Happy noo year!

Well, hello Malagowers

It's been a while since we've seen you all (at November's glorious chocolate-making extravaganza). Christmas chaos and new years have come and gone, and we're ready to get Malago WI all set for 2013.

Kicking of the year in style is our January meeting - Wednesday 30 January, 8pm. Janine Chisholm of Custard Clothing is coming to talk thrifty style, something we could all learn something about. Janine is an expert in customisation, alteration, and all things fashion, darling. As well as talking us through the basics, Janine will be able to advise on revamping individual items so bring along a lack-lustre linen or a fading frock and find out how to breath new life into your wardrobe.

Don't forget to bring along cash or cheques (£12.99) if you're interested in buying Janine's book - Thrifty Style: Clever ways to revamp your wardrobe.

If you haven't already joined up, we're still accepting Malago WI memberships for 2013. For just £33, you get a year of thrilling meetings, sociable events, and the finest cakes known to humanity.

Speaking of which, we need refreshment executives to volunteer their services please. Make a cake or help out in the kitchen - either way, drop us a line to let us know.

And finally, we do like to eke out the Christmas cheer just as long as we can, so we're holding a raffle. Bring along an unwanted gift to add to the pile, and together we'll beat those January blues.

Until Wednesday...
MWI x

Full As An Egg

Well, hasn't it been a great summer so far? We've been on the Pimms, which explains the lateness of this missive - apols, dear Malagoers. We had such a lovely time with Ali Cook at our March meeting, and look younger already thanks to her magic potions. It was quite a turn-out, wasn't it? We weren't expecting that, hence we were a bit short on materials. It won't happen again, we promise. Great to see Maureen, our new Avon adviser, joining in the fun too.

Coming up TOMORROW NIGHT: Our April meet sees the return of the fabulous Selina Keedwell of Intercre8. Some of you old-timers will remember Selina from 2009, when she led us as one voice in a confidence-building speaking and singing workshop. Well, two years on and Selina is back again, this time to give us a few pointers for speaking in public - a subject that fills even the most confident among us with fear and dread, hence the need to tackle this beast head-on. And, as we are expert multi-taskers, the subject matter of which we will speak is the 2011 WI resolutions, with a vote at the end of the evening. Neat or what? 8pm, usual place, usual cakes.

Exciting news! We are nearly at maximum capacity. Membership has been so popular this year that we will close our books after our April meeting, so if you want to join - tomorrow's your night. Cheque books at the ready...

And on to May. Two things:
:: Art Trail
Our activities for the art trail are moving on a-pace, and if you haven't yet volunteered your services for cake-baking, puppet-making or stall-holding, drop us a line. It's the weekend of May 21-22, and we're after scones and other small, round baked wonderfulness PLUS odd socks (not together, you understand). Bring your socks to tomorrow's meeting.

:: May meeting
In May, we welcome the amazing Jo Behari, of Home Jane. You might recognise Jo from her current Channel 4 series, Make Do Mend. C4 describes Jo as 'a DIY mistress of all trades - an expert on everything from plumbing to painting'. We need her in our lives!  You can catch up with the series on C4 on demand, or catch the real thing at our May meeting, Wednesday 25 May.

A demain,
MWI x

We May never be the same again...

Wow, Malago, is it just us or was Jane Brocket pretty blooming good?

Those beautiful quilts, the colours and fabrics, the enthusiasm with which she brought her subject to life... We could tell you liked it too - the oohs and aahs when she revealed each quilt made it sound like you lot were watching a firework display.

Turns out, Jane quite liked us too. If you lived in Bristol, Jane, we'd have you in a Malago minute. What an evening.

And we have another couple of exciting evenings coming up for you, the first being our Swish - the clothes and accessories swap which takes place on Friday 18 June at 8pm (taking place at the Pilates Moves studio). Tickets are £6 which includes a glass of wine and nibbles, and the event's open to members and non-members alike so bring your friends. Tickets can be reserved by emailing jointhewi@gmail.com or you can pay on the night.

For the uninitiated swishers amongst you, the idea is that you bring at least 3 good-quality items you love but no longer use (with hangers please), which entitles you to take home 3 new-to-you items for your summer wardrobe. Simple but brilliant. And you can buy extra tokens if the selection of goodies leaves you unable to choose, and don't forget to bring a bag to take it all home in). Come along, it'll be a blast. All proceeds go to making your WI bigger and better.

June meeting

It's time to get the bangles out for our re-scheduled Bollywood night! Snowed off back in January, the June meeting will give you an opportunity to learn a few moves from Mother India, and enjoy a hot cup of chai and some delicious spiced cakes and snacks.

The June meeting is on Wednesday 30 June at 8pm, Ebenezer Methodist Church hall. Please wear your finest, brightest, spangliest garb, accessorised with jingly bangles and chandeliearrings. (But do make sure you're comfortable, and don't wear heels.)

Best of Bedminster

Malago WI intends to be part of the Best of Bedminster show again this year, date to be confirmed but it'll be a September Saturday. We will be serving our famous tea and cakes, as well as cupcake-decorating. We will need volunteers to help on the day, as well as to make cakes to sell. BoB is our favourite fund-raiser, and it's a great way to let south Bristol know about us and our activities, while helping out a good cause. Email us or let us know you can help by chatting to one of the committee next time you see us.

We're off to raid our wardrobes for some extra-special Swish treats.

See you soon!

Malago WI x

Thumby and Funny

Dear Malago Morph-makers

Wasn't February's meeting brilliant? Eternal thanks to Merlin and Aardman for showing us the tricks of the trade. We'll never view Plasticine in the same way again...

March meeting
We've had a creative couple of meetings so far this year, and the March meeting will be no exception. In the run up to the Southbank Arts Trail in May, we will devote the whole of the March meeting to making work for an exhibition that will act as our contribution to our local arts extravaganza.

Self-portrait is the theme, but do not be alarmed. Delve a little deeper. What we want to get to is a representation of you and your identity, not a pencil sketch of your face (unless that's what you really want to do). We will provide the tools, materials and the inspiration for you to make a collage, decorate a pebble or go wild with your imagination in our creative 'free zone' - we don't want to limit your creativity, but expert arty types will be on hand to help out if you get stuck.

Ice will be broken, tea will be drunk and, like the voice workshop and recent creative writing session before it, what may seem daunting to begin with will end up as an exciting journey of self-discovery. Well, that's the plan, anyway.

Materials
We will provide some goodies from our ever-expanding craft box, but if you would like to bring along an item or two that you feel represents you to incorporate into your work then go right ahead. Magazines, scissors and perhaps even a picture frame for your finished work would all be welcome additions to the proceedings.

Safe Land for Bees - volunteers and cake-makers needed
Malago WI will be providing refreshments in the form of our famous tea and cakes at this event on Sunday 11 April. Taking place at Windmill Hill Community Centre, Safe Land for Bees looks at the local issues facing our bee population and offers an opportunity to find out more from expert speakers, as well as shop for bee and honey-related products and have a jolly good time too.

We need your help. If you could contribute time or cakes please email jointhewi@gmail.com or talk to Alice at the March meeting. The event fits nicely with the national WI SOS for Honeybees campaign, and allows us to make links to activities on a local level. If not for Malago WI, do it for the bees.

The Age of Stupid
Malago WI has signed up to the 10:10 campaign, which aims to reduce carbon emissions by 10% in 2010. As part of our ongoing look at environmental issues we have organised a screening of The Age of Stupid, in which Pete Postelthwaite stars as a man living alone in the devastated world of 2055, looking at old footage from 2008 and asking: why didn't we stop climate change when we had the chance?

The screening takes place on Tuesday 13 April, 8pm, in the Tobacco Factory Green Room. Tickets will go on sale at the March meeting and cost £3.50, available to both members and non-members. Tickets are limited, so it'll be first come, first served.

Social
And finally, another opportunity to socialise with your fellow WI-ers - the next social takes place on Wednesday 17 March, 8pm in the Tobacco Factory. Come along for a drink and a chat in less formal surroundings.

As we overheard one of our members say last month, Malago WI is like playgroup for grown-ups. What could be better?

Malago WI x

January

Hello Malago WI

We hope you survived the snow and ice, and had lots of fun building snow men and women. We hear there might be more on the way...

Although it was fun, we were sad to have to cancel the Bollywood night on 6 January. However, do not despair - we will shake our things to 'Dhansak Queen', 'Korma Chameleon' and 'Paperback Raita' later on in the year when we reschedule. Perhaps we'll have an Indian Summer after all.

Membership

The big 'M'. Membership for 2010 is open, and all interested parties should have received an application form by email. If you haven't, please email jointhewi@gmail.com to request your copy. Numbers are limited, and the deadline for application is 31 January. Priority will be given to 2009 members.

Please bring completed forms and cheques for £29.50 (made payable to 'Malago WI') to next Wednesday's meeting (27 January) - if you cannot make the meeting, again email jointhewi@gmail.com ASAP to let us know.

January meeting - Badge-making, new year and WI campaign resolutions

On 27 January, we will be starting our WI year with the opportunity to get crafty and make yourself a name badge. Of course, this will be done in traditional Malago style - we will eat (cake), drink (tea) and be creative with glue guns and finery. And come along prepared to add your new year resolution to our tree for others to be inspired by and, possibly, help you to achieve.

Which brings me onto a request for:

Materials - anything you can think of can be part of your fabulous name badge, so bring along paper, pens, tape, card, ribbons, buttons and fabric

OHP - we desperately need an overhead projector. It seems they are a dying breed, so if you can help, please drop us a line.

Campaign resolutions

It's that time of the year when the National Federation of Women's Institutes (NFWI) selects our national campaign resolutions for the year ahead. 2009 members will remember that the resolution passed at the NFWI's AGM in May was SOS for honeybees.

This round of votes determines which resolution will be shortlisted, usually between 1 and 3. Then in May we will have a further opportunity to cast our votes in selecting one resolution, which will be run by NFWI. This year we have been asked to vote as individual members, whereas previously we have voted as a WI. The shortlist of resolutions is as follows:

1. The mandatory clear labelling of food with true country of origin; 2. Save our pub; 3. Reduction in impact of flooding; 4. Provision of lifelong health and welfare support for armed forces personnel and families*; 5. Dignity and respect for women in accordance with their human rights; 6. Access to the disability living allowance mobility component for children under three years of age.

*Please note that because resolution 4 does not fall entirely within WI objects, it could only be passed for debate and not a campaign i.e. it would not be possible to use WI funds or press the government or any other decision maker on the issue.

For further details on these, visit the NFWI website.

The pros and cons of each resolution will be covered in next week's meeting, and paid-up 2010 members can vote using the forms we'll provide at the meeting. Don't worry if you can't attend or would like further time to consider the resolutions - you have until 5 February to complete the form from the November/December 2009 issue of WI Life and return it to NFWI, 104 New Kings Road, London SW6 4LY, to be received no later than 5 February.

Further details about other campaigns on a national and local level will be available on the website and at future meetings, and if you are aware of other campaigns which may be of interest to the membership, or if you would be interested in a greater role in our campaign activity (whether in relation to a specific campaign close to your heart or more generally), we'd love to hear from you. Email us or come and have a chat at the meeting.

2010 programme

Our programme is set for the first part of 2010 - have a look to see what we'll be getting up to in the months to come.

And don't forget our extra-curricular activities such as socials and workshops. If you've put your name down for the bread-making workshop, we'll need the cold, hard cash (or cheques) by the end of this month - £12 for members, £15 for non-members.

Phew, that was a long one.

See you next Wednesday,

MWI x

Dog days and holidays

Ahoy there!

We're cranking up the gramophone in preparation for August's meeting, where we will swish, swap, shimmy and sup to our hearts' content. Yes, time to sort out your bits and bobs for our first Swish (clothes swap), and bring along the things you no longer love but seem too good to charity shop or chuck away. Bring clean clothes, accessories and home wares (but no furniture or large items please, shoes must be unworn). Bring up to five items each and you can adopt five new-to-you delights - what could be finer?

We'll be asking for the history of your items too - it makes for interesting tales over tea - so have a think, tell us about your treasure, take a label and write about the item. Where did you get it? Why did you choose it? Why are you no longer in love with it? Tie the label onto the hanger (please bring a hanger per item).

We can't wait.

Ways with wool

September's meeting is a crafty one. Many of you said when you joined that you'd like to learn to knit, crochet or felt, and we are nothing if not obedient. There will be activities for all regardless of experience - from total beginners to craft heavyweights. (Actually, if you fit the latter, perhaps you'd consider helping to guide members along the way? We are especially looking for someone to assist our felting teacher to assist a small group of members, as well as those with knitting and crochet experience. Talk to us in August, or email jointhewi@googlemail.com). And if you have knitting needles, crochet hooks, felt, yarn or even a project you'd like to display at the meeting, bring 'em along.

Museum of Bristol

We've been approached by a researcher for the Museum of Bristol (the new museum due to open on the site of the old Industrial Museum) who is investigating experiences of being part of a cultural, faith or interest group. And what do you know? He thinks the Women's Institute, and in particular Malago WI, would be an excellent example of such a group (naturellement). So he'd like to meet us, with a view to making one member the subject of a story to be included in the museum. Anyone interested? Email jointhewi@googlemail.com if you fancy making an exhibition of yourself.

Our birthday

As many of you know, Malago WI will celebrate its first birthday in October. Doesn't time fly? We are planning exciting surprises for the meeting on Wednesday 29 October, but as the party is also our AGM it's a ticketed, members-only event. But fret not, if you aren't yet a member you can benefit from our bargain 15-months-for-the-price-of-12 offer! See Jen at the next meeting for more information and to join. Members - we'll tell you more when we see you. In the meantime, we know you want to find out more about the available roles on the committee, so visit our new, updated committee section to see what takes your fancy. October will be the month for deciding who'll do what in 2010 - don't miss out.

Oh, and our Facebook group is looking a little lost without you - come and join us over there, it's awfully good fun. And don't forget to send back your questionnaire before the next meeting on Wednesday 26 August.

Swish you were here!

Malago WI x

Spring is in the air...

Malago Mondrians, Monets and Matisses!

The Southbank Art Trail is nearly upon us, and we are beavering away at our Learning To Love You More assignments, which will be displayed at 84 Greville Road on 9 and 10 May, alongside the Marmalade Cafe.

MALAGO WI NEEDS YOU!

Without donations - of artwork or cakes or time or all three - from Malago WI members, we won't have a show. So please help us, it's a fine cause as you all know, and we have high hopes it will prove to be a successful fundraising and awareness-raising exercise which all goes to making MWI bigger and better.

Alice has done battle with Adobe Illustrator and come out victorious, with two beautiful posters for you to download for your window here in pink or here in grey

Marmalade Cafe

We know there are some very adept cake-makers out there as we've experienced at our meetings so far. Please, if you can spare the time and ingredients to make something, anything, large or small, for us to sell in the cafe we'd really appreciate it.

Or, if your skills lie in tea-making or waitressing, we need you too! If you can spare time (between 11-5, even an hour will do) or cake or creativity, let us know by emailing jointhewi@gmail.com or talk to Lottie at Wednesday's meeting.

Learning To Love You More

The assignments may appear a little daunting to the uninitiated, but fear not - they are designed to be completed by everyone, regardless of artistic experience. Here, we have picked out a couple of examples that we think we might attempt, and we hope might tickle your fancy too:

14. Write your life story in less than a day

27. Take a picture of the sun

35. Ask your family to describe what you do

39. Take a picture of your parents kissing

50. Take a flash photo under your bed

55. Photograph a significant outfit

63. Make an encouraging banner

If you're stuck indoors with nothing to do, have a pop at one of the above. And don't forget to bring it along to Wednesday's meeting!

Talking of which, Wednesday's double-header features urban self sufficiency from one half of Bristol's own Good Life duo, Dave Hamilton, and a talk from Kath Kelly, best-selling author of ‘How I Lived a Year on Just a Pound a Day’. See you on Wednesday 29 April at 8pm.

And if you haven't already seen it on the website, we've drafted an environmental policy to set out Malago WI's aspirations in terms of minimising our impact on the environment. Take a look here, and leave a comment if you feel inclined.

Coming up

May’s meeting is all about campaigning. Learn about the WI’s impressive history in campaigning (Keep Britain Tidy being one of the most famous) and how we can get involved both locally and nationally. Is there something that you would like to change, perhaps we can channel our collective voice and energy into doing something about it? This year’s national resolution is ‘SOS for honey bees’ which, if passed, aims to address the declining honey bee population. Find out more about it, listen to our speaker Ivor Davis, a master beekeeper and ex president of the British Beekeepers’ Association and cast your vote.

A bientot

Malago WI x