The Women’s Institute (WI) movement turns 100 years old this year. It’s a time to celebrate and at this year’s Royal Cornwall Show, the Cornwall Federation of WI’s will be doing just that.

The timing couldn’t be better, with the centenary Annual Meeting of the organisation taking place at the Royal Albert Hall on Thursday June 4, which coincides with the first day of this year’s show. This special event is going to be streamed live within the Cornwall WI marquee, so it can be enjoyed by their members attending the show.

September 1915 saw the first institute established in Wales. The new movement swept across the country. The first Cornish institutes were set up in 1918 at Madron, St Just, Falmouth and Newquay, followed later that year at Perranporth, Truro and Veryan.

A year later 20 WI’s had sprung up in Cornwall and the county federation was subsequently formed in September 1919. A year later, at the second post war Royal Cornwall, the WI first staged an exhibit at the show. The Cornwall WI marquee has been a feature of every show that has taken place since, this year marks 95 years since debuting at the event.

The show’s organisers, the Royal Cornwall Agricultural Association, awarded a silver challenge cup in 1933 for the county’s WI’s to compete for, within their various competitions.

The marquee housing the WI grew and grew until it took up all of the space available on their pitch, as it still does today. It is also a popular destination for Royal visitors to the show.

Barbara Corbett, Chairman of the Cornwall Federation of WI’s is looking forward to promoting the organisation, yet again, at this year’s show; “The WI’s presence at the show has always been viewed as a shop window, highlighting to the public what the organisation does across the county.

“The movement is still strong within Cornwall. Today we have nearly 4000 WI active members that belong to one of 140 institutes that are spread across the county.”

On top of the competitions held within the Cornwall WI marquee at the show, it is also a prime place for show-goers to enjoy some light refreshments.

Some additional events will also be held in the marquee for all to enjoy. Friday 5 June will see gardeners’ question time with BBC Radio Cornwall’s expert Nigel Pascoe at 11am. Followed at 12 noon by Angela Hyland showing how a table centrepiece can be made using £10 worth of supermarket flowers. Saturday 6 June see’s Carol Hall demonstrating buttonhole making at 1pm.

“We are entering two scarecrows into the show’s trail this year,” said WI member Abigail Kirby-Harris. “St Breward WI is making one of them, which will be themed on the current Home Fires TV drama series.”

For more information about this year’s Royal Cornwall Show (4 – 6 June) please visit www.royalcornwall.co.uk.