Congratulations to the winners of our April 2021 200+ Club draw!
1st prize – £35
Pinner WI
2nd prize – £20
Margaret Wootton, Bedfont Belles
3rd prize – £15
Kath Davis, Greenford
MFWI News
Modern Slavery – are you aware?
The definition of Modern Slavery is quite broad: not just ‘owning’ another person, but also forcing someone to work and not allowing them to leave, either by coercion, such as withholding documents, or using threats, and human trafficking.
It happens in the UK: a Home Office report in 2018 estimated there were between 10,000 and 13,000 victims here during 2013 and that it’s increasing.
Where is it happening?
It is happening all over, and not just among sex workers (the highest sector); people, often vulnerable people, are trapped into crop picking, working in factories, domestic work and many other jobs.
The second highest sector in the UK prone to modern slavery is construction, and that’s an area where individuals can make a difference: one big risk area is householders who want to reduce costs for building work or resurfacing their drive and are happy to pay cash-in-hand. This undercuts legitimate businesses and makes it much easier for labour to be exploited.
What you can do
Raise awareness through your WI, report any evidence you see and encourage others to do so as well.
Signs that someone might be a victim of modern slavery include:
- Showing signs of injury, abuse and malnourishment
- They look unkempt, are often in the same clothing and have poor hygiene
- Appearing to be under the control and influence of others
- Living in cramped, dirty, overcrowded accommodation
- They have no access or control of their passport or identity documents
- Appearing scared, avoiding eye contact, and being untrusting
- They may allow others to speak for them when addressed directly, rather than speak for themselves.
- They’re collected very early and/or returned late at night on a regular basis
- May have inappropriate clothing for the work they are performing, and/or a lack of safety equipment
- May be isolated from the local community and their family
- They travel only with other workers
For more information and how to report if you have a concern:
https://www.thewi.org.uk/campaigns/key-and-current-campaigns/stop-modern-slavery
Chair’s Message – June 2021
Hi everyone
The future is beginning to look good now and there is movement in our daily lives. I know many of you are organising to meet up in parks/outside spaces in bigger numbers and must be a great relief to many of you. Let’s hope the weather is kind in allowing those events to happen without being wet and cold.
I know a few of you do this, but to remind others, the Great Get Together 2021 is coming from 18-20 June. Why not join the UK-wide celebration of the late MP Jo Cox’s #MoreInCommon message and relate this to the Alleviating Loneliness resolution that we still have in place. Whatever you plan, please be safe, socially distant and within the government guidance. Here is the link to the website for info & ideas: www.greatgettogether.org
In the online mailing to every member with an email address, you will find a link to a set of patterns for making Emotion/Therapy hand puppets (8 pages). You may have already received some information from your WI but for those who have not, I am acting as a hub for donated puppets for the Borough of Hillingdon. It would be nice for other areas to reach out locally with their schools/social workers to help children through some tough issues. It’s an idea, not a directive – the choice is yours. If anyone not on email would like a hardcopy, let me know.
There is a saying ‘use it or lose it’, and regrettably that applies to the Member Chats as attendance has declined to zero. I am therefore cancelling all the current planned chat sessions. I have no issue with giving up my time if needed but there is no benefit to my talking to myself. That said, the usual communication channels to both myself and the Trustees are very open to each one of you as always. The Craft Inn and Crafty Pop-ins will continue to run as scheduled.
MFWI AGM is scheduled for 22nd July via Zoom – there will be a mailing direct to all members before the end of May with details and how to obtain a ticket. We look forward to seeing many of you there.
Stay safe as you venture out into the world again.
Lorraine x
200+ Club Winners – March 2021
Congratulations to the winners of our March 2021 200+ Club draw!
1st prize – £35
Teresa Hamilton, Greenford
2nd prize – £20
Mary Hedges, Ruislip Evening
3rd prize – £15
Nikky Cussen, Sunbury Village
Happy Birthday – May 2021
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
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.
