Numbers soar at women's groups

Flamenco classes, talks with sex counsellors and belly dancing sessions are among the reasons numbers are soaring at WI groups.

Nationally, the membership of the WI has grown by 25 per cent in the past three years.

Some 440 groups have been formed since 2008, including Little Bowden WI.

The village group has members aged from their 20s to their 70s.

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Set up by businesswoman Karen Rawlings in 2010, numbers have risen from just four members to 80, with a waiting list of 35.

Karen said: "We have quite a few mums and daughters who come here together. I wouldn't say we're a traditional WI group, but we still have a lot of jam-making, craft and cookery alongside different things."

Relaunching Little Bowden WI was the idea of Karen and her friends.

She said: "There was a WI in Little Bowden in the past but it had dwindling numbers and folded at least a decade before we started up.

"We've relaunched it with a modern twist. On one occasion, we had a talk from a sex therapist and we've had debates about some pretty controversial subjects, too."

Following the success of the Little Bowden group, further relaunches took place nearby in Market Harborough in 2011 and in Lubenham last year.

Market Harborough had 83 members last year.

President Hazel Stacey said: "I wouldn't say we're thoroughly modern – we have a bit of something for everyone.

"We had Egyptian belly dancing recently and next month we've got a talk about bodyguards and some self-defence tips.

"We've got women aged 21 to 85 and a lot of them joined for the same reason I started the group – it's a good way to get to know people and the town.

"It's a nice bit of time out for like-minded ladies."

Ruth Bond, chairman of the National Federation of Women's Institutes, said: "It's really positive that many younger women are attracted to the WI and many new WIs have been set up

"Perceptions are continuing to change.

"Women who wouldn't previously have thought about joining are realising that the WI has something to offer them and women in their 20s, 30s, and 40s are increasingly keen to join, especially as many WIs have opened in towns and cities alongside more rural areas."