Doing something about all that packaging

Remember the packaging campaign? I came across a YouTube video today with the Japanese answer - furoshiki.

Have a look at this short video and get some great ideas for present wrapping!


Lots more ideas here and here

Just back from Denman

Our College was looking good as I left there this afternoon, on a chilly but clear winter day.
I thought that perhaps you'd be interested to see the progress with the refurbishments which are ongoing. I think the bar is more or less complete and it is very comfortable indeed.
The drawing room isn't quite done yet, but we loved the sparkling clean chandelier as it twinkled in the sunshine! The new chairs are comfortable but perhaps a little low in proportion to the room? But it's really too early to judge - we'll wait until all the finishing touches have been added.

We were lucky to be working in the Studio, where the wallhanging is open to view and offers something new to be noticed at every glance. I feel it's so familiar as I've been privileged to see it so many times, and yet there are still small details to be observed and appreciated.Following our Christmas concerts last week, I thought you'd appreciate the little choir scene, so very well observed. Note the red shoes!


Denman is a great place and we are so lucky to have such a college of our own. If you've not been already, you really should give it a try - you'll have a wonderful time.

Christmas parties

My WI, Avening, chose the most challenging night of the year to hold our Christmas Dinner at The Bell. I had to take an unusual route since a tree had fallen across the road in the torrential rain we'd had during the afternoon and the stormy conditions resulted in most of the village losing power supplies for a few hours. Fortunately, the lights (and most importantly, the cooker!) came back on just before 7 o'clock, though as the picture shows, our great President, Maisie, came prepared with a hurricane lamp, just in case!

We had a terrific evening, the food was great and the conversation flowed - of course! 

The Red Shoes!

We held two magnificent Christmas Concerts yesterday to universal acclaim from the audience who claimed it was "the best ever"! All down to the skills of our choir, led by Jill and formed from members of more than a dozen WIs, who, together with the band from Newent School, organist James Brown and soprano Jane Gilchrist, our guest artistes, put together a super programme. Ian, conductor, was on form and used the skills of the audience (playing car keys!) to make Jingle Bells go with a very special swing!


I think it was Maureen, a member of Eastcombe WI, who told me that in China, red shoes are a sign of authority. I wore mine to the concerts yesterday, but found I had quite a bit of competition!!

 

Stitching and Bitching in Upleadon

Well, it was thought that Knitting and Nattering was a little too staid....and as you can see, there wasn't much knitting!

Last night, I joined members from several WIs in the Newent area (Dymock, Castle Tump, Hartpury, Newent) to stitch and bitch in Upleadon village hall. Barbara had given me excellent directions, so I found it really easily, and Diane was already there, with kettle and heaters all switched on ready.

No shortage of conversation! Newent WI had put together a great display of what they've been up to recently, and were challenged by a local quiz doing the rounds - can you see the steam coming from those hard working brains in the picture?! We chewed over all kinds of subjects - getting younger members, finding good speakers who don't cost the earth and the importance of the Great Milk Debate mentioned in the previous post. Maybe one of those events will be in Newent? Hope so! As usual, it was a really enjoyable evening and I'm looking forward to being back in that hall next October to do a workshop for Castle Tump WI!

The Great Milk Debate

Pam Sparrow and I had a very useful meeting with Mel and John from the NFU yesterday, to discuss what we're going to do about The Great Milk Debate.
Did you know that farmers are receiving more than 5p less per litre now than they were 10 years ago? That they are paid 17p a litre on average when it costs them 21p to produce it?
News reports yesterday suggested that in just a few years time, the UK will have to import milk because our dairy farmers will have gone out of business. Clearly it's time we did something.

Suggestions for action you can take now include:

• ask where the milk you are buying has come from. If it's not locally produced, ask why and consider shopping elsewhere
• ask where the other dairy products - cheese, yoghurt, butter - have been produced. Make it clear that such things are important to the survival of our dairy industry
• Look for the Red Tractor symbol on products to indicate 100% British produced goods
• If you're lucky enough to have doorstep delivery, continue to support this wonderful service.
• Find out as much as you can about the situation so that you can make informed decisions

Watch for details of three "Great Milk Debates" to be held in the county next April, when you will have a chance to hear representatives from all sectors involved in the production, processing and sale of milk in Gloucestershire.