PAPWORTH EVERARD AGM 18th MARCH 2021

PRESIDENT’S STATEMENT

Thank you Joan for your report detailing our year which, sadly, has been the most exceptionally difficult one not just for our Institute as a whole but for each and every one of us.  You have continued Joan to do  a brilliant job as Secretary keeping us up-to-date with all the goings on at CFWI/NWFI and of course sending out emails to the members as and when requested – you are an invaluable member of our Committee.

Thanks also to the whole Committee for your incentive to keep us going through this tough year and to keep PEWI very much in the minds of our members.  The Committee have continued to hold regular meetings on ‘Zoom’ going back to April 2020 when it was all very new to us all.   Thanks in particular to Clair without whom we would never have mastered this new technology!!

As the first lockdown eased somewhat we were delighted to be able to arrange a Picnic in the Park on a lovely sunny August Sunday afternoon where members gathered (safe distanced of course) to enjoy a chat and cuppa/tipple! – it was lovely to see so many members so keen to meet up after having been locked down for several months..  We had a great couple of hours and had hoped to hold another event in September but alas this was not to be due to further restrictions.

We have tried to keep members’ interest by way of quizzes, poems, crafts etc. and indeed as always, you the members, rose to the challenge to support the Papworth Community Group who approached us prior to Christmas to make small tree decorations for the Group to deliver with their Christmas parcels in the community.  We had the most amazing array of items to donate which were gratefully received by the Community Group.

As a treat at Christmas the Committee also purchased and delivered some delicious Christmas Biscuits to each member together with a Christmas card keeping our members in in our thoughts at this time of year.  Again in February 2021 lovely little plants were delivered to the members around Valentine’s day with the message – share the love!

Thanks to Joyce, Lyn and Rita, our choir, Lyrical voices meet each Wednesday on Zoom to sing along to selected songs chosen from our past rehearsals and some new music.  This has been a lovely way of members keeping in touch and enjoying a sing at the same time.  Thanks to all that continue to support our choir.

We held our first ‘Zoom’ Members meeting in February 2021 and, to the delight of the Committee, around 18 members joined us for a really nice evening.  Our own Programme Secretary Daphne gave a great talk and demonstration on Nurturing and Nourishing ourselves during the pandemic.  We hope to continue monthly Zoom meetings until we can meet face-to-face in the future. Our programme going forward is looking more exciting for the forthcoming year and we do hope that this will come to fruition sooner rather than later

On a personal note thank you all for continuing to support our Institute and we look forward to moving forward together in 2021.

Pat Martin, President