Debating the decline of our high street

Firstly, I am not going to be a diet bore but I have been really chuffed with the words of encouragement for my 'transformation project' both here and on my Instagram account.  Thank you, lovelies.

Irrelevant but pretty photograph of the last cake I baked.  Missing you already.

It isn't easy, especially not as this week I have PMT and am really craving chocolate.  To the point of obsession.  I have a few emergency bars in the house (hidden in various ridiculous places - I found a forgotten Double Decker underneath the potatoes the other day) but so far have resisted temptation.  However, I am currently having a face-off with the husband's Twix that he has rudely left on the kitchen table whilst he watches the football.  Very trusting of him.  Maybe he's testing my willpower.  I'll show 'im.

Keeping my hands occupied with crochet.

♥♥♥♥♥

Anyway.  I wanted to tell you about the WI.  It was our monthly meeting yesterday and we had a visitor from the county WI House to talk to us about this year's resolution.  Normally, our speakers are local artists, musicians, sportspeople or craftspeople but the WI AGM is at the end of the month and all members need to vote on what we will adopt as our next campaign.  There is just one to consider this year: 'the decline of our high streets and town centres'.   Such an emotive subject and we had a very lively discussion.  

Soldiers in Petticoats!

As a group, our immediate reaction was to support the resolution; we would all like to see an improvement in Northampton town centre.  However, after further debate, we realised that the decision wasn't quite so clear-cut.  If the campaign was adopted, as loyal WI members we would all be expected to make every effort to do the majority of our shopping on the local high street, leading by example.  We would be required to actively call upon local decision-makers to take action to address the decline of our high street.  We asked ourselves the questions:  Did we really want to commit to always using the town centre for our weekly shop?  Often, it is more convenient to shop at the larger superstores that are open all hours and offer a wider variety of products than their high street counterparts.  Can we really do anything about the decline of our high street or is it a sign of the times?  What has caused the decline of the high street?  Not all town centres are grotty and depressing, after all.  What makes Northampton different to, say, Market Harborough or Olney?

It has really made me think.  I do most of my shopping on the internet (my ex Post Lady has become one of my good friends - we bonded over ebay deliveries of china ).  I don't really want to spend my, very precious, spare time wandering around the [frankly, rubbish] shops in Northampton with heavy bags full of stuff when I could have the nice Parcelforce/DHL/Ocado delivery person bring them to the door whilst I stay home knitting, baking and drinking G&T. 

My preferred approach to shopping

However, I do think it is desperately important for every town to have a sense of community and obviously our high street is an important contributor.  I would love for Northampton to be a hive of activity with pleasant shops and cafes, clean pavements and cheaper parking.  What to do?!  Is there anything that we can do?  Anything within our power?  

It was nice to have a good old debate at the meeting yesterday for a change.  I'm attending the AGM on behalf of my WI members and I am looking forward to discussing it further.  I am also looking forward to seeing the NFWI operating in all its glory - there will be 4,000 members there on the day representing more than 6,600 WIs.   I expect to feel very proud to be part of such a worthwhile organisation and, probably, very young.  Yay.  (Part of me, the mischievous part, cannot help but imagine it is a very similar event to that of the meeting of witches in Roald Dhal's book.  Will they all remove their wigs and shoes as soon as the doors are locked?!)

What do you think of the resolution?  Can we do anything to improve our high streets and town centres?  Do you support yours? What would help?  I'd love to hear your thoughts.  

I am going to log off now.  I'm feeling a bit like Mrs Banks in Mary Poppins and want to march about with a WI sash around me singing that we're soldiers in petticoats.  :-)

Nicki 

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Joining the Women's Institute

I finally made it to my local WI meeting on Tuesday evening, much to the amusement of my friends and family.   Pah! What do they know - I am so glad I went!  

I'd been meaning to join for ages. We don't have a group in my village so I had the choice of neighbouring villages or the main one in town and I wanted to choose exactly the right one for me.  I didn't fancy the meeting in town.  The group has recently formed and so is a 'new breed' of WI - I wanted to join a traditional group that had been running for decades so I plumped for the village next door.

I went along with a couple of women who are already members - the WI put me in touch with them so that they could be my 'buddies' for the meeting and they gave me a lift.  Isn't that nice?!  I was a bit apprehensive because I didn't know what to expect but I needn't have worried.  There were about 30 women there - all ages but mostly between 40 and 60 I would say.  I was one of the youngest there and, conversely, there were one or two really elderly ladies but age didn't matter - it was super friendly, everyone came over to chat and say hello and we all had things in common.  It made such a nice change from a usual weekday evening.

It was a more formal meeting that I'd expected.  We took our seats and the President gave an opening speech before running through the minutes and a few notices.  Then we had a presentation from a speaker.  They have a different guest speaker each month and this time it was a vet.  He was quite young and good looking and the way that the women responded to him reminded me of a Gilderoy Lockhart book-signing session in Harry Potter! Ha!   There was lots of eyelash fluttering, overly-loud giggling and innuendo.  It was so entertaining; they were such a cheeky, fun-loving bunch.  

The ladies I went with were running the refreshments this time so I helped them out and it was nice to have a reason to chat to people. I'm quite shy in group situations and am right out of my comfort zone mingling and networking.  If you fancy going to your local WI and feel a bit shy I'd recommend offering to help on the tea stall when you're there.  You feel less of a spare part.

So we meet once a month and next month we're going for a little country walk followed by supper at the gorgeous pub in the village.  Partners are invited this time so I went straight home and told Andrew I'd signed him up for a walk with the WI next month.  He took it in good spirits, bless him!  

I had so many reasons for joining the WI, not least because I wanted to get to know my neighbours and become more involved with the local community.  There are loads of activities and charity events that the WI is involved with and I am so excited to be a part of it - I feel like I am doing something worthwhile with my spare time.

As a result of chatting to the women at the WI I've now also found a local yoga class to join (I'm going with a couple of women on Monday night), met someone to teach me how to make a patchwork quilt and been introduced to a school's volunteer group that I have wanted to contact for ages.  I've also found a crafty companion who wants to start a knit (or crochet) and natter group with me at the pub.  Yay! 

Nicki 

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