Malago WI Committee

All members of the committee are involved in recruitment. They also share the hosting and other responsibilities for the monthly committee meetings. The Malago committee all takes part in setting up the hall before each meeting. Committee members deliver information to the institute and organise fund-raising activities. Other tasks include finding contacts for meetings, baking, and gathering materials for meetings.


President

Marie Wilkinson

Vice President 
Lottie Storey

Treasurer

Moira Broadway

Secretary

Yvonne Long

Members at large 

(covering programming, membership, fundraising, artistic direction and events)

Emma Squire

Lindsay Brazington

Nancy Horlick

Alice Hendy

Angie Last

Merry Christmas!

Merry Christmas, Malago WI!

We hope you've had a good rest so far. Wasn't the snow beautiful?

Just a couple of reminders:

• The next Malago WI social takes place on Wednesday 30 December, 8pm at the Tobacco Factory. Come along, get out of the house, tell everyone what you got for Christmas. It'd be lovely to see you.
• If you haven't already signed up at November's meeting, email jointhewi@gmail.com to register your interest in becoming a member for 2010. Please state clearly your name and whether you were a 2009 member or not.
• There will be 2 meetings in January - 6 January is Bollywood night, and 27 January is badge-making and New Year resolutions (where we'll share skills in helping each other to achieve our goals).

Have a good break, and we hope to see you soon.

After three! Should auld acquaintance be forgot...

Malago WI x

November rain

Malago WI,

It's raining, it's pouring, it's really very boring. Your humble correspondent is obviously in need of the creative writing expertise lined up for our November meeting: on Wednesday 25 November, Glenn Carmichael will be inspiring us to dig deep for inspiration and get scribbling, with a friendly introduction to writing creatively. Same time, same place - don't forget your quills and parchment.

If you weren't at our first birthday party, you missed a corker. Toasts were made, candles were blown out, and 'Happy Birthday' was sung (probably one too many times, if we're honest). We hope you all enjoyed it, and that you liked your present. If you weren't at the meeting, or aren't yet a member, birthday aprons will be available to buy at the meetings, along with the beautiful photographic book - the perfect record of our first year.

There was a bit of formal business to take care of at the party, which also happened to be our AGM. (The minutes are available to view on this here very site.) The headlines are that we waved adieu and un grand merci to our outgoing committee (Karen, Kirstie, Carrie, Emma, Odette, Jen and Jill) and 'allo 'allo to the new (Ruth, Moira, Lloyda, Hannah and Lizzie).

Coming up: there are still places available on the cupcake decorating workshop, on Saturday 5 December, just in time for Christmas. Sign up for your place at the November meeting.

Oh, and last but not least, congratulations to Karen and her family on their new addition - a baby girl (and possible WI president in the making?). We hope to meet her soon.

Don't forget your pen and paper, and we'll see you on Wednesday.

MWI x

Malago WI AGM 28/10/09 Minutes

chair: Karen Bowers (KB)

minutes: Odette McBride (OM)

Register/welcome: Ruth and Emma, and Angie Last (AL) on raffle! £4 suggested donation at register / 1 pound for raffle ticket. Welcome drinks provided

Karen Bowers (KB):

Committee: KB thanks to outgoing members (Emma Squire, Jen Gills (JG), Carrie Fletcher, Jill Reekes, OM) and name those staying (AL, Lottie Storey (LS), Alice Hendy (AH). Introduced new committee members; Moira/Lizzie/Ruth and Lloyda/Hannah – stated that full introductions/roles will be at a future meeting. Call out for more committee members. Explanation of Presidency arrangements given; As no one had expressed an interest in becoming the new President, KB to take maternity leave. LS to assume role with support from AH and AL for the duration. Members gave this arrangement support by show of hands.

Documentation: KB outlined the documentation compiled as a record of the year; AH has produced a Photobook, which was passed around during the meeting and could be purchased as a momento. Website printed as record of meetings. Press cuttings compiled. Members should review and raise discrepancies as appropriate.

Financial statement – JG outlined the financial status. Currently £1600 credit, although warning issued re loss of 2/3 of subscription fee to Federation and National WI next year. Statement open to review and yet to be signed off.

Committee’s Annual report & president’s address – KB.

Birthday cards from other WI’s were read out.

Thoughts on the year; Arts Trail, high point and mid point re serving tea and cakes. Started with Best of Bedminster 2008 and reflected how far we have come since. When 7 members met Daphne Vises to 87 attending the September knitting meeting. 62 members and the likelihood of having to cap the membership. KB expressed how proud she was of the achievements that had been made. Thanks made to members and committee and her hopes that we can build on a great start. Mention of our contribution to Tesco’s pulling out of the Ashton Gate Stadium development, which highlights how powerful we can be when we act together in our community.

Offer of ‘exchange’ from Wrington WI to experience established WI (90th birthday) in rural setting.

2010 membership – KB. Likelihood of capping membership to 75. Members will be given the opportunity to rejoin at the November meeting as well as non-members. Those who cannot attend the meeting were encouraged to contact committee members to register their interest in advance.

Windmill Hill City Farm – OM talked about the importance of the farm to the local community and highlighted the financial difficulties they are facing. Identified ways that members can support the farm; use facilities, donate, become members and support the pledge scheme. Offer to register interested parties for the Pledge or provide details due to the imminent end of the scheme (31st October 2009).

Gores Marsh – AH described the event, thanked all who contributed and stated that it had raised £350 which would be spent on future meetings etc.

Future events; AL described the November meeting – Creative Writing with Glenn Carmichael. Cupcake decorating workshop available (05/1209) 16 places, costing £12.50. Traditional Bread making Workshop at the new Tobacco Factory with Mark to be confirmed. No meeting on 30th December due to Christmas period, although a social gathering at The Tobacco Factory would be held instead. 6th January would be the next meeting and involve Bollywood theme.

Daphne Vises addressed the meeting; announcing that the Avon Federation had won a national prize for largest number of new members in UK, earning a prize of £500 and came 3rd for number of new WI’s. This was Daphne’s ‘best year’. Call out for members to get involved at Federation level and encouraged us to keep recruiting. She stated that if we needed to cap numbers then interested women could be encouraged to start another WI or revive another local group that are likely to close in December. She thanked Malago WI for the regular press coverage but warned against doing a naked calendar, stating that it had been done. She advised us to get involved with the Brunel Group and ended by stating that ‘We are the best’.

PARTY! – introduced by AH including more bubbly, food, presents and games.

Raffle drawn and prizes awarded.

Birthday cakes distributed/ happy birthday sung.

Thanks given to KB for her hard work as President over the past year – Alice.

Short days, long nights... Autumn has fallen

Dear Malago-ers

To everything, there is a season, and this is fast becoming a nippy one. Still, at least you now have the wherewithal to knit yourself a Winter hat. Or at least you do if you were one of the 87 (87!) women who came together to knit away the last of that Indian summer at September's meeting. Wow! We couldn't quite believe it ourselves. We weren't expecting you all, so apologies that we ran out of tables, chairs and knitting needles. Hopefully, though, we made do and you had a lovely evening. Next time we'll be ready for you... Well done to all who completed a mini-hat - they've gone to Innocent to warm up those chilly smoothies, and pictures will be up on our Flickr site soon.

Speaking of which, October marks our first birthday, so we're celebrating with a party on Wednesday 28 October. Apologies to non-members, but as we have 'official business' to attend to, it is open to paid-up 2009 members only (who should all know about the change of venue, and have a beautiful invitation to remind them). Nibbles, birthday cake and a welcome drink will be provided, bring pocket money for the cash bar afterwards (and we are asking for a suggested donation of £4 to cover part of the party cost). If you did take an invitation but now cannot come, please let us know by emailing jointhewi@gmail.com - it'll mean we can give your place to someone else.

Some of you might have seen a handful of fellow members baring, well, not much actually, in the Evening Post last week. Our support of the Berate campaign objecting to the Tesco plans at Ashton Gate reached new highs (or lows, depending on your perspective) when we posed nude-ish behind a banner - huge thanks to the brave ladies who took part, and to Alice for taking such beautiful pictures. BBC Radio Bristol interviewed Alice and Lottie on Tuesday morning, live on the Breakfast show, which generated much debate with listeners calling-in to give their views on the subject. There is still time to object (by email, post or online - until 31 October) and we have submitted our official objection as a local, interested organisation. Keep those fingers crossed...

Coming up

Malago WI are official tea-and-cake purveyors to the opening of a new playground at Gore's Marsh, Winterstoke Road, on Sunday 25 October, between 10.30-3pm. Come down, look around, have a go on the slider (or the urn! Spare pinnies available).

Sharpen your pencils for November's creative writing session, taking place on Wednesday 25 November, usual place, usual time.

And put Saturday 5 December in your diary - we've organised a Christmas cupcake-decorating workshop to get you in the festive mood. More details and an opportunity to book your place at October's party.

We're off to practice the words to 'Happy Birthday'.

Until we meet again,

MWI x