Shortage of volunteers closes WI (From Tewkesbury Admag)

Shortage of volunteers closes WI

A VILLAGE Women's Institute group is set to close in the New Year because there are not enough volunteers to keep it running.

President of Longborough WI Dorothy Maynard has announced that the group will soon fold after 18 years.

The group, which was formed in 1986, once had up to 30 members, a figure that has fallen to just 18 in recent years.

The closure in January has been caused because none of these members has volunteered to replace its president, treasurer and secretary, who are all retiring.

Fallen

Three of its founder members - Dorothy Maynard, Helen Aylott and Margaret Marshall - are still involved.

Mrs Maynard, its president for the past 15 years, says membership has fallen because older members have died and younger people have no time to get involved because they are either out working or looking after children.

"I'm very sorry about it but there's nothing we can do.

"It's not the lack of members, it's the lack of members who want to do anything.

"About eight years ago our secretary retired and no-one wanted to take over so I became president and secretary."