SWI’s 100th birthday tea party

SWI LADIES’ own version of tea in the park marks 100 years since the organisation’s founding in 1917.

In Kintyre, a tea party has been organised at the Argyll Hotel, Bellochantuy, from 3pm to 5pm next Saturday, July 1.

Originally known as the Scottish Women’s Rural Institute, the group was started by a suffragette, East Lothi- an farmer’s wife, Catherine Blair, a year before women – over the age of 30 – were given the right to vote.

Mrs Blair recognised a need for women living in rural areas to gain the benefits of education and training in home skills, family welfare and citizenship.

An eryngium sea holly plant has been cultivated in Kirkcudbright and named after SWI founder Catherine Blair for the centenary year.

In the next century the network spread across the country and there are currently 16,000 members attending 716 institutes in 32 federation areas.

As well as cake decorating, embroidery techniques and floral art, meetings are just as likely to feature gin tasting, life-drawing, upcycling and ukulele playing.

Also taking place this year is ceremonial tree planting and the creation of craft banners with squares contributed from every federation area.

For details, visit www.theswi.org.uk or itsFacebook pages at https://www.facebook. com/ScottishWomens Institutes.