Heddon on the Wall Women's Institute

Image: © Andrew Curtis Taken: 21 Jan 2011

2015 is the centenary of the foundation of the Women's Institute in Britain. The Women's Institute movement in Britain started in 1915. During the First World War it was formed to encourage countrywomen to get involved in growing and preserving food to help to increase the supply of food to the war-torn nation. The first WI in Britain was formed under the auspices of the Agricultural Organisation Society (AOS). AOS Secretary, John Nugent Harris, appointed Canadian Madge Watt to set up WIs across the UK. The first one was at Llanfair PG, on Anglesey, North Wales on September 16th 1915 Image and the first WI in England was Singleton WI in Sussex Image http://www.thewi.org.uk/centenary Women's Institute at 100: as pleasingly bolshie as ever: http://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2015/jun/04/womens-institute-wi-100-pleasingly-bolshie Heddon on the Wall WI was founded in 1917 and was the first in Northumberland. The wooden hall was built in the village on land presented to them on Towne Gate in 1922 and was officially opened by Mrs. Hugh Middleton of Belsay Castle http://heddonhistory.weebly.com/womens-institute.html

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