News

Centenary Baton Watch! … Herefordshire

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The baton is now in Herefordshire!

After arriving in Moccas, the baton made its way to Weobley before heading to Staunton-on-Arrow, where members enjoyed walks around local orchards and shared tea at a celebratory event in the village hall.

(from left) Herefordshire Lord Lieutenant Lady Darnley, Herefordshire Federation Chairman Kathryn Badfield, Federation Trustee Val Lewis and Staunton-on-Arrow President Alison Lord.
(from left) Herefordshire Lord Lieutenant Lady Darnley, Herefordshire Federation Chairman Kathryn Bandfield, Federation Trustee Val Lewis and Staunton-on-Arrow President Alison Lord.

Kathryn Bandfield, chairman of the Herefordshire Federation, said: “Having the centenary baton in Herefordshire has given the WI a great opportunity to get together to celebrate and to remind women of all ages that we are here and to encourage them to join us for company, education and fun.”

Next up … Worcestershire!

 

Our Centenary baton cushion competition entry

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As the WI Centenary baton makes its way around the country, from Federation to Federation, it finds a nice soft home waiting for it wherever it goes. Each Federation will select a handmade cushion on which to display the baton, with its members competing to make the best cushion.

Our own very talented Sue Knights has created this gorgeous rag rug cushion to enter into the Cornwall Federation’s competition.

Clever Sue designed this beautiful cushion featuring anemones and a chough.
Clever Sue designed this beautiful cushion featuring anemones and a chough.

We wish Sue the very best of luck and hope that we’ll see the baton on her cushion when it comes to us next February!

 

Centenary Baton Watch! … Gwent

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The centenary baton continued its journey in Gwent recently as the Gwent Federation were handed the baton from the Glamorgan Federation on the 1st of September.

The baton was taken to Tredegar House in Newport on Wednesday by Gwent Federation chairman, Marian Martin, where around 80 members, made up of seven groups from the local area, held a craft stall event.

On Thursday it was taken to Raglan, Llandenny-Llangybi and Usk, before arriving in Caerleon for Afternoon Tea and onto Ponthir, where members welcomed it in Edwardian costume on Friday.

On Saturday morning the members of Abersychan, Cwmavon, Cwmbran Allsorts, Newbridge, Pontllanfraith, Tredegar and Talywaun took the baton on the Pontypool and Blaenavon Railway.

Members of the Gwent Federation prepare to take the centenary baton on the train from Furnace Sidings to the Big Pit in Blaenavon.
Members of the Gwent Federation prepare to take the centenary baton on the train from Furnace Sidings to the Big Pit in Blaenavon.

The baton was then taken to an afternoon garden party for Newbridge and Pontllanfraith, and on Sunday it headed to Shirenewton, before being taken to Gilwern and Llanfoist yesterday.

Vote for the WI Cookery School!

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denmanAs many of you will already know, the WI Cookery School has been nominated for the People’s Choice Award at the British Cookery School Awards 2014. We were runners up last year, but we can definitely win this year with your help.

It’s not too late to vote, but the deadline is Monday 8th September, so don’t delay!

To vote, email ‘WI Cookery School’ to: peopleschoice@britishcookeryschoolawards.co.uk.

Vote today and tell everyone you know to do the same!

‘Time to Talk’ about Organ Donation

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The WI’s Time to Talk Campaign is about making sure we all know what our loved ones’ wishes are about organ donation. The decision to be a donor is up to each of us (you can become Registered Donor here if you like), but in the end, it’s left to thousands of families every year to turn those wishes into actions.

We know talking about donation with our loved ones can sometimes be difficult. So we’ve come up with a way to use WI members’ talents to show their leadership in finding the Time to Talk.

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We’re starting the Big Conversation, which means we’re asking each and every WI member to:

  • Find the Time to Talk and have a conversation with their loved one about their organ donation decision
  • Get creative and make something through craft or illustration to show who you spoke to
  • Take a photo and send it to us

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Did you sit down to a cup of tea with your husband? Did you mention it to your children when you were cooking dinner in the kitchen? Maybe you mentioned to a close friend after getting your driving license renewed? Perhaps reading a story about donation in the paper prompted you to talk to a family member.

Transform who you spoke to (or are going to speak to) and the context of that conversation into whatever craft or creative project you like. It can be as skilful (crochet, pottery, decoupage, quilling, embroidery) or basic (spell out their name in icing or take a selfie spelling out who you told!) as you want.

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Take a photo of it and post it to social media using the hashtag #WITimetoTalk. Or email it to the NFWI Public Affairs team (publicaffairs@nfwi.org.uk) and we’ll publish it for you.

The results will be shared online over the next year on Twitter, Facebook and an online photo gallery. At the end, we will create a massive mosaic of photographs of all the WI members’ crafts for a special exhibition as part of the WI’s centenary year.

With each photo representing a real conversation, together they will show how WI members have found the Time to Talk, and inspire others to do the same. Remember every single discussion about organ donation is part of a bigger conversation.

You have until Friday 27 March 2015 to share your conversation photos with us. Get crafting!

Click here for more detailed instructions on how to participate as well as some ideas to get you thinking creatively!

 

Operation Christmas Child

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This Christmas, why not brighten the life of a needy child?

 

Samaritan’s Purse ‘Operation Christmas Child’ project has been delivering shoeboxes full of presents to children all over the world since 1990. More than 113 million boys and girls in over 130 countries have benefited from this wonderful programme.

To participate, follow these simple steps:

  1. Wrap a shoebox and its lid separately.
  2. Decide if your gift is for a boy or a girl and select an age category (2-4, 5-9 or 10-14). Print the appropriate label by clicking here. Mark the correct age category and affix the label to the top of your shoebox.
  3. And now for the fun part: Fill your box with a variety of new gifts! Gifts may include toys (items that children will immediately embrace such as dolls, toy trucks, stuffed animals (with CE label), harmonicas, yo-yos, skipping ropes, balls, small puzzles etc.); school supplies (pens, pencils and sharpeners, crayons or felt pens, stamps and ink pad sets, writing pads or notebooks and paper, solar calculators, colouring and picture books etc.; Hygiene items (toothbrush and toothpaste, bar of wrapped soap, comb or hairbrush, flannel; or other miscellaneous items (hat, cap, gloves or scarf, sunglasses, hair accessories, jewellery set, wind up torch, wrapped sweets with a sell-by date must be at least March of the following year). You can also enclose a note or greetings card to the child and a photo of yourself or your family. Do not include used or damaged items, war-related items such as toy guns, play soldiers or knives; chocolate or other food items; liquids or lotions of any type including bubbles; medicines; hand made or knitted stuffed toys; anything of a political, racial or religious nature; marbles or sharp objects; glass containers, mirrors or fragile items; or clothing, other than as listed above.
  4. Please include a £3 donation per shoebox to cover the cost of UK transportation and overseas shipping. You can either make your donation online by clicking here (scroll down to where it says Operation Christmas Child), or else you can write a cheque made payable to Samaritan’s Purse and put it in an envelope inside your shoebox, then secure the box with an elastic band. If you make more than one shoebox, just write one cheque to cover all your shoebox donations and put it inside one of the boxes.

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Completed shoeboxes may be taken to designated drop-off point between 1 November and 18 November. The list of drop-off points will be listed on the Samaritan’s Purse website after 1 October.

For more information, you can see a full explanatory leaflet here.

Cornish hedges are very trendy!

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Even Seasalt is hopping on the Cornish hedge bandwagon! They’ve just published a blog post all about Patrick Semmens, one of the founder members of the Guild of Cornish Hedgers.

And there’s a very pretty shot from the Seasalt catalogue featuring one of their models posing in front of a lovely Cornish hedge.

 

We thought this may be interesting to those of you who will be attending the CFWI Cornish Hedge day on 3 September and also to those of you who may want to enter 2015’s Allsop Cup competition on ‘A Year in the Life of a Cornish Hedge’.

You can read the blog post here.

 

Moonlight Memory Walk in Falmouth

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This years Memory Walk in aid of Children’s Hospice South West takes place in Falmouth on Saturday 27 September. The event brings together women of all ages who take to the moonlit streets to walk in memory of someone they have loved and lost.

By taking part you’ll help to raise vital funds to support the families who use the services of Children’s Hospice South West.

The event is a chance to reflect, remember and celebrate your loved ones, as we walk the 5 mile Falmouth route through the moonlit streets. The event is open to ladies only, aged 14+. The events begin with an uplifting memory ceremony, where your personalised candle bag will join hundreds of others aglow with memories. As the clock strikes 10pm, we’ll set off.

Each walker is asked to raise as much sponsorship money as possible. Your entry fee covers the cost of participation. To register, visit the website of Children’s Hospice South West.

Centenary Baton Watch! … Glamorgan

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We thought it would be fun to follow the WI Centenary baton as it makes its way around the country.

From the 19th through the 26th of August, the baton is with the Glamorgan Federation in Wales, before being passed on to Gwent.

On Wednesday, the WI baton spent the day at Llangatwg School in Cadoxton, and then visited the Aberdulais tinworks and waterfalls.

Glamorgan County Chairman Carolyn Davies holds the commemorative Baton with members of Neath WI at Aberdulais Falls.
Glamorgan County Chairman Carolyn Davies holds the commemorative Baton with members of Neath WI at Aberdulais Falls.

Sorry – we realise we should have begun this in January! We’ve already missed several months, but at least we can now begin the countdown to February 2015 when the baton comes to us in Cornwall.