Newchurch WI. (From Warrington Guardian)

Newchurch WI.

2:25pm Tuesday 17th April 2012 in WI and Clubs

Newchurch W I By Trudy MacDonald.

Newchurch met on April 11 at Newchurch Parish Hall and president Sylvia Brown welcomed members and a visitor. Amy Williams brought a beautiful posy from her garden for the president's table as well as roses for the raffle and the evening's tea hostesses were Marjorie Pugh and Margaret Hill. Secretary Jean Riley gave out a list of theatre trips and outings – “Miss Julie” on May 2 and “Lady Windermere's Fan” in June, a trip to the Lake District on July 26 and a Mosslands trip on 20 July. Some members had already enjoyed “Wonderful Town” on April 3. Jean also passed on an invitation by Culcheth WI to join in some of their outings and she announced a Horticultural Society Talk and Plant Sale in the Parish Hall on April 20. Sylvia told members that the spring coffee morning had been a great success and Barbara Delve read out the draft of the NFWI Resolution for the 2012 AGM (the need for more midwives).

Jane Shephard, our speaker, then talked about “My Life As A Cabbage”, beginning with polio at five months old and moving on through long hospital stays and the need for calipers to a very busy childhood in mainstream schools and an even busier adult life. Jane has been a medical secretary, a social worker, a researcher, reporter and presenter for the BBC and a role-player for corporate events. She also serves on disability panels and has driven long distances in her working life (she finds trains and the London Underground too difficult). She also talks to schoolchildren about living with disability. Olive Lee gave the vote of thanks. Jane judged our competition “Odd-shaped Vegetables” and chose Jean Riley as winner, with Olive Lee and Sylvia Brown coming second and third. After tea Sylvia gave us a report on the Cheshire Council meeting and told us that the ACWW collection of small change had raised over £2,000 for work in Cameroon and Sri Lanka.

Our next meeting is the Resolutions Evening on May 9, with Raymond Rush speaking on “Fairs, Feasts and Festivals”.