Afternoon tea with Chinese

Doveridge WI

OUR July meeting was yet another example of what a lot we achieve and how many events we plan each year.

Members were greeted with news that the recent Afternoon Tea Party, with entertainment by Something Good Singers, for a group of Chinese delegates visiting a Derbyshire business, had been a stunning success.

Ladies of the WI decorated the Village Hall with bunting and the tables were set with beautiful china and gorgeous flower arrangements.

An English Afternoon Tea was served, which was thoroughly appreciated by the visitors.

They also enormously enjoyed the singers’ rousing renditions of 80s songs, and danced along with energy.

Our speaker was Ian Hingley, who told us about the Norkies. These were farm labourers from Norfolk and Suffolk who came to Burton when laid off after the summer harvest.

Travelling third class by train, or walking all the way, they were employed in the breweries as Maltsters. This was arduous work, but gave the 700 or so men employment and much-needed wages.

It was their job to turn the harvested barley into malted grains for brewing. When the work was over they returned in April to work on the farms.

It was a fascinating and enlightening talk and Judith Crosse, who gave the vote of thanks, said she would view the old buildings of Burton in a new light.

Ian judged the competition, A Humorous Greeting Card, and chose Marilyn Tideswell’s contribution as the winner. Our In-house Raffle was won by one of our visitors, Rosemary Hawksworth.

Another fun evening and we are now looking forward to a walk alongside the canal in Shardlow, followed by Afternoon Tea, a trip on the Foxfield Railway with a cream tea, as well as an afternoon of tea and chat in August.

In addition, one of our members will be hosting a Tea, Talk & Tiffin in July.

How do we fit it all in?