September's 2020 News Letter

Dear Members,

I am really sorry to have to inform you all that the committee after much debating have had to take the decision recommended by WI head office to cancel Wednesday September 16th meeting (see alternative idea below). We have also decided to cancel October’s meeting and the AGM usually held in November.   Lesley has explained how this years AGM business will have to be dealt with below.
We will follow the government’s guidelines each month before we make any decision on December’s meeting. 
I appreciate how disappointed you must all be at not having the chance to enjoy meeting  all your friends and members for a lovely social evening out and sincerely hope we can meet in December, in the mean time do continue to take care and keep safe.

Warmest regards.
Pam. 

 

Alternative suggestion for Wednesday 16 September

WALKING is good for you.  If you would like to come for a leisurely stroll, meet by the shelter on the field behind the Community Centre at 3pm.  Exercise is allowed, but if more than 6 come, we will split into smaller groups.  If walking is not possible for you, why not bring your preferred drink and stay and chat socially distanced in the shelter.

 Although we have decided not to hold an Annual Meeting, we still have business that legally must be dealt with: First the Accounts.  We may not have had much expenditure since March but Hilary has to prepare the Annual Accounts and these will be audited and circulated to you all next month, along with the Annual Report, so that you can check, query and approve them.

 

Secondly the committee should be re-elected, but as they are all prepared to continue, we are allowed to extend their term of office until we are able to meet in person.  However we can co-opt new committee members, so if you would like to join us, I shall be sending a nomination form next month.

 

Thirdly the President, as this office should be voted on by you the members, this will not change this year as Pam is happy to continue, and hopefully head up our delayed centenary celebrations in 2021.

 

Here’s hoping to see some  of you on Wednesday.

Lesley

August Newsletter 2020

Dear all,  Another month has passed and we would normally be looking forward to our annual garden party, unfortunately like many other events this year we had to cancel.  Hopefully the weather will be kind and you can all take a chair  and a drink if you would like one and meet behind the Community Centre on the grass on Wed 12 August 2/2:30pm for a chat.  If raining then it is suggested you try again on August  19th same place, same time.  Remember our tablecloth, which is on display at every meeting?  Several members helped to embroider the WI coat of arms for our 70th Anniversary, and Joan Fountain has spent some of her lockdown time adding our WI name and date for the Centenary. Thank you Joan it is looking good.

POPPY APPEAL

Jean Waters has informed me that NO HOUSE TO HOUSE collecting will take place this year due to Covid 19  this decision has been taken to protect the collectors.

Take care and hopefully you will be lucky to meet up on the 12th. 

Regards

Pam.

Birthdays this month 

Nina on the first, Judith Finn and Joan Porter on 31st

Sorry we missed yours Nina, but Happy Birthday to you all

September Meeting

We were hoping to be able to tell you about our September meeting, but we are still trying to work out if/when we can meet.  If we can meet, it will probably not be on our usual evening, as currently the Community Centre is only open for daytime events.  Each event uses half the hall to allow social distancing and there are one way signs for entry and exit.

The speaker, Andrew Brogen of the Henstead Exotic Garden is prepared to change to an afternoon, but I have yet to hear back from the clerk regarding which afternoon we could use the hall.

We will let you know when we hear anything so that you have the opportunity to attend if you feel you can.

Of course this all depends on no further restrictions being put in place.

Denman College

Those of you who have attended courses at Denman and become fans will be sad to hear that unfortunately National  Executive have decided to sell the college.  It has been struggling for a number of years, and we have made donations to help keep it going, so this is purely down to lack of numbers attending and COVID has been the final blow.

The college has never received any money out of our subscriptions, since it was purchased in 1948.  Members at that time collected in their own WIs to pay for the college, so it really does belong to us and the money from the sale will be ring fenced for education.  Hopefully this will mean more accessible courses for everone. 

 I hope you have been making use of the Denman Zoom talks – I have seen a couple and they were very good, I know some of you have seen more and even tried cookery by zoom.

Norfolk Federation Office All Saints Green

COVID secure procedures have been put in place, and we can only visit by appointment  Mon – Thurs 10.30 to 3pm and enter by the back door, leaving by the front.  There will be hand sanitiser and social distancing etc.  Phone 01603 624580 for an appointment.  Also phone if you wish to use the car park when shopping in Norwich.  There will be no one in the office on Friday as no one is to be in the office alone - Louise as the only full time staff member will work from home.  So there will be no parking on Fridays. 

Veggie baking

For those not on email, I have printed the following, otherwise it was in the emailed monthly mailing - Carol and Heather of the board of Trustees are starting a monthly flyer featuring baking.  Different theme each month and this month it is vegetable cakes.  Veg used include beetroot, parsnip, mashed potato and courgette.  So if you have a glut of any of these maybe you can give one of the recipes a try.

The 500 club There was also a form to complete if you want to join.  But you do not need a form .  Just send £5 per share with a note to Vanessa at the office. Postal  address:  Evelyn Suffield House, 45 All Saints Green, Norwich NR1 3LY.  3 Monthly prizes.      

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The pleasures and perks Growing old- some quotes

One good thing about being old and having a failing memory is that you can enjoy endless repeats of detective programmes like Midsummer Murders, Poirot, Morse & Lewis, because you never remember whodunit!

The older you get, the better you get – unless you are a banana!

One compensation of old age is that it excuses you from picnics.

One consolation of ageing is realising that while you have been growing old, your friends haven’t been standing still in the matter either.

When we recall the past, we usually find that it is the simplest things, not the great occasions that in retrospect give us the greatest pleasure.

This month a little quiz about the WI and this Newsletter- what do you remember?

When was Denman College purchased? How was it paid for? Where is the Norfolk Federation Office? What year was Norfolk Fed Centenary? What year was National Fed Centenary?

6. Who do you apply to for 500 club tickets? 7. How do you enter the Fed office now if you visit? 8. Which day is there no parking at the office? 9. What days/times can you visit? 10. Who should be our speaker in September?

Answers to last month’s number quiz

Squares on a chess board?  64 Old pennies in a pound?  240 Years between Battle of Hastings and Spanish Armada? 1588-1066= 522 years Yards in a mile?  1760 Number of days in a week from the number of weeks in a year? 52-7= 45 An old Half crown was how many new pence?  Was 2 shillings and 6pence= 12½ In the song how many swans were aswimming?  7  (there are in my version) How many yards in a chain?  22 How many years after man landed on the moon did Elvis die?  1977-1969 = 8 years The Beatles sang about When I’m what age?  Will you still need me will you still feed me when I’m 64. What is the boiling point of water in the Fahrenheit scale?  212°

12. How many of his 6 wives did Henry VIII decapitate?  2 - Ann Boleyn and Catherine Howard. Remember divorced, beheaded, died, divorced, beheaded survived. 13. By the end of the song how many gold rings would I have?  that’s  5 each round starting at 5th day so 8x5 =40 14. How many piersin Norfolk? 5 and a bit if you count Hunstanton’s.  G Yarmouth has 4 – 2 at the river mouth.  15. How many wings on a dragonfly? 4 16. How many reindeer did Santa have? 9 I am not listing them!  You try singing the song. 17. How many years has Elizabeth II reigned longer than Victoria? 68 – 64=  4 years 18. How many degrees in the angle between South and East on the compass?  90° 19. How many loaves to feed the multitude?  5   20. How many ounces in a stone?  16x14 = 224