Wednesday 17 May 2017

W.I.

May's meeting was a discussion on the Resolutions that will be voted on at National level later this year. Every year the WI's around the country are invited to put forward suggestions on what subjects  will be campaigned for during the following year.

Out of 91,000 suggestions put forward, these were the  two chosen.

( I suddenly had a thought that there might be a reason I shouldn't blog about this but as its available to anyone who looks on the NFWI website I hope it's OK)
          

Alleviating loneliness            

"This meeting calls on every WI and the NFWI to work alongside health and social care providers and their local community to raise awareness of the causes and impacts of loneliness, thus ensuring better identification of lonely people in order to be able to offer them the appropriate assistance and support".

              

Plastic Soup: Keep microplastic fibres out of our ocean            

"Microplastic fibres are shed from synthetic clothing with every wash and are the main contributors to microplastic contamination of the oceans. The NFWI calls on Government and industry to research and develop innovative solutions to this problem in order to stop the accumulation of microplastic fibres        in        our        oceans."


The president read out the information on both subjects and then we discussed them. We had to  decide how to instruct our delegate to vote. Either for or against each  subject or to leave it to their discretion after they had heard more of the debate at the National meeting.

I really should have done some research on the subjects because I always find it difficult to take in information when being read to, preferring to read things for myself .

We discussed the fact that with funds always being cut for council health and social services was there any point in trying to work along side them as they probably wouldn't be doing anything anyway! How to identify someone who was lonely was also a point raised, not everyone wants "busybodies poking their nose in!" A fact read out was that loneliness can cost the health service more to treat than treating someone for the effects of smoking 15 cigarettes a day. 

  None of us had heard  about Plastic Soup which is different to the problems with actual plastic (bottles etc) that float around the oceans. Was there a way to capture these fibres in the washing machine so they didn't get into the water system? We all looked at the clothes we were wearing and felt guilty for fleece jackets which are made from re-cycled plastic! one of the worst things for shedding the micro-fibres.

There was too much discussion to have leave time for the quiz that one of the committee had prepared which was sad as I like a good quiz! Then it was time for coffee and cakes and home to my lonely house!! where the cat seemed pleased to see me.


Colin has gone back on the special tablets so they are keeping him in hospital for extra days to monitor him as it's over two weeks since they were stopped . The worrying thing is how quickly the signs of lymphoma returned without the tablets and how ill he is feeling now he's on them again.We both try and keep positive but it's not always easy.

 Thank you for all the comments about the garden and the aquilegia, I'm going to leave them to seed then take out the plants that are covering or too close to other things. It's lovely to have a flower garden ready made so that I just have to keep it organised. We didn't have many flowers at the smallholding, I tried to start flower gardens but too much time was always spent with animals, campsite and the vegetables and we were so dry there that water was for veg first.

Back Soon
Sue



        

16 comments:

  1. Our meeting was the same this month, I voted for help with loneliness having lived on my own for many years, I am aware of this problem but unfortunately it is one that the person themselves has to be proactive, joining and meeting to build up a network of friends. We did have a quiz, one of the ladies in her nineties won, as usual beautiful handwriting and correct spelling, a role model for sure. Sending prayers and positive thoughts to Col. Sarah. Dorset.

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  2. Hope Col starts picking up soon. Hope you're ok Sue, being on your own at home with your thoughts whilst Col's in hospital can't be easy for you. Good job you have a cat.

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  3. Oh Sue...glad to know that you have the means and motivation to get out whilst Col is stuck in the hospital. Hope the tablets kicked in very quickly and the nasty symptoms are banished once more. Sending hugs. oxo

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  4. A new garden can be a joy, to find what's already growing, hard work to get it to how you want it. I do hope Colin picks up soon, it's a hard time.

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  5. Hope cols tablets start to work soonxxx

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  6. I understand exactly what you mean by not grasping the information when read aloud!
    Oh, this whole thing with plastics is beyond depressing. What have we done? We have loads of fleece because it was recycled etc, thinking we were doing some good, only to find it blowing up in our faces. When will we ever learn?

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  7. '...and home to my lonely house' that sentence made me feel sad for you. I hope you aren't too lonely, and I really hope Col improves enough to be back home soon.

    Had not heard of the plastic soup and have to admit to being horrified about that.

    x

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  8. Sorry to hear things are not so good for Col right now, I hope that there will be a turnaround and he will be able to come home again soon.

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  9. Hi Sue, I thought the loneliness resolution was so woolly. I asked what we would be doing as a local WI group and nobody seemed to have any ideas.
    The other resolution is good for government. It seems crimplene is the biggest offender but who wears crimplene these days.
    Love to you and Colin and chin up. Hopefully he will be home to you soon.

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  10. These are vaguely related to what you were discussing.
    https://www.connexionfrance.com/French-news/Postal-workers-will-watch-over-your-elderly-parents
    I think it's a great idea and could be tweaked to fit many different circumstances.
    Also saw this the other day. It just boggles the mind to see this.
    https://www.ft.com/content/d7b4f286-39f0-11e7-821a-6027b8a20f23
    It's Henderson Island that is part of the UK Pitcairn Island’s territory in the South Pacific. It's uninhabited so all this crap just washes up there and stays.
    I hope Col is feeling better soon and able to come home.

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  11. Sorry to hear of another set back for Col -
    I know how hard it is to keep positive but hope you manage to do so. Love to both.

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  12. Sending hugs for you and Col. Hope he gets to feeling better and comes home soon!

    Interesting topics at WI. I haven't heard much about the second. Loneliness has a big impact on society especially in ones quality of life. I know that when I was working sometimes people would just come in to chat. Some workers found this annoying but sometimes you are the only person they talk to each day.

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  13. There has been quite a few articles recently about the plastic problem. Lycra is also one of the main contributers. Plastic in general was hailed as one of the best inventions of all time, sadly it's the one thing that's littering our beautiful planet the most.

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  14. the plastic issue bothers me.
    Bad enough when it is bits we can see and pick up - but the microbits are frightening!

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  15. Oh Sue!

    I didn't know about the plastic soup thing either. I'll have to research it now to see if there's anything I can do. It was bad enough knowing about what we're doing with the plastic you can see...

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  16. Plastic soup? Interesting discussion and not sure how anything will work to stop it. Sorry to hear Col's results on his latest pills. Not an easy task this cancer! I don't like it as it's hit so many people! Hugs and prayers!

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