Here’s our newsletter for March 2022, and its a special one. It’s Lorraine’s final newsletter as Chair, just ahead of our 2022 ACM. Lorraine and I (Emma) have worked on 33 newsletters together, and I’ll miss our monthly messages as the MXN is compiled, as well as Lorraine’s eagle eye—she’s a great Chair but also a very good proofreader!
Thank you for all your support with the newsletter, and best wishes Lorraine as you enjoy a bit more free time… or will that be crafting time, maybe…?
Congratulations to the winners of our December 200+ Club draw!
Southbourne WI
2nd prize – £20
Penny Shervill, Hayes Town
3rd prize – £15
Mary Fraser, Halliford
Well, here we are fast-tracking through 2022 already. It’s February and the daffodils are out; my snowdrops have been out since December, and I am struggling to keep up with climate change bringing the shift in seasons, not knowing when to sow seeds or prune various bushes in the garden. It is that time of year where the sun is playing havoc showing up the state of my windows and reminds me that a full spring clean is imminent if I get the time between WI activities. Hmm, it’ll be a choice between crafting or housework—I think I know which will get the most of my attention!
It is resolution voting time, and I don’t know about others, but I did my share of demonstrating and banner waving before I got to the stage where I cannot walk the distances, can’t hold a banner for long etc, as the body tells me not to (and yes I did burn my bra too—saved lots of money over the years!).
There are some who believe campaigning on resolutions is just linked to those activities: it is not; that is just a small part of it. As we know there are many members who do not wish to (or can’t) show their support in that way. It does not mean you can’t do anything—you can raise awareness at a local level with smaller, less physical actions.
What are you all doing for the Show The Love campaign? We would love to see all your green hearts: it is a great way of bringing awareness to people, especially in February. Many are used to seeing red hearts, but green hearts create a good conversation starter. The same goes for the Canary Activism (you will have seen the links to this in my monthly mailing) of simple yellow canaries—all create awareness of climate change.
Keeping on the thread of campaigns (resolutions), why not look at Nikky Cussen’s knickers on page 8. It is another action relating to a campaign that is very easy to use to raise awareness with locally. All of these things just take a little time at very little cost, and certainly easy to do as a fun group activity at your meetings and in the wider community.
Of course, everything I write is irrelevant if members do not read, it so if you got as far as this, thank you! It would be appreciated if you could encourage your fellow members to not just read this newsletter but also to submit articles on behalf of your WI. The newsletter is spread far and wide and is another way of advertising yourselves, so why not use it?
Lorraine x
We had originally booked tea and a tour of The Beck Theatre in Hayes for April 2020 then along came the covid lockdown… all change to 2021, and we booked Jack & the Beanstalk with Anne Hegarty of The Chase.
30 members immersed ourselves in Pantoland, we hissed, booed, clapped and sang. The cast was brilliant ad-libbing; there was so much laughter!
HTWI was given a ‘shout out’ as being on ‘the king’s wedding guest list’ prompting a big cheer and waving from us all. Everyone said it was the best panto they’d seen. It certainly lifted their spirits, and we definitely need that!
After my posting about the panto on my Facebook I got a ‘like’ from Anne Hegarty herself. Oh yes I did!
I also received a message from Beck Theatre to say how lovely it was see smiling, happy faces in their theatre again; and it made them smile wishing us all Happy Christmas.
Please support your local theatre in these difficult times.
December 16th was party time at HTWI, with plenty of dancing, lots of Christmas cheer and sparkle, with entertainment by Anne Nightingale, looking very festive in her red cloak.
We invited Alan and Bill, partners of the late long-serving members Viv Beckett and Joan Kimber, as the WI had been a big part of their lives too, and they duly did the honours and cut the Christmas cake.
It certainly means a lot to our committee to later receive an email from a new member thanking us and letting us know we know how to put on a party!
For everyone’s effort this year and to all our WI’s hard-working committee members, it is so good to get lovely positive feedback!
Wishing all MFWI members a happy, healthy 2022.
Happy Birthday to our WIs celebrating in February
Iver Evening 8 February 1962
Hillingdon 19 February 1919
London West End 21 February 2006
The Alexandra WI had a stall at the Hornsey Vale Community Centre Green Christmas Fair in November. The stall sold numerous items – cakes, hand knitted items etc and raffle tickets for a gigantic bear. Some of the takings from the raffle will be donated to the local Food Bank.
The Hornsey Library Charity Knitting Group, a charitable sub-group of our WI, was set up by me on 13 June 2017. We make items such as twiddlemuffs, shawls, lap blankets and cannula sleeves for dementia patients.
This is the second year we will be donating hats to the homeless. One of our members, a prolific knitter who lives in West Sussex, made 98 hats this year with thick or odd yarns which the members find hard to knit with. Lynne Storrar blends these yarn and made these lovely hats. We selected 25 of her hats and sewed on ‘The Alexandra WI’ labels, and I am pleased to say 20 unique hats were sold at our stall.
My new neighbour, Kim Wolf bought two; she loved it so much that decided to get another two for her friends; so warm and cosy. Tilly Williams, Trustee of Hornsey Vale Community Association bought three, two of them very quirky, to match the recipients. Don’t you agree that the hats are gorgeous and well made?
Four hours on the feet was not easy but it was fulfilling making so many sales!
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.
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.
A merry time was had by all at our December meeting. Our ‘chief crafter’ Chris Burningham guided us through with precise instructions to make our delightful Christmas trees. We had a jolly meeting with Christmas music, mince pies and savoury treats.
Wishing all WI members a happy 2022.
On 6 November SR sisters joined in action on the march in central London.
Closer to home, our Read and Recycle stall at the Climate Action Fair in St John’s Churchyard Leytonstone raised £88 for Solace Women’s Aid, our charity in 2021. We met and shared ideas with other stall holders representing a range of environmental charities. The stall provided a great opportunity to recycle books as well as provoking a lot of interest in SRWI and the action the WI supports on Climate Change.
At our benefit on 13 November, Fliss of the Cajun band Joli Blon played and offered up a special hat she had got there, designed by satirical artist and climate activist Darren Cullen. The auction for it was fiercely competitive and raised another £35 for Solace!
So after all this action, what’s next in 2022 for SR climate activists? Waltham Forest Council has developed a Retrofit Home with Aston Group; we are planning a visit for February 2022. And of course we continue our ‘Climate Corner’ hints and tips in our own monthly Stone Rangers newsletter.
