Someone once said that “February is merely as long as is needed to pass the time until March.”

Well, if that’s the case then we have plenty in store for you this month to pass the time with.

Here’s what to look forward to at our next meeting on the 13th of February at The Hive WI…

February Meeting

Kitchen Dancing is the creation of self-confessed “child of the 80s, teen of the 90s” Jo Porter.

Jo has 35 years dance experience.

She completed a BA Hons degree in French and Performing Arts, specialising in Contemporary Dance.

More recently she became a qualified fitness instructor.

Kitchen Dancing gets its name from those moments when you find yourself in your kitchen, turning up the radio to a good 80s pop song, and morphing into Kate Bush.

Jo will lead us through two half-hour sessions with a break in-between.

She describes Kitchen Dancing as “energetic and vibrant, all in a very relaxed party setting. All levels of ability are welcome, you don’t need to have ever danced before, and the choreography can be adapted to your fitness and physical needs.”

Needless to say, you’ll want to wear comfortable clothing for this one.

If you have any physical health issues, don’t feel that you have to join in for anything you’d rather not do and take as many breaks as you need.

For more information on Kitchen Dancing, check out Jo’s website.

This Month’s Top Tip:

This month’s top tip comes from Jo Porter herself: if you have legwarmers, sweet bands, or anything neon that you can wear when exercising… definitely wear it.

The Hive WI Library:

After a long hiatus, The Hive Library is back open for business.

We swap items that would be at home in any modern library. This includes books, DVDs, audiobooks, CDs, and quality magazines.

Other News:

Beginner’s Self-Defence Course

Our self-defence meeting in October was wildly popular, both because of how much we learned about self-defence itself but also because of the excellent and entertaining tuition of Sensei Terry A. Lee.

We are excited to launch a six-week course for our members with Terry and his fellow instructors from Warrior Martial Arts.

It will start on Tuesday 26 February, between 19:00-20:00.

Please bring a friend with you if you so wish, so long as they are women over the age of 18.

The price for the entire course is £55 per person.

Terry was extremely accommodating to people with physical limitations at our October meeting, so please don’t be put off if that is an issue for you.

Places are still available.

You can sign up by emailing thehivewi@gmail.com or sign up in person at the February meeting.

Reminder: Calendar Girls

Don’t worry: we’re not going to ask if anyone who wants to feature in our own naked calendar (not yet anyway…).

The play Calendar Girls is coming to Nottingham on the 3rd of July.

After consulting with you at previous meetings, we’ve reserved tickets in the stalls with “guaranteed good views” at Nottingham Theatre Royal for Wednesday 3 July.

The full ticket price is £43. We ask for a booking deposit of £10.

If you want to go, there’s still time but all money must be paid in full by or at the February meeting.

Email thehivewi@gmail.com for more information about how to make a payment.

The Hive WI Cafe Society

The Hive Cafe Society met for the first time this month in Rudyard’s Tea House.

The Cafe Society will meet every first Wednesday at 14:00 in various cafes in Beeston.

If the Cafe Society proves popular enough, there may be an opportunity for a weekend cafe meeting so do let us know if you’re interested.

Show the Love

Show the Love is an annual event launched by The Climate Coalition and heavily promoted by the NFWI.

Green hearts are made and displayed on Valentine’s Day to show love for the environment and to start conversations on climate change.

Many of you have already been crocheting, knitting, and embroidering green hearts throughout the last month.

Just look at these beauties!

We need you to keep them coming to make our display in Beeston the best it can be.

You can make them at home and bring them to the February meeting.

The hearts are about the size of the palm of your hand.

You can use fabric, felt, or yarn.

All hearts must be green but you can accent them with any colour.

For more information on Show the Love, click here or watch the video below.

March Fundraising Idea

Last but not least, one of our members has generously volunteered to run a re-cycled unwanted gift sale at the close of the March meeting.

You can bring unwanted Christmas gifts and other items to donate to the sale, and peruse and buy what others bring.

Profits will go straight back into the Hive.

Any unsold items will go to charity.

The Hive WI February Calendar

Craft ‘n’ Chat: Tuesday 5th, 19:00

New! Cafe Society: Wednesday 6th, 14:00

Main Meeting: Kitchen Dancing Wednesday 13th, 19:30-21:30

Saturday Crafternoon: Saturday 16th, 14:00

Tuesday Book Club: The Silent Companions by Laura Purcell, Tuesday 19th, 20:00

Supper Club: Korea House, Wednesday 20th, 19:30 – please email us to reserve a place.

New! Six-Week Self-Defence Course: Tuesday 26th February, 19:00, £55

Thursday Book Club: The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society by Mary Ann Shaffer and Annie Barrows,  Thursday 28th, 19:30

This Month’s Marvellous Volunteers:

Jane B, Becky C, and Emily Care our star bakers this month.

Please arrive early so we can slice and serve your cakes ready for 7.20pm.

We want to pay you back for the cost of the cake (up to £2.50 per cake) so please remember to sign for your reimbursement by seeing a committee member in the kitchen, too.

Cheryl R and Sue Dwill be helping out in the kitchens.

Thank you so much to our February team!

Time and Location:

We will meet at 19:30 to 21:30 on the 13th of February in the church hall on Foster Avenue, Beeston (opposite the library).

Parking and Transport:

There is parking just outside the church hall as well as across the road next to the Citizens Advice Bureau.

Beeston’s transport interchange is excellent for regular trams and busses.

The interchange is just by Tesco and a four-minute walk from where we meet.

Refreshments:

All refreshments are 50p.

If you’d like refreshments before we start, please come for around 7.20pm.

We will break for refreshments again later in the evening (do bring change!).

Please do not bring a cake if you have not already signed up to do so.

Remember to bring your mugs! (Cups will be provided if you forget).

Non-Members & Guests:

Guests are very welcome but you must reserve your place before coming.

There is an optional visitors donation of £5 to our charity.

Your donation will be fully refunded if you sign up for membership that evening.

Membership Renewal for 2019:

Please be aware that if you want to join us again in 2019 you will need to renew your membership with us.

WI members across the country renew their memberships in January.

We understand that not everyone will have managed to do this by now, but we urge you to rejoin by the February meeting.

After February we will begin the process of removing people who did not rejoin from our member’s only Facebook group.

You can renew your membership at the February meeting, or contact us to request a form (forms will be made available on the website for download very soon).

As always, any issues, comments or questions please get in touch and we’ll be happy to help where we can.

See you at the next meeting!