There was a good turnout for our Annual Meeting on 23 November this year and members heard Secretary Val Griffiths and Treasurer Anne Furst deliver their reports from this unusual year.
Helen Hurst was re-elected as President and reflected on the past year as well as looking forward to a busy year ahead. Members brought items for a bring and buy sale and the evening closed with a lively game of bingo and a raffle.
West Drayton WI Members are thinking of Christmas.
After the AGM and all the official tasks were completed, we started on making our Christmas rag wreaths.
Elizabeth handed out green, red, silver and gold strips of material and a frame to work on. For those of us new to this craft Elizabeth gave us help to achieve this. A very enjoyable and productive time was had by all!
Harlington WI held its AGM. Thank you to Carol Sullivan, WI Advisor, for giving your time and expertise to our relatively small group of 22. As in many WIs, many members play an active role, taking on programme planning, raffles, competitions, tea rotas, social secretary, photographer, guest minding and birthday card making. We initiated joint roles for President and Treasurer in April and have continued with this model. As well as our AGM, we fitted in our raffle, competition, delicious tea and cakes and a Beetle Drive.
We commemorated Armistice Day with our poppy-adorned post box! We were joined by the Worshipful Deputy Mayor of Hillingdon, Reverend Mike Talbot and MFWI Chair and Lorraine Reed-Wenman. The speech by the Deputy Mayor, reminded us all of the value of each person’s contribution to each other and we concluded our ceremony with Jerusalem, then adjourned to our local hostelry for very nice refreshments.
Special credit to master cake maker Jan, who gave our guests a beautiful Victoria Sponge cake, and huge thanks to our Secretary Sarah, brainchild of the event and whose energy and vision enabled a special day.
Happy birthday to the WIs celebrating in January
Harrow-on-the-Hill 7 January 2013
Sunbury Village 23 January 2012
Congratulations to the winners of our November 200+ Club draw!
Christine Howard, Clay Hill
2nd prize – £20
Sunbury-on-Thames
3rd prize – £15
Jayne Fowler, The Alexandra
Welcome to the dawning of 2022. I do hope you have all had an enjoyable and restful festive break. At the time of writing, I have no idea what the future holds regarding Covid restrictions, but hope that anything that is required is only done out of necessity and it does not impact anyone too much.
There is a lot to think about in the first quarter of 2022: Subscriptions, Resolutions, Federation Board Nominations (see pages 4-5) and our Annual Council Meeting on 9 March 2022, all of which your WI Secretary will have information on. Not to forget a lot of programme planning still needed or finalised by your WIs: a committee’s work is never done, as we know. Please do support and help your Officers & Committee members to make your WI what you want it to be for the coming year.
Someone recently asked me why I do what I do…. The simple answer is because I can. I do what I can, when I can, for the benefit of others and I voice my opinion (which I know at times is unwanted!). I could sit back and let the world happen but then I would achieve nothing—it’s the same for you as members: be part of it, even if only giving your opinion as it all matters.
Let’s continue with 2022 being an inclusive, supportive and happy time for members across the Federation from the ground up. Have fun whatever you do.
I raise my glass to you all as myself and the Board of Trustees wish you a Happy and Healthy New Year.
Happy New Year! Here, to welcome in the new year, is a January newsletter from Middlesex Federation. Click the image to read the PDF.
Update Middlesex News was re-published on 16 January 2022: refer page 2 of the revised newsletter for details.
Stanwell WI held its belated birthday party on Tuesday 5 October.
A very tasty three course meal was served, and our entertainment was provided by Glen Barnes who kept us on the dance floor, throwing some shapes. With a little help even 97 year old Hester took to the dance floor.
An enjoyable evening was had by all.
October marked the 86th birthday of Laleham WI and as, no celebrations were possible for last year’s birthday, we made sure this year was marked in style.
Members enjoyed a lovely main course prepared by Anne Furst, our Treasurer, along with tasty puddings and wine.
We were entertained by a lovely singer who delivered a varied repertoire covering opera and show tunes.
A really good evening was had by all.
Stroud Green has been tentatively holding meetings in-person, since June, our first in-person meeting since the first Covid lockdown. We met in Finsbury Park for a foraging session on a cold mid-summer’s evening, and it was great to see and be with each other.
In August we had a socially distanced outdoor ‘social’ and had a great evening in a beautiful church garden.
September saw us holding our first in-person meeting indoors in our new venue at Mind In Haringey, which focussed on climate change. It was Great Big Green Week and with COP26, the UN Climate Change Conference, just around the corner, the meeting focused on climate change and our part in addressing it. And in October we held a hybrid AGM with a great talk on Secrets, Sex, Scandal and Salacious Gossip of the Royal Court with most members in person and some joining in on zoom. Both of these held with Covid precautions in place.
