Tag Archives: Monthly meeting

Fun evening at our second AGM!

Posted on by

MHWI agm 13-w500-h500 MHWI pic 2-w500-h500

Market Harborough WI celebrated its second, successful year last night at the AGM, ably led by our President, Hazel Stacey, in her own inimitable style.  Who else could  get away with not having a Minutes Secretary this year in front of the local Federation representative, Caroline?  The good news is that we do now have one.  Karen stepped up (apologies not sure of your last name at the moment).  Claire Salisbury also stepped up to become Marketing and Social Media Secretary.  Thank you, too, to Vicky Watts who has stepped down from Secretary/PR following the birth of her first baby

Yes, seriously, we have had another excellent year, maintaining a good membership.  Monthly meetings have had good attendances with lots of different activities and speakers.  There was some debate whether this was the Egyptian Dancing or Self Defence!

Finances are looking healthy, too, thanks to the hard work of the Committee organising the fashion show, raffle and refreshments, and, of course, to you, the members for supporting these so generously.

We then had a lovely Dutch supper, members bringing a whole range of savoury and sweet nibbles to tempt everyone.  We loved the cupcakes (see picture below) with the WI logo and Inspiring Women.

Finally, members tested their knowledge on a food and drinks quiz, including a ‘name the chef’ round and Pictionary.  Here’s a question for you – drawing a Danish pastry was easy but, how do you sketch an egg sandwich?!  Team WInners came top – well done!

Cup cakes AGM Sept 13-w500-h500

Bowdens Charity evening

Posted on by
Bowden's Charity ev-w500-h500
A question for you?  What is a ‘feoffee?’  (see foot of post for definition?)
Jim Jacobs, Steward, gave members a fascinating insight into the history of this well known local Charity, together with a chance to see lots of pictures of projects and buildings that it has helped to fund in Market Harborough.
The Charity, based in St Mary’ s Road, was formed in 1994 when 3 local charities came together and is now valued at £15.9m.  Jim took us right back to the 1500s and the Enclosures Act (yes, remember that from school?) and up to the present time, where the Charity is now accountable to the Charities’ Commission.
Well known buildings and landmarks in the town that the Bowdens Charity has supported include the Old Grammar School (see slide in the picture above), Joules and adjacent jewellers, the cricket field, Scotland End flats, St Stephen’s allotments and those opposite Protheroes, the land between the Grand Union Canal and Forest Gate Motors plus the site of an old quarry that is now home to an abundance of wildlife and fauna.
Other funding opportunities include responding to applications from local families with little disposable income for grants (a sign of the recession), as well as funding for local musicians, uniforms for sports teams and the current refurbishment of the Harborough Museum and Library.  Challenges for the future will include the ‘big society’, school academies and looking after the people of the town.
Feoffees?   Dating back to the Crusades, they were tenants of land who paid no rent but if their owner went on a Crusade they would insist the tenants left!  Derived from ‘fief’ or ‘fee’.

Market Harborough and the Bowden’s Charity – July’s monthly meeting

Posted on by

market_harborough_grammar_school1.jpgJim Jacobs will be the visiting speaker at the July monthly meeting.  Jim will be telling us about the invaluable work of the Market Harborough and The Bowdens Charity, the largest in the area.    This includes taking on responsibility for that famous local landmark, the Old Grammar School, that forms the basis of the Market Harborough WI logo.

The Charity dates back to 1570 and earlier.  Today it is the amalgamation of 2 local charities in 1994.  Importantly, it funds many local initiatives through amateur sport, arts, relief in need, community, education and the environment.  Organisations can apply to it for support.   So, join us on Wednesday 24 July at the Congregational Church Hall, Bowden Lane, Market Harborough to find out about the work it has been doing.

Making a traditional corn dolly – June’s monthly meeting

Posted on by

Traditional corn dollies are of Pagan origin and abound with folklore .  It seems they Corn dolliewere made from the last sheaves of corn and meant to carry the spirit of a fruitful harvest through to the next spring when seeds would be planted again.  A simple, educational website (Project Britian) shows some delightful pictures of the range of designs that can be made (this is not our speaker.)

So, come along on Wednesday 26th June at 7.30 pm at the Congregational Church Hall, Bowden Lane, Market Harborough, to find out more about this traditional craft and have a go at making one to take home.

Being a dairy farmer’s wife, including how QR codes are used on their cows!

Posted on by

April’s montly meeting speaker will be Jane Barnes.  Jane works with her husband, Mark, on a 220 acre farm near Somerby.  The Barnes family is the third generation to run their farm.  Milk from their herd of Ayrshire cows is sold to Clawson Dairies to make Stilton cheese.

article-2173488-140ECD42000005DC-960_468x314-w500-h500Jane will be speaking about her life as a dairy farmer’s wife, which includes opening their farm to visitors to show them how milk is produced.  Jane and Mark are bang up to date with using modern technology.  They came up with the whacky idea  (harmless) of spraying their cows with a white QR code so visitors could click on their smartphones and read an up to date blog of the cow’s life and contribution to the farm.  I hope I haven’t given it all away … !

To find out more, come along on Wednesday 24 April at 7.30 pm at the Congregational Church Hall, Bowden Lane, Market Harborough.   It’ll be fun, too, sampling the Stilton cheese!

Alternative medicine – visiting speaker for March

Posted on by

Sue Balcon, Reflexology-w500-h500Sue Balcon, full member of the Association of Reflexologists, will be the visiting speaker for the monthly meeting on Wednesday 27th March at 7.30 pm at the Congregational Church Hall, Bowden Lane, Market Harborough.  For more details and background click on Holistic Balance Therapies.

Sue will be demonstrating 3 technqiues know as alternative medicine: reflexology, head massage and ear candling.   If you are not sure what these are, then reflexology, or zone therapy, is about applying pressure to specific zones of the feet (it can also be the hands or ears) with the use of oil or lotion that brings about changes to other parts of the body.  Indian head massage is performed on the the head, neck and face to manipulate  energy channels.   In Hopi ear candling, one end of a hollow candlie is lit and the unlit end placed in the ear canal with the aim of improving general health and well-being.

What to know more?  Then see you on 27th March.