WI

We are a friendly group of ladies meeting on the second Wednesday of the month at 2.00 p.m. in Chaldon Village Hall, Rook Lane. We have eleven monthly meetings and in August our informal meeting is traditionally a ramble followed by a lunch at the home of one of our members, often that of the President. Members have fun together, and support each other in times of illness or sadness.

We have interesting speakers, outings to theatres and places of interest, pub lunches, demonstrations and other social events tailored to ideas of members.

Our Programme for 2010

February 10^th	Insects which are good for the garden (This is an open meeting - anyone can attend - men too)
March 10^th	Romania
April 14^th	Women are from Selfridges - Men are from B&Q
May 12^th	Resolutions: discussion of motions for WI National AG in June
June 9^th	92nd Birthday Lunch
July 14^th	Talk by Wendy Talbot of Old Coulsdon Healers
August 11^th	No meeting - usually a ramble and a lunch
September 8^th	'Road to Alaska' - talk with slides (This is an open meeting - anyone can attend - men too)
October 13^th	Cookery demonstration by Janet Manning
November 10^th	Annual Meeting - no speaker
December 8^th	Christmas Celebrations - no speaker

The fee for visitors is £3.00

The annual subscription this year is £29.50 and includes a regular national magazine, WI Life, with news, articles, and cookery, craft, and puzzle pages. Other activities are extra.

We are involved in the local community as a group and as individuals. We are represented on the Chaldon Fete Committee and annually run the produce and handicraft stalls. A member is a Trustee of the Village Hall and last year a photograph of the embroidery done for the Surrey Patchwork was one of the illustrations in the new “Welcome to Chaldon” booklet produced by the Parish Council for new residents. Two members also sit on the committees of two other local organisations. We knitted 70 Teddy hand puppets for a local school’s Christmas Appeal.

The highlight of 2008 was our 90th Birthday in June; we celebrated with a splendid lunch, followed by champagne and birthday cake with all the food prepared by members. We had an exhibition of archives and historic items plus a talk about changes in women’s fashion over the years.

Among other activities we ‘shuttled’ to France for the day, enjoyed a lakeside lunch, and brought back our birthday champagne. In addition to our annual visit to the Lakeside Theatre at Hever, preceded by a picnic supper, several members were thoroughly entertained by Surrey Opera’s performance of The King and I at Leatherhead Theatre. We spent a most interesting afternoon being shown round a local half timbered house dating back to the 1400s preceded by a pub lunch.. A group of us had afternoon tea at The Dorchester in Park Lane.

New Members’ Hostess: Ann Lardeur 01883 349762 adlann@furzebank.eclipse.co.uk