A BATON that is being passed around England and Wales to celebrate 100 years of the Women’s Institute arrived in Basingstoke last week.

The specially designed baton started its journey in Anglesey on January 1, where the first WI meeting was held in the UK in 1915.

It then began making its way around the UK to all 69 federations in England, Wales and the Islands to celebrate the centenary of the WI, before it finishes at The Royal Albert Hall on June 2, where the institute’s annual meeting will be held.

The baton arrived in Basingstoke last Thursday, at Cafe Dome in Brighton Hill, where it was welcomed by North West Hampshire MP Sir George Young and Mayor of Basingstoke and Deane Councillor Roger Gardiner.

Members from local WI groups have uploaded 12 photographs to a memory stick, which is stored within the baton.

Valerie Bullions, chair of Loddon Group WI, which meets at St Michael’s Church Cottage, said: “It went really well.

“Four of us left in my pink car which we decorated with streamers and balloons and we drove to the Hartley Wintney WI hut to meet up with the Hart group where the baton was waiting for us to collect. We left there after having bacon butties and refreshments.

“We took the baton to Sherfield-on-Loddon where there are 16 WIs and the area stretches from Aldermaston to Overton. We stopped there for coffee and there were around 100 members. We left there and went to Cafe Dome and met with Sir George Young and the Mayor and Mayoress.”

The women then enjoyed soup and home-made cake, before the baton was collected by the Alresford group.

Mrs Bullions, 70, who has been a WI member for 12 years, said various celebratory events have been planned for local WI groups this year, including a party in June when a tablecloth, made using panels from each WI group in the area will be unveiled.

Asked what she enjoys about being a WI member, Valerie, a mother-of-two, said: “There’s the main element of education, so every time we meet we have speakers or demonstrations. There’s also the fellowship of it all. We support women in all parts of the world.”