ON OUR WAY UP!
This year, Shropshire WI has had an increase in membership. This is due in no small part to the members who have joined our three new WIs at Frankwell, Oswestry and Upton Magna.
Our records show that over 10% of our members are new this year.
Membership has trickled downwards for some years and this is the first time we have had an increase in membership since 1972! The increase is small—just 49 extra members—but brings our total to 3,489. We are all delighted with this upturn in our fortunes.
DENMAN WEEKEND VISIT
9th—11th OCTOBER 2009
As part of Shropshire Federation’s celebrations of its 90th Anniversary in 2009 we have been very fortunate to secure a weekend booking at Denman College from 9th—11th October. Denman itself has been celebrating its 60th Anniversary this year with the highlight of the festivities being the ‘Diamonds’ event at the end of last month to show off the wonderful new teaching facilities and residential accommodation.
This extra accommodation means that we can now offer 84 members the chance to participate in the “Denman Experience”. As always, priority is given to members who have not previously stayed at the college, or who hold a Bursary. There will also be the chance for five people to win a £250 bursary to attend this weekend or any other course at Denman at the 2009 Council Meeting
Courses have been chosen which lend themselves to the theme of ‘Celebration’.
· A celebration demands good food and drink so our first course is PERFECT PAIRINGS — FOOD AND WINE (1017) where you can enjoy cookery demonstrations and wine tasting to learn which wine best accompanies the food you create.
· Flowers enhance any celebration and our second course speaks for itself, FUN WITH FLOWERS (new course details not listed).
· As well as decorating a room for a celebration you may also wish to decorate yourself!BEJEWELLED SILK JEWELLERY (196) will show you how to do just that, using coloured wires, glass beads, hand-painted and dyed silks to make bracelets, earrings etc.
· Music is essential for a celebration and we have something really different on offer, LEARN TO PLAY THE HARP (409). You do not need any previous experience, and you certainly do not need to bring your own harp; the instruments are available at Denman.
· Once the celebration is well under way a photographer is required to record the happy scene! PHOTOGRAPHY; DIGITAL AND FILM (714) will give you confidence in the use of your camera so that you can produce photographs to be proud of.
· Finally, to rid yourself of any extra calories taken in during a celebration, some exercise would be the order of the day. If you join the RAMBLES ALONG COTSWOLD RIVER VALLEYS (a shorter version of 833) course you will also celebrate the glories of the English countryside.
(NB: The numbers in brackets after the course name refer to the relevant course number in the Denman Programme 2008-09.)
As you will know from your own copy of Denman’s programme, courses are now individually priced to reflect the cost of materials used, transport for outings, etc. The courses on offer range in price from £223 to £242. Precise costings will be given on the application form along with further details of each course. Contact County Office for copies.
SHROPSHIRE BEDROOM MAKEOVER COMPETITION
The Shropshire Bedroom at Denman was created in 1997 when Oak Cottage was opened. We now want to celebrate our 90th Anniversary with a makeover of our special room. So this is for all you budding interior designers out there.
Could you design a new look and present your ideas with sketches, swatches of fabrics, photos and costings? Who knows, this could be the start of a whole new career for you!
For full details and application forms contact County Office. Closing date – 1 March 2009. The winner will receive £100 bursary towards a Denman course.
CONGRATULATIONS To Celia Rawlings on becoming the latest to join our team of WI Advisers.
PROGRAMME PLANNING
Do you find planning a programme enjoyable and easy, or difficult and frustrating?
Either way, we hope our programme planning sessions could be of help. So, if you would like to take part, learn and share skills and ideas, we would be delighted to see you on either The Lyon Hall, Hodnet, on Monday 12 January from 10.30 am to 1 pm and at the Silvester Horne Institute, Church Stretton, on Wednesday 21 January from 10.30 am to 1 pm.
Tickets £2 each, to include tea, coffee and cake.
Something needs to be done about it.
WI members talk. They want to make the world a better place and have all sorts of ideas of how to put the world to rights. How often have you thought ‘we need a WI resolution about that’?
Over the years the WI has been responsible for helping to bring about change through the campaigns that follow the passing of resolutions. . The resolutions for next year’s AGM have already been submitted for consideration, but think about putting forward a resolution for the year after. If you have an idea for a resolution please contact me and I will try to help you with your submission.
Celia Rawlings, Resolutions Adviser.
01743 249382
THE FRANKWELL ANKLE
We are sure many of you will have seen in the local and national press about Antiques Roadshow art expert Rupert Maas when he described a girl in a painting as having ‘a Shropshire ankle’. We were delighted when he accepted our offer to come to Shropshire and see Shropshire ankles for himself and this led to him coming to Frankwell Little Boro WI’s December meeting together with a film crew. It will be part of a spin off series to Antiques Road Show to be shown in March. Bridie Halton read to the meeting something she had written especially for him:-
A SHROPSHIRE ANKLE
We welcome Mr Rupert Maas here to a Shropshire WI meeting
We extend a Shropshire hand of friendship to him
And stand Shropshire shoulder to shoulder to defend his right to free speech
We at the WI use our Shropshire arms to embrace many good causes
We keep abreast (a Shropshire breast) of matters of concern in the world
And we use our Shropshire voices to let Parliament know what we think.
So, do Shropshire lasses have a thick ANKLE?
Maybe, but we use our Shropshire brains and they are definitely NOT THICK!
And now for something completely different…..
NEW AGE KURLING
And yes, that is the right spelling. Julie Briffett recently attended a Sports & Leisure Chairmen’s weekend at Denman College, where New Age Kurling was one of the new ideas on offer. Shropshire WI has bought one set of the equipment, so if you want to know more and have a go, come to one of our taster evenings (no ice required). There will be other activities to try, so join us for an evening of fun, friendship, coffee and cookies.
Tickets cost £4. Applications to County Office by 1 February 2009.
TILSTOCK VILLAGE HALL
—Mon 16 February 2009—7.30 pm
LITTLE WENLOCK VILLAGE HALL
—Mon 2 March 2009 7.30 pm
BOOK CLUB EVENT
Better late than never
We have only just found out the name of our Book Club Speaker on Thursday 22 January at the United Reformed Church, English Bridge.
He is Jeff Phelps, author of the Painter Man, set in the Black Country. This evening is open to everyone—so spread the word—a flyer is enclosed. Pay on the door but please phone and let us know how many to expect as there is the possibility of switching to a bigger room at the venue if needed.
Also enclosed is the list of books for 2009. Remember you can also be an ‘absent friend’ at our book club—if you have read the book or intend reading it before we meet, why not email or post your views to County Office. It is a great way for us to kick start the discussion.
ALISON NEIL RETURNS AS
RICHMAL COMPTON
- THE JUST WILLIAM LADY
We enjoyed a wonderful evening with Katherine Parr last year. Now Alison Neil is returning to entertain us as Richmal Compton who created her worst behaved, best loved hero, known simply as Just William, during the First World War. Her touching and amusing story spans the fast changing years of the twentieth century.
Join us at Minsterley Village Hall
on Friday 6 February 2009 at 7.30pm.
£12.50 to include appropriate food.
SHROPSHIRE WILDLIFE TRUST
Tuesday 24 March 2009 at 7.30 pm
Dorrington Village Hall - £5
The Shropshire Wildlife Trust will talk and show slides on the general work of the Trust, about wild flowers, how to establish wild flower areas in meadows and gardens and also about seed harvesting.
The date is Tuesday 24 March at 7.30 pm at Dorrington Village Hall. The cost is £5 to include traybakes. Please join us.
CELEBRATION 90
This year will be an exciting time for us all as we celebrate and remember 90 years of the WI in Shropshire.
And so, this year your West Mid Committee are having an early spring clean. The WI schedule has been tidied, reorganised and finally polished to provide opportunities for new challenges with lots of choices for your displays.
Not only the schedule has changes, there will be major changes to our home on the showground. The Shropshire and West Mid Agricultural Society are keen to lift their image nationally, so the grounds will look different in 2009, and we can all look forward to playing a part in the process, by showing all the skills and enthusiasm that you have in abundance.
Talking of which, you have a chance to be a sort of ‘celebrity cook’ for a year. We have a new award, ‘The Rosemary Hamilton Award for Cookery’, to be presented in 2009 for the Best in Show Cookery, given by Rosemary to celebrate her involvement with both cookery and the West Mid Show.
So, come on girls, get ready !! 2009 will be special.
Hazel Loftus
WI Chairman for West Mid Show 2009
*****Remember read the schedule very carefully****
FINISHING TOUCHES
INTEPRETATION & STAGING EXERCISE
Saturday 21 February 2009 Crowmoor Baptist Church Shrewsbury
11.00 am to 3.00 pm Tickets: £4
A chance for you to practice with the new arrangement of staging space, to be used at the 2009 West Mid Show.
Using the theme “Springtime” you decide on your own interpretation. The display will consist of 1 cookery item, 1craft item, 1floral exhibit (any medium), and an additional item of your choice. For the purpose of this exercise items can be made, bought or borrowed from any source. You can work in a group of not more than three.
Your exhibit will be judged for interpretation and staging only, this is not a competition, just a learning exercise. No points will be given, just advice.
A great chance to have a go at something new.
Please bring your own packed lunch (tea & coffee provided).