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MFWI welcomes new Chair

Middlesex Federation is pleased to announce the election today of its new Chair, Angela Chessman, succeeding Lorraine Reed-Wenman, who stands down after four years. The Board of Trustees thanks Lorraine for her leadership and welcomes Angela to the helm as we enter our 101st year. A full report on the ACM and reflections on Lorraine’s four years will appear in the April issue of Middlesex News.

Farewell and Thank you, Lorraine

Trustees enjoyed a recent catch-up: a welcome break from Zoom and a chance for some of us to meet in person for the first time!
From left: Julia Lewis, Sarah Endersby, Lorraine Reed-Wenman, Emma Watson, Alison Fremantle, Heather McIntyre.

From Emma Watson, Middlesex News editor

The March 2022 issue of Middlesex News marks the 33rd issue since I took over production of our monthly newsletter from Lorraine in May 2019. I couldn’t believe Lorraine would be editing the newsletter while carrying out the duties of Chair—so raised my hand to help out. It’s been a journey!

Whilst you see Lorraine’s Chair’s Chat each month, she is there behind each issue with ideas, checking and proofreading, and most of all providing much-appreciated moral support without fail, when we’ve both been busy with other commitments or occasional flagging energy at deadline time.

Thank you so much Lorraine for your support, friendship and (never-ending!) humour as we piece together this l’il archive of activities of our Federation. It’s been a joy to work with you on it and whilst I will miss our little team, I feel certain you will enjoy a break from this aspect of your MFWI role. Thank you, and best wishes Lorraine!

From Sarah Endersby, MFWI Treasurer

When the 2018 MFWI Annual Council meeting finished, and the Board of Trustees met to vote in a new chair, little did we know what a challenging role Lorraine would be taking on. 

During her tenure as chair, a new technology, Microsoft 365, has been introduced, to make our roles more streamlined, new trustees encouraged to join our Board and we’ve had two years of uncertainty with enforced lockdowns with no Federation Secretary in place. Lorraine has continued without faltering to be responsive to all of our members, has promoted MFWI at every opportunity and most importantly has been incredibly supportive to her fellow Board members.

I know Lorraine will welcome the time to spend with her family, without having to deal with WI issues at short notice however, I am positive she will miss the network of colleagues and friends she has frequent contact with, but not as much as we will miss her.

On a personal note – thank you Lorraine for not only being our chair for an amazing four-year rollercoaster but for being a true friend.

Stroud Green update

Group of WI members standing in a posed photo in the meeting venue. Smaller images of a n iced cake and brownies, and three glasses of different cocktails, and cocktail maker Ben holding two bottles.

We marked our 10th birthday with a wonderful evening of Cake and Cocktails–delicious homemade cake from Norma and Ruth H and a cocktail showcase courtesy of Ben, our favourite cocktail maestro and well known to the Cake Club!

We reminisced with a selection of photos of what we got up to over the last 10 years and noted how grateful we are that we’ve been able to continue meeting over Zoom all through the lockdowns and are now able to resume gathering in person.

We want to acknowledge our gratitude to Gill and Yvette, our two remaining SGWI founder members, for their part in establishing SGWI and for still being with us!

We had two collections – many thanks to all who brought warm coats for WrapUp London, as organised by Gill, and pictured are our donations together with those from local St Aidan’s Primary School and out of sight a third sack which was filling up fast. And there was a generous collection of toiletries and children’s toys for Solace Women’s Aid (organised by Michele) as our contribution to mark Action For No More Violence: 16 Days of Action: Against Gender-Based Violence.

Fancy a cocktail?

A big thanks to Ben for sharing the details of what he made for us:

I served Long Manhattans: Whisky (Bourbon is good for sweeter or classic rye for dryer), 50ml (or 25ml for a school night), Sweet Vermouth, 25ml and a few dashes of Angostura bitters. Mix all over ice and add soda or tonic as preferred and a slice of orange or grapefruit.

You can add Campari to that and take out the soda, bitters and just keep all the ingredients the same measurement ie 25ml x 3 and that will be a Negroni. Just mix all over ice in a glass and add orange zest or drink long by topping up with soda.

Over Christmas, take Campari and sweet vermouth in equal measures and top with champagne or prosecco making a Spagliato. Swapping out the vermouth for port or sherry makes interesting drinks too.

I also served dry/Bianco vermouth with gin and tonic or soda. This is like a long martini. You can start out with 50ml gin, 15ml dry vermouth, and mix over ice and strain into a martini glass or you can just pour it over ice and top up to enjoy for longer.

There are now also plenty of no alcohol alternatives in the supermarkets to swap out for. Garnish with olives, lemon or even herbs such as rosemary or thyme. You can replace vermouth with white wine or use dry sherry.

Stone Rangers update

Stone Rangers WI (Leytonstone) marked The Big Green Week in various ways throughout September.

Climate ambassadors Jill Hasler and Jane Ramsell worked together to produce a special edition Green Newsletter – providing simple ideas which members could action locally on an individual basis to reduce, reuse and recycle.

We asked members to consider the MFWI survey points – electric car charging points and tree planting – which led to a lively discussion in our September meeting which we will follow up on with our local councillor.

The month’s efforts culminated in a ‘Pick up Plastic’ walk on the last Saturday of The Big Green Week. 12 members and friends collected 4 huge bags of rubbish and recycling in an hour of pleasant camaraderie on Wanstead Flats. One passer-by commented, “how very community spirited of you, thank you very much.” We considered this a job well done and a month well spent!

 

200+ Club – July 2021 winners

Congratulations to the winners of our enhanced July 200+ Club draw!

1st prize – £70

Helen Eales, Greenford

2nd prize – £40

Jean Bicknell, Manor Farm

3rd prize – £30

Gwen Hayward, West Drayton

Interested in joining?
Keep your eye out in your email for the application form for the next 200+ Club year. Applications close 30 September!

 

Laleham WI update

Amongst many things which had to be cancelled last year was a clay modelling course which Laleham president Helen Hurst had planned.

She sent off for the kit anyway and followed a YouTube video instead. As a result she managed to produce these lovely figures at her first attempt .
Really clever and she’s now planning a bigger hare for her garden. Watch this space… (and no pressure Helen!)

Chair’s Message – March 2021

Well, who would have thought, we are a year on from the first 2020 lockdown with many still shielding, isolated, working from home and trying to follow those ever changing restrictions.

I have never had an issue about working from home or being alone, so that has come easy to me. However, given my commitments I rely heavily on being able to re-charge my batteries every year with a trip to Cornwall in the spring and a Greek Island at the end of the summer. As with many of you, I have not been able to do that and am sure you, as I do, feel the effects. Memories are good but nothing beats that ‘chill factor’ that you get when away from home. I am hoping that the vaccination programme and the containment of the spread of the virus will lead us to at least be able to see some family and friends again soon.

For me, balancing life with the ‘job’ (which is not a Mon-Fri 9-5 one) has not been easy and I can appreciate and take my virtual hat off to all committees and their members who are keeping things going, at times going the extra mile to keep their members engaged and in contact whilst they maybe working. We cannot replace family, but the friendship that we can share goes a long way to helping those who are not so lucky, to have someone to talk to. Thankfully Spring is on the doorstep so we can appreciate our outside spaces a little more and be able to at least see more people even if through a mask and at a distance.

As there is a chink of light for us all, let’s see if we can’t hang on in there for a bit longer and start to plan getting back with our face to face meetings in the summer, if not before.

It will be a mixed journey for us all and things may not be quite the same as before Covid struck, but the WI itself has not changed its principles or objectives.

Please do keep supporting your WI where possible, especially as it is coming up to subscription renewal. Your WI will need your support to be able to continue. Everyone can have a part to play in that.

Let’s lift the spirits and have a bit of fun, it is our Centenary Year after all! For those who are able to, how about joining us for an Afternoon Tea on Zoom on Sunday 11th April – see our Events page for details.

A reminder that we do need to have your completed banner panels as soon as you have finished them, please. We look forward to displaying them all with pride.

Lorraine x