The Women's Institute has gone to the dogs - it's official. A large group of older women have been spotted drinking lager and placing bets late into the night at Oxford's greyhound track.

But it's all part of a new image aimed at shunning the jam-making, Jerusalem-singing reputation and showing that girls - of any age - just wanna have fun.

The trip to the dogs was the brainchild of Fitzharrys WI president Tricia White. She said: "We like to do something different on our outings and we have one of the biggest WIs in Oxfordshire, so we must be doing something right. None of us had been to the dogs before so I organised it and we had a great time."

Altogether, 42 members met outside the stadium in East Oxford. They each had a £5 ticket giving them entry, a programme, a £1 bet, chicken and chips and a pint of lager.

"We all bet on most races, normally about a pound a race. I came out even in the end and won three races, which was very exciting. The dogs were paraded before each race and when the races started the atmosphere was fantastic and we were all yelling for our dogs.

"We were there until 10pm."

So how does their evening at the dogs differ from the normal WI monthly meeting? "We went horse-racing at Newbury last time, which was brilliant. We like doing things we haven't done before. It's a bit boring always doing the same thing, like going on walks."

Tricia has also organised workshops for members once a month in crafts such as glass-painting.

"We try hard not to be cliquey and rigid. We laugh and disagree. I think it's so important not to be stuffy.

"But maybe that's why we are so successful. We have got 92 members, with capacity for 100. "People think the WI is just about flower competitions, jam-making and other ghastly things like that, although we do still sing Jerusalem because it brings us together - a bit like singing during a football match," Tricia said.

The 67-year-old gran's only sadness is that she cannot attract younger members.

"Our youngest members are in their 40s and we would love to see some new faces," she said. We're up to date and on the ball County WI organiser Barbara Gray is keen to recruit new and younger members.

She is in charge of setting up new WI groups in Oxfordshire to add to the 170 existing ones, which boast a membership of 6,000 between them.

She said: "The WI is very up-to-date and on-the-ball. Its Jerusalem-singing image is a misconception.

"Originally it was set up to provide something for women in rural areas to do, regardless of age.

"If we are short on young women it's because they are short on time and energy, not because there is nothing for them.

"Whatever skill they want to learn, we cover it. There is so much on offer and we cater for different tastes."

The 67-year-old, who joined the WI when she had her first child at the age of 31, advised: "If women are new to an area it's a great way to meet people.

"As for the singing of Jerusalem, that's old hat. All the newly-formed groups got rid of that. But I can see why it gives us a bad image."

Previous news story

Converted for the new archive on 30 June 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.