Success for Old Buckenham Women's Institute

Cator Cup, didn't they do well?

The ladies of Old Buckenham Women’s Institute should be feeling very pleased with themselves after their success in the annual Norfolk WI Cator Cup competition held at the Norfolk Showground over this last weekend, Saturday 5 and Sunday 6 April.

The competition, which is open to all the WIs in Norfolk, tests the skills of the members who have to produce a co-ordinated display on a particular theme that is changed each year.
For 2014 the theme was ‘Gardens' and Old Buckenham chose to portray Peter Rabbit and Mr McGregor's garden. The items on display had to be selected from a given list covering cookery, handicraft, painting and flower arranging – all to be displayed on a baseboard 70cm wide by 55cm in depth. Each item on display was individually judged by independent experts with further marks being given for both the interpretation of the theme and the staging of the exhibit.

This year Old Buckenham were delighted to come second out of all the entries. They were awarded 123 points out of a possible 140, a mere half point behind the winners. The icing on the cake was to find that their display had been chosen, by a large margin, as the “people's favourite” by visitors to the exhibition who had been asked to vote on the display that appealed to them most.
 

At their regular meeting in March Old Buckenham WI had a very interesting and informative talk by Claire Agate on ‘Researching your Family History’. Claire explained that your family history starts with you. It is easier to trace the male line first and she emphasised the need to keep accurate and well ordered notes. Any old photographs need to have essential information recorded on the back of the photo (in pencil) including all the information that can be gleaned, such as the situation in which the photo was taken plus dates of birth of anyone on the photo.
Registration of births, marriages and deaths began on 1st July 1837 for England and Wales. The official census began in 1801. The first ‘modern’ census was taken in 1841 when some personal data was recorded but it was still limited. The basic format as we know it today was established in 1851. The exact age, birth place, marital status and the relationship to the head of the household is now recorded. Over later censuses there are some minor alterations and additions, regarding mental disability and employment status. The Heritage Centre at the Forum in Norwich is also a useful resource. Claire warned members that research into your family history can become an expensive and addictive hobby!
The Old Buckenham delegate to the recent Annual Meeting of the Norfolk Federation gave a full report. She outlined some of the special events for the WI Centenary in 2015. The National Baton will visit Norfolk early in November this year. Like the Olympic torch, the baton is covering England and Wales before arriving at the Albert Hall for the annual meeting in June 2015. The baton will arrive at Kings Lynn on Tuesday 4 November, thence by bus to Great Yarmouth, Norwich, Diss and Thetford for the handover to the West Suffolk Federation on Tuesday 11 November. The Norfolk Federation decided on Baton by Bus, emphasising our association with the Bus Users Forum and the need for public transport in rural areas.
Other speakers during the day were Dr Katie Soden from Priscilla Bacon Lodge who told the meeting of the work being done there. The provision of such beds in Norfolk is woefully lacking and it is hoped that a site can be found for another building in the future. The next speaker was Greg Smith, the Royal Norfolk Agricultural Association’s chief executive. Norfolk has the largest agricultural sector of any county. Three-quarters of the county is farmed, giving rise to a large number of jobs both directly and indirectly. The afternoon speaker was Mary Kemp from East Harling. She talked on the title ‘Musings and thoughts from my kitchen table’. She is well known to many through Radio Norfolk and her theme was ‘local and seasonal’.
Old Buckenham WI are trying to establish a link with a WI in Alberta, Canada. One of our members has a relative who is a member of a WI there and it would be good to have an exchange of ideas, etc, with a WI in the country in which the movement was formed. Unfortunately, our finances do not extend to exchange visits!