This full day event offered members time to catch up with friends and colleagues from Institutes across the Province.
As with all AGMs the morning comprised formal reports on the organisation’s activities during the past year and the proposed programme for the coming year. The Chair, Brenda Richardson, opened proceedings and was followed by a report from the Treasurer, Sheelagh McRandall.
Lunch provided the perfect opportunity for members to chat and swap their individual Institute’s experiences and successes during the year.
The afternoon commenced with personal greetings from invited guests opening with Jeryl Stones, Chair of the National Federation of Women’s Institutes of England, Wales and the Isles who was followed by Mary D’Arcy, National President of the Irish Countrywomen’s Association; Mary Burney, National President of the Scottish Women’s Institutes, Kay Simpson, Northern Ireland Chair of the Townswomen’s Guild; Diana Thompson, Chair of the Women’s Forum of Northern Ireland, John Henning OBE, President of RUAS; Richard Beattie, President of the Young Farmers’ Clubs of Ulster; William Irvine, President of the Ulster Farmer’s Union and last but by no means least Councillor Micky Murray the Lord Mayor of Belfast.
The guest speaker for the afternoon was Rebecca Edwards BEM, Olympic champion rower. Rebecca has recently retired after a twelve-year career, which included two Olympic Games
(Tokyo 2021 and Paris 2024), being awarded the British Empire Medal in 2023 for Services to Rowing, Gold at World Rowing Cup III and a fourth-place finish at the World Rowing Championships. This inspiring athlete from Aughnacloy, County Tyrone, (whose mother and grandmother are long standing members of the WI) shared stories from her life, discussing her outstanding rowing career and her passion for encouraging other women and girls to achieve their goals.
Following Rebecca’s talk Brenda Richardson presented Awards to WI members who had excelled in a wide range of skilled crafts as well as scrapbooking, writing, photography, music and art. The recipients of these Awards demonstrate the extremely high level of skills attained by members of the WI. Well done! (www.wini.org.uk)
