Delegate report...
UNFORTUNATELY our president, Valerie Greenhill, couldn’t be with us this evening so it was left to Sue Y to welcome members and a first time visitor, Kay, to the March meeting of the Thorpe Acre WI held at the Thorpe Acre Church Hall.
A special welcome was given to our newest member Hazel who joined after her first visit! Two birthday cards were handed out.
At the end of March we will be revisiting one of our favourite haunts for coffee, the Two Monkeys.
February’s lunch at the Windmill was delicious as usual and we will be going back at the end of April, not only to have another one but also to say goodbye to the present owners. As they are retiring, we would like to say thank you for making us welcome and feeding us such lovely food!
Several of us went on to see the film ‘Finding Your Feet’ staring a myriad of ‘National Treasures’. It was a very gentle film with lots of chuckles and, yes, a tear or two was shed.
Tears were also in the eyes of some who attended the Beacon Group meeting held earlier this month. These were caused by the speaker, Pat Hall, whose talk mainly focused on four imaginary letters sent to husbands who were serving soldiers during the First World War.
The contents of each letter and her delivery of them were so funny that almost everyone was in stitches. It was a very productive meeting for us, as we came away with three of the raffle prizes and invitations to accompany Quorn’s and Mountsorrel’s respective trips to Bourneville Village and Barnesdale.
Sue Y. gave her Delegate’s Report from the Annual Council Meeting held on 10th March. This being the Leicestershire and Rutland Federation’s Centenary year the event was held in Hangar 42 at Bruntingthorpe.
The venue was huge and easily accommodated the 1400 or so people attendees. What’s more was there was enough room left over for several food and drink outlets and easy access to lots of stalls selling lots of ‘nice’ things.
The Federation business went through without a hitch. The new national chairman, Lynne Stubbings, was the first speaker of the morning and congratulated the Federation on reaching 100.
She was followed by Jennifer Lady Gretton, the Lord Lieutenant of Leicestershire, who gave an insight into her role as the Queen’s Representative. The last speaker was Mandy Hickson, the RAF’s first female Tornado fighter pilot. Since retiring from the RAF she has developed a career as an ‘Inspiration’ speaker.
And she was, receiving a standing ovation for several minutes.
After lunch Edwina Currie took centre stage. Her first task was to present the prizes and trophies.
Thorpe Acre did well as Linda collected the Runner’s up cup for the Dart’s Competition and Sue Y. received the trophy for Best Programme of the Year. One for each side of the tablecloth!
Mrs Currie went on to give a short, humorous account of some of the highs and lows of her political career followed by a ‘no holds barred’ question and answer session. The meeting was brought to a close with the singing of the National Anthem followed by an ‘a cappella’ rendition of Jerusalem. And that was another story.
Following on from Sue W’s very successful and productive crochet workshop a second meeting was convened at Linda’s. The group has been christened ‘ The Woolly Women’ - thank you Linda!
Crochet books were poured over and items, started at the first meeting, were added to. June A’s blanket, composed of squares, is looking very striking. Of course, there was quite a bit of random chatting and musing and one idea that came to the fore was whether or not to have a bring and buy stall at the monthly meeting with a small percentage of the price being donated to our WI funds.
Members were in full agreement and Barbara agreed to oversee this venture. The Woolly Women will be meeting up at Barbara’s in April.
More names were added to Carole’s list for a social skittles evening in May. The venue and the exact date have yet to be decided.
After a meeting with The Thorpe Acre Scout Group our WI has offered to help with refreshments during their End of World War 1 Centenary Celebrations on Sunday 11th November. The culmination of these celebrations will be the lighting of a Beacon at 7.00pm.
Correspondence from WI House and National was placed at the front of the table for perusal during tea with further information found in County News.
Sue W has agreed to attend one of the Resolution Briefing Meetings to be held in April.
Two items concerning our Federation’s Centennial Celebrations were pointed out. The first being the 100th Birthday Party to be held at Beaumanor Hall in mid-August and secondly, for the more fitter amongst us, where to accompany Angela Blackmore as she walks the 100 mile ‘Leicestershire Round’ in celebration of the Federation’s 100 years.
The speaker this evening was Jane Barnes who told us about her life on a dairy farm in Somerby. She started off with one startling fact that in the 1960’s there were approximately 76,000 dairy farms in the country. Now there are less than 9,500.
She explored the challenges, rewards and future of the business. At present the farm buildings are being relocated and she is incorporating a new visitors’ centre in them. I think we’ll be booking a visit as soon as it opens! It was a very interesting and thought provoking talk. Carol gave the vote of thanks.
The raffle prize and the flower arrangement were won by Ann Standing and Gill Atkinson. Refreshments were provided by Barbara Adcock, Gill Atkinson and Midhu Khandelwal.
Jacqui Stone won the competition, with Jill Pritchard coming 2nd and Linda Warboys 3rd.
The next meeting will be on Tuesday, April 10, at 7.30pm at the Thorpe Acre Church Hall. Jo Golby will be revealing the secrets of ‘Between Stairs - the Life of a Ladies’ Maid’.
You’re more than welcome to come along, have tea and biscuits and learn what went on in the ‘Big House’, curtseying optional.