The relatively small amount of research generally required can be both educational and entertaining as well
The relatively small amount of research generally required can be both educational and entertaining as well.Yours faithfully,Adrian CoppingPotton, Bedfordshire4 September. This would mean collecting information about present members in a way which would destroy my friend's comfort. And how many others?Whatever renewed efforts the WI makes to welcome all women into membership, I hope it will not desert its stand of welcoming the woman herself and asking no more of her than she is prepared to give.Yours faithfully,Isobel ShepherdsonYork8 September. From Mr Adrian Copping Sir: It is sad that Nigel Williams should regard staying in the UK as the obvious response to unsatisfactory and increasingly expensive package tours (letter, 4 September). In many years of travel, my family has only once used a package operator. Only those who have lived with the consequences of irrelevant information being used against them can appreciate the feeling of escape on entering the WI world where being a Jew (in my case) was interesting, but not significant in the process of becoming and remaining a member.Ms Bard seems to be suggesting that the WI should get its act together and target particular groups for new members.
I could share any of this information with my fellow members if I wished, but all of it could remain private. I was most impressed by the absence of any central or regional membership files. There was no application form asking for irrelevant information - eg. address, age, marital or parental status, occupation, religion, political persuasion, educational experience, ethnic origin. From Ms Isobel Shepherdson Sir: In response to Julia Bard's article on the Women's Institute ("Why are these women all white?", 7 September), may I quote a fellow member who, after some years of membership, said: I shall always be grateful for the policy of the WI which allowed me to join on receipt of the modest annual subscription and my name (for courtesy). Correct me if I am wrong, but isn't the maximum speed limit on our roads still 70mph? Yours faithfully,Tim MickleburghGrimsby, Lincolnshire10 September. Would some university, research institute or peace group be prepared to take it on?Yours faithfully,Stephen PlowdenLondon, NW17 September.
From Mr Tim Mickleburgh Sir: Mick Whitmore ("Motorways are good for you ...", 9 September) expresses delight at the fact that they are taking coaches out of motorways' outside lanes, because "if you are doing 80 or 90 mph, like a lot of drivers, you need to see ahead". Perhaps it should consist of different ideas for a constitutional settlement But the basic idea seems worth reviving. Unionist anger about the Anglo-Irish Agreement, which was negotiated over their heads, made it impossible to continue this work beyond the pilot stage; but the pilot discussions themselves were more successful and productive than many people had thought possible.The agenda for the discussions would certainly be different now. The groups all worked to the same agenda, which was concerned with the various causes of friction between the communities and what could be done to alleviate them.
That is what is needed now.In 1985, the Policy Studies Institute, in co-operation with various peace groups in Northern Ireland, organised a series of discussion groups, each involving people from different backgrounds. The Opsahl Commission produced a wealth of ideas and suggestions from private citizens, peace groups and many other organisations. The Commission's procedure did not, however, allow the authors of the various submissions to discuss and negotiate with each other. There are alternatives. The British government could continue to talk individually with the political parties, who could also talk directly with each other. The discussions could include both the Workers' Party and the smaller Unionist parties.
These parties lack the degree of electoral support needed to participate in formal negotiations, but they represent important points of view and have shown encouraging signs of fresh thinking.It is also important to allow a voice to people who are not party activists or who may have no party allegiance. Thirty five years ago during the Cold War, de Gaulle, Chirac's hero, made a step towards Germany to secure peace in Europe. Today, when the Cold War is over, Chirac begins nuclear testing and makes not only himself look like a clown, but also the majority of French people who do not agree with his decision.Salutations amicales,Jacques TarradeStalybridge, Cheshire8 September. From Mr Stephen Plowden Sir: The impasse about decommissioning arms is unfortunate, but it does help to raise a question that perhaps should have been looked at before.