February 2023


“In February there is everything to hope for and nothing to regret.”

 Patience Strong


A Note from Kate

We started the year with a meeting on a very cold and icy night. Despite that it was well attended and we were entertained with a very informative and amusing talk by Steve Shakeshaft, who is a Chester tour guide.

At the next meeting as well as learning about chutney we will be hearing about the proposed programme for 2023 to 2024 from the programme team, who have worked very hard on finding a wide variety of speakers for our meetings. I hope you will like the proposed programme and that you will renew your membership. Forms will be being distributed at the February/March meetings.

Thanks to all the members, new and old who joined us for coffee at the Heaton, last Wednesday afternoon, it was a very enjoyable get together.

Kate

Birthday Greetings

Many happy returns to members celebrating their birthdays in February

Patricia M., Liz R., Barbara Y., Krys, Michele, Trish, Perveen

Monthly Meeting

Thursday, 16th February

7.30pm

Speaker-“Chutney with a Twist”. Mel Latham will tell us stories about her chutney making. She will be selling her chutneys at the meeting.

Competition-Bake savoury biscuits-3 biscuits on a plate to be judged by the speaker.

Raffle

Rota Volunteers-Door-Krys  Raffle-Yvonne  Refreshments-Carolyn, Pat F.  Meet & Greet-Anna

January Meeting Report-Attendance: Members 32  Zoom 1  Visitors 0  Income: Visitors:£0  Raffle:£40 Cakes:£22.50

March Competition-A joke about lawyers or judges.

Heatons WI News

Membership Renewal-It is that time of year when membership renewals are due. Forms will be available from Deborah at the February and March meetings. If you are unable to attend the meetings please contact a committee member and we will deliver it to you or make arrangements for you to collect. The subs this year are £46, payable by the end of March. Could you please let us know as soon as possible if you are not going to renew?

Resolution Selection Results for 2023

By the side of each heading, you will see the results chosen by our members.  In March, we will be informed of the resolution we will be discussing and voting on at our May monthly meeting.  At the May meeting, members will have the choice to vote in favour of the chosen resolution, to vote against it or to abstain. 

Save our water, every drop matters 7

Women to women - improving the lives of tea workers 1

On-line gambling harm 31

Clean rivers 16

Charity Nominations-We are coming to the time to choose a charity to support from April 2023 to March 2024. The criteria are as follows:

It must be a registered charity.

It must benefit women and girls, but may also include all.

It cannot be for animals.

Nominations should be sent to Suze at heatonswisec@outlook.com by the end of February with a brief outline of what the charity does. These will be presented at the March meeting by the nominator. They will be asked to be the representative of our WI with the charity and be active in the fund raising group for the duration of the year.

Reminder-The bar at the Sports Club is card only.

Tea and Coffee-Available from the bar.

Scrapbook-If you have a “Themed Thursday” page for our Covid scrapbook could you please hand it to Angela B? If you haven’t yet made one but would like to do so and need more information please speak with Angela.

Heatons WI Events

Saturday, 4th March-The Heatons Choir will be singing at Central Library in Manchester as part of the International Women’s Day celebrations. Why not pop along after the march, which will be starting from outside Manchester Cathedral, on Victoria Street, at 12noon for a 12.30pm start, to support them? They will be singing from approximately 12.45pm.

Saturday, March 25th-We are holding a fundraiser coffee morning for Signpost Stockport for Carers at the United Church on Heaton Moor Road from 10.30am to 12.00pm.This will include a chocolate tombola, so we would be grateful for donations which you could bring to the next two meetings. We will also have a small craft table. We will need helpers on the day to set up, clear away and help with refreshments and the tombola. There will be a signup sheet at the next two meetings.

Saturday, 22nd April-A coach has been booked to visit the Potteries Museum and Art Gallery and Trentham Gardens. The museum has many areas of interest but in particular is the Staffordshire Hoard. The coach will leave from Green Lane at 9.30am and return at approximately 6.00pm. The cost is £10, with a deposit of £5 due at this month’s meeting and the remainder in March. Please place the money in an envelope with your name on and hand to Karen. If you are unable to attend the meeting please contact Karen  to arrange dropping off or collection.

North East Cheshire Group News

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

Wednesday, 5th April-Spring Meeting at Woodford. 7.00pm for a 7.30pm start. The speaker will be the popular local auctioneer, Adam Partridge, known for TV programmes Cash in the Attic, Flog It and Bargain Hunt. Tickets are £5. If you would like to attend please place the money in an envelope with your name on and hand to Karen at this month’s or March’s meeting.

Cheshire Federation News

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

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 B.

Monday, 27th March- Jigsaw Race at WI House, Chester 10.30am-2.00pm. For individuals or a team of up to 4. A light lunch will be provided. Cost £7. Requests for tickets by 6th March.

Wednesday, 29th March-Spring Council meeting at Winsford Academy Theatre, 7.30pm. The speaker is Paul Whittaker, OBE. Tickets £6 available before 3rd March

Federation Quiz-Various dates beginning April 19th. All meetings begin 7.30pm. See Angela for more details or to volunteer for The Heatons team.

Saturday, 22nd April-Green Dot Day at WI House, Chester 10.00am-3.00pm, There will be workshops, demonstrations and ideas for WI climate friendly activities. Tickets £6 (lunch not included) before 10th March.

Friday, 28th April-Chester Boat Trip, 11.00am-2.00pm, A 30 minute trip on the river plus a trail/quiz back to WI House, including a light lunch. Tickets £15.

Saturday, 13th & 20th May-Craft Course at WI House, Chester. Kate Cawley will lead a 2 day course to make a character doll, involving some work at home. Cost £55 to include all materials (lunch not included).

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

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. They need tinned potatoes, tinned rice pudding, tinned steamed puddings, tinned fruit and toilet rolls.

Recycling

RNIB Stamp Collection-Shirley 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

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