Poringland Newsletter March 2021

Thank you to everyone who helped to Show the Love for the Environment by providing green hearts for 14th February.  We had enough to decorate the front and the back of our bench.  We put hearts on the back of the bench, so the people queueing for their vaccination inside could see them through the window.   If you follow the Federation Facebook page – we had a mention and a picture this month and also featured in the EDP on Saturday.  The Through the Years section had WI pictures including the replacing of our village sign in 93 after a repaint, with Jean Waters and other WI members.

Dear All

At our last committee meeting we decided to cancel the March and April speakers, this has proven to be correct after the Governments roadmap was announced a few days ago.

Again it does not look as if we will be all back together at an inside meeting for a while, hopefully weather permitting we will be able to arrange a social distanced gathering outside. With regard to no firm date available for any meetings taking place I am afraid that March is the end of the 3 month extended period of subs and membership payment is required in April.

The subscription from April 2021 to March 2022 is £44, of which £12.10 (27.5%) goes to the NFWI, £10.30 (23.4%) to the federation, and £21.60 (49.1%) to the WI.  However, the committee has been sent a document explaining a new initiative from National, launching Subscription Flexibility.

It has been left to every committee of every WI to decide how best they can support their members.  Therefore we propose that you the members pay £34:00 for one year until we are back to normal times, this is a £10:00 gift of subs from Poringland WI as a thank you for your support to each other during Covid. 

 Please note the decision we have chosen  covers the above date period only and will not apply yearly and every WI might be different as there has been no ruling on this from head office. 

As National is still taking their share the amount that goes into Poringland’s account will be £11:60 per member, hopefully we will be able to arrange some lovely fundraising events to cover expenditure of hire of hall and speakers costs until March 2022. We know we will have your full support on that matter as you have all proven in the past you are always willing to help with jumble sales etc.

Maybe you could all start thinking of ways to enable us to fund raise to cover cost of the above period now for when we can meet each other again.

Keep staying safe until you have all had 2 jabs of this wonder vaccine and hopefully we can get back to normal or a new normal.  As long as we can meet up we can cope.

My very best wishes

Pam.

Apart from Jumbles, Here is one idea for fund raising (pinched from Brooke WI).  Would the people with green fingers be willing to grow some plants to sell? and would those people who live on a road with passing pedestrians be willing to have a table of those plants on their drive for one day in June which we would advertise, and sell the plants?  I have a stack of pots that I would be VERY happy to donate.  I could share out some seeds to grow, any ideas what plants would go down well?  Flowers or veg like runner beans, courgettes, toms?-

Please contact me if you are willing to help – Lesley, by email or 492155.

By the way, do let me know if your acorns are sprouting yet.  It’s possible that not all are viable, but I hope most will grow. I look forward to seeing pictures, and later in the year we can have a competition for the tallest.

Birthdays this month

Happy Birthday to Annette Lee, Sue France and Jean Waters.

You never know what you will end up doing when you join the WI – I never thought I would be playing Snow White in a virtual panto!  Until a year ago I thought zoom was something that only planes and small boys did.  When I first joined, I didn’t consider taking over as President, but I have done that job twice.  Within 6 years I attended an AGM in the Albert Hall, my first experience of being among 5,000 women and singing Jerusalem in that iconic building. 

In 93 I won our WI Bursary and got my first taste of Denman College (literally as I was on a cookery course).  I got the Denman bug and have been back 12 times.  I enjoyed all the courses, which have included visits to Blenheim palace, Hampton Court, Manor Houses, photography at Burford, walking the Ridgeway, Oxford Colleges and Kew Gardens. Becoming a Federation Board member led to more Denman visits a Treasurers course and as chair of Leisure one course included a circus skills workshop – that was fun.  I also represented the County on the Time and Tides weekend, which included a visit to Greenwich observatory, after which I gave a talk to the Federation Annual meeting –my first experience of speaking in front of more than 40 or so members.  Sadly, Denman is just a lovely memory, such a shame as it belonged to us all – our WI, like every other donated £10 toward the purchase in 1948.

In 2019 as part of the Federation Centenary who would have thought that at a celebration service we would end up acting out the 12 days of Christmas in front of the congregation.  I must say it has so far all been enjoyable – sometimes nerve racking, but with fun and friendship in the mix.  As they say, you get out what you put in – where will your WI membership take you in the future?  Hopefully one day we will get you performing in a WI panto!  Oh yes we will.  Oh no?  Well maybe something equally surprising.  Remember girls (of any age) just want to have fun!

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As the 15^th February marked 50 years since Decimalisation, How well do you remember £sd?

What is the value of each of these in old money, and what is the total – can you remember how to add it up?

1.        Half a knicker. - 2.       Centre of Head?  - 3.       Type of hair cut.  - 4.       The Queen’s ...... 5.       Its a relief to spend one.  6.       Kind of sleigh – 7.       Leather worker.

8.       Cost of one or two hot cross buns.  9.       One of Tommy Steel’s shows 10.   Cost of Julie’s bird food 11.   Enclosure for stray dogs.  12.   Cost of a black stamp 13.   Old style bicycle. 14.   Reigning Monarch –

 

Comedy Connections answers.  Have you been watching loads of TV repeats to get the answers?

1a  Whose Mother did have em?  Frank Spencer 1b  Played by which actor?  Michael Crawford 1c Which Andrew Lloyd Webber show was he in.  Phantom of the Opera 2a  Who was that ‘Stupid Boy’?  Frank Pike 2b  Played by who?  Ian Lavender 2c  Which soap has he been in?  Eastenders   3a  Who was originally ‘Open all hours’?  Arkwright 3b  Played by ?  Ronnie Barker 3c  Who couldn’t find his ‘four candles’? Ronnie Corbett 4a  Which priest lived on Craggy Island?  Father Ted 4b  Who played his sidekick?  Ardal OHanlon 4c  He recently played a detective where? Death in Paradise.

5a  Who was gonna be millionaires next year? Del Trotter 5b  played by?  David Jason. 5c  Which detective did he play? DI Frost 6a  Whose house was damp?  Rigsby 6b  played by?  Leonard Rossiter 6c  Which of his lodgers is now acting in Paradise? Don Warrington 7a  Who kept up appearances?  Hyacinth Bucket 7b  Played by ?  Patricia Routlidge 7c  She also played which detective?  Hetty Wainthrop 8a  Who played at the good life?  Richard Bryers 8b  Who played his snooty neighbour? Penelope Keith 8c  She recently did travel documentaries featuring what?  Villages