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In the Cheshire village of Great Paxford in August 1939 there is anticipation of another war and local doctor Will Campbell volunteers for service but is rejected, to the relief of his wife Erica - until it is revealed that he has cancer. Butcher Bryn Brindsley's wife Miriam, recalling her husband's ordeal in the Great War, is fearful when teen-aged son David announces that he wants to join the navy. Joyce Cameron, imperious chair of the Women's Institute, proposes the group disband until the end of the war but is opposed by feisty Frances Barden, forcing Joyce's resignation. Frances decides to relaunch the group with her friends, including Miriam, Erica, Great War widow Alison Scotlock, vicar's wife Sarah Collingborne, teen-ager Claire Hillman, Pat Timms, a domestic violence victim at the hands of her failed writer husband Bob, and farmer's wife Steph Farrow. Their first venture is a mammoth jam-making project, which is a success, and Frances's revamped group is on its way to uniting...
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Frances chairs her first meeting, suggesting that the cricket pitch be dug up to make room for an allotment. She is interrupted by Joyce, who spitefully tells her that the hall is to be requisitioned by the RAF as airmen are billeted in the village. Will Campbell's daughters are pleased at the prospect but Claire only has eyes for postman Spencer and is put out that he seems to have a girlfriend already. Pat continues to suffer at the hands of her sadistic husband whilst newcomer Teresa, billeted with Alison, makes a bad start by almost killing her dog. The women find a new base in the village pub where, as a result of a ballot, Frances is named the new chairperson. Meanwhile Miriam falsifies a register of residents to prevent David from being called up.
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Declaring that he has no girlfriend Spencer asks Claire for a date but fails to turn up, having joined up. Doctor's daughter Kate continues to romance young airman Jack Heaton and they are soon married whilst Pat is a hit as a speaker at a regional meeting but still allows her cruel husband to abuse her. Frances, however, is convinced that something is wrong. She also suspects that Joyce is using institute money to fund her pet projects and demands an audit - which unsettles treasurer Alison, who has 'borrowed' from funds to pay a vets' bill and accepts a job to repay the debt. At the wedding Alison and Kate's sister Laura are asked to dance by charming men though Alison's partner has conditions. Farmer Stan and vicar Adam, though not young men, decide to enlist, feeling it is their duty.
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Whilst Claire is shocked to find that Spencer is not a soldier but a conscientious objector David defies his mother and joins up. Book-keeper Alison is coerced into falsifying accounts for profiteers whilst her lodger, teacher Teresa, turns down the chance to go to America with former girlfriend Connie to stay and teach the illiterate Steph, whose farm is under threat for the war effort, to read. Frances' proposal to create a communal air raid shelter is almost scuppered by the officious Joyce until she decides to house it in her own basement whilst Kate receives bad news and Erica, aware that Pat is being tyrannized by her husband, gives her a potion, a supposed tonic, to control his violence.
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Spencer is shunned as a coward by the villagers but explains his reasons for objection to a sympathetic Claire whilst Frances welcomes an evacuee, Isobel, a blind woman. Will discovers that the tonic Erica has given Pat contains lithium salts, which almost kills Simms, but after Erica has told her that she knows about the domestic abuse Pat makes an attempt to stand up to her vicious husband. Whilst Kate mourns her dead husband sister Laura embarks on an affair with married wing commander Richard Bowers, though his wife is suspicious. Thanks to Teresa Steph is able to save her farm but Teresa is heart-broken to learn that Connie has died and confesses the relationship to Alison, who is understanding. The village is subject to its first air raid, giving Frances the opportunity to test out the shelter underneath her house and save lives.
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Following the Dunkirk evacuation there are fears of an invasion and Frances proposes the Institute raises fifty pounds to buy an ambulance though for Alison her predicament drives her to desperate measures, from which she is saved by Teresa. She still gets a visit from the police but contributes her ill-gotten gains to the ambulance fund. Meanwhile Erica learns of Laura's affair whilst Will tells his daughters the extent of his illness and the Brindsleys receive bad news - though they have something to celebrate. Pat is freed from her husband's tyranny as he leaves to become a war correspondent and Frances and Joyce finally reconcile.
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1940;- Laura is dismissed from the RAF, following her affair with the married Bowers though her sister Kate has better news for herself and her father whilst Alison is made a tempting offer and the Brindsleys are anxious as to the fate of David, whose ship was torpedoed. Sarah is pleased that Nick has returned safely from Dunkirk but receives an unsettling telegram regarding her husband and Pat, whose bullying spouse is still away, befriends lonely widowed Czech soldier Marek Novotny. Claire and Spencer marry in secret, though it is not a secret for long whilst Frances Barden receives a terrible shock.
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Following her husband's funeral Frances is shocked to learn there was another woman in his life and receives unexpected support from Joyce, who has left her husband and is reelected W.I. chair.. Laura is cited as co-respondent in the Bowers' divorce case, making her the subject of village gossip and showing her who her friends are. Sarah, her husband a Prisoner of War, is comforted by Nick whilst Stan, home on leave, is paranoid about a German invasion and Pat's happiness with Marek is jeopardized when her wounded war reporter husband returns, as demanding as ever.
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Frances learns the identity of her husband's late lover and finds that they had a young son. Steph has to cope with Stan's paranoia and their boy's black market activities whilst the reason for Joyce leaving her husband wrongly brands her as a traitor. With his patients deserting him after Laura's disgrace Will turns to the Czech barracks for his livelihood and Anglo-Czech relations build up. Erica spots Pat with Marek but agrees to keep their secret though the relationship gives Pat the strength to defy the bullying Bob. All in-fighting is forgotten as the villagers take refuge from an air raid, afterwards discovering an unexploded bomb.
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Taking over her husband's factory Frances tries to buy out his illegitimate son's shares of the business, from the boy's grandfather but is met with a refusal whilst Alison continues to spy for the police on the nefarious Lyons brothers, who have their own dealings with the factory. Will receives good news but the Brindsleys are shocked to learn that David will be a permanent invalid. Bob Simms discovers Pat's secret whilst Laura embarks on a new career and Teresa a new relationship.
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As harvest approaches Steph finds it hard to cope without her husband and is grateful to the W.I. members for rallying round to help save the farm. The Brindsleys have cause to be proud of David but Frances is less than pleased when having to accommodate bombed out evacuee Noah, Peter's son and Joyce is pleasantly surprised when Maurice, the son of her first marriage, turns up. Alison meanwhile cottons on to the fact that the Lyons brothers are connected to the sub-standard parachutes at Frances's factory but too late to prevent its closure whilst Erica meets a deserter and Nick Lucas has a proposal for Teresa.
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Though the culprits are jailed Frances still has to close her factory, leading to a confrontation with Alison, though a conversation with Joyce helps her to warm towards Noah. As the services welfare organization is founded David finds himself a girlfriend whilst Erica's deserter is finally caught. Pat's letters to Marek are intercepted by Bob, though she gives her husband an ultimatum - which may be too late. Teresa's marriage goes ahead with Nick knowing nothing of her past but Miriam's situation rather puts it in the shade.
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