A week in the life of…

This week both the Walkers and the Crafters avoided the rain and had their monthly meetings.

The Walking Group met on Wednesday evening at East Carlton for a well researched walk. The rain stopped in time and the group enjoyed their evening walk laced with surprises – getting chased by dogs, meeting baby raindeers and finding the best pub loos in the county to name just a few…

The MHWI Craft Club meanwhile met this week to make gift boxes – perfect for small or oddly shaped gifts – and tassles to decorate them. Great fun – especially as all sorts of left over yarn, paper and ribbon can be used.

There will be also a change to next month’s theme: Instead of decorating boxes the group will be doing silk painting. If you would like to take part, please email marketharborougjwi@gmail.com for more information.

If you would like to keep in touch and see what we are up to, keep an eye on the website for the latest news. Or you can subscribe by entering your email address below and you will be send the latest news automatically:

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Every Day is an Occasion!

At the monthly meeting of the Market Harborough WI this week members enjoyed a talk by Bridget Albano of The Happy Stylist.

As a personal stylist Bridget draws on years of experience as a high street buyer for a range of fashion brands and her obvious passion for fashion. Her bubbly personality turned the evenig into a fun as well as educational event. Using items from the rack of clothes she had brought, Bridget took us through subjects such as body shape (‘are you a juicy pear or an apple shape?’) and colour theory and demonstrated her tips and tricks on how to transform the shape and look of an outfit on volunteers from the audience. It was eye opening to see what a difference adding a belt and jacket can make! Or how locating your waist in the right place and using it to shape a look can make all the difference!

Really useful tips included trying on different sizes of an item as sometime a smaller size actually works better, using understanding of shape and suitable style to pick clothes from a range of shops, not just a single brand and looking for and nurturing ‘wardrobe friends’. Every Day is an Occasion – and that warrants suitable clothes to make us feel good.

At the end members were invited to try on some of Bridget’s items and ask their own style questions. It was hard to bring the evening to a close! If you would like to find out more about Bridget, see her website: The Happy Stylist

We’ll be updating the ‘Dates for the Diary’ post on a regular basis, so keep an eye on the website for the latest news. Or you can subscribe by entering your email address below and you will be send the latest news automatically:

You have been sent this message because you are following the website of the Market Harborough Womens Institute. If you no longer wish to do so, please click here to unsubscribe.

Dates for the Diary – June 2026

The lovely weather continues and hopefully you are all able to take some time out and enjoy the sunshine. Here are the dates for your diary if you would like to take part in any of the activities planned by the Market Harborough WI.

* * * J U N E * * *

Allotment – Every Monday

The Gardening Girls have started planting for this season. Although some seedlings were lost to the brief period of frost all is now in the ground and growing nicely. The group meets every Monday (weather permitting) at 2pm so if you would like to join this season, please contact Julie at Jusellars1960@gmail.com to get the access details for the allotment site on Stevens Street.

Coffee Meeting – 2nd June

The next Coffee Meeting is organised from 2pm at the Three Swans. Join us for a natter and a cuppa. No need to book – just show up. Look forward to seeing you there!

Walking Group – 3rd June

In June the Walking Group will be meeting at East Carlton at 6pm for an evening walk. Information will be broadcast as usual through WhatsApp, so if you would like to join, please email Fiona at f_tomlin@sky.com to be added to the WhatsApp group.

Craft Club – 4th June

The Craft Club will be meeting at 7pm in the upstairs room at the Congregational Church in Bowden Lane to craft gift boxes and tassels. More details will be broadcast via the WhatsApp group. Please contact fegraham1@gmail.com if you would like to be added to the group

June Social – 15th June

The Social Event this month is a visit to the Houses of Parliament in Westminster, organised with the help of the MP for Market Harborough, Neil O’Brien. This event is open for friends and family as well, so if you would like to take part, please email marketharboroughwi@gmail.com or sign up at the May Monthly Meeting

Book Club – 17th June

The Book Angels Book Club will be meeting at the Three Swans at 2.30pm. The book of the month is Project Hail Mary by Andy Weir.

Please contact Valerie at vhitchcox50@hotmail.com if you would like to join in.

MHWI Monthly Meeting –  24th June

This month we are looking forward to meet by Susie Lickman, proprietor of the local shop Windowsill Plants. Susie will be talking about all things houseplant – so have your questions ready!

The meeting will start as usual at 7.30pm at the Church Hall of Our Ladies of Victories Church in Fairfield Road. 

* * * * * *

We’ll be updating the ‘Dates for the Diary’ post on a regular basis, so keep an eye on the website for the latest news. Or you can subscribe by entering your email address below and you will be send the latest news automatically:

You have been sent this message because you are following the website of the Market Harborough Womens Institute. If you no longer wish to do so, please click here to unsubscribe.

Reminder: Monthly Meeting next Wednesday!

At our next Monthly Meeting on the 27th May Bridget Albano will dispense style tips and inspiration on how to choose outfits from our own wardrobes with confidence.

The meeting will start as usual at 7.30pm at the Church Hall in Fairfield Road – Hope to see you all there!

If you are interested in what the Market Harborough WI is up to, keep an eye on the website for the latest news. Or you can subscribe by entering your email address below and you will be send the latest news automatically:

You have been sent this message because you are following the website of the Market Harborough Womens Institute. If you no longer wish to do so, please click here to unsubscribe.

Carol’s Capers at the MHWI

At the April Monthly Meeting of the Market Harborough WI Carol Marsden gave an inspirational talk about her unusual take on having (and working through) a bucket list! Walking up Kilimanjaro, taking part in TV shows and learning how to quilt are just some of the items she has successfully accomplished.

At this session her talk centred on trecking across the Sahara and sledding in the arctic. Extreme temperatures, challenging logistics and plenty of stories to tell – and that is in addition to fabulous photos to accompany the talk.

All of Carol’s Capers are done for a charity – at present her work is to support Prostaid and the opening of a new centre at Glenfield Hospital. See their website here for more details.

If you are interested in what the Market Harborough WI is up to, keep an eye on the website for the latest news. Or you can subscribe by entering your email address below and you will be send the latest news automatically:

You have been sent this message because you are following the website of the Market Harborough Womens Institute. If you no longer wish to do so, please click here to unsubscribe.

Dates for the Diary – May 2026


The lovely weather continues and hopefully you are all able to take some time out and enjoy the sunshine. Here are the dates for your diary if you would like to take part in any of the activities planned by the Market Harborough WI.

Calendar 3

* * * M A Y * * *

Allotment – Every Monday

The Gardening Girls have started this years big project – moving the terrace and creating additional seating to accommodate our growing group. Nearly finished – we did some test sitting on the new pallet furniture last week – the table is still work in progress…

Planting will be starting in the next few weeks. The group meets every Monday (weather permitting) at 2pm so if you would like to join this season, please contact Julie at Jusellars1960@gmail.com to get the access details for the allotment site on Stevens Street.

Walking Group – 3rd May

The May walk will take place at Coton Manor – just in time for the blue bells to come out! Information will be broadcast as usual through WhatsApp, so if you would like to join, please email Fiona at f_tomlin@sky.com to be added to the WhatsApp group.

May Social – 6th May

The Social Event this month is a visit to Buckwell Organic Farm where we’ll have a tour and also the option of purchasing their locally made skin care products. If you would like to join, please email marketharboroughwi@gmail.com or sign up at the Monthly Meeting.

Craft Club – 7th May

The Craft Club will be meeting at 7pm in the upstairs room at the Congregational Church in Bowden Lane for an introduction to Sashiko Embroidery with Lesley and Mags. More details will be broadcast via the WhatsApp group. Please contact fegraham1@gmail.com if you would like to be added to the group.

Coffee Meeting – 8th May

The May Coffee Meeting is booked from 2pm at the Greenhouse Cafe at the Langton Garden Centre. No need to book – just show up. Look forward to seeing you there!

Glooston WI Open Meeting – 14th May

Glooston WI have issued an invitation to their May meeting and a talk about the Laura Ashley Story. ‘A design for life’ will be presented by Jo Golby. Cost £ 5,- – please email marketharboroughwi@gmail.com if you would like to attend.

Book Club – 20th May

The Book Angels Book Club will be meeting at the The Swans at 2.30pm. This month topic is any book by Sally Vickers

Please contact Valerie at vhitchcox50@hotmail.com if you would like to join in.

MHWI Monthly Meeting –  27th May

The MHWI Monthly Meeting will be all about style with a visit from The Happy Stylist, Bridget Albano. The meeting will start as usual at 7.30pm at the Church Hall of Our Ladies of Victories Church in Fairfield Road. 

* * * * * *

We’ll be updating the ‘Dates for the Diary’ post on a regular basis, so keep an eye on the website for the latest news. Or you can subscribe by entering your email address below and you will be send the latest news automatically:

You have been sent this message because you are following the website of the Market Harborough Womens Institute. If you no longer wish to do so, please click here to unsubscribe.

April Social at Wistow

The Market Harborough April Social Event took a group of our members to the Garden Centre at Wistow for a good browse around followed by a scrumptious afternoon tea. Judge for yourself – those sandwiches and bits on the cake stand look absolutely delicious!

If you are interested in what the Market Harborough WI is up to, keep an eye on the website for the latest news. Or you can subscribe by entering your email address below and you will be send the latest news automatically:

You have been sent this message because you are following the website of the Market Harborough Womens Institute. If you no longer wish to do so, please click here to unsubscribe.

Where there are Birds, there is Hope…

The April meeting of the Market Harborough WI Craft Club took that motto to heart and spent an enjoyable evening turning old greeting cards into birds to be used as gift tags, mobile adornments or Easter decorations.

Fiona had prepared templates and guided us through the astonishingly simple process. Some members then pushed the envelope and created variations on the theme – like the double sided version that also acquired some legs along the line. Thank you Fiona for a fun evening! 

 * * * * 

If you are interested in what the Market Harborough WI is up to, keep an eye on the website for the latest news. Or you can subscribe by entering your email address below and you will be send the latest news automatically:

You have been sent this message because you are following the website of the Market Harborough Womens Institute. If you no longer wish to do so, please click here to unsubscribe.

…and what would you like for Kari?

At their latest monthly meeting the Market Harborough WI enjoyed a cooking demonstration by Chef Anita from HobbyCooks, a cooking school in Northampton.

Anita cooked a lovely chickpea curry for our taster session for which she also supplied samples of typical Indian vegetable and salad side dishes (if you want something new to do with your sprouts look up her recipes!).

While cooking Anita also gave us an insight into the principles underlying the indian cooking traditions and the meaning behind some of the names of dishes we are all familiar with from our ‘tonight is curry night’ outings. From Rogan (ghee) Josh (boil) = stewed in clarified butter to Jhal (spicy) Frezi (stir-fry) = hot fried and where the word Curry actually comes from (originally ‘Kari’, a word for spiced dishes which was mangled by the English into ‘Curry’) we learned a lot during this fun and educational evening.

If you would like to find out more about Anita and HobbyCooks please see their website:

Our Story – HobbyCooks

 And i you are interested in what the Market Harborough WI is up to, keep an eye on the website for the latest news. Or you can subscribe by entering your email address below and you will be send the latest news automatically:

You have been sent this message because you are following the website of the Market Harborough Womens Institute. If you no longer wish to do so, please click here to unsubscribe.