It’s almost April, and here at Middlesex Federation we’re creeping ever closer to our 100th birthday! We kick off the celebrations with our first newsletter for the centenary year.
Please click here to read, and please share with your family and friends!
January 2021’s meeting started with the sad news of the passing of three members: Liz Keen, a committee member, Brenda Doran an ex-president and Marie Horne.
‘I wear one of my beautiful costumes and talk about all the naughty bits of history you would probably not have learnt about at school! I discuss royal mistresses, prostitution, sexual diseases of the time and the methods used to prevent STDs and unwanted pregnancies. Warning, this tour is not for the prude, it is fun but rude!’
This was the description our speaker Sarah Slater gave in her talk to our members in January, entitled Sex, Secrets, Scandal and Salacious Gossip of the Royal Court, 1660 to 1830. She spoke with great enthusiasm and showed slides and a vast array of activities at Hampton Court palace where Sarah is a tour guide. We were joined by members of Hayes Town, Southbourne and Stanwell WIs.
At our February meeting our speaker was Anthony Boden MBE. Anthony spoke to our members on his 18 years working as a Prison Officer in the Feltham Young Offenders Institution. The Institution is committed to providing a safe and educational environment where young boy 15–18 years and young men 18–21 years old can learn new skills to help them on release.
He gave us an insight into a day in the life of the residents. They have access to nursing staff, doctors and a library. All of the young people have access to religious services and multi faith rooms. Education is very much encouraged with 150 GCSEs passed, and one resident attending university. They also help each other to read. Anthony has worked in many sections across the Institution, and our members and visitors had many questions.
Our oldest member Kate Elliott celebrated her 106th birthday at the end of January. Kate lives with her daughter Pamela. Her family recorded their greetings so she could watch them at her leisure. Kate has been a WI member since 2004.
New President Linda Lawrence ‘door stepped’ three members with 25 year loyalty certificates. Margaret Band was one of the original start up members of our WI 28 years ago.
Then onto Margaret Ryan, our oldest member at 92, and Win Venner, who both joined within a few months of each other and have held various roles. It was then on to last but not least Doreen Smith, who has clocked up 45yrs in the Middlesex Federation, with both Harlington and Hayes Town WIs.
Well done to all these ladies for being enthusiastic contributors to the WI. Hopefully we will all be meeting up again soon showing. the ropes to several new members.
Pictured from left to right are Linda Lawrence with Margaret Band, Win Venner, Doreen Smith and Margaret Ryan.
Our February 2021 meeting was a bit of a strange anniversary for us, as it signified a year since our last in person meeting. We miss meeting in the community centre and can’t wait to be back there, but we’re so pleased that so many of our members have been able to engage with our meetings online.
We were delighted to welcome Celia from Eel Pie Island Museum in Twickenham to our meeting to tell us about the island’s heritage.
Described as ‘120 drunks clinging to a mudflat’, Eel Pie Island has a remarkable history including as the home of pioneering boatbuilders and as the birthplace of an extraordinary number of famous musical acts.
There was a time, for instance, when the Rolling Stones had a six month residence on the island and played every Wednesday night. The list of famous names that played the island was quite incredible – in addition to the Stones, during the 60s you could Eric Clapton and Rod Stewart, among others, at the beginning of their careers.
The talk also gave some of our members an opportunity to share their own memories of the island and other music venues at the time such as the Ealing Club and the Crawdaddy Club in Richmond.
We were astounded to learn that Eric Clapton still owes our committee member Janet 10 bob, and Mary once came across Marianne Faithful in a fur coat looking for her pussy. Only at the WI!
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!)
We are now well into Springtime and how lovely it is to see the various gardens, parks, verges coming alive with the spring flowers and being closely followed by the trees, bushes and other garden plants. Did everyone remember to put their clocks forward on time? it is something that I always forget until the next morning, so I am either super early or an hour late and no matter how hard we try, there is always one clock or watch that gets forgotten!
Earth Hour was on Saturday 27th March 2021 and Earth Day, which follows on takes place on 22nd April each year. This year’s theme is ‘Restore Our Earth’. Please take time out if you can do a bit extra, maybe litter pick in your local area, recycle or simply change your energy usage. Think of how you can contribute or just spread awareness on the Climate Change issue within your community, every little helps.
MFWI’s actual birthday is 6th April 1921, and I am hoping to see a few of you at our Sunday Afternoon Tea on 11th April from 14:00–16:00. See page 5 for details. If you feel inclined to join us on Zoom, summer hats would be welcome, and it’s bring your own refreshments (Fairtrade if possible). No big speeches, no formality, all just for a bit of fun!
For those of you that take an interest in these things, there have been changes to the WI constitution and some policies. Copies of the constitution and the following policies can be found on MyWI: Equity, Diversity and Inclusion, Complaints Policy/Form and ‘Access to Carers’ to Members with Disabilities at meetings and Events.
April is MCS month (Membership Communication System). I cannot emphasise enough how important it is to keep this information up to date at all times for all levels of the organisation. If anyone has any issue with updating the MCS, please do email mcs@mfwi.org.uk and either Sarah or myself can help you.
As I am sure you will appreciate, the office will not be opening to the general membership for a little while yet. We need to see how everything goes to plan with the Government Guidelines. Can I please ask that you do not send anything to County Office that needs a signature or is too large to go through a normal letterbox. There is no-one there to receive these items and getting them redelivered is a royal pain. Both the Treasurer and I are accepting items at our home addresses, please contact us for the details until further notice.
I am happy to announce that all our Advisers have been re-appointed by NFWI. They are Geraldine Attias, Sarah Endersby, Elizabeth Morrell, Yvette Rathbone, Carol Sullivan and Sarah Wilson, more news on them next month. Thank you all for doing a sterling job for our WIs!
Many of you will have seen and taken part in a member survey recently in order to help decide what type of meeting we hold for our Centenary AGM. If you have not yet taken part, please do, as it is far better for us to know what you think than to decide for ourselves. I frequently ask for members’ opinions and responses with the take up being a little lacking – we can’t do what you want unless you tell us.
Lastly – A Happy Centenary Birthday to us. Let’s hope we can celebrate somehow as being 100 does not happen every year!
Lorraine
A happy birthday to our Middlesex WIs celebrating in March!
Ruislip Evening
04 March 2011
Ruislip Evening
04 March 2011
Gothic Valley
08 March 2012
Field Dames
09 March 2015
Teddington
09 March 2011
Hampton Tudor Rose
14 March 2017
Harlington
22 March 1932
Norwood Green
25 March 1985
Gothic Valley
08 March 2012
Field Dames
09 March 2015
Teddington
09 March 2011
Hampton Tudor Rose
14 March 2017
Harlington
22 March 1932
Norwood Green
25 March 1985
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
It’s the end of February which means not only seas of crocus and daffodils, but also… Middlesex News is out for March 2021. It’s available here to read as a PDF, (or click the image), and to print if you wish. We also distribute printed copies to subscribers.
You’re welcome to download the PDF and share it with friends and family: particularly if they are women living in our Federation area who might be interesting in joining one of our 44 WIs.
If you’re a member, please share this post on your own WI’s social media to spread the Middlesex word.
Happy Spring from the Middlesex Federation team!
Stroud Green WI has rounded off 2020 with a short video on our Facebook page, showing all the amazing things that we have been up to over 12 months, starting before lockdown and continuing through the pandemic.
Click the image to play: hope you like it!
