Leicestershire and Rutland Federation of WI's

23/08/2026

Summer at Stoke Golding WI

As always, the months zoom by as we reflect on our busy summer of activities!

In May after our discussions about WI resolutions, we all settled down to make a glass fusion suncatcher in memory of one of our members. It was a very pleasant and creative evening. All of our amazing efforts went back to Smartsy Glass at Ratby to be fired. Members were thrilled with their results.
June was a fun evening enjoying a golf ball quiz, organised by our treasurer, Sue Mottram. It was a great way for members to share their general knowledge and get to know each other.

In July we welcomed Mike Burton and a very well presented and illustrated talk about ‘The Water Babies’. We heard about the conditions of those poor Victorian ‘climbing boys’ aged between four to six years sweeping chimneys as narrow as 9 by 9 inches! Until Lord Shaftesbury’s in interventions and new laws it was a very cruel existence. A very interesting talk.

On a very hot and humid August evening we were introduced to the wonderful work of The Warwickshire & Solihull Blood Bikes charity. They are an organisation, funded entirely by donations. They are all volunteers and the charity is on call 365 days a year. They deliver blood and plasma every evening from Walsgrave hospital to the Air Ambulance at Bagington Airport. They work 12hour shifts and regularly manage about 15-20 jobs a day for the NHS. They transport bloods, breast milk, medical supplies and take blood samples to different hospitals. Their services are offered freely and save the NHS considerable costs and help with emergencies across the West Midlands. An average bike will cover 65,000 miles in three years and operational costs are expensive. The service plays a very vital, reliable and cost-free role for our local hospitals.

We welcomed our new friends from Newton Regis Warwickshire WI on a warm Saturday afternoon in July for a local history walk & talk followed by a delicious afternoon tea.
Our local historian, Eddie Smallwood gave our visitors a guided walk around the village, sharing anecdotes and information about Stoke Golding church, local industries from long ago and events from the past. It was a very successful afternoon which was full of chatter sharing stories about WI events and activities.

22/08/2026

Hinckley Canalside WI – July Meeting

Ginny Davis was our speaker at our July meeting. Her talk was about the mysterious death of Amy Robsart. Amy was the first wife of Robert Dudley. She was 28 years old when she was found dead at the foot of a staircase in Cumnor Place, Oxfordshire, on Sept 8th 1560. A coroner’s inquest concluded that her death was an accident, but the circumstances of her death have been the subject of debate among historians, with 3 main theories dominating: accident, murder or su***de.
Ginny went into a lot of detail about each possibility and then at the end, we had to vote on of them. The vote was a tie as 14 members voted murder and 14 an accident - the rest voted for su***de.

It was an interesting talk and everyone enjoyed hearing about it and participating.

21/08/2026

Glenfield WI

Despite the extremely hot weather, the intrepid members of Glenfield WI attended the August meeting along with personal handheld fans and an assortment of free-standing room fans brought from various homes. This combined effort resulted in a slightly cooler environment for the afternoon! Something to look back on with longing come December perhaps!
Our speakers this month were from ‘Take Heart Leicester’, which is an adult cardiac patient support group based at The Glenfield Hospital. Their Chairman, Peter Read, ably supported by Rosemary, spoke to us about the aims and achievements of the charity. They have both been patients in The Glenfield Hospital at various times and so are very aware of the fears and concerns which are common to all cardiac patients. Meetings and social events are held regularly, where patients can meet for advice or just to socialise with others. All money raised is used for the benefit of patients, whether it be comfortable chairs for visitors to the wards or more specialised equipment for the hospital to use. More information on this charity can be found online by searching ‘Take Heart Leicester’.
We finished the afternoon with a pleasant social time which included refreshments and the opportunity to peruse the preloved jigsaw and books table.
The meeting in September will be a ‘crafty’ occasion when Carolyn Boulter will make a return visit for another afternoon of crafting. Apparently, we will each be making a Christmas Tree Bell decoration. Carolyn always gives plenty of support for those who fear they have two left thumbs and it’s always a fun afternoon of laughter and helping each other out! Visitors are very welcome to this event, and, who knows, you may even discover a previously unrecognised talent for crafting? October is the Annual Meeting so there isn’t a speaker. Visitors are still welcome however, as it’s an excellent opportunity to see how a WI functions behind the scenes.
Glenfield WI meets every second Wednesday of the month at St Peter’s Church Hall, 2-4pm. We are a friendly group, and visitors are very welcome to join us. There is a small fee of £4 for visitors, which includes refreshments.

21/08/2026

💚 Keeping Us Connected 💚
Whether it’s a chat over tea, a craft night, or planning our next event — WI friendships make life a little brighter.

Tell us in the comments — what do you love most about being part of the WI?

20/08/2026

Whissendine WI

After the singing of Jerusalem and this months’s official business, Joy gave a short talk about a truly inspirational woman, Marie Curie. She is known for her work on radioactivity and was the first woman to win a Nobel prize, the first person to win a Nobel prize in two different categories and she and her husband, Pierre, were the first married couple to win a Nobel prize.

We then welcomed back Rachel of Prickleback Urchin Hedgehog Rescue. Five years ago we were the first WI group she ever spoke to and so we were really interested to see the changes that have seen her moving from crates on the dining room table to purpose built air conditioned sheds in her garden. They have recently taken in five hoglets who lost their mother. They have to be hand fed every two hours by dropper, day and night, all this and Rachel and her husband work full-time too. Fortunately they have a couple of trained volunteers who can help out when nesessary. Rachel assesses every hog that comes in to the rescue, often staring for hours down her microscope at poo samples, always the best way to work out what is wrong! It is a costly business and they rely very much on donations from kind people. She has an Amazon wish list if anybody wants to buy them something and she has recently been given charity status so she can now apply for grants.

It was so lovely to have Rachel come and talk to us again, to hear her talk so enthusiastically about hedgehogs it is obvious how much she cares for these endangered creatures. By the way, the name Prickleback Urchin was what her grandad used to call them!

20/08/2026

🏠 WI House – Open for Members

Did you know that WI House is open to members every Monday to Wednesday, 9.30am–2.30pm?

Members are warmly invited to make use of the house for:
✨ Committee meetings
📬 Collecting monthly mailings
☕ Leisure time in the Members’ Room, with refreshments provided

Whether you’re popping in for WI business or simply fancy a relaxed chat in a comfortable space, WI House is here for you. It’s a great place to connect with fellow members and make the most of everything being a WI member offers.

We look forward to welcoming you 💚

19/08/2026

Would You Like to be an IFE?
What is an IFE? The initials IFE stand for Independent Financial Examiner, and it’s pronounced ‘Iffy’, though these folk are far from iffy!

LRFWI has a scheme whereby members (and non-members) are trained to become IFEs to examine the accounts of our WIs at the end of the financial year. As financial statements have to be prepared and checked before WIs’ annual meetings, most of the work will take place during August, September and October.

IFEs are highly valued by the Federation, and the work they do is very important. If you’d like to join our band of IFEs, please do get in touch. For further details please contact the Office on 0116 266 1342 or [email protected]

18/08/2026

📢 Attention WI Members!
Don’t forget — all the key documents, forms, and resources you might need are available anytime on our website. 💻✨

Simply visit the link below to find everything in one convenient place:
👉 https://leicestershire-and-rutland.thewi.org.uk/federation-downloads

Whether you’re planning an event, updating records, or just need some handy info — it’s all there! 🌸

Where possible, WIs are encouraged to make use of LRFWI policies with minimum adjustment to take account of local circumstances.

18/08/2026

Illston on The Hill WI

'Garden Party '

‘The Secret Garden’ remains a classic of English children’s literature, having been written by Frances Hodgson Burnett in 1911. The title of the book could aptly be applied to the lovely garden that was the venue for the WI annual garden party this summer. The garden was enchanting, the more so because it is secluded and completely invisible from the road.
We were guests of committee member Jane Shute, and followed instructions to ‘enter through the garage’ to find ourselves in a beautiful sanctuary of a garden, including waterfall feature leading into a large pool of exotic fish, many flowering plants that are managing to survive the drought, fruit trees and vegetable plantings and, at the end, a run of hens who have a wonderful view over the fields! It was a stunning setting for an excellent supper, comprised of dishes and drinks provided by WI members.
An additional treat was when Jane’s partner John shared his love of miniature railways and showed us an incredible working model of trains and trams moving through a townscape. The miniature buildings, shops, pubs, railway station, business premises, were incredible – all handmade, with working lights. Even the fire engine had a tiny flashing blue light! Everything needed to be put together using a magnifying glass and tweezers. It must have taken hours.
It was altogether a magical evening and our thanks go to Jane, John, and the WI committee for organising and hosting it.

17/08/2026

🎄 Leisure Activities Committee Fundraising Event – Stratford Christmas Market 🎄

** BOOK NOW **

📅 Saturday 28th November 2026
💷 £20 per person

Get into the festive spirit with a magical day out at the Stratford-upon-Avon Christmas Market! ✨

With over 200 high-quality stalls, this much-loved market offers a truly special shopping experience. Enjoy browsing unique gifts, festive treats, and seasonal delights, all set against the backdrop of historic streets sparkling with Christmas lights. Along the way, soak up the atmosphere with live entertainment and performers bringing the town to life — a wonderfully immersive festive experience for all! 🎁

🚌 Coach Details:
Coach 1: Oakham Bus Station, John Street – departs 9.30am
Coach 2: WI House – departs 10.00am
Burbage (Three Pots Rd bus stop LE10 2JJ) – departs 10.30am
Return: Leaving Stratford at 4.00pm

📩 Booking Information:
Please book via your WI or send a completed booking form to WI House and pay by BACS by 11th November 2026.
👉 Please include any mobility requirements when booking.
✅ A completed booking form is essential to secure your ticket.

👨‍👩‍👧‍👦 Family and friends are welcome!
⚠️ Our events are often oversubscribed, so book early to avoid disappointment.

📸 This event may be photographed; we will presume permission unless otherwise informed.