During the run up to Christmas 2022 our WI members enjoyed a range of events and activities including our annual Christmas Lunch which, this year, was held at the Kings Arms, Hathern where a very festive and enjoyable time was had by all.
We also hosted the Soar Valley Group of WIs Carol Service at St Mary’s here in East Leake, with representatives of each WI contributing with readings and poems.
This chance to enjoy singing traditional Carols and good company was relished by members as well as the delicious mince pies and mulled wine afterwards. The retiring collection raised £98.00 for the East Leake Memory Café, an organisation we very much admire.
The Christmas theme continued at our monthly meeting when we welcomed Googie from Googie’s Flower Shop. Members enjoyed the chance to see her demonstrate how to put a beautiful Christmas arrangement together and were excited to join in the free draw to win the finished centrepiece with Carolyn Barnett being the lucky recipient.
It has been interesting to read the thoughts of our WI National Chairman, Ann Jones, in her recent editorial in our members magazine, WI Life, where she reflected on the events of the past year, including the sad loss of the President of Sandringham WI, our dear Queen Elizabeth II. She also highlighted the year’s campaigning successes including International Women’s Day, “Show the Love” to combat climate change and the WI being invited to send a representative to the UN Ocean Conference in Portugal.
Her message to all WI members nationally for 2023 is that we are not alone and are stronger when we all work together which is something we embrace here in East Leake.
We look forward to a happy and healthy 2023 with a full calendar planned starting with our first monthly meeting of the year on Tuesday 10th January at 7.30pm in East Leake Village Hall when we will be banishing those post-Christmas blues with the After 8 Quartet, with a sense of humour – so why not make it your New Year’s resolution to join us!
For details of our full programme of speakers please visit our page on the village website https://east-leake.co.uk/east-leake-womens-institute/ or look out for our posters on the village noticeboards and outside the library.
New to the village or been here a while? Why not come along as a visitor, enjoy a pleasant evening and join in and find out more about us. We offer a warm welcome to a range of events and activities with fun and friendship. For further information please contact our Membership Secretary, Carolyn Barnett, on [email protected]