On 21st March the 74th anniversary of the WI in East Markham was celebrated with a Birthday Dinner in the Village Hall. Fifty-four members and guests were served a welcome drink and enjoyed a two-course carvery meal, followed by chocolates.
Entertainment was provided by vocalist James Fitzsimons, who had a wide range of old and new songs and a finale of operatic arias. The second half of his programme was more upbeat with many taking to the dance floor and at one point a conga line wound its way around the hall.
It was a most enjoyable way for the WI to celebrate its birthday and many compliments were received from members and guests for both food and entertainment and a successful evening.
April saw the start of the new WI year, when memberships were renewed. The speaker at the April meeting was Sue Smith, who told of her work at the 7th Heaven Hedgehog Rescue – a local charity which rescues and cares for these small creatures, hopefully returning them to the wild.
On Friday 5th May a Coronation Tea Street Party will be held in the Village Hall for members to celebrate the Coronation of King Charles III.
A coach outing to the Piece Hall in Halifax has been organised for 10th May; places are still available at the time of writing and partners and non-members are welcome to join at a cost of £24.00.
In May the Annual Meeting takes place, where reports and accounts are presented for approval and Committee members and the President for the new year are elected. At this meeting on 16th May former Beefeater Keith Hanson is welcomed back to tell more royal tales.
On 20th June Dawn Cragg MBE, a local medical beautician, will talk about her life and the fascinating world of medical tattooing. This meeting is open to anyone interested in Dawn’s work, as well as those interested in joining the WI; the visitor fee is £5.00.
Visitors to this meeting can also find out what the group has to offer with its programme of speakers, events and outings. Annual membership fee is £46.00 for 11 monthly meetings including refreshments. For more information contact either 01777 871567 or 07971 291883.