By the time December arrives we are ready for a breather, November is such a hectic month we need to catch our breath a little, but first we have a party. Our caterer once again provided a delicious six-course meal, yes, we wonder where we put it ourselves, but most of us manage it somehow and it is certainly a popular evening as we have non-members asking if they can come along as well. This is an opportunity to have fun and enjoy ourselves, formalities are kept to an absolute minimum and I like to make the members laugh by sharing some amusing festive stories and jokes with them. Judy Wickham once again organised a brilliant raffle, with all the prizes beautifully wrapped, so each winner had a surprise. Best of all we don’t have to wash up.
Of course, there is still plenty going on behind the scenes, for instance the programme is now completed for 2006 and is now being printed. The committee will be meeting in January for their usual monthly planning meeting; the first one in the New Year is always a busy one as each member is allocated a specific undertaking.
There is also an informal meeting before then to discuss in greater detail our Pamper day on 04 February and our Secretary and I will be attending a Danebury Group Committee Meeting as well, so you see we are not idle by any means.
Last month, we were fortunate to be allocated funds from the Fete Committee which will be used to replace the WI seat on Church Path that was vandalised earlier this year. We were planning to do this to co-incide with our Institute’s 90th Anniversary in 2007, but I believe it is much missed, so we may well have to bring this forward. However, before any decisions are made, being a democratic organisation, it will all have to be discussed at committee level, before seeking the approval of our members. So please bear with us whilst we do our research into materials and cost implications. Of course, if anyone reading this has any suggestions, please don’t hesitate to get in touch with us – as long as they are polite ones of course.
So here is a flavour of what is on the calendar for the first three months of 2006, when you see what is planned for January please understand there is no pun intended:
26 January: C Ingham – Cheese Tasting
04 February: Pamper Day
23 February: Jill Liddell – Japanese Traditional Designs
20 March: Danebury Group Spring Meeting – Goodworth Clatford
28 March: Hampshire Federation Spring Council Meeting – Portsmouth
30 March: Baroness Arlington – An insight into the House of Lords
As you can see the first meeting of the New Year is a Cheese Tasting – I believe there is to be an element of competition involved, as I understand we will not be told the name of the cheese before we taste and, of course, we are all looking forward to our Pamper Day on 04 February.
All our meetings start at 7.30 p.m. and are in the Village Hall, unless otherwise stated, but it is advisable to arrive a little earlier – to fit in some chatting time. We are always pleased to welcome visitors – please don’t be shy about coming along – you can try before you buy. If you wish to get in touch beforehand, please give me a ring on 01264 335630, I would be delighted to hear from you.
In any case, it would be great to hear from anyone who does read these newsletters, whether you are a member or not – at least we would know if anyone is taking an interest in what we do.
Happy New Year.
Sharon King
