NFWI Annual Meeting 2025
NFWI Annual Meeting 2025 - Speaker Announcement
Emma Bridgewater
Emma Bridgewater grew up in Oxford, the eldest of a large family. After university, she soon realised that she wanted to start her own company. Her ‘eureka moment’ came in 1984, when she was searching for a pretty cup and saucer for her mother’s birthday. Discovering that everything in the shops was either delicate and formal, or heavy and clunky, she realised there was a gap in the market for pottery that was both beautiful and practical, and that reflected the relaxed, colourful, mismatched home she’d grown up in.
Emma sketched out a small collection, and found a pottery in Stoke-on-Trent, the home of British ceramics to make them up. She then decorated them using cut-out sponges – a traditional technique that became her signature style. The designs were snapped up by Liberty, Harrods, and The General Trading Co, and Emma Bridgewater Ltd was born.
Emma was determined to keep production of the pottery in Stoke-on-Trent, and the business is one of the largest employers of potters in the area producing more than 40,000 pieces of pottery a week. Today, Emma Bridgewater products are sold worldwide and the company is proud to have been awarded B Corp certification.
Emma has written two books: In 2014 Toast & Marmalade and Other Stories, which covers the rollercoaster ride of building the business; and in 2016 Pattern, which formally archives over 30 years of original pattern designs, and offers a behind the scenes look at the inspiration behind the designs.
Observer tickets are available on a donation basis, with the recommended donation for individual tickets set at £5, and the recommended donation for group tickets set at £20.
Please visit mywi.thewi.org.uk/essential-information/nfwi-annual-meeting for more information and to purchase your tickets.
What is the NFWI Annual Meeting (AM)?
The main business of the AM is to receive the Chair’s address and the Hon. Treasurer’s statement, and to vote on Public Affairs resolutions.
What is on the agenda?
The meeting runs from 10.30 am to 4.30 pm, with a lunch interval around 12.30 pm. There are typically two guest speakers who address the meeting for around half an hour each. The NFWI Chair addresses the meeting, as well as the Hon. Treasurer who presents an overview of the organisations' accounts. At some venues, NFWI committees and external exhibitors will have stands for attendees to enjoy both ahead of the start of the meeting and again during the lunch interval.
When & where is it?
The AM is typically held in late May or early June but this is dependent on venue availability. First notice of the meeting is sent annually in advance, directly to all federations and WIs in the July NFWI mailing.
The AM venue changes on an annual basis to give as many members as possible the opportunity to attend. The venues currently used are some of the best in the UK and include the Royal Albert Hall in London, the Echo Arena in Liverpool, and the Motorpoint Arena in Cardiff.
Annual Meeting 2015 at Royal Albert Hall London (Credit: Andy Lane)
Who is invited?
The NFWI AM is open to all WI members.
Every WI in the UK is represented by link delegates. The role of the link delegate is to vote on resolutions on behalf of her own WI and those within her linking group. It is also the responsibility of the link delegate to report back to each of the WIs within her group, the outcome of the resolution voting, and on the meeting in general. All link delegates are seated together and participate in resolution debates and voting.
Observer tickets are allocated to federations in late October each year on a pro-rata basis according to the number of members in each. The sale of these tickets is administrated by federations. All observers are seated together and attend the meeting to observe the proceedings only.
Each year, the NFWI also invites distinguished guests and members of the media to keep up-to-date on the latest news from the organisation.
How much are the tickets?
The price of the observer ticket varies each year but they are generally around the £22 mark.
If you would like more detailed information, about voting majorities or attendance, for instance, please click this link and take a look at pages 11 - 15
NFWI Annual Meeting 2024
We are very happy to share a recording of the 2024 Annual Meeting at the Royal Albert Hall.
AM Session
PM Session