27th September
An Evening of Fish Cookery may not be an invitation that appeals to lots of people but over 100 Bucks WI members and friends thoroughly enjoyed watching the demonstration given at Newton Longueville Hall tonight. Carrie O'Regan from Denman College showed us how to make 7 different dishes and inspired us to try something a little more stylish and interesting when cooking fish.She started out with a spinach and smoked salmon roulade which looked easy to do, even though the thought of producing any sort of roulade has many cooks retreating to a dark corner in tears.Congratulations to the organising sub-committee Home and Garden for presenting the evening and choosing such a good venue. Carrie will be one of the course leaders when Bucks takes over Denman College in November this year so we know already how good this option will be.
22nd September
Two coachloads of Bucks members and friends set off at the crack of dawn to visit the Olympic Village site under the guidance of 2 Blue Badge guides who met us at Woolwich Arsenal. The event was heavily over-subscribed so another date has been found for those who were disappointed in the ballot. On my coach we had a troublefree run into London and even had time for a comfort stop en route. I mention this only because I know how long some people have to be in the coach before reaching the destination, especially if it involves entering London: this can make travellers hesitate from booking on outings.I think many passengers were pleasantly surprised at the included film and tour of the Firepower Museum before lunch. It was impressive to listen to the young soldiers recently returned from the Middle Eastern battlelines. After a good lunch, we nipped in to the Greenwich Heritage Gallery to see its embroidered panels depicting the history of Greenwich and Woolwich. I could have spent much longer here but then we were off to look at the site for the Olympic Games. This was very impressive indeed, mostly ahead of schedule and much, much bigger than I for one had somehow envisaged. We viewed from the viewing platform and toured round in the coach seeing where the outlying buildings were and what events they were going to house. Our tour was called Land of Hope and Glory and we couldn't have had a more enthusiastic guide. It was good to listen to someone who was so positive about the staging of the Games and of the UK too. And as for Seb Coe, she obviously worshipped him! The outing was full of interest and very busy: everyone enjoyed the day and to arrive home so quickly, was just the icing on the cake.
19th September
It doesn't get better than that! Front page of the Daily Telegraph "WI joins battle to save the Green Belt" and inside a photo of our National Chairman heading an article on the way in which the WI has always fought for our greeen and pleasant land. Along with other organisations such as the National Trust, the Countryside Alliance and the Campaign to Protect Rural England, the WI is joining in the battle against the Government's controversial changes to planning rules, the Hands off Our Land Campaign. Watch the media and if you are asked to write to MPs and Councillors please make time to do so. Imagine the effect of 208,000 letters bombarding the Government offices! Could save the Post Office too, although I bet we are asked for e-mail votes.
Wednesday 28 September 2011
Saturday 17 September 2011
New term for WI members too
16th September
Love your Library Day and the birthday of the Women's Institute.Every WI member was exhorted to borrow a book from her library to reinforce the message given at last June's AGM in Liverpool that the WI was against library closures. It was a pretty insignificant gesture locally so I hope more was made of it nationally. We needed a banner really and actually we could have got away with just passing backwards and forwards through the library door because books issued are not recorded so much as the "footfall".It all went wrong when the authorities started to refer to clients instead of readers. Anyway several of us dutifully attended and let's hope that 4,000 or so Bucks members did the same. We got a mention in the local press.
14th September
The local WI discussion Group enjoyed a good evening when a member reported back on having attended a meeting where the speaker explained about New Leaf. This is an organisation set up to help rehabilitate prisoners who have been in prison for under 2 years. Two WI members had attended in order to tell the rest of us following our discussion on the Care not Custody campaign. The WI was more interested in the sentencing of lawbreakers who had mental disabilities, the topic which had been covered by a pair of magistrates at a neighbouring WI. We revisited the subject and also discussed the mandate passed by the Bucks Federation on Care for Stroke victims. We decided to advise the members at the next WI meeting to contact their MP and local organisations to express our concern about provision of help and information.
13th September
We were almost back to full strength at the Book Group today after the holidays. We started with a brief reprise on Africa House by Christina Lamb for those who had missed the last meeting. Then we turned our attention to The Forgotten Garden by Kate Morton which everyone had enjoyed reading.It was a long novel with some unexpected twists. The style of writing which tells the story in turns between 3 generations is confusing but seems to be a popular tradition in today's novels. Some of the descriptions were a bit Dickensian but the characters were interesting although we thought that one male could have been brought to the fore which would have darkened the plot.We like a bit of the sinister in our books!
12th September
Those WI members who did not sign up for the Art Day at Cheddington missed a treat. Professor Anthony Slinn talking about the Impressionists was a delight and we all learned a great deal. The food at lunchtime had a French theme and was excellent. The exhibition of art from WI members was of a high standard. There was lots of talk over lunch and everyone was full of praise for the small team which had planned and carried out such a successful event.Well done to the Executive members hard at work in the kitchen!
2nd September
A brief mention of an article in the fashion pages of the Daily Telegraph which featured Jazz Domino Holly who has just published a book called Queen of Crafts. Apparently it all started with the author wanting to learn to knit, then forming the Shoreditch Sisters WI to encourage others and the WI grew to over 100 members mostly working girls with Jazz as President for a couple of years, doing much more than craftwork as we all know WIs do.
1st September
The Bucks County Show and for once it was a lovely fine day. The Bucks Federation had space in the Produce marquee and showed off displays with the title of Our County. It was fascinating to see the different interpretations of the subject and to take part in a joint effort. It is all good experience in showing and following the schedule to the letter because WI judges are famous for their strictness in such matters. The training to become a WI judge is stiff but well respected in the world of county shows so that they are often asked to judge for other organisations.It's something to think about doing if you know you have the expertise in either craft or cooking.
Love your Library Day and the birthday of the Women's Institute.Every WI member was exhorted to borrow a book from her library to reinforce the message given at last June's AGM in Liverpool that the WI was against library closures. It was a pretty insignificant gesture locally so I hope more was made of it nationally. We needed a banner really and actually we could have got away with just passing backwards and forwards through the library door because books issued are not recorded so much as the "footfall".It all went wrong when the authorities started to refer to clients instead of readers. Anyway several of us dutifully attended and let's hope that 4,000 or so Bucks members did the same. We got a mention in the local press.
14th September
The local WI discussion Group enjoyed a good evening when a member reported back on having attended a meeting where the speaker explained about New Leaf. This is an organisation set up to help rehabilitate prisoners who have been in prison for under 2 years. Two WI members had attended in order to tell the rest of us following our discussion on the Care not Custody campaign. The WI was more interested in the sentencing of lawbreakers who had mental disabilities, the topic which had been covered by a pair of magistrates at a neighbouring WI. We revisited the subject and also discussed the mandate passed by the Bucks Federation on Care for Stroke victims. We decided to advise the members at the next WI meeting to contact their MP and local organisations to express our concern about provision of help and information.
13th September
We were almost back to full strength at the Book Group today after the holidays. We started with a brief reprise on Africa House by Christina Lamb for those who had missed the last meeting. Then we turned our attention to The Forgotten Garden by Kate Morton which everyone had enjoyed reading.It was a long novel with some unexpected twists. The style of writing which tells the story in turns between 3 generations is confusing but seems to be a popular tradition in today's novels. Some of the descriptions were a bit Dickensian but the characters were interesting although we thought that one male could have been brought to the fore which would have darkened the plot.We like a bit of the sinister in our books!
12th September
Those WI members who did not sign up for the Art Day at Cheddington missed a treat. Professor Anthony Slinn talking about the Impressionists was a delight and we all learned a great deal. The food at lunchtime had a French theme and was excellent. The exhibition of art from WI members was of a high standard. There was lots of talk over lunch and everyone was full of praise for the small team which had planned and carried out such a successful event.Well done to the Executive members hard at work in the kitchen!
2nd September
A brief mention of an article in the fashion pages of the Daily Telegraph which featured Jazz Domino Holly who has just published a book called Queen of Crafts. Apparently it all started with the author wanting to learn to knit, then forming the Shoreditch Sisters WI to encourage others and the WI grew to over 100 members mostly working girls with Jazz as President for a couple of years, doing much more than craftwork as we all know WIs do.
1st September
The Bucks County Show and for once it was a lovely fine day. The Bucks Federation had space in the Produce marquee and showed off displays with the title of Our County. It was fascinating to see the different interpretations of the subject and to take part in a joint effort. It is all good experience in showing and following the schedule to the letter because WI judges are famous for their strictness in such matters. The training to become a WI judge is stiff but well respected in the world of county shows so that they are often asked to judge for other organisations.It's something to think about doing if you know you have the expertise in either craft or cooking.
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