Involvement with other Women’s Institutes

Durham County Federation of Women’s Institutes (DCFWI)

Shadforth WI is part of Durham County Federation of Women’s Institutes, which is part of the National Federation of Women’s Institutes. Members often take part in County organised events and meet members from throughout the area. DCFWI send a monthly newsletter, County News, to each member giving details of events. They also create and supply items such as the DCFWI calendar.

National Federation of Women’s Institutes (NFWI)

Being a member of one institute, makes members part of the NFWI. It gives members a strong voice and access to competitions, offers, merchandise, holidays and educational opportunities (see Benefits for Members). Members meet members from across the UK at NFWI events and meetings (see What does Shadforth WI do). There is a WI magazine WI Life to keep you up to date (see Benefits for Members) and national campaigns to take part in (see National WI Campaigns).

In addition, Shadforth WI has links with other individual institutes:

Link with Sowerby WI

Shadforth WI invite members from Sowerby WI, in the Yorkshire Federation of Women’s Institutes, to attend meetings, and we later return the visit.

Linking List

Shadforth WI is part of a Link Group with Castle Eden, Easington Village and South Hetton WI. In rotation, a member from the Link Group attends the annual NFWI AGM on behalf of the other group members. They vote on the Resolutions as instructed by the institutes and report back, in person or in writing, following the meeting. (For more on Resolutions see page on National WI Campaigns.)

Group Meeting

The institutes in Durham County are linked together in smaller groups, and meet within this group twice a year, each institute taking it in turn to host a meeting. Here members catch up with news from the other institutes in the Group. There is a speaker, a talk from a DCFWI WI Advisor, competition, social time and entertainment. From March 2010 Shadforth WI withdrew from being in a group. Between 2006 - 2010 Shadforth WI was part of the Shotton Group with Castle Eden, High Hesledon, Old Shotton, Peterlee, Shotton Colliery, and Wingate WIs. Before 2006 Shadforth WI was part of the Hillside Group with Belmont, and before their closures Pittington and Littletown, and earlier Sherburn, Sherburn Hill, Haswell, and West Rainton WIs.