Winter Warmer

Speaker:  Susie Hart MBE, Craft Aid International 

Susie began her presentation by singing a Tanzanian song in her amazing voice while signing in deaf language.  Susie told us how the whole family moved to Iringa, where she set up workshops to give sustainable skills to the disabled who were stigmatised and lived in undignified conditions.  Along with her husband, a vet, they set up social enterprises making paper from elephant dung and various handicrafts along with a cafe and guest house, providing employment and training opportunities for local people with disabilities.  A facility providing physiotherapy and disability aids was also set up.

This model has been adopted in Peru and Craft Aid International also runs craft sessions for adults with disabilities in the UK.

We were all touched by the difference Susie made to the lives of so many people across the globe. 

www.craftaidinternational.org

Display Table

Examples of flower arrangements were brought in to give ideas for next meeting

Gill’s wreaths

 

Judith’s arrangements in flower pots and Norma’s pink arrangement in a teacup

 

Also on the table:

Jenny’s creeping wire vine Muehlenbeckia axillaris (Australian Ivy) and Barbed wire plant Calocephalus brownii

 

 

Ann’s Miscanthus sinensis Cosmoplitan, Actea Cimicifuga , Restio quadrates and Restio Cannomois grandis (Bell Reed) which grow to over 7ft. 

Gill’s iris lazica and Iphion

 

Notice Board

Margaret D thanked those who provided refreshments and helped in the kitchen at what was the last Paxton Show for this year.  Despite the bad weather, the sales table was successful.

Next Meeting

18^th December:  Quiz, festive flower arrangements and mince pies.  Members are requested to wear red and/or green!

Please keep your eyes open for the page giving the new programme for 2016 as the dates in January may be subject to change.