Kenilworth Women’s Institute 1971
1971 saw Kenilworth WI campaign to improve local post collection services. The local council had been asking the Post Office to add a second post box in the Abbey End shopping area, but it was not until the WI intervened, and campaigned on safety grounds, that the Post Office relented. Members argued that the one collection box, where the main post office was then situated, was unsafe as many people had to cross a very busy road on foot or create parking difficulties if visiting by car. Abbey End was a busy shopping area and a post box there would be well used and safer they argued. The local paper reported ‘The letters with which the WI bombarded high-ups at the Post Office were delightfully practical, plain Jane, and in the end persuasive.’ So, when you use that post box remember the campaigning done by some of our original members!
1971 also saw some charitable work done – £5 was raised from a produce sale in Talisman Square for Cancer Research and over 200 Christmas presents and cakes were donated by members to the Weston-under-Wetherley Hospital and distributed to the patients. It was also a year of competition success with Kenilworth WI gaining a Highly Commended in the Gardner Cup competition at the Spring Council Meeting. The competition was for a Simnel Cake, and the judge described it as having ‘Good texture’ and a ‘pleasant flavour.’
Flowering arranging with the Kenilworth Flower Club was the order of the day for June with a garden party the following day at a member’s home which, despite bad weather, was fun and raised funds. Stalls at the Kenilworth Agricultural Show in August also raised funds with cakes and preserves for sale and displays of handicrafts from WI classes helping boost interest in the WI. The annual meeting of the WI talked of the growing membership of the WI which was now four years old.
The new officers of the WI were Mrs B Ketley, President; Mrs J Frith, Secretary and Mrs J Ellis, Treasurer.