A woman who has been part of the Women’s Institute (WI) for 42 years has been elected as a trustee of the National Federation of Women’s Institutes.

Pam Beedan of Marown WI joined the society in the UK aged 26.

The WI is a women’s organisation formed in 1915 in Ontario, Canada and is the largest women’s organisation in the UK.

Mrs Beedan says she is overwhelmed at the recognition.

’It’s actually overwhelming, because I’d no expectation, at all of being voted in. When you think that there are 6,000 WIs and 69 federations which have a voting sheet for 15 people to choose 12 from, or up to 12 - to get so many votes from our little island is just amazing,’ she said.

’I did not expect to get in, but I wanted to try because I love the WI so much. I joined at age of 26 and the ladies in my WI were like mothers - they adopted me and I learnt all sorts of things.

’My husband was very ill during that time and they "wrapped their arms around me" and helped me during what was a very difficult time.’

Mrs Beedan continued: ’Being elected to different positions like being president gave me confidence to do more, because you can do anything in the WI.

’There’s so many training courses and there’s so many things that you can learn. It’s an opportunity to voice opinions and help the community.’

’We’ve campaigned for a lot of things which have been needed in the island over the last 50 years since the island’s WIs were first formed.’

The first trustee of the WI in the island to be elected, Moira Vaughan, was more 40 years ago.

The election process started in August last year, and Mrs Beedan will take-up her position from June 8 at the 2021 annual general meeting.

’It means that the Isle of Man and other Crown Dependencies have a representative in the WI at the highest level. Obviously, in England and Wales when it comes to legal advice, [Crown Dependencies] are different, and it’s important to make sure we’re not forgotten,’ she said.

’I know there’s been an increase of people looking at our Instagram and Facebook pages and it means that there’s been an interest from people elsewhere about WI on-island.

’We have over 500 members over here and it’s very community-focused.’

Mrs Beedan said that the WI has done a lot of things over the latest lockdown online.

’The WI has made me the woman I am today, I’m an WI adviser now, which means I help create WIs,’ Mrs Beedan added.

’It’s given me the confidence and expertise to get to where I am today and I’m constantly learning.’

Women of 16 and up can join - more info at www.facebook.com/iomwi/