In January we welcomed Katie Brumley who spoke to us about Organising and Decluttering. She began her own business https://organisetothrive.co.uk/ three years ago when during Lockdown she found time to reassess her life and surroundings. Katie realised she had too much “stuff” and so started sorting it room by room and she thoroughly enjoyed the process. She then helped her parents when they downsized their home and then her sister asked for help. She realised the difference it made to them and as she enjoyed it as well, took the step to form her own business and go full time. Katie gave us various reasons why we hold on to items including sentimental, guilt, our hopes that one day we really WILL fit into the jeans when we had as a 20 year old! We also are sometimes overwhelmed by all our items that we don’t know where to start so shut the door to it and hope it will go away by itself (it doesn’t!)
She gave us a very helpful handout about The Process of Decluttering & Organising, which I can send you if you would like to have one. Katie then went on to give us ideas of what to do with the discarded items if they are too good for the rubbish bin. Charity Shops are popular but if you think they may have value and you have time, why not try to sell them. Old Spectacles can go to SpecSavers or Boots, Make-up to Superdrug and Medicines to your chemist.
Once decluttered organise the remainder so everything has a home and you are then, fingers crossed, more likely to keep it tidy.
Katie mentioned two books she has found very helpful – Start with Your Sock Drawer: The Simple Guide to Living a Less Cluttered Life by Vicky Silverthorn and The Folding Lady by Sophie Liard
Resolutions – At the end of last year we were sent the resolution shortlist for the 2024 Annual Meeting. Resolutions had been submitted and various representatives of the WI met in October to make the shortlist. From this shortlist we had to select the resolution we would like to be discussed at the NFWI Annual Meeting in June. There were four to choose from and the number of votes for each resolution have now been sent to Federation who collate them with all the other results from the WI’s in the Federation before forwarding them to National. Our results were as follows:
- Dental Health Matters – 12 votes
- Impacts of Poor Housing Conditions – 5 votes
- Say “No” to Gambling Advertising – 7 votes
- Improving Outcomes for Women in the Criminal Justice System – 3 votes
Resolutions have been a part of the WI since the first one was passed in 1918 and over the last few years we have had resolutions about Clean Rivers for People and Animals as well as Ovarian Cancer but back in 1975 there was a resolution passed that urged the Government to set up clinics where any woman could be screened for Breast Cancer. It took until 1988 before the NHS Breast Screening Programme began for women aged 50 to 65 with the upper age limit now being 70.
I mention this because over the last couple of months several friends and Avon customers have been diagnosed with Breast Cancer. Luckily theirs have been caught in the early stages thanks mainly to the screening process or because they noticed changes to their breast. As the risk of breast cancer increases with age, all women who are 50 to 70 years old are invited for breast cancer screening every 3 years. Women over the age of 70 are also entitled to screening and can arrange an appointment through their GP or local screening unit. In our area the The Peggy Wood breast care unit in Maidstone Hospital is the place to ring on tel no. 01622 710185. This is the experience of one person
“My message to everyone over the age of 70 (and under) would be to continue to have mammograms, it means for ladies of my age to ring and make appts ourselves every 3 years as before, as we don’t get automatically recalled.
I had no symptoms, it was a routine mammogram at one of the mobile units in Tonbridge. Within 2 weeks I had the result of a stage 2 lump, after a series of tests like ultrasounds, MRI and biopsies, I had the Lumpectomy 4 weeks later, my next stage of treatment is probably radiotherapy, daily medication for 5 years and yearly mammograms for 5 years.
The care of the McMillan nurses attached to the unit was amazing, they were a great support initially to get over the shock of diagnosis, there is no need for anyone to be afraid of the treatment, as they explain everything are supportive in being with you at doctors appts, and are contactable at any time. The stage of my cancer is treatable, if I had not had the mammogram, it would have become a totally different outcome in time.
I have already helped a few ladies who have said it’s prompted them to get their mammograms”
More information about Breast Cancer can be found on the NHS website https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/breast-cancer/
Finally I would like to mention the Federation Annual Meeting which is being held in March. At the meeting Federation will be collecting for St Mark’s Community Larder in Tunbridge Wells and would be grateful for any non perishable donations. As a WI we would like to make up one bag of items, so if you wish to donate an item please bring it to our February or March meeting. If we receive too many items for the bag, the excess will be donated to The Pembury Food Larder.
Federation are also collecting Jewellery, Watches, Currency and Stamps for ACWW (Associated Country Women of the World) an association the WI are affiliated to.
Diary Date Events
PEMBURY EVENING DIARY DATES
Jan 15th – Monday – Craft meeting 2-4pm
Feb 2nd – Friday – Our meeting 7.45pm Pembury Village Hall
Feb 13th – Monday – Coffee Morning at the Pavilion 10am
FEDERATION DIARY DATES (see WKN for more info)
March 23rd – Saturday – Introduction to Quilling, Orpington closing date 2nd February
March 25th – Monday – Federation AGM, Assembly Hall, Tunbridge Wells
April 17th – Wednesday – Lifestyle Annual Day, Ditton
Sept 26th – Thursday – Art & Craft Annual Day, Ditton
Pembury Evening WI 