About Us

Welcome to

VIRTUALLY NORFOLK WI 

Hazel Jones - President & Programme Secretary

I was born and brought up in Essex. I was fortunate to travel many places in Europe with my Employers as I was Secretary/PA to Managing Director of a food importer.

I first joined the WI in 1983. There wasn’t one in the village where I lived and the nearest in Epping had a waiting list, so Federation Office suggested I might like to start one, which I did and it is still going strong.

My husband & I then moved to Brentwood, Essex, where I joined my local Institute and soon got involved in the Committee becoming Secretary then President and committee member until we made our final move.

In 2009 we moved to Aylsham with my widowed mother, a place we knew well from years of visiting Malcolm’s family. Again, I joined local WI to meet people and make friends in my new County. I joined the Federation Board of Trustees, am Vice-Chair of Public Affairs Sub-Committee and was Denman Ambassador till it closed. I am also on the Committees of our Local History Society and u3a. My hobbies are travelling, reading, knitting and crochet. I love Norfolk.

I am so proud and happy to have been chosen as the first President of this new Virtual WI adventure and although we are a small Committee, spread across the County, we are all enthusiastic about this new venture.

Sue Birrell -Treasurer

I was brought up in west London. I got married in 1972 when I then moved to Greenford, Middlesex. We had two girls. I now have two grandsons. We moved to Bowthorpe in Norwich in 1983. I joined the PTA at the girls’ school to meet people.

I have been on many committees, including President of Bowthorpe WI, I am currently on the PPG of the local GP Practice, a member of the Federation’s Leisure Sub Committee, the Social club where I live and now Virtually Norfolk.    I have always enjoyed playing cards so I learnt to play bridge at Federation Office and now run the Bridge group. I also enjoy beading and other crafts.

Pam Cooper - Secretary

I am Norfolk born and bred, I have lived in or near Norwich most of my life. However, I enjoyed the unique experience of living in Nigeria, Turkey & Cyprus.

I worked for Aviva for many years before retiring and enjoying time with Citizens Advice.

I am a long-standing member, and for the last 11 years president, of Poringland WI. I am delighted to be joining Virtually Norfolk WI as we embark on this exciting technology-led era for the WI. Although I readily admit I will undoubtedly be calling on the IT skills of my children for help!

Ann Morgan – Committee member

My name is Ann Morgan and I am pictured with “drop-dead gorgeous” otherwise known as Morse.  I have now lived in my rural Norfolk village for some 27 years.  Having a London background and then all around the southern half of the country, I am very content to have ended up in this tranquil part of the world.  It has treated me kindly, allowing me to work for an American pharmaceutical company where I flew for the first time and on that first trip, spent 10 days in Monte Carlo.  The shower pinned you to the opposite wall. Hey ho, those were the days.

My history with the WI dates from my move to Norfolk and ended up with my becoming Federation Chairman back in the middle-ages.

I am still working for the Norfolk Governance Service – albeit a bit more than semi-retired.  I volunteer at Oxburgh Hall (NT) both meeting the public but also behind the scenes in the office and I support Bexwell Church with their fundraising.    Oh, and I love gardening … just as well because I have a big garden!

Chris Frederick – Committee member

As a lot of you have probably noticed, I am not a “Norfolk girl”, but come from a place called Cowbridge in the Vale of Glamorgan, South Wales.  I have lived in Aylsham, Norfolk, for some 9 years now, and moved here to be near my brother and his family once my Mum had passed away.

I joined the local u3a as a founder member to meet new people and was their Membership Secretary from the start.

After 7 years of this, I needed a new challenge and Hazel suggested the local History Society and Virtual WI.   Not knowing much about either organisation, I looked into them further and, would you believe it, joined the History Society Committee!   When Hazel asked if I would like to join Virtual Committee, I gave it some thought and decided the best way to get to know an organisation and people was to get involved, so I agreed.

I am delighted to join the Committee and will help in whatever way I can.

Carol Cole – Committee member

Born in Chiswick, and lived in London until 8 years old, then Hertfordshire until 12, then Heacham in Norfolk before starting my training as a nurse at the N&N hospital. Retired after 50 years as a nurse, have two children and five grandchildren.

I am a newcomer to the WI only joining when I retired, firstly at Poringland where I was a committee member, and then at Ditchingham where I became treasurer. I joined the Virtual WI after COVID-19. It is good not to have to go out, especially in the winter.

I enjoy crafts very much, sewing, knitting and crochet; trying new crafts on the WI Learning Hub, walking and reading.

I look forward to working with our splendid team and joining in with other virtual WI groups for special occasions.

Aleathia Mann – Committee member

In 1973 I moved to Norfolk from Suffolk to train as a Chartered Accountant. I greatly enjoyed the work and only retired a few years ago. I still suffer the temptation to review any figures set before me.

I joined the WI when I moved house in 1993 and remained a member of The Beck WI until it suspended in 2021. During those years I undertook many roles at Federation level and was National Treasurer for 5 years from 2007 to 2012.

I loved going to Denman College and was very sad when it had to close. I met by husband on a Jane Austen course while I was Federation Chairman.

Now I am retired I play my piano (not particularly well), read (far too much) and garden when the weather permits. I like to combine the garden with photographing the flowers on display throughout the year. My aim is to plan a garden where I can have a flower from the garden in the house every week.

Helpers - not on Committee

Wendy Adams - MCS Representative

Anne Nelson – Web and Facebook Editor