Welcome

Welcome to Cottingham WI’s web page.

The WI is all about inspiring women. It’s a rich source of experiences, knowledge and skills passed down through the generations, and it offers women the opportunity to be involved in a way that suits them. With this in mind, I hope you find the following information helpful and interesting.

Cottingham WI first began in 1986, with a small group of keen and enthusiastic members. This grew quickly, and we now have a membership of approximately 65, with a growing waiting list.

We meet at 10 am on the second Tuesday of each month, except August, in the Cottingham Methodist Church Hall, where we enjoy lots of different activities, and are entertained by a variety of speakers and craft demonstrations.

The meetings begin with an update on the business of our WI, and all the activities we have arranged for the coming weeks. National and Federation business is also discussed. This is followed by social time, where refreshments are served and members have the opportunity to chat and vote on our competition, where members can bring in an interesting item connected to our talk or demonstration which then follows.

Every year we choose a local charity with a connection to women and children to support. We have a charity walk once a year, a sales table, and several raffles throughout the year in order to raise money to be able to present them with a cheque, and we love to craft items that can be useful to them; we also collect a huge number of items such as toiletries or stationery, whatever the charity needs. We also have a book stall which raises money for an animal charity.

Outside of the monthly meetings, we have several other groups which meet on a regular basis. Our Reading Group meets every 4-6 weeks to discuss books that have been read, and our Butterfly Buns meetings in various local cafes encourage members to come along for coffee, cake and a chat. A walk with our Walkie Talkies group gives us the opportunity to get out and about in the local area, while chatting with the different people who take part each month.

Several times a year, we have visits to local places of interest, and workshops where we learn a new craft.

We are very proud of our recycling efforts, with all sorts of items being saved from landfill and aiding charities; these items include postage stamps, old or broken jewellery, mobile phones and old spectacles.

Our WI is lively, friendly and welcoming, and if you are interested in joining, contact us via Facebook or the Federation and we will gladly add you to our waiting list.

cottinghamwi@eastyorkshirewi.org.uk