Next meeting: Thursday 14th November 2019 at 2.00 pm. Janet Dann is the speaker in November. Her talk is titled ‘Inspiring Women/ Words for Life’. It is also the date of the AGM. The committee will be elected and if you would like to volunteer in any way please contact Chris (see details below).
October meeting report:
Ken Stone is an avid fan of the royal family and he travels all over the country to see them. He shared his photos from the last few months.
Ken’s interest began in 1961 when he was asked to collect newspaper cuttings about the Queen’s visit to India. His Grandmother took a keen interest in the Royal family and saved pictures from ‘Woman’ magazine for him. In 1967, his parents took him to see the Trooping of the Colour and he was hooked. He has a collection of 600 books as well as souvenirs and photographs.
There is a website www.royal.uk that has all the latest news about the Royal family. It also lists the engagements that the Family will be attending, and Ken uses this schedule to plan his trips. Over the last year, he has attended the weddings of the Duke and Duchess of Sussex and Princess Beatrice and Jack Brooksbank (he was part of the invited crowd outside St George’s Chapel on both occasions). He is the proud owner of gift bags from both events. He also attended the Remembrance Sunday ceremony in Whitehall; notable for being the first time that the President of Germany has laid a wreath at the Cenotaph. Amongst other events, he saw the Queen when she opened a technology exhibition at the Science Museum (where she sent her first tweet); the Royal Windsor Horse Show and Ascot.
Ken said that the Prince of Wales and the Duchess of Cornwall are always friendly and try to talk to as many people as possible. The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge have a more relaxed style, but they and the Duke of Duchess of Sussex dislike the press and he has seen them be quite rude to the reporters. The Princess Royal is the hardest working of the family and often travels from one end of the country to another by helicopter in order to fit in all her appointments. Security is always discreet – Ken showed a photo of the Queen in her carriage being driven to Royal Ascot; one of the footman was in fact a royal protection officer.
Other Royal families are regular visitors. He watched the King of Spain and the King of Netherlands processing to St George’s Chapel to receive the Order of the Garter, and also saw the King of Norway at an Anglo-Nordic Association event. There are ten monarchies in Europe and Ken aims to see each one in their own country. Last year he visited Lichtenstein and saw Prince Hans Adams II at the ceremony.
Ken had a wide range of photographs that allowed us to see the royal family at close quarters.
After the Ken’s talk, business matters were discussed.
Val Bines has celebrated a special birthday this month and a presentation was made to her in thanks for all the work she does behind the scenes.
Walking Netball has proved very enjoyable. The National W.I has subsidised sessions so far but the group intend to continue under their own steam. If you would like to join them, they train at Brackenbury Sports Centre on a Friday morning. They play in their first tournament soon.
It is the centenary of the Kirton and Falkenham W.I. in 20121 and the committee would like to have a series of events during 2021 rather than one big celebration. Suggestions are welcome.
Knit and Natter continues and Addenbrookes has requested hats and squares for premature babies.
The summer tea held at Chris’ house raised £120 for the Blossom Appeal.
Outings: Ruth is organising an outing to the Wolsey Theatre to see Aladdin on 23rd January. Tickets are £10.
Kirton and Falkenham Women’s Institute welcomed its fortieth member at the October meeting. Our W.I is thriving with lively meetings and a packed programme of outings. New members are always welcome; meetings are on the second Thursday of the month at the Village Hall beginning at 2pm. Contact our secretary: Chris Welling 01473 736255
K.Cade
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