Wreath Making - December 2016
Back in January 2016 while planning the forthcoming year, Lucille Pope suggested we make wreaths and offered her conservatory as a venue. The months came and went and on Sunday 4th December all members of the garden group arrived at Lucille’s, with a variety of greenery, cinnamon sticks, dried oranges and all the items needed to make wreaths. Lucille had done a grand job of collecting moss, which was of the highest quality and better than the bought stuff. To keep body and soul together during the day, we had warm mince pies and coffee, soup, bread and mulled wine, and of course tea and cake. What a wonderful day, such camaraderie, well that’s the WI for you (and the wreaths were pretty good also).
Craft Group - October 2016
Mickleover WI Craft Group created this display of apples and pears as part of an exhibition at St John the Evangelist church in Mickleover entitled ‘Season of Mists and Mellow Fruitfulness’.
The Group meets once a month in members’ homes. We learn new skills and complete projects that can usually be finished in 1 or 2 evenings.
Over the years the group has enjoyed successes in the craft competitions at Bakewell Show.
The group made a lavender bag for every member to celebrate the WI centenary.
We are also called upon to provide craft activities for Dabble Evenings for our members to enjoy.
The Group meets once a month in members’ homes. We learn new skills and complete projects that can usually be finished in 1 or 2 evenings.
Over the years the group has enjoyed successes in the craft competitions at Bakewell Show.
The group made a lavender bag for every member to celebrate the WI centenary.
We are also called upon to provide craft activities for Dabble Evenings for our members to enjoy.
Cornucopia – September 2016
The garden group meeting this month was spectacular; the ladies brought together a harvest festival, a cornucopia from their gardens. There was such a variety of produce; many different kinds flowers; relish’s, jams, pickles including a bottle of cassis; vegetables and fruits, potatoes, beans, corn, tomatoes carrots, berries, to name but a few. The pain and strife of blight, bugs, slugs and other nasties throughout the gardening year came to fruition, what a fabulous show.
Donation to the Derby Breast Unit – September 2016
During 2015 we committed ourselves to raising £300 for the Derby Breast Unit. On W.I. Day in 2015 we named a Trent Bus “The Women’s Institute – celebrating 100 years” under the Namesake Charity Appeal which operated this bus naming scheme for a £100 donation to the Breast Test Appeal. However this was terminated by the organiser when she had raised the £100k for this worth cause.
However we went ahead and raised the remaining £200 via a coffee morning, auction, sale of bread and a plant sale.
On 16th September 2016 the cheque was presented to the Breast Unit at the Royal Derby Hospital. Dr Bagnall, Director of Screening, and his team showed us around the department which is very high-tech and they were very appreciative of our donation. We are all aware of the great value of early detection of breast cancer and thanks Dr Bagnall and his staff for their dedication and support
However we went ahead and raised the remaining £200 via a coffee morning, auction, sale of bread and a plant sale.
On 16th September 2016 the cheque was presented to the Breast Unit at the Royal Derby Hospital. Dr Bagnall, Director of Screening, and his team showed us around the department which is very high-tech and they were very appreciative of our donation. We are all aware of the great value of early detection of breast cancer and thanks Dr Bagnall and his staff for their dedication and support
Quad Biking – September 2016
The Wild Park, Brailsford offered members from the Derbyshire Federation the opportunity to go Quad Biking, and fifteen ladies who signed up eagerly awaited the experience. It was very professional, a safety talk and video presentation, followed by adoring overalls, balaclavas and helmets – very becoming! We then made our way to the bikes and our man in command, Jody assisted by Sam, Tristan, Archie and Jamie, went over the safety and driving instructions for real. We then set off in a sequence, the instructors identifying good and bad drivers and moving us around as they saw our potential. We were taken though the terrain that was up hill, down dale, through water, furrows, uneven landscape, and speeding across fields. Exhilarating!!!
City of Derby Garden & Allotments Festival – August 2016
Members of Mickleover WI Garden Group visited the Markeaton Garden and Allotments Festival on Sunday 28 August 2016 at Markeaton Park Craft Village. Initially the weather didn’t look promising but it turned out to be a beautiful sunny day, and touring the stands, the gardens and allotments was a treat. Sampling home-made pickles, jams, chutneys, pumpkin and courgette cake but the star of the show was definitely the Beetroot and Chocolate cake (recipes available at http://www.cityofderbyallotments.org.uk). The allotments were looking good with a diverse range of vegetables, flowers and fruits. We spent a few pounds on the raffle, name the drink competition and out of 25 tombola tickets we only came away with a frizzby, which we tossed around later in the park (well maybe in our dreams!). Well done to all the volunteers, it was a great day.
Elvaston Castle - August 2016
We had a lovely afternoon at Elvaston Castle on Wednesday 17 August. It was a beautiful day, very warm, and the main walled garden was very colourful. Unfortunately as the wall is still considered unsafe a lot of the outer borders were still fenced off.
Uttoxeter NGS Gardens – July 2016
The garden group visited the NGS gardens in Woodleighton Grove, Uttoxeter, ST14 8BX on Sunday 10th July. The weather had been atrocious for the time of year, winds, and downpours, however for our outing the sun put his hat on (for most of the time), the rain abated and we were able to view the glorious gardens of two next door neighbours in Woodleighton Grove. As private gardens they are amazing and a must to visit. Tea/coffee and a delightful array of cakes to choose from rounded off the afternoon in true WI style.
Mosaic Moments, Craft Group – June to July 2016
Members of our Craft Group had their own “Playskool” moments when they decided to make a decorative polystyrene bauble. The recommended glue did not stick, mosaic pieces flirted across the room and as a last resort silicon and PVA glues gave a positive stuck result. What we are going to do with these oversized Kojak lollipops remains a mystery but we did have fun creating our own designs.
Note – the intense concentration!!
Note – the intense concentration!!
Repton History Walk - June 2016
Repton WI hosted a history walk on Sunday 26 June and a few members and spouse from Mickleover joined them. It went like clockwork; people were split into small groups of 6 which was ideal, and escorted around the village by a WI volunteer who indicated historic elements many of which are integral to Repton school, of which there are many famous individuals who attended as pupils. Repton has a long history going back to Anglo-Saxon times, and currently there is a dig going on in the minister’s garden. This very pleasant afternoon was concluded in true WI style with tea and some very delicious cakes in the Village Hall, thank you to all the members of Repton WI who made this possible.
Fun Games at DFWI – June 2016
At the last minute we decided to enter the Fun Games at DFWI H.Q. Our team name “Mickleover Bunny Girls” was decided in ten minutes flat, costumes were cobbled together very quickly and we were ready to go. Discus using paper plates, a relay in Wellington Boots, forwards, backwards and on the wrong feet, swimming on a skateboard, the whole team ski-ing on two skirting boards, hockey which is difficult to describe and clothes-hunting blindfolded were hilarious. The bobsleigh as shown in the picture below found one member folded into a Fyffes banana box and pulled and pushed by the other member. We had not enjoyed ourselves so much in ages. Much to our delight we were the winners to the Derbyshire House games and thoroughly enjoyed the afternoon. Thank you, it was very ingenious but we definitely found muscles which had not been used for some considerable time
Cake and a Toast to the Queen - June 2016
Members joined together to pay tribute to the Queen who became a nonagenarian in June this year. Kath Charlesworth baked a 3-tier sponge cake, sandwiched with cream and topped with strawberries, raspberries and blueberries depicting the Union Flag. The President gave a short resumée of the Queen’s remarkable life and a toast was made with a glass of Prosecco or Schloer if preferred. The evening finished with the National Anthem.
Middleton Hall – May 2016
Several members of the garden group traveled to Middleton Hall, Tamworth on Sunday 22nd May. The weather had been extremely good to us this year and today was no exception, despite the threat of rain, it never materialised and we had a lovely day at the plant fair. As this was the first plant fair we had visited this year inevitably plants were acquired but all members were quite reserved in their purchases. The day was complete with a cuppa in sunshine.
Archery Day, Wild Park Activity Centre Derbyshire – May 2016
Two ladies from Mickleover WI joined 25 others from around the county for the Archery Day at Wild Park Activity Centre, Derbyshire, organised by DFWI Sports and Leisure. What a great day, excellent professional trainers, plenty of equipment so we weren’t hanging around waiting for our go, and so we got in plenty of practice, before the competition started in earnest. Although we didn’t come in the top 3, we were all winners, fabulous day and excellent value for money. Looking forward to the quad biking in September!
Walking Group - May 2016
Monday May 9th was a beautiful warm sunny day, and Mickleover WI walking group took the tramway path which ran from Ticknall Limeyards to the Ashby canal, and went through South wood to come to the tramway path running from Dimminsdale Limestone quarry to join the first tramway. Margaret & David walk organisers, veered off the beaten track and took us to a little unknown wood that hadn’t seen many ramblers and this hidden secret gave us the most glorious display of bluebells. Lunch at Ferrers Centre rounded off a very pleasant morning.
Calke Abbey, Ticknall - April 2016
On Sunday 10th April, Mickleover Garden group visited Calke Abbey, Ticknall. Although it was a bright sunny day, there was a cool nip in the air, the seasons were somewhat at odds with one another, and the wallflowers we had come to see hadn’t blossomed as expected for the time of year. There were lots of plants peeking through, cowslip, fritillaria, succulents, ferns, bluebells just waiting for a spate of warm weather to show off their blooms. The spring lambs didn’t seem to feel the cold and were jumping around while keeping an eye on where mum was for a feed. Having enjoyed the gardens at Calke the afternoon was complete with a hot drink in the cafe (note no cake!).
Pyrograph, Derbyshire House - April 2016
Three ladies from Mickleover WI joined others from around the county at Derbyshire House, for a Pyrograph day with Bob Neill and his wife. Pyrograph is burning into wood and really not knowing what to expect, and not being of artistic natures we hope we would be up to the job.
Firstly Bob demonstrated how to burn the wood; use a very light touch with the wood burning pen, this was quite difficult and burning more than was needed took a lot of practice. However we selected our goods, there was all sorts of items, coasters, key fob, cards, cheese boards (for the more adventurous) and leather book marks, to mention but a few. We also had to select designs from the many stencils and templates before tracing them onto the wood. Everyone made a tremendous effort and produced some good stuff, and with all WI activates, we learnt something new and had a really good day. Thank you to the ladies who organised the event.
Firstly Bob demonstrated how to burn the wood; use a very light touch with the wood burning pen, this was quite difficult and burning more than was needed took a lot of practice. However we selected our goods, there was all sorts of items, coasters, key fob, cards, cheese boards (for the more adventurous) and leather book marks, to mention but a few. We also had to select designs from the many stencils and templates before tracing them onto the wood. Everyone made a tremendous effort and produced some good stuff, and with all WI activates, we learnt something new and had a really good day. Thank you to the ladies who organised the event.
All Saints Church, Brailsford - February 2016
Tuesday 9th February - The Garden Group took their first foray of the year to All Saints Church, Brailsford to see the snowdrops, and were highly delighted to be blessed with a beautiful crisp sunny day, unexpected after the continual rain that has seemed never ending throughout this winter. The snowdrops were in full bloom, with a smattering of daffodils and bluebells poking through. Although it was muddy some of the group headed for the river, while others sat soaking up the spring sunshine. To complete our trip, and in a WI timely fashion, we visited a local cafe, The Deli, for coffee and cake.
New Years Dinner – January 2016
To start the year off thirty two member of Mickleover WI attended a New Years Dinner on Monday 18th January at the Great Northern Hotel, Mickleover - a great night out, good food and excellent company.