5 minute read
People
The WI – a lot more than jam and Jerusalem
Member numbers are dwindling and Women’s Institute groups are disappearing, but new national president Jude Vaughan believes she can re-energise an organisation that offers a vital support system to women. She talked with Annette Scott.
JUDE Vaughan is deeply passionate about Women’s
Institutes, to the point that she remains an associate member of the Hampshire Federation in the UK, her former home country, while stepping up to lead the New Zealand Federation.
Residing in the rural community of Staveley near the foothills of Mid Canterbury, Vaughan was elected to the national president’s role in June and goes into the history books as the first national president to hail from the region.
Her passion for the Women’s Institute runs in her veins, having grown up with a mother, grandmother and aunts who were all involved in WI. Her mother is still an active member in England.
“As a child I always knew when there was a WI meeting because the [baking] tins would all be full,” Vaughan says.
In 2024 Vaughan will celebrate her 40th membership birthday.
While proud and excited to
take the lead, she is humbled by being elected to head the national Federation.
“I’m honoured, it’s a real privilege and as a member of the Lowcliffe WI, proud for Mid Canterbury.”
Vaughan first visited NZ during an OE and it continued to appeal to her as a place to live. In 2009, following a work opportunity, she and her husband immigrated to NZ.
“And there’s definitely no regrets about that,” she said.
In her 32 years’ involvement with WI in England she served on many committees.
In NZ she served seven years on the Mid Canterbury Federation, holding several offices, including that of president, before being elected to the national executive committee, where she served four years including two as vicepresident in the lead-up to her election as president.
She has represented WI at Civil Defence and Rural Support Trust meetings.
Believing the objectives of the WI remain as relevant today as they were 101 years ago, she is fired up to spread the WI word and fly the banner when and wherever possible.
Originating in Canada in 1897,
Women’s Institutes spread across the globe with astonishing rapidity, but it was not until 1921 that the organisation was introduced to NZ, by Anna Elizabeth Jerome Spencer on her return from her war work in England.
SISTERHOOD: Women’s Institutes are the backbone of any community and national president Jude Vaughan does not want to see that lost. Photo: Annette Scott
Inspired by the work of the organisation, Spencer went about forming the Rissington WI in her hometown of Hawke’s Bay. NZ’s first WI held its first meeting in February 1921.
Spencer’s hopes were fully realised as the movement spread
quickly throughout the country.
The first Dominion conference was held in Wellington in October 1930, and in 1932 the organisation became the Dominion Federation of Women’s Institutes.
The original aims and objectives of the WI were to increase opportunities and activities for rural women while supporting their rural communities, and this was reaffirmed in 1952 when the name was changed to the Dominion Federation of Country Women’s Institutes.
A further name change in 1982 dropped the word Dominion, with the organisation officially known as the NZ Federation of Country Women’s Institutes.
But since the 1990s the organisation has been steadily eroded, with declining numbers and an aging membership taking their toll despite continued strenuous efforts to effect more substantial change.
In the struggle for survival, “Country” was dropped from the name in 2004. Today it is the NZ Federation of Women’s Institutes (NZFWI).
By 2018 the alarm bells were ringing. WI had shrunk by 80% since 1992 and once-vibrant federations were evaporating.
The greatest barrier to change appeared to be older women’s difficulty in grasping the changes in women’s lives.
As professional housewives with limited finances, they were thrifty experts at making do.
By contrast, younger women were time-poor, extremely busy juggling jobs and families, and had different priorities.
A new model began emerging, with meetings at times and in places to suit younger women, organised and promoted through digital media.
In its heydays of existence, the organisation boasted 36,000 members and was the largest women’s organisation in NZ.
Currently membership stands at 2611, with 177 local WIs and 33 district federations.
The energies marshalled for the 2021 centennial gave members a chance to determine whether NZFWI was a spent force or would fully re-invent itself to continue enriching women’s lives and their communities in the 21st century.
Vaughan has no doubt about this. Her goal as president is clear: she is firmly focused on turning around the declining membership and promoting the objectives of the organisation, albeit in a simpler format.
“Every WI is losing members as people have choice these days, but in today’s day and age support systems a very vital in any community, not just rural but also urban,” she says.
“Having loyal and dedicated members who enjoy themselves because of their membership is the key for the future.
“We are a valuable resource throughout the country. Much of our work goes unrecognised as we enable women to take an active part in the life of their community and its development.”
Structural changes are evolving and Vaughan believes this is key.
“Membership is our biggest challenge and I would like to think I can invest in our members to invest in others.
“We know there are women out there who need us because we have got so much to give other women.
“I am standing on the shoulders of my foremothers and I am waiting for someone to come and stand on mine.
“We are seeking members’ ideas nationwide to help with redevelopment to ensure longevity of the federation.
Simplifying administration is the starting point as the organisation embraces digital communication technology from the top down to help and encourage federations and WI groups to remain in existence and new WIs to form.
“We are a strong network of people who can do this in a much simpler way and we need to embrace that as we strive to grow membership and keep supporting and learning together, talking about anything and everything as we embrace diversification, acknowledging the need for change.”
Vaughan says WI brings a sense of belonging.
“It’s a place to always feel welcome; I’ve made great friends and always look forward to our meetings to learn new skills and discover new talents.”
Away from WI, Vaughan spreads her spare time across her many interests including arts and crafts, quilting and textiles, genealogy and pilates.
