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

October 11th WI Meeting.

Our October meeting was Mr Jim Marriage giving us a talk with slides on the Rosary Cemetery.

He explained the Rosary Cemetery is the oldest nondenominal Christian cemetery in Britain. It was laid out in 1819, and opened between 1819 and 1821, but was mainly used by Dissenters, due to it being unconsecrated. It was promoted by Rev Thomas Drummond, but not recognized by the Bishop until 1821.

The Cemetery was extended in 1924 by Captain Sandys-Winsch, and again 1932. Some land to the east was sold off in 1964. There are a number of prestigious monuments, including the 1878 mausoleum of Emanuel Cooper, a celebrated eye surgeon, and the 1849 cast iron sarcophagus of Jeremiah Cozens. It is recorded that crowds visiting the cemetery in the summer led to the employment of a policeman in 1880.

Ada Nemesis Cooper, the adopted daughter of the eye surgeon Emanuel Cooper (who has a grand mausoleum on the cemetery) married the novelist John Galsworthy and their family life together inspired.

Emanuel Cooper Mausoleum

AGM November 2015.

Poringland WI

November was our annual meeting, when we checked our finances with the Treasurer, and the Committee Report reviewed the events of the year.  As this year was the WI Centenary year, there was a lot to report as well as our meetings and outings.  The highlights must include the evening receptions at Gressenhall, the Royal Garden party and the National Annual meeting which was attended by the Queen, who is a member of Sandringham WI.  This was screened live in the Community Centre thanks to John Henson, and we invited over 100 members from other WIs to join us and enjoy a picnic.  Fortunately the weather was fine on the day.

This year we sadly lost one dear friend, Margaret Hems, but have been joined by 4new members, however we are always happy to see more.  2 members retired from the Committee, but we were pleased that Sue France agreed to be co-opted on, and Pam Cooper was re-elected for another term of office as President.

After refreshments, Nina gave a report on her recent stay at Denman, the WI College in Oxfordshire, where she studied costume of the 40s and 50s.  The meeting finished with a fun quiz which was won by Maureen Scott and Veronica Brett.

Our next meeting will be on 13 January, when Rosie Wilkin will be telling us about Headdresses and Hairstyles through history.

Visitors are always welcome at our meetings which are held in the Community Centre on the second Wednesday each month (except August), but if you would like to talk to someone first, or need help to get to the Community Centre, please contact Pam Cooper, President on 01508 491674, or Lesley Sanders, Secretary on 01508 492155.

L Sanders

Annual Meetimg 2014

Wednesday November 12th 2014

This, as usual, was our annual meeting where committee members are voted for for the next year. After many years of loyal and devoted service, Jean W has decided to step down from the committee for a well deserved break. Sue S was voted on in her place. Our congratulations go to Sue and we hope she enjoys her time on the committee. Our thanks and appreciation go to Jean for all her hard work on behalf of our group.

The Arts and Crafts exhibition was wonderful, with many contributions. Our Members are certainly a talented group, with many strings to their bows. The Craft section consisted of crocheted dolls, snowflakes, embroidery and home knits – all of superb quality. This section was won by Sue F with her wonderful sampler. She was awarded the lovely painting. The Art section was won by Diana D and she collected the vase.

JUST A REMINDER

Our meeting in January promises to be a great start to the new year. On Wednesday 14th January 2015, we have Charlie Haylock coming to talk to us about the History of Norfolk and Suffolk surnames. I’m sure that this will be an informative and hopefully amusing evening. 

I would like to end this with a Christmas and New Year wish for happiness and health to all our Members and their loved ones. I hope the festive season brings much time for relaxation and family. I look forward to seeing you all in 2015.

Visitors are always welcome at our meetings.  If there are any queries, please contact Pam Cooper, President on 01508 491674 or Lesley Sanders, Secretary on 01508 492155.

Sam Mosedale

PORINGLAND WOMEN'S INSTITUTE

We had an enjoyable Annual meeting when we talked about our last year's meetings.  We then had an election for President  as Pam wanted a well earned rest.   Veronica Brett was elected as our new President.  This was followed by a quiz and time to chat over refreshments.

Our next meeting will be on Wednesday 9 January at 7.30pm in the Community Centre when Mrs Marie Pennington will  be talking about Pearls.  There will also be an exhibition of pearls belonging to our members. 

Make a note in your diaries that our next Jumble Sale will be on Saturday 23 February in the Community Centre in the morning.  More details next month.

Visitors are always welcome and if there are any queries, please contact Veronica Brett, President on 01508 493029 or Lesley Sanders, Secretary on 01508 492155

Poringland Women's Institute Meeting

On 10 November we held our Annual Meeting and turned our attention once again to electing a Committee and President to run our Institute for the coming year. Happily, all but one of our existing Committee members agreed to continue for a further year, and the one member who was to retire, after giving 13 years of dedicated work to our institute, had well earned her retirement and was presented by a grateful membership with a pink rose tree, appropriately named 'Retirement'.