Did you know that Market Harborough WI is one of the biggest in the Leicestershire and Rutland Federation of WIs? We have 64 members. Well done, ladies, for achieving this feat after our first 3, very successful years.
There are 144 WIs in the Leicestershire and Rutland Federation with 4,776 members.
Monthly meetings of Market Harborough WI have an average of 39 members attending. We have had 7 new members this year.
A few items from last week’s monthly meeting:
December’s meeting – Christmas social
Other bits and bobs
Market Harborough WI members worked busily all evening, trying their hand at beadmaking. They made a long, pendant style necklace or a keyring/handbag charm. Andrea Greenaway, from Leicestershire Craft Centre, was the visiting speaker. She shared beautiful, colourful samples of her work based on crafts that are taught at the Centre in High Street, Market Harborough.
Andrea Greenaway, Leicestershire Craft Centre
Andrea passed around two delightful necklaces that she had learned how to make herself recently whilst attending silversmithing courses (I hope I have the techniques right!).
She then demonstrated the art of simple beadmaking (or so we thought). She showed us how to take a long piece of thick thread, fold it into four and then knot it to form your own tailor made necklace or to tie it to a keyring. Then came the real challenge! Having chosen our selected beads, which came in a huge variety of colours, sizes and textures, we had to thread the signature bead – not too difficult, as these tended to come with large holes. So far, so good. However, then we faced some real challenges for the evening, namely the ability to see small holes, licking the end of your thread to get a point and trying to get it through the holes in the beads. Not so easy, as the hole sizes varied greatly, so, very quickly, carefully chosen, colour coded patterns were abandoned! However, lots of good humour plus the encouragement of fellow WI members, and most people successfully produced their first piece of beadwork. They proudly display their handiwork below.
Other samples of members’ handiwork:
Thank you, Andrea, for sharing your skills and patiently helping and encouraging us as we took our first, tentative steps. Another excellent evening!
Join us for a brilliant night out dancing away to Motown chartbusters. This Motown tribute concert is just what you need to relax and dance away to your heart’s content. It’s open to non-members, too.
It will be a dazzling show, gorgeous costumes and superb Motown sixties hits (How do I know? I went this year, thoroughly enjoyed and only wished I was in the dancing area as I was ‘dancing in my seat’ all night!)
Include
s all-time favourites; Stop in the Name of Love; Get Ready; I Want You Back; I Heard It Through The Grapevine; Signed, Sealed, Delivered; I Can’t Help Myself & more. Sixties classics give way to present-day masterpieces from Lionel Richie and Diana Ross.
It’s £22.50, payable in advance by the December monthly meeting (cash or cheque). If we can get a group discount, then any savings will be used to help people share cars and parking costs (and maybe go towards a drink).
So, book your place now – at the October, November or December monthly meeting.
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We have some eye-catching, new posters promoting the Market Harborough WI and encouraging new members to come along. If you can display a poster, then pick one up at the October monthly meeting or Contact Us.
New members can join from October and get 15 months for the price of 12. £34.70 will take you through to December 14. Not bad for an evening out each month, plus the chance to take part in lots of social activities.
Just come along to the next monthly meeting on Wednesday 16 October at 7.30 pm and chat to Patsy, our Membership Secretary – usually to be seen greeting everyone at the desk as they arrive! Cash or cheque and payment by direct debit is on its way.
You can also Contact Us.
Members are invited to come along to the Congregational Church Hall in Bowden Lane at 7.30 pm until 9.30pm on Wednesday 2nd October. Entrance is free and then games and refreshments at a charge. The night will consist of Choc Olympics, Chocolate Bingo, stalls and games including a Chocolate cake competition.
All WIs need to raise money to pay for expenses such as venue costs and speakers. 
Each of us pays an annual membership fee and a proportion of this goes to county and regional WI funds. For this reason, WIs need to raise additional funds. This can be an exciting challenge and an opportunity to share an experience or have fun with other members and visitors.
If you have a good fund raising idea, then do speak to a Committee Member at the next monthly meeting, Contact Us or call 07547 890 756. We’re looking at ideas for an event in 2014. This will be our major opportunity to raise funds.
If you’d like to join a small team taking the fund raising idea forwards (or any other idea that is suggested) then, again do speak to a Committee Member, Contact Us or call 07547 890 756. It’s a great opportunity to get involved with the Market Harborough WI, do something for the local community and meet new friends, too.
Members recently took on the challenge of decorating a fish. The Leicestershire Craft Centre in Market Harborough provided a template and entrants could decorate the fish in any medium they preferred, other than clay. Many entries were on display in Leicester and a selection is due to be on view at the Craft Centre in Market Harborough any time now.
Thanks to Chela Grainge, Committee member for organising the competition and for taking the photos. They are not all of member’s handiwork, but are too good not to include them!
Market Harborough WI 