The end of the Manton era was signalled on International Women’s Day, Wednesday, 8th March 2017, when after two joyous years, I stood down as President of Nottingham City WI. It’s been a whirlwind since I took office from our incredible founder President, Kerry Edwards-Kelsall, of jam (marmalade) and Jerusalem, Suffragettes and stitching, marching and martial arts, camping and cream teas, cheese and wine (and tales of the night), books and beer, flowers and frocks, quizzes and the Queen and oodles of fabulous, inspiring women… and tea… and cake!
It was a beautiful day to end on, joining with members of City, Gedling and Netherfield WIs to present a bench to Gedling Country Park in commemoration of International Women’s Day in unison with Cllr Roxanne Ellis. The inscription on the bench is a quotation from James Oppenheim’s poem, ‘Bread and Roses’, an anthem for women around the world “As we go marching marching, we bring the greater days, for the rising of the women means the rising of the race”.
With the WI Centenary Garden Party at Buckingham Palace and being commissioned to papercut the WI’s official birthday card for Her Majesty the Queen, I’ve got closer to royalty than I could ever have anticipated! But it is you, the ladies of Nottingham City WI and our Women’s Institute sisters around the globe who it’s been an honour to work alongside, as President. It is to my utter delight that our new President will be the sublime Mrs Lucy Petford! The official Presidential bell has been handed over and I’ll be her loudest cheerleader from the committee bench (you can look forward to THAT!) – good luck, lovely lady!
~ Manton xx
Nottingham CITY WI 