Senior Moments - our last meeting of 2019
Monday 9 December
Senior Moments are a comedy duo - 'where culture and comedy clash' They entertain with comedy songs and poems at many W.I's in the Lancashire Area and we last saw them in 2017. Sadly, they are giving up their act as it has proved a hard task visiting such a wide range of WI's in our Federation, especially in the winter months. We all enjoyed their rendition of Christmas songs and wished them well for whatever they have planned for the future.
Only a few members came in from the cold to our meeting, and didn't take their coats off as the hall heating had let us down again! Bravely, we drank warm mulled wine to keep out the chill and enjoyed the Christmas cake and mince pies and good company! Looking forward, let's all enjoy working together for a fun year and some surprises in 2020. |
LFWI visit to Holker Hall
Friday 6 December
Linda Colclough and I joined members of WIs from as far afield as Accrington and Edgworth on a visit to Holker Hall, the home of Lucy Cavendish and Tor McLaren in Cark-in-Cartmel near Grange over Sands. We were split into two groups for Afternoon Tea, our slot being 1.00 pm, and had plenty of time to explore the formal gardens, food and gift shops beforehand. There was a fine selection of local chutneys, jams and other goodies available - I managed to find vegan fruit jellies for my son and Linda bought some lemon curd for her husband because she really liked the shape of the jar.
Our tea was taken in the attractively decorated Ilex Room and was delicious. The service was pleasant and quick but a bit chaotic and we agreed with our new friends from Ingol WI that we could have organised it better. Everybody had plenty to eat in the end, though, and Linda and I set off to visit the house. Local flower arranging groups were responsible for the many and varied displays and the Hall looked amazing. It's a very attractive house full of original features and furniture and we spotted, in addition to some beautiful tapestry and goldwork embroidery, items decorated with peyote beading and a Victorian straw decorated cabinet. Despite the dreary weather, Linda and I enjoyed the trip very much and appreciate the work the LFWI put in to make it a success. Thank you Dianne David for this report |
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Christmas Lunch
Monday 2 December
What a wonderful time we all had today at the newly refurbished Fairhaven Golf Club. Lunch was delicious, our dining room - bright, warm and very spacious so lots of room for all 51 of us today! The food and service was superb thanks to the excellent care from the golf club staff.
Just take a look at our lovely slideshow to see the smiles from all our diners. Thank you ladies for coming along to the Annual Ansdell & Fairhaven W.I. Christmas lunch and may there be many more of these kind of events in the future.
Just take a look at our lovely slideshow to see the smiles from all our diners. Thank you ladies for coming along to the Annual Ansdell & Fairhaven W.I. Christmas lunch and may there be many more of these kind of events in the future.
Annual Meeting & Beetle Drive
Monday 11 November
Yet again the hall was packed with members for our Annual Meeting and this year testing out a Beetle Drive. Due to the lack of space in our hall it was difficult to move players around the room so although there was a lot of fun and laughter, maybe we'll leave this type of game to those in the RNLI who run a Beetle Drive evening each year at the Ribble Sailing Club where there is considerably more space!
The members heard from our Anne, our Secretary, of all the experiences that the group had organised over the year and it is such a joy to hear of all the events we have taken part in together, a reminder of all the good memories. Dianne, our Treasurer, presented the financial plan, detailing some of the areas where our subscriptions are being used. The President ended the presentations with an address on the vision of the WI, which is to make an impact in our community, to influence local, national and world issues and to learn new and traditional skills. She continued with clarifying our goals which are to improve women's live and the lives of those around them, to lead fulfilling lives and be of value in the community and to provide a friendly atmosphere where women can be inspired and enlightened.
The Annual Meeting came to a close after a ballot for President which resulted in Susan remaining as President for another year and the Committee number increasing with Janet joining the team. Thanks were given to each Committee Member and our sub group hosts Val, Linda and Maureen. A special thank you went to Julie who is retiring from her role as Speaker Secretary after 6 years. Glenis will be taking over this role in the new WI year. What a terrific Team!
The members heard from our Anne, our Secretary, of all the experiences that the group had organised over the year and it is such a joy to hear of all the events we have taken part in together, a reminder of all the good memories. Dianne, our Treasurer, presented the financial plan, detailing some of the areas where our subscriptions are being used. The President ended the presentations with an address on the vision of the WI, which is to make an impact in our community, to influence local, national and world issues and to learn new and traditional skills. She continued with clarifying our goals which are to improve women's live and the lives of those around them, to lead fulfilling lives and be of value in the community and to provide a friendly atmosphere where women can be inspired and enlightened.
The Annual Meeting came to a close after a ballot for President which resulted in Susan remaining as President for another year and the Committee number increasing with Janet joining the team. Thanks were given to each Committee Member and our sub group hosts Val, Linda and Maureen. A special thank you went to Julie who is retiring from her role as Speaker Secretary after 6 years. Glenis will be taking over this role in the new WI year. What a terrific Team!
Linda, Barbara, and Caroline all made a huge effort to encourage, cajole, craft and gently persuade our members to make things for our craft table to raise funds.
As you can see, the results were truly amazing, a very big thank you to everyone who contributed this year resulting in a great success raising a fabulous amount which will be revealed at our December Meeting! Thank you very much to all our members for their tremendous efforts, hard work and creativity. There were crafts from the craft group, produce such as lemon curd, jams and delicious marmalade cakes, Christmas decorations, hand-made jewellery and much, much more. Christmas present buying was at it's best this evening. |
Nordic Walking ~ an LFWI event
Wednesday 16 October
Twenty one of us turned up for the morning session of Nordic walking at Avenham Park arranged by LFWI. Our instructor Dawn has been teaching people the technique, and leading walks at various levels, for a number of years. She was patient, funny and charming and quickly had us equipped with poles and striding off around the park. Nordic Walking can, apparently, burn off 20-40% more calories than ordinary walking, works the whole body and is suitable for everyone - even a mixed bunch of novices like us. No-one had tried Nordic walking before but everyone seemed to enjoy it, especially in such lovely surroundings. In spite of the usual Preston drizzle it was a morning well-spent and I, for one, will be trying it again.
Thank you Dianne David for this interesting and picturesque report.
Thank you Dianne David for this interesting and picturesque report.
Gift Wrapping with a Difference
Monday 14 October
As we celebrated our 14th Birthday, with tea and cake, we welcomed Elaine Cuzner, our speaker for the evening. Elaine is an expert in crafting and one of her many strengths is beautiful and unusual gift wrapping techniques.
Elaine was able to show all of us, not only the experienced crafters, how impressively wrapped gifts do not need a professional or indeed cost a fortune in expensive paper and decorations. She demonstrated how to wrap a simple box, advising all of us to keep the boxes we receive in the post plus recycling personal cards which can be used as decoration. Buttons, hearts, flowers, ribbons can all be easily recycled and make a fantastic difference to a present. |
You can see from the photograph on the left, that the red and gold gift (a simple box of sweets) looks stunning using tissue paper and clever folding! The small red and white spotted gift box is made from a toilet roll centre useful for wrapping earrings or small pieces of jewellery, or can be used as Christmas tree decorations. With a good deal of humour and an impressive hand to eye coordination with the glue gun, Elaine showed us that it is possible to produce very classy and polished gifts simply. Thank you to Janet Carling for her witty vote of thanks. |
LFWI County Show - Our News!
September 2019
A massive congratulations to everyone who received a placement in the County Show and well done to everyone who put an entry into the show. All your entries helped us gain points which put us 5th on the points chart which is a great achievement, so thank you very much for all your hard work. Below photos and placement details from the show and hopefully this will encourage all our members to take part next year!
Thank you to Linda Colclough for this enlightening report!
Thank you to Linda Colclough for this enlightening report!
Janet, a first timer making Jam & Marmalade, received SECOND place for her marmalade and HIGHLY COMMENDED for her Jam using flowers.
THIRD places went to County Show first timer, Joyce, for her decorated candle, Pam for her greeting card using rubber stamping and Caroline for her floral arrange in miniature watering can.
And to everyone involved in creating the beautiful Hawkshaw Trophy, thank you and congratulations on THIRD place.
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Caroline with a SECOND place for a 3D garden bird ready to be hung. Linda received SECOND places for a hand decorated faberge egg, an item of goldwork, a scarecrow photograph, a garden by moonlight photograph and a greeting card using die cutting.
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Sing for your Supper
Monday 9 September
“Sing for your Supper” was the descriptive title of Marilyn (Mel) and Steve Marshall’s debut visit to Ansdell and Fairhaven W.I.
Our evening began with birthday greetings to those members who have birthdays this month, and also special congratulations to Helen Barker and her husband who celebrate their 60th Wedding Anniversary.
Julie introduced our guests Mel and Steve Marshall (pictured above), from Poulton. Mel has been involved in music and brass bands for over 50 years and the couple are involved with four choirs. In addition Mel has her own newly formed choir - The Coasters - who are based in Cleveleys. They have recently created two new choirs, one at St Annes and one at Thornton, which are known by the apt name of “Singing for Fun.” The title says it all – the choirs offer the opportunity to sing for pleasure, and with it comes relaxation, social opportunities and a lot of laughter. The choirs have performed at various local retirement homes, and also raise money for charity.
Mel is a skilled conductor, whilst Steve organises the music and assists in leading the singing. The hilarious rapport between the two kept us all entertained with barely a chance to draw breath to sing! But sing we did, and the skilfully selected songs of Elvis Presley, Cliff Richard, The Beatles, John Denver, Abba and many more certainly provided a trip down memory lane and a wonderful opportunity to enjoy our favourite songs. We even joined in with actions and they soon had us dancing in the aisles!
Julie introduced our guests Mel and Steve Marshall (pictured above), from Poulton. Mel has been involved in music and brass bands for over 50 years and the couple are involved with four choirs. In addition Mel has her own newly formed choir - The Coasters - who are based in Cleveleys. They have recently created two new choirs, one at St Annes and one at Thornton, which are known by the apt name of “Singing for Fun.” The title says it all – the choirs offer the opportunity to sing for pleasure, and with it comes relaxation, social opportunities and a lot of laughter. The choirs have performed at various local retirement homes, and also raise money for charity.
Mel is a skilled conductor, whilst Steve organises the music and assists in leading the singing. The hilarious rapport between the two kept us all entertained with barely a chance to draw breath to sing! But sing we did, and the skilfully selected songs of Elvis Presley, Cliff Richard, The Beatles, John Denver, Abba and many more certainly provided a trip down memory lane and a wonderful opportunity to enjoy our favourite songs. We even joined in with actions and they soon had us dancing in the aisles!
Some of our ladies are already members of “Singing For Fun” which meets on Tuesdays at 14.00 hours in St Anne's Parish Church, and after this evening we may well find that we have recruited new songsters!
Tricia thanked Mel and Steve for providing such an entertaining evening and ended with a well earned supper provided by our members.
Thank you to Pauline Mason for this entertaining report
Forensic Science
Monday 12 August
We were delighted to welcome Caroline Eames as our guest speaker. Caroline started working for the Home Office as a forensic scientist over 32 years ago and now works for a private company covering all aspects of forensic science. DNA stands for deoxyribonbucleic acid which is a chemical made up of two long molecules, arranged in a spiral which is referred to as the double-helix structure. DNA carries genetic information.
Caroline explained how every physical contact leaves a trace and if left untouched it can last forever and clarified how the advances in DNA has changed everything within the forensic science world. A full DNA can be gained from a sample of just 1 millimetre and this can be accurate to 1 in a billion.
In her long career, Caroline has attended over 350 murder scenes and she brought along the compulsory outfit she has to wear when she attend these events, modelled beautifully by our very own Caroline! Probably not as glamorous as we expected based on various TV series!!
In her long career, Caroline has attended over 350 murder scenes and she brought along the compulsory outfit she has to wear when she attend these events, modelled beautifully by our very own Caroline! Probably not as glamorous as we expected based on various TV series!!
This was a fascinating talk about recovering evidence and using this evidence to provide proof to aid conviction where applicable.
Thank you Julie Swift for this illuminating report.
Thank you Julie Swift for this illuminating report.
Lancashire Federation Denman College Visit
Sunday 14th ~ Tuesday 16 July
Linda and I, along with 70 other Lancashire ladies, went on the two night Federation trip to Denman College near Oxford.
The Denman experience is like no other. You're busy from the moment you leave your room in the morning, until you decide it's time for bed. Linda and I had each been to Denman three times prior to this trip, and knew exactly what to expect. A few days of 'me time' doing an activity you've chosen, whilst someone else makes the meals, Everyone is so friendly, you make new friends each time you go, and even keep in touch with some of them.
Linda did a Ribbon Embroidery course this time, and made this fabulous topiary tree picture. Amazing, especially when you realise this was done in less than two days. (Though the ribbon embroidery ladies did have extremely short coffee breaks, worked through their allocated free time in the afternoon, and also went back to their studio after dinner for an hour!)
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Of special interest to any crafters visiting Denman is the Faberdashery which is a small shop piled high with donated fabric and haberdashery. Here, at bargain basement prices, you can buy all sorts of materials that you didn’t know you needed. You can buy crafting tools that you have no use for, or even have no idea what they are. But they’re cheap...and you never know, they might come in handy some time. Of course, Linda and I, despite both having large stashes of craft related items at home, couldn’t resist rummaging through the stock. And yes, we did both add to Denman's funds.
Other courses available during our stay included pewter work, a visit to the Ashmolean Museum, a ramble along the river, a Lloyd Webber singing and dancing group, and Sicilian cookery. Something for everyone. The singers and dancers put on a show for us on the last evening. One of that group's members was 94 years old - now that's what I call an inspiring woman!
We had an absolutely wonderful couple of days. The next Federation trip will be in October 2020. I'm fairly sure our names will be on the list – why don't you think about joining us?
Thank you to Janet for this informative update.
Other courses available during our stay included pewter work, a visit to the Ashmolean Museum, a ramble along the river, a Lloyd Webber singing and dancing group, and Sicilian cookery. Something for everyone. The singers and dancers put on a show for us on the last evening. One of that group's members was 94 years old - now that's what I call an inspiring woman!
We had an absolutely wonderful couple of days. The next Federation trip will be in October 2020. I'm fairly sure our names will be on the list – why don't you think about joining us?
Thank you to Janet for this informative update.
Day Trip to Llandudno (an LFWI event)
Thursday 11th July
We left Lytham at 08.00 hours on a sunny Thursday morning and headed for Barton village hall to board the coach. 16 members got on at Barton; 3 from Ansdell & Fairhaven WI, Val McLachlan, Anne Butterworth and myself. Next stop Leyland offices to pick up the remainder of the passengers. There were 48 of us on the coach which included 2 trustees who had organised the trip. When everyone had finally been accounted for we set off in the capable hands of Richard our driver, a man of very few words!
We arrived in Llandudno around 11.30 hours, first stop (no not the loo) to Costa for a much needed cup of coffee then off to explore. We had a leisurely stroll down the Main Street then onto the promenade where unfortunately it started to rain. However, no problem for hardy northerners, macs out of bags and we continued on towards the pier. The rain was only short lived and we went to find the Tramway to take us to the top of the Great Orme which offers views of Snowdonia, Anglesey, The Isle of Man, Blackpool and The Lake District. This is a two stage journey changing trams at the Halfway Station where you can see the workings of the funicular tramway ~ a wonderful fete of Victorian engineering. The sun was shining but it was quite windy when we arrived at the top. The views were spectacular although it was difficult to orientate yourself. After looking around the gift shop and the little museum we decided it was time to get the tram down and find somewhere for a late lunch. The views over Llandudno, which is a lovely town, and of the tramway were fantastic on the descent.
Val took us to a lovely restaurant that she and her husband had used on a recent holiday in Llandudno. We had a very leisurely lunch with a bottle of wine before setting off to look round the shops and head back to the coach pick up point. All in all a most enjoyable day.
Thank you for Anne Allingham for this report
We arrived in Llandudno around 11.30 hours, first stop (no not the loo) to Costa for a much needed cup of coffee then off to explore. We had a leisurely stroll down the Main Street then onto the promenade where unfortunately it started to rain. However, no problem for hardy northerners, macs out of bags and we continued on towards the pier. The rain was only short lived and we went to find the Tramway to take us to the top of the Great Orme which offers views of Snowdonia, Anglesey, The Isle of Man, Blackpool and The Lake District. This is a two stage journey changing trams at the Halfway Station where you can see the workings of the funicular tramway ~ a wonderful fete of Victorian engineering. The sun was shining but it was quite windy when we arrived at the top. The views were spectacular although it was difficult to orientate yourself. After looking around the gift shop and the little museum we decided it was time to get the tram down and find somewhere for a late lunch. The views over Llandudno, which is a lovely town, and of the tramway were fantastic on the descent.
Val took us to a lovely restaurant that she and her husband had used on a recent holiday in Llandudno. We had a very leisurely lunch with a bottle of wine before setting off to look round the shops and head back to the coach pick up point. All in all a most enjoyable day.
Thank you for Anne Allingham for this report
Have a go at Archery (an LFWI event)
Tuesday 9th July
Eighteen W.I. members went along to Samlesbury and Pendle Bowmen premises for a morning of archery, where we were made extremely welcome by the friendly members of the club and the two members of the leisure activities committee who had arranged the event.
Though the day was fine we were shooting indoors and there were four coaches to show us what to do, as well as other members of the bowmen group on hand to provide tea, coffee and biscuits. As with any sport we had first to warm up so our muscles were loose and ready for action. That said, archery is a very inclusive activity which anyone of any age can do and it can also be done from a seated position.
We split into small teams each appointed a coach, and were shown how to hold the bow, load the arrow and fire. There are bows for both left and right handed archers, and the equipment is modern and surprisingly lightweight, with aluminium arrows. In our groups of three or four we each took turns to shoot three arrows, everyone’s set of three being flighted with differently coloured feathers, so we could tell which were whose when we later looked at where they’d landed. This set of shooting is called an “end”. Shooting an arrow is a surprisingly simple thing to do, and though hitting the section of the target you’re aiming for isn’t quite so easy, most of us did hit the target rather than the roof, walls or ceiling of the shooting hall. Our scores were kept by a referee and we were given individual advice from our coaches on how to improve after each shot.
After several ends at close range we had a coffee break, and when we began again, the starting position had been moved so now we had to shoot from twice as far away. Again scores were kept, then those who had improved the most were put into a “shoot off”. I was the most improved in my team, so made the shoot off but didn’t win it.
Finally balloons were pinned to the targets and we had to shoot and pop them. This was much more difficult than anyone expected and even the coaches were not able to do it with ease. Final scores were totted up and prizes awarded, and I’m happy to say one of my teammates was amongst the winners.
It was a thoroughly enjoyable morning, where we learnt a lot, made new friends and had a huge amount of fun. Some of us are even considering signing up for beginners’ classes, and we were all very happy we’d had a go: for one lady it was even a tick off her bucket list.
Thank you to Tracey Garvey for this report
Though the day was fine we were shooting indoors and there were four coaches to show us what to do, as well as other members of the bowmen group on hand to provide tea, coffee and biscuits. As with any sport we had first to warm up so our muscles were loose and ready for action. That said, archery is a very inclusive activity which anyone of any age can do and it can also be done from a seated position.
We split into small teams each appointed a coach, and were shown how to hold the bow, load the arrow and fire. There are bows for both left and right handed archers, and the equipment is modern and surprisingly lightweight, with aluminium arrows. In our groups of three or four we each took turns to shoot three arrows, everyone’s set of three being flighted with differently coloured feathers, so we could tell which were whose when we later looked at where they’d landed. This set of shooting is called an “end”. Shooting an arrow is a surprisingly simple thing to do, and though hitting the section of the target you’re aiming for isn’t quite so easy, most of us did hit the target rather than the roof, walls or ceiling of the shooting hall. Our scores were kept by a referee and we were given individual advice from our coaches on how to improve after each shot.
After several ends at close range we had a coffee break, and when we began again, the starting position had been moved so now we had to shoot from twice as far away. Again scores were kept, then those who had improved the most were put into a “shoot off”. I was the most improved in my team, so made the shoot off but didn’t win it.
Finally balloons were pinned to the targets and we had to shoot and pop them. This was much more difficult than anyone expected and even the coaches were not able to do it with ease. Final scores were totted up and prizes awarded, and I’m happy to say one of my teammates was amongst the winners.
It was a thoroughly enjoyable morning, where we learnt a lot, made new friends and had a huge amount of fun. Some of us are even considering signing up for beginners’ classes, and we were all very happy we’d had a go: for one lady it was even a tick off her bucket list.
Thank you to Tracey Garvey for this report
Morecambe Bay ~ Underwater Safari
Monday 8th July
Our meeting began with warm congratulations to one of our members, June Oliver, who celebrates her Diamond Wedding anniversary this month. Her husband reflected that their wedding reception was held in the local village hall and they will be celebrating their 60th at Lytham Hall!
A warm welcome was extended to our guest speaker Gordon Fletcher from Lancaster. He is an experienced and qualified scuba diver and delivered an illustrated talk entitled "Morecambe Bay, Underwater Safari". His breadth of knowledge and wonderful photography gave us an insight into the host of creatures that inhabit the Bay. These varied from shrimps and prawns to octopus and even visits from basking sharks. He explained the life and habitats of all the creatures too and we were amazed that such colourful and varied marine animals live so near to our shores.
Thank you to Julie Swift and Pauline Mason for this report
A warm welcome was extended to our guest speaker Gordon Fletcher from Lancaster. He is an experienced and qualified scuba diver and delivered an illustrated talk entitled "Morecambe Bay, Underwater Safari". His breadth of knowledge and wonderful photography gave us an insight into the host of creatures that inhabit the Bay. These varied from shrimps and prawns to octopus and even visits from basking sharks. He explained the life and habitats of all the creatures too and we were amazed that such colourful and varied marine animals live so near to our shores.
Thank you to Julie Swift and Pauline Mason for this report
Illuminated Manuscripts and Calligraphy
June 2019 ~ Lancashire Federation Course
Our speaker, who was from the Catholic History Society, gave a fascinating illustrated talk about illuminated manuscripts produced from the 12th to early 16th century. He set these in the context of their pre-Reformation period, in which, not only were all christians Roman Catholic, but all such documents were written only in Latin and used almost exclusively by priests, though a few breviaries and books of hours were owned and read by very wealthy non-churchmen.
Being all in a similar script and in Latin it can be difficult, even for modern scholars, to determine the country in which each had been produced: we saw examples from England, France, Italy and Spain, but to the untrained eye they were indistinguishable. We also saw a page from one of the first printed psalters. Dating from 1531 and printed in Paris, it was especially interesting, as unusually for those times, the printer was female, and we even know her name.
We also learned about the structure of church life in the part of Lancashire we now know as Leyland: and were surprised to be allowed to pass round and examine several authentic examples, of manuscripts. Even more fascinating was to see the annotation made by the scribe when a mistake had been made. The missing words are written in the margin with a little symbol that looks like a pair of scissors and another much smaller scissor symbol is added in the text at the point of the omission. We learned about the extensive abbreviations made by the scribes and that new paragraphs and important points are written with red ink: the origin of the expression “a red-letter day”.
After a hasty lunch break our second speaker gave us some basic instructions on forming an italic calligraphy hand. Sellotaping two pencils together to mimic the slant of an oblique pen nib, we practiced holding the pen at the correct angle to the paper and copied some letter in lower and upper case, so getting a taster of the art.
Thank you to Tracey Garvey for this fascinating report
Being all in a similar script and in Latin it can be difficult, even for modern scholars, to determine the country in which each had been produced: we saw examples from England, France, Italy and Spain, but to the untrained eye they were indistinguishable. We also saw a page from one of the first printed psalters. Dating from 1531 and printed in Paris, it was especially interesting, as unusually for those times, the printer was female, and we even know her name.
We also learned about the structure of church life in the part of Lancashire we now know as Leyland: and were surprised to be allowed to pass round and examine several authentic examples, of manuscripts. Even more fascinating was to see the annotation made by the scribe when a mistake had been made. The missing words are written in the margin with a little symbol that looks like a pair of scissors and another much smaller scissor symbol is added in the text at the point of the omission. We learned about the extensive abbreviations made by the scribes and that new paragraphs and important points are written with red ink: the origin of the expression “a red-letter day”.
After a hasty lunch break our second speaker gave us some basic instructions on forming an italic calligraphy hand. Sellotaping two pencils together to mimic the slant of an oblique pen nib, we practiced holding the pen at the correct angle to the paper and copied some letter in lower and upper case, so getting a taster of the art.
Thank you to Tracey Garvey for this fascinating report
Cranford - Outdoor Theatre & Afternoon Tea at Lytham Hall
Sunday 16th June
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A number of ladies stepped back in time with Chapterhouse Theatre and found themselves whisked into the world of small town life in Victorian England. In the sleepy village of Cranford, a mysterious new arrival is setting hearts a flutter but can lost loves and old friendships withstand the drama of snobbery, gossip, and social scandal?
Sadly, the actors who, although stalwart and stoical, were soaked as were the brass band, the Hall volunteers and the audience. The rain held off until the very start of the play, so the early picnic visitors were able to partake in their epicurean delights without a problem. Our W.I., along with several others, were entertained with afternoon tea in the Hall Cafe which was delightful and gave us an opportunity to meet old friends and make new ones. |
Eliza - the Woman who Did by Gwyneth Milard
Monday 10th June
Gwyneth started by telling us how she had always wanted to be an author. After a successful career in teaching, she decided she wanted to put pen to paper, the difficulty was choosing a subject. After much reflection, she chose to write a biography on her husband’s Aunt Eliza. Very little was known to her family about Aunt Eliza and her husbands memory of her was limited.
Eliza was born in 1863, the eldest of 11 children and at the age of 14 she met and fell on love with George McLaughlin, an apprentice doctor. She shocked everyone by living with the doctor from the age of 26 without being married. This was when she was dubbed “The woman who did”.
Gwyneth explained the difficulties of the research for the book and how many times she came to a dead end. With hard work and some amazing set of circumstances, she was able to piece together the story of Eliza. When at a loss how to move forward, a cousin in New Zealand completed the story by discovering some of Eliza’s letters. Gwyneth was able to write the full biography of a fascinating woman.
This is a true story of Eliza, a young girl from the Lancashire town of Wigan in the late 19th and early 20th Centuries. Against her parents' wishes she deserted her family and fell under his spell. His controlling influence continued even after his untimely death when bigotry and prejudice led to her losing both her dignity and her freedom.
The evening provoked a lot of discussion about women and their road to liberation.
(Thank you to Julie Swift for the above report)
Eliza was born in 1863, the eldest of 11 children and at the age of 14 she met and fell on love with George McLaughlin, an apprentice doctor. She shocked everyone by living with the doctor from the age of 26 without being married. This was when she was dubbed “The woman who did”.
Gwyneth explained the difficulties of the research for the book and how many times she came to a dead end. With hard work and some amazing set of circumstances, she was able to piece together the story of Eliza. When at a loss how to move forward, a cousin in New Zealand completed the story by discovering some of Eliza’s letters. Gwyneth was able to write the full biography of a fascinating woman.
This is a true story of Eliza, a young girl from the Lancashire town of Wigan in the late 19th and early 20th Centuries. Against her parents' wishes she deserted her family and fell under his spell. His controlling influence continued even after his untimely death when bigotry and prejudice led to her losing both her dignity and her freedom.
The evening provoked a lot of discussion about women and their road to liberation.
(Thank you to Julie Swift for the above report)
Canal Cruise
Friday 31st May
This year, it was agreed by everyone who attended the non sailing canal cruise last year (the boat was in dock due to an accident on the canal), that the event would be better served in the Spring rather than the Autumn. Not only was it still light and surprisingly warm, the barge took a different route this year, starting from Garstang and sailing back to Barton Grange. A delightful alternative from previous years, with a new singer Joel, entertaining us with songs from the 80's and 90's.
The fish and chip supper was as delicious as always and the crew were charming and efficient, serving drinks and snacks whenever required. We were 36 in number from our W.I. and 4 paying members of the public (making up the 40 on the boat) who all enjoyed a lively and entertaining evening. |
Marsh Group Dinner
Thursday 23rd May
The Marsh Group Meeting was initiated some years ago to foster good relationships between members of a number of local W.I's. There were 74 members of the Marsh Group at the dinner on Thursday evening at URC Hall in St. Annes, from Freckleton, Warton, and St. Annes. We were very kindly invited by Val Andrews, President of St. Annes and we are glad that we went along as we all enjoyed the evening, meeting old friends and making new ones.
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There were just 4 of us from Ansdell & Fairhaven and we shared our table with Janet & Lyn who are new to the W.I. and members of the Freckleton group. We enjoyed a calm and convivial atmosphere with excellent food. Our tables quizzing skills were clearly on top form and we won some delicious prizes! We were entertained by the excellent Show Choir from Lytham who performed songs from a number of different shows. The Show Choir was fun and friendly, professional and a fantastic singing experience. By the way, if you would like to join the show choir, check out the web site www.showchoir.co.uk.
Report by Susan Hodgson
Report by Susan Hodgson
Taking Better Photos with your Smart Phone
Saturday 18th May
I attended the "Taking Better Photos with your Smart Phone" course at LFWI HQ at Croston House in Leyland. I was one of 20 ladies on the course all armed with our mobile phones raring to go and learn more about the way to improve our photography.
Glyn Davies from Chorley Photographic Society was our instructor and he explained all about the range and capabilities of the new smart phone. Everyone had plenty of opportunities to try out the variety of features on their phones and discover new techniques which they did not know existed.
It was a very friendly fun day and everyone took away new skills to try out.
Thank you Julie Swift for the above report.
Glyn Davies from Chorley Photographic Society was our instructor and he explained all about the range and capabilities of the new smart phone. Everyone had plenty of opportunities to try out the variety of features on their phones and discover new techniques which they did not know existed.
It was a very friendly fun day and everyone took away new skills to try out.
Thank you Julie Swift for the above report.
Sweet Memories by Jackie Malfi
Monday 13 May 2019
Jackie took our members back through history to the very start of sweets when the Aztecs discovered the Cocoa Bean and the Egyptians used honey and dried fruits. Sweets really became more popular after the Second World War in 1953 when rationing stopped. As a nation, we spend £3.5 billion a year on sweets with a massive budget for marketing and advertising. Jackie told the group how proportionately chocolates were very expensive and at one time they were only a treat at Christmas. The ladies enjoyed remembering sweets from a by-gone age and there was tasters of unusual flavoured Kit-Kats.
Thank you Julie Swift for the above "tasty" report!
Thank you Julie Swift for the above "tasty" report!
Singing Day
Monday 15 April 2019
Such a different way to start a Monday morning: to Broughton & District Club for the Singing Day. It’s an ideal venue, and in the sunshine it was tempting to have a game of bowls on the sheltered green, but the ladies of Broughton WI had very kindly arranged to provide tea and coffee for us on arrival, so inside it was.
We were welcomed by Mary, Pam and Cynthia from the federation’s Arts & Culture team, chose our seats (sopranos on the left, altos on the right), and collected a sheaf of music before meeting our singing teacher Katy Bradley and her colleague (also Katy). Katy B. said she had one iron rule: I had a brief haunting flashback to a stern music mistress from school violin lessons, before Katy said it was a simple one: we must all have fun. The tension relieved for everyone, she then led us through some exercises to warm us up both physically and vocally, leaving us relaxed and prepared to enjoy ourselves.
Katy had several pieces for us to sing, and we tackled each in sections, accompanied by her spirited piano playing. Some of us can read music, others can’t, but it really didn’t matter, because Katy played and sang every bar in each of the parts for us, so we could learn the notes by ear.
Beginning with a John Rutter hymn, with which most people were already familiar, we moved onto to tackle a range of genres. In the morning session we learned a1940s Sinatra and Crosby classic, a piece from the film Chitty Chitty Bang Bang and a 1980s rock anthem. Half way through the latter we broke to eat our picnic lunches, and the Broughton WI volunteers returned to make us more tea. The break was most welcome, and it was a chance to mingle and chat, as well as take a leg stretch outside and get some fresh air in the lovely sunshine.
Katy encouraged us to try singing in the “other team” if we wanted to experience it, or to go to the front and listen from where she was leading, so as to hear the whole group. I tried both, and the sound was really beautiful.
In the afternoon we resumed our rock piece, then with a complete change of tone, worked our way through through Liszt’s Liebestraum, before closing with an original piece composed by Katy herself in celebration of England and Lancashire. We finished by performing a mini concert, singing all six pieces in order. Disappointingly we ran out of time before we could try the final planned piece, Schubert’s Ave Maria.
Naturally we each had different preferences on each of the songs we learned to sing, but everyone thoroughly enjoyed the day, which was an inclusive, relaxed and completely non-judgmental experience. Many of us were in agreement in regretting the closure of the WI choir and fed back to the organisers that we would very much like a cross-branch singing group: not to tour and perform publicly, but to replicate the experience we had on the singing day.
Thank you to Tracey Garvey for another wonderful update on a Federation event
We were welcomed by Mary, Pam and Cynthia from the federation’s Arts & Culture team, chose our seats (sopranos on the left, altos on the right), and collected a sheaf of music before meeting our singing teacher Katy Bradley and her colleague (also Katy). Katy B. said she had one iron rule: I had a brief haunting flashback to a stern music mistress from school violin lessons, before Katy said it was a simple one: we must all have fun. The tension relieved for everyone, she then led us through some exercises to warm us up both physically and vocally, leaving us relaxed and prepared to enjoy ourselves.
Katy had several pieces for us to sing, and we tackled each in sections, accompanied by her spirited piano playing. Some of us can read music, others can’t, but it really didn’t matter, because Katy played and sang every bar in each of the parts for us, so we could learn the notes by ear.
Beginning with a John Rutter hymn, with which most people were already familiar, we moved onto to tackle a range of genres. In the morning session we learned a1940s Sinatra and Crosby classic, a piece from the film Chitty Chitty Bang Bang and a 1980s rock anthem. Half way through the latter we broke to eat our picnic lunches, and the Broughton WI volunteers returned to make us more tea. The break was most welcome, and it was a chance to mingle and chat, as well as take a leg stretch outside and get some fresh air in the lovely sunshine.
Katy encouraged us to try singing in the “other team” if we wanted to experience it, or to go to the front and listen from where she was leading, so as to hear the whole group. I tried both, and the sound was really beautiful.
In the afternoon we resumed our rock piece, then with a complete change of tone, worked our way through through Liszt’s Liebestraum, before closing with an original piece composed by Katy herself in celebration of England and Lancashire. We finished by performing a mini concert, singing all six pieces in order. Disappointingly we ran out of time before we could try the final planned piece, Schubert’s Ave Maria.
Naturally we each had different preferences on each of the songs we learned to sing, but everyone thoroughly enjoyed the day, which was an inclusive, relaxed and completely non-judgmental experience. Many of us were in agreement in regretting the closure of the WI choir and fed back to the organisers that we would very much like a cross-branch singing group: not to tour and perform publicly, but to replicate the experience we had on the singing day.
Thank you to Tracey Garvey for another wonderful update on a Federation event
Easter Lunch @ Bosco's in Lytham
Monday 15 April 2019
An amazing 40 ladies signed up for our first Easter lunch together at Bosco's. It was a delight to see so many of our members taking advantage of spending time and enjoying breaking bread together (it was garlic bread ...!!). A hearty meal was partaken and although the weather was very cold, the warm welcome at the Restaurant made all the difference.
Twinset and Pearls to Telemedicine
Monday 8 April 2019
Our speaker, Dr Hazel Roddam, is a Speech and Language Therapist with extensive experience in both clinician and research work. Hazel's 25 years in the NHS included working for 17 years at Highfurlong Special School, Poulton, where she worked closely with Pauline Masons (photo below) husband providing support for pupils with special needs.
Hazel began her presentation by explaining the curious title to her talk which reflected the changes in speech and language therapy over the years. The beginning of the 20th century was the ‘twin set and pearls era’, when the focus was on improving articulation through elocution and drama. During and after World War 1, many severely injured soldiers returning from the battlefields suffered a loss or impairment of their language skills. This led to a new level of understanding of the complexities involved.
So our 17,000 Speech and Language Therapists are now a professional body of people using a wide range of methods, and supported by different allied health services, to support those suffering from impaired language development, including for example stroke and cancer patients, individuals with impaired or even no language skills.
Hazel reminded us of the film ‘The King's Speech’ in which therapist Lionel Logue helped King George VI to overcome his speech impediment. It was fascinating to learn that the film directors had approached the Royal College of Speech and Language Therapists for advice, and also to provide an opportunity to raise awareness of this vital health service.
Hazel began her presentation by explaining the curious title to her talk which reflected the changes in speech and language therapy over the years. The beginning of the 20th century was the ‘twin set and pearls era’, when the focus was on improving articulation through elocution and drama. During and after World War 1, many severely injured soldiers returning from the battlefields suffered a loss or impairment of their language skills. This led to a new level of understanding of the complexities involved.
So our 17,000 Speech and Language Therapists are now a professional body of people using a wide range of methods, and supported by different allied health services, to support those suffering from impaired language development, including for example stroke and cancer patients, individuals with impaired or even no language skills.
Hazel reminded us of the film ‘The King's Speech’ in which therapist Lionel Logue helped King George VI to overcome his speech impediment. It was fascinating to learn that the film directors had approached the Royal College of Speech and Language Therapists for advice, and also to provide an opportunity to raise awareness of this vital health service.
Hazel went on to explain how the College, which was founded in 1945, was granted Royal status following service to the King George, and the Queen Mother became their Royal Patron. Since 2003 Sophie Duchess of Wessex has been very actively supportive as the current royal patron.
Hazel spoke too of the invaluable work of Blackpool based charity ‘The Swallows.’ This is a nationwide Head and Neck Cancer Support Group and was founded by Blackpool resident and cancer survivor Chris Curtis. The charity was awarded The Queen’s Award for Voluntary Service, the highest honour for voluntary groups in the country.
The interest and success of Hazel’s presentation is reflected by the considerable number of members who availed themselves of the opportunity to quietly have a word with Hazel after the presentation, about various speech and language concerns regarding family members and friends. They were most grateful for her advice and support.
Trisha Kinsman (pictured above) thanked our speaker and availed our members of two comical tales of speech issues, one from her father and one from her grandson.
Thank you to Pauline Mason for the report above.
Hazel spoke too of the invaluable work of Blackpool based charity ‘The Swallows.’ This is a nationwide Head and Neck Cancer Support Group and was founded by Blackpool resident and cancer survivor Chris Curtis. The charity was awarded The Queen’s Award for Voluntary Service, the highest honour for voluntary groups in the country.
The interest and success of Hazel’s presentation is reflected by the considerable number of members who availed themselves of the opportunity to quietly have a word with Hazel after the presentation, about various speech and language concerns regarding family members and friends. They were most grateful for her advice and support.
Trisha Kinsman (pictured above) thanked our speaker and availed our members of two comical tales of speech issues, one from her father and one from her grandson.
Thank you to Pauline Mason for the report above.
Dry Bones
Wednesday 3 April 2019
The Grand Theatre Tour on Heritage Day
Wednesday 20 March 2019
It's known as the ‘Hidden Gem of Blackpool’. The history of The Grand Theatre is long and lively and dates right back to 1894. This year The Grand celebrates 125 years!
A group of members attended a short Heritage Tour which took us from the stage to the dressing rooms and around the auditorium. We found out the secrets and stories of the stunning Victorian Theatre, and learned about the flamboyant Theatre architect Frank Matcham. We explored the warren of staircases and hidden passages. We stood on the raked stage and observed the cantilevered tiers of circles, boxes and pit and admired the complete visibility of every seat in the atmospheric house. The fire curtain (which weighs in at a whopping 2 tons) was lifted and here we are ..... ready to perform!
A group of members attended a short Heritage Tour which took us from the stage to the dressing rooms and around the auditorium. We found out the secrets and stories of the stunning Victorian Theatre, and learned about the flamboyant Theatre architect Frank Matcham. We explored the warren of staircases and hidden passages. We stood on the raked stage and observed the cantilevered tiers of circles, boxes and pit and admired the complete visibility of every seat in the atmospheric house. The fire curtain (which weighs in at a whopping 2 tons) was lifted and here we are ..... ready to perform!
Lancashire Federation of WI's Annual Council Meeting
Thursday 14 March 2019 @ Southport Convention Theatre
What an inspirational day! After singing Jerusalem along with 1500 other Lancashire WI members, a very uplifting and emotional experience, Edwina Currie regaled the conference attendees with hilarious tales of “Growing Old Disgracefully”.
After lunch and the presentations, Sir Ranulph Fiennes spoke of his amazing achievements as a British explorer, presenting the set-backs and dangers he endured with such humility and humour. Truly inspirational, he had everyone in awe of his achievements, amazed by his dogged determination to succeed despite all odds especially circumnavigating the earth via the North and South Poles, and yet at the same time the audience were highly entertained by his dry wit!
Several new members attended the Conference for the first time and said how much they enjoyed their first experience.
After lunch and the presentations, Sir Ranulph Fiennes spoke of his amazing achievements as a British explorer, presenting the set-backs and dangers he endured with such humility and humour. Truly inspirational, he had everyone in awe of his achievements, amazed by his dogged determination to succeed despite all odds especially circumnavigating the earth via the North and South Poles, and yet at the same time the audience were highly entertained by his dry wit!
Several new members attended the Conference for the first time and said how much they enjoyed their first experience.
AGENDA
Jerusalem
Chairman’s Welcome and Introduction of Guests
Apologies for Absence
Adoption of Standing Orders
Minutes of the previous Council Meeting
Chairman’s Address
Adoption of Annual Report
Presentation and Adoption of 2017/2018 Accounts
Denman Rep and Draw for Federation Bursaries
ACWW
Speaker: EDWINA CURRIE
Lunch
Presentations
Meet newest Board Member & WI Adviser
Forthcoming Events
Speaker: SIR RANULPH FIENNES
200+ Club Draw and Council Meeting Raffle Winners
Expression of Thanks
Any Other Business
National Anthem
Jerusalem
Chairman’s Welcome and Introduction of Guests
Apologies for Absence
Adoption of Standing Orders
Minutes of the previous Council Meeting
Chairman’s Address
Adoption of Annual Report
Presentation and Adoption of 2017/2018 Accounts
Denman Rep and Draw for Federation Bursaries
ACWW
Speaker: EDWINA CURRIE
Lunch
Presentations
Meet newest Board Member & WI Adviser
Forthcoming Events
Speaker: SIR RANULPH FIENNES
200+ Club Draw and Council Meeting Raffle Winners
Expression of Thanks
Any Other Business
National Anthem
From Cradle to the Grave
Monday 11 March 2019
Our speaker secretary, Julie, did it again! She pulled another rabbit out of the hat and managed to get a speaker to entertain our members this evening within an hour of being informed that the booked speaker wasn't coming!
Carole Bonney (pictured above with Susan and Sandra) gave us an insight into her career as a Practice Manager in the NHS and her 20 years at a local doctor’s surgery. She outlined how the NHS had changed over the years, and entertained us with humorous anecdotes and stories of ailments, patients and doctors! It was a fascinating insight into the world of medicine and in particular how GP practices and the NHS now operate. A big thank you to Julie for saving the day and to Carole for stepping into the breach at the last minute.
Our W.I. Committee 2019
Dry Bones
Wednesday 20 February 2019
It was a lovely sunny day on Wednesday for a drive up the West Pennine Moors to the Oak Royal Golf & Country Club at Withnell for the Dry Bones event. The club is in a beautiful spot, with marvellous views across the valley. One of the aspects of these events I most enjoy is the great opportunity they afford for meeting members from other branches, which may be very different from our own. I was lucky enough to be seated with ladies from four other WIs, one of which has only 25 members. We of course had plenty to talk about and were soon all friends, (and a good thing too, since we were fitted rather snugly into the venue - clearly it was a very popular event). After a delicious lunch, the raffle was drawn and then our speaker was introduced.
Now retired from her position as a Detective Chief Superintendent in Greater Manchester Police, Jen Williams’ final role was as head of the UK Disaster Victim Identification Unit, a specialist section within the National Police Coordination Centre. The DVI is responsible for the swift, respectful, accurate and sensitive recovery and identification of UK subjects who may be the victims of disasters, wherever in the world they occur. As such tragedies result in multiple deaths and casualties this can be a herculean task, requiring the identification and reassembling of bodies in very difficult and hostile environments, the support of and liaison with the families of missing persons, who may or may not have actually been involved in the incident, and cooperation and collaboration with similar teams from other countries, international experts and multiple UK agencies.
With reference to a number of specific disasters, from the sinking of the Marchioness in 1989, through the Shoreham air disaster and the Asian tsunami, right up to the shooting down of Malaysian Airlines flight 17 in 2014, Jen explained how and why the present UK system and international standards came into being and how much is learned from each event, because naturally every disaster is completely different and unique. Thus these experiences, together with advances in scientific areas such as DNA, the findings of coroners’ inquests, recommendations from judicial inquiries, and expert input from across the world, have led to significant changes and improvements in the unit’s systems and protocols: hence its results have also been transformed.
It was a fascinating if sombre and sobering talk, and a privilege to hear such a professional and expert officer explain how these things are done in real life: it is of course nothing at all like Vera or Midsomer.... Finally, those of you who are attending the April event need not worry, there are no grisly images in Jen’s lecture.
Thank you to Tracey Garvey for this wonderful summary.
Now retired from her position as a Detective Chief Superintendent in Greater Manchester Police, Jen Williams’ final role was as head of the UK Disaster Victim Identification Unit, a specialist section within the National Police Coordination Centre. The DVI is responsible for the swift, respectful, accurate and sensitive recovery and identification of UK subjects who may be the victims of disasters, wherever in the world they occur. As such tragedies result in multiple deaths and casualties this can be a herculean task, requiring the identification and reassembling of bodies in very difficult and hostile environments, the support of and liaison with the families of missing persons, who may or may not have actually been involved in the incident, and cooperation and collaboration with similar teams from other countries, international experts and multiple UK agencies.
With reference to a number of specific disasters, from the sinking of the Marchioness in 1989, through the Shoreham air disaster and the Asian tsunami, right up to the shooting down of Malaysian Airlines flight 17 in 2014, Jen explained how and why the present UK system and international standards came into being and how much is learned from each event, because naturally every disaster is completely different and unique. Thus these experiences, together with advances in scientific areas such as DNA, the findings of coroners’ inquests, recommendations from judicial inquiries, and expert input from across the world, have led to significant changes and improvements in the unit’s systems and protocols: hence its results have also been transformed.
It was a fascinating if sombre and sobering talk, and a privilege to hear such a professional and expert officer explain how these things are done in real life: it is of course nothing at all like Vera or Midsomer.... Finally, those of you who are attending the April event need not worry, there are no grisly images in Jen’s lecture.
Thank you to Tracey Garvey for this wonderful summary.
Driftwood Sculptures
Monday 11 February 2019
Many of our members delight both in living by the sea and in artistic skills. So at this months meeting, Driftwood Sculptures, aptly combined the two interests.
Our speaker, Lisa McQueen, loves living by the sea and for very good reason. She had suffered several bouts of depression and discovered the therapeutic benefits from living close to the coast. Lisa found the sea, the sound of waves, the crunch of sand and the exhilarating fresh air were tremendously relaxing, calming and beneficial. Her mood improved and she became increasingly observant of her surroundings. She was thrilled when she discovered driftwood, and as a keen and enthusiastic crafter she was excited by the opportunities that this medium offered for her to develop her art skills.
Our speaker, Lisa McQueen, loves living by the sea and for very good reason. She had suffered several bouts of depression and discovered the therapeutic benefits from living close to the coast. Lisa found the sea, the sound of waves, the crunch of sand and the exhilarating fresh air were tremendously relaxing, calming and beneficial. Her mood improved and she became increasingly observant of her surroundings. She was thrilled when she discovered driftwood, and as a keen and enthusiastic crafter she was excited by the opportunities that this medium offered for her to develop her art skills.
She collected many pieces of driftwood and her first endeavour was to make a sculptured boat. She demonstrated this and showed her various ways of working, and we were able to see examples of her work. Other pieces are on display at an exhibition at Grundy Art Gallery which is showcasing the work of artists living and working on the Fylde Coast.
Lisa has created her own business, aptly called Turnstyle – a homage to how we can turn our lives around to find a style of living that suits our need and personality - hence Turnstyle. So, better health and a new career - all thanks to the benefits of living on our beautiful Fylde coast.
Lisa has created her own business, aptly called Turnstyle – a homage to how we can turn our lives around to find a style of living that suits our need and personality - hence Turnstyle. So, better health and a new career - all thanks to the benefits of living on our beautiful Fylde coast.
LFWI Fun Quiz
Monday 28 January 2019
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Everyone enjoyed the Quiz this year and the consensus of opinion was that the questions were not "as challenging" as last year. This made the evening more fun, hence the title ~ LFWI Fun Quiz! Our teams did well; The Ansdell Ducks scored 50 points and The Fairhaven Fairies scored 43. The winners once again were Blackpool Belles who scored 60. The Ansdell Ducks were joint second with the Jamie Dodgers from Freckleton, so there was a tie breaker which Freckleton won. Well done both teams for taking part and being present at a LFWI event. |
Book Club
Monday 28 January 2019
This months read was William Boyd's book Sweet Caress. The group felt that the author had created a sweeping panorama of some of the most defining moments of modern history, told through the camera lens of one unforgettable woman, Amory Clay. They agreed that Sweet Caress was a rattling good "what will happen next" story and, on another level, a meditation, in fiction, and that Boyd dealt with heavy themes with the lightest touch.
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Social Group
Thursday 17 January 2019
(meets every 3rd Thursday at 10.30 hours of each month at Lytham Hall Cafe)
A very enjoyable get-together on a beautiful sunny morning at Lytham Hall ~ just nattering! We welcomed two new members and it was good to catch up on their backgrounds as well as existing members giving them some feedback on us and our W.I. There was certainly a good deal of laughter at the table and we look forward to many more of these events in the future!
Reflections & Projections
14 January 2019
Everyone enjoyed an excellent presentation, which was created and presented by Julie Swift, Pauline Mason and Janet Curran, on "Reflections on 2018" which gave our new members (pictured right) and all our existing members a reminder of all the good times we've experienced over the past year. The presentation gave us information on meetings, groups, community activities, social activities and lots of photos of our members. The presentation closed with "Projections for 2019" giving ideas of what's in the planning stage. New social events for this year will be announced soon.
In addition, 6 of our members read out the National Federation Resolutions and our full members voted for their chosen subject. The numbers for each Resolution will be forwarded to our Lancashire Federation who will collate all the county entries and forward to the National Federation Head Office, for voting on at the Annual Meeting in June 2019. |