THE Durham County Federation of Women's Institutes has a new chairman, who aims to step up the organisation's strong support for rural communities in the aftermath of foot-and-mouth.

Audrey Flanagan, who was brought up on a farm near Consett, will lead the federation, which has more than 3,000 members in the county, for the next three years.

Mrs Flanagan, from Sedgefield, takes over the post from Dorothy Proud, from Evenwood, who was presented with a Crown Derby linnet by staff and the federation's executive on standing down.

With 106 WIs in County Durham, Mrs Flanagan believes the organisation has something for everybody.

"It is not a movement rooted in the past, but one committed to the future," she said. "We are particularly committed to lending support to rural areas, especially those still suffering from the effects foot-and-mouth disease."

Mrs Flanagan, a WI member for more than 20 years, said like a lot of other organisations it had "its ups and downs" in trying to attract new members, but they were able to maintain a steady flow to their ranks.

Married to a retired psychiatric nurse, James, Mrs Flanagan has also been an influential member of the Young Farmers movement for many years, travelling to Canada and Finland on its behalf. She is a former student at Houghall Agricultural College, Durham.

At present she is county vice-president of the Young Farmers. "My only regret," she said, " is that I didn't join the WI earlier in my life."