PAPWORTH EVERARD WOMEN’S INSTITUTE
ANNUAL MEETING – 16TH MARCH 2022 DEFERRED TO 20TH APRIL 2022
PRESIDENT’S STATEMENT
Thank you Joan for your Report detailing our year which has been a combination of ‘Zoom’ meetings and face-to-face. However, since September we have managed to meet regularly face-to-face at the Studio after nearly 18 months of Lockdown. Naturally some members were a little nervous to return initially, but I believe we are now looking forward to a full year of meetings at The Studio – fingers crossed!!
Despite the rising costs, the Committee have worked extremely hard to keep us all involved with many wonderful speakers on Zoom, and with some lovely chatty crafty evenings at The Studio – something I know many members find really joyful after such a long time ‘locked-up’ and they continue to work and plan for the coming year with a programme that will I am sure please everybody.
We started our face-to-face meetings back in July with another successful Picnic in the Park and have enjoyed many lunches at various venues including a great Christmas Dinner evening at the George & Dragon in Elsworth. So far this year we have enjoyed Afternoon Tea at the local garden centre, a trip to Milton Keynes Theatre with another trip to Cambridge Arts Theatre at the beginning of April.
Our choir Lyrical voices have now resumed face-to-face weekly evenings with Penny our musical director following a year of Zoom sing alongs which were great fun but nothing like the ‘real thing’. Everyone was so pleased to be back in full voice at The Studio.
I want to take this opportunity to thank every single member of the Committee for their unfailing support over the past year – they have the most wonderful team spirit and have provided our members with memorable evenings under very difficult circumstances.
On a special note I want to thank our outgoing Treasurer Janet for the amazing job she has done over the last 3 years – making sure our bank balance is healthy – despite all her cruises!
We will miss you Janet but I know you will be there to help and encourage Charlotte who we now welcome to take over the role of Treasurer – thank you Charlotte for coming forward – we know you will do a fantastic job.
And a farewell to Clair – without whom our Zoom meetings would not have happened – not only the Members meetings, but all the Committee Meetings too. How will we manage without you Clair! I know again you will be happy to support us with any technical issues in the future and we thank you so much for all the advice you have given over the past !!! years!
Finally – a big thank you to all of you – our members – without your support there would be no Papworth WI – we share a fantastic friendship between us all and long may it continue.