July 2011
Check the website: wansteadwi.weebly.com
E-mail us at: Wanstead-WI@hotmail.co.uk
Wanstead WI: news and events
Meetings
Last month
21 July: Don't get in a flap -- an
entertaining look at the wit,
fashions and foibles of the 20th C
The June
meeting gave
us all a chance
to explore our
creative and
artistic side
when Kate
Hardy gave us a
quick lesson in collage technique. 44
members and visitors attempted to capture
life model Victoria’s form in torn newspaper
or soft paper,
encouraged by
Kate. The results
were laid out for
all to see before
being carried off
triumphantly by
the artists.
Speaker: Pat Godwin, artistic director of the
Palm Court Theatre Orchestra and Company
Anything Goes! Patricia, an acknowledged
specialist on period
costume, gives us a witty
and entertaining look at
the fashion and foibles of
the 1920s. More a onewoman show rather than
a lecture, Pat will be
showing garments and
adverts from her
extensive collection
illustrating how we were
liberated from corsets
and bloomers only to
need bosom binders for our bias cut ball
gowns! So join us for beads and boas, cloche
hats and the Charleston.
Please note this meeting will be held in the
Vestry of the Church and not the Hall as
usual. The Vestry is the building on the side
of the Church and the door is to the right of
the main door to the Halls. We will put a
sign up so watch out for it. As this meeting
coincides with a Church BBQ it is likely that
parking space will be restricted.
Bring your own mug to get a discount on teas
and coffees and to save on washing up.
18 August: Summer Social
Don’t miss your chance to try out the
Nintendo Wii Fit Plus at the summer social on
18th August: we are borrowing two consoles
for the evening. Please, bring along a food
dish, sweet or savoury - Tracey Hall has kindly
agreed to coordinate this to ensure we have a
good variety. If you don't have time to make
anything, then bread, cheese or snacks are
always welcome. There will be a sign-up
sheet out at the next meeting for you to say
what you will bring. Thanks very much
Pamela Morgan’s coffee morning was a great
success, with a good turnout, lots of enjoyable
chat, and the achievement of raising £181 for
Woman’s Trust. Thanks to all those who
came, all those who contributed, and
especially to Pamela. Following that Hazel,
Pamela and Frances Simmons attended the
launch of the “Friends of Woman’s Trust” at
the London Lighthouse, where Labour frontbench MP Karen Buck talked about seeing
daily the impact of domestic violence on her
most vulnerable constituents, and a Woman’s
Trust counsellor spoke movingly about
individuals on her caseload.
Wanstead WI was out in force to support the
Marsh Quilters’ event at ChristChurch Hall on
11 June. There was a stunning display of
quilts plus a bevy of experienced quilters on
hand to demonstrate and discuss techniques.
We suspect that they will gain some more
members and Janice Gunner will have some
more students judging by the comments
overheard. There were refreshments
available and a useful group of suppliers of
materials etc.
July 2011
Check the website: wansteadwi.weebly.com
E-mail us at: Wanstead-WI@hotmail.co.uk
Other news
Come walking, 1st October, 2.30
Orwell WI – picnic, Saturday 30 July
If you’re interested, let Christine Toogood
know via Wanstead-WI@hotmail.co.uk, or at
the next meeting.
Rachel Kolsky (www.golondontours.org.uk), a
blue badge guide with many years’
experience, will lead a walk, concentrating on
the East End silk industry, the rag trade and
the leather/fur industry which predominated
in the 1960s. This ties in with our October
meeting on the subject.
Festivals and Fairs
Following our successful session at the Crafts
Fair at the Woodford Festival last year, we
have been contacted to ask if we want to
participate again. The date is Saturday 8
October which unfortunately coincides with
the Knitting and Stitching Show in London. If
anyone would like to participate than please
let Hazel Welch know via the website. Thanks
Do you want to make a resolution?
Don’t forget that you can draft a resolution
for WI’s 2012 or 2013 AGM – if you’re
interested, see last month’s newsletter, or
contact Hazel Welch for further information
or just a chat to see how we can proceed.
Attention all gardeners!
There is still time to get discounted De Jager
bulbs. The 7 catalogues will be available by the
notice boards at the next members’ meeting,
and Hazel will also bring a couple to the
Cuckfield on Wednesday (see below)
Dates for diaries
Social Evening, Cuckfield, 13 July
Social evenings in the Cuckfield pub in
Wanstead High St are now a regular feature.
The next one is on Wednesday 13 July from
7pm. Anyone who fancies an informal drink
and chat is welcome. We normally reserve a
table for the evening so just turn up and see
who is around.
Theatre trips
24 September, South Pacific
We will be going to the matinee,
at the wonderful Barbican
theatre.
Christmas
Planning for the Christmas trip is under way –
oh no it isn’t – oh yes it is – possibly to see
Cinderella at the Theatre Royal, Stratford. To
find out more, contact Susanne Leaman via
Wanstead-WI@hotmail.co.uk
For more details, see last month’s newsletter.
Essex and national news/events
Essex plans
Among future events organised by Essex
Federation is a Christmas Wreath-making
session on 30 November and a Scrabble
morning on 4 November. Information on
these and other events will be put on the
notice board or contact Hazel Welch, or visit
http://www.essexwi.org.uk/
Libraries or mega-farms?
At our last meeting, Wanstead WI split evenly
on whether to back the AGM motion
opposing library closures, or opposing megafarms. There was no such division at the
Nartional AGM in June. On libraries,
members voted by 98% in favour of the
resolution:
“This meeting urges H.M. Government to
maintain support for local libraries, as
an essential local educational and
information resource ”
To find out more about the campaign and
how to get involved, visit
www.thewi.org.uk/standard.aspx?id=24427
But the mega-farms resolution was not voted
on, on the grounds that the reference to
‘factory farms’ inhibited reasoned debate. The
NFWI Chair says that members “…believe that
the subject is too important to go forward as
a national mandate without further discussion
and research. We now call on all of the
organisations involved in the dialogue to start
a reasoned public debate with consumer
understanding at the centre.” See WI Life, or
the NFWI website, for more information.
July 2011
Check the website: wansteadwi.weebly.com
Essex and national (ctd)
Care not custody
As part of the “Care not Custody” campaign
NFWI has set up a creative writing project
with Action for Prisoners’ Families. More
information on this is on the NFWI website.
NFWI competition (1) The LBD
The latest competition from NFWI is about
their sustainable fashion campaign and asks
the membership to design a “Little Black Dress”
(LBD). More information in WI Life – is this
something we would like to do as a group?
E-mail us at: Wanstead-WI@hotmail.co.uk
NFWI competition (2) Tell us a story!
WI members and associates are invited to
write a short story based on the theme of ‘The
WI 2025’. Stories must be no longer than 500
words, not including the title, and members
may interpret the theme as they wish. Closing
date: 5 August, fee £10. If you’re interested,
contact Hazel Welch for details of how to
enter.
See last newsletter for details of
Poetry competition
Essex new members coffee morning
Other events of interest
The Leytonstone Festival 15-24 July
Creative Biscuit, George Lane E18
Music, quizzes, art exhibitions, E17 designers
fair, bell-ringing, talks, debates, drama, opera,
cycle ride, poetry-reading, dance, photography
– an extraordinary range of events is scheduled
for Leytonstone in the next couple of weeks.
You can find the programme on
http://www.leytonstonefestival.org.uk/pages/
programme.php and a hard copy will be
available to view at the next meeting.
are holding some craft sessions in the evenings
and afternoon with Craft Guerrilla. Hazel went
last month and recommends it! They say:
Late night opening – Thursday 21 July
We’ll be keeping our doors open until9.30pm,
so you can come and do some painting without
the children running around. Come with
friends or make some new ones!
Crafternoon – Friday 26 July
Once again the lovely Craft Guerrilla will be
making their monthly visit to Creative Biscuit to
bring their amazing signature DIY craft packs to
the masses! A great way to try out a new craft
with a tutor available to give you a helping
hand with one of their quick and easy craft
packs. £5 entr yincludes tea and cake and craft
and craft packs all cost around £5. Once again
come with friends or make some new ones!
Oh and if you haven’t already, as well as our
scrumptious homemade cakes, we also have
homemade sausage rolls and samosas onoffer
which are very tasty – if we do say so
ourselves!
And the Leytonstone Arts Trail, now on, ends
on 17 July, so make sure you get to see at least
some of the exhibits and displays before then.
Is your front garden a place of beauty?
If you live in Waltham Forest, why not enter
the ‘Best Kept Front Garden’ competition
(closing date 31 July): to find out more, go to:
http://www.walthamforest.gov.uk/index/environment/wi
peitout/love-your-borough/lyb-awards/best-kept-frontgarden-award.htm
Hard copies of the Newsletter will be available at the members’ meeting and
those members not on email or without access to email will be mailed a copy