These are the seven members who have kindly volunteered their services to the WI for the next year in different but equally important jobs.
PRESIDENT
Name: Liza Jones
Occupation: Marketing and public relations consultant
Why the WI?
Because I want to meet a whole range of local people who have a variety of interests.
A bit about you:
We have had a home in Bradfield Combust since 1991, but also spend part of our time in Central London. We have three adult children and two grand daughters, one four years old and one of 18 months. In my spare time I like to do creative stitch and patchwork and quilting. I also like other creative hobbies such as dyeing fabrics, painting and a whole range of related things. I do not like winter (the snow this year was not for me) and we escape to warmer weather whenever we can (I speak Spanish and we have family in Australia and California).
SECRETARY
Name: Lesley Delve
Occupation: Retired
Why the
WI?
To meet new people as I was new to the area
A bit about you: I lived for many years
in Saffron Walden and spent my
early working life dealing with figures – first in Wages at diesel
components manufacturers CAV (part of the Lucas Group) in Sudbury, and then I
moved to County Hall Chelmsford where I could be found in the Salaries Department. I gave up office
work to devote my time to the most important job of all - being a full-time wife
and mother. My family grew up and then, when I visited a salon, my interest
was caught by various therapies. This inspired me to qualify as a Reiki
practitioner and Reflexologist in 2000, and for the next decade I helped
people improve their wellbeing. I now live in Bradfield Combust
with my husband and a cocker spaniel called Jennie. Today I am a
retired grandmother enjoying family life. My hobbies are gardening,
walking, reading and Tai Chi.
TREASURER
Name: Marion Watson
Occupations: Social worker, Services
director, GP Practice manager, Chief Executive, West Suffolk Crossroads
Caring for Carers. Now retired. Yipee!
Why the WI? I wanted to meet more people who lived locally
A bit about you: I was born in
Cambridge and lived in London, Birmingham, Scotland (west coast), York,
Hartest and Bury St Edmunds before moving to Stanningfield in 2002. I
have four grown up children, two boys and two girls, one of whom is
getting married next year so maybe I might have grandchildren soon.
I love my garden, and really enjoy
(long distance) walking and keeping fit generally, which is just as well
because eating and drinking are a big part of my life too. Good
locally sourced home cooked food shared with friends, on a lovely
summer's day with a glass or two of wine is something I enjoy very
much. I am a hand-spinner and weaver of varying ability but tremendous
enthusiasm. Oh - and I love baking (bread in particular).
OUR OTHER COMMITTEE MEMBERS
Name: Linda Dixey
Occupation: Housewife.
Why the WI? To meet local people and join in with the community
A
bit about you: I was born in Essex in the 1960s and worked as a cook in a boarding school where, on occasion, the children locked me in the cellar! I escaped the children by getting married. We have two sons in their early 20s and we moved to Hesset, near Bury St Edmunds, in 2010. As the boys were growing up, I worked for a local businessman who was a bachelor with a large house. I was his housekeeper, making sure his home was kept clean, the washing and iron done, while he travelled a lot for his work. My Mum died young, so I looked after Dad when he got Alzheimer's, until he died. I like animals, and in particular, I love giraffes. Anywhere I go I seek out the local zoo and just have to visit it. I enjoy reading and cookery, and love going to Ireland for holidays.
Name: Susan Last
Occupation: Retired
Why the WI?
As befits a
true East Anglian, Suffolk born and bred Susan Last started her working life by
taking a five year agricultural apprenticeship on a dairy farm. Then she married Brian and had a
daughter and a son, so when she wanted to go back to work, it was hardly
surprising that she chose a part-time job in a local baby shop. When that shop
closed, she moved to Ashby’s in Hatter Street, a traditional sewing and
haberdashery shop where needlewomen could find everything they wanted from fine
pins and threads, through a wide range of sewing machines to the vital services
like scissor sharpening and machine repairs. Now retired, and a grandmother to
five, one of Susan’s hobbies is upholstering chairs and sofas, giving such furniture
a new lease of life. She also enjoys walking with her golden retriever,
gardening and spending time at their caravan on the coast. And Susan’s retirement project is
learning to play the organ.
Name: Jane Gwatkin
Occupation: Laboratory Technical (Microbiology)
Why the WI? To meet local people
A bit about you: I was born in Gloucester and went to agricultural college in Devon, where I met my husband, Jamie. We married and moved to Bradfield Combust, near Bury St Edmunds some 22 years ago. We have two children, a boy and a girl, and a Golden Labrador called Sorrell, and through her I have made many friends with other dog owners. I used to work as a laboratory technician (microbiology) in the food industry, but now I am a part-time science technician in a local upper school, and I also do the bookkeeping and accounts for my husband's business. In true WI fashion, I enjoy cooking and making jam. We also spend time relaxing in the Suffolk and Norfolk countryside.
Name: Sue Smith
Occupation: Retired primary school teacher
Why the WI? Because I was new to the area and wanted to meet people in the village
A bit about you: Born in Staffordshire, I came to Suffolk when nine, going to school first in Halesworth and then Beccles. London secretarial training beckoned, but I found I didn’t enjoy office work. As I had always liked children, a move to Canterbury saw me train as a teacher. Steve, my husband, came on the scene, so marriage was soon followed by the arrival of three children.
We moved around a bit, including running a village shop in Essex for a while. Then it was back to full-time teaching until I retired and we came to Little Whelnetham in 2010. My great love of music, RE and drama have always shone through, so I have recently taken up piano lessons again and I am a volunteer story teller working with children through the Discovery Centre at Bury Cathedral.
In our spare time Steve and I enjoy long distance walking.
