Phoenix Gardens Agricultural Show

 

On Saturday 6th September we'll be back in Phoenix Gardens with our cake stall - if members can help out, please do let us know. And everyone else, do drop by for cake and to say hello. It's always a great day, so fingers crossed for sunshine!

Next Meeting, Wednesday 20 August : Morris Dancing

This Wednesday, Tish Collins will be giving us a brief talk on the origins of Morris dancing and the 4 main styles. Then the real fun will begin, when we all get to take part in a Cotswold style stick dance, and maybe a handkerchief one too if there's time.  She'll bring her partner Mick, who plays the melodeon (squeeze box), so we have some music to really get into the spirit of it!

As well as being a member of LWEWI, Tish has been dancing with the Dacre Morris, a women's side based in Lewisham (http://dacremorris.smallcogs.com/) for 17 years and for the last 3 years she's been in Three Spires Morris, a women's North West clog side based in Lichfield (http://threespiresmorris.com/)

Mick has been dancing for over 30 years, originally with the Earls of Essex, and is Squire of the Blackheath Morris Men.

June: Children's Literacy

At Craft Club, Victoria showed members how to make wonderful earring display stands out of old picture frames and fabric. Why spend a fortune when you can upcycle? Step aside Kirsty Allsop!

 

turning these...

 

into this

The monthly meeting began with an impromptu photo session outside the vestry hall, to provide Helena with some new images to update our publicity leaflets with. Hopefully we can share her work at the next meeting.

The NFWI Resolution, Organ Donation – Time to Talk, which we voted to support at our May meeting, was passed at the AGM with a 98% majority vote.   

 

More information on how we as a WI and as individuals can support this can be found here: http://www.thewi.org.uk/__data/assets/pdf_file/0007/84931/AM-Resolution-Briefing-Notes-Increasing-Organ-Donation-March-2014-web.pdf

And so on to our speaker!  Harriet Watson from Beanstalk spoke to us about the work they and their volunteers carry out to improve children’s literacy, through working in primary schools on a one-to-one basis with children who need help with their reading skills.  Our committee member, Jenny, also spoke about her experiences as a Beanstalk volunteer. 

If anyone is interested in finding out more about becoming a volunteer, please go to http://www.beanstalkcharity.org.uk/reading-helpers  or contact us at Londonwestendwi@gmail.com and we’ll be happy to give you Harriet’s contact details.

May - Advice for the Future

Apologies for the lack of updates recently!

We started May with card making at Craft Club, where Nicky taught us the intricate art of tea-bag folding for card making.  It's not the actual tea bags that get folded, it started with the pretty wrappers they used to come in.  We had a great time, and got some wonderful results

Our main meeting began with us taking a vote about whether to vote yes or no as a WI to the NFWI Resolution at the AGM. Toto, President of Fulham and Chelsea WI came along to collect our vote, as she is representing us at the AGM.  The resolution was on promoting more discussion of organ donation (more about it in notes from our June meeting) and we voted a resounding "Yes".

Our main speaker was Edwina Dunn, founder of the What I See Project. She talked to us about the project, and how it looks at what it is to be a woman today, globally, and what advice we'd give to young women today, and then it was our turn to be photographed with our words of wisdom! 

You can find out more about the What I See Project here: http://whatiseeproject.com/

More pictures of us with our whiteboards can be found here: http://whatiseewomensinstitute.tumblr.com/

Committee 2013-14

Our November meeting was our AGM, where the outgoing committee reported back on what has been a funfilled, varied and successful year for the LWEWI.  Our new committee and officers were elected and are:

Pam (President)
Victoria (Secretary)
Jane (Treasurer)
Jenny (Membership & Campaigns)
Helena
Kate
Claude

If you'd like to contact any committee members, you can do so via the LWEWI email address, londonwestendwi@gmail.com  We'd love to hear your views on your WI, and suggestions for future activities.

August Meet: Round-up

In August, we turned our hand to floristry with the help of Rosie Folkes, and after a demonstration of wiring techniques we all had a go at making rose and carnation buttonholes, with some very successful results! 

You can find more photos on our Facebook page, https://www.facebook.com/LondonWestEndWomensInstitute

If you are interested in joining the London West End WI or finding out more about what we do, send us an e-mail on londonwestendwi@gmail.com .

Pam,
London West End WI President

18th June Meet: Divine Chocolate

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Clear your diaries!

In our June meet chocolateer David Greenwood-Haigh from Divine Chocolate will be coming along to talk us about all the lovely work Divine Chocolate do, along with teaching us how to taste chocolate using all of our sense and showing us how to make chocolate truffles!

Where? We will be meeting at our usual home of St George's, Bloomsbury. Upper Vestry Room, St George's Bloomsbury, 6 Little Russell Street, London WC1A 2HR. Doors open at 6:00pm for a 6:30pm start.

Please bring along refreshments to share with the group, (they don’t have to be home made!)

The meeting will be free for LWEWI members and £3 for guests. If you would like to come along to the next meeting then email us at londonwestendwi@gmail.com.

See you there!
Kieren
London West End Women's Institute Secretary

May Meet: quick round up

In May Persephone Books came to speak to us about the amazing books they reprint and some of the interesting stories behind them.

Persephone Books

If you are interested in joining the London West End WI or finding out more about what we do send us an e-mail on londonwestendwi@gmail.com .

Kieren, London West End Secretary

21st May Meet: Persephone Books

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Shades of Grey?

In our May meeting Persephone Books will be coming to speak to us about their work reprinting out of print fiction and non-fiction written by women.

Persephone Books in Lambs Conduit Street was established in 1999 by Nicola Beauman with the aim to resurrect forgotten and out of date novels written by women. With their distinctive grey covers the books covers a wide range of subject matter and reflect the lives of women throughout the late 19th and 20th century.

Where? We will be meeting at our usual home of St George's, Bloomsbury. Upper Vestry Room, St George's Bloomsbury, 6 Little Russell Street, London WC1A 2HR. Doors open at 6:00pm for a 6:30pm start.

Please bring along refreshments to share with the group, (they don’t have to be home made!)

Membership for 2013 is £33.00. Membership is non refundable and will expire at the end of the year. Guests are very welcome (£3 for non-WI members) If you would like to come along to the next meeting then email us at londonwestendwi@gmail.com.

See you there!
Kieren
London West End Women's Institute Secretary

April Meet: quick round up

Do you know the difference between Best Before and Sell By? We do!

This month Sarah from Camden Council came to speak to us about Love Food Hate Waste and gave us lots of lovely ideas to help us become more savvy when it comes to food.

If you are interested in joining the London West End WI or finding out more about what we do send us an e-mail on londonwestendwi@gmail.com .

Kieren, London West End Secretary

Craft Club 5/3/2013

Whether you are a crafting connoisseur or barely a beginner bring yourself and any projects you have been working on along to Covent Garden, where Jenny will be attempting to teach us how to crochet!

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See you at the Seven Dials Club from 6:00pm!

Kieren

London West End Women's Institute Secretary

January meet: quick round up

We started 2013 with a uplifting talk from Elaine Mace, a motivational speaker, author and life coach. She came to speak to us about how she changed her life for the better.

Pictures from January's meeting

Elaine has created a simple and effective structure called The MACE Pathway to underpin her work:Me – Focusing on yourself first. Attitude – Consider your attitude. Commit – Take action.Enjoyment – Have fun along the way. Which she talks about in her new book, The Time For Freedom.

To find out more about Elaine please do visit her website www.elainemace.com.

If you are interested in joining the London West End WI or finding out more about what we do send us an e-mail on londonwestendwi@gmail.com .


Kieren, London West End Secretary

15th January meet: Elaine Mace

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On Tuesday we will be having our first meeting of 2013! Elaine Mace will be coming in to talk to us about The Time For Freedom, more details can be found on the Jan Meet page.

We will be meeting at our usual home of St George's, Bloomsbury. Upper Vestry Room, St George's Bloomsbury, 6 Little Russell Street, London WC1A 2HR. Doors open at 6:00pm for a 6:30pm start.

Please bring along refreshments to share with the group, (they don’t have to be home made!)

Membership for 2013 is £33.00. Membership is non refundable and will expire at the end of the year. Guests are very welcome (£3 for non-WI members) If you would like to come along to the next meeting then email us at londonwestendwi@gmail.com.

Kieren, London West End Women's Institute Secretary