SOOO
For the non-UK/Irish amoung us
The women’s institute is a women’s only organisation in the UK/Ireland. It is a solidly middle class organisation!
It started in 1887, in Scotland! At this time it is NOT a political organisation and is very inoffensive!
They meet once a month, and there is usually a talk/speaker on some sort of household/womanly skill - a member would usually volunteer to give it.
A big emphasis was placed on cooking for pleasure, as well as instructing staff (kitchen maids/housekeeper) on how to cook healthy foods.
The WI was known to hold markets where members sold jams, cakes, buns, crafts (sewing, quilting, painting etc), that sort of thing.
The WI would also usually be involved in running of village fetes which would feature
-vegetable growing competitions
-Baking competitions*
-Flower arranging/growing
-Crafting competitions
With the money raised usually going to a charitable community endeavour (fix the church roof, spruce up the bandstand, maintenance of the duck pond, etc)
*Great British baking competition is based on this aesthetic -cakes and buns presented on gingham table clothes in tents for judging
I’m going to suggest Hogsmeade get its own Women’s Institute and it run the Hogsmeade village fete during the summer, but also creating a middle class ladies social group in the meantime.
This would be an organisation that is meant for women who could not be financially or socially interested in joining one of the ladies clubs - socially, community minded ordinary women, of good reptuation.
UC or women doing the debutante thing would probably not be involved unless they wanted funny looks.
Any interest? Or any ladies interested in a thread of the members? Maybe a flower arranging demo given by the lovely Benevolence to start us off? A chance to gossip about all the valentines elopements and arrange some flowers!
Lady is a wonder
For the non-UK/Irish amoung us
The women’s institute is a women’s only organisation in the UK/Ireland. It is a solidly middle class organisation!
It started in 1887, in Scotland! At this time it is NOT a political organisation and is very inoffensive!
They meet once a month, and there is usually a talk/speaker on some sort of household/womanly skill - a member would usually volunteer to give it.
A big emphasis was placed on cooking for pleasure, as well as instructing staff (kitchen maids/housekeeper) on how to cook healthy foods.
The WI was known to hold markets where members sold jams, cakes, buns, crafts (sewing, quilting, painting etc), that sort of thing.
The WI would also usually be involved in running of village fetes which would feature
-vegetable growing competitions
-Baking competitions*
-Flower arranging/growing
-Crafting competitions
With the money raised usually going to a charitable community endeavour (fix the church roof, spruce up the bandstand, maintenance of the duck pond, etc)
*Great British baking competition is based on this aesthetic -cakes and buns presented on gingham table clothes in tents for judging
I’m going to suggest Hogsmeade get its own Women’s Institute and it run the Hogsmeade village fete during the summer, but also creating a middle class ladies social group in the meantime.
This would be an organisation that is meant for women who could not be financially or socially interested in joining one of the ladies clubs - socially, community minded ordinary women, of good reptuation.
UC or women doing the debutante thing would probably not be involved unless they wanted funny looks.
Any interest? Or any ladies interested in a thread of the members? Maybe a flower arranging demo given by the lovely Benevolence to start us off? A chance to gossip about all the valentines elopements and arrange some flowers!
Lady is a wonder