2025

2025

2025 has proven to be another good year for our WI. Over the year we've been busy in the local community once again, whilst two of our members had celebrations of their own. We did have a temporary move for our birthday meeting in October due to more work in the Town Hall, but it was only for one month thankfully and we were expecting it. Membership continues to remain steady with only a small decrease in numbers. Our sub-groups continue to be very active and are going from strength to strength.

January

At January's meeting we welcomed a four legged friend from The Cinammon Trust but typically our regular photographer managed to not take a picture of the meeting,  which is proof that it was a very interesting talk. However, she did remember along with another member, to at least take photos during the walking group's trip to Norwich, when they followed a route from the Cathedral to the Aviva Building to see the marble hall.

Group photo outside St Andrews church at the start of the walk	Multicoloured pigeons at  Norwich Market
Inside the AVIVA building	Group photo two next to a coin covered  dragon.

February

Saw our crafters doing their bit for the Show the Love campaign by placing Green Hearts in the Stalham area. There was also a visit by members to the other cathedral in Norwich on what turned out to be a very wet morning.

The crafters were busy making and placing green hearts	Another of the hearts placed in Stalham on February 14th
The Tower of the Roman Catholic Cathedral  of St John The Baptist	Paula our Secretary 's Great Grandfather Howman was a stonemason who worked on the building.

April

At our April meeting we welcomed Angela Bishop who regaled us with Washday Tales from the 1950/60's . We also entered a team into the WI Advisors quiz (we didn't win but we didn't come last).  Our walkers also started their Summer programme with a short walk past the nearby Sutton Fen (there isn't much to see apart from some Highland cows, but the weather was nice).

Angela entertains us with her wash day memories talk  which included chamberpots	Enjoying the sun
Our Quiz Team minus Rosie Meades and  Paula Park

May

During  May we  assisted the local town council both with the Town's Annual meeting  by providing a table buffet and once again lending our poppy collection for the 80th Anniversary celebration of DDay. At the meeting our Secretary Paula Park collected a small grant which we had been awarded to purchase two airpot flasks and some net food covers. At the DDay celebration she once again represented  us  when she placed a LED candle in remembrance of the women who supported the war effort on the home front.

Pre-meeting discussions of the committee	Talk on Foot Health by  Ian Sadler
Award of a small grant from the Town Council for the purchase of catering items	The poppy display with the WI Poppies for  the 80th Anniversary of VE Day Celebration

June

We learnt about the work of the East Coast Truckers at the June meeting, who provide holidays and an annual event for disabled children and their families.  Members also attended the Federation's Event at Wiveton Hall on what was possibly one of the hottest days of the year. We had our first social event of the year when members had an afternoon tea at The Sea Marge Hotel in Overstrand. Finally we were able to do our bit to improve the look of our town and reaffirm a WI link by arranging the refurbishment of Stalham's wooden town sign which had been originally commissioned and paid for by the original Stalham WI.

Rosie Meades and Anne Bolton being served  Afternoon Tea at The Sea Marge Hotel	Attendees at The Sea Marge Hotel
Members enjoying the talk on the East Coast Truckers	The restored Town SIgn which had been  commissioned and paid for by the original Stalham WI in 1972

July

Our meeting in July was a little bit noisier than normal as we had invited the Broadland Ukes to show off their musical skills. Naturally members were encouraged to sing along to  a mix of genres some more vocal than others.

View from behind of the monthly meeting	View from the front

August

At our meeting in August our members created  small brooches/card decorations using clay and napkins - a simple but very effective piece of crafting. Our second social event took place at a member's house when we held our own garden party. Members also visited the Plantation Gardens in Norwich, a beautiful place of calm in a busy city.

Creation at the meeting	Sample of the final product
Garden Party Attendees	Snapshot looking down the Plantation Gardens in Norwich

September

September was a very successful month for two members who came away from the local horticultural autumn show with no fewer than  six first prizes and one third prize for their work.

Some of members winning entries to the Stalham's Autumn Horticultural Show

October

October is when we celebrate our formation. This year was our fourth birthday and despite being 'on the road' again due to work in the Town Hall  we were still able to welcome visitors from nearby WIs. This year our cake was made and decorated by Anne Bolton and for possibly the first time ever everyone who wanted cake received some.

Members enjoying our 4th Birthday  Celebration in the Poppy Centre in Stalham	Cheryl Cade entertained us all at the meeting with a cheesy talk.
The wonderful birthday cake created by Anne

November

November was possibly the busiest month of the year what with one fundraising event, the start of annual Christmas Tree display,  a joint event for our walkers with members from other WIs, poppy displays and of course our Annual Meeting after which we had a craft session preparing decorations for the tree.

Some of the heart decorations made at our Annual Meeting	One of our poppy displays with members Rosemarie Murphy, Caroline Berriman and Rosalyn Skerrett
Our stall at the town's Christmas Lights Switch On	Our bystanders can be lifesavers tree at the Tree Festival
Someone caught our Secretary Paula Park being 'sensible'

December

No meeting this month, just the Christmas meal this year which took place at The Sea Marge Hotel. Our resident naughty elf (who spends the rest of the year pretending to be our Secretary which probably explains a few things...) once more provided a gift for all the attendees and supplied santa hats all round which may have fallen off the back of a sleigh, we didn't really investigate. There was also time for one last fundraiser with a craft stall at the town's Yuletide Street Fayre.

Our stall at the Stalham Yuletide Fayre	The Stalham Naughty Elf's Bag of Surprises
Members enjoying the Christmas Meal at The Sea Marge Hotel