The photo above is the profile picture of our speaker this week: Mildred Freeman, Lady Historian!

Join Mildred Freeman, The Lady Historian, for a gruesome galivant through Nottingham’s perilous past, with Nottingham’s Victorian Vice and Villainy. Following the themes of addiction, insanity, jealousy and lust, poverty and dept discover the murders and crimes of our Victorian counterparts.

Put on your favourite time travelling gear and we’ll see you this Wednesday 200 years ago.

Mildred will make lady historians out of all of us yet!

→ What To Bring 

• Orange poppies* if you’ve made them;
• A mug for tea or coffee;
• Correct cash for refreshments (50p each);
• Name badge.

*We’re collecting your orange poppies for the Federation’s display outside of Nottingham Playhouse. You can see a photograph of Michelle’s amazing contribution below in the crafty section.

→ Next Three Meetings 

• 9 November: Women’s Health with Dr. Fogarty
• 14 December: Wreath making
• 11 January: The Hive’s Birthday Party!

Click here for our 2022 Calendar.

→ Subgroup Calendar 

• Thursday 13, 18:00: Cinema – Ticket To Paradise (see the trailer near the end of the newsletter)
• Saturday 15, 14:00: Crafternoon
• Wednesday 19, 19:30: Supper Club – Sanchan’s Thai Restaurant
• Wednesday 26, 14:00: Cafe Society (TBC)
• Wednesday 26, 18:30: Committee Meeting
• Thursday 27, 19:00: Book Club – The Familiars by Stacy Halls
• Sunday 30, 10:00: Walk n Talk

→ Email Roundup 

• Coming soon

Michelle’s Perfect Poppies

Michelle made this amazing collection of orange poppies for the orange poppy display.

These look so good together already. Well done, Michelle!

Rosa’s Recycled Yoga Bolster (and Poppy)

I also had a go at making a poppy – it is my first knitting project that I’ve seen to completion.

The yoga bolster is made from an old pillow case that I boxed out at the corners to make it 3D. The stuffing is entirely from old clothes and other fabrics that were too worn for the charity shop. A removable cover is forthcoming…

Sarah’s Cute and Cuddly Cardigans

Every new parent needs a crafter like Sarah in their lives. She’s our Crochet Queen 👑🧶

Morag’s Famous Knits and Preserves

I think I need a knitting lesson from Morag. She always has a hat or tiny cardigan on the go!

Amanda’s Amazing Owl

This is such a unique gift from Amanda to her friend. Her friend’s five year-old daughter asked if the eyes were real diamonds. So sweet!

Supper Club: Every Third Wednesday at 19:30

This Month: Sanchan’s Thai Restaurant

What they say:

We are a family run business with many years experience of cooking wonderful Thai food, delicious, healthy, traditional, affordable and fresh. 

We offer you, your friends or your family delectable cooked meals to eat at our traditional warm welcoming Thai restaurant.  We can tailor a meal just for you, and of course, we also cater for events large and small.  Takeaways are also available.

Take a look at our menu, and please visit us soon.  Thank you, Khob khun khrab/ka!

What the reviews say:

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A post shared by Lynette Pinchess (@lynettepinchess)

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A post shared by All Good Food (@_allgoodfood)

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A post shared by Mat Gallacher (@buffbeardynerd)

Let us know your reviews on Facebook!

Cafe Society

Location TBC

Keep an eye on the Facebook group for the location of this month’s cafe, or email thehivewi@gmail.com to ask for more information.

Book Club: Every Last Thursday at 19:00

This Month: The Familiars by Stacy Halls

Shortlisted for the British Book AwardsDebut Book of the Year 2020

In a time of suspicion and accusation, to be a woman is the greatest risk of all…

Fleetwood Shuttleworth is 17 years old, married, and pregnant for the fourth time. But as the mistress at Gawthorpe Hall, she still has no living child, and her husband Richard is anxious for an heir.

When Fleetwood finds a letter she isn’t supposed to read from the doctor who delivered her third stillbirth, she is dealt the crushing blow that she will not survive another pregnancy. Then she crosses paths by chance with Alice Gray, a young midwife. Alice promises to help her give birth to a healthy baby, and to prove the physician wrong.

As Alice is drawn into the witchcraft accusations that are sweeping the north-west, Fleetwood risks everything by trying to help her. But is there more to Alice than meets the eye? Soon the two women’s lives will become inextricably bound together as the legendary trial at Lancaster approaches, and Fleetwood’s stomach continues to grow. Time is running out, and both their lives are at stake. Only they know the truth. Only they can save each other.

Find our 2022 reading list here

Walk ‘n’ Talk: Every Last Sunday at 10:00

An invitation from Hayley

We are a friendly group who enjoy walking. We meet in most weathers on the last Sunday of the month at 10am for a walk approximately 4-6 miles long and we always have a refreshment break involving cake! If you would like to explore footpaths and beautiful places close to home that you may not have noticed before and all within an hours drive of Beeston. Please do come and join us – we can’t wait to welcome you!

Cinema Trips: Spontaneous!

Your suggestions this month…

Hive members are meeting to see Ticket To Paradise (trailer below) at The Arc Cinema on Thursday 13th October at 18:00. If you’d like to join them, meet them upstairs before the film begins.

Ticket To Paradise: A divorced couple teams up and travels to Bali to stop their daughter from making the same mistake they think they made 25 years ago.

The following films have also been suggested by you…

The Lost King: An amateur historian defies the stodgy academic establishment in her efforts to find King Richard III’s remains, which were lost for over 500 years. Based on the true story.

See How They Run: In the West End of 1950s London, plans for a movie version of a smash-hit play come to an abrupt halt after a pivotal member of the crew is murdered.

Mrs. Harris Goes to Paris: A widowed cleaning lady in 1950s London falls madly in love with a couture Dior dress, and decides that she must have one of her own.

All summaries taken from IMBD.

And, finally…

A note from our secretary, Sally, about our September meeting

Twenty-seven members enjoyed another fun meeting in September.  Elaine Tomlinson came to lead us in Ballet Fit, which included many ballet-style moves to some upbeat music.   We may not be the most graceful of dancers but once again members demonstrated they love to participate – whatever age or ability!!

Members very kindly donated items for those in need and our thanks go to Margaret C who delivered a car boot full of items to the Hope charity.  There were also cash donations which have added to monthly refreshment takings and will be sent to Hope at a later date.

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!

Subject: Important Update

Sent: 13 September

Since the Newsletter was prepared we have agreed with the speaker that members are NOT REQUIRED to complete the health questionnaire but use their own judgement in deciding what exercises they join in with at the meeting.

Sally Penn

Programme Secretary

Okay, so maybe you won’t quite be able to achieve the pose in the picture above after our meeting, but you do at least have an excuse to wear the skirt!

Silver Swan ballet teacher Elaine Tomlinson is helping us stretch our wings this month.

Elaine is a Ballet Be Fit and Adult Ballet Instructor with Leap Dance Midlands (you can find out more about the dance school here). She also teaches for The Royal Academy of Dance.

Ballet Be Fit is an exercise class inspired by ballet. It includes a barre warm up (we will be using the backs of our chairs), cardio, stretching, and a relaxation and cool down.

Please wear comfortable clothing, and do as much or as little as you feel able. There is no obligation to join in if you would just like to watch.

⭐️ To be extra sure that Elaine can adapt the class for different abilities, she has requested that members fill out a questionnaire ahead of the class. The information will be stored on a password protected device and will not be shared with anyone else. The information will be destroyed when the participant leaves the exercise class group.

Elaine offers classes in Zoom on Thursdays from 19.00 to 20.00. She says, “My classes are suitable for all ages and abilities and exercises can be adapted for people with health needs.”

As well as ballet, we will be collecting items for Hope Food Bank.

Here is their list of their most wanted items:

• Tinned Meat/Fish/Vegetables
• Instant Mash Potato
• Tinned Fruit
• Sponge Pudding (Tinned)
• Rice Pudding or Custard(Tinned)
• Milk (UHT or powdered)
• Fruit Juice (carton)
• Pasta Sauces 
• Tinned spaghetti/macaroni
• Tea bags
• Instant coffee
• Jam
• Biscuits or snack bars

They currently have an excess stock of pasta, baked beans, soup and cereal. They ask that we do not send these items at present. Thank you!

We’ll see you all at the barre on Wednesday!

→ What To Bring 

• Items for the food bank;
• Comfortable clothes and water;
• A mug for tea or coffee;
• Correct cash for refreshments (50p each);
• Name badge.

→ Next Three Meetings 

• 12 October: “Mildred the Lady Historian”
• 9 November: Women’s Health with Dr. Fogarty
• 14 December: Wreath making

Click here for our 2022 Calendar.

→ Subgroup Calendar 

• Saturday 17, 14:00: Crafternoon at Beeston Methodist Church
• Wednesday 21, 19:00: Supper Club at Cafe Roya
• Wednesday 28, 14:00: Cafe Society TBC
• Thursday 29, 19:00: Book Club (Zoom): Where’d You Go Bernadette by Maria Semple
• Last weekend, 10:00: Walk n Talk

→ Email Roundup 

• Click here for a blog post of all the emails we’ve sent since the last newsletter.

A Note From Cheryl, The Hive WI President

RIP HRH her Majesty the Queen, 1926 – 2022

The Queen sadly passed on Thursday. It is the end of an era. Her Majesty, is for most of us the only Monarch we have ever known. She was a wife, mother, grandmother and great grandmother.

She devoted her life to service. Her presence gave focal point of constants in an ever changing world.

Her Majesty had been a member of the WI since 1943 and was President of the Sandringham WI. She was a loyal supporter of the WI and took a keen interest in our resolutions.

As a WI we would like to pay our respects at our next meeting. We will be holding two minutes silence at the start of the meeting.

Cheryl Ruse, 9th September 2022

Regular News and Updates

Crafternoon

Beeston Methodist Church

We don’t have any pictures for you this month, but we do have this invitation from our Joanne…

Come and join us at CRAFT GROUP next Saturday at 2pm! Bring your projects, something new perhaps, and ask any questions of our highly experienced crafters. Or just chat 😀

Please let me know if you will be coming (by commenting on Facebook) or by message. Beeston Methodist Church, Chilwell Road. £3.

Supper Club

Cafe Roya

This is a restaurant with one of the best reputations in Nottingham. I’ll let the reviews speak for themselves…

Cafe Society

Location TBC

Keep an eye on the Facebook group for the location of this month’s cafe, or email thehivewi@gmail.com to ask for more information.

Book Club

Where d’You Go Bernadette by Maria Semple

Bernadette Fox has vanished.

When her daughter Bee claims a family trip to Antarctica as a reward for perfect grades, Bernadette, a fiercely intelligent shut-in, throws herself into preparations for the trip. But worn down by years of trying to live the Seattle life she never wanted, Ms. Fox is on the brink of a meltdown. And after a school fundraiser goes disastrously awry at her hands, she disappears, leaving her family to pick up the pieces–which is exactly what Bee does, weaving together an elaborate web of emails, invoices, and school memos that reveals a secret past Bernadette has been hiding for decades. Where’d You Go Bernadetteis an ingenious and unabashedly entertaining novel about a family coming to terms with who they are and the power of a daughter’s love for her mother.

The book is also a film starring Cate Blanchett:

Find our 2022 reading list here.

Cinema Trips

Current films you’d like to see…

Our cinema trips are spontaneous and every member is welcome to plan a trip to The Arc Cinema in Beeston.

Here are this months suggestions from you…

Moonage Daydream: A cinematic odyssey exploring David Bowie’s creative and musical journey. From visionary filmmaker Brett Morgen, and sanctioned by the Bowie estate.

The Railway Children Return: Follow a group of children who are evacuated to a Yorkshire village during the Second World War, where they encounter a young soldier who, like them, is far away from home.

Mrs. Harris Goes to Paris: A widowed cleaning lady in 1950s London falls madly in love with a couture Dior dress, and decides that she must have one of her own.

All summaries all taken from IMBD.

Other News

Send us your feedback

We sent an email in July asking what your top three meetings were of 2022, and what you would like to do and try next. Your responses will help us immensely to fill the calendar for The Hive WI 2023!

We’d also like some volunteers for the Programme Subcommittee. This subcommittee would meet a few times in Beeston over a coffee or a drink. Please email thehivewi@gmail or speak to Sally Penn (Programme Secretary) for more information.

Thank you!

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!

Subject: Hope house food donation – volunteer required to take donations to Hope house

Sent: 27 August

Hi ladies,

we planned another food donation collection at the September members meeting but need a volunteer to take the donations to Hope House afterwards. No one has volunteered so far so if we do not have any responses we will postpone the collection until the October meeting. If you are able to volunteer please email me before September 1st so we have time to let everyone know whether we are collecting in September or postponing.

Thanks very much,

Michelle

on behalf of the Committee

Subject: August Cafe society meeting

Sent: 27 August

Hi ladies,

just a reminder that the Cafe Society is meeting on Wednesday August 31st at Bistro 66 in Beeston. Katie is leading this group and if you have any queries please get in touch with her or me via the Facebook group or email.

Thanks very much,

Michelle

We have already sent an email about this month’s meeting, but here is a quick recap in case you need it:

August is our “unofficial” meeting this year. Your WI membership entitles you to 11 meetings a year, but we almost always throw in an “unofficial” meeting and try out something a bit different…

This time we’re doing a treasure hunt and games night!

Treasure Hunt:

• The hunts involve walking around Beeston
  • The shorter hunt is 35 minutes
  • The longer hunt will take about an hour
• The “hunters” will leave in groups of 2 or 3 at intervals
• The first group will set off from the Hall at 18:40
• The last group will leave the Hall at 19:45

Games:

• Games will be provided for those staying in the Hall
• Tea and coffee will be available for you on a help-yourself basis
• Drinks cost cost of 50p per item, and all money given will be donated to Hope Food Bank.

Ice-creams will be provided to all members later in the evening!

Please note that the first walk will leave an hour earlier than our usual start time. You can arrive at the Hall when it suits you.

→ What To Bring 

• A pen and something to write on.
• Weather-appropriate clothing
• A drink for the walk
• 50p (or more) for drinks

→ Next Three Meetings 

• September: Ballet Fit
• October: “Mildred the Lady Historian”
• November: Women’s Health with Dr. Fogarty

Click here for our 2022 Calendar.

→ Subgroup Calendar 

• Wednesday 17, 19:00 – Supper Club, Miller and Carter (Steak House)
• Saturday 20, 14:00 – Crafternoon
• Wednesday 24, 18:30 – Committee
• Thursday 25, 19:00 – Book Club, When We Were Vikings by Andrew David MacDonald
• Wednesday 31, 14:00 – Cafe Society, Christine’s Delights

→ Email Roundup 

• Click here to see a blog post of all of the emails sent since the last newsletter.

Supper Club

Miller and Carter (Steak House)

This month the Supper Club is going to the Miller and Carter Steak House (committee member Sandra tells us that they also do a great salad 👌).

Check out these photos from the club’s last dinner – it was paella night at the Vic!

We love seeing your photos from the subgroups! Please keep them coming!

Crafternoon

Your projects

I asked our crafters what they have been up to this month, and this didn’t disappoint…

This patchwork made by Rosanna would brighten up anyone’s day-sie:

Sarah is embroidering Christmas tree decorations based on the song The 12 Days of Christmas:

She also made this grate piece inspired by the architecture of Wollaton Hall:

Dagmar sewed her own dress to wear at a wedding. It’s sew good!:

Joanne made this corgi-eous cross stitch of the Queen:

Rosie definitely has bagging rights after making this quilted patchwork bag:

Thank you to all our talented members for sending in your photos!

Cafe Society

Christine’s Delights

The Cafe Society is back at an old favourite this month: Christine’s Delights!

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Christine's Delights (@christines.delights)

Last month they checked out The Beeston Social, and sent us this view:

Café Society made a first visit to the Beeston Social. The staff are friendly and helpful and we all enjoyed our drinks and pastries. We did however, find it a bit too noisy and struggled to hear each other, so probably won’t make a return visit.

It doesn’t sound like it will be making our list of favourites, but maybe we’ll be back if they turn down the volume…

Book Club

When We Were Vikings by Andrew David MacDonald

For Zelda, a twenty-one-year-old Viking enthusiast who lives with her older brother, Gert, life is best lived with some basic rules:

1. A smile means “thank you for doing something small that I liked.”
2. Fist bumps and dabs = respect.
3. Strange people are not appreciated in her home.
4. Tomatoes must go in the middle of the sandwich and not get the bread wet.
5. Sometimes the most important things don’t fit on lists.

But when Zelda finds out that Gert has resorted to some questionable—and dangerous—methods to make enough money to keep them afloat, Zelda decides to launch her own quest. Her mission: to be legendary. It isn’t long before Zelda finds herself in a battle that tests the reach of her heroism, her love for her brother, and the depth of her Viking strength.

Here is a short book review of When We We’re Vikings that I found on YouTube:

If you like the idea of book reviews in video form (no spoilers!) and would like to see them included in the newsletter each month, leave a comment on Facebook and let us know!

Next three books:

• September: Where d’You Go Bernadette by Maria Semple
• October: The Familiars by Stacy Halls
• November: The Testament of Gideon Mack by James Robertson

Other News

Nottinghamshire Federation Event: Orange Flowers Craft Session

There is a craft event on Thursday the 6th of October at The Tiger Community Hub (10:00 – 12:00) to make orange flowers. The flowers will be used in a display to raise awareness about sex-based violence.

Here is a copy of the event listing that we have been sent:

Price: Cost of your drink and cake on the day

Closing Date: Just come along (but it would be great to know numbers, so there will be enough cake!)

In preparation for the ‘No more Violence’ vigil, Tiger Community Hub will host a WI craft session, where you will be making orange flowers including Tie Dye Yo-Yo, loom flowers and you are welcome to bring your knitting or crochet along. (some materials will be available on the day – but if you can bring orange yarn it will be appreciated).

The Orange Flower patterns are available as an enclosure, on SharePoint, saved in the files on Facebook Group, or email suzanneplamping@nottswi.org.uk for details.

Nottinghamshire Federation of WIs are working together with the Soroptimist International of Nottingham and Nottingham Playhouse on the ‘No more Violence’ vigil on Friday 25 November from 11am –2pmtaking place at the Nottingham Playhouse with poetry readings and speakers. There will be indoor and outdoor space, so come rain, snow or sunshine the event will be able to go ahead. See separate enclosure for further details.

The orange flowers will be worn or given out on the day as well as creating a “waterfall” which will be hung outside the Nottingham Playhouse. Any pattern or size of flower is great but it would be useful to have a pin on the back for ease of attachment to the netting base. The flowers will be given out to highlight the 16 days of activism against gender-based violence. 

Feel free to make as many flowers as you like, they will be most welcome. You can send or drop off your flowers at County House by 14 October please.   

Booking for the Orange Flower craft event is not essential but it would help to have an idea of numbers. Please book by:

advising Val on admin@nottswi.org.uk with subject title “Orange Flower Craft”

or via Eventbrite https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/orange-flower-crafty-session-tickets-384215307327

or using the form below and sending it to Notts Fed of WIs, Trent Bridge House, Beastmarket Hill, Newark, Notts, NG24 1BN

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!