By Emily Parsons

Last updated at 13:10, Friday, 26 October 2012

Belly-dancing and cocktails will run alongside jam and Jerusalem at a Women’s Institute with a difference.

Claire Dobie

In recent years there has been a rise in WIGs (Women’s Institute Girls’) or, as the WI itself is calling them, ‘new brand’ groups.

Made up of younger than usual members, they aim to bring a modern twist to the traditional group.

Claire Dobie, 29, is the organiser of the newest group in Whitehaven, called Haven-Sent.

She said: “I moved to Whitehaven from Newcastle a few years ago and have been trying to find things to go to so I can socialise and meet more people.”

The mum-of-two decided the town was lacking a group where women could get together and just have fun.

She said: “I read about the WIGs and the new brand WI in the Morrisons’ magazine.

“I read about a few meeting up in bars and learning to dance, as well as jam and crafts, and thought it sounded really fun.”

Claire researched the groups further before deciding to press ahead and launch her new group.

Haven-Sent WI held a pilot meeting last month to gauge interest, and Claire was astonished to see 55 women turn up.

“We’ve got a real mix of ladies,” she said. “There are lots of mums mixed with business women. Some women my age have brought along their mums, aunties and sisters.”

For Claire, the aim of the group is not to transform the WI and its ethos but to embrace it while looking to the future.

“We want to make jam, bake cakes and put on our pinnies but we also want to throw some belly dancing and cocktail making in there too. It is about blending some of those lovely traditions of the WI with some more modern things too.”

The ‘new brand’ group has been welcomed by Anne Young, vice chairman of the Cumbria and Westmorland Federation of Women’s Institutes.

She said: “It is a two-way thing: I’m sure there is a lot the younger group can learn from the WI and we can learn a lot from the younger members. We love the fact the WI is extending to a new generation, and embrace the new ideas with the traditional crafts.”

Haven-Sent is in the process of confirming a venue and regular meeting time. Anyone interested in joining the group can visit the group’s Facebook page or call Claire on 01946 591923.

First published at 13:09, Friday, 26 October 2012
Published by http://www.newsandstar.co.uk