At our April meeting we enjoyed an uplifting film from East Coast Truckers (ECT), who volunteer their time to give some children with special needs a wonderful day out. ECT formed in 1981 as a self-help group raising funds to support drivers prosecuted for using CB radios. When these radios became legal, they looked for another use for the monies; in conjunction with schools for children… Read more: April 2024 Report
Our 103rd birthday meeting was a splendid afternoon. We had moved to the church Hall for this event as we were expecting most members to attend along with a dozen or more ladies from other local WI groups. We were not disappointed! In keeping with tradition everyone contributed a plate of food with the centre piece being a birthday cake made by June. We also wore… Read more: March 2024 Report
In our February meeting we went on a whistle stop tour, “Exploring East Anglia by Bus Pass”! The speaker, Pip, was reluctant at first to acquire a bus Pass, being teased when he reached a certain age that it was the thing to do. However, having taken the bait, he now enjoys touring the countryside and extolling the virtues of this form of travel. Journeys take… Read more: February 2024 Report
Our last meeting of 2023 was a Christmas party. The committee greeted members with a glass of mulled wine, which really got the conversation going, and then, unusually for Christmas, we had a takeaway fish and chips lunch! After a brief business meeting, we indulged in tea and mince pies to accompany a topical question. There were moans and groans and much laughter about the questions… Read more: January Meeting 2024
Kirton and Falkenham Womens’ InstituteWe had a wonderful meeting in March to celebrate our 102nd birthday. We invited other local WI’s, as is the custom, and also representatives from village groups. With more people than usual we took advantage of the larger Church Hall. Our speaker was David Webb – one of the twins from the sitcom Hi-de-Hi! He talked about his career from the first… Read more: March 2023
Next meeting: 2pm on Thursday 9th February at the Village HallSpeaker: Norma HowellTopic: Medical Detection and Alert Assistance DogsCompetition: A favourite dog photoOur last outing of the year was a Riverboat trip from Waldringfield to Felixstowe on a beautiful sunny day in early October. Fifteen members enjoyed cruising along the calm Deben listening to the commentary about the surrounding sights and enjoying a cup of tea with scones and… Read more: January 2023
Next Meeting: 2pm on the 9th June at the Kirton Village HallSpeaker: Colin Hopper who is doing a paper sculpture demonstration.Competition: Making a decorated headdress incorporating paper. The newly refurbished Village Hall was our venue this month after a lapse of several months and looked very spick and span! May is always our Resolutions Meeting and takes the form of a discussion or debate about a… Read more: May 2022
Next Meeting: 2pm on Thursday, 14th April at Kirton Village HallSpeaker: David Webb known for his role in the TV series Hi de Hi.Competition: A holiday photograph from the 1980’s. Our Christmas/Winter lunch very nearly became a Spring lunch this year due to Covid restrictions but we did manage to meet up on Thursday 3rd March and enjoy our festive get together at The Ferry Boat Inn… Read more: March 2022
Next meeting: Thursday 13th February at 2.00 pm. Mr Alan Weeks will be giving a talk: ‘The History of Houses’ December and January meeting report:Kirton and Falkenham W.I celebrated Christmas with a fish and chip lunch. A legacy from June Shepherd provided the funds for this treat and she was toasted in mulled wine. Fun and games followed, and we went home filled with Christmas spirit.… Read more: December 2019 + January 2020
Next meeting: Thursday 12th November 2019 at 1.15 pm. Please note the earlier time. There will be a fish and chip lunch followed by party games!January meeting: The title of Sharon Lockhart’s talk is ‘Renew, Reuse, Recycle’ and the competition is to upcycle a plastic bottle. November meeting report:Janet Danu spoke to us about women who she finds inspiring. Included in her selection were a Queen… Read more: November 2019
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… Read more: October 2019
Next Meeting: 10th OctoberSpeaker: Ken Stone on ‘A Royal Year’Competition: A commemorative memento of a Royal Occasion SEPTEMBER MEETING REPORT 2019 Our speaker this month was Ruth Leigh from the Paella and Tapas Company which is a catering company with a decidedly Spanish theme. Ruth caters for parties of all sizes and uses authentic Spanish ingredients and equipment for her many types of paella etc. Food… Read more: September 2019
Next meeting: Thursday 11th July 2019 at 2.00 pm. The speaker will be Mrs Carole Wheatley will be speaking on the topic ‘Biberach Revisited-Guernsey People sent to Germany in WW2’. There will be a competition: please bring any WW2 memorabilia. June meeting report:Wendy Smith is line judge at the Wimbledon Championships, and she told us about life on court during the intense two week tennis tournament. She… Read more: June 2019
Next meeting: Thursday 13th June 2019 at 2.00 pm. Wendy Smith will be talking about her experiences as a Wimbledon line judge. There will be a competition: describe your best sporting moment in no more than 20 words with photos, medals or cups! May meeting report:The W.I. is an important lobby group in the United Kingdom, and the Government takes note of its campaigns. Each year, the… Read more: May 2019
Kirton and Falkenham Women’s InstituteNext meeting: Thursday 9th May 2019 at 2.00 pm. An eventful meeting is promised with a discussion of the resolutions for the W.I. conference led by the committee followed by a light hearted quiz. April meeting report:A change to the programme brought Marianne Brame to Kirton. She makes jewellery and brought a selection to show members. If there is one thing that… Read more: April 2019
Kirton and Falkenham Women’s InstituteNext meeting: Thursday 14th January 2019 at 2.00 pm. We will be travelling back in time with Kevin Hegarty and his minstrels who will be performing the music of the 15th and 16th centuries.This is also our birthday meeting so there will be an extra special tea. Glamour is the order of the day: hats will be worn because we will also… Read more: February 2019
Kirton and Falkenham Women’s InstituteNext meeting: Thursday 14th January at 2.00 pm. Tina Oldfield will describe ‘A Trek for life’ and expedition to Everest.Competition: a photograph and map of your favourite walk. January Meeting:David Phelan gave an interesting talk about St Audrey’s Hospital in Melton (where he now lives).St Audrey’s began life as a workhouse in the mid nineteenth century. It was converted into a lunatic asylum… Read more: January 2019
Kirton and Falkenham Women’s InstituteNext meeting: Thursday 10th January at 2.00 pm. Our speaker, David Phelan will present the history of St Audrey’s in a talk entitled ‘Workhouse to Asylum’. December meeting report:With a festive glass of mulled wine (or spiced apple cup), members settled down to find out more about fused glass from our speaker Verena Daniels.Verena recounted her artistic journey, beginning at school where… Read more: December 2018
Kirton and Falkenham Women’s InstituteNext meeting: Thursday 9th August at 2.00 pm hosted by Pauline Topple (please contact Chris Welling – see below- if you need the address). This month we will be sharing a strawberry tea. There will be a charge of £2.50. There will also be books, produce, plants and a bring and buy table. All proceeds will be donated to the Blossom Appeal.The… Read more: July 2018
Kirton and Falkenham Women’s InstituteNext meeting: Thursday July 12th at 2.00 pm in Kirton and Falkenham Village HallSubject: World War One with Ted PayneTrading stall: miscellaneous June meeting Report 2018This month, Mike Powell-Evans from the RSPB gave a talk about garden birds. There was a lot to hear about the many and varied birds that visit our garden. Amongst other facts, this listener learnt that the… Read more: June 2018
KIRTON AND FALKENHAM WINext meeting: Thursday April 12th at 2.00pm in Kirton and Falkenham Village Hall.Demonstrator: Magdalaine Snowdon.Subject: Hats and flower making (Hands on).Trading Stall: Miscellaneous. MARCH MEETING REPORT 2018This year we are celebrating the 97th birthday of Kirton and Falkenham WI. While the actual anniversary is not until the autumn we have taken to marking the occasion at the March meeting so that it does… Read more: March 2018
KIRTON AND FALKENHAM WI Next meeting: Thursday March 8th at 2.00pm in Kirton and Falkenham Village Hall.Speaker: Helen Fraser.Subject: Memories from Stage and Screen.Competition: A theatre programme. FEBRUARY MEETING REPORT 2018 The WI membership fee has now risen to over £40 and, at our committee meeting, it was announced that there had been some ‘unrest’ amongst other WIs regarding this increase. I wonder what form this… Read more: February 2018
KIRTON AND FALKENHAM WI Next meeting: Thursday February 8th at 2.00pm in Kirton and Falkenham Village Hall.Speaker: Jane Bradburn.Subject: Kirton of Old.Competition: A postcard or photo of Kirton in the past. JANUARY MEETING REPORT 2018One of the activities that has recently been added to Kirton and Falkenham WI’s programme is a ‘Knit and Natter’ get together at Sue Watts house on the third Monday of every… Read more: January 2018
KIRTON AND FALKENHAM WI Christmas Party: Thursday December 14th at 2.00pm in Kirton and Falkenham Village Hall.Entertainment provided by a hand-bell ringers group.January 2018 Meeting: Thursday 11th at 2.00pm in the Village Hall.Speaker Linda Sexton on The WI and the 1953 floods. NOVEMBER MEETING REPORT 2017As usual the WI has several future events planned. On the 18th of January Kirton and Falkenham are arranging a trip… Read more: November 2017
Next Meeting: 9th November 2017 at 2pm at Kirton Village Hall. Our speaker next month will be: Brian Cornell who is giving a talk on Thames Lightermen. Our speakers this month were Chris and Marion Stevens and they gave us a fascinating insight into Bees – the Journey from Flower to Jar. Chris and Marion have been bee keepers for seven years and have 8 hives,… Read more: October 2017
August – Tea party at WaldringfieldNext meeting: Thursday September 14th at 2.00pm in Kirton and Falkenham Village Hall.Speaker: Colin WestrenSubject: Tools with a missionCompetition: An old tool JULY MEETING REPORT 2017The first item at our July get-together was a report by Edna Stuckey concerning her trip to Liverpool as our delegate at National WI’s AGM. From what she told us it sounded like a very interesting… Read more: July 2017
Next meeting: Thursday May 11th at 2.00pm in Kirton and Falkenham Village Hall.Discussion and voting on resolutions.Followed by members reminiscences of their school-days (please come prepared).Trading Stall: miscellaneous. APRIL MEETING REPORT 2017Did you know that there’s no need to go to Cheddar, Cheshire or Wensleydale to sample British cheeses? In fact you can find an example practically on your doorstep at Whitegate Farm, Creeting St Mary,… Read more: April 2017
KIRTON AND FALKENHAM WI Next meeting: Thursday April 13th at 2.00pm in Kirton and Falkenham Village Hall.Demonstration: Suffolk Farmhouse Cheeses plus Tasting overseen by: Jason Salisbury.Competition: A Cheese Recipe (if possible bring printed copies for members to take away.)Trading Stall: miscellaneous. MARCH MEETING REPORT 2017In the committee – a group that meets a few days before our main meeting – ways to recruit new members were… Read more: March 2017
Birthday meeting: Thursday March 9th at 2.00pm in Kirton and Falkenham Village Hall.Entertainment: Don’s Melody Makers. Wear a hat to support the Brain Tumour Association.No CompetitionTrading Stall: miscellaneous FEBRUARY MEETING REPORT 2017Last Thursday we waited for our speaker to arrive. As the minutes ticked by and he did not turn up we wondered how we were going to fill the time at our disposal. However, as the… Read more: February 2017
Next meeting: Thursday Feb 9th at 2.00pm in Kirton and Falkenham Village Hall.Speaker: David Empson on Brave Men of Ipswich.Competition: A medal or certificate you have won. (Also bring along any wartime medals you may have). Trading Stall: miscellaneous JANUARY MEETING REPORT 2017Now that we’ve got Christmas and January 1st over with Kirton and Falkenham WI is starting to think about 2017 and plan some activities for the… Read more: January 2017
KIRTON AND FALKENHAM WI Next meeting: Thursday Dec 8th at 1.15pm in Kirton and Falkenham Village Hall.The meeting will consist of a fish’n’chip lunch followed by Christmas Celebrations.Please bring a baby photo of yourself to be used in a guessing game.Trading Stall: miscellaneous NOVEMBER MEETING REPORT 2016The Arts and Crafts Fair at the church hall was a great success and our cake stall made £72.50. We… Read more: November 2016
KIRTON AND FALKENHAM WI Next meeting: Thursday Nov 10th at 2.00pm in Kirton and Falkenham Village Hall.AGM followed by speaker: Felicity KaplanSubject: Transcendental Meditation.Competition: Short sentence on ‘How I like to relax’.Trading Stall: miscellaneous If you’re new to the village, are of the feminine gender, and are wondering how you can become part of this new community you’re entering why not join the Kirton and Falkenham… Read more: October 2016
KIRTON AND FALKENHAM WI Next meeting: Thursday Sept 8th at 2.00pm in Kirton and Falkenham Village Hall.Speaker: Pauline BakerSubject: Frock Horror – Confessions of a costume designer.Competition: Photo of your own frock horror.Trading Stall: miscellaneous
KIRTON AND FALKENHAM WI Next meeting: Thursday July 14th at 2.00pm in Kirton and Falkenham Village Hall.Speaker: Dr Stephen Ashworth, University of East AngliaSubject: Kitchen Chemistry – talk and demonstration.Competition: An Old Kitchen UtensilTrading Stall: miscellaneous JUNE REPORT 2016On June 9th a lady should have been coming to speak to us about the charity Debra (www.debra.org.uk). Unfortunately, on the morning of the meeting she phoned to… Read more: June 2016
KIRTON AND FALKENHAM WI Next meeting: Thursday May 12th at 2.00pm in Kirton and Falkenham Village Hall.There will be a discussion and vote on the resolutions to go before the National AGM followed by gamesNo competitionTrading Stall: miscellaneous APRIL REPORT 2016I hope everyone will take a look at the advert for our trip to Newmarket’s Ladies’ Day on the 7th July which will be found elsewhere… Read more: April 2016
KIRTON AND FALKENHAM WI Next meeting: Thursday April 14th at 2.00pm in Kirton and Falkenham Village Hall – visitors welcome.Speaker: Mark MowerSubject: Suffolk MurdersCompetition: An appreciation of a favourite ‘Who-done-it’ novel or thrillerTrading Stall: miscellaneous MARCH REPORT 2016On March 5th Kirton and Falkenham WI did its bit for the ‘Clean For The Queen’ campaign, an attempt to get the country into a fit state to celebrate… Read more: March 2016
KIRTON AND FALKENHAM WI Next meeting: Thursday February 11th at 2.00pm in Kirton and Falkenham Village Hall.Speaker: Gilly BursnollSubject: Painting on flower potsCompetition: Best three attempts at painted potsTrading Stall: miscellaneous JANUARY MEETING REPORT 2016This is the time of year when we start planning our activities for the coming twelve months. Two outings are already in the pipeline: next week we are going as a group… Read more: January 2016
KIRTON AND FALKENHAM W.I Next Meeting – February 13th 2014Speaker – Mary MooreSubject – Forty Years at the ForgeCompetition – A piece of decorative metal work DECEMBER AND JANUARY REPORT The theme for our December meeting was Christmas Fun and the afternoon was organised by Edna and Wendy who had previously arranged our whole itinery for 2013. There was no speaker but instead we played games… Read more: December 2013 & January 2014
KIRTON AND FALKENHAM WI Meeting, December 12th – An Old Fashioned Christmas (sing-along, poems, games etc.) Meeting, January 9th 2014Speaker, Mrs Pauline Taylor on the Past and Present of Galloways Coaches.Competition – A photo taken from a coach. NOVEMBER MEETING REPORT We always hold our AGM in November so there is quite a lot of business to get through before we can relax and start enjoying… Read more: November 2013
SEPTEMBER MEETING REPORT At the W.I. we have a number of events in the offing and also ideas for things we may do in the future. On September 19th we are having a cream tea and a treasure hunt around the village. Then on October 3rd we are meeting for a fish and chip lunch at the Hut on Felixstowe sea front. On October 21st several… Read more: September 2013
JULY MEETING REPORT Strawberry tea at Iris’s – August 15thNext Meeting – Sept 12thSpeaker – Angela Pratt on Being a J.P.Competition – An unusual key On the 27th June a number of us gathered in Pam Dickerson’s very pleasant garden to indulge in an alfresco lunch. Pam had provided a delicious spread and we tucked in and enjoyed ourselves immensely. There was also a sales table… Read more: July 2013
JANUARY MEETING REPORTAt the start of our meeting on January 10th we discussed two resolutions, one of which will eventually go before the National AGM in Cardiff this year. The wording of the first resolution is as follows:- The NFWI notes with concern the continuing decline of our high streets and the damaging effect this has on local communities. We call on every member of the… Read more: January 2013
DECEMBER MEETING REPORTAt the Trimley Table-Top Sale on November 10th we made £28, not nearly as much as we usually make with our cake stall at the Kirton Arts and Crafts Fair, but as you know this was not held this year. The outing to the Suffolk Food Hall on November 27th followed by lunch at the Oyster Reach was voted a success. A number of… Read more: Nov/December 2012
JULY REPORTDuring the first part of our July meeting Eileen Riches, our delegate to the National AGM this year, gave us her report on the conference. She said that walking into the Royal Albert |Hall, especially when it is filled with 5000 women, was truly awe-inspiring. The NFWI chairperson, Mrs Ruth Bond, welcomed everyone and in her speech pointed out that over the last year 20,000… Read more: July 2012
JUNE REPORT Kirton and Falkenham W.I. has two treats coming up in the near future. On August 9th we are going to indulge in a strawberry tea along with a raffle and bring and buy stall in the garden of our President Iris Hitchen’s house, weather permitting. Then on September 11th we are hoping to get together for a fish and chip lunch at a local… Read more: June 2012
MAY REPORT At our May meeting we discussed the resolution which is to go before the National AGM at the Albert Hall at the end of May. The wording of the resolution runs as follows: There are chronic shortages of midwives. The NFWI calls on the Government to increase investment in the training, employment and retention of midwives in England and Wales to ensure services are… Read more: May 2012
KIRTON AND FALKENHAM W.I Next meeting – April 12th 2012Recipe AfternoonPrepare and bring along your favourite recipe for a tasting sessionCompetition – handmade box to take nine truffles (not fabric)No Trading Stall MARCH REPORT I received a very nice letter this morning from Nacton W.I. thanking Kirton and Falkenham for their hospitality on the instance of our 91st birthday meeting. They commented on the warm welcome… Read more: March 2012
On November 10th Kirton and Falkenham W.I. held their AGM, to help us with which we had a visit from our W.I. Advisor Linda Leigh. During this session we heard reports of our activities during the year plus a summing up of our financial position which is satisfactory. Mrs Iris Hitchen, Miss Valerie Bines and Mrs Judy Walker were confirmed in their positions as President, Secretary… Read more: November 2011
Since our meeting in June, we have lost our two oldest and longest standing members.Beattie Pepper and May Copping died within 10 days of each other, and members of our Branch had attended both funerals.In paying tribute to them, our President Iris Hitchin said that they were both invaluable members, as they knew so much, including the WI and the running of the branch. They had… Read more: July 2011
MAY REPORT On Thursday 5th May Kirton and Falkenham W.I. gathered at the Bowls Club in Felixstowe for a fish and chip lunch arranged for us by Mrs Pauline Swift who is a Bowls Club member. The food was excellent and everybody enjoyed themselves. Many thanks to Pauline and to Iris Hitchen, our president, who provided the desserts and to her husband Terry for all their… Read more: May 2011
APRIL REPORT At our meeting on April 14th Mr Pip Wright came to talk to us and show us photos on the theme of ‘Exploring Suffolk by Bus Pass’. As most of us are of an age to own one of these things we were eager to get information about how to use them in order to set out on some local adventures. In 2007 he… Read more: April 2011
MARCH REPORT At our recent committee meetings we have been busy planning activities for the coming year. Several of us went to the Federation AGM at Trinity Park on the 8th of March with our president Iris Hitchen acting as delegate. Then on April the 12th we will be attending the Annual Group Meeting at Walton Trades and Labour Club, the Group consisting, besides Kirton and… Read more: March 2011
FEBRUARY REPORT Hintlesham Hall had special rates on lunches and teas for W.I.s in January. Although we were not given much notice we managed to get a group of eighteen together, including one man, our president Iris’s husband (what a brave chap!), to give the lunch a go. It turned out to be a splendid occasion – excellent food and service in a beautiful setting. The… Read more: February 2011
JANUARY MEETING REPORT Dr Geoffrey Kay who came to speak at our January meeting on the Crystal Palace and the Great Exhibition had just acquired a new digital projector with all sorts of potential to go wrong, he told us. In fact there was some bother with Windows appearing, informing him that his virus protection had expired but this was soon dealt with. He started by… Read more: January 2011
DECEMBER MEETING REPORT As our December meeting is the last one before Christmas we usually make an effort to go a bit festive, so last Thursday we had mince pies as well as sausage rolls, scones and éclairs with our tea and our president provided us with crackers and chocolates. Despite the cold weather there was a good turnout and after we had got through the… Read more: December 2010
NOVEMBER MEETING REPORT In November the Kirton and Falkenham W.I. holds its Annual General Meeting. This part of the afternoon did not take long as there were no changes either to the officers or the committee members. The secretary and treasurer gave their reports and everybody was thanked for the sterling work they had put in in tackling their various roles. Iris Hitchen, our president, then… Read more: November 2010
OCTOBER MEETING REPORT In October Kirton and Falkenham W.I. celebrates its birthday and this year we were eighty nine years young. Next year we will pass the milestone of our ninetieth year and we are already thinking up ways to celebrate. Our president Iris Hitchen was unable to be present at the meeting as she is recovering from an operation so May Copping, our vice president,… Read more: October 2010
AUGUST AND SEPTEMBER REPORT Our W.I. does not hold a meeting in August but we usually arrange an outing for those who are not on holiday. In fact we had two opportunities to go out together. On the 12th we visited the Felixstowe Seafarers Centre which is the modern equivalent of the Missions to Seamen. This is situated on the docks and we had a good… Read more: August & September 2010
JULY MEETING REPORT At our July meeting Mrs Iris Hitchen, our president, reported on her trip to the National AGM at Cardiff which she attended as our Group Representative. While there she learnt that at present the W I has 207,000 members nationwide. Next year the subscription will be £30, a rise of only 50p. The resolution that was put forward concerning the labelling of foodstuffs… Read more: July 2010
JUNE MEETING REPORTWhen he was twenty four, in 1958, Mr Weatley decided to go round the world on a scooter. This was the subject he came to talk to us about at our June meeting. Having two elder brothers who were both cleverer and better looking than he was he decided that the only way to compete was to do something spectacularly different. He therefore acquired… Read more: June 2010
MAY MEETING REPORT Kirton and Falkenham W.I. treated themselves to two very enjoyable lunches recently. For the first, on Thurs. 6th May, we were guests at the Bowls Club in St Edmunds Road, Felixstowe where we used their facilities to eat meals ordered from the Seaview Fishbar. We were impressed by the quality of the food and the size of portions. We had Mrs Pauline Swift… Read more: May 2010
APRIL MEETING REPORT Mr Tyler, our speaker at the April meeting, started his talk on Billy Butlin with a rousing ‘Hi Di Hi’ to which we all replied ‘Ho Di Ho’. The great era of the holiday camp, he told us, was the 1950s, but the idea started long before that, back in the 1890s, when austere socialist or Christian camps made their appearance. However Billy… Read more: April 2010
MARCH MEETING REPORT The National Federation of Womens’ Institutes is issuing a challenge to its’ members. This is for W.I. members to complete a Triathlon which consists of a 5 mile swim, a 20 mile cycle ride and a 50 mile walk or run. The endurance test is not so formidable as it sounds as it is to be completed as a combined effort by the… Read more: March 2010
2010 FEBRUARY MEETING REPORT Our February meeting was the first meeting of the year as we had to cancel our January get together due to snow. We now have twenty three members and most of them managed to turn up although the day was very cold and the wind whistling round the Village Hall was bitter. We are always on the lookout for new members so… Read more: February 2010
DECEMBER MEETING REPORT We met for our December meeting only to find that for the fourth time this year the speaker could not come. Fortunately two of our members stepped into the breach – Mrs Maddy Rhodes and Miss Elizabeth Sugarman. Maddy spends some time each week at the Citizen’s Advice Bureau so she was asked if she would talk to us about her experiences there.… Read more: December 2009 –
NOVEMBER MEETING REPORT In November we hold our Annual General Meeting when we look back on the past year and confirm people in the offices for the next twelve months. As far as President, Secretary and Treasurer are concerned there will be no change: Mrs Iris Hitchen will be President, I will continue as Secretary and Mrs Judy Walker will be Treasurer. All three candidates were… Read more: November 2009 – AGM
OCTOBER MEETING REPORT Members were joined at this meeting by WI members from Felixtowe morning, Brackenbury, Bucklesham and Nacton as our branch was celebrating its 88th Birthday.Representatives from other local clubs and organisations had also been invited, and all 42 ladies present watched Pam Dickerson cut the birthday cake, and wish the branch well for the future. Our guest speaker, Joan Lumkin, was well known to many… Read more: October 2009 – 88th Birthday
SEPTEMBER MEETING REPORT Towards the end of July, we were invited to a strawberry tea in the garden of our president Mrs Iris Hitchen. On the day in question about fifteen of us assembled at her house ready for a pleasant social occasion. Besides the strawberries and cream we ate cheese straws provided by Beatty Pepper, scones and shortbread, and drank Iris’s home made wine. Many… Read more: September 2009
At our July meeting the watchword was ‘All Change’. Mrs Iris Hitchen, our president, was unable to take the chair due to the fact she was attending a funeral, so Mrs May Copping, our vice-president, stepped in. Also the speaker, Mrs Buckles, who had been booked to demonstrate flower arranging, was unwell so could not come. We hope she will make a quick recovery. Instead Mrs… Read more: July 2009 – All Change
June Meeting reportFour Weddings and a Funeral was the subject Mrs Jane Parker came to speak to us about at our June meeting. Mrs Parker is a registrar and works for the Suffolk Registration service which concerns itself with the births, marriages and deaths in the area. She feels it is an honour to fulfill this role and finds it constantly interesting as she meets all… Read more: June 2009 – Four weddings and a funeral
MAY MEETING REPORT On May 14th Kirton and Falkenham W.I. gathered at the Village Hall about an hour and a half earlier than usual in order to partake of a fish and chip lunch before our resolutions meeting. The first course was provided by Bounty Fisheries, the sweets by Mrs Judy Walker and to drink we had a punch brought by Mrs Iris Hitchen and made by… Read more: May 2009 – Resolutions
APRIL MEETING REPORT In the last few weeks we have been lucky enough to acquire five new members. I hope they are all going to enjoy their time with us and spread the word through the village about the many opportunities that the W.I. presents. We were very sad to hear of the death of Mrs Vera Allen who was a member of Kirton and Falkenham… Read more: April 2009 – World of Shells
MARCH REPORT Unfortunately the speaker who was booked for our March meeting let us down without prior warning. If our programme secretary, Mrs Copping, had not had the forethought to check with her a few days previously we might have found ourselves twiddling our thumbs and humming ‘why are we waiting?’. As it was we had a short time to find a stand-in, and Mrs Jane… Read more: March 2009 – Jane Leffler
FEBRUARY 2009 REPORT Do you know where the port of Ushuaia is? Well, it is the most southerly town in the world and is situated in Tierra del Fuego, Argentina. This where our speaker in February, Mr Parffitt, started his voyage to Antarctica. The holiday cost in the region of £7000 and covered a distance of 3250 miles, taking in the Falkland Islands, South Georgia and… Read more: February 2009 – Antarctic odyssey
JANUARY 2009 REPORT In January we welcomed Mr Woods as our speaker who showed us slides of Narrow Gauge Steam Railways in East Germany. Under communism they were run as a public service and not for profit so many more of them survive there than in the British Isles. They are mainly found in mountainous areas such as the Hartz Mountains as they are able to… Read more: January 2009 – Narrow Gauge Steam Railways in East Germany
DECEMBER 2008 REPORT Mr Fox who talked to us in December about ‘Historic Streets of Ipswich’ is into maps. As a consequence he was particularly appreciative of the map we sent him to guide him to the Village Hall which he said made finding the place a doddle. The resonance of Ipswich street names opens up an immediate insight into the history of the place, and… Read more: December 2008 – Historic Streets of Ipswich
NOVEMBER 2008 REPORT In November we hold our AGM: the time when we cast our eyes back over the past year and look forward to the next by appointing people to the various offices. The committee members, treasurer and secretary remain the same for 2009 but Judy Walker decided that the time had come for her to step down from the position of president as she… Read more: November 2008 – AGM
OCTOBER 2008 REPORTIt was our birthday meeting in October. 87 years young! It’s amazing that the W.I. has been in existence in Kirton for all that length of time. How different the village and the people that lived there must have been when it was first founded.As usual we invited members from several other W.I.s and also from a number of village organizations. It is really… Read more: October 2008 – Birthday + Chocolate & sweet making
SEPTEMBER 2008 REPORT On the second Thursday in August, instead of a meeting, Kirton and Falkenham W.I. held a Ploughman’s Lunch with food provided by the committee and various other members. Afterwards we turned our hands to knitting and sewing Christmas decorations for the Christmas Tree Festival that is due to take place in Falkenham Church in December. Everyone had a really enjoyable time. ‘Behind the… Read more: Sept 2008 – Behind the Curtain at the New Wolsey Theatre
JULY 2008 REPORTAugust is the month when we do not usually hold a meeting, but instead go on an outing or have some sort of summer celebration. As this year we are not visiting anywhere we decided instead to arrange a ploughman’s lunch in the village hall on the second Thursday followed by a social afternoon during which we will endeavour to make some decorations for… Read more: July 2008 – Antiques
JUNE 2008 REPORTAt our June meeting we were introduced to a craft new to us: Repoussé work. Repousse is defined in the Oxford English Dictionary as ‘Of metal work: Raised or beaten into relief, ornamented in relief, by means of hammering from the reverse side’. Titled ‘Working with pewter’ Mrs Field’s talk and demonstration set out to reveal the mysteries of this ancient technique and maybe… Read more: June 2008 – Repoussé work.
MAY 2008 REPORTWeather-wise we have been very lucky so far with our visits to the ‘Hut’ on Felixstowe seafront. Last autumn when we arranged an afternoon plus lunch there we had a gorgeous day, and then on May 8th, our meeting day, we managed to coincide with the run of sunny days which has not yet come to an end as I write.Although the business of… Read more: May 2008 – Resolutions
APRIL 2008 REPORTThe W.I. and Corncockles coffee morning held on April 1st in memory of Hilary Barker raised over £700 for the charity EACH (East Anglian Children’s Hospice). Many thanks to all who participated.We were very sad to hear of the death of Joan Robinson, a previous president of Kirton and Falkenham W.I.. When, some time ago, our W.I. was threatened with closure Joan was instrumental… Read more: April 2008 – Mrs Beeton
MARCH 2008 REPORTOur most senior member Mrs Irene Barton has been away from us for a while having fallen and broken her hip. We were so pleased to welcome her back to our March meeting albeit in a wheelchair. She joined us for the social part of the afternoon when we sit and chat, enjoying cups of tea and delicious cakes prepared this month by Miss… Read more: March 2008 – The Mysteries of Easter Island
FEBRUARY 2008 REPORTWe started our February meeting in a sombre mood, very much aware of a glaring absence in our midst – that of Hilary Barker, who passed away recently, leaving us and the whole village both shocked and saddened. We held a minute’s silence, during which our thought turned to Brian and the rest of Hilary’s family, but also to the many good times we… Read more: February 2008 – Ipswich Walks
JANUARY 2008 REPORTOur January meeting should have included a talk by Mrs Parker entitled ‘4 Weddings and a Funeral’. Sadly on that day she was actually attending a funeral so could not be with us. A member, Mrs Iris Hitchen, who has joined us fairly recently, stepped into the breach with her husband Terry to show us slides and tell us about their first holiday in… Read more: January 2008 – China holiday
DECEMBER 2007 REPORTIn December Mrs Place came to talk about and show slides of National Trust Gardens. Unfortunately the hall was so cold, someone having inadvertently left the outside door open, that we were hardly able to give her our full attention. However the lovely series of views that accompanied her talk helped to take our minds off our miseries. The National Trust was originally envisioned… Read more: Dec 2007 – National Trust Gardens