Welcome to London West End WI

Thursday 21 April 2011

April 2011 - Dates for the diary

Hello Ladies
Apologies for the tardiness of your dates for the diary email and reminder about our WI meeting which is on Tuesday this coming week.
LWWI meeting 19th April.
Our April meeting is on Tuesday 19th April,  when Chris Raeburn the Community Gardener from Phoenix Gardens  will be helping us to start creating a garden from the rather bleak and derelict looking courtyard at St Georges. Last year we successfully applied for a grant to do this as part of the WI commitment to ‘greening london’, we had a meeting last September where Chris outlined what his plans were for the courtyard.

As usual our meeting will run from 6pm until 8:30pm. The doors should be opening from about 6ish.

If you could bring some refreshments that you are willing to share with other members present that would be super

Please please please ensure you have paid your membership fee for the year £30, you can do this online otherwise please pay Jane (our brilliant treasurer £3 on the night for each meeting you attend) 



***********Latest News**********
Gardening in St Georges Courtyard
Tuesday 26th April
From 6pm onwards
At Last we can start on Phase 1 in the project to create a garden in the rear courtyard of St Georges-Bloomsbury.

Under the direction of Chris Raeburn the Community Gardener from Phoenix Gardener,  we will be painting containers, planting out the rockery etc.

Gardening equipment & brushes, Pimms / soft drinks and Snacks will be provided but bring your own gardening glove.








May WI meetings

Regular May meeting Tuesday 17th May - Craft at St Georges.

Extra WI meeting Thursday 19th May“Women in Comedy – why women are funny”, at Seven Dials Club. 42 Earlham Street. Covent Garden. We  plan to organise one day courses and events later this year and want to “test drive” the facilities.
Food Hygiene Certificates
Certificates for Food Hygiene course should be distributed shortly if you have not got yours already please either speak to Kate or email
Londonwestendwi@gmail.com

Grant application
We are looking to see if we can get some extra funding so that we can organise some more subsidised courses. We will let you know any progress we make with these applications.

Jams & Marmalades
No definite date as yet for this due to Bank Holidays etc but we hope to run it at 7 dials and either Claude or Tom will most probably run the course.

Summer course - Flower Arranging
We are hoping to run a one day Flower Arranging course
one Sunday in July or August. With the possibility of holding a first ever Flower Arranging Competition at the Phoenix Garden’s Fair in September. More details to follow.

Hope you are all well and Happy Easter incase we don't see you

Claude & Kate


Dates for the Diary - April 2011

Please find attached a request from the Fairtrade Foundation asking for support in their efforts to achieve a bunting world record in conjunction with the WI in May. Please see attached document called Bunting.pdf which more fully explains their joint request of us at London West End WI.

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Brunswick Centre - Village Fete - WI stall - Saturday May 14th 2011
The Brunswick will be holding its Village Fete event on Saturday 14th May, from 11am – 4pm.

If you would like to come along and help at stall this year you are more than welcome to please email londonwestendwi@gmail.com to confirm whether you will help on the day or make produce.
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Come along to the Fast Fashion Campaign Swish on Saturday 21st May

St Brides Foundation, Fleet Street, EC4Y 8EQ
Drop off clothes from 1.30pm, Swish opens from 2.30
£5 entry

As part of the NFWI’s Fast Fashion campaign, WI members are invited to a Swish event to launch the next stage of the campaign.

The event will be a chance to spend a Saturday afternoon swapping clothes, shoes and accessories with WI members and friends from across London, while enjoying tea and cupcakes and finding out more about the Fast Fashion campaign.

The Swish will launch the next campaign actions for the WI’s Fast Fashion campaign, which aims to raise awareness of unfair wages and working conditions for garment workers and the environmental impact of clothing.

Sewing tutors from Traid will be on hand to help you adapt and alter your swish finds, as well as stalls to browse and a film screening.

Please bring along up to five items to swish – these can include clothing, accessories and shoes. You will then be issued with a voucher for each item that can then be exchanged for your swish finds.

Places are available on a first come first served basis, but early registration by emailing e.lindsay@nfwi.org.uk is essential. Do contact me if you would like any more information or have any questions.

Best wishes,

Emma Lindsay
Research and Campaigns Officer
National Federation of Women's Institutes (NFWI)
104 New Kings Road, London SW6 4LY
T: 020 7371 9300  (ex 213)
E: e.lindsay@nfwi.org.uk
www.theWI.org.uk

There are additional details in attached file called swish flyer.pdf
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7 Dials Festivals & Covent Garden Community Centre- Easter Weekend of Fun
42 Ear lham Street, WC2H 9LA

Saturday 23rd April - 12 noon to 4pm and Sunday 24th April - lunch 12.30 and 2pm
Lunch menu, snacks and a fully licensed bar available!

Please see attached pdf documents  called Easter Weekend  page 1 and page 2.pdf for further details of all events occurring at Earlham Street.
Sounds like a super fun day out over Easter.

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Trip to Woburn Abbey – Thursday 23rd June 2011
Price will be £12 includes coach trip, entrance to the house, and a packed lunch
Bloomsbury is part of the Duke of Bedford’s Estate and each year the Friends of Russell Square organise a trip to Woburn Abbey There are 15 places available on a first come first served basis please email Kate know if you would like to go
londonwestendwi@gmail.com Bookable via blogspot and paypal in next few days

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John Bishop's Britain series 2
Laura Clark send us the following email :
I am working on the second series of John Bishop’s Britain – the Saturday night entertainment show for BBC1. This show was a huge success last summer so we are making another series. The show is hosted by comedian John Bishop himself but with the involvement of the general public.

We are looking once again for lots of different people, from all walks of life, from all over Britain to take part in the show. We want them to tell us funny, interesting stories from their lives on various topics. Our topics this year are…food, hobbies/DIY, music/fashion/shopping, friends, regional Britain, magical moments and Christmas.

We are really keen to represent British life and traditions and we really feel that The Women’s Institute is just that.

Please find below a couple of clips of the show from the first series to give you an idea of what it is like if you didn’t get to see. Due to John Bishop’s down to earth sense of comedy you’ll see that this show is a very inclusive and light hearted.

Part 1
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VrHKthYVaoE

Part 2
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9fRKPz9UJQE&feature=related

If you would like to chat about this further please feel free to call me on 020 7202 2343. Or if you would be happy to forward on this email to your members that would be wonderful.

Please find attached our advert for the show which details some more information.

I look forward to hearing from you.

Best wishes,
Laura
020 7202 2343

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American Orchestra performance May 1st 2011
I wanted to get in touch regarding an event we promoting for a Professional American Orchestra including a World Renowned Harpist in case it could of interest to your members, not just your branch of the WI but perhaps all your London branches. On the 1st May 2011 we have a professional American Orchestra who are touring England and performing a Tribute to the Royal Wedding gala concert performance at the Royal College of Music in London. I have attached some details on the director of the orchestra, Marcy Sudock.

One of the reasons I thought this maybe of interest to the WI is as a fundraiser. The orchestra are not seeking to make a profit from the concert, on the contrary they are performing free of charge and are happy for all proceeds to go to local charities. I am not sure if you run charity events but we could supply you with tickets to sell on or raffle etc.

Please do let me know if this is of interest and we can discuss details further.

Thanks very much.

Kind regards
Robin Jackson
UK Travel Designers LTD
19 The Mall
Bromley
Kent
BR1 1TT
www.ukgrouptravel.com
Tel: 020 8325 8965
 
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“In Their Place” A three month season of work by women playwrights at the Finborough Theatre. March to June 2011
“In Their Place” is a three month season dedicated entirely to the voice of the female playwright. Running from March to June 2011 at the multi-award winning Finborough Theatre, the season celebrates the work of four inspirational women.
The three four-week runs are all by established female playwrights/composer, with each production exemplifying the three different strands of our artistic policy – rediscovered plays, music theatre and new writing – with a rediscovery by Caryl Churchill, the UK premiere of a musical with music by composer Polly Pen, and a world premiere of a new play by Naomi Wallace.
The three Sunday/Monday slots in the season are entirely devoted to introducing the UK to the work of one writer – multi-award-winning Canadian playwright, and our latest Playwright-in-Residence, Colleen Murphy – with a European premiere, a UK premiere and a world premiere of her work. This mini-season within a season marks Colleen’s UK debut.
www.finboroughtheatre.co.uk

Neil McPherson
Artistic Director
Finborough Theatre
118 Finborough Road
London SW10 9ED
Mobile (urgent enquiries only please) 07977 173135
Email neilmcpherson@finboroughtheatre.co.uk
Website www.finboroughtheatre.co.uk

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Volunteering - National Volunteers Week 1st to 7th June
Check out www.volunteersweek.
org.uk

There is a Big Tea Party being held in South London on Sunday 5th of June 12:30 to 2:30 as part of national Volunteers week which is open to anyone interested in becoming a volunteer. A number of local voluntary groups will be co-hosting it. There will be the opportunity to network and speak to current volunteers.

Please do email
Londonwestendwi@gmail.com if you are interested in attending and we will send you more details. The only criteria to attend is that you should bring a refreshment item you can share with atleast one other person.

Otherwise there are lots of Big Lunch gatherings occuring all over London, please check out www.thebiglunch.com

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Phoenix Gardens - Village Fete – Saturday 3rd September 2011

Phoenix Gardens will be holding their annual fete in September this year. It was a fabulous experience last year and we have been asked to have a cake stall with the added plea that Please Please could we make more cakes, jams and marmalade as last year we sold out within 2 hours  More details as soon as we have them.

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Interesting websites for April
http://www.surnamedb.com
A most interesting site for looking up the origins of your surname.

http://www.pickthebrain.com/blog/archives-new
An interesting site with lots of PD articles.


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If you want to get in touch pls do so via either our email address, or web presence listed below
Remember 1st Tuesday of the month is Sewing Group at Seven Dials.
3rd Tuesday of the month WI meeting at Upper Vestry Hall, St. Georges, Little Russell Street, London, WC1 
Please arrive after 6:00PM for 6:30PM Start.