| Swindon Mail Sorting Office - 7th, 14th and 21st October. Come and see what happens to your letters after you have posted them. As numbers are limited we have three different trips - see July/August Newsletter for details. Tickets cost £5.00 for members and £6.00 for non-members. Closing date for applications is 8th September.
Our next New Speakers Day is on 7th October at Bushton Village Hall from 10.15am to 3.30pm when eight speakers/demonstrators will be auditioning. Price £5.00 and closing date is 7th September.
Competition - Healthy Lifestyle Challenge. If you are planning to enter this competition you only have a few days left to enter as the closing date is 1st August, by which time all entries must be at the NFWI Unit at Denman College - good luck!
Campaigns
The Carbon Challenge
Over 10,000 people registered for this challenge which ended at the AGM in June. Congratulations to all the Wiltshire members who took part in this – I hope you will feel inspired to continue the measures you took to help create a sustainable lifestyle.
2008 Resolutions
As you will know only one resolution was passed at the AGM – Inappropriate Imprisonment of the Severely Mentally Ill. WI Secretaries will have guidelines and suggestions as to how you can work on this resolution. If you feel strongly about the resolution which just missed being carried (the Ban on Bottom Trawling) there is nothing to stop you working on this as a WI but it does not have the backing of the NFWI.
End Violence Against Women
This campaign is aimed at bringing the issue of violence against women into the public domain. The WI has the capacity to reach many communities and individuals to declare that violence against women is unacceptable. Leaflets are available to tell you more about this campaign and what you can do from WI House, Devizes.
Sustainable Communities Bill
Sustainable Communities Bill will encourage local authorities to put forward ideas for a sustainable community, it is voluntary whether councils will take part but if they do they must consult with citizen panels. Everyone is encouraged to take part by pressing their councils to get involved, joining citizen panels and thinking about local sustainability campaigns. Nick Hurd MP who steered this Private Member’s Bill through the House of Commons will be speaking at the Wiltshire Autumn Council Meeting in October.
Single Sex Wards The WI has a mandate calling for an end to mixed sex wards (excluding intensive care and high dependency) which was passed in 1979. The Government has recently announced that it will not be prioritising single sex wards but rather single sex accommodation in single sex bays. This is a matter of much controversy with best practice guidelines on the elimination of mixed sex wards having been recently issued to Primary CareTrusts to implement. These guidelines can be viewed on www.institute.nhs.uk/quality_and_value/introduction?privacy_and_dignity.html
Women Reaching Women
This is a new three year initiative, run in partnership with Oxfam and supported by DFID, which will provide educational opportunities for WI members and their communities to learn more about international development and poverty. There will be more information on this site and in the W I Wiltshire News as this project develops
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