Here is a link to our partenrs, Cafe Direct's blog post about our most recent evening

http://brewing.cafedirect.co.uk/2009/08/19/an-evening-with-the-east-end-wi-in-good-taste/

Howlovely that even though it was traditionally the holiday season we still had a great turn out and a fab evening - I may have drunk a little too much wine....

Niki

morsbag making

For some reason, we thought that our Morsbag Making August meeting would be fairly quiet. But take 20 women, coffee tasting, cake and cookie testing and wine drinking and it turned out to be rather busier than we expected.

We started off with a talk from Rachael from City and Hackney Mind. She reminded us that one in four people is likely to suffer from a mental health problem at some point and welcomed our support for their work. Look out from more info here on their October Awareness day.

Alex and Yasmin from Cafe Direct, who generously sponsor us with the provision of coffee and tea for our EEWI stalls throughout the year, showed a film describing the way they work with growers yes, it did make me a bit teary) before we moved on to a coffee tasting session. Who would have guessed at the power of the collective EEWI palate? Read more about it on the Cafe Direct blog, with thanks to Alex for his kind words.

The more prudent among us saved the goodies to have with coffee- Coffee Crunch Bars, Coffee Victoria Sponge and Blueberry Muffins. Thanks to Veronica, Elizabeth and the maker of the muffins ( sorry - did not catch your name!


So... 20 women, two sewing machines, an ironing board, lots of snipping and sipping (OK, yes, there was some wine) ...result ONE MORSBAG!

Well, it was a busy evening and for some of us this was a new experience. Happily, lots of you took home some cut fabric to finish off and make up. Looking forward to seeing them in September.

happy endings

We had a bit of a girls together outrage at the Essex WI Federation Show this weekend. Most of the outrage was that I was driving and didn't know where I was going. Niki came to the rescue with some modern technology otherwise we would still be wondering round Hatfield Peverell.

The show was a revelation. Traditional crafts were on display - baking, flower arranging, embroidery with a smattering of stalls, cakes and jams for sale. The cross stitch work from WIs across the counties was especially charming, I thought - selection pictured here. The Federation had also asked all of the WIs to send in unfinished craft projects and there was a selection of nearly finished embroidery and tapestry for sale with a view to giving them a "happy ending".

We had our own happy ending too. Cakes and jams in our EEWI bags, we headed off to the seaside, my hopeless planning redeemed by my knowledge of where to buy a decent cup of tea and seaside ice cream.

More happy outings this weekend at our Annual Picnic. Sunday 16th, 3pm, Victoria Park on the green by the Pavilion Cafe. See you there.

august meetings

Our next meeting will be on Tuesday18th August (7.30 for 8) at Chisenhale Gallery (follow link for details of how to find us).

We'll be making Morsbags at this meeting, so please bring along unwanted fabric/ pillow cases/ duvet covers that we can recycle. We are building up our stock of give-away Morsbags to distribute in the future at a local supermarket to encourage people to abandon plastic bags and replace them with more sustainable bags which don't degrade the environment.

Evening meetings are free for members and cost only £3 for guests and Chisenhale is an accessible venue with easy access for everyone.

Our next coffee morning will be on Friday 21st August at 10.30am. We will be meeting at the Pavilion Cafe in Victoria Park , corner of Old Ford Road and Grove Road, just inside the park. Please join us.

Stop Press! Forgot to mention our Summer Picnic at 3pm on 16th August in Victoria Park. Meet at the open space near the Pavilion Cafe. Fingers crossed for some sunshine.