About Us
Who are the Hampshire Clouds?
Hampshire Clouds are one of the first virtual Women's Institutes. We have been meeting since November 2020 and officially formed as a WI in April 2021. Although we are called the Hampshire Clouds we have members from all over the UK and from overseas.
What is a virtual WI?
A virtual WI is like any other women's institute group, in that we are a group of women who meet monthly to learn new skills, experience different activities and socialise with friends, old and new. Our main meetings have a talk on an interesting subject or an activity to get involved in and are are chosen to reflect subjects our members are interested in.
The WI is also well known for it's long history of campaigning on issues such as equal pay for women and promoting Fairtrade. Today's campaigns focus on topics such as climate change, mental health issues and food waste and food poverty.
What is a virtual WI meeting like?
We use Zoom for our online meetings so that members can join from the comfort of their own homes. This means that people can join from anywhere in the world provided they have an internet connection so our membership is more widespread than a physical WI. It also attracts people who might not attend an in-person meeting, perhaps because of responsibilities at home, challenges with travel or just because it's cold and dark outside. We aim to record speakers, if we can, so that members can catch up on a meeting, if they weren't able to join.
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Usually we have a speaker or other activity for everyone to enjoy. This is then followed by some time for socialising, usually in smaller groups, and then an update on any WI news or upcoming events.
When do you meet and is it OK to visit?
We meet on the second Friday of every month at 8pm and welcome visitors who want to find out more about our WI. For joining instructions, please contact us at via Facebook or at Hampshirecloudsvwi@gmail.com and we'll be happy to send you more details.
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Where can I find out more?
Find Hampshire Clouds VWI on Facebook or Instagram
Find out about the Women's Institute