On Monday we celebrated Christmas in style with a wonderful lunch at the St Ives Harbour Hotel.
Sue
We all arrived by bus or train …
Sue and Lis on the train
and made ourselves comfortable in the bar before lunch.
Mary, Sally and Joy
At lunch, the usual hilarity ensued and a happy and noisy time was had by all!
Pam and Pat
We’re very sorry for those of you who weren’t able to be there because of work commitments. But next year our Christmas meal will be in the evening, so you won’t miss out!
Liz and Gill
Click here to see more photos of our lunch. Thank you to Helen, Joy, Polly, Sue and Wendy for all the photos.
Our Book Group closed out another successful year with a jolly gathering at Shirley’s house.
If you’re interested in joining the group or popping in to see what their monthly meetings are all about, contact Colleen Lewis on (01736) 363141 or by email on colleen@lewispz.co.uk.
Here’s wishing you all a happy 2015 full of wonderful reading!
Ten of us had a thoroughly enjoyable day making Christmas decorations led by Shirley Battle.
We each made a ring – some of which will hang outside as wreaths and some which will be table centres. We also made an arrangement incorporating a candle and a third arrangement made over the top of a glass container with decorations inside.
Shirley demonstrated each one and then we were let loose to do our own. At the end of the day we had three tables containing 30 different Christmas decorations!
It was a very relaxing day with the usual chatter and cups of coffee to help us on our way.
Thank you so much to Shirley for providing such good instruction and to Lis for organising the day.
Last week the baton was handed off from the East Suffolk Federation to the Essex Federation.
Pat Pratley, Essex Federation Chairman, receives the Baton from Jane Collier, Chairman of the East Suffolk Federation, at Cattawade Bridge.
The baton stopped in Chelmsford, where Joanna Starr of New City Girls WI dressed as a town crier and posed with it. We hear there were lots of ladies, lots of cake and lots of Jerusalem.
Before leaving Essex, the baton stopped off for a special guest appearance at Brentwood Lighting Up where it was greeted by members of The Brentwood Belles WI.
Last Friday, Margaret Walton very patiently taught a group of us all about working with parchment.
We had never realised all the amazing things that can be created using just parchment, a few simple tools and some colouring pencils. Margaret showed us some of her spectacular work – including a spray of incredibly lifelike roses – and we were all very impressed. That was far too advanced for us, however, but we did manage to turn out some lovely pieces.
We first traced images onto the parchment using white pencils. Then we embossed our pattern, adding shading using special tools. Finally, we used coloured pencils, pastels or felt tip pens to add colour. Some of us made bookmarks, others mini Christmas crackers and others made cards, and we were all thrilled with our results!
Margaret was a fantastic teacher and got us all enthused about parchment! If there is sufficient demand, she’ll be happy to hold another workshop next year. So for those of you who missed out this time, you may get another chance! And I have a feeling some of us who were there on Thursday had so much fun that we wouldn’t mind a repeat session!
A big thank you goes out to Lis for organising and hosting the workshop (and for providing delicious cake), and a very special thank you to Margaret for her wonderful tutelage.
Twenty-eight Crowlas & Ludgvan WI members and friends travelled to Exeter last Thursday for some Christmas cheer and retail therapy.
The weather was mostly kind, despite some heavy rain in the early afternoon. Serendipity played a part; some members met old friends by chance and lunched with them; others of us had a clearly mapped-out plan which included (surprise, surprise) a visit to John Lewis. I think all of us strolled around the Christmas Market, held on the Cathedral Green. On offer were saucissons from France and bratwurst from Germany, pastries, mulled wine and crafts ranging from ironwork, woodwork and leatherwork to beads and candles.
Visits were paid to the library and the Cathedral itself, these provided a welcome physical respite as well as a bit of mental stimulation!
After a late afternoon departure from Exeter, we had a speedy journey home, thanks to Robin Tweed, our able driver.
It was a splendid day. “Didn’t we have a lovely time, the day we went to Ex’ter?” Although there was no cuddling with Jack on the way back and cider consumption just didn’t happen – we are the WI, after all!
Nine hardy souls from Crowlas & Ludgvan WI along with four dogs set off from Ludgvan last Wednesday for this month’s circular walk.
They arrived at the Godolphin Arms in Marazion rather wet and windswept.
A rather wet group arrived at the Godolphin Arms (left to right, Jane Twose, Hazel Brown, Val Puddiphatt, Liz Hosking, Shirley Battle, Sue Knights and Pat Gloyn)
Coffee and hot chocolate brings a smile to the faces of Shirley Battle and Sue Knights.
After some reviving coffee and hot chocolate, they set off for Long Rock along the coast road.
Fortunately the rain cleared and the ladies enjoyed warm sunshine for the rest of the walk. This was just as well, as one of the little streams was too deep to cross resulting in a lengthy detour up towards Castle Gate. However, the views of Mount’s Bay were well worth it.
Last week the Centenary Baton was passed from the Norfolk Federation to the Suffolk West Federation.
Norfolk Federation Chairman Wendy Adams passes the baton to Suffolk West Federation Chairman Elizabeth Lansman.
Suffolk West has done it in style, transporting the baton by train and amphibious ‘Duck’, as well as by jeep, Rolls Royce, 1913 Ford Model T, 1953 Morris Minor and motorbike!
It has been taken to coffee mornings, afternoon teas and dinners organised by the 62 (soon-to-be 63) individual WI groups in the local federation, where members have also been encouraged to wear costumes representing the decades that have passed since the national federation was established almost 100 years ago.
On Saturday, the baton spent all day on Bury market and today it went on show at Oddfellows Hall in Whiting Street, before being taken for a photo shoot at Bury Magistrates’ Court, the site of Suffolk West’s first meeting almost 95 years ago.
Cllr Robert Everitt, the Mayor of St Edmundsbury, said: “What a lovely event – for 100 years of WI to be celebrated here in Bury is a wonderful thing. The ladies, as usual, have stepped up to the mark and made their presence felt by getting dressed up in some fantastic costumes, and I am feeling decidedly underdressed.”
Federation chairman Elizabeth Lansman said: “We are a vibrant organisation and I think it’s very important we don’t just look back on our history, but that we make sure we have a good, sound organisation to pass on to future generations.”
She added: “We’re an organisation that does lots of things, but this has brought people together from different WIs who perhaps wouldn’t meet up quite so often.”
The Murley Hall was busy and buzzy last night with a very jolly atmosphere. We were pleased to welcome seven guests, friends of existing members. Isn’t it great that we love our WI so much that we all want to bring our friends!?
Philip Rodda
Guest speaker Philip Rodda regaled us with stories of his family’s business, beginning with his grandmother who, at age 18, worked out a way of preserving clotted cream so that it would last three months. This meant that the delicious cream could be sent to London and beyond!
After the talk, Philip was kind enough to provide us all with samples of custard, crème fraiche and butter to take home. I don’t know about you, but I’ll be having apple crumble and custard tonight!
Congratulations to Sue Knights who won both Flower of the Month and our competition! And also to Pam Smith who won the raffle prize.
We have so much going on at the moment that I thought it would be a good idea to run through some of our events here:
Julia and Richard are generously opening up their home to us for a Christmas buffet lunch on Thursday 4 December from 12 noon. This is sure to be a wonderful celebratory event, so make sure you book! Tickets are £5 per person and partners are welcome to attend. If you haven’t yet put your name down or if you need to arrange to make payment, please contact Alison Latham on (01736) 740259 or by email on crowlasludgvanwi@gmail.com.
Shirley Battle will be leading one of her very popular flower arranging workshops on Wednesday 10 December at the Murley Hall. You’ll be making Christmas arrangements and a wreath. This workshop is sure to fill up quickly, so do contact Lis Davies as soon as possible to book your place! You can reach Lis on (01736) 754146 or on email at busylissie32@yahoo.co.uk.
Our Christmas meal out is on Monday 15 December at 12pm at the St Ives Harbour Hotel (formerly the Porthminster Hotel). If you’re taking the train, please catch either the 11:18am from St Erth or the 11:21am from Lelant Saltings (park and ride). For those of you taking the bus, we’ll meet you there! If you haven’t yet paid for your meal or if you still owe the balance after paying your deposit, please contact Kathy Merrett on (01736) 757107 or by email on kathleenmerrett@btinternet.com
Our next meeting is our annual Feast meeting on Monday 19 January. Your committee will be preparing and serving a wonderful curry supper for you. Please advise if you have any special dietary requirements (crowlasludgvanwi@gmail.com). Also, don’t forget to bring a tin of food or some other non-perishable foot item for us to donate to the Food Bank.
If you haven’t yet put your name down to attend either or both of the Centenary Baton day events on Wednesday 18 February, make sure you do! This is a once in 100 years opportunity! The morning event at the Land’s End Hotel is from 10:30am until 12 noon and costs £4.75 per person. The afternoon event at The Godolphin Arms in Marazion is from 3 to 4:30pm and costs £3.00 per person. You are more than welcome to attend both if you’d like. To sign up or to make payment, please contact Alison Latham on (01736) 740259 or by email on crowlasludgvanwi@gmail.com.
Crowlas & Ludgvan WI 