This month’s special guest is… er… me!

I’m Rosa (if you didn’t know already), and in 2016 I was diagnosed with autism and ADHD.

These two diagnoses were a pivotal moment of self-discovery, but I soon realised that telling other people wasn’t going to be so easy.

Because of the many myths and stereotypes there are about autism and ADHD I kept this part of my identity a secret from most people until about a year ago when I recorded a podcast about it during lockdown.

This year, 22,683 WI members voted in favour of a resolution about women and autism and ADHD.

The wording of that resolution is as follows:

Women and Girls with ASD & ADHD – under-identified, under-diagnosed, misdiagnosed, under-supported

Women and girls presenting with autistic spectrum disorder (ASD) and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) are going undiagnosed. The NFWI calls on the government and funding bodies to fund research into the female presentation of ASD and ADHD, and for action to be taken to improve the diagnosis process for women and girls, to ensure that they are equipped to better manage these conditions and do not suffer in silence.  The NFWI further calls on WI members to raise awareness within their WIs of the issues facing women and girls with ASD and ADHD.

Every WI is encouraged to meet about the resolution and decide if we want our delegate to vote in favour of it at the NFWI Annual Meeting.

On Wednesday, I will tell you about how all this played out in my life. I will also tell you about what the autistic and ADHD communities have taught me about diversity, society, and acceptance.

Questions are encouraged, and if you would like to share your own experiences you’ll be more than welcome to.

This is my first time speaking in front of an audience. You aut to come 😳

→ What To Bring 

• Items for the food bank;
• Plants for the plant swap;
• A mug for tea or coffee;
• Correct cash for refreshments (50p each);
• Name badge.

→ Next Three Meetings 

• June: Morris Dancing with The Lady Bay Revellers
• July: Tea-tasting with cream tea
• August: Treasure hunt (note: this meeting has been changed from a picnic to a treasure hunt)

Click here for our 2022 Calendar.

→ Subgroup Calendar 

• Saturday 14, 14:00: Crafternoon
• Wednesday 18, 19:00: Supper Club at Nosh
• Wednesday 25, 14:00: Cafe Society at Christine’s Delights
• Thursday 26, 19:00: Book Club (Zoom): The Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern
• Saturday 28, 10:00: Walk ‘n’ Talk

→ Email Roundup 

• April to May (just two emails this month)

→ Crown Prize Categories  👑🏆

• Most Regal
• Best using recycled materials
• Most original

Bring them in in June!

May Food Bank Donations

Responding to an emergency appeal

Hope Food Bank posted this emergency appeal (along with some photos of their empty shelves) on Facebook in April:

This is an emergency appeal our food shelves are really empty and we are in desperate need of the following items if anyone can kindly donate. We have given out a lot of food parcels this week.

1. Toiletries
2. Tinned potatoes/instant mash
3. Jam
4. Tinned Meat
5. Soup
6. Tinned Fruit
7. Tinned Veg
8. Tinned Fish
9. Cereal
10. Fruit Juice/Squash
11. UHT Milk
12. Biscuits

Thank you for your support as ever! 💜🙏🏽

Our main hub is open Monday to Thursdays 9:30am to 5pm, Fridays 9am to midday and Saturdays 9:30 to 10:30am

You can also donate money via our website https://hope-nottingham.org.uk/

The Hive WI has often supported Hope, and we are keen to do so again in their time of need.

In addition to donating food and toiletries, we will be donating to them all of the money raised at our plant swap this month. You are welcome to donate at the plant swap even if you do not plan to take a plant.

The food bank usually advises us that they never need pasta or baked beans.

Thank you!

May Plant Swap

Hive WI members dig in

These photos are from our members-only messenger group (get in touch if you would like to be added!).

We will be swapping plants at Wednesday’s meeting. If you bring a plant you can take another home for free, or you can pop some change in the jar. All of the proceeds will be given to Hope Food Bank.

These first photos are from Cheryl. The tulips (#NeverTrustATulip) were ordered from the WI catalog, and the seeds were recently scattered in her front garden to grow pollinator-friendly flowers.

Check out the ma-hoosive cauliflower!:

Yum! Morag’s rhubarb fresh from the garden before being baked into a crumble:

Michelle’s amazing nursery for plant babies:

Rosie’s greenhouse fills me with joy:

Amanda has her own ”Nigel” to help out around the garden:

The Hive WI Crafters

What you’ve made this month 😍🤩

The craft group meets on the third Saturday of the month at 14:00.

Book of the Month

The Night Circus by Erin Morganstern

Synopsis:

The circus arrives without warning. It is simply there, when yesterday it was not. Against the grey sky the towering tents are striped black and white. A sign hanging upon iron gates reads:

Opens at Nightfall
Closes at Dawn

As dusk shifts to twilight, tiny lights begin to flicker all over the tents, as though the whole circus is covered in fireflies. When the tents are aglow, sparkling against the night sky, the sign lights up:

Le Cirque des Rêves
The Circus of Dreams

The gates shudder and unlock, seemingly by their own volition.
They swing outward, inviting the crowd inside.

Now the circus is open.
Now you may enter.

‘The only response to this novel is simply: wow. It is a breathtaking feat of imagination, a flight of fancy that pulls you in and wraps you up in its spell’ The Times

The Cafe Society

May: Christine’s Delights

Christine’s Delights is an award-winning Greek patisserie; it serves “freshly made pastries to traditional sweets and specialty coffee”.

They won an award by GURU in February as “the best desserts” in Beeston. I have to say, I think it is my favourite place for desserts as well! 

Well done to them!

Supper Club

May: Nosh

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Olga (@poisongirl.os)

Nosh is hidden away on the Beeston high street and so, I suppose, it is rather fitting that they’re hidden away online as well. I couldn’t find a Facebook page or Instagram account for you, but I did find the above photo from a satisfied customer and this glowing review from The Nottingham Food Blog:

NOSH in Beeston really is one of those hidden places that you need to track down, the word gem is overused so I will not but I will say that if you like authentic Chinese food and you want to eat some good stuff off the beaten track then head over to Beeston and try this place out.

Click on the link above for the full review and menu.

Photos From The Last Meeting

April 2022

Originally we were going to have a talk about the history of knickers (!) but unfortunately she had to cancel the week before. instead, we played games and decorated tote bags:

As I was taking photos someone said to me, ”you’ve got to take one of Sarah’s name badge!”

She was not wrong:

You could also bring your own crafts:

And have some homemade cake:

And collect your crown for the jubilee while looking at our freshly-printed programme:

Find Us Online

• Email: thehivewi@gmail.com
• Facebook: facebook.com/thehivewi
• Facebook group (members only): facebook.com/groups/thehivewi
• Twitter: twitter.com/thehivewi
• Website: thehivewi.com
• You can also search for us on Google Calendar using our email address.

New to The Hive WI? Click here!

26th of April: (no subject)

Nottinghamshire Federation of theWI (NFWI) upcoming events and opportunities

We regularly receive ‘happy post’ from NFWI with information and fliers to share with you all. We highlight some of these at our meetings and have some on display e.g., the Hornblower newsletter. However, we may not always have the opportunity to attend the meeting or may be too busy enjoying the cakes and conversation to look at the notice board 

So, when we receive information that may be of interest, we are going to send out an email and Facebook post, so no one misses out. These will be brief and only every couple of months so do not fear, we will not be filling your inbox. 

You can also access Nottinghamshire WI via Twitter, Facebook, Instagram and on their website. And remember, the MyWi website is also a wonderful resource!

Upcoming events:

Sunday May 29^th, 2022, T20 Cricket at Trent bridge Notts Lighting v Southern Vipers Tickets £25 adults £14 children. Closing date May 3rd

Monday June 20^th Croquet at Southwell Croquet club Tickets £10 Closing date May 29^th

Monday July 4^th Croquet at Southwell Croquet club Tickets £10 Closing date May 29^th

Thursday July 7^th Clay Pidgeon Shooting at Orston Shooting ground Tickets £32 Closing date May 23rd

Monday July 11^th Seasonal Summer Fayre at the School of Artisan Food, Welbeck Tickets £15 Closing date June 13^th

Friday October 21^st to Sunday October 23^rd Federation Weekend in York (coach trip, including visits to Yorkshire sculpture park, York city centre and outlet retail park) cost £220 per person based on two people sharing (single supplement £25) Deposit of £50 required by Wednesday June 1^st, balance by August 31^st.

Need a 2023 diary?

You can order a WI diary for 2023 at £7 each – closing date July 22^nd, 2022

Please get in touch if you would like more details thehivewi@gmail.com

Michelle Whitehouse

Secretary

On behalf of the Hive WI Committee

27th of May: Members’ Meeting this coming Wednesday

We know in the past The Hive members have been very generous in supporting the local Hope charity and given that the charity is struggling to meet the current demand for groceries, we have decided to collect items at the meeting on Wednesday,  The items they have requested are:

• Toiletries (including sanitary items)
• Tinned potatoes/instant mash
• Jam
• Tinned Meat
• Soup
• Tinned Fruit
• Tinned Vegetables
• Tinned Fish
• Cereal
• Fruit Juice/Squash
• UHT Milk
• Biscuits

We will also be having a plant and book swap so please bring surplus and unwanted items.  We have decided that all monies for these items will be donated to Hope – so please be generous!!

We will be learning about the issue of ASD and ADHD on women and girls, before voting on this year’s WI Resolution.  And if there is time we might have a quiz.

Looking forward to seeing you at the meeting,  The Hive WI Committee

Oh, pants! The speaker we had booked for April had to cancel, so we have a change of plans. You might say that she gave us the slip.

“The Knickers Lady” (as the committee has been calling her) was going to join us on Zoom to talk about the history of underwear.

No worries, though. We won’t be getting in a twist!

We are now meeting in person at the Church Hall for a laid-back social evening. We will have tea and cake, the tote bags and decorations from the March meeting, and each other.

After all, a good WI is like a great bra: close to your heart, gives you a lift, and has your back covered too!

See you soon!

PS: Shout out to these cakes from last month 🤤

  → What To Bring To The Meeting

• Please bring your tote bag back if you want to continue decorating it (if you didn’t get a bag last month, we have more!);
• A mug;
• Membership fees (if you haven’t paid yet);
• A pen or pencil;
• Correct cash for refreshments (50p for drinks, £1 for cake);
• Name badge.

For those who want to go to the Supper Club this month, the restaurant has requested a £5 deposit. You can bring this to pay at the meeting on Wednesday.

→ Volunteers Needed

• Three members to help set up the meeting at 19:00;
• Two members to volunteer in the kitchen from 19:10 to make the tea.

Please email if you can help 🙂

→ Next Three Meetings

• May: Resolutions and activities
• June: Morris Dancing with The Lady Bay Revellers
• July: Tea-tasting with cream tea

Click here for our 2022 Calendar.

→ Subgroup Calendar

• Saturday 16, 14:00: Crafternoon
• Wednesday 20, 19:00: Supper Club at The Circle Eatery
• Wednesday 27, 14:00: Cafe Society at The Circle Eatery
• Thursday 28, 19:00: Book Club (Zoom): Before and After by Alison Wilson
• Sunday 30, 10:00: Walk ‘n’ Talk

→ Email Roundup

• March-early April emails

The Hive WI Crafters

What you’ve made this month

Talk about talent! 😮

I’d love to have a go at the mug painting. Joanne did a seriously good job with her simple and colourful design.

Check out this bit of pottery from Sarah (before and after firing):

It was fired in a process known as Raku. fans of The Great Pottery Showdown might recogise the style.

These embroidery pieces from Louise (who says she is ”new” to the craft) are definitely worth a closer look:

The craft group meets on the third Saturday of the month at 14:00.

I will be asking them again next month for their pictures. I am just 😮 Teach me know to knit jumpers and hats, please!

Book of the Month

Before and After by Alison Wilson

Synopsis:

Aged nineteen, Alison McKelvie was a self-confessed romantic, immersed in books and poetry, and dreaming of beauty, truth, and love. In 1940, whilst working as a secretary at MI6, Alison met Alexander Wilson. Thirty years her senior, Alexander was worldly and charismatic. An intense affair quickly led to marriage and two children. But the Wilsons’ lives then spiraled into the depths of poverty. Alexander was sacked, imprisoned twice, and then declared bankrupt. His lack of reliability was a hefty emotional burden for Alison to bear. Nevertheless, she loved her husband unreservedly and stuck by him through thick and thin. In 1963, Alexander died suddenly of a heart attack. Alison’s world imploded when she discovered that their life together had been built upon layer after layer of deception. Who was Alexander Wilson? How well had Alison really known him? Slowly the lies were unraveled: Alexander had been a novelist, spy, and, devastatingly, a bigamist. Alison was the third of four wives, her children two of seven. The inspiration for the critically-acclaimed drama Mrs. Wilson, Before & After is the powerful and poignant memoir of Alison Wilson. ‘Before’ peels back the complex layers of a marriage steeped in lies, and the shattering heartbreak which followed. ‘After’ tells of an intensely-felt redemption through religion. Before & After is, first and foremost, a love story, but it is also an account of one extraordinarily strong woman’s deep, unwavering faith.

The book was turned into a BBC drama, with the role of Alison Wilson being played by her granddaughter Ruth Wilson:

What the book club is saying so far:

Sarah: “I’m looking forward to reading the book as I found the TV adaptation fascinating, and am intrigued by the level of lies and effort it takes for a man to have multiple simultaneous wives and families.”

Rosa: “I haven’t seen the TV series, so I am going to watch it before the book club meets to compare. The book is much more about her Catholic faith than the synopsis suggests. It is primarily about Wilson’s religious experiences than about her husband’s secret life.”

Wendy: “I enjoyed the TV series. I only read the book introduction and two pages this morning. It seems fairly good language reading. I agree with Sarah. Follow the intrigue!”

Last month the group read Neverwhere by Neil Gaiman.

Morag: “Most of us enjoyed the book and were interested to find that it was intended as an allegory for homelessness. We thought that the plot had plenty of action and was rather like a steampunk Alice in Wonderland. We were all inspired by it to read more Neil Gaiman books.”

The series Mrs. Wilson is still on iPlayer. You can watch or read the story – whichever you prefer – and join the book club to talk about it on Zoom on Thursday the 28th of April, at 19:00.

The Cafe Society and Supper Club

The Circle Eatery

The Cafe Society and The Supper Club are meeting at The Circle Eatery in Beeston this month.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by The Circle Eatery (@thecircleeatery)

You can check out their website and menu here or check out their Instagram to tempt your appetite before you, ahem, go round.

Sally’s “Annual Report Poem”

The Hive WI 2021

Our Annual Meeting last year was sadly On Zoom
As once again we couldn’t be in the same room.
This was to continue for a long five months more,
With a regular attendance of about twenty-four.

We considered the signs of modern-day slavery
And those who need resilience and bravery.
Can we raise awareness of ovarian cancer,
Hoping one day scientists will find a new answer?

Quietly we learnt of the work of Forever Stars
Who supports those coping with infant-loss scars.
There are now rooms where families have peace
And a garden to walk in to help the pain ease.

This charity was chosen by those who love walking,
A virtual length of the country, filled with talking.
In twelve months they finished their target of miles
Raising double the cash with very huge smiles.

Our Michelle showed us how to keep our plants green
With loving care so they don’t become a has-been!
Good compost, misting and not too much water
Straight from the tap is something we shouldn’t ought-ta!

As the vaccine rollout proceeded at pace
Cafe, Supper and Craft met face to face.
A warm July evening was enjoyed on the grass
Smiling faces with blanket, picnic, and a wine glass.

The making of jam means no fruit goes to waste
But listening on Zoom there was no chance to taste.
But at last the time came to be back in our Hall
As the days got shorter at the start of the Fall.

Lucy showed us where free plants could be found
In bushes high up and down on the ground.
But be careful when foraging beneath a tree
As it’s just the place where my dog stops to pee!

Secrets of Belton House, behind such big gates.
How can Colin remember so many past dates?
The Alexander Technique tested our strength
While learning to breathe and stay at arms-length.

WI members read, throughout the nation,
Of how our Rosa changed her life from hibernation.
Social media was the key to outside contact,
Making new friends through her podcast The Jam Pact.

Our amazing members brought in gifts galore
For the women of Broxtowe who we helped before;
And also mental health patients at Highbury
Sending clothes, books and games for their library.

In December a quiz with songs and chip supper
But this time without the famous loud buzzer.
Sadly in January Covid was on the rise
So our plans to make sugar roses we had to revise.

But we sat in the Hall with pencils at the ready
And surprised ourselves with our drawings in February.
Now as we start a new year it’s time to pay fees
Then work together in this Hive of busy bees

 💖

Find Us Online

• Email: thehivewi@gmail.com
• Facebook: facebook.com/thehivewi
• Facebook group (members only): facebook.com/groups/thehivewi
• Twitter: twitter.com/thehivewi
• Website: thehivewi.com
• You can also search for us on Google Calendar using our email address.

New to The Hive WI? Click here!

7th of March: Membership

The new year for WI membership commences on 1st April and this year the fee will be £44.  (For anyone a member of another WI the fee is £21.60.)

We hope that you will be renewing your membership as we have another full and varied programme of speakers and activities planned which you can enjoy with other Hive WI members.

You can make payment via BACs to The Hive WI Barclay’s account (Ed: please see the email in your inbox for our bank details). PLEASE USE YOUR INITIAL & SURNAME AS REFERENCE

Alternatively you can pay at the meeting by cheque (made out to The Hive WI) or in cash (exact amount please) directly to Rosanna at the meeting.  (We can provide an address if you wish to post a cheque.)

It is also important that we have your correct name, address, phone number and email address so please send us an email or complete a form at the meeting.  (If you are not receiving your copy of WI Life then your recorded address may be incorrect.)

Are you a tax payer?  If YES then by completing a Gift Aid form we can reclaim 25p in each £1 of your membership fee this year and the previous 3 years!  Please see Rosanna at the meeting for a form if you have not already completed a form or we can email one to you.  Of course, if your circumstances have changed and you no longer pay tax then Rosanna will need to be notified.

Please could payments be made by the end of April but do not hesitate to contact us if you have any questions

We look forward to another fun year – The Hive WI Committee

8th of March: Covid Safety

Now that the Covid rules for wearing masks etc, have been removed and there are limited Lateral Flow Test kits, we ask that Members do not attend a meeting if they feel unwell in any way.  If you live with anyone or have been in close proximity (working alongside) to someone who has Covid, we also ask that you do not attend meetings.

We hope you agree this is a sensible approach for the safety and wellbeing of other members.

Hand sanitizer will still be provided at meetings and we will continue with additional cleaning.  If you would feel more comfortable continuing to wear a mask during meetings, please do so.

If subsequent to a meeting, within a 7 day period, you believe you have Covid we would appreciate an email so that we can advise members – with total anonymity will be retained.

We hope to have several prospective new members joining us at the meeting and any volunteers to welcome them would be appreciated – we know we can rely on you to let them know what a friendly bunch we are!

Many thanks, The Hive WI Committee

12th of March: The Hive WI Updates

We hope that all those members and visitors who attended our meeting on Wednesday enjoyed it as much as us on the Committee!!  Going by the noise and laughter we think you did!

Although the part of the evening which was given over to the Annual Meeting might have seemed a complicated and lengthy process, it is important that we comply with the WI Constitution.  However, by including multi-choice questions on the Financial Statement you were able to gain a better understanding of our Finances, also having the Annual Report as a poem made for enjoyable listening.  Each of these are attached, particularly for those who were unable to join us at the meeting.

We can confirm that Cheryl Ruse was elected President and Michelle Whitehouse will be taking on the role of Secretary while Sally Penn picks up the role of Programme Co-ordinator.  Katie Wakefield is taking on responsibility for ensuring we have a rota of ladies to help set up the hall, make cakes and serve refreshments at our monthly meetings.  Additional responsibilities will be agreed at the next Committee Meeting on 24 March and you will be duly advised.

It has been agreed that at the June Meeting, which coincides with celebrations for the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee and which we will be joined by the Lady Bay Revellers Morris Dancers , members are invited to:

• wear something red, white and blue
• bring along Jubilee related souvenirs, photos etc from previous celebrations
• bring a decorated crown – this will be available for members to collect at the May meeting which they can decorate at home.  We are planning to have a few prizes (details to follow)

Unfortunately the Craft Group will not be meeting on Saturday 19 March in the Methodist Church Hall although some members will be meeting in a local cafe (please email if you want details of this).  The Walk ‘n’  Talk Group have changed the date of their next walk to Sunday 3 April (s0 it does not clash with Mothering Sunday).

There are some additional documents attached as follows:

• a flyer from NFWI regarding the making of Platinum Jubilee Corgis by members to ‘hide’ around local areas; anyone planning to knit a corgi using the pattern in the recent copy of WI Life please note thefollowing correction:  ROW 11 should be K3, INC, K2, INC, K2, INC, K2, INC, K3 (20 stitches)
• details of 3 upcoming events being organised by Notts Federation were of particular interest to some members – please note dates for payment to The Hive WI in order we can make payment to Notts Fed before their closure dates.

Just a reminder that it was decided by Members to have a Zoom meeting in April on the History of Knickers – details will be in the next Newsletter!

Thank you to all those who have already paid their Annual Subscriptions and we ask that all renewals are received by end of April.

We hope you are looking forward to another exciting year as much as we are!

Regards, The Hive Committee 

7th of April: April Meeting

We are disappointed to have to let you know the ‘History of Knickers’ speaker is unable to join us next week for her talk on Zoom.  We do hope to re-arrange this for sometime in the future.

However, we have decided to hold an in-person meeting in the Church Hall at the usual time, even if we are not sure what we will be doing – except there will be plenty of time to enjoy each others’ company over a cuppa and possibly some cake.  More news will be emailed to you before next Wednesday.

In the meantime, thank you to all those who have paid their annual subscription and a reminder to those who have still to pay.

The Hive WI Committee

10th of April: Help at Wednesday’s Meeting

As you know we are re-organising this week’s meeting and we will need 3 members to help in setting out the chairs and tables at 7pm – please email if you can help.

We are returning to collecting donations for hot drinks and cake (yes homemade will be available) but ask for the correct cash (suggesting 50p for drink and with cake £1).

This means we need a couple of members to be in the kitchen from 7:10pm to set things out and serve refreshments before the start of the meeting and tidy up on its conclusion – please email if  you can assist.

More details of the meeting and upcoming events will be in the Newsletter coming out soon!

The Supper Club will be going to The Circle, in Beeston, on Wednesday 20th April.  The Restaurant has asked for a £5 deposit per person, which will have to be paid this week.  Anyone wishing to go must bring their £5 to the meeting but if you will not be at the meeting please send an email so we can make arrangements to collect your money.

The Hive WI Committee

We have quite a few things on the go, this month!

We’ve got…

• The Annual Meeting
• Decorating tote bags
• A seed swap
• A book swap
• Annnndddd… cupcakes!

So, March is the month of our Annual Meeting.

This involves looking back at the last year (Sally’s annual poem is now a proud Hive WI tradition), nominating and voting in the 2022-23 President, and looking at our finances through the medium of a quiz.

Remember these from our first birthday?

They were made by Carol of Carol’s Nicely Iced. Carol’s cakes are now also a tradition at our celebrations and special meetings… look at what she’s been up to since we last saw her!

That looks amazing but, honestly, her humble cupcakes are some of the nicest I have ever had.

Here is a sneak peek at the tote bag supplies that will be waiting for you:

We’ll be providing stencils as well, or you can draw your design freehand… perhaps using your skills from the last meeting 👇👏

I love how different they all are! 💐

  → What To Bring To The Meeting

• A mug;
• A mask and hand sanitiser;
• Seeds for the seed swap;
• Books for the book swap.

→ Next Three Meetings

• April: The History of Knickers (Zoom)
• May: Resolutions and activities
• June: Morris Dancing with The Lady Bay Revellers

 → Subgroup Calendar

• Wednesday 16, 19:00: Supper Club at Sanchans Thai Restaurant
• Saturday 19, 14:00: Crafternoon
• Thursday 24, 19:00: Book Club (Zoom): Neverwhere by Neil Gaiman
• Sunday 27, 10:00: Walk ‘n’ Talk (led by Hayley)
• Wednesday 30, 14:00: Cafe Society at The Djangoly Cafe

Book of the Month

Neverwhere by Neil Gaiman

Synopsis from the author’s website:

Richard Mayhew is an unassuming young businessman living in London, with a dull job and a pretty but demanding fiancee. Then one night he stumbles across a girl bleeding on the sidewalk. He stops to help her–and the life he knows vanishes like smoke.

Several hours later, the girl is gone too. And by the following morning Richard Mayhew has been erased from his world. His bank cards no longer work, taxi drivers won’t stop for him, his landlord rents his apartment out to strangers. He has become invisible, and inexplicably consigned to a London of shadows and darkness a city of monsters and saints, murderers and angels, that exists entirely in a subterranean labyrinth of sewer canals and abandoned subway stations. He has fallen through the cracks of reality and has landed somewhere different, somewhere that is Neverwhere.

For this is the home of Door, the mysterious girl whom Richard rescued in the London Above. A personage of great power and nobility in this murky, candlelit realm, she is on a mission to discover the cause of her family’s slaughter, and in doing so preserve this strange underworld kingdom from the malevolence that means to destroy it. And with nowhere else to turn, Richard Mayhew must now join the Lady Door’s entourage in their determined–and possibly fatal–quest.

For the dread journey ever-downward–through bizarre anachronisms and dangerous incongruities, and into dusty corners of stalled time–is Richard’s final hope, his last road back to a “real” world that is growing disturbingly less real by the minute.

If Tim Burton reimagined The Phantom of the Opera, if Jack Finney let his dark side take over, if you rolled the best work of Clive Barker, Peter Straub and Caleb Carr into one, you still would have something that fell far short of Neil Gaiman’s Neverwhere. It is a masterful debut novel of darkly hypnotic power, and one of the most absorbing reads to come along in years.

CAKE Fighters

The fight is on hold!

Nottinghamshire Federation is keen to get an online WI started. They asked me (Rosa) to help them get it going, which means putting CAKE Fighters on hold… for now!

The new online WI is called Home Birds WI. It will meet on the first Tuesday of the month at 19:00 on Zoom, starting from April.

They’re having a pre-launch meeting on Tuesday the 8th of March to make “posters for peace” for Ukraine. Feel free to pop in!

CAKE Fighters are going out on a high note, though. The white butterflies we made to help promote Broxtowe Women’s Project are currently being displayed in Stapleford Library (pictured below, with BWP staff and the Mayor!):

You can read more about it here.

Find Us Online

• Email: thehivewi@gmail.com
• Facebook: facebook.com/thehivewi
• Facebook group (members only): facebook.com/groups/thehivewi
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• Website: thehivewi.com
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