New Barkby WI

The President of New Barkby WI, Mrs K. Fryman, welcomed visitors and members to the April meeting of the Institute and ‘Jerusalem’ was sung.
During business matters, there were reports given by members who had visited Ragdale Hall Spa for a group meeting; attended the Annual Council meeting for Leicestershire & Rutland at Leicester Grammar School and a visit to Denman College (the WI college) in Oxfordshire. Also, there had been a darts match with Quorn WI who eventually won, but a pleasant evening was had by everyone who attended or took part, at the Syston Conservative Club.
The speaker for the evening was Steve Turner, a volunteer with a passion for the Leicestershire Wildlife Hospital. With a power-point presentation he told us of the work begun in 1984 by Angela Downham and it became a registered charity in 2000. By 2010, the current hospital was in use and Education rooms were established in 2018.
From hedgehogs to badgers, birds of many different species and many other animals receive excellent care after suffering illnesses, becoming trapped or been shot at – the list is exhaustive, but with the excellent work carried out by the volunteers, the charity is able to carry out the treatment needed and to return them to their own habitat, eventually.
Money is raised from a membership scheme, coffee mornings and car boot sales. All very worthwhile.
The vote of thanks was given by Mrs J. Brutnall. The competition winner was Mrs V Cobb who took along an insect box made by her husband (the letter ‘I’). This was the raffle prize which was won by Mrs J. Malam. The Tea Hostesses were Mrs M. Sewell and Mrs A. Wright. The date of the next meeting is Wednesday, 1st May at 7.30pm at Syston Community Centre. Visitors are always welcome.