Burghclere and Newtown WI celebrate 100 years in style

Members celebrate organisation’s centenary year by tuning in to watch simultaneous national celebrations

BURGHCLERE and Newtown WI celebrated the organisation’s centenary year in style last Thursday when members tuned in from a Newbury hotel to watch simultaneous national celebrations hosted by the Queen in London.

Around 50 members of Burghclere and Newtown WI took part in the celebrations at the Donnington Valley Hotel, including a luncheon where a video link was set up to the national WI centenary celebrations, at the Royal Albert Hall, in London, which were attended by the Queen, patron of the WI, Princess Anne and Sophie Countess of Wessex.

Some 5,000 members of the WI were invited to the London celebrations, including Burghclere villager Victoria Ho, representing Burghclere and Newtown WI.

Mrs Ho, a member of the WI for 11 years, said it had proved a fantastic experience.

WI members watched as the Queen received the WI’s centenary baton, after it travelled the length and breadth of the country carried by a variety of transport.

It had passed through Burghclere and Highclere Castle earlier this year, as reported in the .

After making a speech, highlighting how much had changed for women in the last 100 years and presenting WI prizes, the Queen cut a celebratory cake, made to the WI’s centenary recipe.

The royal guests were then each presented with posies, complete with the WI centenary rose, a salmo or orange-coloured flower with contrasting pale yellow on the reverse of the petals.

Mrs Ho said: “When the Queen came on stage, everyone started smiling and whooping and a little smile came on her face.

“It’s not often she smiles and you could tell she was really enjoying it.”

Proceedings in London were avidly watched back at the Donnington Valley Hotel and Mrs Ho also ‘Skyped’ her fellow WI members over lunch.

She said: “It was the first time this information technology was used, with live links to WIs across the country.

“All the technicalities worked perfectly at a modern, vibrant WI AGM.”

President of Burghclere and Newtown WI for the last two years, Patricia Pike, who lives in Old Burghclere, said the day had proved huge fun.

Members also enjoyed a piece of celebratory cake at the hotel in Newbury.

The previous day, another of their members – Val Davies – had represented them at a royal garden party attended by the Duchess of Cornwall and Sophie, Countess of Wessex.

Inspirational women speakers at the WI’s London celebrations included Parliamentarian and former wheelchair Olympic gold medallist Baroness Tanni Grey-Thompson, historian, author, curator and presenter, Lucy Worsley – a former pupil at St Bartholomew’s School – and city superwoman, Helena Morrissey, who manages to balance a high-flying career with bringing up her nine children.