To celebrate the centenary in 2015, the WI has sent a baton round every area of England and Wales. It set off from Anglesey, where it all began, in January 2013 and has already been round much of Wales and England on its way eventually to London in June 2015 in time for the National AGM at the Royal Albert Hall.
In January the baton travelled through West Sussex and on the afternoon of Tuesday 13th January 2015 it was brought into Hampshire and handed over to the Staunton Group of WIs - comprising Bidbury Mead WI (Bedhampton), Denvilles WI (Havant), Rowlands Castle WI and Stoke & North Hayling WI.
They held a reception at The Meeting Place in Elm Lane, Havant for all members at which the Mayor of Havant was a guest. There was a great spirit of celebration and the WI was toasted with bubbly and celebration cake. From there, in the afternoon, about 15 members representing the 4 WIs, all dressed in 1915 costumes, paraded with a banner to Havant Station where they caught a train to Portsmouth Harbour.
In Portsmouth they paraded to the Maritime Club to join membe rs from the Victory Group of WIs in Portsmouth. Together they paraded through the dockyard, accompanied by the Lord Mayor of Portsmouth, and led by a piper and drummer. They boarded HMS Victory where they handed over the baton from Staunton Group to Victory Group who then had to pass it on to the next group in Hampshire.
