Frances Barden, Sarah Collingborne, Pat Simms, Steph Farrow and the women of the Great Paxford Women's Institute as calamity hits their beloved village and they prove once again that when women work together they can surmount almost any challenge. Frances struggles as her factory is taken over and her husband's secret child arrives at her door, while Sarah must cope as a wife left behind. Pat received a respite when her violent husband went to war, yet now Joyce may prove her greatest enemy. Miriam's son has returned, but she fears he'll never be the same, and young couple Teresa and Nick are driven apart by the secret Teresa hides. Meanwhile, the Campbell family deals with a fatal illness, Alison finds new purpose in helping the influx of strangers to the village and Steph - touched by the war directly - faces a situation she never imagined. Through it all the Women's Institute provides support, camaraderie and a sense of purpose, but is their combined strength enough to get them through the war?