Syston Town News » New Barkby WI News

New Barkby WI

admin — Tue, 01 May 2012 04:04:29 +0000

President Shirley Franklin welcomed New Barkby members to their April meeting. The speaker for the evening was June Davies, from Gaulby, recounted her experiences of being a competitor on the BBC Tv’s quiz show ‘The Weakest Link’. This programme recently ended its whole series after twelve years.
After making an application to take part in the quiz, Mrs Davies never heard anything for about six months, but then had to attend an interview in Leicester. Two weeks later she had an invitation to travel to Glasgow for the programme to be televised, told what to wear that was suitable for the cameras to focus on and three recordings were made in one day. Plus, there were lots of rehearsals for the show and even had to practice the ‘Walk of Shame’. Nobody wished to be voted off first and there was tactical voting. Above all this, Mrs Davies did enjoy her few weeks of ‘fame’.
The vote of thanks was given by Mrs D Conroy. The competition for the letter ‘W’ was won by Mrs V Cobb and Mrs J Cross won the raffle. Refreshments were provided by Mrs C Hickling and Miss E Loder.
Apologies to Mrs J Bishop who won the competition for the letter ‘E’ in March and not Mrs A Taylor as stated.
The next meeting will be a Resolutions meeting on Wednesday 2nd May at 7.30pm in Syston Community Centre.
Visitors are always welcome.

New Barkby W.I.

admin — Sun, 01 Apr 2012 04:03:13 +0000

President Shirley Franklin welcomed members and visitors to their March meeting.

The speaker was Madelaine Loftus, who demonstrated the art of Flower Arranging. The first one consisted of aspidistra leaves rolled up and placed into oasis and then filled with white carnations.

Number two was foliage from Veronica leaves and Cupressus, plus white forsythia and heather. A new rose was put into this arrangement called ‘Amnesia’ an unusual colour of dusky pink, bronze, a hint of lemon, so could blend into any background.

The third arrangement was of a mini size, shaped in a circle of foliage and small leaved flowers complete with a candle.

Number four fitted on to a table, made with Bergenia leaves and other foliage, decorated with red carnations and red roses and also adorned with union flags.

Underneath the shelf was a smaller shelf with a complimentary arrangement already made up. This whole arrangement was the piece de resistance, as Madelaine informed everyone that she had been chosen to make the table arrangement for Her Majesty The Queen at her luncheon party on the following day when she visited Leicester at the beginning of her Diamond Jubilee tour.

The vote of thanks was given by Pat Warren, thanking Madelaine for her beautiful arrangements and interesting chatter.

The arrangements were raffled afterwards and the winners were Mrs A Montague, Mrs A Taylor, Mrs P Smith, Mrs J Bishop and Mrs F Hales.

The competition for an item beginning with the letter ‘E’ was Mrs A Taylor and the tea hostesses were Mrs J Goulden and Mrs B Lancaster.

The next meeting will be on Wednesday 4th April at 7.30pm in Syston Community Centre when June Davis will give a talk on ‘A Weakest Link Competitor’ and the competition for an item beginning with the letter ‘W’.

Visitors are always welcome.

New Barkby W.I.

admin — Thu, 01 Mar 2012 04:02:19 +0000

New Barkby’s President, Shirley Franklin welcomed members and visitors to the first formal meeting of 2012. After Jerusalem was sung, the competition cup for 2010/2011 was presented to Mrs V Cobb for gaining the most points.

The speaker was Felicity Austin of Syston, who spoke of the years from 1945 to 1950 and ‘a nostalgic look at the fifties’. Times were hard, with rationing still in place and these were times of make do and mend. Children made their own entertainment and were able to play in the streets as there were so few vehicles, which included coal lorries, delivery vans, brewer’s drays and rag and bone carts.

There were cinema matinees, train spotting and the emergence of fashion, such as the ‘Dior’ look. Also rock and roll and film idols.

Members were invited to participate with their reminiscences and to join in singing two songs, ‘How Much is that Doggie in the Window’ and ‘Magic Moments’. Afterwards there was a display of souvenirs and memorabilia for members to observe and discuss, bringing back plenty of memories for members.

The vote of thanks was given by Mrs M Gamble. The competition for an item beginning with the letter ‘N’ was won by Mrs B Gamble who also provided the refreshments with Mrs J Oliver.

The March meeting will be on Wednesday 7th March in Syston Community Centre at 7.30pm.

We will be having a flower demonstration with Madeleine Loftus. Visitors are always welcome at our meetings.

NEW BARKBY WI

admin — Wed, 01 Feb 2012 04:01:06 +0000

President, Shirley Franklin welcomed New Barkby W.I. members to the meeting on the 13th December 2011.

The speaker for the evening was Joy Henderson, magician and entertainer, so an interesting talk was given, with the audience participating, as Joy cast a spell on everyone with her ‘Now you see it, now you don’t’ act. She performed a variety of tricks, including the one of scarves and a card trick or two.

The vote of thanks was given by Christine Grant.

Mrs V Cobb won the competition for an item beginning with the letter ‘m’.

Mrs G Baker won the raffle and Mrs B Jameson and Mrs A Talbot were the tea hostesses.

The next meeting will be on Wednesday 1st February at 7.30pm in Syston Community Centre. The speaker will be Felicity Austin on ‘Fifties Nostalgia’.

Visitors are always welcome at our meetings.

A Happy New Year to all readers of Syston Town News.

New Barkby W.I.

admin — Thu, 01 Dec 2011 04:07:32 +0000

At New Barkby W.I.’s annual meeting Shirley Franklin was elected to serve for a second year as President.
Other committee members will be Mrs V Cobb, Mrs R Foster, Mrs C Grant, Mrs J Hutton, Mrs L Linney, Mrs E Loader, Mrs A Montague, Mrs J Oliver and Mrs J Webbon.
Tellers, from Barkby and Beeby W.I., were Mrs K Buck and Mrs J Law. After all the business had been completed, members enjoyed social time and a bring and buy stall realised over £40, this will be forwarded to the local Air Ambulance charity. The raffle was won by Mrs F Hales.
During November, members will enjoy the 86th birthday celebrations at Beedles Lake Golf Club.
The next meeting will be Wednesday 7th December when we will have ‘An Evening of Magic’ with Joy Henderson. The competition will be for any small item beginning with the letter ‘M’.
Visitors are always welcome at our meetings held at Syston Community Centre at 7.30pm.

New Barkby W.I. November 2011

admin — Tue, 01 Nov 2011 04:04:52 +0000

The September meeting was a handicraft session, when Ann Devitt from Leicester and Rutland W.I.’s Art and Crafts Committee demonstrated the art of ‘Teabag Folding’, which members then followed as they participated in making a greetings card each. The vote of thanks was given by Mrs Christine Grant.
The competition for an item beginning with ‘L’ was won by Mrs C Parker, with a Leprechaun Doll.
In October, Rev. Paul Sinclair from Measham, visited to talk about ‘A Wayside Pulpit’ and his many years of ministry in London. He was accompanied by his wife Marion, who sang two gospel songs.
Mrs J Hutton gave the vote of thanks and the raffle was won by Mrs A Wright. The tea hostesses were Mrs Broadhurst and Mrs P Smith.
The annual meeting will be held on Wednesday 2nd November with a bring and buy sale.
Visitors are always welcome at our meetings which are held on the first Wednesday in the month at Syston Community Centre at 7.30pm.
Inspired by ‘Inspire’ My games/my legacy for London 2012, New Barkby W.I. members knitted and crocheted squares for blankets for use at the London Olympic 2012 games. Needles clicked as members worked at their craft at home, or at one of the ‘knit and natter’ sessions held recently at Syston Community Centre. In total, over 600 squares were made and then sewn together by co-ordinator Annie Taylor, who also embroidered the edges and signified ‘New Barkby’ on each blanket, which was made up of 48 squares. Joy Goulden completed at least a third of other 600 and eventually twelve blankets have been assembled and all now ready to be forwarded to a local distribution centre before being sent on to London.
As Anne stated “Our 2012 pledge was to knit 11 blankets (528 squares) which was exceeded by 12 and our inspiration was to bring New Barkby members closer as a group and to create something worthwhile, whilst doing something we all enjoy”.
The photograph above shows members with a display of the blankets. As our craft work took several weeks to create and be completed, we were not able to display any at the recent exhibition held at New Walk Museum. The memory of New Barkby’s efforts will live on, long after the Olympic games have ended. The pledge has now finished. Thank you to all who contributed to our own marathon.

Barkby WI

admin — Thu, 01 Sep 2011 04:06:57 +0000

Mrs Pauline Fitchett of Rothley was the speaker at New Barkby WI’s August meeting. She was born into a mining family in North-West Leicestershire and reminisced about the hardships endured by her grandfather, father and uncles as they mined for coal. ‘Mining Memorabilia and Afternoon Tea’. In 1841, George Stephenson bought the Snibston Estate, sank the first shaft and built a railway, so that eventually miners came from other areas of the United Kingdom, particularly Durham and Scotland. During the 1950’s there were still ponies being used underground at collieries and they were only withdrawn from service in the 1980’s.
To accompany the talk, Mrs Fitchett wore a costume which had belonged to her grandmother, and displayed many items of interest belonging to the miners, such as lamps and a tin for ‘snap’. The female members of the family were very handicraft minded and made nightdresses and aprons, showing off their sewing techniques and their cooking skills, so that everyone was fed as well as possible, according to their means. Members were able to ask questions and look at the artefacts afterwards. The vote of thanks was given by Mrs J Hutton, who stated that the talk had been a trip of nostalgia.
The competition was won by Mrs C Parker with a wooden Abacus, being something beginning with the letter ‘A’. The raffle was won by Mrs A Taylor and the tea hostesses were Mrs B Gamble and Mrs S Gamble.
The theme for the September meeting, which will be on Wednesday 7th at 7.30pm in the Syston Community Centre, will be ‘Teabag Folding’ and the competition will be for a small item beginning with the letter ‘L’.

New Barkby W.I.

admin — Mon, 01 Aug 2011 04:07:10 +0000

At New Barkby’s WI July meeting, the speaker, Kerry Evans of Syston, demonstrated the art of Flower Arranging, all on a summer theme. From a beach theme, with foliage, sunflowers and a bucket and spade, Mrs Evans progressed to a storage jar filled with coloured playballs. The third one had a country kitchen and garden theme arranged in a turquoise coloured glass tumbler, and the fourth, using a flat glass plate, gave a low lying arrangement. In all of them, the flowers’ consisted of sunflowers, stocks in various shades, gerberas, small-headed chrysanthemums and even green ornamental cabbages. All in all a lovely, colourful flower display with the scent of the flowers emerging during the demonstration.
The vote of thanks was given by Mrs A Wright and the four raffle prize winners of the arrangements were C Parker, L Bennison, P Warren and J Oliver. The few flowers left over were arranged into a bunch and won by Mrs C Hickling.
The competition prize for an item beginning with the letter ‘S’ was won by Mrs J Webbon for a miniature shoe with a pin-cushion interior.
The tea hostesses were Mrs J Cross and Mrs M Muddimer.
The next meeting will take place on the 3rd August entitled ‘Mining Memorabilia and Afternoon Tea’ and the speaker will be Mrs P Fitchett. The competition will be an item beginning with the letter ‘A’. Visitors are welcome and meetings take place at the Syston Community Centre at 7.30pm the first Wednesday of every month.

New Barkby WI

admin — Fri, 01 Jul 2011 04:05:51 +0000

‘Here comes the Joker’ was the title of the talk given by Penny Hodgson of Mountsorrel for the June meeting. She spoke of numerous card games, from all over the world and showed members a variety of styles and shapes, including a pack in braille. Cards probably begun in China, as they also invented paper. Then eventually they passed through different countries and reached Europe. In 1720, a card tax was imposed and this lasted until 1930’s.Some cards on display were made of linen, others of silk and contained in very fine boxes. Bridge cards were packed into a pigskin wallet. Mrs Hodgson had been given cards as presents or she has sought them out at car boot sales or fairs and has now built up an extensive collection, which members were able to look at in detail, after her talk. The smallest pack fitted on to a key ring.
Mrs P Warren gave the vote of thanks.
The competition for an item beginning with the letter ‘U’ was won by Mrs Cobb, with a pack of Uno playing cards.
The raffle was won by Mrs C Parker and the tea hostesses were Mrs J Bishop and Mrs C Hickling.
Our next meeting will be Wednesday 6th July when Mrs Kerry Evans will give a flower arranging demonstration.
Visitors are always welcome at our meetings in Syston Community Centre at 7.30pm.

NEW BARKBY WI

admin — Wed, 01 Jun 2011 04:05:30 +0000

At New Barkby’s May meeting president Shirley Franklin welcomed Ruth Green and Angela Blackmore, W.I. Advisers, to discuss resolutions, which will be brought to the W.I.’S AGM at Liverpool in June.

The two resolutions are:

‘Proposed Mega Farms’, W.I. Members are to urge HM Government to ensure that planning permission is not guaranteed for such projects. (The practice of factory farming with large animals, particularly pigs and cows).

Members voted for the proposal, but with a discretionary vote for the delegate who will attend the AGM.

‘The AGM urges HM Government to maintain support for local libraries as an essential educational and information resource’.

Members voted for the proposal.

Mrs C Grant gave the vote of thanks to the two W I advisers.

The raffle was won by Mrs F Hales and the tea hostesses were Mrs S Arthur and Mrs P Warren.

The June meeting will be on Monday 1st June at 7.30pm in Syston Community Centre when the speaker will be Penny Hodgson on the subject of the history of playing cards, entitled ‘Here comes the Joker’. Visitors are always welcome.