Looking Ahead to What's On

2018 -  was our super  Centenary Year (click here)
NEW -  May 2024 Northamptonshire Federation Newsletter

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Tuesday 30 April 2024  SPRINGFIELDS OUTLET SHOPPING, CRAFT & LEISURE
Coach only Members £25, non-Members £28
As well as being in a lovely setting, Springfields in Spalding has a well equipped craft barn, along with a variety of outlet shops offering up to 60% reductions. There are cafes and restaurants to suit all tastes. Relax for a moment in the adjacent gardens to savour the beautiful flowers and laugh at the cheeky ducks. Application form with your Secretary. Ticket Allocation Date Monday 18 March 2024.

Sunday 5th and Monday 6th May 2024  KELMARSH SHOW
Members of the Board of Trustees, sub committees and WIs will be manning a promotional and information stand in the Local Club and Interest Marquee, so please come and say hello. It promises to be a great event with plenty to see and do for all the family

Saturday 11 May 2024  WALK NENE VALLEY WETLANDS – RUSHDEN LAKES
9.45am for 10am start    5 miles.
Meeting outside the new Nene Welland Valley Visitor Centre, located in the Rushden Retail Park, we explore new and old paths through that area of the Welland valley, including the Sculpture Trail and the Skew Bridge Loop. There is a good variety of eating places about the retail and leisure park adjacent to the Wetlands.
Venue: Nene Wetlands Visitor Centre, Boardwalk, Rushden Lakes, Rushden, NN10 6FA

Friday 17 May 2024   CHELMSFORD NATIONAL FLOWER SHOW, ESSEX  
Coach only Members £28, non-Members £31 Projected Ticket cost: £20, payable on the day
The ticket (purchase on the day) includes entry to: Hylands House, whose flower theme this year is “Hollywood @ Hylands”; the Floral Pavilion; the Country and Home Pavilion; the Craft and Gift Pavilion; the Food and Drink Pavilion; and the largest outdoor show area to date! Hopefully the day will be fine so that we can see the show at its best. Some of the exhibits are in the themed Pavilions, so it should not be too much of a problem if we do get some inclement weather! No doubt there will be something you will want to buy. Application Form with your Secretary. Ticket allocation Date Monday 8 April 2024

Friday 17  May 2024 at 10am  and Friday 24 May 2024 at 2pm
GREAT BILLING WATER TREATMENT CENTRE
Cost: £3, Members only (numbers restricted)
Following last year’s resolution looking at river water quality, learn more of the facts behind waste water treatment Application Form with your Secretary. Ticket allocation Date Monday 8 April 2024

Friday 24 May 10am  SUMMER COFFEE MORNING  £3, including coffee and cake
WI House  10am to 12 noon
An opportunity to hear about the work of The Nene River Valley Trust from our speaker, Molly Simpson.  No need to book. Just turn up.

Saturday 8 June  LOIS WEEDON Area walk
9.45am for 10am start.  Approxc 5.5 miles
The walk is along footpaths and bridleways to the hamlet of Astwell, past Astwell Mill and returning through fields via Wappenham. There will be short break midway. Lois Weedon and Weston WI are providing a salad buffet lunch with (of course) a variety of homemade cakes at a cost of £10 per person. Please let the leaders know by Friday 31 May if you intend to come along Venue: Lois Weedon Village Hall, Milthorpe, NN12 8PP

Wednesday 12 June 2024  BADDESLEY CLINTON AND PACKWOOD HOUSE
Coach only Members £25, non-Members £28
For non NT members entry price is £14.30 at each house - £28.60 in total
A final reminder of our visit to Baddesley Clinton and Packwood Houseon 12 June. Apply early – there may still be a place available. Not too far to travel and the sunshine is on order!! Application Form with your Secretary. Ticket allocation date Monday 6 May 2024

Friday 14 June 2024   GREAT BIG GREEN WEEK  Cost Members £10, non-Members £13 (includes cream tea) Great Houghton Village Hall  2pm - 4pm
Bring your friends and enjoy a delicious cream tea as we mark The Great Big Green Week. Our expert speaker, Brian Eversham, CEO, Bedfordshire, Cambridgeshire and Northamptonshire Wildlife Trust, will talk about how local wildlife has responded to Climate Change, and how we can help. Application Form with your Secretary. Ticket allocation date Tuesday 7 May

Wednesday 26 June 2024 7pm  PRESIDENTS AND SECRETARIES WORKSHOP
WI House  7pm    Members Only £5
If you are new to either of these roles in your WI, or feel that you could do with a refresher, do come along to this joint workshop, where members of the Membership & Training Sub-Committee will be pleased to help. We will cover essential information and your responsibilities in supprting the running of your WI. Useful hints and tips and exchanges of ideas with other participants are also helpful. We will also show you where to find information and guidance, with handouts to assist you in your roles. Application Form with your Secretary. Ticket allocation date Monday 3 June

Friday 5th July SUMMER COFFEE MORNING and DABBLE MORNING  WI House
WI House  10am to 12.00 noon  Entry £4.00  
Members of the Arts, Sport and Leisure Committee will be will be running the July Coffee and Craft Dabble morning. There will be a chance to watch various craft demonstrations, as well as craft packs to buy and then try at home. A real treat at only £4 entry, with delicious tea/coffee and cake and your dabble experience included. If craft is not your interest then please do come along for the cake and ALSO we look forward to making the County Raffle draw. Could you be a winner?

Wednesday 10 July 2024  SPEAKERS SELECTION EVENING
WI House  7pm to 9pm  Maximum of 2 Members per WI. Tickets are £3 each.
These are very popular evenings, showcasing future speakers for you to consider and book for your members evenings. They get booked up quickly so please get your application in early. Application Form with your Secretary. Ticket allocation date Tuesday 24 June

Monday 15 July  2pm and Tuesday 16 July 7pm FRAUD AND CYBER CRIME PRESENTATION
with Q & A NORTHAMPTONSHIRE POLICE        WI House    FREE EVENT
Have you been scammed? Are you frightened of being scammed? Not sure what to look out for, or what to do if you are scammed? Come along to one of these events. PC Joanne Barlow, from Northamptonshire Police Economic Crime Unit, will provide information on Fraud and Cyber Crime, and help and advice on keeping safe and avoiding phone/text and email scams.
Application Form with your Secretary. Ticket allocation date Tuesday 7 May

Saturday 20 July 2024   ODELL and HARROLD COUNTRY PARK
9.45am for 10am start Approx. 4 Miles
Odell, our meeting point, is a very old village that can trace its origins back to Roman and Saxon times. The country park has two picturesque lakes, river meadows alongside the River Great Ouse, a Nature Reserve and a range of managed habitats. There is a single stile. Please let the leaders know by Thursday 11 July if you wish to book a meal.
Venue: The Bell, 81 High Street, Odell MK43 7AS

Tuesday 30 July 2024  TREASURERS ON-LINE WORKSHOP
WI House  7pm Members Only £5
Do you do your WI accounts online, or would you like to do them online? If yes, and you would like some help, do come along to WI House and members of the Membership & Training team will take you through the information that is available to assist you. There will be time to practice the skills needed, with tea/coffee provided.
Application Form with your Secretary. Ticket allocation date Monday 1 July

Wednesday 11 September  TRIP TO LINCOLN -
Members £27, non-Members £30. Coach only
Enjoy a day in Lincoln, home of a beautiful Cathedral dating back to 1543, and a castle built by William the Conqueror in 11th century (pre-existed by a Roman fortress) - one of only two castles with two mottes and the only place to see an original copy of the Magna Carta. There is a shuttle bus to take you up Steep Hill (formerly known as Ermine Street) should you require this to visit both. Entry to castle grounds is free, and there are a selection of 300 shops and plenty of eateries.
Application Form with your Secretary next month. Ticket allocation date Monday 29 Jul

Saturday 5 October    CRAFT FAIR   £12 per table
WI House  10.30am to 1.30pm  
Tables are for WI members only and there will be no external traders at this event. To assist with administration and invoicing tables must be booked through your WI secretary. Tables will be allocated on a ‘first come. first serve’ basis and, depending on uptake, may have to be limited to one per WI. All are welcome to come along and enjoy the refreshments available throughout the event. Application Form with your Secretary this month. Closing date Monday 15 July 2024

Saturday 9 November CANDLE-MAKING WORKSHOPS
WI House  10am to 12.30pm AND 1.30pm to  4.00 pm W
Members £18 Non-members £23 PLUS £7.50 PAYABLE TO THE TUTOR ON THE DAY FOR MATERIALS
Tina Bodsworth has been making candles for about 8 years. Her workshop is all about learning something new and having fun. Tina will explain the candle-making process, how to use the dedicated melt equipment, and how to prepare your candle container. You’ll hear about some common candle making problems and how to look after your candles. You’ll also decorate your candle boxes and enjoy some refreshments. At the end of the session you’ll have a hand-poured Christmas fragranced candle in a 9cl-votive glass container, a decorated box, and a 4-clam wax melt. Application Form with your Secretary. Allocation date Monday 25 September

Friday 22 November 2024  A LITERARY LUNCH
11am to 3 pm Delta Hotels (Marriott Hotel) Northampton Members only, £35
Once again, the literary lunch will be at the Marriott Hotel, Northampton and we have managed to keep the price the same as last year. Our speaker is local author Graham Brack. Graham has written fourteen crime novels in two series. As an unpublished author he was (uniquely) shortlisted three times for the Crime Writers Association’s Debut Dagger prize but never managed to win it. He now combines writing with being a Church of England curate in Northamptonshire, but for forty years Graham and his wife Gillian (a WI member!) worked as pharmacists before retiring in 2018. They have a son and a daughter, and three granddaughters aged 10, 7 and 4. Menu and Application Form with your secretary this month. Ticket allocation date Monday 9 September 2024