WI Newsletter – August 2005

I know I always say how busy we have been; even in August when we don’t have a meeting, but unusually for us this has been a fairly quiet month this year. Although we are obviously busy organising the teas and cake stall for the Village Fete on 03 September, of which more next month, we have deliberately not organised too much for the summer. Not, of course, that this stops members meeting informally, as many friendships are formed within the WI – another reason to come along to meet us all.

Having said that, from 17 – 19 August, Hampshire Federation organised an exhibition in the Great Hall at Winchester entitled Hampshire in Stitches in which our banner was included. As regular readers of this newsletter will know (are there any out there), our banner has taken on a life of its own since it was restored last year and we were delighted that it was selected for this event.

When we meet again in September, we will be looking forward by planning our programme for 2006, but in the meantime, this is a taste of what is to come in the next few months:

29 September – Chairman’s Challenge with Helen Creese – 7.30 p.m. Village Hall

01 October – Visit to Clarence House

17 October – Danebury Group Meeting, 7.30 p.m. Grateley Village Hall

27 October – Management for Wildlife at Porton Down – S Corbett – 7.30 p.m. Village Hall

31 October – Autumn Council Meeting – 7.30 p.m. City Hall in Winchester

24 November – Annual Meeting – 7.30 p.m. Village Hall

08 December – Christmas Party – 7 p.m. Village Hall

As you will see, we have Helen Creese as our speaker on 29 September. Helen was the winner of the Chairman’s Challenge last year as she visited the most WI’s in Hampshire during 2004, including Abbotts Ann. I cannot remember how many Helen attended, but I think it was over 100 so she will be able to reveal, firstly how she managed it and then just how different each WI meeting can be. So have we tempted you to come and see for yourself? I do hope so. If you would like to make get in touch with us beforehand, all contact details are on the WI pages of this website.

Sharon King