RUDYARD & DISTRICT WI
SUZANNE welcomed everyone plus three visitors to our August meeting. Becka Moore, our stand-in secretary read the minutes.
County news was discussed. If you fancy trying your luck at winning a weekend at Denman, then put a £1 coin in an envelope with your name and Institute on and give it to Sue Clewlow or Motha Woolliscroft, who will then take it to the Autumn Council Meeting in October. For the price of £15 you can now buy a SFWI enamelled badge featuring the Staffordshire Knot and very nice they are too!
If you are a tax-payer please see or contact Audrey, as she can claim Giftaid for our Institute’s share of our subs.
Volunteers were asked for to enter the Group Meeting competition in October
– this is a sweet confection on a plate.
The meeting offers ‘An Evening of Exotic Delights’ – if you have an item from the Middle East bring it along for the ‘pick up and go’ competition. For those attending, if you have any dietary requirement then speak to Carol Alcock and she can let Swythamley WI know.
Lynne James gave us the details for our forthcoming boat trip and buffet and trip to Bury Market followed by fish and chips at Olympus. Carol is organising some theatre trips at the Regent – Benidorm, Summer Holiday and Girls – also a trip to The Birmingham International Tattoo on November 25 and one to see Les Mis at Manchester on March 2, 2019.
Our speaker for the evening was Ann Russell with her talk ’Peas at 2 o’clock’. Ann’s love of dogs, not peas, has stayed with her since she was a little girl. Her first job at 15 was with a local kennel but she was gutted when it went bankrupt. Luckily for her, with help from her uncle she went to a training school for kennel maids near to Windsor. She was in heaven, 200 dogs to look after! When she qualified she got a job with Guide Dogs for the Blind at Leamington Spa. Here they breed the dogs for people who have lost their sight. Ann did a blindfolded walk through a town and told us of her experiences of eating – hence the title of her talk.
Ann came to a point in her life when she wanted a change, so she went to college to do flower arranging and is now an area demonstrator. She has three loves in her life – dogs, flowers and her husband in that order!
There were numerous entries for the competition – a dog ornament – and this was won by Chris Rose and not Suzanne! The raffle was won by Kaaren Tweedy and Elsie Wheeldon won the flowers. The lovely refreshments were provided and served by Pat and Karen Salt, Margaret Hine and Sandra Johnson.
Our next meeting is on Thursday, September 13, at Rudyard Chapel at 7.30pm, where Amanda Whittingham, our speaker, has her ‘Hands on Buns!’
All are welcome. Any enquires ring Suzannne Sheldon 07518074185.