February 2025

A Message from Kate

It was good to see so many of you at the January meeting enjoying the craft session. Thanks again to Linda, Sally and Ann for all their hard work in making the evening so enjoyable.

You will be getting your membership renewal forms at the February meeting or shortly afterwards so, hopefully, you will be renewing and returning the forms to us at the March meeting. We have another great programme of speakers and activities organised for next year.

We will be choosing our new charity for 2025/26 at the May meeting this year so if you have a charity you would like us to consider could you let a committee member know by the April meeting. You will then be asked to explain why we should support your charity choice in May.

The February meeting should be a very interesting one as our speaker is Dr Ruth Lamont who will be talking to us about ‘Forced child emigration to Canada’, I look forward to seeing you there.

Best wishes

Kate

Birthday Greetings

Many happy returns to members celebrating their birthdays in February

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

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, 20th Febraury

7.30pm

Speaker- Dr. Ruth Lamont will speak about forced child emigration to Canada in the last century.

Rota Volunteers-Door-Chris B.  Raffle-Kate J., Barbara C.  Refreshment-Carolyn

Meet & Greet-Angela S., Ann L.

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.

January Meeting Report-Attendance: Members-38 Visitors-0 Income: Visitors: £0   Raffle: £40 Refrehments-£20

March Meeting-Barbara Wilkinson, consultant medical herbalist.

March Competition-A baked item using herbs.

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

Rota-We need volunteers for the rota for March and April. Please add your name if you are available.

Treasurer Role-Deborah has decided she would like someone to take over the role in November-she has already held it for two years more than she intended. 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 you in the months after. The WI do organise training for treasurers so you would not be on your own.

Charity Coffee Morning-We are holding a coffee morning on April 5th at the Heatons United Church on Stanley Road between 10.30am and 12 noon. (Please note the change of date.) This is our final fundraiser for our chosen charity Stockport Without Abuse. There will be a sign-up sheet at the meeting on 20th February asking for volunteers to help and make cakes. If you are able to donate chocolates for the chocolate Tombola could you please bring them to the meeting on the 20th February or to the meeting on 20th March? Thank you for your generosity and for your support.

WI Outing-We are planning our outing for 21st June to Skipton and Boundary Mill. There will be a sign-up sheet for expressions of interest at this month’s meeting. If you are unable to attend the meeting please contact Perveen or Sue W. More details to follow.

Christmas Tree Festival-We have offered to organise the 2025 Christmas Tree Festival at St. Paul's Church, Heaton Moor Road, and need to form a small sub-group to take this forward.  Initially, we will need to contact local businesses, schools, community groups, shops, etc., to see if they would like to decorate or sponsor a tree to be displayed from the beginning of Advent until Twelve Night. If you think you'd like to be involved in this, please contact Sally by 6th March.

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

Saturday, 5th April-Coffee morning fundraiser.

North East Cheshire Group News

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

Tuesday, 29th April-Spring meeting at Poynton Civic Centre at 7.30pm. The speaker is Sally Kettle who rowed single handed across the Atlantic and then again with her mother. There will be a sign-up sheet at this month’s meeting and tickets are £5 available from Karen.

Cheshire Federation News

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

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

Saturday, 29th March-Annual Council Meeting. At Winsford Academy from 10.30am to 2.30pm. Speaker is Suzan Holder who is an author and journalist married to Noddy Holder of Slade. Tickets £5. Please bring a packed lunch.

Friday, 11th April-Taskmistress Challenge. At Whitefriars in Chester from 6.30pm to 9.00pm. Tickets are £7 to include tea, coffee and biscuits. Deadline for application is 7th March.

Saturday, 17th May-Adventures in Textiles. At Winsford Constitutional and Conservative Club from 10.00am to 4.00pm. Explore salt dyeing and make a unique fabric. Tickets are £21 and include all materials and refreshments. Please bring a packed lunch. Closing date 8th April.

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.

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.