It’s September already!

Summer is still with us but we’re looking to 2021 already with our program planning. Some of you might have seen the polls on Facebook already or responded to our letter. There is still time to give us your opinion if you would like to.

We’re also keen to sign up volunteers to help with the program for next year. This would involve sorting through and narrowing down ideas, as well as contacting potential speakers and demonstrators. If you’re interested in helping out, please send us an email at thehivewi@gmail.com.

Onto the news!

September Meeting

“Gentle Yoga for Beginners”

We had to make a quick change of plans for our September meeting after our original speaker unfortunately had to cancel. However, the new meeting looks like it is going to be a real treat.

Isabel Greed is going to guide us through a 45 minute gentle yoga class for beginners.

Isabel has been practicing yoga for 20 years and has been teaching adults and children for one.

She’s had plenty of experience with Zoom classes since lock-down (see her website for information on how to join: https://www.whileibreathe.co.uk/), and also teaches “forest yoga” in the fresh air in a woodland in Derbyshire. Sounds like bliss!

The style of yoga she will be teaching us is Vinyassa yoga, which means “to move with the breath”. Vinyassa yoga is characterised by flowing movements, with one posture (or asana) moving seamlessly into the next. At least, that is the idea!

The class is described as a “calming and grounding evening practice”. No props will be needed, although a yoga mat could be a good idea if you have one.

The class will be accessible to complete beginners and postures can be adapted for those who need to make adjustments. Please don’t feel you have to take part if you just want to watch or if you are only able to do some of the class but not all of it.

Don’t stretch yourself too much!

After the 45 minute yoga routine, there will be a half-hour talk on the history and philosophy of yoga with slides and pictures. There will also be time set aside for questions at the end if you have any.

Our yoga session will be the “om” stretch before bedtime! (So many layers to that pun…).

See you there!

On the Tables

Media swap, Just for Fun, and prizes

If you are on Facebook, head over to our member’s only Facebook group for a virtual version of this month’s “On the Tables”. Threads about these topics on the day of the meeting…

• Media swap: We’re swapping media recommendations rather than physical items this month. Have you read or watched anything good lately? Are you hoping to get your hands on a particular box set? Have you discovered any good new music? Let us know!
• Facebook polls: If you haven’t responded to the letter we sent out about the 2021 program or our polls on Facebook about the same topic, then there is still time to give your opinion. We’re also looking for volunteers to help organise the program for 2021, so please get in touch if you’re interested!

Don’t Forget!

What to bring to the next meeting

What you need to join our yoga session:

• The Zoom link;
• Comfortable clothes in which you can move freely;
• A safe environment where you will not fall or trip over anything;
• Yoga mat optional;
• Some water;
• Somewhere to put your phone or laptop so you can still see and hear the instructor as you move.
• That’s it!

Other News

Subgroup Updates

A couple-a changes

We have three updates about our subgroups:

The first is that a new subgroup has been suggested called The Hive Strollers. These strolls will be at a slower pace than the walks at Walk ‘n’ Talk. Strolls be on firm, flat footpaths and in the local area. Please send a message to thehivewi@gmail.com if you’d like to join!

The Tuesday Book Group will postpone all their meetings until they can meet together in person. The book group met several times on Zoom during lock-down but is now on hiatus after their 2020 reading list ran out in August.

We hope that they’re not waiting too long to meet again!

The Thursday Book Group (which meets on the last Thursday of the month) is still online and open to all Hive members and friends. This month they are reading Women and Power by Mary Beard. You can also watch Mary Beard talk about the book on YouTube instead if you prefer.

You never need to have read the book to join in at the Thursday Book Group but, for those that do, the discussion is often lively and drills deep into the text!

Our final bit of subgroup news is that the Publess Quiz is now meeting once a month on the third Thursday of every month at 20:15.

This change comes after our original organisers could no longer keep hosting the quiz and so passed the baton (and PowerPoint controls) onto two new organisers.

Feel free to invite your friends to the quiz! The more the merrier.

We’ll also be looking for volunteers to host the in-person pub quizzes at The Crown Inn when this becomes a possible, and if members are still interested. Please get in touch if you’d like the role!

A Rey of HOPE

Tackling poverty with HOPE Nottingham

Our CAKE Fighters met with Nigel Adams from HOPE Food Bank on Zoom this month to find out what his food-bank does, how and why it was founded, and what we as individuals and WIs can do to tackle “food poverty”.

Nigel set up HOPE Food Bank twenty years ago in Beeston. It is the food-bank that we’ve donated to since we started, but the depth of HOPE’s involvement in the community was genuinely surprising.

Food poverty is not just about food, or even about poverty. Someone is at greater risk of poverty and hunger due to many factors like isolation, poor physical and mental health, exposure to crime, lack of self-worth, family instability, lack of education or qualifications, low income, as well as delays within the benefits system itself.

It became clear after talking to Nigel that one of the things that WIs can do to tackle “food poverty” is to make ourselves known to food-banks and community centres. The WI is at its best when it provides spaces and activities in which women can form friendships. This benefits individuals, but also communities.

For example, our subgroups are open to guests and friends of Hive WI members. Because of this, our subgroups can be a gateway into the Hive WI and, for those unable to afford the full membership, they allow non-members to opportunities to join in and make connections.

Skill-sharing is another way we can make a difference. HOPE Food Bank provides reading lessons to adults who can’t read. This was something I’d never expected a food-bank to provide its service users.

We knew this was going to be an interesting talk, but the range of issues covered was remarked on again and again by attendees. It was incredibly motivating.

Our next CAKE Fighters event is on the 12th of October and will focus on stem cell donation.

The Hive’s September Calendar

What’s on when

• Wednesday 2, 19:30 – CAKE Fighters with Hope Food Bank
• Monday 7, 18:00 – CAKE Chat
• Wednesday 9, 19:30 – Main Meeting: Gentle Beginner Yoga
• Thursday 17, 20:15- Publess Quiz on Zoom
• Saturday 19, 14:00 – Crafternoon
• Wednesday 23, 18:30 – Committee Meeting
• Thursday 24, 18:45 – Book Club: Women And Power by Mary Beard
• In person! Sunday 27, 10:00 – Walk ‘n’ Talk, TBC
• In person! Wednesday 30, 14:00 – Cafe Society: The Bean

Recurring Events

Your shortcut to the subgroups

• C.A.K.E Chat: Every first Monday, 18:00
• C.A.K.E. Fighters: Days and times vary
• Craft ‘n’ Chat: Every first Wednesday, 13:00-15:00
• Pub Quiz: Every two weeks during lock-down, 20:15
• Walk ‘n’ Talk: Every first weekend of the month on alternating Saturdays and Sundays – times vary
• Main Meeting: Every second Wednesday, 19:30-21:30
• Tuesday Book Club: Every third Tuesday, 20:00
• Crafternoon: Every third Saturday, 14:00-16:00
• Supper Club: Every third Wednesday, 19:30
• Committee Meeting: Every fourth Wednesday, 18:30
• Cafe Society: Every last Wednesday, 14:00
• Thursday Book Club: Every last Thursday, 18:45

Please get in touch if you would like to lead a subgroup.

For a list of the reading lists for our book groups, please go to our website or check the reminders on our Facebook group.

Walks for the Walk ‘n’ Talk will be listed on our website as soon as they have been planned.

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.