Marching on...

Dear Women of Malago

I'm sure there's a pun involving bags to be made, but I'm not going there - our bag-making session was such fun and so many creative and beautiful bags were spotted around the room. And it was a top turn-out too. Well done to all who came, brought friends, joined up and made lovely things.

If you're up for it, we'd love it if you'd bring back your finished article for photos and prizes. Don't be shy.

So, what news? We're getting near our ceiling membership number, so if you're dithering now is the time to take action and join up. Bring your subscription (£30 cash or cheque) to the March meeting.

Talking of which, we are very excited to welcome back Ali Cook, who taught us Indian Head Massage all those months ago, and who will bring her aromatherapy bag of tricks and recipes so that we can all make our own cleaning/beauty products. Meeting is Wednesday 30 March, 8pm, usual place. Don't miss it.

And if you want to see what's coming up later this year, have a look at our programme page which is up-to-date with the latest meeting information. Another exciting programme to peruse is that of Denman College - yes, that very location Donna described at the last meeting. Fancy a trip away learning a new skill? Denman's the place.

The weather's been so lovely these past days you'd be forgiven for thinking spring has sprung and summer is on the way. It won't be long... in fact, we're counting down the days to the Southbank Art Trail - Malago WI will, once again, be in the thick of things, selling our wares at the Tobacco Factory Market on Sunday 22 May. If you would like to help out, please talk to a committee member at the next meeting or email wearemalagowi@gmail.com. We need:
:: cakes
:: volunteers to work on the stall on the day (short shifts available)
:: volunteers to help with a kids' activity

Until Wednesday, we remain
Ever yours, ever Malago WI x
wearemalagowi@gmail.com

STOP PRESS - March meeting confirmed

Hello

Confirmed: our March meeting takes place on Wednesday 30 March, at 8pm, where we will be making aromatherapy potions for home and body with Ali Cook of Pure Bliss Aromatherapy. All materials will be provided.

Ali is a woman with many strings to her bow: not only did she teach us Indian Head Massage back in the first year of Malago WI, but she is also one half of Bristol Vintage who are putting on the South West's first vintage wedding fair this weekend. Head to the zoo pavilion on Sunday 20 March between 10am-5pm for all things vintage - free entry! And you might spot a committee member with a beehive. Buzz...

More news soon. Enjoy the sunshine x

Trees, keys and teas

Once upon a time...

January's meeting - what a fantastic start to the year. Lots of new faces as well as a good gaggle of old friends made for a really energetic and welcoming meeting. Martin the storyteller told tales of wonder and delight, sparking memories of childhood winters and imaginings of celebrity stalkers. Such fun.

And onto February in all its gleaming glory. The shortest month means that our meeting falls on Wednesday 23 February, and we will sparkle and shine with our Malago bag-making extravaganza. Bags and iron-on transfers will be provided, as well as a few bits and bobs from our stock cupboard, but please bring any embellishments you'd like to use/share such as:
buttons
beads
ribbon
fabric
felt
sequins

If you need to buy these supplies, head on down to our local craft shop and new partner, Paper Village. As well as all the above, PV sells the best treasure, including embroidery threads, gem stones, fabric paints/pens, pom-poms, lace, braid, thread, feathers, glitter varnish and much more. If you do need to stock up, you'd better get to Paper Village by the end of Saturday as they are closed for a few days after that. Look out for more MWI/PV news in the future.

We're also swapping books, so bring along a book you think your fellow WI-ers might enjoy for our swap table and you can take a new-to-you tome home in exchange.

February's meeting also sees a visit from Donna Butcher, who will give us a short talk about the WI's training school, Denman College.

Don't forget to tell your friends, and drag them along for a chat, a cuppa and a craftastic meeting on Wednesday - membership is filling up fast.

MWI x

Are you sitting comfortably?

Happy New Year!

We are so looking forward to the first Malago WI meeting of 2011, we can barely contain our excitement. January's meeting (Wednesday 26) will feature an expert story-teller, Martin Maudsley, who will delight us with tales a-plenty before divulging a few secrets of the story-telling world. We'll be budding Jackanory presenters by the end of the evening, no doubt. Coincidentally enough, the week after our meeting is the fifth annual Bristol Storytelling Festival, so if your whistle is well and truly wetted head over there for more of the same.

If you haven't been to a Malago WI meeting before, you can expect fun, friendly folk and the opportunity to learn new skills, all washed down with lashings of tea and cake. Newcomers will be made most welcome - do come along and try us out for size. There's no obligation to join, just come as a guest and see what you think. If you would like to become a 2011 member, the cost is £30 for 11 meetings (no December meeting). Email us for a membership form, bring along a £30 cheque or cash on the night and be prepared to have the last Wednesday in every month exponentially improve your quality of life. If you are already a convert, please help our cause by telling your friends about Malago WI, or bring a friend along. Pick up a poster or some of our beautiful business cards and help us spread the word far and wide.

To get the very latest updates on all matters Malago, please sign up to our mailing list - there's a box over there on the right for you to enter your email address, and we'll pop up in your inbox every now and again. Facebook and Twitter users can also find us in those worlds - again, links on the right there, see?

January is that time of year when WI members are asked to vote on 2011 campaign resolutions (more about campaigns here). You will need your November/December issue of WI Life, as the voting form is on page 37 (with details of the resolutions pages 34-37) - no other format will be counted. Hand your form to Odette McBride at January's meeting, who will forward these to our Federation. This vote whittles down the resolutions to one, which we then vote for or against in April/May. Do let us know if you don't receive WI Life and wish to do so.

As a prominent women's group in Bristol, Malago WI has been asked to take part in the Bristol City Council Women's Voice survey. The Council would like the views of women and women's organisations in the city on the best ways to ensure that women's issues and concerns influence the decisions that are made by public bodies such as the Council, the Primary Care Trust, Bristol Hospital Trust and the Police. Fill out the survey here.

See you for stories and sweet treats soon,
Malago WI x

The history of Malago WI

Malago WI - the inaugural meeting

Malago Women's Institute began in October 2008. President Karen Bowers and Vice President Lottie Storey met while pregnant and became good friends during their maternity leave. Their antenatal group became a close-knit support group, just one of many similar groups of women in south Bristol and indeed across the land. When it came to return to work, Karen and Lottie wanted to preserve some of this camaraderie which proved so vital during the more testing child-rearing times - a striking parallel with the original aims of the very first WI 111 years previously.

Karen and Lottie decided to form Malago WI to provide a focus for all women in the community to come together each month, learn new skills, meet friends and generally have a jolly time. Joined by eight capable friends who together formed the first committee, Malago WI took off, buoyed by the renewed interest in the WI that was sweeping the country at the time. Since then, Malago WI has programmed exciting and diverse meetings and welcomed 15 speakers, over 200 women, and continues to provide a focal point for all women to meet up each month in south Bristol.

Malago WI hopes the original values we started with still lie at the heart of everything we do. That heart is filled with joy to see there are so many women out there who get as much pleasure from Malago WI as we do.