20 members enjoyed a delicious meal at the Curry Leaf in Epworth on 7th February 2024, superbly organised by our outings ladies Georgina, Lorraine and Max. Thank you.
Read moreBasic Life Support
Our first speaker for the year 2024 was John Armson, a first responder with Humberside fire brigade.
Read moreChristmas Origami Workshop
On a cold and frosty December evening 35 members of High Levels WI met at the Reindeer Inn, Sandtoft to enjoy a Christmas social with a craft input. The evening began on a sombre note with a minute’s silence to mark the death of a very long-standing member. Cath Watson had held many positions of office over the years and tribute was paid to her wonderful contributions to the Institute and her amazing skills of entertainment too. A memorial service will be held for her on 20th January 2024 at 11.30am in Hatfield Church.
The meeting continued with a brief overview of business followed by the introduction of Anne Nichol who was to involve members in an evening of origami creations suitable for Christmas.
Anne is very able teacher and members were shown how to make a hanging circular “snowflake” by folding two sheets of paper which were provided. This simple procedure was executed well by most and there was much cheerful conversation to be heard. Next members were shown how to fold a part book into a cone shape while Anne assisted where necessary. Creating a chubby star was next. Members folded a long strip into a flat pentagon (eventually!) and many were helped to shape this into a 3D star.
At that point an assortment of Christmas nibbles was sampled and members circulated.
Returning to the activities everyone was shown how to turn a white square of paper into a Christmas tree. This took a lot more concentration on folding in exactly the correct sequence. The triangle shapes were achieved but the cutting which followed was a little more difficult and this time the chatter was more serious.
Lister's Crisps
Laura Platt from local company Lister’s Crisps, gave an empowering women talk about growing the business, employing only women in the factory and using local companies for their flavourings and seasonings. A selection of free crisps were offered at the end of the talk.
Austrian Evening
Following on from international day, our September meeting was an Austrian Themed evening.
Jayne Dance welcomed everyone, all of whom were dressed in red and/or white, along with costume dresses too. We sang Jerusalem and our meal of Goulash soup and roll was followed by pork wiener schnitzel and vegetables.
There was a 20 minute break before the dessert of apple strudel and cream was served. This was to allow for the brief business meeting to take place:
Celia Jones gave a report on the Nepalese-themed International Day held by SYFWI on Saturday 16th September at Dinnington. She was joined on the day by Helen M-E and Jayne D. Experiencing street-food, history and culture they all learnt a lot and enjoyed the day, shared with 91 other WI members from South Yorkshire.
Georgina who gave us a short history about Austria and had created a quiz for us to do in pairs whilst enjoying our dessert. The papers were swapped, marked and returned. It was a devilishly difficult one and the prize winning score was a tied 12/20! Everyone enjoyed guessing the multiple choice answers though.
The evening was a great success with everyone enjoying the meal and the social gathering.
Summer Flowers Workshop
It was a rainy July evening for our WI monthly meeting, our speaker for the evening, Sarah Atwell, brought some sunshine to us by demonstrating to how to create a sunflower themed flower arrangement using local produce and lovely wild flower that had been picked by Sarah and family members from a ‘flowers from the field’ farm, called Eastfield Farm, Tickhill. Members were then able to construct their own version - everyone’s was different. A thoroughly enjoyable evening. Helen Smith gave the vote of thanks reflecting how the sunflower resembled the WI from the well known calendar.
Afternoon Tea at The Old Peatworks
The Kings Coronation Party
Inspiring Insights at the SYFWI Federation Annual Meeting
On April 22nd, 2023, our representatives Helen Mayfield-Ella, Catherine Watson and Jayne Dance attended the South Yorkshire Federation of Women's Institutes (SYFWI) Annual Meeting on behalf of High Levels WI. Held at The Legacy Conference Centre in Doncaster, the gathering provided an enlightening and engaging experience for all who attended.
The event commenced with a warm welcome from SYFWI Chair, Dorothy Meekins, followed by the singing of Jerusalem. The Mayor of Doncaster emphasized the importance of the Women's Institute's history and the role women play in shaping our society. We were encouraged to participate in events like the Great Big Green Week and Show the Love month, and to explore the My WI online resource and the SYF website.
A banner was being remade for the SYF office at Hall Cross, as some WIs had folded. Our representatives took photos for further discussion within our WI.
The day concluded with presentations to WI branches celebrating significant milestones and achievements, as well as a raffle prize draw. Our heartfelt thanks go to Dorothy and her team for organizing this inspiring event, which reminded us of the incredible impact the Women's Institute has on our society.
A Dazzling Display of Belly Dancing Delights
April's High Levels Women's Institute meeting was a true celebration of dance, culture, and camaraderie, as we were treated to a mesmerising performance by the South Yorkshire belly dancing troupe, Sisters of Tribelica. The name itself is a creative fusion of the words "tribal" and "Metallica," highlighting the group's unique approach to this captivating art form.
Led by the talented Sally and her sisters, the Sisters of Tribelica enthralled our members with three distinct forms of belly dancing. Each performance was accompanied by a costume change, showcasing the troupe's dedication to authenticity and providing us with a captivating visual experience.
But the fun didn't stop there! Ten of our spirited members eagerly volunteered to join in the festivities, donning vibrant hip scarf belts adorned with metallic costume coins that jingled delightfully with every movement. Under the expert guidance of the Sisters of Tribelica, our brave volunteers embraced the opportunity to strut their stuff and try their hand at belly dancing.
The atmosphere was filled with laughter, support, and a sense of unity as we cheered on our fellow members, who wholeheartedly immersed themselves in this enchanting dance form. This unforgettable evening not only provided us with exceptional entertainment but also served as a reminder of the importance of stepping out of our comfort zones and embracing new experiences.
We look forward to more such memorable moments and the continuing growth of our High Levels Women's Institute community in the months to come.
Embracing Climate Change Month with Creativity and Fellowship
As we celebrated Climate Change Month this February, our lovely members came together, donning their finest green attire, to honor the occasion and show their support for a greener planet.
Our gathering was centered around a heartwarming and eco-friendly crafting activity, where we all had the pleasure of creating beautifully decorated green felt hearts. These charming embellishments not only showcased our artistic flair but also symbolised our commitment to the environment.
Lorraine Brookes had thoughtfully pre-cut the green felt hearts for us, making it a breeze to dive into the creative process. With her guidance, we were given a clear and concise explanation of the steps needed to complete our masterpieces and contribute to our ever-growing bunting collection.
The atmosphere was filled with joy, laughter, and camaraderie as we crafted our heartfelt tokens, reminding us all of the importance of unity in our efforts to care for our planet.
Mindful Coffee
Our first speaker for 2023 was Ben Hepworth, founder of Thorn and Thistle. Ben gave us an entertaining talk on his life journey, current and future ideas for his coffee blending business and a demonstration on how to create a mindful cup of coffee successfully! Helen Frankland gave the vote of thanks.
High Levels WI 75th Anniversary Celebration
A wonderful Afternoon Tea Birthday Party was held on 1st December2022 to mark this special occasion. Ginney Barker hosted us in a beautifully decorated large room at Sand Hall Farm which had been the home of a long-standing member, Lucy Barker. Attended by 38 current members and one special guest all were welcomed with a glass of prosecco and seated at beautifully decorated tables, heavily laden with savouries and desserts. Our President opened the proceedings and we sang Jerusalem before we were entertained, and newer members educated, by a member reading a poem written by Lucy. Lucy must have been a larger than life character as the long poem, written some 20 years ago outlined the history and some of the antics in which she, and some current members, had been involved. There was an opportunity for members to reminisce and a couple of members modelled some beautiful hats they had made. Others told of a trip to Edinburgh, outings and visits, and fondly remembered drama activities. There was a display of archive photographs available throughout the proceedings and in true WI fashion, a competition. With special relevance for the occasion the competition was for a teapot. There were 3 winners and another member gave a short talk on the sentimentality of the teapot she entered.
The catering was organised by Gerry (Lucy’s granddaughter) and she supervised a small team of ladies who served us with tea and coffee.
When everyone was replete there was an opportunity to enter the Tree Tombola. This consisted of labels hung on an enormous bay tree “branch” produced by the host. As with all tombolas, not every ticket was lucky!! Then before all departed into the miserable, dark winter’s night the birthday cake, decorated with a WI symbol, was cut and distributed.
It had been a truly suitable celebration and everyone looks forward to the centenary celebrations, to be attended no doubt, by some current and some new members.
On 13th December, the actual date of the anniversary, all members online received a very appropriate electronic birthday card.
Take A Gander
Our first meal out since Covid was organised by the newly formed Excursions Committee (Lorraine Brookes, Georgina Ramsden and Julie Reed), 26 members thoroughly enjoyed a delicious meal at Take A Gander, Burringham on Thursday 3rd November 2022. We chose our meal from the 3 courses for £20 menu, fabulous food and fantastic hosts.
Annual Outing 2022
We all enjoyed a fabulous day out on Thursday 15th September, we started the day with a coach trip to Wentworth House in the morning, arriving for coffee, a brief walk around the gardens and an excellent tour of the house given by very knowledgable guides, followed by lunch and time for shopping at the garden centre. Our thanks go to Ruth Stubley for organising such a splendid event.
The Chocolate Drop - A talk by Chocolatier, Alan of the Chocolate Drop, Market Rasen
Alan from The Chocolate Drop near Market Rasen was our speaker for the June meeting. After many delicious free samples were handed out, Alan gave an interesting talk on the geography and history where the cocoa nibs come from re plants, parts of the world and ethical issues of production. Lots of questions were asked and Gilly Jones gave the vote of thanks.
Our New Sign
Look out for the new signage at the entrance to our meetings held at The Reindeer.
The Forge Project
It was decided in March, that the charity High Levels WI would be supporting during 2022 was The Forge Project at Scunthorpe. (http://www.theforgeproject.co.uk/)
This is a day centre for homeless people where help with housing, health, job applications and a hot meal, amongst other support services are given five days a week.
During March, April and May, our members had been collecting items such as: Toiletries, toothpaste/brushes, sleeping bags, underwear, socks, clothing – mainly men and small/medium sized trainers. Tinned or dried food, teabags and coffee to donate.
The final collection was taken at the May meeting. Helen, High Levels Secretary, presented the said items to The Forge Project.
Platinum Jubilee Celebration
May was our Platinum Jubilee Celebration meeting. 28 members attended, many wearing hats which had been agreed at the previous meeting.
Victoria sponges cakes had been baked by volunteer members and were enjoyed by all during refreshments. Before the business meeting started, we all sang ‘God Save The Queen’ and gave three cheers.
Carole O'Neill - Talk by former High Sheriff of South Yorkshire
Our speaker for the April meeting was Former High Sheriff of South Yorkshire Carole O’Neill.
She outlined the unpaid job, appointed by the Queen, with over 1000-year history as being independent non-political law enforcement officers working for the community.
Carole was the first High Sheriff woman to be declared in Doncaster Borough Council 2019, then lockdown arrived, therefore most of her time as High Sheriff was by Zoom meetings.
Lorraine Brookes gave the vote of thanks.
