THE Women's Institute will be 100 years old next year, and members are carrying their Centenary Baton around the country, visiting each Federation in the run-up to their celebrations. Three weeks ago, it was the turn of the Huntingdon and Peterborough Federation, and 160 WI members brought their baton to Peterborough Cathedral.

They had guided tours of the cathedral before posing for a photograph with Canon Ian Black and with their chairman, Sally Dalley, holding the baton (above). The picture will be included on a memory stick and placed inside the baton. They then had tea, followed by choral evensong, which included members and the choir enthusiastically singing "Jerusalem", which has become the WI anthem.

They had received the baton from the Leicester and Rutland Federation, Mrs Dalley said, and would be handing it on to the Isle of Ely Federation at the end of their week. "Whilst it is in our care, we are holding various events. The biggest one was at Peterborough Cathedral: we were overwhelmed by the number of people who wanted to come."