“She is an old-school snob, as the people who ran WI’s at that time were predominately educated upper-middle class ladies. “Joyce is a formidable woman,” says Francesca, 69, who plays the snooty battle-axe. Outraged at their insubordination, Joyce resigns, leaving Frances and her supporters to form a new WI group. However, outspoken Frances Barden (Bond) bravely opposes her, claiming their talents could be of great service during the dark days ahead. Joyce Cameron (Annis), the snobby president of the local WI, announces that she intends to dissolve their branch until the end of hostilities in Europe. In the opening episode, the outbreak of WW2 is just weeks away and the men of Great Paxford prepare to be posted abroad.

“We’ve seen plenty of TV shows about the men who go off to fight in the war, but this is about the people left at home – the emotional struggle of these ladies, how they coped and how they supported the war effort.” “It’s an astonishing story about the strength that these women find in each other as war breaks out. “I’m very proud of Home Fires,” says Samantha, 53, who’s starred in Downton Abbey and as Miss Moneypenny in four James Bond films. Together, these resourceful ladies knit together the fabric of the local community, as their men prepare to battle Hitler’s army. Starring Samantha Bond and Francesca Annis, it tells the fictional story of a group of inspirational women in rural Cheshire who form the Great Paxford Women’s Institute. And, come to think of it, the six-part series does take its inspiration from a book called Jambusters, by Julie Summers.īut the brand-new drama mostly depicts the integral role that the WI played in boosting morale on the Home Front during the Second World War. Well, actually, the making of potted preserves does feature quite heavily in the first episode of Home Fires. This is not a show about home-made cake, handicrafts, jam and Jerusalem.

Forget your preconceptions about the Women’s Institute.

Home fires julie summers