Centenary

Barnham Broom & District Centenary 2018

We are rather proud that we are centenarians at Barnham Broom, and Jean Reeve is particularly proud of her family`s thread running through our Institute.  Her grandmother Agnes was a founder member in 1918, when a redoubtable band of women formed the WI.  They and other local organisations raised enough money to buy and erect an ex-wartime wooden hut - the new village hall.  Jean`s mother Gertie joined us during WW2 and Jean herself joined in 1957.  During the 50`s we moved our meetings from afternoon to evening, maybe reflecting the fact that women were increasingly going out to work in the daytime.
Members fund-raised again in the 1980`s supporting the Village Hall Committee in a huge community effort to replace our old leaky wooden hut with a new village hall.  Some current members were involved in this, including Hilda Wright who has been with us since the 1960`s.
Numbers fluctuated throughout our century, and reached 43 in 1979 (4 are still with us), down to just 15 in 1996 (7 are still with us).  Currently we are a band of 19 who enjoy going out for monthly lunches, we have a variety of speakers, and one of our most popular outings in recent years was a tour of the BBC at The Forum.   We support local initiatives such as the appeal to refurbish our church bells, we plant spring bulbs in the hedgerows to brighten our environment, we enjoy going for walks, and we help the local mothers and toddlers group by providing refreshments for mums and their children.
In 1928 our 41 members raised the then huge sum of six pounds thirteen shillings and fourpence from jumble.  At that time the subscription was two shillings (ten pence in today`s money)!    Last November, under the direction of President Norah Wale, we raised £54.05 for cakes at the School Fayre, to start off our Centenary Fund to purchase new crockery for our village hall. This seems a fitting way to move into our second century, with the Hall at the heart of our WI.  (March 2018)

A Centenary Tree was created to celebrate our anniversary.

Members were invited to embroider their names onto the leaves.

The tree now hangs on the wall of Barnham Broom Village Hall.

In February 2018 we held our 99th Birthday meeting. As well as asking members to design a 99th Birthday card as our competition, the collar on our first Centenary Birthday cake mentioned several things that happened during our 100 years.

In July 2018 we joined with other Norfolk WIs celebrating their Centenary for a Birthday Lunch including a joint Centenary Birthday cake. Our Christmas meal in December 2018 was on the first day of our second Century. Our Centenary Birthday cards from National and our Norfolk Federation were on display.
In February 2019 we held our 100th Birthday meeting with our final Centenary Birthday cake. The cake was decorated with flowers from the joint Birthday Lunch.
To celebrate our Centenary, we raised funds throughout the year and presented mugs to Barnham Broom Village Hall.
To celebrate Norfolk WI’s Centenary, our Bunting was stitched to match the design on our tablecloth.