Category: Women’s Institute

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Beetles & Mediums – WI January report

The new president, Susan Leng, welcomed members and several visitors to the January meeting. Following tea members enjoyed a game of Beetle.

Ideas for Social Time can be brought to the next meeting on February 1st where contributions to our new sales table for unwanted gifts etc. would be appreciated to help our funds. Mrs Stephanie Barrows will talk about Psychics and Mediums.

 Members are looking forward to the WI’s 91st Birthday Lunch at The Lion Leavenheath on Wednesday 8 February.

This material has been developed for the West Bergholt Village Website at http://www.westbergholt.net
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Women’s Institute – Christmas update

Pat Moran, president, welcomed members to the Christmas meeting.  She was presented with an orchid and grateful thanks from everyone who appreciated her hard work and dedication throughout her 4 years in office.  Susan Leng will take over as president in January. Joint winners of the competitions during 2011 were Nora Bates and Erika Cole.

Subscriptions of £31.50 will be due at the January meeting. A birthday lunch has been organised for 8 February anyone who has not signed the board or paid should ring 01206 240854.

This material has been developed for the West Bergholt Village Website at http://www.westbergholt.net
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Stone heads & talking news…

… were the topics for the WI’s talks after their AGM which Mrs Beecham chaired.  Following the AGM, the current committee remains in place with the exception of the president Pat Moran who will be replaced in January by Susan Leng.

Following tea Jan Lumb gave a fascinating talk on her stone head. It was ploughed up in a Yorkshire field and came south with the family and resided on a rockery in Hertfordshire finally coming to the village location in 1976. Museum historians date it about the beginning of the first century.

Hillary Nugent told members about the talking newspaper which is distributed around Colchester and her involvement as part of a team who selects and reads the articles.

Next month is the Christmas party. Members are asked to bring cutlery and a glass. The meeting will start earlier at 7pm.

This material has been developed for the West Bergholt Village Website at http://www.westbergholt.net
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Women’s Institute – witching update

President, Pat Moran welcomed members to the Halloween Evening. The hall was decorated with creepy crawlies with the committee and members entering into the spirit of Halloween wearing witches hats etc. Barbara Faulkner was welcomed back with her talk entitled “The Witch Report on Halloween”. Her audience learnt many interesting facts about Halloween and the history of witches and their extermination in Europe and the UK.  She read a story called “The Witches Institute” during social time.

November 2 is the annual meeting when a new president is voted in.

Members enjoyed a long and short walk followed by lunch at a local garden centre.

This material has been developed for the West Bergholt Village Website at http://www.westbergholt.net
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Women’s Institute – September Update

President Pat Moran welcomed members and visitors to the most recent meeting. The W I is looking forward to entertaining past members as their 90th year is celebrated.

A walk is planned for 19 October followed by lunch at Barn Plants.

The scheduled speaker was unable to attend at the last minute but the president gave a fascinating and enlightening talk on her childhood in a mining valley in South Wales.

Next month Barbara Faulkner makes a welcome return with her talk entitled The ‘Witch’ Report on Halloween. Everyone is encouraged to wear something appropriate for the occasion. It is an Open Meeting with several other W I’s invited to attend.

This material has been developed for the West Bergholt Village Website at http://www.westbergholt.net
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Women’s Institute – Quarter Update

Emmeline Pankhurst in
 less-fashionable
Prison attire

June was an ‘Open Meeting’ with the president Pat Moran welcoming visitors from other W I’s. During the refreshment break everyone was able to view the displays of press cuttings on our 90th birthday celebrations, together with old programmes and minutes.

Ex mayor, Sonia Lewis, talked about her mayoral year and included a typical day. She spent none of the council’s money whilst in office and her audience were keen to hear about her various outfits worn for the variety of official duties she carried out. Two walks were organised and members then enjoyed a lunch at Barn Plants.

The July outing was a visit to Perrywoods garden centre where members enjoyed browsing around the extensive area before lunch.

August‘s meeting was an ‘Open Meeting’, vice-president, Bea Girkin, welcomed members and visitors. Mrs Louise Reed was introduced as Emmeline Pankhurst. She wore the fashion of the 1920’s and gave an in-depth insight into life in prison and the traumas of trying to obtain suffrage for women.

The West Bergholt WI are looking forward to meeting past members on 15th September in the Methodist Hall from 2pm to 4pm to celebrate their 90th year. Invitations will be distributed this month.

This material has been developed for the West Bergholt Village Website at http://www.westbergholt.net
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Happy Birthday to WI

The village W I was 90 years old on February 2 when they met in the Orpen Memorial Hall and enjoyed hearing memories of past meetings from 3 members. A taster evening of favourite recipes were on hand to sample and the president, Pat Moran read the minutes from the first meeting held in the village school now the local hairdressers.

The Balkerne Restaurant

A Celebration lunch was held at the Balkerne Restaurant, Colchester Institute on February 17th. The students prepared an excellent 3 course meal for everyone. Rene Keates, 90 this year and long standing member Joyce Lucking cut the cake made by the college. Individual pieces were wrapped in cellophane and tied with a red bow which members took home.

A truly memorable day.

This material has been developed for the West Bergholt Village Website at http://www.westbergholt.net
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Happy Birthday to WI in West Bergholt

1921 Fashion

On 2nd February 1921, 90 years ago, the first W I meeting was held in the village at the old school, now the hairdressers. 134 ladies enrolled. We have just short of 40 at present.

President, Pat Moran read the first minutes from that meeting which took place on the same date as our meeting.  Jan Lumb, Clarice Chittenden and Joyce Lucking spoke about their memories of the early years attending our W I.  Early programmes and minute books were exhibited together with photographs from 1921.

The ‘Taster Evening’ was well supported with the recipes available to purchase. Our 90th lunch will be celebrated at the Balkerne Restaurant, Colchester Institute.  Rene Keates and Joyce Lucking will cut the cake. The coach leaves the Orpen Memorial Hall at 11.30am.

RHS Garden at Wisley, Woking, Surrey and RHS Hyde Hall Gardens are holding an open day on Friday 4 March with free entry to the public.

This material has been developed for the West Bergholt Village Website at http://www.westbergholt.net
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Women’s Institute – December Report

Members braved the icy conditions to be welcomed by the president Pat Moran to the Christmas party. The supper was prepared by the committee and members were then entertained by Ray Spiller with his musical quiz and CD’s from the pop charts interspersed with his anecdotes.

Next month subscriptions of £30 are due also the remaining payment of £7 for our birthday lunch in February. The meeting on 5 January will welcome a speaker from the Salvation Army. The competition will be a pretty cup and saucer.

This material has been developed for the West Bergholt Village Website at http://www.westbergholt.net
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Women’s Institute – November 2010 Report

Women’s Institute – November 2010 Report

The president, Pat Moran, welcomed members to the Annual Meeting. Vouchers were given to Joyce Hollock and Mary Fulford who were joint winners of the monthly competition for 2010. A letter was received from the federation secretary, Val Stone, for our cheque of £19.32 collected from ‘pennies for friendship’ for ACWW.

Pat Beeching chaired the Annual Meeting with president Pat Moran re-elected, Pat McSweeny remaining as treasurer, Marie Fitz-John minute secretary and Jacqui Hunns joining the committee as secretary. Retiring secretary, Rachael Colley, was presented with a plant and good wishes given to her for her forthcoming marriage.

Two plays then followed ‘Crickets’ written by Rene Keates and ‘Old Friends’ written by Joyce Lucking both members of our WI.

Next month is the Christmas party which will begin earlier at 7pm, members are reminded to please bring cutlery and a glass.

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