Former CFWI Chairman and current Assistant Media Officer Sheila Goldsworthy writes a wonderful monthly WI column for The Cornishman. Here is Sheila’s October column:
We are optimistically writing dates of events for 2022 in our new green WI diaries. There is an impressive list of events that members can sign up for being advertised now.
Following the very successful Annual Meeting held in October, at the Hall for Cornwall there is now a feeling of buoyancy amongst the members that at last we can meet for our usual WI Meetings and make arrangements to attend events organised by the sub-committees. We now have almost 3,000 members in Cornwall in 112 WIs, so this gives us a great opportunity to support the new Board of Trustees under their new Chair, Helen Kestle of Crowlas and Ludgvan WI. We wish them great success and a happy partnership with the members.
Following the busy November and December of WI dates, lunches, workshops, Carol Concert, etc., we bounce into the New Year with 2022 events.
Tracing our family history can be very revealing and quite exciting. The two Family History days, being held at Chy Noweth an Conteth, are aimed at giving members the basics to research their own families online. Day one on 14 January will concentrate on the resources available and vital information you need to get started. The second day a month later, on 18 February, will examine how everyone has progressed and offer ideas on how to continue. Have you an upper crust great, great uncle? Perhaps you are related to Marie Antoinette? We have heard that this project can become quite addictive, and the researched information could change your life!
Also in January is one of our famous County Buffet Lunches with a difference. “Dejeuner en France”. Emmanuel Macron will be delighted that we are promoting the Entente Cordiale! We are promised a French-style buffet, which includes a three-course French meal with continental favourites and of course the usual mouth watering selection of desserts. Some members will have happy memories of the CFWI French holiday, some years ago, we had in the Loire Valley staying in Tours, visiting the magnificent chateaus in that delightful area. Mealtimes however were a little more challenging when the staff were not over impressed with our school girl French when they chose not to understand us! Nevertheless we did gain full marks and everyone was full of admiration for our English coach driver who was a very well-built young woman who handled the coach with great skill and confidence. Nobody argued with her! She had a hefty tip and rousing round of applause at the end of our holiday.
Now again for something completely new. Weekly Online Art History Talks on Monday 7 February until Monday 25 April on Facebook and Zoom. This is a programme of 12 weekly sessions postponed from earlier in the year, which will cover 12 western art paintings from 15th-18th centuries. Each Monday a brief video presentation about the painting will be posted in our own closed private Facebook group, which will last about 15 minutes.There is a great deal of information in the November issue of County News and you can contact Helen Kestle for more information. This sounds just the right hobby to try, both educational and divergent, plus the chance to voice an opinion.
The CFWI are very keen to recruit new members for their sub-committees, so they have arranged a “Drop-in” morning at Chy Noweth an Conteth on Friday 4 February from 10am-1pm, where members can glean further information on what it actually means to serve on a sub-committee. Most find that the friendship and knowledge gained by meeting other members and pursuing a new subject is very rewarding and enjoyable. Besides, relishing a piece of cake and having a cup of coffee has often been the start of a great partnership. Surely there is one sub-committee that covers your pastime, and that appeals to you! There is a very descriptive article in the current newsletter, underlining the importance of acquiring more sub-committee members so it is hoped that members will digest this information and use it as a conduit to contact one of the new Trustees or the CFWI Office. Most previous sub-committee members have expressed their time as part of their particular committee as very rewarding and great fun.