NewsWOOLAVINGTON WI MEETING MAY 2016
The May meeting is time for the Annual Meeting in the WI calendar at which the committee is elected. This year we were pleased to welcome Doris Marsh as a new committee member, who joins Teresa, Corena, Eve, Jaquitta, Sue and Mo.
The financial statement showed healthy finances and reflection on the past year revived many pleasant memories of interesting meetings, events and outings which we hope to continue in the coming months.
Our speaker was David Greenway, Glastonbury’s Town crier, resplendent in his green, gold and black double caped great coat, which harked back to Regency days, and tricorne hat..
Dave spoke of the long history of the town crier or bellman, reminding us of Pheidippides, who famously ran from Athens to Sparta ,to report the news of the victory over the Persians at Marathon.
The town crier is the sovereign's messenger and as such enjoys privileged status. He traditionally proclaimed royal decrees, local bye-laws, market days and advertisements of local events. In medieval times the crier was the original talking newspaper at a time when few people were literate. All his cries are made in the name of the ruling monarch and he is protected by law. To harm the crier is considered treason. This reminded us of the saying “don't shoot the messenger”.
The cry “oyez” means “hear ye” and we were treated to an example of his expertise when Dave cried the raffle, exhorting us to buy our tickets. Dave was an enjoyable speaker sharing much interesting information and anecdotes of his time in office.
Sue Dean was awarded The President's Cup. As a new member to WI Sue has enthusiastically embraced the WI joining in with Alice in WI land as the Camp Bunny Girl and a Calendar Girl with Walton WI. Joined the Committee,made heart cushions and driver bags for oncology patients and with Knitted Twiddlemuffs for Dementia patients.
The May meeting is time for the Annual Meeting in the WI calendar at which the committee is elected. This year we were pleased to welcome Doris Marsh as a new committee member, who joins Teresa, Corena, Eve, Jaquitta, Sue and Mo.
The financial statement showed healthy finances and reflection on the past year revived many pleasant memories of interesting meetings, events and outings which we hope to continue in the coming months.
Our speaker was David Greenway, Glastonbury’s Town crier, resplendent in his green, gold and black double caped great coat, which harked back to Regency days, and tricorne hat..
Dave spoke of the long history of the town crier or bellman, reminding us of Pheidippides, who famously ran from Athens to Sparta ,to report the news of the victory over the Persians at Marathon.
The town crier is the sovereign's messenger and as such enjoys privileged status. He traditionally proclaimed royal decrees, local bye-laws, market days and advertisements of local events. In medieval times the crier was the original talking newspaper at a time when few people were literate. All his cries are made in the name of the ruling monarch and he is protected by law. To harm the crier is considered treason. This reminded us of the saying “don't shoot the messenger”.
The cry “oyez” means “hear ye” and we were treated to an example of his expertise when Dave cried the raffle, exhorting us to buy our tickets. Dave was an enjoyable speaker sharing much interesting information and anecdotes of his time in office.
Sue Dean was awarded The President's Cup. As a new member to WI Sue has enthusiastically embraced the WI joining in with Alice in WI land as the Camp Bunny Girl and a Calendar Girl with Walton WI. Joined the Committee,made heart cushions and driver bags for oncology patients and with Knitted Twiddlemuffs for Dementia patients.