Written by the team behind Puzzlify. Puzzlify is our product, so weigh what follows with that in mind. We've tried to make this useful even if you never use it. We're not affiliated with the National Federation of Women's Institutes, the Scottish Women's Institutes, WI Northern Ireland, the Irish Countrywomen's Association, the Country Women's Association, the Federated Women's Institutes of Canada, Women's Institutes of New Zealand, the Associated Country Women of the World, any county federation, individual WI, women's group, charity or council. Nothing here is legal, safeguarding or privacy advice. Check your own WI's or group's guidance on gifts, photos, publicity and data protection.
It's ten past seven on the second Tuesday of the month, and a retired district nurse called Margaret is standing in the doorway of the village hall kitchen counting cups. Thirty-four, which should be enough, unless the new members bring friends again. On the trestle table in the main hall there's a cloth her mother embroidered, a vase of dahlias from somebody's allotment, a pile of programme cards for next year, a raffle with a bottle of elderflower cordial and a hand cream as first prize, and this month's competition: "a decorated egg cup", with seven entries and one that is plainly a small knitted chicken.
Margaret is the president. Next to her, Sue, the secretary, is writing the minutes from last month on a laptop balanced on a hymn-book box. Pat, the treasurer, is at the door with a cash tin and a card reader she still doesn't trust. Anita, the programme secretary, is texting tonight's speaker, a woman who rescues owls and is coming with an owl, and who is lost somewhere past the church.
At half past seven forty women sit down on plastic chairs. The owl arrives. For an hour, nobody looks at their phone. Afterwards there's tea, two kinds of cake and a lot of laughter in the kitchen, and by ten o'clock Margaret is stacking chairs with the last three committee members, talking about the Christmas party.
Nobody pays them. That's the Women's Institute, and groups like it, all over the English-speaking world.
Who we mean
The Women's Institute began in Canada in 1897 and came to Britain during the First World War. Today there are WIs in towns, villages, cities and universities, and sister organisations with their own names and histories: the Scottish Women's Institutes, WI Northern Ireland, the Irish Countrywomen's Association, the Country Women's Association in Australia, Women's Institutes in Canada and New Zealand, and many more linked through the Associated Country Women of the World. Some meet in a village hall and have been going for a century. Some started last year in a city pub and have a waiting list.
However they look, they run on volunteers. The people who keep a WI going usually include:
- the president, who chairs the meetings, welcomes newcomers, speaks for the group and worries about everything;
- the secretary, who writes the minutes, reads the correspondence and keeps the federation informed;
- the treasurer, who collects subscriptions, pays the hall, banks the raffle money and does the accounts;
- the programme secretary, who finds a year's worth of speakers, workshops and outings;
- committee members, who share the jobs nobody sees: the newsletter, the social media, the website, the welcome table;
- the refreshments rota and the kitchen team, who make the tea and wash the cups every month;
- the leaders of subgroups: book clubs, walking groups, craft circles, choirs, lunch clubs, supper clubs, swimming groups;
- members who organise outings, the Christmas party, the summer garden party and the fundraising;
- county or federation volunteers who support the WIs in their area;
- the long-serving members who remember the hall before it had heating and know where the urn plug is kept.
If you're thinking of one of these people, this is for you.
The words matter most
The most important part of any thank-you is what you say. WI committees do a lot of invisible work. Members see the speaker; they don't see the forty emails it took to book her. They see the cake; they don't see who made the shopping list. A good thank-you names something specific.
Try to include:
- one moment you remember: a speaker, an outing, a competition, the night the owl came;
- one piece of work you noticed: the programme, the minutes, the accounts, the welcome, the washing up;
- what it meant to you: friends, confidence, getting out of the house, learning something new;
- something about the group itself, if it fits.
For example: "Thank you for the programme this year. I've learned more since I joined than in twenty years before." Or: "I came to my first meeting not knowing anyone. You saved me a seat. I've never forgotten it." Or, from a new member: "Thank you for making it so easy to join. I nearly didn't come, and I'm so glad I did."
Who might send one
A thank-you like this suits:
- members thanking a president, secretary, treasurer or programme secretary at the end of the year or when they stand down;
- new members thanking the person who welcomed them;
- subgroup members thanking the leader of the book club, walking group or craft circle;
- speakers thanking a WI for a warm welcome;
- the committee thanking the kitchen team, the raffle sellers or the person who looks after the website;
- county and federation volunteers thanking the WIs they support, and the other way round;
- families of a long-serving member who want to mark their years of service;
- husbands, wives, partners and children of a president who has spent a year answering the phone at dinner.
Gifts, groups and good manners
Many WIs have their own traditions for thanking officers: a bouquet at the annual meeting, a book token, a card signed by everyone. These are lovely, and a digital puzzle isn't meant to replace them.
A few things worth keeping in mind:
- keep gifts modest, especially if they're paid for from the group's funds, which belong to the members and may be charitable;
- if you're collecting money from members, make it voluntary and keep it small;
- be even-handed if several officers are standing down at once;
- remember that a heartfelt card signed by everyone is often the most treasured thing.
A digital jigsaw fits because it costs very little, can come from one person or from the whole group, and doesn't need wrapping, posting or storing on a shelf already full of WI centenary mugs.
When to send it
Good moments include:
- the annual meeting, when officers are thanked and new ones elected;
- the end of a programme year, when the last speaker has been and gone;
- the WI's birthday or anniversary, especially a big one;
- after a big event: the Christmas party, a garden party, a craft fair, a show;
- when a long-serving president, secretary or treasurer stands down;
- Christmas or New Year;
- Volunteers' Week, if your area marks it.
Avoid sending a thank-you in the middle of a busy meeting night, when the president is juggling the urn and the speaker.
Why a jigsaw can fit
There's something fitting about a small jigsaw for a group that has always loved making things: jam, quilts, cakes, campaigns, friendships. A WI year is built from small pieces: a speaker here, a workshop there, a cup of tea, a raffle, a competition, a walk. A photo of the hall, the table or the meeting, put back together slowly with your note appearing at the end, mirrors that in a small way. It takes a few minutes, it's private and it can be solved on the sofa with a cup of tea.
If you're a new member
If someone made you feel welcome, say so. New members often remember the person who saved them a seat, explained the competition and introduced them to the woman with the dog for years afterwards. A short note to that person, perhaps with a photo of the hall set up before your first meeting, can mean a great deal.
If you're thanking a president
Being president of a WI is a real job, unpaid. It means chairing meetings, welcoming newcomers, representing the group at county events, dealing with the hall booking, the occasional disagreement and the endless emails, and still finding time to make a cake. When a president stands down, the group will usually say something at the annual meeting. A more personal thank-you, from one member or from the committee, can sit alongside that.
Photos that work: the president's chair at the front of the hall before anyone arrives, the WI banner, the table with the cloth and the flowers, the programme card, the president's badge on the cloth, the hall in the snow.
If you're thanking a secretary or treasurer
Secretaries and treasurers do some of the least visible work in any group. Minutes, correspondence, subscriptions, accounts, gift aid, insurance. A thank-you that says "I know how much you do" can mean more than you'd think. Choose a photo that has nothing to do with paperwork: a cake, the hall, a flower arrangement, the view from an outing.
Keep membership lists, minutes, bank statements and anything with names or numbers out of the frame.
If you're thanking a programme secretary
The programme secretary is the person who found the owl lady. And the bee man, the forensic scientist, the woman who walked across Iceland, the chocolate workshop, the Christmas wreath evening and the trip to the theatre. Finding a whole year of speakers is hard, especially on a small budget. A puzzle of the programme card, or of a photo from one of the outings, can be a lovely way to say thank you.
If you're thanking a subgroup leader
Many WIs now have subgroups: book clubs, walking groups, craft circles, choirs, lunch clubs, supper clubs, wild swimming groups. The leaders of these often do as much work as the committee. A thank-you from the group's members, with a photo of the books, the walk, the crafts or the lake, can be lovely.
If you're a speaker
Speakers are a big part of WI life, and many of them talk to dozens of groups a year. If a WI made you especially welcome, met you in the car park, found you a parking space, gave you a proper cup of tea and laughed at the right moments, a short thank-you to the programme secretary afterwards is always appreciated. A photo of the hall from the front, taken before the meeting with nobody's face in it, or of the thing you came to talk about, makes a nice puzzle to send with your note. Ask before you take it, and don't photograph the audience.
For a big birthday
Many WIs celebrate their birthday each year, and a few have now reached a hundred. A big anniversary is a lovely moment to thank everyone who kept the group going: the founders, the long-serving officers, the women who kept meeting through wars, floods, hall fires and a pandemic. If someone has gathered old photos, minute books and programmes for a display, a scanned page from the first minute book, a photo of the founding members or a picture of the hall decades ago can make a remarkable puzzle. Pair it with a note from today's members, and send it to the oldest members first.
When a WI closes or merges
Not every story has a happy ending. Some WIs close because the officers can't be replaced, the hall is sold or the members are getting older. Others merge with a neighbouring group. If your WI is closing, the last meeting can be sad, and the officers who kept it going to the end often feel they've failed. They haven't. A thank-you that says so, with a photo of the hall, the banner or the last competition table, can be a kind way to mark it. If your WI is reopening or a new one is starting, the people who stepped forward deserve a thank-you too.
The jobs nobody volunteers for
Every WI has jobs that nobody wants: chasing late subscriptions, filling in the insurance renewal, sorting out the hall booking clash with the toddler group, writing the annual report, being the one who has to say no. Whoever does these jobs probably gets the least thanks of all. If you know who it is, a note that says "I know that was you, and thank you" is worth a great deal.
If you're on the committee
If you're on the committee and want to thank the members who make it all work, the kitchen team, the raffle sellers, the people who put out the chairs, a puzzle of a photo of the hall set up for a meeting, with a note signed by the committee, is a gentle way to do it.
If you live with a WI officer
If your mum, wife, partner or sister has spent a year or ten as president, secretary or treasurer, you probably know better than anyone how much it takes. A thank-you from the family, perhaps sent on the evening of the annual meeting when she finally stands down, can be lovely. A photo of her at the front of the hall, or of the table she always sets up, with a note from the family, is a nice idea.
For groups that met online
During the pandemic, many WIs met online, and some still do for members who can't get to the hall. The volunteers who set up the video calls, taught members how to unmute and kept the group going deserve a thank-you too. A screenshot of a video call, with everyone's agreement, can make a fun puzzle, as long as names and screens with private details are cropped out.
In memory of a member
If a long-serving member or officer has died, the WI may plant a tree, name a trophy or hold a memorial. A puzzle sent to the family, with a quiet note from the members, can be a gentle addition. Choose a photo that shows something she loved: the hall, the garden, her winning cake, her embroidered cloth. Leave the leaderboard off.
For WIs and women's groups elsewhere
Women's Institutes and similar groups look different in different places. In England and Wales, there are thousands of WIs in towns, villages and cities. In Scotland, the SWI has its own long tradition. In Ireland, the Irish Countrywomen's Association has guilds all over the country. In Australia, the Country Women's Association is famous for its scones and its campaigns. In Canada and New Zealand, Women's Institutes have their own histories. And in the United States, women's clubs, garden clubs and extension homemakers' groups do similar work. Everything in this guide should translate; just use local words.
Photo ideas and consent
Some photos work better than others for a WI thank-you. Ideas that tend to work well:
- the hall set up for a meeting, with the chairs out and the cloth on the table, before anyone arrives;
- the WI banner, badge or centenary plaque;
- this month's competition table, with the entries and no names;
- the cake table at the Christmas party or summer fair;
- the programme card for the year, photographed flat;
- a view from an outing: a garden, a beach, a theatre, a walk;
- a quilt, a banner or a craft project the group made together;
- a "then and now" pair: an old photo of the WI in the hall and this year's.
Things to keep out of the photo:
- members' faces, unless they've agreed;
- membership lists, minutes, accounts, subscription forms and anything with names, addresses or phone numbers;
- house exteriors and house numbers, especially if a meeting was held in someone's home;
- anything that might embarrass someone, like the slightly disastrous cake.
If the photo has people in it, ask them first. A group photo they've already agreed to, perhaps one the WI took for its newsletter or anniversary, is usually the easiest choice.
Getting the JPG right
Puzzlify works from a JPG. A few practical tips:
- a phone photo is fine; use the original file rather than a screenshot if you can;
- crop to the part that matters before you upload;
- landscape photos usually make the most comfortable puzzles on a tablet, but square crops work too;
- bright, clear photos with different colours and textures are easier and more satisfying to solve than dark or very plain ones;
- if you're scanning an old photo from the WI's early years, scan it at a good resolution and straighten it;
- remove anything private before you upload, even if it's small: a name, a house number, a phone number.
Privacy, an optional PIN, and saying it's from you
The puzzle is private: it's shared as a link, not posted on a public board. You can add an optional PIN so that only someone who knows it can open the puzzle, which is useful if you're sending it through a group email or WhatsApp group. Photos are not used to train AI and are not shared with third parties.
Many people are rightly wary of unexpected links. Always say who it's from and what it is, in the message itself: "This is from all of us at the WI. It's a little jigsaw of the hall on a meeting night, with a note at the end. It's safe to open." If you can, tell them in person first, or ring them.
How many pieces?
| Pieces | Feels like | Typical time |
|---|---|---|
| 24 | a cup of tea | a few minutes |
| 48 | the raffle draw | around 5–10 minutes |
| 80 | a speaker's talk | around 10–20 minutes |
| 130 | a whole meeting night | around 20–40 minutes |
| 252 | a president's three years | an hour or more |
If you're not sure, 48 pieces suits most people on a phone, and 80 on a tablet.
The leaderboard: only for a group
If you're thanking an officer on behalf of the whole WI, you can turn on the leaderboard so everyone solves the same photo. Some groups love a bit of competition, and the result can be announced at the next meeting alongside the competition winner. Ask first; some groups would rather not. Turn it off for anything sent in memory.
A few note ideas
The note appears when the last piece goes in, so keep it short and warm:
- "To Margaret: three years, thirty-six meetings and one owl. Thank you for every one."
- "I came to my first meeting not knowing a soul. You saved me a seat. Thank you."
- "From the book club: thank you, Jean, for choosing books we'd never have picked and loving every argument."
- "To Pat, who has counted every raffle ticket since 2009: thank you for keeping us in the black."
- "To Anita: the owl lady, the bee man and the trip to the ballet. Thank you for the best programme we've had."
- "To Mum, stepping down as president: you made forty women laugh every month for six years. Now you can just come for the cake."
How to make one (about a minute of setup)
- Open Puzzlify's puzzle maker in a browser: https://puzzlify.app/en/puzzle-maker/
- Upload the photo (JPG works best).
- Choose a piece count for how much time they might have and how detailed the photo is.
- Add your thank-you note and, if you like, a PIN and a leaderboard (for a group only).
- Preview for free. When you're happy, publish the link with one credit and send it with a message, in a card at the next meeting, or through the WI's email.
Honest pricing and notes
The preview is free, so you can see exactly what the puzzle looks like before paying anything. You only pay when you publish the link: one credit is €3.99, three credits are €8.99, and Plus is €14.99 a year for ten credits. If you're thanking several people (the president, the secretary and the treasurer), a three-credit pack or Plus can work out cheaper.
The person who receives the link doesn't need an account, an app or a printer; it opens in a normal web browser. Photos are not used to train AI and are not shared with third parties.
This is a digital jigsaw you play on a screen. It isn't a cardboard puzzle in the post, a printed product or a public puzzle board, and it isn't connected to any WI, federation, association or charity. It's also not puzzlify.io (a chess site), Puzzlit, Puzzly or Puzzify, which are different things.
Ideas that are not a puzzle
Some of the best thank-yous for WI officers cost nothing at all:
- a handwritten card, signed by every member, past and present;
- offering to join the committee, take on the newsletter, run the raffle or join the kitchen rota;
- suggesting a speaker, or giving a talk yourself;
- writing a short piece for the county newsletter about the officer, if she's happy with it;
- bringing a cake, washing the cups and putting the chairs away without being asked;
- for a long-serving officer, a small book of memories and photos from the members.
If a photo puzzle feels right as well, choose a photo of the hall, the table or an outing, keep names, homes and anyone who hasn't agreed out of the frame, pick a piece count and add your note. You only pay if you decide to send it. You can start a free preview at https://puzzlify.app/en/puzzle-maker/.
Whatever you send, the most important part is the sentence that sounds like you, written to the person who counted the cups, booked the speaker, kept the minutes, welcomed the nervous newcomer and stacked the chairs at ten o'clock, so that next month, it would all happen again.
Written by the small team behind Puzzlify (info@puzzlify.app). Not legal, safeguarding or privacy advice. Check your own WI's or group's guidance on gifts, photos, publicity and data protection.