November news....

 We had a lovely time at our October meeting watching films about Bristol created by the ever entertaining, Gordon Young.  Through our highly knowledgeable speakers, we learn more secrets about our amazing city.

 
We are truly in the depths of dark evenings, so what better way to chase away the winter blues than by celebrating what we have achieved this year and getting a bit festive.
 
We will be holding our AGM and hearing from Avril about all the great things we have done together.  Members will also be able to vote for key committee roles.  As always, it’s a chance for our members to get involved so please let us know if you would like to join the committee.  Once we have completed the formalities, we will be getting truly festive with treats and making Christmas decorations.
 
This year, Malago WI will be decorating a Christmas tree for Treefest at St Mary’s Redcliffe, which will be on display from 7^th to 10^th December.  This year’s charity is the Nelson’s Trust . We need your help to make decorations for the tree to showcase what we do.  This will include felting and paper crafts.  You are welcome to take any spares home!
 
If you have some time the afternoon of Wednesday 6^th December, we would love for you to help decorate the tree.
 
This will be our last meeting of 2023 but will be holding a Christmas social at the North Street Standard on Wednesday 13^th December from 7:30.  We would love for you to join us for a drink and chat if you are able to.
 
For those of you who are not able to make any further meetings this year, we wish you a happy and enjoyable festive season.  If you can join us, see you on Wednesday 29^th November at 8pm.

Unfortunately, Marian was not able to join us at our September meeting.  But in true WI fashion, all those who attend were able to carry on and make do. We were able to have a chat and get some interesting ideas for future meetings.  Thank you for all the contributions and plans are afoot for an interesting and varied programme of meetings next year.

 
This month, we are delighted to welcome Gordon Young, who some of your met at the Clifton Bridge Vault tour.  Gordon is a born, bred, and buttered Bristolian. He stays out of trouble by keeping busy - organising commemorative blue plaques around our city (39 since 2015) and leading tours on the Clifton Suspension Bridge and into the Leigh Woods vaults. Gordon will be sharing some of his documentary films about all things Bristol.  They have had more than 30,000 hits on YouTube and won prizes in local and national competitions.  For those of you who have met Gordon, we are sure you will agree, it will be a very entertaining evening.
 
We hope you can join us for a chat, cuppa, and cake.
 
See you on Wednesday 25^th October at 8pm.

 Our final outing of the summer was a great success, with a sneak peek at Clifton Vaults hidden under the iconic Clifton Suspension Bridge.  Stepping back in time to get a glimpse of engineering excellence.  We were a distinctive sight in hard hats and high vis jackets!

As the night starts to draw in, this month we are back in the hall. Marian Green is a published author and will be joining us to tell us all about folklore and country magic, a longstanding passion of hers.   The subjects of her books range from the Holy Grail to meditation.  As a follow-up meeting, we hope to join Marian on a guided walk in a local green space next Spring where she will show us the plants that have inspired the country magic, she'll tell us about.

We hope you can join us for a chat, cuppa, and cake.

See you on Wednesday 27^th September at 8pm.

 

 

Despite the weather, we enjoyed a great walk and talk from the ever-entertaining Ed Hall, learning more about Bristol’s hidden past.
 
We are out an about again this month and are very excited about our hard hat tour of the Vaults at the Clifton Suspension Bridge on Wednesday 30 August. This is a chance to explore two of the twelve impressive stone vaults that support the Bridge. Discovered just 20 years ago, the largest chamber is 11 meters high and covered in incredible stalactites and was built by Isambard Kingdom Brunel.

There is a maximum limit of 15 for this tour – so if you still want to come and haven’t let us know please email wearemalagowi@gmail.com by Thursday 24^th August to book a place as we only have a couple of spaces left.
 
You need to arrive at the Visitor Centre, on the Leigh Woods side of the bridge, by 6.50pm latest to give you time to get kitted out as the tour will start promptly at 7pm and finish around 8pm. 
 
Please note the following: 
• Wear sturdy shoes with good grip such as hiking boots or trainers. You will not be allowed to join the tour in heels or open-toed shoes
• The tour includes climbing a vertical ladder and passing through a low corridor
• Ensure that any camera or phone will fit in your pocket or bag so that you have two hands free to climb the ladder
• Only small rucksack type bags worn over both shoulders or bags with cross-body straps are permitted inside the vaults. (Large handbags etc. can be left securely at the Visitor Centre during the tour.)
• Be aware that the vaults can be wet and/or muddy inside, particularly after heavy rain. So wear suitable clothing and ensure that cameras or mobile phones are protected from any calcite saturated water which may fall from the ceiling.
 
For more information about the tour and route go to  https://cliftonbridge.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2020/06/Access-Guide.pdf
 
Anyone else not booked on the tour who would like to come along for the evening, you are very welcome to enjoy looking round the Visitor Centre exhibition whilst the tour is going on. Afterwards we will then be heading over the bridge for a drink in the White Lion Bar in the Avon Gorge Hotel.
 
For contact info on the day you can call Avril on 07803 954120.
 
We are very much looking forward to seeing those who can join us on Wednesday 30^th at 6:50 pm.

June saw us learning all about swimming Three Channels with Steve Price.  Not an activity for the faint hearted, but Steve was thoroughly entertaining and reminded us of anything is possible if you put your mind to it.

Fingers crossed that the British Summer improves for our July meeting as we will be out and about.
In his own lively style, Ed Hall (Mary Hall’s partner) is once again leading a walk for us. This time he will take us around the streets of Bristol’s historic old town area. The walk starts at Bristol Bridge and follows the course of the old Norman walls and Saxon stockade where the line of ancient defences is still evident. There are lots of points of interest along the way, including the last remaining combined church tower/city gate, a remarkable Art Nouveau facade, the oldest city graveyard and an amazing Venetian-inspired bank frontage.

We will meet at 7.15pm at the Merchant Seamen’s memorial at the Welsh Back end of King Street (BS1 4SS). The walk ends at the Corn Exchange, Corn Street, and lasts around 1 ½ hours, after which we can go for a drink nearby.  If you have any problems on the night finding us, please contact Avril on 07803 954120.

We will out and about again in August and want to give you advance information about the planned tour of the Vaults at the Clifton Suspension Bridge.

This is a chance to explore two of the twelve impressive stone vaults that support the Clifton Suspension Bridge. Discovered just 20 years ago, the largest chamber is 11 meters high and covered in incredible stalactites and was built by famous Victorian engineer Isambard Kingdom Brunel.

To help you decide if the Vaults Tour is something for you, there is detailed guide. It covers advice including wearing appropriate footwear and taking only a small bag. It describes the route which includes a section where you need to go up a metal ladder with 15 steps, but this is fixed with a handrail within a safety cage. There are also some points you need to crouch down a bit as the headroom is lower. There will be copies of this at the July walk but if anyone wants this in advance contact Avril by email avril@abc-pr.co.uk or on 07803 954120

If you are interested in the tour, please email wearemalagowi@gmail.com to book a place as numbers are limited.  The tour will be from 7-8pm. Anyone else who wants to join us after the tour, we will be in the White Lion bar in the Avon Gorge Hotel. 

We look forward to seeing you on Wednesday 26^th

June news....

Everyone who attended our pasta making meeting in May had a great time.  We tried our hand at making different types of pasta and pesto to suit all diets.  The results were pretty tasty!

Open water swimming is becoming more and more popular in the UK, from swimming in rivers, marine lakes and even the sea.  If you have thought about it, but not yet took the plunge, our June speaker will hopefully inspire you.

Steve, Three Channels, Price is an honorary life member of Clevedon Amateur Swimming Club. He has swum the English Channel, the Bristol Channel (one way, and there and back!), and the North Channel between Scotland and Ireland.  This is considered the most difficult swim in the world. It has been attempted 73 times since 1924 but only eight successful solo swims have been achieved to date, and Steve was number seven.

Steve has shared his adventurous tales with many WI groups, so we are in for an entertaining and eye-opening evening.

We are still accepting membership payment which are £46.  Membership fees can be paid by bank transfer, cash, or cheque. Any new members will need to complete a membership registration form.

As we enjoy the long, summer evenings, we will be heading out and about in July to learn more on Bristol’s old city.  More details, including times will be in next month’s newsletter.

We look forward to seeing you on Wednesday 28^th.

May newsletter

 

We had a great time in April learning about Egyptology and the grizzly world of Egyptian Gods thanks to the highly entertaining Ali Ball.

For our May meeting, we are going to get a bit foody, with an Italian vide and try our hand at making pasta and pesto.

We will be providing the ingredients for the pasta. You don’t need a pasta machine, but it would be helpful if you could bring your own rolling pin and (wooden) board, although we will have a few spares.   Please bring some tupperware or bag to take it home in.  We will also provide ingredients you can experiment with to make pesto, but please bring any ingredients you would like to try out.

We are still accepting membership payment which are £46.  Membership fees can be paid by bank transfer, cash, or cheque. Any new members will need to complete a membership registration form.

As many of you will have seen, the Underfall Yard was severely damaged by an arson attack this month. Having visited the Underfall Yard a few years ago, we are keen supporters of the work and their special place in the community. If you would like to and are able to provide some support, please visit their Just Giving page.
We look forward to seeing you on Wednesday 31^st.

 It was lovely to see so many of you at our March meeting. It was a great evening of chat and felting. We should be extremely proud of our gorgeous Easter creations. 

This month, things get a bit more dark and grizzly as we learn more about ancient Egypt, courtesy of Ali Ball. Ali has been studying Egyptology informally for over 30 years. A teacher by trade, Ali now take Egyptology workshops into primary schools. She is the co-founder of the Kemet Klub which works with the best Egyptologists in the world to create online courses all about ancient Egypt.

Ali will be giving us an idea of the flexible nature of Egyptian religion as we look at different creation myths to get a sense of how the Egyptians explained their world. She will re-tell the grizzly story of the first ever Mummy as we meet Osiris, his sisters and evil brother Set. Murder and jealousy abound, we hear about a religious experiment with monotheism that didn’t go down too well with the Egyptians themselves!

April is membership renewal. The membership from April 2023 will be £46. This includes eleven meetings throughout the year (only £4.20 each) and a monthly copy of WI Life as well as many other benefits. We will be collecting membership fees at the meeting, and this can be paid by bank transfer, cash, or cheque. Please note, we will have no card facilities available this month to take guest payments but we can accept cash or bank transfer.

We look forward to seeing you on Wednesday 26^th.

Hello Malagoers

It was lovely to see so many of you at our March meeting. It was a great evening of chat and felting. We should be extremely proud of our gorgeous Easter creations. 

This month, things get a bit more dark and grizzly as we learn more about ancient Egypt, courtesy of Ali Ball. Ali has been studying Egyptology informally for over 30 years. A teacher by trade, Ali now take Egyptology workshops into primary schools. She is the co-founder of the Kemet Klub which works with the best Egyptologists in the world to create online courses all about ancient Egypt.

Ali will be giving us an idea of the flexible nature of Egyptian religion as we look at different creation myths to get a sense of how the Egyptians explained their world. She will re-tell the grizzly story of the first ever Mummy as we meet Osiris, his sisters and evil brother Set. Murder and jealousy abound, we hear about a religious experiment with monotheism that didn’t go down too well with the Egyptians themselves!

April is membership renewal. The membership from April 2023 will be £46. This includes eleven meetings throughout the year (only £4.20 each) and a monthly copy of WI Life as well as many other benefits. We will be collecting membership fees at the meeting, and this can be paid by bank transfer, cash, or cheque. Please note, we will have no card facilities available this month to take guest payments but can accept cash or bank transfer.

We look forward to seeing you on Wednesday 26^th.

MWI x

March news.....

 

It was lovely to be able to welcome back Zara from Zara Chocolates to talk about all things chocolate (and let us try some of her beautiful products!).

This month, as we gear up for Spring and the Easter, we will be needle felting.  Easy to pick up, it’s an accessible and addictive craft which allows even a complete beginner to achieve lovely results in both two and three-dimensional projects.  All materials will be provided, and one of our members, who is experienced in needle felting, will help show us the ropes. 

Just as a reminder, membership renewals will take place next month.  The membership from April 2023 will be £46.  This includes 11 meetings throughout the year (only £4.20 each) and a monthly copy of WI Life as well as many other benefits.  We will be collecting membership in April, and this can be paid by bank transfer, cheque or card.

We look forward to seeing you on Wednesday 29^th for some crafting, chat, and cakes!

February news...

 

What a great way to start the year with an insightful and though provoking discussion with Jenny Harrison looking at what we can do to help the environment.

This month is one for chocolates lovers!  We are delighted to welcome back Zara from Zara’s Chocolates who will talking about all things chocolate and letting us sample some of her indulgent delights.  A lifelong chocoholic, Zara completed the École Chocolat Professional Chocolatier Programme and then began experimenting in her home kitchen.    Zara’s chocolates have been a presence on North Street since 2013.  Keeping production on a small scale and making everything by hand, in-store in an open kitchen, are central values for Zara's Chocolates.

Thank you to everyone who brought unwanted gifts to our January meeting. We will raffle them at this month’s meeting to raise funds for your Malago WI.  We can take card payments, but please feel free to bring cash.

Just as a reminder, the Lionesses will be playing at Ashton Gate on Wednesday 22nd so traffic may be busier than normal, and parking might be a bit tricky.

We look forward to seeing you on Wednesday 22nd.

 

Happy New Year from Malago WI.  We hope you have an enjoyable festive season.

It seems a very long time ago that we met for festive crafting and mince pie tasting.  A great time was had by all.

The dark nights and the terrible weather can make it very difficult to come out this time of year, but why not join us to kick our exciting programme of events for 2023 this January.  The last few weeks have demonstrated how our climate is changing.  We are delighted to welcome Jenny Harrison, who is passionate about environmental and ethical awareness.  She has volunteered as a Greenpeace speaker since 2019 and will talk to us about current environmental issues and how we can do our little bit to make a difference.

Some of you may have received some gifts that you would like to ‘re-gift’ so please bring them along and we will raffle them to raise funds for your Malago WI.  We can take card payments, but please feel free to bring cash.
Members will have the opportunity to vote on this year’s resolutions to go to the AGM later in the year.  This year, the proposed resolutions are:

1. Save our water – every drop matters
2. Women to women – turning over a new leaf in the lives of women tea workers
3. Online gambling harm: time for action
4. Clean rivers for people and wildlife

If you are unable to attend the meeting, you can send you vote to us by email.

We now will be meeting in the main church hall which will give us much more space.  When you arrive, please come through the main entrance.

We look forward to seeing you on Wednesday 25^th.