The Women’s Institute may have been formed to encourage women to dig for victory but nowadays they are just as likely to be learning to mix a mean cocktail ...or knitting a prawn!

There’s a new breed of WI-ers: women in their 20s and 30s who are breathing fresh life into the organisation. But ironically, some new groups are being formed to learn old skills more readily associated with the traditional view of the institute.

Bea Longthorp, 33, formed the Gingham Girls, who meet in Botley, with a friend two years ago. “I wanted to join a Women’s Institute – I liked the concept of women meeting once a month to drink tea, have a chat and learn a skill – but I couldn’t find one I liked,” said the mum-of-two.

Many of the groups she contacted, which had an older membership, were still keen on learning but were more interested in guest speakers and discovering new topics rather than crafts like cooking, knitting and sewing which they were well versed in.

“I put the feelers out with friends and they said they would rather do crafting,” said midwife Bea. “There’s a real 50s resurgence: make- do-and-mend-Cath-Kidston thing that is very much in vogue.”

So she sent out an email inviting people to the first meeting and expecting about a dozen women she knew to turn up was delighted when the number was nearer 40.

“It’s going really well,” said president Rachel Burton, 36, a teacher from Cutteslowe. “There’s a hard-core group of 15 or 16 and 10 or so who are more in and out.”

The women clearly enjoy each other’s company, coming from all over Oxford to join in, rather than going to meetings that are geographically closer to them.

“It’s because of who we are and what we do,” said Bea, who encourages members to share their practical skills but has also arranged events like cocktail-making and MAC make-up demonstrations. Kate Parsler, 24, travels seven miles from her home in Waterperry to attend the meetings on the first Tuesday of the month. She said she originally thought WIs were for “women of a certain age” and was happy to discover differently.

“I like doing craft things with a younger demographic,” said the mum-of-two, who enjoys the friendly chat while learning skills. I think older members would be very welcome too – there’s nothing rude, it’s just more jokey.” She’s right.

As a guest member, at 54, I was probably the rudest – referring to our knitting tutor as a prawn star – and I found the women to be very chatty and friendly, even if I was a good couple of decades older than most of them.

But I can understand how different groups would suit different people. I come from a generation which was taught to sew and knit; and jam and bread-making – the subjects of two upcoming sessions – I’ve learned along the way (albeit not terribly well!). The Gingham Girls are mainly mums or mums-to-be. There were six births for members last year and there are five more on the way. They are generally in their twenties and thirties and the group is geared to their needs and interests.

“We start the meetings at 8pm to give members the chance to get their children to bed,” said Bea. “Sometimes people will bring babies along. It’s not a problem, people just coo a bit and then we get on with it.” On the evening I joined them, there was a craft swap (they’ve already done clothes, beauty products and children’s items), taking along items for a picnic (done indoors due to the weather) and knitting prawns.

The prawns may sound like a strange thing to do but as member Catherine Burton, who led the session, pointed out, the small project taught all the basics – casting on, knit and pearl stitches, increasing and decreasing – that you needed to get started.

It was fun but I found it a bit slow going and I was disappointed that instead of the picnic items being the subject of scrutiny and one-upmanship, shop-bought items were unashamedly plonked down next to home-made ones.

With an old-fashioned and uninformed view of the modern WI myself – not to mention a horribly competitive streak – I’d come over all Margot Leadbetter and made quails egg Scotch eggs to take along.

Still, even if there was no prize to be won, I did get asked for the recipe.

Find out more about the Gingham Girls at ginghamgirlswi.moonfruit.com