Well – this picture says it all:

It was a wet and windy evening last Wednesday when 26 odd hardy members of the Market Harborough WI met at the Church Hall in Fairfield Road to hold their AGM and have some fun despite the weather…

The evening started with the business ‘bit’ of the AGM – After Notices Bridget, our President, talked about the past year and the plans for the next one and Clare, the outgoing Treasurer reported on the state of the MHWI finances. Both Bridget and Fiona (our Secretary) were confirmed in post and Michelle was voted in as the new Treasurer. This fills the statutary positions and allows our WI to continue for another year. In addition to Bridget, Fiona and Michelle, Carolyn has agreed to continue looking after the membership administration and Lynn and Mary are joining the committee to lend a hand in committee activities.  A number of members have also kindly volunteered to help at the meetings.  Thank you to you all for giving your time to the running of the MHWI. We can always do with additional hands on deck, so if you would like to help please talk to one of the committee members at the next meeting!

Next followed the fun part of the evening – helped along with free cake and prosecco. Tables were set up with traditional (and some newer!) games and members had fun chatting, playing Jenga, Kerplunk, Dominoes, Connect Four Qwirkle and Twister and may be even learning a game they had not tried before.

Thank you to everyone who came along despite the weather and congratulations to our committee members! 

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:

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Just a quick reminder, that our Annual General Meeting is tomorrow!

Join us at the Church Hall in Fairfield Road from 7.30pm to elect/confirm the committee members for the coming year and enjoy an evening of entertainment, games and fun.

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:

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And onwards into October – where has the year gone?

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Allotment – Every Monday

Just a reminder that The Gardening Girls are meeting every Monday (weather permitting) from 2pm (until we run out of steam…) at the allotment in Stevens Street. Please contact Julie at Jusellars1960@gmail.com for the code to the gate if you would like to come and have a look. Our plots are right at the bottom of the main road down towards the cricket field. Hope to see you there soon! 

 Craft Club – 3rd October

The Craft Club will be meeting at the Congregational Church to make Autumn Wreaths this month. 

The cost will be £ 10,- which includes the room hire and the basic wreath as well as some materials for making and attaching the mini posies, but you can bring along your own flowers and leaves to add a personal touch to your wreath. 

Please subscribe via the WhatsApp group or email Fiona at fegraham1@gmail.com if you would like to join in.

Walking Group – 13th October

The Walking Group will meet at 10am for a walk at Laughton. Details will be posted on the Walking Group WhatsApp group closer to the date – please contact Fiona at f_tomlin@sky.com if you would like to join.

Book Angels – 16th October

The Book Angels Book Club will be meeting at the Three Swans at 2.30pm. This month’s book is ‘A Gentleman in Moscow’ by Amor Towles.

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

MHWI Monthly Meeting – 23rd October

We will be joined from 7.30pm at the Church Hall in Fairfield Road by the Leicestershire and Rutland Blood Bikers to learn about the volunteer bikers who transport blood supplies for medical emergencies. And this is also a chance to sign up for any of our clubs and social events coming up!

Eco Village Garden Reminder

The Eco Village garden is always looking for donations of seeds, seedlings, plants and compost for the garden and to raise funds. Please speak to Leslie if you have anything that may be useful. 

Preview: Social Event Visit to the Golden Mile – 6th November

For the November social event we are organising a trip to the Golden Mile in Leicestershire. We’ll be visiting a sari shop, a jewellers and have a meal afterwards. An opportunity to stock up on some fabrics if you are going to attend the Furoshiki Sustainable Wrapping session of the Craft Club in December! Watch the website blog for more details and sign up at the September monthly meeting or email marketharboroughwi@gmail.com

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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:

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Last Sunday the MHWI Walking Club was going to walk around Burton Overy, but the weather was looking miserable, so they decided on a shorter stroll along the Canal instead and did some Hedgerow Harvesting.

Due to the amount of rain we had this year, the elderberries, sloe and blackberries had perfect growing conditions and now is the time to pick a bumper harvest. The group got very creative planning recipes as well – from sloe gin to elderberry jam to blackberry vinegar. We’ll report back how they turn out!

As usual the walk also offered not just a nice amble along with plenty of chatting and nice scenery, but the local wildlife took an interest in our walkers again too. Not as agressively as last time though… More along the gentle ‘say hello’ lines. Piece de resistance was the encounter with a tiny newt. 

Despite the weather a lovely morning out blowing the cobwebs away.

If you are interested in what the Market Harborough WI and/or the Walking Club 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:

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This month the MHWI Craft Club met with external tutor Tina for a session of painting dot mandalas. 

Patience and accuracy are required with this, but all felt that it was a very relaxing activity. And the results speak for themselves:

Thank you Tina for a great evening!

If you are interested in the Market Harborough WI and/or our Craft Club, 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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Clare Farquhar is arranging places on the Regional Federation visit to Canine Partners on Wednesday 30th October at 10.30am. Canine Partners trains dogs to help people with a variety of disabilities.  Their speakers that came to the Annual Council Meeting had amazing stories to tell and the Regional Federation have made Canine Partners their charity of the year.  If anyone is interested please email marketharboroughwi@gmail.com by 9th September 2024. The cost is £8 and once we know numbers, Clare will arrange car shares fro transport etc.

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Allison Emery joined us at our monthly meeting last wee to talk about her visit to Chernobyl a – site of the biggest nuclear disaster in history in 1986. Her visit (well before the current war in the Ukraine) started of in Kiev in an old communist era hotel (think army training camp style rooms). Discovering Kiev mainly by Ueber Allison discovered a historic landmarks such as the cathedral, visited the opera and managed to purchase essential tourist souvenirs – an army fur hat and a roll of Putin toilet paper…

She visited Chernobyl as part of a guided tour which inclued the site of the failed reactor and visits to various villages in the loca area – most of the buildings in ruins although some people who did not want to abandon their homes still live there despite the health risks. The story of the Chernobyl disaster is harrowing – more so because it had been entirely preventable or at least could have caused a lot less damage if proper safety procedures had been in place and followed.

On a lighter note Allison also showed us her kit bag from the Paris Olympics, which she got as one of the volunteers driving people around between venues. She spent 5 weeks in Paris – totally self funded – doing shifts as part of the local volunteer force. And is already trying to apply for another volunteer trip to the winter olympics.

Plenty more Tales From Her Travels to come for sure!

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We have arranged a trip to Foxton Locks at 6.30pm on Wednesday 4th September and we would love it if you could join us for a visit to the Museum and a meal at the Foxton Locks Inn.

The museum tells the story of the Lift, Locks and Lives associated with Foxton Locks.  It is home to a treasure trove of artefacts and exhibits; all housed in the reconstructed boiler house which once powered the boat lift. 

The museum has a new exhibition this summer called Roses and Castles which covers the history of the Artistry of the canal boats and their paraphernalia which travel our canals. Here you can also see the work of a local artist who still follows this art, keeping up a long established tradition painting various displays, buckets, kettles and jugs.

Afterwards we propose to walk down from the museum to the Foxton Locks Inn, which is situated at the bottom of the locks for a meal. Check out the menu choices on their website: www.restaurantfoxtonlocks.co.uk/menus/

The cost is £5,50 for the museum entrance fee plus the price of your chosen meal. To join, please add your name to the sign-up sheet at tomorrows monthly meeting or send an email to marketharboroughwi@gmail.com

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The summer break is nearly over, so here are the MHWI dates for your diaries for September

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Allotment – Every Monday

Just a reminder that The Gardening Girls are meeting every Monday (weather permitting) from 2pm (until we run out of steam…) at the allotment in Stevens Street. Please contact Julie at Jusellars1960@gmail.com for the code to the gate if you would like to come and have a look. Our plots are right at the bottom of the main road down towards the cricket field. Hope to see you there soon! 

 Social Event at Foxton Locks – 4th September

For the Septemer social event we are organising a trip to the Foxton Locks Museum with a meal at the Foxton Locks Inn afterwards. Cost is £5.50 for the museum entry plus the cost of your chosen meal. Watch the website blog for more details and sign up at the August monthly meeting or email marketharboroughwi@gmail.com

Craft Club – 5th September

The Craft Club is doing Dot Mandalas with an external tutor this month. Participants just need to pay £ 5,- towards the cost of the room and materials (up to 2 cards).

Please subscribe via the WhatsApp group or email Fiona at fegraham1@gmail.com if you would like to join in.

Walking Group – 8th September

The Walking Group will meet at 10am for a walk at Burton Overy. Details will be posted on the Walking Group WhatsApp group closer to the date – please contact Fiona at f_tomlin@sky.com if you would like to join.

Book Angels – 18th September

The Book Angels Book Club will be meeting at the Three Swans at 2.30pm. This month’s book is a free choice of a biography/auto-biography or true story. Please contact Valerie at vhitchcox50@hotmail.com if you would like to join.

MHWI Monthly Meeting – 25th September

September is the month for our AGM. Come and join us from 7.30pm at the Church Hall in Fairfield Road for the election/confirmation of committee members and an evening of entertainment, games and fun.

Eco Village Garden Reminder

The Eco Village garden is always looking for donations of seeds, seedlings, plants and compost for the garden and to raise funds. Please speak to Leslie if you have anything that may be useful. 

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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.

Unfortunately Susan Drage, who was meant to speak to us about upcycling at the next meeting, has had an accident that will take her some time to recover from. We wish her all the best and hope she’ll be back on her feet soon!

Instead of Susan’s talk, our speaker on Wednesday will be Allison Emery – some of you may remember her talk about walking the Camino way in Spain last year.

Allison will talk about another of her journeys – a trip to Chernobyl in the Ukraine, where she visited the sites on a whim and without speaking the local language. Talk about adventurous!

We look forward to seeing you on the 28th!

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