Wycombe Wenches sadly had to cancel our March meeting at the last minute, thanks to the threat of snow and ice, which was worrying many of our members and the speaker for the evening, but we are looking to re-booking him for next year. This also meant that we could not collect donations for our Easter raffle, so we changed it to a “Coronation Celebration Raffle” and held it in May instead!
Our meeting in April was the first of our new year. Several of our members were unable to renew their membership for different reasons, but we were also able to welcome several guests and potential new members, so we hope that they felt welcome! The speaker was one of our committee, Cristina Ionescu, who runs a furniture design business, and she gave an extremely informative talk on the history of furniture design in High Wycombe. In May, we discussed the proposed national WI resolution for 2023, which is on the subject of “Cleaner Rivers”, with a presentation, and then held a fun quiz about rivers, before raffling our Celebration baskets. In recognition of the Coronation, several members brought along mementoes from both the coronations of Elizabeth II and of George V – these included teacups, handkerchiefs, souvenir books, and even the original sheet music from the Coronation service in 1953. In June we are looking forward to a speaker on the subject of “The Psychology of Greek Mythology”.
Our additional activities outside of monthly meetings continue – the Walking group had some lovely countryside walks, including one through bluebell woods, and the Supper Club have continued to visit local restaurants, such as Browns in Beaconsfield, and Cote in Marlow. Cinema Club meets in The Front Room in Castle Street. The Book Club have continued to meet via Zoom, reading “Orphans of the Storm” and “Trespassers”.
A group of us had a very enjoyable visit to the Swan to see “The King and I”, and another visit to Stubbings House and Garden, followed by an excellent cream tea. We have a trip to the Houses of Parliament planned in June, and we are even thinking ahead to December, with a trip to Stratford Christmas Market!
If you are interested in joining our friendly group, please contact us via the website address. We meet on the second Wednesday of each month, at the Cricket Club on London Road, High Wycombe, at 7.30pm.
Best wishes
Diane Haylor
wycombewencheswi@hotmail.co.uk
TERRIERS EVENING WI
Recent changes to WI procedure mean that the March meeting now signals the start of the new WI year with the Annual Meeting and appointment of the new committee and officers. The formalities were conducted smoothly, most of the existing committee continuing, with Chris Gray, Carol Gilliam and Gerda Dolphino, by popular demand agreeing to remain as as president, secretary and treasurer respectively. After the business there was an opportunity for members to relax with a quiz over a cup of tea.
Members were soon back in Cedar Park School at the end of the month as the early Easter holiday meant that the April meeting had to be brought forward. Our talk today, by Geoff Pegg was on the highly relevant topic of Cons and Scams. Mr Pegg took us through all the commoner telephone and doorstep scams as well as touching on the complex area of computer fraud. There was plenty of helpful literature provided as well as examples of various security devices.
Our next meeting at the beginning of May was dedicated to the process of debating the “resolution” selected to go forward to The National WI and which, if passed at the AGM in June will shape the WI's campaigning for the following year. The WI has a long history of such campaigns which have frequently proved to be influential in the formation of government policy and public opinion.
The resolution for 2023 calls upon the government to create more safe bathing sites in the nation's rivers. By establishing mandatory standards of cleanliness in certain stretches of rivers there would be a legal obligation to improve the overall quality of these fresh water sites.
Although there was a general consensus that this would be a good thing there were some concerns that such legislation could undermine existing laws ( albeit too often unenforced) around pollution of waterways. Members voted in favour of the resolution and will be carried forward to the National vote at the AGM.
May's meeting, however, could not pass without a nod to the upcoming coronation. Members shared memories of the 1953 event. Several, as children or teens had camped out on the streets to catch a glimpse of the procession and many more had watched on tiny television screens. We enjoyed red, white and blue cakes made by the committee and a challenging royal themed quiz.
For our meeting on 8th June we welcome back popular speaker Edwin Rye to talk about Plants for a Small Garden. We will be hoping for some fine weather in July as we open up one member's garden for our annual garden party
Visitors and members from the Terriers and Hazlemere areas are warmly invited to join us on at 7.30pm on the first Thursday of the month (except August) at Cedar Park School , Cedar Avenue, Hazlemere.
For more information terrierseveningwi.org.uk or terriers.evening~@hotmail.co.uk