...and a hello

Hello there. I just wanted to say how excited I am to be taking over the presidency from Colleen Bowen who has stepped down after an amazing few years. As some of you know I have been involved with EEWI since our beginnings although in recent years have been focussing on other projects, personal and community focussed. Now, however, I'm really looking forward to taking the EEWI reins although I have pretty big shoes to fill!

For those of you who don't already know me I live in Stepney with my grown up son, Jake, and my even more grown up cat, Chewy, and spend my free time cycling, keeping fit (or trying to), working at festivals, playing music and, let's not shy away from it, drinking scrumpy. I'm passionate about EEWI which has in the past been a massive part of my life and I hope it will be for the next year and beyond.

What we need to do is continue to find fun, thought-provoking and unusual people and activities for our monthly meetings as well as spreading the EEWI word to ensure we keep our membership strong. Any thoughts or ideas you might have about how we can do this are greatly appreciated  and don't forget there is always room on the committee for you!

Anyway if you want to contact me about the above or in fact anything EEWI related please do email me on niki.stevens@btinternet.com and I look forward to seeing you at one of our meetings or events over the next few months.

Niki Stevens

President EEWI

parting words

A few quick words to say what an interesting AGM it was!  A goodbye from me as President and Elizabeth as Secretary, and a welcome back to Niki who takes over the hot seat. And what a lovely time we had sharing our advice to a future generation with Emily and Alicia from The What I See Project. Here's mine. And there's lots more words of wisdom from our lovely EEWI ladies on The What I See WI Campaign site. Do pay it a visit and be surprised.

We're truly delighted that we were invited to participate in such a fabulous project giving a voice to women from all walks of life. The project would love to hear from other WIs who might be interested in joining in. We'd be happy to pass on their contact details.

Knit & Natter 29 May

It's Knit & Natter time! Bring along your unfinished knitting projects, your tapestries and your paper-craft - or anything else you have on the go. It's March ... a great time for spring cleaning of old projects, finishing up WIPs (or PHDs as Janet calls them!) so pop along for a chat and bring a project. 

We'll be meeting this Thursday 29th of May from 6.30 – 8.30pm. 

We're meeting at The Coborn Arms, 8 Coborn Road, Mile End, London E3 2DA. Click here for a map.

This EEWI-inspired group is open to anyone who feels like popping in with a project - knitting or otherwise. It will be a casual meeting, and everyone is invited – not only knitters. Bring along your stitching or paper crafts, or simply join us for a few drinks and a good catch-up. New knitters are welcome too.

Happy stitching!

may meetings - yes, it's the AGM

It's raining outside as I write this. Again. But it's going to get warmer by the end of the week and, if we're lucky, it may actually be fine for our next evening meeting on 20th May, 7 for 7.30, St Margaret's House. Yes, it's our AGM this time round, so there's some serious business to get on with - elections and a brief look back at 2013/ 14, and an opportunity for mandating our link delegate to the NFWI AGM in June on this year's resolution on organ donation. Detailed notes on the resolution are available here.

Following the talk from Hestia in March, we'll also be collecting small new/nearly new toys for children (0-14) which may be suitable for the Tower Hamlets Hestia refuge.

Plenty of time too for socialising - a bit of natter, a drink, a snack or two, and sharing some wisdom. Our guest speaker comes from the What I See Project who will be collecting your advice and words of wisdom for future generations of women. What would you like to whisper in the ear of your sixteen year old self? What have you learnt that you want to share with the next generation of women? Why not think about it now? All women welcome (though non-members will not be able to vote). We just ask visitors for a donation of £4 towards costs.

Also on the schedule this month - coffee morning on 23rd May, Knit and Natter 29th May. Then in early June we'll have afternoon tea 2nd June; Book Club 5th June. You'll find details of times and locations in the sidebar on the blog.

And here are some virtual bouquets of gratitude to Joy for hosting a great discussion of Anne Bronte's Tenant of Wildfell Hall at our EEWI bookclub discussion; to our modest troupe of helpers and bakers who cooked up a sweet cake stall at the Museum of Childhood on St George's Day; to Elizabeth and Natasha who helped the LBTH over 50's tea dance go with a swing with a decent cup of tea. And, of course, to everyone who gives their time to EEWI so generously and graciously to keep the whole show on the road behind the scenes.

Mwah.


 Picture above from a free exhibition of Quentin Blake's paintings at Hall Place in Bexley, open until 29th Aug. 2014

what's on in april

Spring has definitely arrived. The clocks have gone forwards, swans are nesting on the canal and we're getting ready for sunny days to come. This month we meet on April 15th and we're thinking about women, wisdom and water in a couple of separate activities that you can join in. We'll also have a mini spring share-and-swap session of seeds, plants or produce you've grown or made (this includes cakes!!!).

Our lovely Sarah Butler will be leading a session on women and wisdom. This offers a few moments where women connect in a supportive circle and claim some space to explore their thoughtm feeling and to find a few moments of peace. Sounds perfect.

Separately, artist Amy Sharrocks will be collecting water and stories for the Museum of Water, an invitation to ponder our precious liquid and the different ways we access and enjoy it. To participate, just bring along the water you have collected and be ready to share your story - but please use a bottle you are prepared to hand over. The water and stories that Amy collects will find its way into her forthcoming installation at Somerset House later this year, so its an opportunity to share your water story more widely.

For our spring share-and-swap all you need to do is bring in any excess plants/ seeds or produce you're prepared to share or swap and get bartering.

As usual we'll be at St Margaret's House, 21 Old Ford Road, E2  9PL, 15th April, 7 for 7.30pm start, refreshments available, guests welcome (£4 donation requested for non-members). There will be plenty of time to have a drink, a chat and if we're lucky and somebody does a bit of baking, nibble at something sweet.

Our April tea is from 3.30pm this afternoon at Foxcroft and Ginger 68 Mile End Road - all welcome, just buy your own drink. To avoid the Good Friday holiday, we have moved our coffee morning to Friday 25th April. Gather at 10.30am in the cafe of Museum of Childhood, Cambridge Heath Road where there's also an opportunity to find out more about writer Jacqueline Wilson's and visit her teenage bedroom.

So a lot to choose from there, ladies - plus more in the diary dates. Hope to see you next week or at another event. And bring a friend too - we'd love to meet them.

Knit & Natter 27 March

It's Knit & Natter time! Bring along your unfinished knitting projects, your tapestries and your paper-craft - or anything else you have on the go. It's March ... a great time for spring cleaning of old projects, finishing up WIPs (or PHDs as Janet calls them!) so pop along for a chat and bring a project. 

We'll be meeting this Thursday 27th of March from 6.30 – 8.30pm. 

We're meeting at The Coborn Arms, 8 Coborn Road, Mile End, London E3 2DA. Click here for a map.

This EEWI-inspired group is open to anyone who feels like popping in with a project - knitting or otherwise. It will be a casual meeting, and everyone is invited – not only knitters. Bring along your stitching or paper crafts, or simply join us for a few drinks and a good catch-up. New knitters are welcome too.

Looking forward to seeing you all there!

what's on in march

Did you have time to sew up your happiness heart or was there too much going on with a fab outing to new coffee shop Muxima, the Genesis Cinema for tea, a lively book club meeting and a quiet knit and natter. Now here we are already preparing for an EEWI meeting tomorrow - yes, tomorrow 18th March (eek!). We're focusing this month on women, and our main speaker photographer Trupti Patel who will tell us about her passion for Giving Women a Voice. We also have a speaker from charity Hestia which helps women who have been victims of domestic violence. As usual there will be time to have a drink, a chat and if we're lucky and somebody does a bit of baking, something sweet  - I'm still thinking of Emily's fabulous cake last month. As usual we're at St Margaret's House, 7 for 7.30pm start, refreshments available, guests welcome - £4 donation requested.

Our coffee morning is from 10.30pm Friday 21st March when we'll meet at new cafe "The Coffee Room" at 6 a Grove Road E3 (there's no sign yet, but it's painted grey and is opposite the bus terminus, so easy to get to)  All women welcome, all you have to do is buy your own coffee and join in the banter. 

Some more dates for your diary: 

Knit and Natter - Coborn Arms, Coborn Road E3, 6.30 - 8pm, Thurs 27th March.

Afternoon Tea - 3.30pm, Monday 7th April, venue to be confirmed. Let us know if there is somewhere you would like to go in particular.

Book Club -  7pm Wednesday 30th April, Anne Bronte's "Tenant of Wildfell Hall, contact us for venue if you want to join us.

Hope to see you tomorrow thoug if you are on honeymoon we'll let you off.