Aston Bellringers- 16 December 2004

The WI meeting proved a resounding success with the Aston Ringers encouraging members to have a go at handbell ringing and treating us to a seasonal selection of tunes. It was wonderful to see so many young people being involved. The nibbles afterwards were delicious. 

December 2004 - Christmas Lunch

Several members of the WI met to enjoy Christmas lunch and cheer at the Rose and Crown in Ashwell. The meal was voted delicious and Ann and Diane were thanked for their hard work in organising it. We all decided that it beats doing the cooking ourselves.

I Don't Have Christmas Decorations + Spender Cup 18 November 2004

A select band of stalwarts braved the surprise snow of 18th November to go to a seasonal talk by Joyce Vincent entitled “I Don’t Have…… Christmas Decorations.” We weren’t surprised as she seems to spend so much time doing them for other people and she gave us several tips on how to make them from very little and also for the non artist. Afterwards the Spender Cup competition was judged. Everyone was amazed to see how so many different cakes could be produced from the same recipe. This was a wartime recipe for ginger cake. Fiona Potts won with her Aga produced cake, but she did admit to having had a test run! Next year we are entertainment for the Spring group meeting and hostesses for the Autumn meeting.

Rushden AGM + Table Top Auction 21 October 2004

The Wallington and Rushden AGM proved to be a successful occasion with the present committee being re-elected and Dian Tucker being returned as President. They were thanked for all their hard work during the past year.
The events of the past year were reviewed and we were surprised at how much we had done. We are now looking forward to 2005 and an interesting selection of speakers.

The table top sale proved its usual fun. Whodunnits were particularly popular and of course Joyce Hart’s delectable lemon meringue pie.
We meet at Wallington next month on Thurs 18th November to hear Joyce Vincent on I Don’t Have…Christmas decorations! The Spender Cup will also be judged on a Wartime Recipe for Ginger Cake. If you want to have a go here it is.Eggless Ginger Cake
2 oz margarine
2 oz sugar
1 good tbsp ground ginger
1 tbsp golden syrup
¼ tsp salt in teacupful of hot water
6 ozs self raising flour
1 tsp bicarbonate of soda
Method
Bring first five ingredients to boil in small saucepan. Add bicarb dissolved in tsp of hot water. Stir in flour. Turn into greased cake tine and bake in moderate oven.
Good cooking!

The Home Front 16 September 2004

For those who remember the War. Wallington and Rushden’s talk by Alan Payne on the Home Front was an evening not to be missed and for those fortunate enough to have been born later a chance to gain knowledge of what actually happened here in Britain. Alan brought along a wonderful selection of artefacts he had collected over the years and a fund of interesting stories. Did you know that Cadbury’s were the main manufacturers of gas masks or that when a spitfire crashed, as did one recently found at Thriplow, it buried itself twenty to thirty feet into the ground or that the Home Guard often had to share one uniform between twenty? Anyone wishing to know more about this period in history should make sure that they go to a talk by Alan at least once.Next month sees the Group meeting at Hinxworth on Oct 27th when Richard Westcott will talk on The Making of a Pantomime Dame and the Autumn Council meeting is at Harpenden on 28th August when Colin tarn will entertain with an evening of music and jokes.
The WI distinguished itself at the latest Scrabble Day attended by Ann Warner and Fiona Potts when Fiona took second place.
The Christmas dinner will be on Friday 10th December
Next month is the AGM when there will be a table top sale and the competition for the Spender Cup which is an original war time recipe. We hope to make these into a booklet to celebrate the 60th anniversary of the end on WW11. The meeting will be at Rushden on Thursday 21st October at 8pm.

Dogs for the Disabled - Thursday 15 July 2004

Venny, Marie Carden’s dog for the disabled proved a great draw at Rushden Village Hall on Thursday 15th July when a full room turned out to hear Marie talk of her journey from the prison her body had made for her to the freedom that Venny, her flower and cheese loving guide dog had given her. No one could fail to be moved by her story.On Wed 21st July we will be entertaining the Stevenage WEA at Wallington on their authors of Hertfordshire visit.
In spite of the fact that we are supposedly enjoying summer holidays, it’s time to think of Christmas. If anyone knows of a good venue for our Christmas dinner, please let us know.Next meeting is at Wallington Village Hall on Thursday 16th September at 8pm when Alan Payne will talk on the Home Front- 1940s.

So What do You do for the Rest of the Week? - Thursday 17 June 2004

A mixed band of sports enthusiasts met at Wallington Village Hall on 17 June 2004 to hear Rob Hawthorne speak on his life as a sports reporter and commentator. He seems to have met with the highs and lows of his profession, but his wonderful sense of humour has seen him through. From winning a competition that gave him a break into the commentating world, through radio work to his present job with Sky he kept us laughing. The need to find a suitable bon mot; the knowledge required to recognise all players; the ability to concentrate on several tasks at once, all the while having the director speaking in your ear, makes it a tough job. Did you know that Gordon Ramsay played twice for Rangers or that Hull City is the only football team that cannot be filled in with a biro? These are required learning for his job. We are very grateful that he didn’t listen to the friend who suggested, on hearing that he had to speak to the W.I. that he phone and say he was ill.We are now looking for someone prepared to take on the job of being next year’s speaker’s secretary.In July, help will be needed in hosting 50 WEA members from Stevenage as they visit Orwell’s village and on Thursday 15th July Marie Carden with the help of Venny her dog will be speaking on Dogs for the Disabled at Rushden Village Hall at 8pm.

Latest Resolutions - Thursday 20th May 2004

Thursday 20th May saw a select band of stalwarts gathered at Rushden Village Hall in order to thrash out the latest resolutions from the National Federation. They covered human trafficking, the banning of GM crops and proposed government support for the Air Ambulance Service.

On 10th June there is an opportunity to see the house and gardens at Hemmingford Gray. The cost is £4/£3.50 and there will be a pub meal afterwards.

On Wed 21st July, fifty Stevenage and Knebworth WEA members will be visiting Wallington as part of their course on writers of Hertfordshire. The WI will be providing tea and cakes in the Village Hall. If you are prepared to help bake, set up or serve please get in touch with Diane.

June’s W.I. will give us the chance to see things from the other side of Sky Sports when Rob Hawthorne talks on So What do You do for the Rest of the Week? a question he says that he is often asked. As a reporter for Sky Sports he gets to travel to all the major matches but the downside is that he has to remember the names of all those players. This will be an open meeting so perhaps husbands and partners might like to join us for what promises to be a very entertaining evening. The meeting is at Wallington Village Hall on Thursday 17th June at 8pm.

So what do you know about NHS Direct? - April 15th 2004

Wallington and Rushden WI members now know a great deal more thanks to their talk by Kim Turner on April 15th at Wallington. The service started in 1999 and there are now 22 centres in the UK dealing with about 1000 calls a day. For those who need to call the local call rate number is 0845 46 47.

Next month is resolutions meeting so take your opportunity to make your feelings known on issues that affect the people of Britain on Thursday 20th May at Rushden Village Hall at 8pm.

Anne Godfrey talk on Good in Bed - 18th March 2004

On Thursday 18th March at Rushden Village Hall, Mrs Godfrey spoke to members wondering what to do in their gardens now Spring is arriving about those plants that can brighten up our borders. The talk was accompanied by colourful slides and the keen gardeners amongst us went away with plenty of ideas. Next month, Kim Turner will talk on NHS Dorect at Wallington Village Hall on Thursday 15th April at 8pm and don't forget the Spring Meeting on
Thursday 21st April at Hinxworth when Julia Marriage will talk on an East Anglian Childhood.

Shakespeare’s Globe Theatre Thursday 19th February 2004

Mrs Rorke talked to the W.I. on Shakespeare’s Globe Theatre from its inception by Sam Wannamaker, who asked a taxi driver to take him there and was amazed to find it didn’t exist, to the present day. Her talk was accompanied by some fascinating pictures of recent productions and a chance to see the wonderful costumes, all of which are made by hand with original style fastenings. Originally costumes would have been hand me downs from the rich of the land.There will be a talk by Julia Marriage on An East Anglian Childhood on 21st April at this year’s WI group meeting. There is also a chance to win £100 bursary for Denman College.WI - Ann Godfrey will talk on “Good in Bed” bedding plants for the garden at Rushden Village Hall on Thursday 18th March

Icknield Way 18 January 2004

On 15th January local archaeologist held members spellbound with a talk covering digs along the Icknield Way. Now that archaeology is no longer council run, teams from all over the country are likely to be working in Hertfordshire whilst our home grown archaeologists are working miles away. Fortunately, Paul was able to show us many local digs including those at Hartsfield School and a recent dig filmed for the Buried Treasure television series.

He also talked about field walking and says he is prepared to spend a day showing people how to field walk, so if you are interested or have a field that you would like to have walked, phone 01763 288393 or Email the Rushden webmaster.

The new programme is now out and next month we look forward to hearing Mrs Joy Rourke talking about Shakespeare’s Globe Theatre on Thursday 19th February at 8pm at Wallington Village Hall.