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Craft Group July 2024 – Quilling

Twelve enthusiastic members of the craft group came along to learn the art of quilling from one of our own members. Sue had organised the afternoon so very well. We each had a pack of all we needed to make a card and we had splendid instructions so everybody was able to complete a card to take home. It is quite simple, but one does need patience and nimble fingers. After a time we all managed very well and had great fun choosing our flower colour and plant pot shape. It was amazing to see the difference in each card,…

July 2024 – Subgroup meetings

The Book Club met to discuss The Library by Bella Osborne. The Craft Group had another really good meeting on the topic of Quilling and the Art Group painted outdoors in Walton Gardens – see separate posts for these. Walking Group went on one of their favourite walks from Acton Bridge – along the canal and the River Weaver, with a lunch at the Riverside. Baking Beauties experimented with baking Gluten Free, Helen C visited to give us some tips.

Main Meeting – July 2024 – Honey Bees

Julia Young spoke to us at our July meeting with tales of sex, violence and adulteration in the life of the honeybee. Members got to look first hand at the intricate honeycomb made from beeswax that the bees use to store their food and raise their grubs. Julia is also a registered ‘swarm’ collector and is on hand to remove honeybees that have swarmed in the most peculiar places, including the back window of a car! Julia had brought some of her pure honey to sell and informed us that not all honey is equal and the vast proportion of…

Group Outing to Saltaire – June 2024

Several of our members joined the Village Group trip to Yorkshire at the end of June. We visited Saltaire and had time to wander around the unique village of Saltaire – a world UNESCO site built by Titus Salt to house the workers for his woollen mills. The old mill now houses a permanant display of works by Bradford born artist David Hockney. An added bonus was the 1940’s festival taking place in the village with a tea dance at Victoria Hall and people dressed in 1940’s fashions. For those of us who walked over the river Aire to Roberts…

June 2024 Subgroup meetings

Most of our subgroups took a break this month – a popular time for holidays! The Baking Beauties did meet to share their ‘Something Fruity’ bakes.

Main Meeting – June 2024 – An Embroiderer’s Tale

In June we held our traditional joint meeting with Dutton WI, it was great to welcome back old friends Our President, Melanie, opened the meeting with pictures of her visit to the NFWI Annual Meeting at the Royal Albert Hall as representative of a few WIs in our area. It was her first National meeting and she really appreciated the opportunity to attend Click to read Melanie’s report on the event Our speaker for the evening was Tina Saunders with ‘An Embroiderer’s Tale’. She studied at The Royal School of Needlework and she showed us many of the amazing pieces…

Bowls – Adelaide Hough Sheild

Twelve of our members competed for the Adelaide Hough Shield on Monday 10th June. Adelaide was a leading member of our bowls team for some years until ill-health prevented her from continuing. She donated this Sheild in 1991, and this was the 34th year the competition has been held – last year we had to abandon it because of torrential rain. This year, despite a very bad forecast, we were lucky with the weather with only one short spell of fairly light rain. It was particularly good to welcome Ann C and Eileen – who haven’t played bowls before –…

May subgroup meetings

The Book Club discussed The Christie Affair by Nina de Gramont. Walking group had an amble around Marbury. Craft group listened to a fascinating talk by Liz Leech about the history of quilting in her family, and showed us lots of beautiful finished and unfinished quilts. Baking Beauties made an assortment of savoury delicacies. Craft Group – Liz Leech from Dutton WI told us about her ‘Life through quilts’. She started off with a beautiful hexagonal pieced quilt made by her grandmother, now worn thin through wear, then progressed through various designs including some made from tea towels bought on…

Mersey Gateway visit

On April 24th Annette and Sue R joined a Cheshire Federation (CFWI) trip to explore the Mersey Gateway. We were welcomed to the Catalyst Museum in Widnes by our ex President Sue Bentley, now Chairman of the CWFI Public Affairs Committee. The day began with a fascinating talk from an excellent speaker who was one of the 3 members of staff of the Mersey Gateway Environmental Trust. The Trust was set up to monitor the wildlife on, in and around the River Mersey from the new bridge up to Warrington – before, after and while the new bridge was being…

Main Meeting May 2024 – Growing Herbs for Health and Wellbeing

Our speaker was William Woods talking about ‘Growing Herbs for Health and Wellbeing’. He runs Blackbrook Herb Gardens near Stockport and his love of herbs was evident from the start. He told us about how herbs have been and still are very useful for medicinal purposes (and which can be dangerous too). He also explained the culinary uses for them. He had brought along a wide range of herbs, many of them unusual but all looking very healthy and strong. He picked them up in turn and told us the name, some cultivation advice and what they can be used…