Hordle WI

	Hordle Women's Institute
	Past Happenings
	2007
	31^st December and 1^st January had our grounds sealed off, as private grounds have not to be accessible for 365 days every year otherwise they can become public rights of way.
	17^th December our craft group (which meets every Monday afternoon) held their Christmas lunch, and all had a very enjoyable afternoon.
	15^th December was our Christmas Fair, and this year we were lucky enough to have Santa to visit. The event raised money for our new kitchen which we hope to have installed next year.
	14^th December a few members attended the Area Annual Carol Service in Lymington, where our new president read a seasonal poem
	4^th December was our Christmas party meeting, with plenty of food, a few games and quizzes.
	6^th November was our Annual General Meeting, with a new President, Secretary and Treasurer being elected along with another 7 committee members.
	30^th October saw some of us on a bus trip to Basingstoke to attend the WI County Autumn Meeting, where the main speaker was the original Calendar girl – Angela Baker. She gave a very interesting, humorous and emotional account of the events in making the calendar and the film and received a standing ovation at the end.
	23rd October A team for Hordle played Skittles against team from the other Lymington Area WI’s, but did not really get into the swing of the game and finished rather low down on the winners table.
	19^th October The Lymington Area group of Women’s Institutes held their Autumn meeting in our hall, and after the formalities we had a Belly Dancing demonstration by the ladies from Bashley who didn’t quite have the number of volunteers that they wanted to come on stage to try to copy their movements. We were then entertained by David Hawkes who showed us costumes and jewellery from Eastern Europe, with amusing anecdotes from his time spent there. Many members then tried on the robes and veils
	13^th October Our Harvest Lunch for members and guests was very well attended, with an excellent three-course meal provided by the committee.
	2^nd October Dr G Pitts was our speaker for October and he told us all about the First Opportunities school at Ashley
	6^th, 20^th and 22^nd September Three more Cream teas supplied by our ladies for coach loads visiting the New Forest and Lymington.
	4^th September The speaker at our September meeting turned out to be very interesting and amusing as she went through her collection of knitting patterns and garments from the last two centuries. Joyce Meader uses the old patterns and needles, with as much original wool that is available, to knit garments for historical societies and Film Dramas that require authenticity.
	1^st September Saw a very fine afternoon for the Hordle Village Fair where the WI had a stall to help swell the Community Association funds
	29^th August Two WI teams again entered the Wine and Wisdom Quiz run by the Hordle Community Association during the Festival week. Both teams finished in the middle of the winning rota, again beaten by the WI supporting husband’s team.
	16^th – 17^th August The WI hall stage had a makeover with new curtains and runners and a fresh lick of black paint around the walls.
	14^th August The August cream tea meeting was supposed to be help in the garden of the vice president, but yet again the weather forced us back into our hall. Even so, an enjoyable tea with a tombola and bring and buy stall helped raise funds for the new stage curtains.
	2^nd August Some of the members provided a cream tea for a coach full of visiting guests, who had been on a pleasant afternoon tour around the Forest.
	28^th July Members and partners enjoyed an American Supper at the home of our president, but again the weather was not too good so it had to be held indoors
	24^th to 26^th July New Forest Show at Brockenhurst. The weather was atrocious and wellingtons were the dress for the day for three members who were stewards in the WI tent on the first day. All the baby knitting sets were donated to the Princess Ann premature baby unit in Southampton. The co-operative ‘sculpture’ – our compost heap – achieved second place in the vote by members of the public.
	18^th July We had a day out in Whitchurch, with a look around the village, a delicious lunch in the pub and a tour around the Silk Mill. Our guide around the silk mill was a nephew of a former owner of the mill and gave us an amazing insight into how the mill ran in the olden days with all the power coming from the water wheel. He also demonstrated how the machines could do the different types of weaving without the aid of a computer.
	3^rd July Our July meeting brought an entertainer from Eastleigh who told us about his ‘Lifetime of Music Mirth and Mimicry’ and found that one member of his audience had been one of his Leading Ladies for a number of years in productions in Portsmouth.
	15^th June Another chance for a lunch out at MJ’s for those who could not go on 17^th April. Again a very good lunch prepared and served by Brockenhurst students.
	5^th June A vet gave a dog-training demo at our June meeting stepping in for one of her colleagues who had been booked to give our monthly talk, but was unable to attend. Both of the dogs Ms Redman brought were VERY obedient and displayed how, with proper control, dogs could do anything they were asked to do.
	15^th May Some of the ladies who have joined our WI this year were invited to the home of one of our vice presidents for afternoon tea, and a natter with members of the WI committee.
	1^st May Monthly Meeting unanimously voted to support the resolution to be taken to the AGM that “we urge HM Government to stop closure of Community Hospitals which provide essential services to local people”. Then, a dozen of the members entertained with poems, anecdotes and a Stairy Fory.
	17^th April Another meal outing, this time to Brockenhurst College restaurant ( MJ’s ). A lovely lunch prepared and served by the college students.
	16^th April Following his talk in January Mike Tomkins had invited us to take a tour in Salisbury Cathedral. Fifteen members had a coach trip to Salisbury and a fascinating tour around the cathedral with much more details explained than you normally would see on a visit on your own. Lunch and a short look around the city saw us back on the coach home for half past four.
	3^rd April Our April meeting with Joan Mulkern from the New Milton talking newspaper explaining how this service started and its highs and lows since then. They now have over 250 blind or partially sighted ‘listeners’ every week to tapes prepared by an army of volunteer producers, readers and recording engineers.
	31^st March Our Spring Fair – held in our hall decked out in its spring colours. We had gift, cakes and savouries, cards, plant and book stalls, as well as a tombola, guess the weight of the simnel cake, and a treasure hunt for the children.
	23^rd March WI Spring meeting for the Federation in Portsmouth. Very interesting meeting with all the WI’s in Hampshire attending. The speaker was Paul Whittaker (who had been deaf from birth) who explained why music was so very important to deaf children as they can relate to the vibrations and understand from an early age.
	21^st March Area Spring meeting in the evening at Boldre where we had a delicious supper prepared by the Bolder WI (as their 90^th birthday treat) and a history about the ‘Ladies of the Tower’ given by one of the Tower of London‘s beefeaters – in full costume.
	15^th March saw a group at the Amberwood at Walkford for a pub lunch, which was enjoyed by all.
	6^th March Our monthly meeting with guest speaker David Hawkes who brought his collection of Arab costume and jewellery. His knowledge of the lifestyle was informative and funny.
	23^rd February Meeting at Bashley for the Area WI to find out more details about the New Forest Show entries.
	16^th February Two members went to WI House in Winchester to listen (and judge) potential speakers who are hoping to become speakers for their monthly meetings,
	6^th February Monthly meeting with a talk by two New Forest Homeopaths about their system of medicine that stimulates the body’s own healing power.
	11^th January Two committee members went to a federation meeting to hear the resolutions that hope to be put forward at the AGM this year.
	2^nd January – New Year meeting with a very interesting guest speaker telling and showing us, with the help of slides, about parts of Salisbury Cathedral that the public do not normally see.

Hordle Women's Institute

Past Happenings