Her Story – Untold Stories of Hampshire Women

Her Story – Untold Stories of Hampshire Women

We are delighted to announce that Hampshire Federation applied, and was successful in receiving one of the first Denman Grants, for a project which will be open to all WI members in the area.  

 It’s a glib saying that ‘everyone has a story’ but is something that I absolutely believe. The stories of our lives that we share have a huge power for good for other people. Stories can bring joy, hope, courage, humour, often all at the same time, and they can inspire others to get through difficult times. Kim McManus said  

“Your heartache is someone else’s hope. If you make it through, somebody else is going to make it through. Tell your story”  

 Some of the WI meetings I have enjoyed most have been those where I have heard about fellow members lives, jobs and passions. Friends who attended the last Spring Council meeting spoke about Nelly from Bake off and her personal story as a highlight of the day. I know some of the members in my WI have such interesting stories to share and experiences they have been through, but do not feel that they are interesting enough to share them. We are hoping that this project will make members realise how incredible they are, and how valuable their stories are, so we can share and celebrate them.  

 Storytelling is a powerful tool that connects us, improves empathy and increases our understanding of the world. Storytelling triggers “trust” and “happy” hormones (oxytocin and dopamine) which help memory and motivation. Across Hampshire WIs there are 7500 members of different ages, backgrounds, and experiences, each with a story to tell. This richness is hidden because we don’t all have the skills or knowledge to develop and communicate our stories. Her-story: Untold Stories of Hampshire Women will run Storytelling workshops, helping members identify, frame and create their story in a medium they choose.   

Members will be given the opportunity to attend workshops facilitated by Touch Network (www.touch.network) taking place across Hampshire. Members will choose whether and how they develop their story further, with a menu of options including being coached as a speaker, who can then be on a speaker list and share their story to WI’s across the county, developing a display (photo, craft or art )which we plan to show in an exhibition space in Hampshire or recording a podcast/video.  Maybe one of the people who takes part will even want to be a key speaker at our 2027 Spring Council Meeting! 

 If you are interested in getting involved by either sharing your story, or by getting involved in the planning with any of the many skills you have, please get in touch, and we will let you know how you can get involved!