Your letters
To the EditorI am delighted to hear that Phil Ogley considers the W.I. as part of the Establishment.
Ann Ash
Lee Common
To the Editor
The National Women’s Institute is part of the fabric of our village life and has been for many years – The Lee Branch is soon to celebrate its 90th birthday.
The W.I. is a non political, non religious organisation which informs and educates its membership and also acts as an informal social network. For example, when we moved to The Lee it was not long before I was able to join a school-run organised through meeting people at W.I. and lately we have formed a book club and a quilting group outside the W.I. just by talking of our interests to like minded people.
The Newsletter is run partly to inform us of all the many varied activities that are happening here in our village and to tell us about forthcoming events, so I really cannot understand how anyone can possibly object to reports of The Women’s Institute being included in the village Newsletter.
Pamela Garner
Member of Ballinger W.I.
To the Editor
Mr Ogley, your letter including the W.I. as part of the Establishment is obviously wrong if you care to refer to a dictionary.
May I point out that you are referring to the Parish Newsletter? This clearly therefore will include information concerning organisations within the Parish, particularly the churches which always give details of their services etc. Other organisations in the Parish are also mentioned from time to time, for example: the local cricket team.
I concede you may have a point with your reference to Tricia Birchley and the Conservative party.
If you find the contents of the Newsletter unacceptable I suggest you do not read it!
Shelagh Illing (W.I. member)
Swan Bottom
To the Editor
The Lee W.I. is a little puzzled to be picked out by Mr Ogley as the ‘Establishment’.
We began 90 years ago, largely for the benefit of many women bereft of husbands, sons and fathers in 1919.
The W.I. has no political or religious affiliations of any kind; it is dedicated to helping women to be independent, as well as working together for mutual support.
We have been part of the village for 90 years – and so our doings should be reported!
K J Swain
(The Lee W.I. Vice President)
Swan Bottom
To the Editor
With regard to Phil Ogley’s letter in the October newsletter, please do not condemn the Women’s Institute and the Church of England!
It is my understanding that the Newsletter was introduced to replace the original Parish Magazine of St John the Baptist, The Lee.
It was a brilliant idea to offset the cost of production by the advertising revenue. The original Parish Magazine featured a variety of articles about Christianity, other religions and local events including the Women’s Institute!
Janet Mayberry
Ballinger
To the Editor
I would like to thank everyone that came along to my open day on behalf of the Children’s Hospices UK. The Hospices’ colourful butterfly logo was the theme, with many Phoenix cards and much stationery sold raising money for this great charity.
Also can I send my appreciation to the kind people who donated money but were unable to attend. Again a big thank you to all.
Katie Michaelson-Yeates
Swan Bottom
To The Editor
Leslie Robins’s otherwise entertaining article in last month’s Newsletter (Ashes to Ashes) contained one piece of cricketing heresy that cannot go unchallenged: his denigration of the great Geoffrey Boycott.
Boycott played for Yorkshire for 24 years (1962-86) and during that time established himself as one of England’s most successful opening batsmen. He played in 108 Test Matches in which he scored over 8,000 runs. True, he was a loner, but he knew how to raise his bat correctly and play down the line – unlike many present day cricketers who use the bat as though it is a fly-swat. Boycott was inducted into the International Cricket Council’s Hall of Fame in 2009.
Geoffrey was single-minded in his determination to score runs. He was also a real character and the source of countless stories. When Edrich and Boycott opened the innings for England in India they piled on the runs under a pitiless, blazing sun. After a while, Edrich suggested that they might save their energy and stop taking singles. “Okay,” said Geoffrey, “yours, but not mine”.
I think that Leslie, on this occasion, has displayed the customary prejudice of a cricket lover who has had the misfortune to have been born outside Yorkshire.
Mike Senior
The Lee