Show the love bag
Pat, as one of our regular knitters recently made this bag and submitted it to the Paul Miller late night show on Radio Sussex.
She took the opportunity to promote the WI campaign to “Show the Love” for our environment and included the green heart card we were sent. Pat was delighted to have her work mentioned and was pleased that the announcer did his best to explain the campaign.
Pat has since worked the heart into other knitted items that are distributed into the community.
We had a request for help from one of our members to provide a “fidget quilt” for a lady she assists, who is now partially sighted and has dementia. The red & cream quilt was for this lady and we hope that the strong contrast will still be visible, whilst the textures provide stimulation.
We had not been aware of this need and the remedy, but with a little online research, we gathered together fabric, wadding & interesting things and got stitching. These are some of the results – mats approx 14″ x 18″ with interesting textures for fingers to fidget with.
Varied buttons, zips and textures can soothe restless fingers whilst a theme can assist a carer by prompting memories as whilst using those bits and bobs that have been saved for later use.
This has been an interesting & informative project that we shall return to throughout the year.
Our President Linda launches a new idea for our outreach work. She says
“The Horsham Normandy WI would like to start the project of supplying small wash kits for patients admitted as emergencies to East Surrey Hospital but who do not have access to toiletries. This idea stems from a patient who I cared for in EPU who was admitted over a weekend, but who had no access to a toothbrush for 3 days. This incident has played on my mind ever since.
The idea is to supply a small ziplock plastic bag with a flannel, a small pack of tissues, soap (or possibly shower gel if available) toothbrush and toothpaste. As with most people we have had relatives and friends admitted at short notice and toiletries are not the first thing on someone’s mind at such time.”
Should you feel able to help there are more suggestions under this title on our Share page.
The Science Group meeting for January 2016 was introduced to Madcap Ideas & Quirky Inventions by
Douglas Eaton. This often humorous look at science showed us the idea of knife, fork or spoon caps for your pen when eating lunch at your desk! The accidental finds that have given us penicillin, nylon & teflon. Strange ideas in their time would include Leonardo’s helicopter and it was said of the telephone that “every town should have one”, now there’s one in every handbag. But the one that really bought the house down was the hairy tights as an anti-pervert deterrent! Do Google this for more information & images.
With the early Easter this year it has been decided not to have a March meeting, but we are instead encouraged to go along to the West Sussex Coast WI day event at Ashington on 18 March 2016.
Our December meeting was very much a social event. A brave cast of 5 ladies performed a condensed version of Cinderella, and our President organised a quiz and some party games. The Craft Group have been busy over the past 3 months making Doves & Christmas Stocking tree decorations.
All the ladies were given a pair of these decorations. We later departed for lunch at the Black Jug and everyone went home with a bunch of flowers instead of Christmas gifts.
The West Sussex Federation held their annual carol service on 4th December, in Chichester Cathedral, which was packed with 500 members & guests. The Federation Centenary Choir, director Aedan Kearney, sang seasonal carols, and Sidonie Winter, a W.I. member, performed some glorious solos. There was also a brass quintet, led by Alfie Hughes, playing festive tunes. The congregation joined in popular carols, helping to raise the roof of this magnificent cathedral.
This report was submitted by Diana H. a member of the Centenary Choir.
This talk was the final Science Group meeting for 2015. This well illustrated talk by Peter Lovatt covered the various forms of microbes, the eminent men & women who discovered them and the presence of bacteria in town, home & country. We learnt about the bad bacteria that can cause disease or good microbes used in food production. (e.g. bread & beer). Some surprising experiments and equally horrifying facts kept out attention and gave us plenty to discuss over our tea & biscuits.
At the beginning of this year one of our group was reading A Testament of Youth by Vera Brittain and it prompted the idea that our only targeted reading this season should be on the theme of the Great War and we would review our choices in November 2015. Several of our selections viewed the war from a woman’s point of view. Two volumes, Dorothea’s War, a first World War nurse tells her story, by Dorothea Crewdon and Diary of a Nursing Sister on the Western Front 1914-15 published anonymously, both recall the experiences of women who volunteered to serve and who also endured the horrors of the conflict. The only novel amongst selection was The Lost Soldier by Diney Costeloe, which by linking letters and diaries draws attention to the injustices which happened then and are still on-going. The final choice of Silent Night – the story of Christmas 1914 by Stanley Weintraub, also drew on letters from soldiers of all ranks, on both sides of the conflict, serving along the front on Christmas 1914. A most moving record of this event and the common links that we find with an opponent. It’s final chapter poses the question “What if these thousands of men had refused to continue fighting?” How would the course of twentieth century history changed? It provided a suitable discussion point on which to conclude.
Book group meetings will resume on 27 January 2016.
The ladies in our craft group made these lovely poppies for our members. They were distributed for a donation which we have passed on to the Royal British Legion’s Poppy Appeal. Sue R. & I took £60 into the Legion Shop at the end of October 2015.
A representative of the Legion expressed their thanks for our efforts.
The Chanctonbury Science Group met on 30th October to hear Yvonne Price speak enthusiastically about the creation of fragrances. She explained the history of perfumes, their purposes to make life smell sweeter, on to the the popularity of fragrances today. 
The sophistication of the formulae required and the industry to supply the volume of natural material surprised us all. Many memories from our youths were recalled when we were allowed to try some of her varied perfume collection. A very fragrant and enjoyable afternoon.
Horsham Normandy W.I. 