What a fantastic day at the Storyhouse today for our Autumn meeting. We have just got home so it’s been a long day made longer by most of our trustees being stuck on the motorway or train and instead of arriving at 9am as planned we drifted in as traffic allowed. So apologies for not being there to welcome you as we would have wished. However, we pulled it together enjoyed hearing from our wonderful speakers and will post more pictures over the coming days. Thanks to the 800 members who supported the event.
What a morning
We had an absolutely wonderful start to the day at the Storyhouse in Chester on Monday
Our morning was filled with inspiration, laughter, and true WI spirit thanks to three incredible women:
– Charl Tinne from Cale Green WI – who shared how the amazing support of her WI has empowered her to get the most out of her membership.
– Samantha Phillis, also from Cale Green – who had us laughing (and admiring) as she told stories from her busy life as a midwife, lecturer, counsellor, and founder of a brand new WI.
And to top it off, NFWI Chair Jeryl Stone joined us with an insightful look at how the WI is evolving to inspire and welcome the members of the future.
What a brilliant first half to the day — full of energy and positivity.
It was wonderful to see so many members from across the Federation come together to share ideas, friendships, and that unique WI enthusiasm that makes our gatherings so special. A huge thank you as well to our Trustees, whose hard work and dedication behind the scenes made the morning run so smoothly despite the delays on the motorways.
What a Wonderful Afternoon
Our Autumn Meeting at the Storyhouse was made extra special by our Afternoon Speaker, Aled Jones. Warm, friendly, and engaging, Aled shared stories from his incredible career — from meeting remarkable people to embracing exciting new opportunities — all while staying true to his roots.
Although he sadly couldn’t stay to meet members as planned (rushing back to London for Elf the Musical rehearsals at the Aldwych Theatre ), we’re so grateful he was still able to join us.
A huge thank you to Aled for such an inspiring and entertaining talk — and we’re sure our members left with smiles on their faces.
What a wonderful day
We’re so fortunate at @cheshirewis to have such amazing members who continue to support our events. Our Autumn meeting was not only a time to gather and share ideas, but also to enjoy friendship, a bit of shopping, and perhaps a lovely lunch together — making it a truly memorable occasion.
We were delighted to welcome members from neighbouring Federations too. These connections are so valuable, giving us the chance to share ideas, celebrate best practice, and continue bringing the very best experiences to all our members.
A huge thank you to our amazing Board of Trustees for their inspiring words of gratitude to our speakers — and to our incredible office team for organising such a fabulous Autumn Meeting.
It was a truly uplifting day filled with insight, connection, and inspiration. We’re so grateful to everyone who helped make it happen
