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The evening started with a tasty finger buffet and was followed by a welcome from the Federation Chair and updates from the Treasurer. The guest of honour, and first speaker, was the NFWI Chair, Ann Jones, a Welsh speaker, who hails from Ceredigion.
Ann, an impressive speaker, gave a motivational talk about the benefits and rewards of taking on WI roles. She urged members to ‘put their heads above the parapet!’ and not be afraid.
She also emphasized the need to encourage younger women to join, by modernising and making necessary changes, such as keeping the ‘business’ to a minimum and making the most of WI committees.
As NFWI Chair, and guest of honour, Ann was asked to present the trophies. Llangynog members were the proud recipients of no less than three of these trophies!
• The Llanwyddyn WI Rose Bowl awarded to Llangynog for achieving second place in the Literary Eisteddfod. (Penybontfawr won the shield.)
• Llangynog WI was also a joint winner of the Claire Newland Trophy for the institute gaining the highest number of new members.
• Anne Hill was awarded the Doreen Jones Challenge Trophy for winning the painting competition ‘Reflections of Lockdown’.
The main speaker for the evening was Ursula Martin, author of ‘One Woman Walks Wales’.
From Llanidiloes, Ursula, walked 3,700 miles around Wales, whilst undergoing treatment for ovarian cancer!
However, it was her more recent trek across Europe which she chose to talk to us about.
In doing this trek, which took three years and covered 5,500 miles, she continued to raise awareness of ovarian cancer and also fulfilled a dream she had had since before her cancer diagnosis.
Ursula described her amazing journey from Ukraine to Wales, during which she spent many frustrating and lonely months coping with the pandemic and lockdowns.
She talked about camping in the snow, chasing off wild boar and even coming face to face with a bear! She also described the amazing kindness and generosity she encountered along the way.
Llangynog WI did very well indeed in the painting Competition, as in addition to Anne’s win, Pam gained second place!
The winning entries were on display for all to see, including our Llangynog winners!
• First Place – Poem by Stella
• Second Place – Story by Pam
• Second Place - Limerick by Pam
• Second Place – Sentence by Gwenfyl
• Third Place – Cerdd (poem in Welsh) by Wendy
