WI News February 2014

KINGTON

Our January meeting was held at the Burton Hotel to celebrate our 79th birthday.  Present, new members and visitors enjoyed a tasty lunch, followed by a short business meeting.

A gift was presented to our retiring treasurer Gwen Sampson for her many years of service.Our speaker on February 12th will be Karen van Hoff talking about jewellery making - visitors welcome.

WYE WOMEN catered their 2nd event @ Wye Valley Reclamation's Warehouse 701 Christmas Fair, providing another table of delicious cakes and sweet goodies.  It was another enjoyable and successful day.

WYE WOMEN held a "Magic of Soul" evening on 14th January in the Town Hall, where they and other local WIs enjoyed a magical evening of entertainment, by The Rev. Mark Townsend, followed by tea and a lovely selection of cakes.

MUCH BIRCH had an excellent speaker from St. Michaels Hospice in January giving an insight into what it achieves now and what it hopes to achieve in the future, giving us full details of the extra building that is currently under way. One of our members, Margaret, was so proud that her son is the Architect of the whole wonderful plan. It is amazing that this is all funded by the citizens of Hereford with help from various charities etc.

SPARKLING WYE'S January speaker was Bromyard butcher, Christopher Graham, who has been in the business for over 50 years. Using diagrams of a cow, a lamb and a pig, he pointed out where each cut of meat came from on each animal, which were the more expensive cuts, the cheaper and the tastier ones plus the best ways to cook each one.
 
UPTON BISHOP were entertained by Jeremy Picton-Turbervill in January, talking about "The Wye Trow" which took part in the Queen's Diamond Jubilee River Pageant in 2012.  It was specially built for the occasion in Gloucester. The Lord Lieutenant of Hereford, Countess of Darnley, wanted Herefordshire to do something different for the Pageant. A Trow is a traditional Hereford boat, shallow, flat bottomed and ideal for the river Wye, so it was appropriate that one should be specially built for the occasion.  He explained how the local crew was recruited and trained and showed a video of the Pageant recorded from the Hereford Trow which captured wonderfully the excitement and atmosphere of the day, despite the ghastly weather.

BOSBURY'S January speaker was Eileen Dilley giving a fascinating insight on the art of taking afternoon tea and its history.  Tea was first introduced into Europe by Dutch and Portuguese traders and the first advert for tea in the UK was about 1657.  It was very expensive and this lead to smuggling to avoid taxes.  Eileen Dilley ran an Edwardian guest house and tea room in Lyonshall serving ten different teas, cakes and sandwiches.  She won a tea place of the year award and was in the Egon Ronay Guide.  When Eileen sold the business she then went to train as a Tea Council Inspector visiting tea rooms around the country.