CHIDHAM WI CELEBRATES 80 YEARS! |
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| 2005 was a big year for Chidham Wi. We were 80 years old last December and we celebrated this milestone through the following events:" |
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A VILLAGE AFFAIR |
May 2005 |
| A unique exhibition celebrating the 80 years’ relationship between Chidham WI and the Village Hall | |
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September 2005 |
| An Entertainment, based on fact but with much humour | |
80 YEARS BIRTHDAY CELEBRATION |
December 2005 |
| This will be an especially grand birthday celebration! | |
OUR 80 YEARS – THE BEGINNING
There was a double celebration at Chidham WI’s September Meeting. Eighty years old and still meeting in the same hall! Chidham WI has met without a break in the old Malthouse, Chidham Lane, since 1925. To mark this event, a silver President’s Badge was presented to the current President, Mrs Delph Archer, by the longest serving member, Mrs Joan Rose.
To celebrate our 80 years the meeting became as we think it would have been in 1925, with members dressed in costumes of that era hired from the WI County Costume Wardrobe. See the photo of some of the members!
OUR 80 YEARS – THE BEGINNINGAn Entertainment performed at the September Meeting of Chidham WI |
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The ladies of 1925 are, from left to right: |
An Entertainment devised by Delph Archer started with a re-enactment of the 1925 Inaugural Meeting, held to gauge the feeling in the village regarding the formation of a new WI. This was unanimously agreed upon and the Entertainment continued with Acts showing the first Committee Meeting and first Main Meeting of the new WI.
The 1925 records had been trawled to ensure that the Entertainment included genuine references to real incidents and characters of that time. A little humour was injected, to the amusement of everyone.
Little did Mrs Beale of Cobnor realise in 1925 that she would be taking centre stage in an enthusiastic performance in the same building in 2005. Nor did the first West Sussex County Chairman, the Hon. Mrs Colvin, realise what an impact her speech was to have on the ladies of Chidham in the 21st century. The Entertainment ended with a rousing rendition of Jerusalem and, of course, WI tea.
The stalwarts who founded Chidham WI 80 years ago would have been very pleased with the presentation of the silver badge, to be handed on to Presidents of Chidham WI for maybe another 80 years!
Delph Archer
President, Chidham WI
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