As Covid follows us into yet another year I do hope that you at least managed to enjoy Christmas Day! Although Nether Heyford WI missed out on its 90th Birthday Party every member was given a boxed cup-cake, beautifully made and decorated by Jane Rands. We were also mentioned in the Northampton Federation Newsletter and on the Northants Website. In a WI version of the Secret Santa, each member was given another member’s name for whom they then made a Christmas card. We also had our first Zoom meeting in December and so an ‘alternative’ Christmas was celebrated.

Our January Meeting saw us using Zoom again to listen to an interesting talk given by Julia Doherty who, after building up and selling multiple businesses, went on a 500 mile hike across Spain. The experiences she had and the people she met had a profound effect on her and she told us how they changed her life for the better.

We will be staying with Zoom meetings for the foreseeable future. On February 4th at 7.30pm there will be an ‘Italian Cookery Demonstration’ by Mariella Bliss. Her website tells of her work with running courses, working with farmers’ markets and describes her as a personal chef, caterer, and lover of all things foodie! Sounds like a good evening!!

On March 4th, again at 7.30 & via Zoom, we have a talk on ‘Building and Running a School in Sierra Leone’ by David Gelsthorpe-Hill. David is a Trustee for the Charity ‘Extra Mile’ which, by building the school, has helped change the lives of its pupils. It is an ongoing project and Phase 2, building a Library, is now under way. During the evening we will hear how the funds are raised and how we can help.

If any Prattler readers would like to join us on either of the evenings please telephone me to get the code numbers for the Zoom meeting. We hope it won’t be too long before we can meet up and start using our Village Hall again. Until then, Take Care.

Mary Rice – Heyford Lodge, Church Lane – 01327 340101