April 2025

A Message from Kate

I would like to start by thanking Deborah and Sally for their hard work in sorting out the membership renewals and to you all for renewing so promptly so we can start the new WI year.

I would also like to thank the fundraising group for organising the coffee morning for Stockport Without Abuse-they worked extremely hard making sure it was the success it was.

I would like to remind you that if you have a charity you would like to nominate for next year please let one of the committee know. We will be choosing our 2025/26 charity at the May meeting. So far there is only one nomination.

We will also be awarding 4 more £75 bursaries at the May meeting so if you would like to be considered for one can you put your name on the relevant sign-up sheet at April’s meeting or let me know if you won’t be at the meeting. The only extra rule this time is that the 4 bursaries winners last time can’t apply this time. Your bursary can be spent on anything educational it doesn’t have to be learning a craft, it could be used for a theatre ticket or visiting an exhibition (just 2 examples).

April’s meeting will be Lisa Walker demonstrating armchair yoga so make sure you have comfortable clothes on so you can take part if you want to. This should be fun as well as good for us, so I look forward to seeing you there.

Best wishes

Kate

Birthday Greetings                            

Many happy returns to members celebrating their birthdays in April

Lynda G., Barbara D., Linda McD., Helen

IMPORTANT NOTICE-Register and Evacuation Procedure-It is important that you sign in BEFORE finding a seat at the beginning of the meeting. This is for your safety as, if we have missed adding you to the register and we have to evacuate the building, we will not have an accurate record of who is in attendance. This also applies if you arrive late or leave the meeting early. Please let Linda McD. know or Sally in Linda’s absence. Our evacuation meeting point is on the field opposite the car park entrance.

Monthly Meeting

Thursday, 17th April

7.30pm

Speaker-Lisa Walker-Armchair yoga

Competition-None

Rota Volunteers-Door-Margaret L.  Raffle-Shirley S., Chris B.   Refreshment- Lynda  Meet & Greet-Julia, Krys

Raffle

We would be grateful if those of you on meeting duties please arrive by 7.15pm. If you are unable to attend the meeting please contact Linda McD. so that she can send out an email to fill the slot. Thank you.

March Meeting Report-Attendance: Members-46 Visitors-1   Income: Visitors: £5  Raffle: £56 Refreshments-£11

May Meeting-Speaker-Fiona Blackwell “The Foodbank”. Resolutions.

May Competition-“Hello Spring”-a small ribbon tied posy from foraged or own garden flowers.

Reminder-The bar at the Sports Club is card only. Please note that tap water is freely available from the bar.

Heatons WI News

Fundraiser-Thank you to everyone who helped both before and during the coffee morning on Saturday 5th April. To everyone who donated chocolates, made cakes, helped on the day and attended the event can I offer my heartfelt thanks. We raised the sum of £403.24 for SWA and it was a lovely way to spend a spring morning. Sue will be selling the remainder of her knitted chicks and bunnies if anyone would like to buy any. They are £2. Please bring cash. Thank you from Trish and the Fundraising Team.

Rota-The new rota for the next WI year is now available. Please could all members, where possible, take up a duty?

Treasurer Role-We are still looking for a new treasurer for November. It is imperative we have a treasurer as if we do not have one our WI will not be able to carry on. So if there is anybody who would be interested in taking over please speak to either Deborah or anyone on the committee. This could be a job share with two members taking on the role. Deborah is happy to train somebody so that they would be in place for November and would support them in the months after. The WI do organise training for treasurers so you would not be on your own.

Members’ Welfare-In order to support our members the committee would like to offer help to those who may need it while preserving their privacy. If you want or need support of any kind, from a chat to more practical help, such as with shopping, then please contact Angela B. or Perveen on WhatsApp so we can provide the best support for you as an individual. Just let us know or ask a friend to get in touch on your behalf.

WI Outing-This is on 21st June to Skipton and Boundary Mill. The cost will be £12 for the coach (this is being subsidised from funds). This will need to be paid in full in cash at this month’s meeting. Please place money in an envelope with the amount, your name and the trip. The trip is now being opened up to female friends and family at a cost of £17. If you are unable to attend the meeting please contact Perveen or Sue W.

Competition Winner-Congratulations to Lynda Guy who is the overall winner of the competitions this last year.

Social Media-We have recently closed our Twitter account and can now be found on Bluesky. We are the Heatons WI -@heatonswi.bsky.social.

Raffle Prizes-We are in need of prizes for our monthly raffle. If you have any new and unused items to donate please see Perveen. Please note, if you bring an item to the monthly meeting it will not go into that evening’s raffle. Perveen will hold it over until another meeting.

Heatons WI Events

Sunday, 15th June-We are holding a fundraiser for our WI to coincide with the Heatons Open Gardens. We will be holding an event in the garden at St. Paul’s Church, Heaton Moor selling cakes, plants and a small amount of crafts. We will need volunteers to set up, help on the stalls and clear away between 11.00am and 3.00pm. We are also asking if you will bake cakes and if you have cuttings, seeds or spare plants you are happy to donate. There will be sign-up sheets at the meeting this month and in May. This will be a great opportunity to showcase our WI and recruit some new members.

The organisers of the Open Gardens have asked if we would make some post box toppers to coincide with the event. As time is short we thought we could just make simple flowers to attach to the existing bases.  Can you help to knit or crochet a few flowers by the beginning of June? Also "Izzy" dolls, simple knitted dolls, are very popular at the moment and we thought they would sell well.  Again, if you could help by knitting or crocheting some dolls, that would be great.  There are plenty of ideas and patterns on the internet (Pinterest or Google "Izzy dolls") but contact Sally if you need any help. There is plenty of wool in the WI stash if you need any.

North East Cheshire Group News

If anybody is interested in any NEC Group activities please contact Karen 

Wednesday, 18th June-Trip to Bradford. Karen will have tickets at this month’s and May’s meetings and are £14.50.

Cheshire Federation News

If anybody is interested in any Cheshire Federation activities please contact Angela

Details and signup sheets for all these events will be available at this month’s meeting.

Wednesady, 16th April-Below are the login details for members to access the zoom meeting to debate the resolution for this year.

PLEASE NOTE-This is not the AM.

Topic: WI Resolution Debate on Bystanders can be Lifesavers

Time: Apr 16, 2025 07:00 PM London

Join Zoom Meeting

https://us02web.zoom.us/j/88135621655?pwd=aSMG7Tlry5dka2WTicxOKNIzzuZf9X.1

Meeting ID: 881 3562 1655

Passcode: 658343

Wednesday, 11th June-Literary Lunch. The speaker is Caroline England, a writer of domestic, psychological thrillers. From 12.00pm to 3.30pm at Hartford Golf Club, Northwhich. Tickets are £30 which includes a welcome drink and a two course lunch. Closing date 16th May. Payment by BACS to our WI account with the reference Literary Lunch. Please see Angela if you wish to book a ticket.

CFWI Virtual WI-If anyone is interested in joining, as a dual member, or has a friend who would be interested in finding out more, please contact Angela.

NFWI News

Learning Hub-Here is a link to the WI Learning Hub where you can access a variety of courses for free

Member’s Notice Board

If you have a notice you would like to be included in the Members’ Notice Board section of the newsletter, or know of any local events other members may be interested in please send details to Linda McD. 

St Martin’s Foodbank-1st Wednesday of the month. Please drop off at Kate J’s house. There will be a box for donations on the drive if the weather is dry or in the porch if wet, from 10am until the evening. URGENTLY NEEDED ITEMS: Tinned meat e.g. ham, corned beef, tinned fruit, baked beans, tinned puddings, rice pudding, rice, coffee (small jars), tinned tomatoes, toothpaste, toilet rolls, soap (bars). They currently do not need tinned soup, cereal or pasta.

St. Paul’s Church Community Café-The church is open every Wednesday morning from 11.00am-1.00pm serving hot soup and a warm space. There is no charge but donations are welcome. If you know of anybody who would benefit from this service please let them know-all are welcome.

The Children’s Society-The shop at Moor Top is in need of books, jigsaws, and CDs. If you are having a clear out please could you take them to the shop where they will be gratefully received.

Recycling

RNIB Stamp Collection-Shirley S. is collecting used postage stamps for the RNIB. She will bring boxes to WI meetings for members to put their used postage stamps in. You will need to separate UK mainland from the rest of the world, including Isle of Man, Jersey etc. Shirley will collect and send them to the RNIB, who get £20 per kilo.

B&Q is recycling plastic plant pots, small electrical items, batteries, light bulbs and fluorescent tubes

John Lewis is recycling duvets and pillows.

Superdrug Pharmacy at the top of Merseyway Shopping precinct is collecting empty medicine blister packs.