Powys Radnor Panel

Description

The final panel represents the future of the WI and all members in Powys Radnor Federation were given an opportunity to embroider something on the panel. The words, radiating outwards from the hand embroidered and appliqué golden satin centre, of family, children and home, commemorate the WI’s activities, hopes and achievements. The panel celebrates all that is important to the WI today and going forward into its next Centenary. The word ‘future’ in gold work on calf skin on the timeline represents the organisation’s hopes and aspirations.

This panel encapsulates the diversity of the organisation, an organisation with its roots firmly in the heart of communities but also one with a global perspective on issues. This is interpreted by the hand painted silk sky, with gold and silver cords attached by couching, representing the sun’s rays directing onwards and upwards to galaxies constructed as stitched curves with beading on the silk and lace, and downwards towards to the Radnorshire countryside where the hills are hand and machine embroidered using cotton threads and wool on hand made and painted felt, with beadwork and net representing river and waterfall.

The sheep are embroidered using bullion knots, the cows hand embroidered appliqué, and they stand in front of the barn made with Grandmother’s lace. Suffolk puffs represent the flowers in the
farmhouse garden. The buildings at the base of the panel represent a town and country community with architecture from the 1800s to the futuristic building representing 2015 onwards. The 1910 houses with three chimneys and the 1920s bungalow are embroidered in fine cross stitch, with needle felt flowers in the garden and over the timeline with crochet edging. The semi detached
hand embroidered and appliqué work house has a small border of hand smocking representing
Welsh daffodils; the block of 1960s flats are appliqué fabric on calico with hand embroidery for the
washing line and a machine made satellite dish. Denman College is embroidered in blackwork. The futuristic building is depicted in silver metallic fabric overlaid with clear plastic to represent glass, and ribbon representing stone is machined on top. There is a distressed tree with fence to the left,
and the trees above are worked in crochet. The red kite embroidered in satin stitch, long and short stitch represents the environment and flies upwards from the federation badge towards culture and
community, through words which indicate WI interests.

The patchwork timeline represents back to basics, which in times of austerity become important, running off into the future, mingling with gold and silver sparkle using crafts which are currently creating renewed interest in the Powys Radnor Federation and beyond.The federation badge has been completed using hand embroidery and appliqué on satin in the shape of a circle with WI in the centre and the name of the federations around it. The badge was designed in the 1980s in response to a county federation competition.

Captured on Powys Radnor Federation’s panel are the themes that have remained a constant during a 100 years of the WI time; concern for the environment, food production, health, education and
traditional skills to name but a few. The issues reflected in these themes are still as relevant today
as they were a 100 years ago, climate change is a threat to the environment, the production of food has changed dramatically with more imports, health services are still of great concern and adult education is under threat as are some of the traditional craft skills.
One enduring thread runs through them all, that of friendship, community and support and how
women working together can bring about change. The contribution of women in sustaining their families and communities, their changing roles, and the identification of issues which are important to women will survive the test of time.
The strength and vitality of the WI and the positive action of WI members, as demonstrated over the past hundred years in these panels, will still be important and valuable as the organisation moves into its next century.

The following quote from Princess Alexandra, who was a WI member, speaking at the AGM in June 1961 sums up all that is good about the WI:

‘One of the greatest pleasures of our WI membership is that, whatever our age, we keep looking
forward, learning and planning new and better things. The immense value and importance of our
great organisation is the benefit brought to local communities by the resolutions debated and discussed.’