May news....

 Thank you to our very own Suze for sharing her story and showing us how to make colourful and fun jewellery. A welcome bit of colour to welcome summer.

 
This month one of our members, Robyn, will be leading us in a session of gentle movement and self-care through Qi Gong.
 
Shibashi is a Chinese form of exercise called qi gong. Shibashi means '18 moves' and Qi Gong means 'energy work'. Qi or energy is in all living things and permeates the universe.
 
Qi Gong dates back thousands of years and was practiced by the shaolin monks to promote the smooth flow of energy through the body.
 
Chinese medicine is based on the principle that the smooth flow of energy through the energy channels (meridians) in the body is the basis of good health and that illness is caused by the stagnation of qi or blockages in these energy pathways.
 
The Shibashi sequence of eighteen soft, gentle movements was developed in the early 20th Century to help patients recover from injury, regain their strength, and improve their health. The exercises were found to be so effective at improving health and wellbeing that it is taught and practiced all over China.
 
No skill is required to practice, the movements are very simple, and the students simply copy the teacher, it can be practiced seated or standing.
 
No effort or competition is intended in the practice. It does involve raising the arms above the head and soft gentle twists from side to side but if one is unable to do so it is perfectly OK to leave bits out. Only do what is comfortable.
 
Please wear comfortable clothing and flat comfortable shoes.
 
If you have not had the chance to renew your membership, we encourage to do so when we meet. The membership fee for 2024/25 is £48. As part of your membership, you can attend eleven meetings throughout the year and have membership to WI Avon Fed and National WI. Of the £48, we receive £23.60 of your membership, and this go towards covering the cost of speakers, materials, hall rent (which is £34 per meeting) and outings.
 
Membership can be paid by bank transfer or cash.
 
We hope to see you on Wednesday 29^th at 8pm.

 

We hope you enjoyed our Easter crafting, hot cross buns, and chat at our last meeting as much as we did. We also hope you had a lovely Easter with an abundance of chocolate, treats and time with loved ones.
 
This month, we continue our crafting theme which is hosted by our very own Suze.
 
Lock down and constant video meetings, inspired Suze to set up SuzieEstherJewellery to try and add a bit of variety and colour into days spent at home staring at a camera!
 
All pieces are handmade by Suze in sunny Bristol, in her cosy garage workspace. She brings a pop of colour to the wearers day and aims to make pieces that the recipient can dress up or down.
 
She combines traditional silversmithing with cold enamel, and polymer clay to give that pop of colour and something a little different. Due to the nature of the processes, each piece will be unique.
 
The pieces are made using recycled silver where possible, and all clay, enamel & waste metal is saved to reused in future projects
 
Suze will show us how we can make our own earrings with polymer clay. All materials will be provided, however if you have a glass work top safer or shining ceramic tile you can bring, this will be helpful to roll out your clay.
 
April is also membership renewals. The membership fee for 2024/25 is £48. As part of your membership, you can attend eleven meetings throughout the year and have membership to WI Avon Fed and National WI. Of the £48, we receive £23.60 of your membership, and this go towards covering the cost of speakers, materials, hall rent (£34 per meeting) and outings.
 
We want to ensure that we offer our members and guests a diverse range of meetings and outings. We have seen a significant increase in our costs and will therefore be increasing the cost of a guest to £8.
 
Membership can be paid by bank transfer or cash.
 
We have another exciting programme planned for the year. We hope to see you on Wednesday 24^th April at 8pm.

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

April news....

 

Happy belated Easter to you all, we hope you've all had the chance to enjoy the Spring sunshine.  For our meeting in March, we had an interesting and entertaining talk from Andy Lewis about the history of Bedminster Down, and how it has evolved over the years.

For our April meeting we are embracing spring by planting miniature Ranunculus bulbs for some summer colour for you to take home.  Bulbs, pots, and compost will be provided, however if you do have a small plant pot, you'd like to use, please bring it along.  We’ll also be putting some fizz into our lives by making bath bombs.  The bath bomb ingredients will be provided, but you will need to bring something to make them in, small flexible plastic or silicon items such as silicon ice trays, muffin cases or even old yogurt pots will work.  We'll have some essential oils to use to add scent, but if you have any favourite scented oils or any dried rose petals or lavender do bring it along to use.  If you don't have a suitable mould, a glass jar would work for making fizzy bath powder instead.

April is now the month when subs are renewed. The 2022 subscription is £44, which is split between the WI, federation and the NFWI to help with running individual groups and the organisation. Payment can be made via cheque, cash, or bank transfer.  We also now have a card reader, this can't be used for subs but can be used for paying for guest fees, refreshments, raffle tickets and donations.

Lastly, we'll be asking our members to vote on this year's resolution so that our votes can be carried forward to this year’s WI national AGM in June.  The resolution is Women and Girls with ASD & ADHD - under-identified, under-diagnosed, misdiagnosed, under-supported and further information can be found on the WI website.

We look forward to seeing you on Wednesday 27^th.

July news....

 

After a lovely evening on the harbourside at Riverside Garden Centre we are heading off to Redcatch Community Garden where renowned author Jane Duffus will be entertaining us in the garden’s fabulous new marquee.
 
A journalist, editor and public speaker, Jane Duffus published her book The Women Who Built Bristol: Volume One in 2018 after uncovering fascinating stories of women who were otherwise absent from history books. From a heartbroken barmaid from Easton, to an abducted heiress, Duffus explores an eclectic mix of women who have made Bristol brilliant. You can also buy Jane’s book so please bring cash or card with you.
 
Redcatch Community Garden was set up by some passionate volunteers in 2017 on the disused bowling green in Redcatch Park in Knowle. It has grown into a thriving community space which is enjoyed by all with activities and events centred around gardening, food production and crafts. Past events have included themed pop-up food evenings, fairs, and Comedy nights.
 
On arrival one of the founders Mike Cardwell will walk and talk us around the garden and growing areas before taking our seats for Jane’s talk. 
 
There is a car park is off Broadwalk but you can usually find spaces on Redcatch Road as well, then walk across the park.
 
We will be starting slightly earlier than normally at 7:30, so please allow enough time to part and join us in the garden.  We look forward to seeing you then.

June news.....

 

Following a fascinating guided walk in May around the historic Underfall Yard we’re heading back outdoors for our next meeting on Wednesday 30^th June for a private visit the lovely Riverside Garden Centre. Hopefully we will have a lovely sunny evening and be able to enjoy its wonderful setting with panoramic views of the iconic Clifton Suspension Bridge, the city docks, and the Bristol skyline beyond. 
 
Riverside is Bristol's largest independent garden centre. Established in 1987, its overriding aim is to create a unique destination offering a wide range of high-quality plants and products. Their knowledgeable and friendly staff are always on hand to provide help and give advice when required. It is run as a social enterprise, engaging with the wider community in Bristol by supporting and initiating projects and working with several local charities.

Doors will open from 7.15pm for a 7.30 start. On arrival we’ll be greeted with a glass of prosecco before heading off with green-fingered expert Steve Shaw to find out more about the amazing selection of plants, shrubs, and trees on offer. It’s your chance to get advice on choosing what to plant and where, how to look after your garden and handy tips and advice before reconvening to their award-winning café for lovely cakes and refreshments. You will also be able to buy plants and other goods before you go (NB card payment only!)
 
To comply with Covid restrictions please bring a mask to wear in the communal areas.
 
Numbers are limited to 30 – so please RSVP to wearemalagowi@gmail.com by Thursday 23 June to secure your place.  Guests are welcome at £5 and places will be allocated on first come, first serve basis.  There is ample carparking available on site for free.  Riverside is off Clift House Rd, Southville, Bristol BS3 1RX
 
We look forward to seeing you there.

May news.....

 

As lockdown restrictions ease, we are delighted to able to offer our first face to face meeting in over a year.  We can’t wait to see our members both old and new.
 
As part of our summer programme of outings, our first meeting of 2021 will be at the Underfall Yard.  A survivor from a time when Bristol was a busy industrial port, Underfall Yard is a working boat yard and docks maintenance facility that has been in continual use since the 1880s. Join us for a tour of the site to explore the yard’s unique collection of Victorian buildings set in a stunning location on Bristol’s Harbourside. We will discover the elegant Georgian engineering that created the Floating Harbour and continues to perform an essential (and largely hidden) role in water management and flood prevention. A highlight of the tour is experiencing the yard’s Victorian machines in action to see how things were done in the days before computers and 3D printing and experience the heavy engineering that once powered Bristol Docks. 
 
To kick off our first meeting, we would like to celebrate with welcome drinks before the tour.  We will be meeting outside the Cottage Inn by the waterfront at 7pm and making our way to the outside seating area in front of the Underfall Yard café to enjoy a glass of bubbly.  The tour will be from 7:30 to 8:30. The tour will take place inside and outside so you may need a coat.
 
After the tour, if people would like to join us, we will make out way to the Cottage or Nova Scotia for a drink.  If you are driving, there is parking available either at the Cottage Inn or the SS Great Britain and Brunel Lock has parking which is only a short walk away.
 
There will be an opportunity for members to pay their subscriptions.  Membership for returning members will be £22.40 and new members £44. Guests are also welcome at a cost of £5. We will be acceptable to accept cheque or cash payments.
 
As there is a restriction on numbers, it would be helpful if you could let us know if you plan to attend by Friday 21^st May by emailing wearemalago@gmail.com.
 
It’s been a while since we have been able to get together so fingers crossed for dry weather!

April news.....

So as lockdown starts to ease slightly, we are looking forward to seeing you all again.  Hopefully we will welcome some new members –we are all desperate for some fun and socialising!
 
We appreciate that for Malago members, COVID restrictions on gatherings has hit our programme hard.  When we asked members about options - feedback from some of you was that there was not much interest in an online programme. We have always felt that many of our members joined Malago to meet new people, to get out for an evening and to socialise. We had comments that you either spend all day on screen for work, or home schooling, or you are not interested/able to participate in Zoom type meetings. Plus, there are lots of online workshops, events available anyway. 
 
Although lockdown is thankfully easing it is unlikely, we will be able to meet up as usual inside until after the summer plus the hall is currently being used as a vaccination centre. So, we are focussing on some fun outdoor activities to all of us to meet again over next few months
 
In May we will be offering a guided tour of Underfall Yard – hopefully in person. it’s a fascinating place steeped in history with lots to see and hear about.
 
In June we are going to have a bit of a party at the lovely Riverside Garden Centre with a talk and tour with advice about plants (plus opportunity to buy!) with cakes and nibbles/drinks from their fab café.
 
We are still looking at plans for July, but in August we are planning another outdoor event possibly a picnic in the park or rescheduling the Theatre Walk with Show Of Strength Theatre Company.  Then in September we will be back either in the hall, or another inside venue, with a programme of talks, demos, workshops etc.
 
As a response to COVID restrictions, the National WI suspended membership fee for three months with them restarting in April 2021 until April 2022.
 
The new yearly subscription will be £44. The membership is divided between National Federation and Avon Federation (£22.40) and Malago WI (£21.60). The National Federation has confirmed that going forward the membership fee due to them and Avon Fed must still be paid but that individual WIs can, if they wish, waive our part of the membership fee if they feel this will help support its members and encourage people to renew.
 
As we were not able to offer a programme of activities last year to our existing members, we have agreed to waive Malago WIs share of the fee for 2021 for any members wishing to renew, meaning that renewing members will be charges £22.40.  As COVID restrictions ease, we are hoping to be able to 10 meetings this year and welcome new members.  The membership fee for new members will be £44.  Guests will still be able to attend meetings and outings for £5 where we have capacity. 
 
We are cautiously excited to see familiar (and new faces) in the coming months.
 

January news...

 

Sadly, due to the ongoing COVID restrictions we can’t see it being possible to meet any time soon which is disappointing and frustrating.  As you know we had hoped to do a Theatre Walk with Show Of Strength Theatre Company  and despite rescheduling twice this hasn’t been possible.
 
Looking ahead we need to make you aware of the WI Federation’s position on membership.  It was confirmed in 2020, that membership renewals would not take place until April 2021 and going forward renewals would continue to be in April. 
 
During the second lockdown, as a committee we discussed whether members would like to take part in virtual meetings. We may not represent the range of views of the wider membership but some of us felt that those people working are probably fed up with staring at a computer all day and trying to catch up with family/friends etc in the evenings and therefore might not want to take part in WI meetings.  There are also a range of online classes/activities/performances etc now available. We are also aware that we may have members who do not have access to online meeting platforms. We are now in a third lockdown with working from home and home schooling causing real pressure for some of our members.
 
Given the current circumstances and the likelihood we will not be able to hold face to face meetings for some time, we would like to hear from you as to whether you would be interested in running virtual meetings in the interim.
 
If you want to continue with your membership, we can certainly look to create a virtual programme of talks and activities and would welcome any suggestions.  Others however may want to leave it for now and not renew until face-to-face meetings and activities are possible.
 
If you have a spare minute and email us at wearemalagowi@gmail.com with your thoughts either way, as well as any further ideas that would be helpful.
 
In the meantime here is another selection of short films from the Civic Society; The Story of Bristol Cars, Bristol Buses in the 1950’s, Bristol Rollercoaster and The Lost Charlie Alpha  
 
Take care and stay safe

June news....

 
It’s hard to believe that here we are in early June still in lockdown though things are easing slowly…
 
We hope that you are all finding ways to cope with all the uncertainties and restrictions for yourself as well as family and friends. Many people and communities have come together in amazing ways and let’s hope some of the positives continue.
 
Some of us are still going to work, learning to work from home or volunteering as well as maybe battling with home schooling. Others may have found themselves suddenly at home with time to fill and looking for ways to keep busy.
 
Until we can all meet up in the hall we would be interested to know if you would like to take part in some smaller group Zoom meetings, though we appreciate it’s not everyone’s cup of tea. If so let us have an idea of topics or activities that would be of interest e.g. a book club or a craft session?  Or we might be able to hold some smaller social bubble activities like some guided walks or a picnic in a park? Please email wearemalagowi@gmail.com if you would be interested to take part or have any suggestions.
 
There are lots of online opportunities and zoom classes which might be of interest to our members. For example, The Bristol Arts Channel has just launched with free to view performances from some of the city’s amazing arts venues.
 
Sewing for the NHS and front line staff
Some of you joined in making wash bags, scrub hats and knitted hearts.  Do let us know what you made and whether you made us the Brislington WI drop-offs or made your own arrangements. 
 
What have you been doing in Lockdown
We thought it might be fun to collectively document what we have all been doing over the past few months.
 
We are hoping to create a short film that chronicles the activities of our members during lockdown. We’ve been inspired by Grayson Perry’s Art Club, and so it would be lovely to compile some photos and film of the things you’ve been up to! Think Tony Hart’s Gallery!
 
Have you been creative during lockdown? Perhaps you have completed a piece of sewing, or created a work of art? Maybe you’ve been trying out some new recipes or perhaps you’ve had success growing something amazing in the garden or allotment? Whatever it is, we’d love to share it with our members.
 
If you have photos, or better still, a few seconds of film, showing your art/project, lease do send it to Geri, our treasurer, at Geri@debutots.co.uk with a little bit about what you’ve been doing and why you are particularly proud of it.
 
If you are not camera shy then by all means film yourself explaining - that’s even better! Ensure your film is in landscape if at all possible (turn your phone sideways) and no longer than a couple of minutes. Otherwise it gets difficult to send!  The Committee has put aside being camera shy and have put together a video to explain what to do, what we are looking for and to inspire you!
 
Geri will put all the contributions together and edit a short film, which we will all be able to enjoy.  It will be a sort of chronicle of what we’ve been doing during these strange times.
 
Contributions need to be received by Wednesday 29^th July, so whip out your smartphone and get filming!
 
Future meetings
We have been advised by WI Federation that face to face meetings are not possible for the time being so we have been thinking about what activities and projects we might be able to arrange in the meantime as well as planning for when more normal life returns.
 
The NFWI has been very concerned about the disruption this lockdown period has had on WI meetings and activities and the membership experience this year. Consultations with all federations have taken place to discuss ways in which this can be acknowledged in the membership subscription this year.
 
Therefore, they will be offering a three-month extension to this year’s membership subscription. The next renewal date for membership subscriptions will, therefore, be 1^st April 2021.
 
As soon as we can meet again we hope to reschedule some of the speakers/session we had to cancel over the last few months as well as some new topics. We also want to plan for a really fab social event towards the end of the year which we can fund from events that have had to be cancelled.
 
We look forward to hearing from you, finding out more about what you have been doing during lockdown and planning  ways we can continue to stay in touch and meet again when circumstances allow.
 
Stay safe and well.

January news...

We hope that you have all had a lovely Christmas and New Year break.  It seems a long time ago since we last met in the hall, being inspired by Rachel Heaton to create our own ‘Bristol Rocks’.
 
It is not always easy to persuade yourself to get out during dark and cold winter nights, but we hope that will be able to join us to learn about a great cause.  Dogs for Good is a charity that trains assistance dogs to support adults and children with a wide variety of disabilities and conditions to live full and active lives in the community. Their dogs bring independence to people by taking on many practical tasks, such as retrieving items, helping them get dressed and opening doors. As well as the practical help our dogs provide, the emotional support they give is unparalleled.
 
Rosie Blanning will talk to us about Dogs for Good and the amazing things their dogs do to help adults and children with disabilities live more independently. She will also talk about the various volunteering opportunities within the organisation and how Bristol residents can get involved with the charity and even look after our puppies!  We also will have a chance to meet one of their dogs, Norton, so will be able to see first-hand how amazing these dogs are.
 
As it is the start of the year, it is time for membership renewals.  The membership fee for 2020 is £43.  As part of this membership you get 11 meetings per year including 1 summer outing (sometimes 2), a monthly copy of WI Life, WI member benefits and a book of handy vouchers when you join.  It’s helpful for existing and new members to arrive a bit earlier so we can start the meeting on time.  Payments can be made in cash and cheques payable to Malago WI.
 
If you have any unwanted Christmas presents, please bring them along and we will raffle these off to raise money for future meetings and outings.
 
We look forward to seeing friends old and new on Wednesday 29^th to celebrate the start of another year of exciting events.

February news.....

Our first meeting of 2019 was a great way to ease us back into the New Year learning about the benefits of Reflexology and Reiki from Shelley Jones.

This month, we will be looking at the art of millinery with Ani Stafford Townsend.  Ani is a British couture & theatre milliner, striving for ethics in fashion and pushing artistic boundaries. Starting out as a theatrical milliner working for national companies, the West End, and film productions, Ani has developed her own millinery label, known for bold and adventurous use of colour and unique, stylish designs.

Ani trained at Wimbledon School of Art under theatre milliner Sean Barrett, and continues to create both theatre millinery and work under her own label as well as running the Milliners’ Guild in Bristol which she launched 2013. Ani will be talking about her extensive experience and we will have the opportunity to try on some of her amazing work.

We also be holding a raffle of all the unwanted gifts that have been donated to raise money for future meetings and outings. If you have anything else you would like to donate, please bring it along.

If you have not already done so you can still pay for your annual membership.  The membership fee for 2019 is £42.  Payments can be made in cash and cheques payable to Malago WI.

We look forward to seeing you on Wednesday 27^th at 8pm.

January news.....

We hope that you have all had a lovely Christmas and New Year break.  It seems a long time ago since we last met in the hall, getting a bit messy with Laura Humpage from Colourful Minds.  We hope that the cards and gift tags we made were put to good use.

It is normal for a new year to inspire us all to be a bit healthier and focus on our wellbeing during the dark and cold winter months.  So for our first meeting of 2019, we are delighted to be welcoming back Shelley Jones of Shelley Jones Reflexology and Reiki. Shelley is a professional reflexologist and Reiki practitioner with almost 20 years’ experience in Complementary Medicine. She has a home practice in Knowle as well as providing treatments in several workplace settings.

Shelley will be talking about the origins of Reiki, its practice and providing a brief demonstration.  She will also be introducing us to ear Reflexology and the chance to pair up and try it on a friend. If you would like to have a go, you may want to bring along some hand cream/moisturiser and a hand towel.

If you have any unwanted Christmas presents, please bring them along and we will raffle these off to raise money for future meetings and outings.

As it is the start of the year, it is time for membership renewals.  The membership fee for 2019 is £42.  As part of this membership you get 11 meetings per year including 1 summer outing, a monthly copy of WI Life, WI member benefits and a book of handy vouchers when you join.  It’s helpful for existing and new members to arrive a bit earlier so we can start the meeting on time.  Payments can be made in cash and cheques payable to Malago WI.

We look forward to seeing friends old and new on Wednesday 30^th to celebrate the start of another year of exciting events.

March news....

It was lovely to see everyone who braved the cold weather at last month’s meeting.  Sue Duggan  Teach Me Sugar Craft showed us how to decorate cup cakes with an Easter theme.  They looked amazing and tasted pretty good as well!

So spring has finally sprung and we are delighted to have two speakers at this month’s meeting to talk about the beloved Bumblebee.  Our first speaker is Janice Walsh, a volunteer with Bumble Bee Conservation Trust.  The Bumblebee Conservation Trust was established because of serious concerns about the ‘plight of the bumblebee’. It now boasts over 10,000 members and is growing fast.

Janice’s illustrated talk 'The Buzz about Bumblebees' will give an insight into the challenges our UK bumblebees are facing and what simple steps we can all take to help their plight, including making our gardens and open spaces more bee friendly.

Our second speaker is Paul Barham who is a general surgeon specialising in upper gastro intestinal surgery. He is a leading figure in the development of minimally invasive techniques. In his spare time he is passionate about bee keeping, and will be telling us about how he keeps his bees happy and productive.

If you have any unwanted Christmas presents, please bring them along and we will raffle these off to raise money for future meetings and outings.

We are still collecting membership fee of £41, so it you haven’t paid, you can do so by cheque or cash
.
We look forward to seeing you on Wednesday 28^th March.