Our Charity of the Year

99 members and 3 guests were present to hear and participate in a highly entertaining and interesting presentation by Anne Donaghy and Hamish Duncan from our Charity of the Year – Merton & Morden Guild http://www.mandmguild.org/(based in Morden).

Hamish explained the background to the setting up of the Charity for older people well over 50 years ago when the key concerns had been transport and heating.  Nothing much changes does it?  The Guild’s work includes lunches, shopping trips, bingo, dancing, exercises classes, as well as friendly get together e.g. over coffee.  Because of funding cuts, the Guild very much welcomes being our chosen Charity of the Year – whatever we could do to raise money would help them continue with their work.  Anne talked about the fitness classes started 15 years ago when there was increased evidence of older people not going out because they were afraid of falling.  The first session had 1 customer but this had increased by the last financial year to some 16,000 attendances at classes aimed at keeping older people fit and mobile.  Some now had sufficient mobility to brush their hair, do up buttons/zips, make cups of tea and put on socks/tights.  We joined her in a “gentle” seated group exercise session as an example of the sort of work done with frail people.  Even those who exercised regularly felt that we’d had a work out!  They left leaflets for us about the Guild (reference copies on the Notice Board during 2014).

Bring & Buy Sale

Clearly much inspired by what we’d heard, we’ve raised so far the massive total of £210.20p (including the monies from the chosen Charity voting in October) for the Merton & Morden Guild.  A big thank you all for your wonderful generosity with goods for the sale and for digging so deep into your pockets.  Thank you too to Jennifer and Fiona for coping with the stall and the rush of eager buyers!  Well done everyone – let’s keep at it for the rest of the year. Any items left over went with Hamish and Anne to use for their own charity raising events.

There were 85 members, 2 new members, and 2 visitors present for our Annual Meeting and 5th Birthday celebrations. We also welcomed Sally Dampney, Jill Elliot, members from Fulham and SW19 and Bea Oliver of Morden.

The draw for our Denman College Bursary for 2013/14 was held and Alison Frow and Katie Worsley were successful. We hope they enjoy their time at Denman.

Members were once again generous with their donations to both the Food Bank and with Christmas gifts to our Charity of the Year 2013 – Carers Support Merton.

Annual Meeting

The Annual Meeting began with the presentation of the Financial Statement for the year, by the Treasurer (Janice Beale). This was adopted by members. Ann Dolphin (Secretary) read out the Committee’s Report for 2012/13 covering some highlights of our programme and activities. Agnes Fox as President addressed the meeting, thanking both the members for their support throughout the year, and the Committee for all the work and planning that goes into providing such a varied programme of events. She thanked Janice and Eileen Smith who were both standing down this year from the Committee. She also thanked Veronica Smith (for her organising of our Wimbledon Village Fair) and Angela Maher (for allowing us to use her premises for the preparations, and other activities).The Committee’s Annual Report was adopted.

Our new Committee members for 2013/14 were announced as follows:-

Margaret Brotherton (new),
Joanna Cardwell (new) responsible for our Website and Vice President,
Ann Dolphin – Secretary
Dulcie Edwards – MCS Representative,
Agnes Fox,
Fiona Gerdes-Hansen – Vice President,
Gillian Kitcherside – Social,
Christine Mayne (new) – Treasurer,
Daphne Monk – Catering & Theatre,
Jennifer Wright – Minutes/Agenda.
Agnes will serve as President for another year.

Tess Corrigan gave thanks on behalf of the members to the President and Committee for their work in the preceding year.

5th Birthday Celebrations

Once business was out of the way, we moved onto our 5th Birthday celebrations.  These included light refreshments and drinks (our thanks to Gillian and Julia Whiting and others who helped organise these).

Members had the opportunity to talk to each other and see/hear about some of the activities of our WI over the last 5 years.  Dulcie and Eileen had prepared a slide show with highlights of our activities since our inception.

We were pleased to welcome guests from the Federation (Sally Dampney and Jill Elliott) and representatives from some of our neighbouring WIs, Carers Support Merton (our Charity of the Year 2013) and Merton & Morden Guild (our Charity of the Year 2014). The celebrations culminated with the cutting of a Birthday cake jointly by Sheila May and Lesley Challacombe (our 2 previous Presidents) together with Agnes. The cake made by Dulcie and decorated by Jennifer gained many plaudits – our thanks to them both. Sally, Sheila, Lesley and Agnes all said a few words. Sheila in particular gave a brief description of setting up our WI with the help from Sally, and encouraging us in future to become more involved with the local community.