Making Our Mark(s)

Apologies for the radio silence! We’ve been here, there and everywhere (except on our website!) A summary of the year’s activities will follow in the next couple of weeks, but in the meantime, here’s what we got up to at our September 2023 meeting.

A lovely mix of long-standing members and new visitors saw our President, Vicky and Secretary, Laura, leading the lino printing charge, helping everyone to design and cut their own simple printing blocks from soft lino pads.

Vicky and Laura were very generous with their knowledge as well as supplying all of the materials, tools and inks for everyone to create their own unique pieces of artwork. Vicky also brought along an assortment of foliage so that everyone could have a try at mono printing too! A big thanks to both of them.

A few photographs below show some of the artworks produced – it was fascinating to see the variety of different subject matters and styles – looking forward to the range of hand-printed Christmas cards from everyone this year!

~ Sarah x (Vice President)

New Year, same us!

Hello, just a little reminder that January is a great time to try out the WI.

Now I’m not saying it should be a New Year’s Resolution or anything like that, I don’t tend to make them or keep them, but just something nice to do in the depths of January hopefully to lift the spirits and maybe start something new.

Traditionally, we have always had an active meeting in January with a gentle exercise, martial arts or dance session: For January 2023 we will be dipping our toes into some Afro-beat Kuduro House choreography with Julie and Paulo. (Wednesday 11th January 2023, 7.30pm start)

Your first trip to City WI is always free, after that we’ll ask £4 a session or you can become a full member. Our membership year now starts in April so there’s no rush to decide straight away; membership in 2023 is £46 and you pay nothing else for your meetings.

Most of our sessions are held at the MCO centre on Beaumont Street in Sneinton which can be a bit tricky to find; there’s usually someone who can meet you to walk down, or just give us a shout and we’ll come and find you. There is parking, but we share with the other centre users. Our Summer meetings will be outdoors depending on the activity, and we have one online meeting planned this year so that we can have an excellent speaker who lives further away.

Our Craft Club will also be returning in the new year, in an online format – perfect for a bit of social interaction without venturing out in the cold weather.

If you would like to hear more about the group or the WI, please get in touch – we’ll answer as soon as we’re able to.

Happy 2023!

Vicky x

PS I’ll be on BBC Radio Nottingham next Wednesday afternoon to talk about the group – eep!

We’re still here . . . a bit about us!

Hello! My name is Vicky and I’m President of Nottingham City WI, have been for four years now – been in WI for 6 or 7 years now (I think!).

I started off attending meetings with a friend who is still a member too, joined the Committee to help run things and then became President. Obviously two years of my tenure were over the pandemic which was undoubtedly hard for everyone, but we carried on valiantly by learning to do meetings on Zoom and sometimes just being there for a chat was enough. We won’t dwell on that too much but I can only think that we’ve survived this long because our members love the group and we offer something special; friendship, loyalty, solidarity, learning, fun and joy ;). That might make it sound a bit ‘culty’, but we’re essentially a group of friends who meet monthly for an activity or talk and the rest is bonus material!

A bunch of joyful women hold up the Nottingham City WI pennant

We just happen to be a small cog in the well-oiled machine that is the National Federation of Women’s Institutes (NFWI) which also allows us to be part of national campaigns suggested by members on the issues important to them.

The WI is for women and anyone who lives as a woman over 18, if you’d like to come and try us out please do!

Your first visit is free, so if you find that we aren’t your cup of tea there’s nothing lost. Most WIs will let you visit for free to try them out so you can find your perfect group. You can actually join as many as you like, if you have the time that is! Meetings are once a month, but there’s usually something else happening like book clubs, craft clubs and outings.

If you’d like any more information, why not email us at citywi@ymail.com or have a look at our Facebook page (https://www.facebook.com/nottinghamcitywi/)

History of Nottingham Suffragettes – March Meeting Recap

Hello Everyone!

 

 Our March meeting walked us through the history of Nottingham’s very own suffragettes thanks to Dr Rowena Edlin from the Nottingham Women’s History Society. There were many great Ladies who paved the way for women in our area and it was fascinating to hear of their trials and tribulations during the Suffragette movement.

 

April Meeting –  12th of April 7:30 YMCA ICC

April is organ donation month and our speaker will be Janet who is coming to tell us about her personal experience of organ donation a key campaign of the WI https://www.thewi.org.uk/campaigns/current-campaigns-and-initiatives/time-to-talk

We will also have some Easter crafting going for those who fancy trying out some crafting.

Do join us for an interesting evening.

See you at the next meeting 🙂

So long and thanks for all the cake…

The end of the Manton era was signalled on International Women’s Day, Wednesday, 8th March 2017, when after two joyous years, I stood down as President of Nottingham City WI.  It’s been a whirlwind since I took office from our incredible founder President, Kerry Edwards-Kelsall, of jam (marmalade) and Jerusalem, Suffragettes and stitching, marching and martial arts, camping and cream teas, cheese and wine (and tales of the night), books and beer, flowers and frocks, quizzes and the Queen and oodles of fabulous, inspiring women… and tea… and cake!

           

It was  a beautiful day to end on, joining with members of City, Gedling and Netherfield WIs to present a bench to Gedling Country Park in commemoration of International Women’s Day in unison with Cllr Roxanne Ellis.  The inscription on the bench is a quotation from James Oppenheim’s poem, ‘Bread and Roses’, an anthem for women around the world “As we go marching marching, we bring the greater days, for the rising of the women means the rising of the race”.

With the WI Centenary Garden Party at Buckingham Palace and being commissioned to papercut the WI’s official birthday card for Her Majesty the Queen, I’ve got closer to royalty than I could ever have anticipated!  But it is you, the ladies of Nottingham City WI and our Women’s Institute sisters around the globe who it’s been an honour to work alongside, as President.  It is to my utter delight that our new President will be the sublime Mrs Lucy Petford!  The official Presidential bell has been handed over and I’ll be her loudest cheerleader from the committee bench (you can look forward to THAT!) – good luck, lovely lady!

~ Manton xx

International Women’s Day 2016

Members of Nottingham City and Gedling Women’s Institutes will be coming together to plant a Lime Tree (Tilia Cordata) in the recently opened Gedling Country Park at 4.00pm on Tuesday, 8 March 2016, to mark our #pledgeforparity’ for International Women’s Day.  In keeping with the Friends of Gedling Country Park’s policy of planting only UK native species, the tree has also been sourced in the UK by Hilltop Nursery in Gedling.  Grateful thanks go to Gedlling Borough Council and the friends of Gedling Country Park for their kind support.

All members of Nottingham City and Gedling Women’s Institute are invited to come along and be part of the event.  Any supporters and spectators also welcome!

Find Gedling Country Park here – we will meet in the main Spring Lane car park at 3.45pm.

More details about International Women’s Day #pledgeforparity here

In an English ‘City’ Garden!

I’m delighted to confirm that Nottingham City Women’s Institute has won national funding from the Department for Communities and Local Government’s Pocket Parks programme to restore and rejuvenate the neglected Barker Gate Rest Garden in Nottingham’s Creative Quarter – to create a new pocket park for the city.

Barker Gate Rest Garden is the Creative Quarter’s only open green space and with several thousand people working and living within half a mile of it, there is a real need for a peaceful green oasis in which to rest, reflect, eat and socialise.  (Pictures below of the Rest Garden in its current condition)

Members of Nottingham City WI will create defined spaces within the park, including a section dedicated to wild flowers. This area will be allowed to go to seed after flowering, to provide a multitude of feeding and nesting opportunities for wildlife.  The area will also be used to produce nutritious leaf mulch and house a carefully designed insect ‘hotel’, allowing a variety of insects to breed and hibernate.

We will be looking to introduce a planting plan which includes bee-friendly plants to give year-round support to Nottingham’s urban bee population. This will also support Nottingham’s Bee Action Plan, which encourages the introduction of pollinator-friendly plants throughout the city, to create ‘green corridors’ to attract bees and other pollinating insects.

Working closely with the local community, the City WI want to encourage birds into the new pocket park too, by installing a variety of feeding stations and using a carefully-developed planting plan for the existing beds, featuring seasonal flowers and berries.

So grab your gardening gloves and your imagination and let’s get to work, ladies!

~ Manton x

WI Centenary Celebrations

We had a marvellous time celebrating the first 100 years of the inspirational women of the Women’s Institute at Riverbank Bar & Kitchen on 16 September 2015 – so proud to be part of this extraordinary organisation! … Here are a few photos of a happy and memorable evening, courtesy of Vapour Trail Photography (cheers, buddy!) … Here’s to the next 100 years, ladies! 😀 x

September Newsletter

Mmmmm… sugar and cakey goodness, mists and mellow fruitfulness – you can feel Autumn in the air, can’t you?  We were treated to all kinds of confectionery joy at our last meeting and have a multitude of celebrations, outings and campaigning to look forward to over the next few weeks.

If you missed out on this month’s meeting (and it was a biggun – 38 ladies!) or just need a reminder of what’s happening and when, then here’s our WI sept newsletter (thanks, Antonia!) with some reminders and if you need any further info, just get in touch by email at citywi@ymail.com or through our Facebook page and we’ll be happy to help.

In the meantime, enjoy the remaining sunshine, wrap up warm and hone your jam-making skills!

~ Sarah M x

Sweet Treats for Autumn!

After the Quiz and Games night antics at our August meeting and the bus trip to the WI Centennial Fair, it’s time to discuss the hard stuff!  Our meeting on Wednesday, 9 September 2015, will show us how to make delicious foodie gifts!

The wonderful Liana Stevens, local food blogger and cake fan, will spend the evening showing us how to make quick, easy, and inexpensive food gifts such as cakepops and bakeaway jars (intriguing) and we’ll be decorating our own cookies!… Yummilicious!

Don’t forget, we’ll be collecting for Trussell Trust Foodbank once again this month, so please continue with your fabulous generosity.  The Shopping List is here – Trussell Trust ShoppingList

We’re also only one week away from the official WI Centenary on Wednesday, 16 September 2015 – City WI will be donning our gladrags and chinking our glasses in a toast to WI members of the past, present and future at Riverbank Bar and Kitchen.  For only £10 per person, we will be celebrating in style with pizza and prosecco!  We’ll be taking payments from everyone who has already signed up and any other ladies who would like to join us, at our September meeting on Wednesday – please let us know you’re coming on our Facebook event page – *here*

Looking forward to spending some fabulous cakey and celebratory time with you this September! 🙂

~ Sarah M x