"The young ones are so hard to get a hold of now. They are so busy and it just seems to be the trend that they don't join groups like this," public relations officer for Mid-Otago Federation of the Women's Institute Margaret Miller said yesterday at the federation's annual meeting in Green Island, where Janefield institute member Anne Bell (84) was awarded a badge for 60 years' service to the institute.
The Mid-Otago federation included 10 institutes around Dunedin and Mosgiel and including Waihola, with most members aged in their 60s, 70s and 80s, Mrs Miller said.
The Allanton Wo-men's Institute, with a group in their 50s, was the youngest in the federation.
Mrs Bell said she joined the institute 60 years ago for the cooking classes and soon became "hooked".
"It was the company, really. I made a lot of friends."
Lorna Isaac (59), of Allanton, said she joined the group to get to know more people in the area.
"Now, we look out for each other. It's very supportive and we do things for the community, just little things, but it's something."
The group was next looking at getting a toddler play group established in Allanton.
Younger people did not seem to know about Women's Institute, or had a certain idea about what it was like, she said.
Despite a 2007 national-level decision that women's institutes needed to change their image to stem a decline in membership and meet the needs of younger New Zealand women, new members still tended to be in their 50s rather than young mothers, Mrs Miller said.
About 80 people took part in the Mid-Otago federation's annual meeting yesterday, with guest speakers, judging of baking and handcrafts and general agenda items addressed.
The concept of women's institutes was imported from Canada during World War 1 to encourage and teach home crafts and cultural work; provide community services, such as housekeeping for sick members and hospital visiting; and act as a training ground for women in local body politics.
