Wythit WI Activities/Meetings in 2014:
We hope you enjoy looking at our pictures and event details below. For other years please select the following links:
January 2014
Stamping and Scrapbooking Projects
Sarah Love from Stamp with Love, Richmond introduced the Wythit girls to a very enjoyable pastime of Stamping and scrapbook / memento making. The girls enthusiastically set about making their own scrapbooks under the very helpful guidance of Sarah with some extremely beautiful results from all of us. Ideas ranged from baby and family memories photo mementos, thank you cards to personal wishes and dreams scrapbooks for 2014. See photos for the gorgeous end products. We were so enthralled that time ran away with us. Sarah also held a raffle on the night for one member to attend a Birthday Card making workshop she has arranged next month, Pat Lawson was the lucky winner.
February 2014
Board game night, Social Evening plus Asian Supper
What a fun but informal board games and social evening we had. We played some games which made you think on your feet and it was surprising how competitive most of us were! Everyone brought some yummy Asian-themed food and we tucked into each others' and tried everything. There were home made samosas, lentil dhal, sushi, Asian bite-size wraps, spring rolls, naan bread and loads more tempting things. We had a good natter too and got to know each other better - something which we don't often have much time to do because we're always doing such active and enthralling activities!
March 2014
Scuba Diving
Bill Oakes and Heather Smith from Soscuba, based in Catterick Garrison, gave us a very interesting talk along with a Powerpoint presentation and photo show about scuba diving and animal and plantlife which can be seen whilst diving. It was very detailed and lots of questions were asked by Wythit attendees. They then demonstrated the diving equipment and suits (including a surprise appearance by a fully kitted-up diver, and we got a chance to try on some of the breathing equipment. It was very heavy! A very interesting insight into their world which gave us something to think about.
A very enjoyable evening about a very different topic.
April 2014
AGM and Craft workshop with shared Cheese and Biscuit supper
AGM - Beverley gave a little speech and summarised the different events we had enjoyed throughout the previous year, we each took turns to say which event had been the most memorable/enjoyable. Christine then gave a summary of the Federation and National WI information and which WI activities Wythit Committee members have been involved in over the year (on behalf of the Secretary who couldn't be there). Then Charlotte gave a short summary of the accounts (on behalf of the Treasurer who couldn't be there) and we signed off the year's accounts which had previously been audited. We discussed fundraising suggestions for this year, and members gave suggestions for activities they would like to do.
The Craft Workshop - We kicked off with making small gift boxes by folding bits of paper and magazine pages. We each got to take home some instructions showing us how to make them at home as well. The main event of the evening was Easter egg decorating. We had some magazine pictures showing some lovely ways to decorate eggs, but everybody just threw themselves into it and went a bit mad with coloured icing, sugar balls, various sweets and fuzzy chick decorations, which raised lots of giggles and admiring/envious glances. We also had some cheese and biscuits to nibble on to take us through the committee voting.
May 2014
The Cube Challenge
Pat and Charlotte had prepared a series of challenges akin to “The Cube” TV programme. They were all done in a “low tech” style and involved exercises and tests to be carried out on an individual basis involving the following:
1. Walking blindfolded from starting point and trying to walk to a line marked out just beyond the cube shape. Not so easy blindfolded as your balance is affected and also your ability to estimate distances!
2. Throwing discs “hoopla style” onto a tall post at a set distance within the cube shape. Involves good aiming skills.
3. Transferring coloured balls into separate pots in colour order but as a timed exercise. Really good fun and you have to be fast!
4. Building a tower with narrow tubes but at arm’s length and as a timed exercise. Not so easy and you have to hold your nerve!
5. Taking numbered dice from a covered recipient and placing in number order into a limited spaced tray. Timed exercise too.
6. Building a tower from square blocks on a table (seated position) as a timed exercise.
7. Dropping a ball down a long tube on a slant and catching when it comes out at the other end. Not easy and you have to be fast!
8. All these activities were taken on board in a competitive spirit but also with a view to having a go and having fun in the process. It was a great activity and used lots of different skills.
June 2014
Ten Pin Bowling at RAF Leeming Bowl
There were 9 of us playing on two lanes so we were quite competitive. We swapped around after one game. Those who were not so skilled got help from others who had done it before and the kids were able to use the ramp which helped them a lot as the bowls are pretty heavy! We had a drink or two to keep our energy levels up and tried our best to get strikes, but it isn’t so easy! We had great fun and it was something different to do which involved all the family. A fun couple of hours was had by all.
July 2014
Green Exercise Trail around Bedale Park
Sunday night saw 5 Wythit girls put through their paces by Jackie Walker of Bedale Leisure Centre for approx 90 minutes with her Green Trail. Starting with a ‘gentle’ warm-up, quite a bit of puffing and panting went on while we travelled around the park, stopping at various points to do activities such as ‘Tea Towel’ tag which was exhausting for some of us (well me anyway), core strength exercises against a recently fallen large branch, push ups both forward and backwards on a bench, tutored use of the new outdoor exercise equipment in the park and finished off with a few cool down stretches.
August 2014
Picnic and Quiz in Bedale Park
In true British style the weather decided the venue for the Picnic and Quiz evening. It was hoped to have it in Bedale Park, but it was a little too cold and windy by 6pm and it may have blown the Jenga pieces away never mind the sandwiches! That didn’t deter the girls from setting up a Picnic in the pub instead (civilised of course with tables, chairs and even a table cloth!). We all had a good natter and catch up of holiday plans and Penny had kindly put a quiz together along with a Jenga game, the idea being that the person who got the question right was to nominate someone to remove a Jenga piece and then ask the next question, split into 2 teams we managed to make the game last about 30 minutes before the anticipated crash happened.
September 2014
Salsa
The Salsa Taster Session with Gregory Abouna was an absolute treat. All ladies had an immensely great time. We started with learning the basic steps and gradually built up until we managed a whole dance routine! Gregory holds Salsa and Latin American dance classes in Darlington which sound excellent fun.
October 2014
Fascinating Fascinators
A fabulous and enjoyable crafty evening creating fascinators and corsage’s, guided by a Textile student and our very own Judith. The resulting items made were stunning with everyone having fantastic artistic abilities.
November 2014
Digital Photography
Alistair Baldwin showed us lots of digital photography tricks and features. We all learnt some new ways of sharing our pictures on social media sites such as Instagram, and how to touch up and create quick and fun edits in Picassa. For the more experienced we were privaledged to see Charlotte work her magic in Photoshop and transform some of our pictures. We were so engrossed in learning what to do with our photo's we forgot to take any!
December 2014
Christmas Decorations Workshop
Due to the terrible weather, we unfortunately were unable to run our Christmas Workshop, the first time in Wythit's history I think!