January
Handling stress was the focus of our January W.I. meeting. Sallie Crawley, our speaker, explained to members the difference between stress and anxiety and gave advice as how best to handle pressure by changing how we think and so turning the negative into positive. Sallie has over 12 years’ experience as a coach and therapist. She is a qualified Life Coach and H.M. qualified Executive Coach and Mentor, a Master Practitioner of Neuro Linguistic Programming (N.L.P.) and a trained Hypnotherapist and members enjoyed joining in the various situations discussed. Sallie explained how to become calmer by controlling your breathing and at the end of the meeting members took part in an exercise by closing their eyes, placing hands in their laps and feet flat on the floor and while listening to some calming music Sallie talked members through a lovely relaxing process.
One of the tenets of the W.I. is to campaign to change things for the better and tackle issues that matter to members. Each W.I.member plays a role in bringing issues into the national agenda through our public affairs and campaigning. Over the years this has ranged from equal pay to climate change, from gaps in the midwifery workforce to the plight of the honey bee. At this time of year members discuss 6 items on a short list and then vote on the issue that they would like to see go forward to regional and then national level.
After discussion and consideration members voted on the 2019 Resolutions. These were:
- Improving Plant Biosecurity in the UK
- Trees – improving the Natural Landscape
- Pelvic Floor Education
- Suffering in silence; and the taboo around menstrual health
- A call against the Decline in Local Bus Services
- Don’t fear the smear.
Please use the link below if you are interested in reading more.
www.thewi.org.uk/campaigns/resolutions-and-mandates
When the vote was taken, the issue of “the decline in the Local Bus Services” was the Resolution chosen. Perhaps this reflects the recent problems there have been with the bus service in Papworth.
Despite these weighty issues, we have definitely not neglected the social side and a large number of members gathered on Saturday 19 January for a trip to see “My Fair Lady” at the Cambridge Arts Theatre and then on Thursday 24 January, afternoon tea at the Golden Lion Hotel, St Ives.
