REPORTS for 2004 by Treorchy WI Secretary Sheila Ellis.

NOVEMBER 2004

Treorchy Wi President Mrs Pauline Worman welcomed members to the November meeting. 

Our best wishes go to all our members who are ill.

Congratulations to Rae Ceasar who recently celebrated a “special” birthday

Thanks to all who supported and helped in our recent Halloween Fete and made it such a success. Special thanks to Meirion who dressed as Merlin and encouraged passers-by to come in, and to Eirlys who went around all the members for contributions.  

A list of raffle ticket winners was on display. A list was also up for those wishing to go to Winter Showtime at the Princess Theatre, Port Talbot on the 24^th November.

A Service of Christmas Readings and Carols will be held in St. Matthew’s Church on Thursday, 9^th December at 7pm. Mince pies will be served in the Church Hall after the service.

The WI Choir gave an enjoyable concert in Bethlehem Chapel on the 2^nd November.

Kath Davies gave a solo, Kath Evans recited a monologue and our conductor Mary Price gave a recitation in Welsh..

Our thanks to Mary and Sioned (our accompanist) and to the members of Bethlehem Chapel who helped to make our evening so enjoyable.

The Kitchen Band are entertaining members of Ty Glyndwr Nursing Home during the coming week.

Enid Davies introduced the members who made up the Any Questions Panel – Leighton Davies (AM), Paul Cannon (Law and Order), Graham Dunn (Fox Hunting) and Geraint Davies (Pharmacist). Margaret Evans acted as Chairperson.

As always, this was a very enjoyable evening, with the members answering the various questions put to them in an informative and amusing manner. Margaret was a superb Chairperson and added her own amusing quips at the end of each discussion.

Mrs Myra Phillips thanked the panel for giving up their valuable time, and for coming along and giving us such an enjoyable and enlightening evening. Thanks also to Anna and Enid for arranging the Forum.

OCTOBER 2004

President Mrs Pauline Worman welcomed members to the WI’s Annual General Meeting.

Quite a number of our members are not well. Both Beryl Jones and Averil Bowen are home from hospital and we hope that they will soon be feeling much better. Pauline was please to see Ann Ferguson and Mair Humphreys at the meeting, also Betty and Joyce.

This month the Choir gave an enjoyable concert at Ystradfechan House, the Kitchen Band gave a concert in Pontygwaith and the Performing Arts Group held a very successful concert in the RAFA Club.

Calendars and Diaries are now available - please see Ann Thomas.

Our President welcomed WI Adviser Mavis Tierney to the Meeting.

The Annual Report was read and adopted. Our Treasurer, Judith James, presented the Financial Statement for the year 2003-2004.

In her address, the President was grateful to the Committee for their support and work during the past year. A special thank you to Edna Morgan, who was standing down from the Committee, for her loyalty and support.

There are many to say a big thank you to – all the groups who are an integral part of our WI – Mair Bowen (Yoga), Mary Henry Price (Choir), Jean Price (Craft), Anita Bound (Kitchen Band), Enid, Anna and Margaret (the Performing Arts Group); to Betty Jones who looks after our savings every month; to our Secretary Sheila and to Judith who has come through her first year as Treasurer successfully and has done a fine job.

Huge thanks to Avis and Glenys for the ever-ready cup of tea and biscuits and finally I would like to thank all our members who come along and give their support to all our activities.

Committee for 2004-2005: Vice-President Milwyn Pearce, Secretary Sheila Ellis, Treasurer Judith James.

Committee Members: Anita Bound, Eirlys Davies, Dianne John, Beryl Jones, Marian Jones, Ann Phillips, Eira Richards and Anne Thomas.

Pauline Worman was elected as President for the coming year.

In her address, Mavis Tierney wished the WI success in their future activities, and hoped she would be invited to come along to them.

Next month’s meeting is the Any Questions Forum. The Panel Members are Leighton Andrews (AM), Mr Paul Cannon (Law and Order), Graham Dunn (Fox Hunting) and Geraint Davies (Pharmacy). Questions for discussion by the Panel should be given to Enid Davies.

Our Fete will take place on 30^th October, everyone is asked to please support this event.

The raffle was won by Pat Scane, Mair Humphreys and Edwina Sass.

SEPTEMBER 2004

WI President Mrs Pauline Worman welcomed members to the September meeting.

A special welcome was given to our guests Jane, Pat and Nancy and a really warm welcome to our GFWI Chairman Teg Curnell.

Mair Humphrey and Betty Preece have both been poorly recently and our best wishes go to them for a speedy return to good health.

A poster was on display from Pencoed College giving details of their forthcoming courses.

A list was up for members wishing to be nominated for next year’s Committee and a list was also up for the Half Yearly Council Meeting on the 25^th October.

The competition for this month’s meeting is a poster to promote “This Clean and Pleasant Land”.

WI Day on the 25th September is our Fun Sports Day. Anita outlined to members what the Fun Sports Day would entail. It was hoped that everyone would come along and join in to make this a fun afternoon.

Pauline thanked Anita for all the hard work she has done to make this afternoon a success.

Anyone interested in having a WI diary for 2005 please see Ann Thomas.

Joyce informed the meeting that the menus for the Christmas Dinner will be given out at next month’s meeting.. Joyce said how much she, Margaret, Linda and Eira had enjoyed their visit to Tonteg WI in July.

Eirlys, Esme and Gwyneth went along to Ton WI and had a lovely evening there where they met visitors from Taunton.

The Performing Arts Group will be putting on a show in the RAFA Club on the 29^th September.

Our guest speaker for the evening was Jan Smith who spoke about the art of Sugar Making. We all enjoyed watching Jan making lovely flowers, butterflies and all sorts of dainty arrangements out of icing.

Myra Phillips thanked Jan for coming along and giving us such an interesting and enjoyable talk, and for making such a delicate art look so easy.

Next month’s meeting is the Annual General Meeting.

AUGUST 2004

This year’s Annual Outing of Treorchy WI was to the Forest of Dean. Our first stop was the Taurus Craft Centre where members enjoyed browsing around the lovely gift shops.

We then proceeded to the Dean Forest Railway, where we were met by Bernard and Sheila Davies. Bernard is one of the founder members of the Dean Railway and was able to explain how it had all started.

We then took the steam train as far as Lydney and then had a diesel train journey into the start of the Forest of Dean.

Our evening meal was at the picturesque Boat Inn at Chepstow, where we all enjoyed a truly scrumptious meal.Our thanks to Christine and Milwyn for organising such an enjoyable trip, and to Bernard and Sheila for meeting us at the Dean Forest Railway and making the trip so interesting.

Our next month’s speaker is Jan Smith who will be talking about sugar craft. Future events are the Fun Sports Day on the 15^th September and our Fete on the 30^th October.

JULY 2004

At the commencement of our meeting, Vice-President Mrs Milwyn Pearce reminded members that we are required to comply with Health & Safety and Fire Regulations at any WI meeting or event.

After the singing of ‘Jerusalem’, our President Mrs Pauline Worman welcomed members to the meeting and was pleased to hear that Betty Preece is now home from hospital. We send her our love and best wishes for a speedy recovery.

Congratulations to Beth and Phillip Roberts on the arrival of their new grandson.

Members from our WI will be visiting Ton Pentre WI and Tonteg WI this month as part of the Swop Shop.

Posters on display were for a Flower Festival in Rhossili, the Half Yearly Council Meeting on the 25^th October and for the Welsh Food and Agricultural Festival to be held at Ynysangharad Park on the 3^rd and 4^th July.

The competition for the Half Yearly Council meeting is a Poster to promote “This Clean and Pleasant Land” (the WI Theme for 2005).

The Gwyneth Jarman Competition for 2005 is an essay of 500 words “What I Get Out of WI” or “A WI Experience”.

Newsletter: Our Vice President Milwyn Pearce drew members attention to various items of interest in the Newsletter. Thanks to Marian Evans who umpired the Bowls Tournament at the Regional Sports Day, and also to Ann and Dianne who took part.

A Poem and Pints evening will be held in the Autumn.

Members were reminded that our Annual Trip this year to the Forest of Dean is on Wednesday, 4^th August.

Future events: A list was up for any member wishing to compete in our Fun Sports Day on the 15^th September. This will commence at 1.30pm. It is also proposed to hold a Halloween Fete on the 30^th October.

Our President welcomed our guest speaker for the evening Cennard Davies.

Cennard had stepped in at short notice and gave a very interesting talk about Treorchy form the early 1860’s when his great grandfather came here as a builder.

It was very interesting to learn how Treorchy developed during this time and how the population increased rapidly, how Chapels sprung up and were community meeting places as well as places of worship.

Pauline thanked Cennard for giving us such an interesting talk about our local community.

JUNE 2004

WI President Mrs Pauline Worman welcomed members to the June meeting. We were particularly pleased to welcome Pauline and Kathleen from Llanharry WI and Elsie and Enid from Miskin & Mwyndy WI.

Congratulations to Avis and John Phillips who recently celebrated their Golden Wedding Anniversary.

Members were sorry to learn that Betty Preece has been admitted into hospital. We hope she will soon be fully recovered.

Programmes were on sale this evening for the Gymanfa Ganu to be held on the 15^th June at Bethlehem. Treorchy Comprehensive School Choir will perform items from Musical Shows in a 30-40 minute stint halfway through the Gymanfa.

Pauline thanked members for supporting the various events which have taken place this year.

Two to four members from our WI have been invited to visit Tonteg WI on Tuesday 20^th July.

On sale were WI bags at a cost of £1. As the WI organisation is strongly opposed to plastic bags issued by supermarkets, members were urged to buy a bag and help the environment in this way.

Newsletter: Our Vice President Mrs Milwyn Pearce drew members attention to various items of interest in the Newsletter, particularly the good news that Carolyn Davies has become joint Federation Vice Chairman with Linda Allen.

Outings: Christine outlined the proposed trip to the Forest of Dean on the 4^th August. A poster is up for an Olde Tyme Musical Evening by Spotlight at the Phoenix Theatre on Thursday and Friday, 17^th & 18^th June.

Kath Evans is reciting a monologue during the first and second half of the show.

Members were asked for ideas for the WI Day on the 15^th September. The most popular idea was a Fun Sports Day, where members could take part in an egg and spoon race, passing the beanbag and all sorts of activities.

The raffle was won by Enid Davies, Maureen Jones and Pat Scane

Our guest speaker for the evening was Mrs Jane Brownutt, who came along at short notice and gave a wonderful talk about the art of bell ringing. Jane goes around schools teaching pupils the art, playing hand bells.

This was a very interesting talk made all the more enjoyable when members of our WI took part and mastered the tune of the Ash Grove.

MAY 2004

In welcoming members to the May meeting, WI President Mrs Pauline Worman said how pleased she was at such a good attendance at the Resolutions Meeting.

Our best wishes go to Beryl Jones’ mother who has broken a bone in her foot. 

Our sympathy and thoughts are with Mair (Blaen) and her husband Gwyn on the death of Mair’s sister in law.

Members were reminded of the arrangements for the Drama Evening at the Berwyn Theatre on the 15^th May.

Posters advertising the forthcoming Gymanfa Ganu in Bethlehem Chapel on the 15^th June would be available soon. Members are urged to bring along a friend, and if possible their husbands as it would be nice to have some male voices in the congregation.

The Annual Trip this year has been arranged by Christine (Jones) and Milwyn, it is to the Forest of Dean calling at the Tarus Craft Centre for morning coffee and then ending the day with an evening meal in Chepstow.

Members please note that this trip is on Wednesday 4^th August. 

Members were also asked to think of any ideas (funky or otherwise) for the proposed WI Day on 15^th September.

Our Vice President, Milwyn Pearce, drew members’ attention to various items of interest in the Newsletter.

Milwyn also informed the meeting of the enjoyable evening she and three other members from our WI had when they attended Tonyrefail WI as part of their Swap Shop.

Our WI will be inviting members from Llanharry WI and Miskin and Mwyndy WI to our June meeting.

The meeting split into three groups to discuss the Resolutions. Milwyn spoke about the Trafficking of Women and Children, Eirlys on the Growing of GM Crops and Anita on Air Ambulance Funding.

Our thanks to Milwyn, Eirlys and Anita for making the three topics so interesting.

Members then enjoyed looking at photographs of past WI events, and a cup of tea - and as a special treat – cakes made by members of the Committee.

The raffle winners were Milwyn Pearce, Sandra Morgan and Betty Jones.

APRIL 2004

Treorchy WI President Mrs Pauline Worman gave a warm welcome to all members and welcomed Jackie and Linda to the meeting.

Congratulations to June and Byron who celebrated their Gloden Wedding Anniversary recently and also to Eirwen and Bill who celebrated their Ruby Anniversary.

Tonyrefail WI won this year’s Gwyneth Jarman Plate. All the entries were of a very high standard, and congratulations go to Pat Scane and Rae Caesar whose entries were brought along to our monthly meeting so that members could enjoy seeing them at first hand.

Posters were up for two events, which have been arranged by the Arts and Leisure Committee of GWFI. 

The first being the Berwyn Theatre Evening on the 19^th May.This will be an evening of short plays performed by Ton WI, Treherbert WI and Treorchy WI with other guests taking part, making it an enjoyable evening to look forward to.

The Gymanfa Ganu will take place in Bethlehem Chapel on the 15^th June, admission by programme costing £2. The Treorchy Comprehensive School Choir will take part in the Gymanfa which we are thrilled about. It is hoped that these two events will be well supported by members and, of course, outsiders are also very welcome to come along and enjoy two very different but highly enjoyable evenings.

The guest speaker we had arranged for April was unable to make it, so we welcomed Lynne Davies who stepped in at short notice. Lynne spoke about the intricacies of embroidery and came armoured with beautiful cushions, tapestry work, and lots of pictures all made out of delicate silks and wools. It was a most enjoyable evening. Christine Jones thanked Lynne for coming along at such short notice and for sharing with us all her wonderful designs.

We had two raffles this month. Mary Webb, Avis Phillips and Margaret Harris winning in the first raffle and the second being won by Ann Phillips, Beryl Jones and Ann Thomas.

MARCH 2004

President Pauline Worman welcomed members to the St. David’s Day meeting.

It was with great sadness that our President informed the meeting that one of our faithful members Caryl Hughes had passed away. Members observed a minute’s silence in memory of Caryl, who will be sadly missed by all who knew and loved her.

Congratulations to the Kitchen Band who took part in the recent Roy Noble Show. Pauline read a letter from the BBC thanking those members who made potato cakes, carrot cakes, jam and toffee from wartime recipes. Everyone enjoyed them.

Entries for the Easter Toy need to be in this weekend, thanks to Jean Price and Beryl Jones who have arranged to have theses judged locally.

Members were asked if they were interested in attending the Annual Council Meeting on 24^th April in Port Talbot.There is also a Bowls Tournament in Porthcawl on 17^th April.

Members enjoyed a social evening of a ham and salad supper, followed by the ‘surprise’ entertainment for the evening, which had been arranged by our President.

This was a group of very talented pupils from Treorchy Comprehensive School who delighted everyone by singing a range of songs from West End Musicals.

This was a treat we all thoroughly enjoyed.

Our President thanked the pupils for coming along and making the evening so enjoyable and congratulated Helen May who conducts and encourages these lovely voices. Stuart Roberts provided the perfect accompaniment and our thanks go to him.

FEBRUARY 2004

Treorchy WI President Mrs Pauline Worman welcomed members to the meeting especially two new members Sheila and Valerie, and was pleased to see Esme back after breaking her wrist before Christmas.

Caryl Hughes has been unwell recently but is now recovering. Best wishes for a speedy recovery go to Michael Rosser, Christine Evans’ son-in-law who recently underwent major surgery but hopefully is now well on the way to recovery.

One of our past members Rachel Davies passed away suddenly and our thoughts are with her family, who have had a very sad time recently.

The President read a letter from Margaret Wilkins and her brother Peter thanking members of the WI for their kind messages of sympathy and flowers and for their attendance at the funeral. Mrs Jones will be sadly missed in the community.

Lists are up for the Group Meeting at the Phoenix Theatre on the 24^th March and for the proposed Denman College weekend and for our St David’s Day supper next month, cost is £2.

Roy Noble is in the Park and Dare on Monday 23^rd February.  Our WI has been asked to help make tea and provide cakes for the crew.

Anyone interested in helping out please see Pauline, bearing in mind we need to be in the Park and Dare by 8am. Our Kitchen Band has been asked to take part in the show.

The WI calendars are now on sale at £1. Also available are bulb leaflets and SAGA holiday leaflets.

Members are reminded that the Easter toy for the Gwyneth Jarman competition needs to be in by the end of this month.

This year’s Christmas Dinner will be held at the Ty Newydd Country Hotel, Hirwaun, on the 2^nd December. Many thanks to Betty for all the phone calls she has made about the dinner.

Our guest speaker for the evening was Cennard Davies who kept us all enthralled with his talk about the History of the Rhondda in the early 1900’s, when ballads were written mainly about tragedies.

It was a hugely interesting talk and we look forward to having Cennard back very soon. The vote of thanks was given by Christine Jones.

JANUARY 2004

Treorchy WI President Mrs. Pauline Worman welcomed members to the January meeting and wished everyone a Happy and more importantly Healthy New Year.It was lovely to see so many members who had braved the awful weather.

Good wishes were extended to members who had been ill over the Christmas holidays, we hope that Betty Preece is recovering after sustaining an injury to her foot.

Our best wishes for a speedy recovery go to Margaret Wilkins’ mother who is a patient at the Royal Glamorgan Hospital and also to Olwen Milward’s husband Leslie who has been transferred from London to Llwynypia Hospital.

Out thoughts are with June Thomas and her family on the loss of her brother Ken in December.

A warm welcome was given to new member Edwina Sass.

The Annual Christmas Dinner at the Penrhys Golf Club had been enjoyed by members, and the service of Carols and Readings at St. Matthew’s Church had been very successful, with the collection of £100 being donated to Church funds.

Members are reminded that entries for the Gwyneth Jarman competition of an Easter Toy need to be in before the end of February.

Our March meeting will be our St. David’s Day Supper and the Committee will need to know by the next meeting how many members will be coming along.

The proposed date for the Gymanfa Ganu is sometime in June.

Our guest speaker for the evening was Shena Sarjeant who gave a talk on Cooking with Exotic Fruits.

Shena demonstrated how to make chicken kiwi, followed by a passion fruit pavlova.

She also brought along a greta variety of different exotic fruits which we were able to sample.

Christine Jones thanked Shena for coming along and brightening up our evening with thoughts of exotic places.

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