiding some of the frustrations we used to have. The website includes a What’s On section so it needs to be updated constantly.
Having broadband will also make it more possible for us to use internet banking should we wish to do so in the future.
We are also pleased with the environmental friendliness of broadband. As a concerned, forward thinking organisation with our own Green Charter, this is an aspect that is very important to us.”
Nan Collier, County Chairman, continues “We are strongly committed to doing everything we can to help protect the environment and are pleased that broadband means that we can improve our communications whilst cutting down on our use of paper. It also means we need less face to face meetings as so much more communication is now done by email, so we are saving on fuel too.”
Frances concludes “Broadband is helping us to improve our communications, and provide a more streamlined service for our members. The WI has evolved significantly over the last ninety years and it will continue to evolve and develop in the future, making the most of new technology to create an organisation that is always forward looking and relevant to the women of today.”
For further information about the support available under actnow reach or to apply for funding, please call Stephen Caen at actnow on 0800 800 935 or email reach@actnowcornwall.co.uk
actnow reach is funded by the Rural Cornwall and Isles of Scilly Partnership and Cornwall Enterprise
