Category Archives: Monthly meeting

Seeds, plants, cuttings, garden paraphernalia needed

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beeSpring is firmly with us and our monthly raffle for April will be for seeds, plants, cuttings and garden paraphernalia.  We would like members to donate items.  So, check out what you have at home and get potting up items to bring along on 22 April.  Maybe time to have a clear out in the garden shed and bring in unwanted items?

Plants should be those that attract bees in line with the WI’s national bee campaign.  You might also like to download this helpful leaflet from national WI on plants to grow in your garden that attract bees: FINAL_Bee_Garden

Easter chicks and lambs!

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Easter bunnies and lambs (1)-w500-h500A brilliant evening thanks to the resourcefulness of the Committee. Having been advised only yesterday that the dancers could not make it due to a ‘family grievance’, several Committee members stepped in, sought ideas on the Not the Official WI Facebook page, located a whole range of resources (coloured card, tissue paper, wool, stickers, pens, rulers, scissors and Easter eggs) and made tonight a successful evening.

Members eagerly made decorated Easter boxes and filled the contents with tissueEaster bunnies and lambs (2)-w500-h500 paper strips and tiny Easter eggs.  .

An Easter quiz rounded off the evening plus our first ever Skills Raffle.  Members had donated a whole host of exciting offers.  These included a car valet, babysitting, baking a cake, decorating cup cakes, learning to play poker, making bath bombs and soaps, learning to knit and crochet and playing the piano.  All part of our ‘caring and sharing’ theme.   Don’t forget to let Helen Salisbury, Committee website/blogger have pictures of the fun you have with the skills sharing and what you make or do.

 

 

Donate a skill for our spring raffle

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WI Centenary logo eeD5k3OX_400x400The WI Centenary year is just the time for members to share their many and varied skills.  This could be a skill such as knitting, crocheting, DIY, gardening, hairdressing, nails, baking a cake or babysitting, the list is endless.  You need to give 2 hours and the venue can be wherever you wish.  You could even make it a social evening by sharing a bottle of wine while you help several members learn a new skill.

It’s not too late to donate your skill, so please Contact Us, call 07547 890 756 or speak to a Committee member.  It would be great to have enough skills so that every member wins something in the raffle!

Amazing array of crafted items from recycled materials

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Recycling (1)-w500-h500Sue Drage amazed members this week with her vast range of items made from recycled items.  It was ingenious what could be made from items such as old bottles, plastic bags, drinks cans, sweet wrappers, magazines, old t shirts, paper clips, CDs, egg boxes and ties.

Sue has developed these crafty skills in recent years, making items for her own use, others to sell and has also been asked to go into schools to work with children.  She even knits using old plastic carrier bags as ‘yarn.’    Her most bizarre request has been to make a spacesuit for a chicken!

Sue utilises her card making skills as well as her knowledge of origami.  Tools include a hot glue gun, PVA glue, clear nail varnish, sellotape and cling film.

Thanks, too, to Sue’s husband, Richard, for coming along to help set up her display.

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Bags, jars, bird feeder and cases from clear plastic bottles.

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Tote bags made from drinks cartons (left) and crisp packets (right)

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Decorative ‘shoes’ modelled on real shoes – layers of cling film, sellotape plus decorations. Bracelet from folded paper (no glue).

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Sue’s favourite bag made from flattened drinks cans

 

Donate a skill for our March raffle

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WI Centenary logo eeD5k3OX_400x400The WI Centenary year is just the time for members to share their many and varied skills.  This could be a skill such as knitting, crocheting, DIY, gardening, hairdressing, nails, baking a cake or babysitting, the list is endless.  You need to give 2 hours and the venue can be wherever you wish.  You could even make it a social evening by sharing a bottle of wine while you help several members learn a new skill.

We need to prepare cards for the Skills Raffle at the March meeting, so please Contact Us, call 07547 890 756 or speak to a Committee member (we wear sashes at the monthly meetings) at the February meeting.

Fascinating Rectory Farm, Great Easton

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Phil Johnson, supported by his daughter, Abigail, gave members a fascinating insight into the history of this farm, sited in a picturesque spot next to Eyebrook Reservoir, right on the edge of Leicestershire.

Abigail did the IT bit, projecting photos, film maps and inventories detailing the history of Rectory Farm dating back to the original tenants in 1865.  Phil ably took us through the history, development and diverse roles of the farm, to taking over the tenancy from his father in 1936, working with Italian prisoners of war, to the present, when he is planning to retire.  However, negotiations are underway for the tenancy to pass to Abigail and her sister – we wish you well in your venture.

Tina won the quiz identifying a range of household and garden implements gathered over the years.

Abigail and her sister are justly proud of their successful Eyebrook Wild Bird Feed business.   You can find out lots more about Rectory Farm and even download a map showing a walk across the fields and looking out to Eyebrook Reservoir.  Something for those spring days ahead?

January meeting and quiz

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Come along to this month’s meeting on the 28th January.  Philip Johnson will be giving us a very informative talk on 78 years of arable farming in the Welland Valley and supplying Market Harborough over the years.

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He will be testing your knowledge on farming with a quiz, a prize is on offer!! Start swatting! He will be bringing bags of wild bird seeds to buy so bring your pennies!

Wonderful Christmas monthly meeting

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Competitions, games, amazing raffle, great food and hand bell ringers – a wonderful MHWI Christmas party night!

Annabel with her prize winning Christmas tree decoration:

Gemma, winner of the Christmas dinner salt dough modeling competition:

Stanwick Handbell Ringers:

Our amazing raffle prizes, many donated so generously by local organisations:

Go to our Facebook page for a full range of pictures