In 1897 the WI was founded in Canada. The first Women's Institute was formed in Stoney Creek, Ontario, Canada as a branch of the Farmer's Institute. Inspired by a talk given by Adelaide Hoodless at a meeting of the Farmer's Institute. Local farmers Erland and Janet Lee were instrumental in setting up the new organisation. They were supported by Ontario government who appointed Laura Rose to be the first organiser in 1899. The movement brought women from isolated communities together and offered training in home economics, child care and those aspects of farming that were traditionally done by women, such as poultry keeping and small farm animal husbandry.
In 1915 the Women's Institute movement in Britain started . 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 LlanfairPG, on Anglesey, North Wales on September 16th 1915, and the first WI in England was Singleton WI in Sussex.
After that W.I.s just kept opening and opening. Cookery and craft were (are - let's face it W.I. home made jam is simply the best) still practised in the Institutes but now we also do computer skills, dance and exercise, arts, sports, leisure and science, floral art, gardening, - oh, there's nothing we won't try at least once (including that calendar.......)
One thing we do well - and have been doing well since the start - is campaigning. Each year we (as in an individual Instutite) will submit a resolution for debate that the AGM. This is then voted on, and if successful, taken forward with action. These resolutions are put to HM Government.
From equal pay to climate change, from gaps in the midwifery workforce to the plight of the honey bee, WI members have embraced a diverse set of challenges and built a reputation for the WI as a practical and ambitious organisation that doesn't shy away from tricky issues.