NIne members attended the 4D’s day organised by the Environment and Public Affairs sub-committee of WS Federation on Friday. The talks on dementia, diabetes, drink and drugs were interesting, informative and thought-provoking, giving us an insight into recognising and/or coping with these challenges of modern life.
This report supplied by Diana H.
Tuition was given in all of these and there was much laughter as everyone tried hard to remember the steps. Tea and coffee was on tap all day and the dancers were rewarded with tea and cake at the end.On Tuesday afternoon 6 of us accompanied Linda, our President to East Surrey Hospital to distribute a car load of items to three departments. We had an appointment with Donna Webster, Communications Officer and Chris O’Connor, Lead Dementia Care, and they were amazed at the quantity and variety of garments, neonatal mats and twiddle muffs we have made. As well as detailed tours of some departments Donna took some photos of our delivery being passed over to the teams concerned.
Pat handed over the twiddle muffs to Chris O’Connor; he was most encouraging about the colours and textures and offered a few more suggestions that we shall follow up in our next efforts. 
The emergency wash bags were a new idea to Donna & Chris but were enthusiastically received by the staff on Brockham Ward. The bags we had delivered 3 months ago had already been used and they were generous with their thanks & appreciation for this thoughtful idea.
Following this visit Linda will be interviewed by Donna for coverage within the SASH area and we hope to promote your efforts more within the NFWI.
Once again huge thank you from all concerned.
Another encouraging craft meeting “showing the love” in a contemporary way. The original idea of decopatch, evolved into something we made our own.
The WI tree as a fridge magnet and a few other bits in time for Valentine’s Day.
We decided to celebrate a most successful year with a Luncheon Party that would give us all the opportunity to get to mingle & mix. 
With a good number of new members we hoped this would be a chance to make new friends.
At a community hall we were able to have a sit down meal at but also play some organised games that got us all laughing and talking, some even won a chocolate Santa.
We all went home with a small Christmas gift.
Ute documented the event and the committee were gratified to receive several letters & emails thanking them for an enjoyable afternoon.
The Federation Carol Service was held this year at St Mary’s Parish Church, Horsham, attended by over 300 WI members. The Federation Choir, under the direction of Aedan Kearney, performed a wide range of carols, accompanied by harpist Heather Wrighton and 
pianist Liz Burtenshaw. Readings were given by members of Mannings Heath WI, with members of the Federation Board and our own President, Linda Mapp. Vocal soloist was choir member Sidonie Winter, who also accompanied Heather in a harp duet. Rousing carols from the entire congregation made this another successful Christmas service.
This report was supplied by Diana H. who is a member of the Federation Choir.
This week Linda & I paid our fourth visit to East Surrey Hospital to deliver items to the Neonatal Unit and Brockham Ward. There were so many bags we had to make a double journey from the carpark to distribute all these items.
Firstly, to the Neonatal Unit, where the knitted items and incubator mats were greeted with much appreciation. It is clear that this act of generosity is as much a show of support to the staff as well as a gift to the babies and their parents. The staff were anticipating that there will a few babies in over the Christmas period when they create and give a stocking to each baby. One of your knitted items will be in those stockings.
You amazing ladies have produced approx. 500 items for this unit this year, so our thanks to you and the Tanbridge House School Community Support funding that has made this possible.
And then we went onto Brockham Ward where we delivered the Emergency wash kits and the dementia cuffs. Here the very real need for these kits was illustrated by the 3 women waiting to see a specialist having just been re-directed there from A & E. Their days were not going as planned and there was a real possibility that someone would be staying in overnight. They would be benefiting from the kindness of strangers with one of our wash kits. Kath has designed a label that is put onto the bags to explain that it is donated by us.
40 kits were delivered on this occasion which brings our total to approx. 120 since this project was instigated at the start of the year.
All of these efforts make a very real difference to women in our area when a little extra assistance is required. Thank you all.
Ute, Sue and Lesley attended the Christmas Taster Day – no food in sight! Christmas Decorations were on the menu. We, together with about 50 ladies from West Sussex W.I.’s, tried our hand at Paper Flowers, Beaded Snowflakes, Fabric Decorations and Folded Fabric Cones.
Beads that scatter when you only want one. Beads that won’t stay on the wire and then there’s the glue! Paper flowers bloomed in decorative jars, fabric decorations requiring a degree in Origami and fabric cones in many hues. We all managed to produce recognisable items to take home.
It was good to meet up with members from other W.I.’s, exchange ideas and generally chat, although at times silence descended as concentration levels rose. A most enjoyable day.
Our thanks to Lesley for this report of the latest Federation activity.
Oyez! Oyez!
After a rousing rendition of Jerusalem by members of the many WIs in West Sussex, not to be outdone, the Worthing Town Crier announced the arrival of the Mayor of Worthing and escorted him to his seat. So began a very interesting day.
The business part of the morning completed, Melanie Gibson-Barton gave a thought-provoking talk on the Somme and her quest to identify the graves of soldiers from the Folkestone area.
Our speaker after lunch was John Benjamin, one of the jewellery experts from the Antiques Roadshow. His journey from a seventeen year old who did not know what he wanted to do to where he is today was most entertaining.
The afternoon ended with a short talk by Jane Probitts, National Trustee and Chair of the Craft Committee.
This brief teaser of events was submitted by Lesley but we look forward to hearing more about this day from Pam at our own Annual General Meeting.
Our President did what she loves and baked cakes! Then she opened up her home for members and friends to enjoy the fruits of her labours in support of the MacMillan Cancer Care Charity. Even the very wet weather during the morning didn’t deter her enthusiasm or her supporters. The weather was undoubtedly kinder during the afternoon and more supporters continued to enjoy the delicious range of cakes available for our delight. Not only were we indulged with the splendid cakes we had the opportunity to be pampered with a hand care treatment provided by one of her daughters. The icing on the cake so to speak was that a lot of money was raised for this worthy charity close to our hearts. Thank You
Horsham Normandy W.I. 