Julia Roberts enjoys starring role with WI

8:20am Monday 14th July 2008

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FORTUNATELY, for the sake of men of a certain age in this office, Julia Roberts chose not to turn up in a derriere skimming stretch mini skirt and thigh-length black PVC boots to the strain of Roy Orbison’s Pretty Woman booming out from her car radio.

Instead, she chose a chic lime green suit that went down well with the ladies.

It wasn’t that Julia Roberts anyway. A confusion the new Worcestershire Women’s Institute chairman has had to put up with for quite a while. Ever since she married Marc Roberts, a master at the King’s School, Worcester, more than 20 years ago.

“I rather liked the name I had before,” she admitted. “It was Champion and when people mis-heard it, as they usually did, I could say: ‘No, Champion. Like the Wonder Horse’.”

Personally I think I’d rather be mistaken for a screen siren than a horse, but there you go. Actually, Julia Roberts gives the impression of not caring two hoots one way or the other. A lady with an easy laugh, she makes an ideal figurehead as the WI celebrates its 90th anniversary.

The organisation was founded during the First World War with the twin aims of revitalising rural communities cast down by the shadow of war, while at the same time encouraging women to become more involved in producing food. Which wasn’t all jam, although that certainly helped. Currently there are 6,800 WIs across the UK, 140 of them in Worcestershire. These range from time honoured branches that have met in village halls ever since Stanley Baldwin was British Prime Minister to the Trotshill Totties, which was formed last year among the young wives on Worcester’s Warndon Villages and where you suspect Julia Roberts (actress) would be well at home. One constant covers all. Despite these equality days, men still can’t join.

It’s old hat now to say the WI dropped its jam and Jerusalem long ago. At least as long ago as 1999 when the brave ladies from Rylstone and District WI in North Yorkshire dropped their drawers for the infamous nude calendar that raised hundreds of thousands of pounds for Leukaemia Research.

Julia Roberts (chairman) is not over keen on dwelling too long on the past either. In September, Worcestershire WIs hold an exhibition at Avoncroft Museum near Bromsgrove as part of the 90th anniversary celebrations and while she acknowledges it will pay homage to roots and tradition, she says: “I’m probably more interested in looking to the future.”

A future that includes national campaigns to prevent mentally ill people being abused by the prison system and, on a lighter level, the Let’s Cook Project, which is all about teaching young families basic cooking skills and showing there is life beyond the Pot Noodle.

“The aim is to get young families cooking and not relying on fast food and takeways,” said Julia. “We want them to appreciate how easy it is to cook simple, nutritious food that is a lot cheaper than buying ready meals with additives. There are several courses on-going in Worcestershire, but we are desperate for more tutors.

“So if you think you have the enthusiasm to help young families get back into the kitchen, why not find out a bit more? Some previous experience would be valuable, but not essential.”

The contact is Sue Stone on 01562 824666. Julia joined the WI when the family home moved to Martley in 1989. “There were three of us young mums looking for something to do,” she explained. “Originally we joined Martley Ladies Club, but that folded and so we thought: ‘What next? It must be the WI’.” She’s never regretted it. So much so that she’s in two other branches as well. Hanley Castle, where she has friends, and at Worcester’s County Council headquarters in Spetchley Road, where she works part-time in the County Records Office. The branch there is called the County Hall Swans and started, mainly through Julia’s enthusiasm, in 2006.

Understandably, the new county chairman is very enthusiastic about all things WI and sees it as a great “bringing together” organisation. “It gets you out and gives you somewhere to go and something to do,” she said. “Which can be very important.”

Actually, the educational role of the WI is often underplayed in its publicity and a quick whip through Worcestershire’s current bi-monthly magazine shows a whole range of activities on offer and events from neighbourhood litter picking to a visit to the Houses of Parliament.

It also contains huge colour adverts for Jools Holland at Eastnor Castle and Jo Brand, Lenny Henry, Jasper Carrott and the Bootleg Beatles at Ragley Hall. My, my, the WI has changed.