June news.....

 

 

Hello Malagoers

Our May meeting was jam packed with talks and demonstrations from Mary Hall on lip reading and Zoe Hunt from Mini First Aid on paediatric first aid.  Both speakers contributed to a highly entertaining meeting.

This month we are delighted to welcome well known writer Tim Mowl. Aside from his many architectural and landscape books he recently published a series of 12 urban walks called Bristol Explored. Unlike conventional guide books he encourages the walker to view the city through fresh eyes giving a light hearted but fascinating insight into its architectural past as well as social history, new buildings, sculptures and even street art.  Tim will also touch on his current project a book on Regency gardens to coincide with the bicentenaries of Jane Austen and Humphry Repton, entitled ‘All around is Fairy ground – Pleasure and the Regency Garden’.  Then for our August meeting, Tim has offered to lead a walk around the Harbourside finishing at a suitable waterfront pub.

In addition to our monthly meetings, we have set up other groups to allow our members to explore some of their interests.  The Sock club has already met on two occasions and three knitters are learning the tricks of the trade with Judi Edwards.  The Craft club and Cocktail club have held their first meetings and a great time was had by all.  The Craft club will be meeting next on 23^rd June and the Cocktail Club at the beginning of July with an outing to The Pump House.  If you are a member and would like take part in these clubs, but haven’t had a chance to sign up, please email us.

The National Federation of Women’s Institutes AGM was held at the beginning of June.  Over 5300 women attended and that both motions, avoid food waste, address food poverty and appropriate care in hospitals for people with dementia, were carried by a significant majority.

We are hoping that the sun will be shining on Saturday 25^th June when Malago WI will have a stall at the very popular North Street Summer Fair.  Thank you to those who have volunteered to help out on the stall and bake cakes.  We would like to exceed the funds we raised last year of over £600, so if you can bake a cake or spare some time on the day, please email us.  We will have cake drop off points the day before as well for those who aren’t able to come to the stall on the day.

We look forward to seeing you at 8pm on Wednesday 29^th.

May news...

Hello Malagoers

Thank you to everyone who was able to come to our April meeting.  The creative juices were following and we were able to make some fantastic bunting to help brighten up the hall and decorate the Malago WI stall at upcoming fairs.  If you took some home to finish, it would be great if you could bring it with you.

This month, we are lucky to have two speakers, Mary Hall and Zoe Hunt.

Mary has been teaching lip-reading classes to hard of hearing, and deaf people, for over 15 years.  Having grown up with two profoundly deaf parents, she feels strongly that deafness is an isolating condition but that it needn’t be like that.   Lip-reading lessons helps empower people to learn skills to help overcome communication barriers.  Mary will talk about her experience, explain the mechanics of lip reading and take us through a hands on exercise.

Zoe is a mumpreneur.  She set up the first franchise of Mini First Aid nearly 3 years ago.  The organisation provides training in infant and paediatric first aid to parents, grandparents and carers.  There are now 14 franchises across the country and it continues to expand week by week.  Mini First Aid was the winner of the Mumpreneur Awards 2015.  As well as sharing her experience of setting up a new business, Zoe will also demonstrate techniques for dealing with choking incidents.

We have now set up a number of additional groups outside of our monthly meeting for Malago WI members and dates for the initial meetings have been arranged.  If you would like to take part in these and haven’t signed up yet, please email wearemalagowi@gmail.com.

Sock Knitting
The first course of sock knitting with Judi Edwards is taking place over 4 sessions in June and is now full. There will be an update about the possibility of a further course if you missed out.

Cocktail Club
Following a great response from members to the Cocktail Club will launch on Thursday 9 June from 8pm.  At this meeting we will have some celebratory drinks and plan how we want to go forward to suit people’s interest in different activities, possible themed visits and rough costs depending on numbers.

Craft Club
The initial meeting will be taking place on Thursday 19^th May.  It's a chance to hang out, chat and make stuff (with tea and cake of course!).  You can bring whatever you're working on or just come and browse crafty books for inspiration!  Further dates will be arranged shortly.

As part of the May meeting, we will be asking members to vote For or Against this year’s WI resolutions:
 

• Avoid food waste, address food poverty
• Appropriate care in hospitals for people with dementia

Further information is available in on the National Federation of Women’s Institutes (NFWI) website. The outcome of our vote will be taken to the NFWI AGM in June.

To help with our fundraising, Malago WI will have a stall at this year’s North Street Summer Fair on Saturday 25^th June.  We had a very successful day last year and raised over £600.  We still need volunteers to provide cakes and help out on the stall.  Sign-up sheets will be circulated during the meeting.  Any help you can provide, either baking a cake or staffing the stall for an hour or so, means we can make this year’s fair even more successful.

We look forward to seeing you at 8pm on Wednesday 25^th

April News....

Hello Malagoers

March’s meeting was a fascinating look at the making of BBC Natural History programmes by Sara Douglas assistant producer and researcher.  Sara shared her experience of working on a number of ground-breaking programmes including the recent Big Blue Live.

This month, we are going to get crafty, with bunting making workshop hosted by Kirsten Clark from Make and Do.  Kirsten and her team, provide inspiration for novice and experienced Crafters, including a wide range of materials for all types of crafts and regular workshops.  Kirsten will be teaching us all about bunting making from cutting to sewing and embellishment with applique techniques.

As the Malago WI bunting is in need of a bit of a refresh, will be focusing on making bunting to help decorate our stall at up and coming events.  All materials and equipment will be provided, but if you have any materials you are able to donate in Malago WI colours, leaf green and cerise pink, they will be grateful received.

At the March meeting, we circulated sign-up sheets for a number of additional groups for Malago WI members; cocktail club, craft club, sock knitting and a number of our members have signed up.  We have also had a request for a Pub Quiz team.  The sign-up sheets will be circulated again at the April meeting, and following this will contact those interested with details of initial meetings.

The National Federation of Women’s Institutes (NFWI) AGM will be taking place in June and Malago WI has been fortunate to be able to send a delegate this year.  As part of the AGM, we will be required to vote For or Against this year’s WI resolutions:
 

• Avoid food waste, address food poverty
• Appropriate care in hospitals for people with dementia

Further information is available in on the NFWI website.  We will also be providing information at the April meeting and will be asking members to vote at the May meeting.

To help with our fundraising, Malago WI will have a stall at this year’s North Street Summer Fair on Saturday 25^th June.  We had a very successful day last year and raised enough funds to pay for two outings in 2015 and are hoping to do even better this year.  We will be asking for volunteers to provide cakes and help out on the stall.  Sign-up sheets will be circulated during the meeting.  Those who have helped out previously can tell you what a fun day it is.

For those of you who are thinking of becoming a member but haven’t got round to it yet, membership fees are £28.10 for the rest of the year.  This includes for eight meetings, two of which are summer outings!

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

MWI x

March news...

Hello Malagoers

February at Malago WI saw us enjoy the delicious delights of Zara’s chocolates who very generously provided samples of her incredible chocolate and we learnt that chocolate is a lot more than your favourite bar.

For this month’s meeting we are delighted to be hosting Sara Douglas.  Sara works in natural history film making.  Sara spent 2 and a half years with the BBC Natural History Unit as assistant producer/researcher on several ground-breaking series including;  the recent Big Blue Live – from Monterey Bay in California and Japan – Earths Enchanted Islands as well as favourites such as Springwatch.  She is currently with Keo Films, Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall’s company, working on a documentary Pushed to Extinction.

Sara will give an insight into how wildlife programmes are made from the initial research and filming to the final edits and screenings. We will get the chance to see extracts from various programmes she has worked on; including 'Big Blue Live' and we will be providing some cinema related treats.  Sara will be delighted to answer any questions you have about her work or natural history film making.

We hope as the days are getting longer and the nights are not so chilly, that we will see many familiar and new faces at our March meeting.  We appreciate for those of you who drive, parking can be tricky, but there is ample parking on West Street and at the free car park on Diamond Street.

We try to shape the meetings around our members and their interests.  If you have any suggestions for future meetings, please let us know.
                                                                                                                                                                                                      
We look forward to seeing you at 8pm on Wednesday 30^th  

February news....

 

January saw us learn more about herbal medicine especially all things bitter courtesy of Max Drake from the Urban Fringe Dispensary.  February’s meeting looks at another type of medicine – Chocolate.

Zara Narrocott, will be joining us from Zara’s Chocolates.  Zara started making chocolates in 2010.  Starting from home, and selling markets, the company started to grow and in 2013 opened a shop on North Street, partnering with Ivory Flowers. All chocolates are made on site, using fairly traded chocolate, good quality ingredients and no unnecessary nasties!

Zara will be talking about the history of chocolate and chocolate making.  But perhaps, more importantly, there will be the opportunity to do some chocolate tasting!  You will also be able to buy some of Zara’s fabulous chocolates.  It would be helpful if you would bring cash along if you think you will be interesting in buying anything.

If haven’t had the chance to do so, you can still renew your membership at the meeting.

We will also be holding a raffle to help raise funds for Malago WI.  If you have any unwanted gifts you would like to donate, please bring them along.

Don’t forget to visit the Malago WI website for information about future meetings!

We look forward to seeing you at 8pm on Wednesday 24^th.