January 2026

A Message from Kate

Happy New Year to you all, I hope everyone had good Christmas and that you are all looking forward to another WI year. The December meeting was great fun and was enjoyed by all. A big thank you to all involved in making it such a success-to Chris and Jane for the games, to Sue J and Angela for the refreshments and to the choir for entertaining us in such a festive way. We also had a very successful and delicious meal out at Cure-thanks to Perveen and Sue W for organising it.

This month’s meeting speaker is Phil Page who will be taking us on a Four Heatons History Tour, which will be very interesting. I look forward to seeing you there.

Best wishes 

Kate

Birthday Greetings

Many happy returns to members celebrating their birthdays in January

Pat McG., Pat G., Margaret S., Claudia, Jeanne, Diane 

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, 15th January

7.30pm

Speaker-‘The Four Heatons History Tour’- talk by local historian Phil Page. Phil will be selling his books at the meeting.

Competition- A photograph of an interesting landmark in the Heatons. Please send your photograph to Kate W. at kate.wragg@yahoo.co.uk by Tuesday evening at the latest.

Rota Volunteers- Door-Margaret L.   Cake-Diane   Raffle-Barbara C., Kate J.   Meet & Greet-Trish, 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.

December Meeting Report-Attendance: Members-42  Visitors-1   Income: Visitors-£5   Raffle-£175

February Meeting-Spring Crafts and Heatons WI Show

February Competition-None

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

Heatons WI News.

Craft Group-Our craft group meets on Thursday afternoons at the Art Club on Shaw Road at 2.00pm and Thursday evenings at 7.30pm at a member’s home. We are renaming group to ‘Craft and Chat’. We would like to encourage all members to come along and join us for a natter and bring your craft if you wish. There is no obligation to host the evening group.

The Heatons WI Show-Our own mini show at the February monthly meeting when we will be making spring crafts.

Theme ‘THE SEASONS’

The categories are as follows 

·       Photograph of a native British animal or bird (incl. pets)

·       Painting or drawing with a nature theme.

·       A knitted or crocheted item.

·       Yarn craft – embroidery, tapestry, needle felt etc.

·       Paper craft – greeting card, origami, collage etc.

·       An upcycled / recycled item.

·       Sewing – any item.

·       Baking – biscuits

·       Small flower display

·       A short poem 

We are not having judges so would like to encourage as many of you as possible to join in. The idea is to showcase the talents of our WI members. There will be sign-up sheets at this month’s meeting and you may enter as many categories as you wish. If you would like to enter but will not be able to get to either meeting or you would like more information please contact Linda.

Barbara Yates Memorial Service-There will be a memorial service at the Heatons United Church at 10pm on Saturday, 28h February to celebrate the life of our dear friend Barbara Yates. If you are able to help by making cakes or by serving refreshments following the service could you please give your names to Trish. Thank you to those who have already offered to help.

Afternoon Tea Fund Raiser-We are having an afternoon tea to raise funds for our charity at 2.30pm on Saturday, March 14th at the Heatons United Church. Tickets will be £12 and will include entry into a draw for a hamper. This will be open to WI members and adult family and friends. There will be a sign-up sheet at the January meeting for those who definitely wish to attend. Prepayment of £12 will be collected at the February meeting or before the end of February.

Lunch Group-This will start this month and will be organised through a WhatsApp group. There will be a signup sheet at the next few meetings so please add your name if you are interested. Alternatively please get in touch with Perveen, at perveentariq@gmail.com, if you cannot attend the monthly meeting but would like to be added. Look out for the WhatsApp group.

Raffle Prizes-We are always in need of prizes for our monthly raffle. If you have any new and unused items to donate please see Perveen. Please note that 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

North East Cheshire Group News

If anybody is interested in any NEC Group activities please contact Angela S. 

Tuesday, 21st April-Spring meeting at Poynton Civic Centre at 7.30pm. The speaker is Olivia Potts who is a food writer and baker. Tickets are £6 and are available from Angela S.

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.

Cheshire News-If you would like a hard copy of this please let Linda know.

Thursday, 23rd April-Hat Works Museum Tour and Afternoon Tea at Stockport Plaza. Meeting at Stockport Hat Museum at 10.30am followed by afternoon tea at 1.00pm. The cost is £22.50. Closing date 25th March. A ballot will be held if over subscribed.

Tuesday/Wednesday, 16th/17th June-Cheshire Show 2026-The theme this year is “4 Seasons”. Attached is a copy of the sections. If you would like to enter and for more information please contact Sally. You do not have to let her know what you are doing just the section you would like to enter.

Friday 26th-Monday 29th June-Wild in Fylde. This camp will be at Fylde Scout Activity Centre and costs £75. Booking opens on 14th February. Please see Angela B. for further details.

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: Long life fruit juice, nappies size 7/8, long life milk, tins of coconut milk, biscuits, tinned meat e.g. ham, corned beef, tinned chickpeas, shampoo, long life sponge puddings. Other requested items-snacks such as individually packed chocolate bars, cereal bars, breadsticks and crisps, sanitary towels,  tinned fruit, baked beans, tinned rice pudding, tinned vegetables (sweetcorn, peas, carrots), tinned tomatoes, rice, tinned soup, dried pulses (lentils, chickpeas), pasta sauce, sugar, toothpaste (for adults and children), toilet rolls, soap (bars), cat food. They currently do not need cereal or pasta. 

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 Shaw 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.