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.

It was a real shame that the weather did not play ball for our Picnic in the Park last week – but we will try and organise another one at shorter notice when the forecast is a bit more reliable.

In the meantime, why not join us for the Coffee Morning at the Cafe in Welland Park on the 18th August instead? See below for more details and for an overview of what is planned for the Market Harborough WI in the next three months. (Note: due to some scheduling challenges some of the dates and times had to be changed – these are highlighted in purple.)

* * * A U G U S T  * * *

Book Club

12th August, 2pm – We will be meeting at the Greenhouse Cafe at the Langton’s Garden Centre to discuss the book of the month:

“This Lovely City” by Louise Hare

Social Event – Coffe Morning

August is a holiday month, so there is no monthly meeting. Instead there will be a Coffee Morning at the Cafe in Welland Park on the 18th August. We’ll meet at 10.30 am for a coffee and a natter – feel free to join us and bring a friend if you like.

The regular monthly meeting schedule will resume in September with the AGM.

Craft Club

19th August, 2.30 pm – Due to a scheduling problem in September we’ll be holding the September meeting in August at The Greenhouse Cafe at the Langton’s Garden Centre. Armed with our crochet hooks and wool we’ll be prodroducing more squares for the Market Harborough Crochet Christmas Tree. Join us for the crochet or just for a natter! 

Walking Group

22nd August, 10am – Get those boots out! Now that the lock-down is over, the Walking Group is getting back together as well with a Langton Walk. Weather permitting they will meet at the Bakers Arms at Thorpe Langton – please get in touch at marketharboroughwi@gmail.com if you would like to join in!

30th August – Summer Bank Holiday

* * * S E P T E M B E R  * * *

Craft Club

The September Craft Club Meeting has been rescheduled to the 19th August, so there is no Craft Club Meeting this month.

Book Club

16th September, 2pm – The September meeting has also moved a bit from the 13th. It will again be held at the Greenhouse Cafe at the Langton’s Garden Centre. The book for the month will be

“One August Night” by Victoria Hislop

Monthly Meeting

22nd September, 7.30 pm – September is the month for our AGM and we are hoping to get together in person by the for a fun evening with food, raffle and quiz. We’ll confirm the details nearer the time, but please keep the evening free in the meantime!

* * * O C T O B E R  * * *

Craft Club

7th October – The Craft Club will be back to it’s usual slot in the calendar from October. This month we will be sorting out and sewing up squares for the Harborough Crochet Christmas Tree Project. We’ll confirm time and location closer nearer the date.

Book Club

14th October, 2pm – The October meeting will take place on the 14th instead of the 11th to allow everyone to attend. The meeting will take place at the Greenhouse Cafe at the Langton Garden Centre and we will be discussing:

“A Dangerous Inheritance” by Alison Weir

Monthly Meeting

27th October, 7.30 pm – In October we are very excited to welcome Petra Wenham from the Ipswich Cake and Revolution WI to speak at our monthly meeting. Petra made history when she was chosen for the cover story of WILife recently and will give a talk about her life and experiences as a transgender woman. This promises to be an interesting evening, so we hope you can all join us!

* * * * * *

We’ll be updating the ‘Dates for the Diary’ post on a monthly basis, so keep an eye on the website for the latest news. And please remember to let us know if your contact details change so that you won’t be missing out!

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.

It has been another challenging time over the last few weeks with the extreme weather conditions, again!! Very hot and very wet – the good thing is that just about everything is growing pretty well.

The two exceptions are the peas and mangetout as the snails seem to really love them. In line with out ‘test, try and see what happens’ approach they have now been sprayed with a garlic solution, which was recommended to us as a humane method since the pesky critters hate the smell. Let’s hope so and that they backoff!! Hopefully we have acted in time – we’ll let you know if it worked.

You will see from the pictures that many of our crops are thriving: runner beans, potatoes, beetroot, carrots, courgettes, salad and  kohlrabi. No, we didn’t know what kohlrabi was either until Kirsten introduced us to it. It is also known as a German turnip, is a cruciferous vegetable and belongs to the brassica family. It has a long leafy stem and round bulb that’s usually purple, pale green, or white, but is always white-yellow on the inside. Kohlrabi’s taste and texture are similar to those of broccoli stems and cabbage, although it is slightly sweeter. The bulb is widely used in salads and soups but can also be roasted or sautéed. Fingers crossed we’ll have a good harvest this year.

The one thing that we have not been successful with so far are aubergines. Imagine my astonishment then when I found yesterday that a beautiful purple little sphere was seen developing. Early days, but we are ever hopeful!

The fruit bushes have been ‘netted’, and the summer raspberries are just ripening, hoorah, good for jam, well, we are WI!! Gin is good too, but we can be seen just picking and eating them off the bush, they are so moreish!

The plots either side of us had been empty for a while (is it something we said?) However, new neighbours are moving in, and amazingly we are being asked for advice. Who’d have thought?!!

One last thing to mention, is that we were chosen to be part of the Britain in Bloom’s judge’s route. There are about a hundred sites across the town, including the canal basin, the cricket club and of course the High Street and Welland Park. The judge was really interested, asking many questions, and took photos and notes. She particularly liked our pond and ‘upper terrace’ area, together with the fact we are attempting different crops this year (we’ll let you know how the loofah, peanuts and okra pan out in a later post). In addition, she was interested to hear the story of our allotment.

Well, that brings you all up to date, we now are looking forward to harvesting, and researching interesting ways to use everything. If you fancy having a look for yourself feel free to pop round and see us – we are at 41A Cricket Pitch View at the Stevens Street Allotments. Weather permitting we are usually there on Mondays from 11am.

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.

July is usually a holiday month for the Market Harborough WI, but with so many meetings having to be held online over the past months we are taking advantage of the end of the restrictions and are planning to hold a Picnic in Welland Park to get together and catch up.

So get your blanket (or something more comfortable to sit on), pack a snack and a drink and join us. And if you have friends who may be interested in the WI why not bring them along? The event is free and open to anyone who would like to find out more about the Market Harborough WI and what we have to offer.

Keep your fingers crossed that the weather will be on our side and see you on the 28th!

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.

While Freedom Day has not quite arrived yet there is plenty on the cards at the Market Harborough WI. While you are planning how to spend your days, check out our program for the next three months!

* * * J U L Y * * *

As we get closer to Freedom Day some of our activities are moving from Zoom to in-person meetings. And due to the upheaval in the holiday season some of the dates, times and locations may have changed as well – look out for the highlights in purple!

Allotment

Just a reminder that The Gardening Girls are meeting every Monday (weather permitting) from 11am (until we run out of steam…) at the allotment in Stevens Street. The plots are thriving and visitors are always welcome! Our plots are right at the bottom of the main road down towards the cricket field. Hope to see you there soon! 

Craft Club

Due to some scheduling challenges the July Craft Club Meeting will actually take place on the 30th June. And pending the weather, we will be meeting in the garden of one of the members at 2.30pm and start work on our contribution to the

THE HARBOROUGH CROCHET CHRISTMAS TREE Project

Meeting details will be confirmed by email. 

Book Club

Our subject for the month for July will “WOMEN” and so we have decided to read:

“The Womens Room” by Marilyn French

We’ll be meeting on the 15th July in person at 2.30 pm at The Greenhouse Cafe at the Langton Garden Centre.

Wednesday, 28th July

Monthly Meeting – 6pm – July is usually a holiday month without a meeting, but if the meeting restrictions should indeed be lifted and the weather plays ball we are hoping to organise a Picnic in Welland Park to get everyone together and catch up. So keep the day free for the moment and we’ll keep you posted.

* * * A U G U S T  * * *

Craft Club

19th August, 2.30 pm – Due to a scheduling problem in September we’ll be holding the September meeting in August at The Greenhouse Cafe at the Langton’s Garden Centre. Armed with our crochet hooks and wool we’ll be producucing more squares for the Market Harborough Crochet Christmas Tree. Join us for the crochet or just for a natter! 

Book Club

9th August Time tbc – The book of the month for August will be

“This Lovely City” by Louise Hare

We’ll confirm the time and location for the August Book Club meeting in the next Dates for the Diary post – Watch this space. 

Monthly Meeting

August is a holiday month, so there is no monthly meeting. The regular meeting schedule will resume with the AGM in September.

30th August – Summer Bank Holiday

* * * S E P T E M B E R  * * *

Craft Club

The September Craft Club Meeting has been rescheduled to the 19th August, so there is no Craft Club Meeting this month.

Book Club

13th September – Time tbc – In September we’ll be reading 

“One August Night” by Victoria Hislop

We’ll confirm the time and location for the September Book Club meeting in the next Dates for the Diary post – Watch this space. 

Monthly Meeting

22nd September, 7.30 pm – September is the month for our AGM and we are hoping to get together in person by the for a fun evening with food, raffle and quiz. We’ll confirm the details nearer the time, but please keep the evening free in the meantime!

* * * * * *

We’ll be updating the ‘Dates for the Diary’ post on a monthly basis, so keep an eye on the website for the latest news. And please remember to let us know if your contact details change so that you won’t be missing out!

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.

Just a gentle reminder that the next Virtual Book Club Meeting is next

Monday, the 29th June at 7.30 pm

Each member to please bring five topical questions so that the we can have a wide range again. The Zoom access details will be distributed via email as always – please get in touch if you have not received them.

The July book choice is “Half a World Away” by Mike Gayle

We will be discussing this book at our Zoom meeting on

Monday, 20th July at 7.30pm

And if you want to race ahead, the book choice for the August meeting is “Where The Crawdads Sing” by Delia Owens:

Happy Reading!

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.