The Latest News
Go on put your feet up… time to catch up with the WI-Flyers!
Presidents Post November 2024
Good evening everyone, It is obviously not my day as when I started this post I was sitting on the train home from Eastleigh, it was dark and raining and pretty miserable. I was thinking that only a couple of weeks ago I was in 30 degrees in Florida. Then I clicked a button by mistake and lost everything that I had typed! Oh well here we go again!
Carole Pidgeon has recently stepped down from the committee (it is ok she is still going to look after our Book Group), our thanks go to Carole for her time on the committee. Jen (also on the committee) has been poorly the last few months and has not been able to attend meetings. The committee have asked me to ask if any of you would be willing to join us on the committee - at least until the Annual Meeting in May. It is not too onerous and the more the merrier! Please let one of us know - you will be made very welcome.
On a similar theme - come the Annual Meeting in May I will be standing down as President and Sue as Treasurer. Since the WI -Flyers started I have been on the Committee (and in an Officer role) except for 2 years. It is time I gave someone else a go! Please think about joining the committee or even taking on a role otherwise the WI-Flyers will need to suspend. If you have any questions please ask…..
At our next meeting we will be making Christmas wreaths! I am really looking forward to that.
We are also asking you (like many previous years) to put some Christmas cards in your shopping baskets to write for residents of our local care homes. They are always welcomed by those residents who don’t receive any or many cards.
Please write them before you come (there nay not be time at the meeting) - sign your name and The WI-Flyers. There will be a post box for you to pop them in!
Apologies for this information being so late - but for many years we have been supporting a local charity at Christmas. This year it has taken longer than usual. But…we have been i9n contact with The Church of the Good Shepherd (Dianne is our link here).
We have been asked if we can provide toiletries kits, we would hope they would include a toothbrush, toothpaste, soap/body wash, shampoo/conditioner and deodorant. The challenge for us is to provide 30 sets (we do not have 30 members - so over to you ladies!)
The Hart Group Christmas Carol Service is on Friday 6 December and will be held at Cove Methodist Church. The service starts at 2pm. It is a lovely way to start Christmas and all the Hart Group WIs take part. We have chosen a reading which I will read during the service.
Refreshments will be served after the service. I hope you can join us.
We have been advised by NFWI (National Federation of WIs) that the subscriptions for 2025 / 2026 (01 April 2025 to 31 March) are going to be £51 per member. Our own WI keeps 50% of this.
For this you get your membership of the largest women’s organisation in the UK. 11 free WI meetings
A monthly magazine , access to MYWI on the NFWI website. Access to online learning. Sub groups like our Book Group and our Craft group.
The WI is what you make it!
We will not collect your subs until April 2025.
The Resolutions have been announced for next year - we will be discussing these at our January meeting.
The shortlisted resolutions are:
Let’s talk about incontinence
Bystanders can be lifesavers
Join the repair revolution
Eliminate landfill of medication packaging
There are two opportunities to discuss the resolutions this year
Thursday 28 November at 7pm on Zoom book and pay on Eventbrite
Or in WI House on Saturday 7 December book and pay on Eventbrite
Spring Council Meeting 2025
Looking forward to seeing you all next week and I will take this opportunity to wish you all a Very Merry Christmas and A Happy New Year for 2025
Rachel
Good morning everyone,
I hope you’re all set to enjoy this beautiful sunny day, despite the morning frost. For those who attended the Breaking Bread dinner in Camberley last night, we missed out on the stunning Northern Lights display (captured in Fleet). Nonetheless, we had a delightful evening and have scheduled our next gathering for January 16, 2025. The location remains a mystery for now, but we’ll find out soon enough!
Presidents Post October 2024
On October 1, we held our first Craft Club meeting at Fleet Hall, Avery Care Home in Fleet.
Eleven of us gathered at the care home, where the staff and residents warmly welcomed us. We crafted small denim decorations, some for Christmas and others as fun tags.
Our next meeting is scheduled for November 5 at 7 PM, at the same venue. We’ll be trying our hand at making Christmas stockings.
Karen will provide a list of materials to bring. There will be some hand sewing, machine sewing, and possibly some hot glue gun action! All welcome.
I apologise, but I won’t be able to attend the next meeting on October 23.
Clare Buckett, a local hair and makeup artist who has worked on TV shows like Downton Abbey, will be joining us. She comes highly recommended by Margaret and will be sharing insights about her career.
WI Lottery
I hope you’ve all received your October copy of WI Life. On page 45, there’s an article about the WI Lottery. Please take a few minutes to read it. As a Hampshire WI member, you can already participate in this weekly lottery.
We have the option to set up our own WI lottery to raise funds. It’s worth discussing, even if we might have differing opinions.
For every £1 ticket we purchase, we get 60p back and a chance to win between £25 and £25,000.
If you have any thoughts on this, please share them with one of the committee members.
The WI Resolutions this year have been whittled down to four (I think - all a bit under the wraps). They will all be revealed and there are two opportunities to find out what they are and the chance to discuss them. One is an event in WI House and one on Zoom. See below for details - or just ask me!
Resolutions 2024 / 25
We are part of the Hampshire Federation of WIs, and every couple of years, we hold a basket sale at St Maurice’s Covert in Winchester. Each WI in Hampshire is asked to donate a basket full of goodies!
This year, we’ve decided to fill a basket (or maybe two) with Christmas treats. We would love for you to contribute an item for the basket. A poll list will be available on the WhatsApp group. Please click on the item you think you can donate.
See you all in November for our Christmas Meeting. We are looking into our Charity for this Christmas - but will still be writing Christmas Cards for our local Care homes.
Have a great month
Rachel
Presidents Post September 2024
Good Afternoon Everyone,
As I sit at my desk, I'm looking out at the sunny garden, enjoying a bit of an Indian Summer. It's hard to say how long this will last.
Our next meeting is scheduled for Wednesday, 25 September, and we're looking forward to welcoming Kate from Fleet Scoop. Her shop is located on High Street in Fleet. Fleet Scoop is a community-driven 'Zero Waste' shop dedicated to offering the most eco-friendly products that eliminate the need for plastic packaging and promote a more sustainable lifestyle.
Additionally, our new Craft Club is set to have its first meeting on Tuesday, 1 October. We've been graciously provided with a space at The Fleet Hall Avery Care Home, located at 22-26 Church Road, Fleet, GU51 4NB. Tricia and I had the pleasure of visiting the care home last week and received a warm welcome. We plan to start with a small project—creating recycled decorations—and we'd be thrilled to have as many of you join us as possible. Should everything go smoothly, we'll arrange another meeting for November. We will let you know if there is anything for you to bring
On October 10th we will be having our second ‘Breaking Bread’ dining group. This month we are going to Troy in Camberley. I am sure it is not too late to send a £10 deposit to the WI-Flyers bank account to secure your place. We had an enjoyable evening last time and would love more of you ladies to join us.
Our Book group continues to thrive and the next meeting is 16 October ( I think the book might have changed but I am sure we will be advised as to what the new books are.
On October 5th Hart Group have their Autumn Group Meeting. Lynsey Nowik belongs to a Saxon re-enactment group and is coming along to talk to us about ‘Life in the Danelaw’. She comes in costume and will be teaching braiding. The event will cost you £3 for the talk and tea / coffee with WI homemade cake! We would love to see you there.
Please check out our Hart and Hampshire Events page for upcoming events.
Hampshire WI Spring Council Meeting is on Wednesday 19th March at the Guildhall, Winchester (we have Esme from Sewing Bee as one of our Speakers) so you might want to look out for ticket release dates. I will keep you posted!
We are putting our programme together for 2025. Still in progress but you can have a look here.
We are also hoping to organise some trips / outings next year. We are looking into a visit to look around Farnborough Hill School, a guided walk around Brookwood Cemetery to name but two!
Hoping to see you all next week
Rachel
