A happy birthday to our Middlesex WIs celebrating in April
Finchley
13 May 2009
Stanwell
15 May 1919
Ladies Of The Lock
26 May 2016
MFWI News
Centenary Afternoon Tea
Middlesex Federation kicked off the centenary year on 11 April with a relaxed Sunday afternoon tea, and it was fabulous to see so many members on Zoom: turn to the back page for more pictures.
Walking Netball Update
Who, and where, are the ladies who used to play walking netball at Spelthorne Leisure Centre?
As we begin to see light at the end of the tunnel, I’ve discovered that I, as a host, have lost touch with participants that used to attend Spelthorne Leisure Centre, Staines, on Wednesdays, between 12.00 and 1.00, before lockdown last year. I was unable to attend the very last session, because of a Board of Trustees meeting, so handed the register over to our coach, Amanda. Unfortunately, I have been unable to contact her, and remember few of the names of the participants. We were a great group of ladies, I enjoyed the activities and fellowship, and hope we would like to continue, once restrictions are lifted.
Is there a member, or members, willing to take on leading walking netball sessions?
I have never been much good at netball, but that didn’t matter, as the participation is all about friendship and exercise. I’ve been on various host courses, and an umpire’s course, hoping to get the hang of the game. Unfortunately, I’ve not improved, and since lockdown have developed back and leg problems, making exercise difficult. However, once the restrictions are lifted, I will resume exercising, and hope to build up stamina! I have all the equipment stored in my garden shed, and also manuals for ‘warm up’ and ‘skills practice’ activities. Once I am certain of when we can get back together to play netball, I will contact the Leisure centre to check that we still have our Wednesday slot. Amanda, who was employed by the Leisure Centre, had indicated that she would continue to coach us. That could have all changed, because of lockdown, but I hope that things will go back to the way they were.
In the meantime, anyone interested in trying it for themselves, there are zoom sessions to which everyone is invited, or a recording for you to watch of a session, on MyWI, under ‘Make, Create and Do’, then ‘Sport and Wellbeing’.
Please, contact Alison Fremantle at scienceandleisure@mfwi.org.uk if you are one of the ‘Spelthorne group’ or if you could help at the sessions.
Thank you.
Huxley Cup 2021
I’m sure everybody is now aware of the Huxley Cup competition mentioned in WI Life magazine. Unfortunately, the winning WI cannot now construct its design of a raised bed at Hampton Court Flower Show, as the WI won’t be attending as a ‘body’ due to the Covid-19 situation. However, the updated competition schedule is more flexible, in that we are now invited to design a flower bed, which could be a raised bed, for a community space.
Moreover, we are encouraged to work together as WIs, which, on a wider level, supports our Centenary plans regarding community efforts. Your WI could enter the finished product into the competition, or just do it for your community.
The choice of plants is up to you. Your members could all contribute their favourites and say why this is. My favourite has always been the pansy. I’ve loved it ever since I was at nursery school, where I was given a picture of that flower, instead of a name tag, for my coat peg, my pinafore, my bedding (we had a rest after lunch), and my flannel and towel. I’ve been planting them in my gardens ever since as they are easy to grow and colourful always. If everyone involved chose their favourite, for whatever reason, we would, surely, end up with a variety of shape, height, texture and colour.
Or you could plant vegetables: they can produce a riot of colour with the added advantage of being edible. I once saw an amazing design of carrots, cabbages and many more, outside Leeds Town Hall!
Where to plant your bed? This would have to be considered, depending on what you plan to grow. I’ve already been in contact with our local church, and the gardeners there would be delighted for a WI to plant anything we like! If you chose to use a public space, you would need to contact the council, or whoever owns the space, and they would probably want to see the plans before giving permission.
There is help on getting started on the website, including tips from the RHS.
All the competition details can be found on the My WI website, and WIs have until August 2021 to submit a design. You will of course need to follow the current covid guidelines, which means we may not be able to plant our ideas in time for flowering this year—we can always plant it later, or even next year.
So get designing and make a ‘mood board’ for somewhere in your community.
Laleham Update
With clocks going forward and spring in the air, members are now looking forward to maybe getting together for a summer meeting—fingers crossed anyway. In the meantime, the committee arranged another ‘goody bag’ drop for all members to celebrate Easter. This time we’ve been treated to Easter eggs, an Easter quiz and some lovely summer flower bulbs for planting.
Pictured are Val Grove and Eileen Windmill receiving their goody bags when restrictions were eased at end of March, and a few of the members were able to get together to collect their bags in person.
Bedfont Belles Update
Amid these strange and challenging times there is always a reason to be thankful.
During our permitted walks for exercise our members often see each other and stop for a socially distanced chat and catch up on any news, or lack of it.
Our committee members have been lifting our spirits with seasonal gifts and cards.
At Christmas we each received a gift bag with supplies for a cuppa, a Christmas themed mask, and a hyacinth bulb and glass with instructions.
The photos provide evidence that some of us were more successful than others.
Valentine’s day brought another hand delivery of a card to say ‘Stay safe and take care’.
Every year for our birthday, Janice Keningale designs and makes each of us a card which is usually presented at our meetings with a rousing rendition of Happy birthday to you!
At the moment they are another doorstep delivery, but who knows, soon we will be embarrassing each other again, if not in our hall, then in a socially distanced garden.
De Beauvoir Update
De Beauvoir WI has been actively involved with our local Domestic Violence Charity for five years now. When we were able to meet monthly we collected and donated toiletries to Solace Women’s Aid. In January 2021 we took on the Solace 40 challenge which was to walk, run or cycle 40 miles in January, a mile for every refuge run by Solace in London. We walked over 225 miles and raised £1500. We also raised £270 and collected gift cards and gift sets for the women and children in the refuge at Christmas.
Also in January, Lynn Brooks, an ex nurse and member of De Beauvoir WI, felt so helpless watching the exhausted medical staff gallantly carrying on despite their mental and physical fatigue and the danger to themselves and their families that she decided she wanted to do something to help.
She chose to create homemade goody bags to help lift the spirits of workers at the local hospital, Homerton University Hospital, in Hackney, inner city London, to be given out at the end of their shifts.
They are filled with little thoughtful gifts, a homemade thank you card made by local children and artists, a heart shaped lavender bag, some hand cream, all put together in a handmade drawstring cloth bag, to express our appreciation and send some love.
She enlisted the support of her sisters in De Beauvoir Women’s Institute and other in the community, to help make this vision into a reality. She started a funding campaign and raised over £4000 in six weeks to fund buying provisions and materials.
Together we are proud to have worked to produce and deliver our 450th bag to the hospital to date. We are aiming to produce 1000. Lynn also enlisted the help of local sewers that had joined De Beauvoir WI in making scrubs during the first lock down, to taking up the task of creating pretty drawstring bags and lavender hearts in the second.
We have continued to run our monthly meetings on Zoom, so far this year covering bespoke embroidery from Zara Day who featured in WI Life, a celebration of Chinese New Year in February and veganism in January/Veganuary which included (although later than planned due to the January lockdown) a vegan brownie hand delivered to all members which was hugely enjoyed by all.
West Ealing Update
After a year of working from home on chairs that are not designed to be sat on all day, probably being less active than before and with limited opportunities for massages, West Ealing WI was delighted to welcome massage therapist Chris Briggs to our March meeting.
Chris took us through nine moves for self-massage aimed at relieving tension in our bodies. He was very engaging and many of us found his moves very helpful. He was also happy to take questions about specific aches and pains and recommended a massage therapist for us all to look up once lockdown is over.
We are eagerly awaiting a return to in person meetings—our June meeting is scheduled for 22 June, the day after all restrictions are planned to be lifted. We’re keeping our fingers crossed that we’ll be able to return to the community centre in the summer and enjoy one another’s company in person again.
In the meantime, as we come to the beginning of the new subs year, we are heartened to see lots of our members renewing their membership and a few new members coming on board as well. We can’t wait to see all our members—old and new—when we return.
Hayes Town Update
Hot cross buns. after pizza and chips, with three of us WI ladies briefly squeezing together for a picture at the Ruislip Lido, on a grey Good Friday.
We also did a bit of postbox topper spotting: here’s an Easter bunny from the Ruislip Crafters.
Ashford WI Update
Members rose to the challenge of presenting a zoom pantomime (Oh no they didn’t, Oh yes they did!) which was greatly enjoyed, for our monthly meeting. The following month we enjoyed a nostalgic journey through the music of the early 1960s, proving that we do still remember all the words.
Between the meetings, the friendship of the WI continues to be paramount. Zoom coffee mornings and book club, as well as the amazing newsletters, are helping provide some essential social contact, as are phone calls. The craft group has gone from strength to strength and is not only making cards for birthdays and events but is now making Easter cards as many members are wanting to reach out to family and friends with a card as we cannot yet greet them for real. Some have got involved making scrubs. Those without internet are being included as they are getting postal or hand delivery of news (which usually involves a safely distanced doorstep chat).
We are waiting with bated breath, firstly for our vaccine, and then for chances to begin meeting for walks and in gardens, but until then we’re grateful for our WI friends to help us through.
