Events
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Annual Council Meeting 2025
Comberton Sports and Arts, West Street, Comberton CB23 7DY
Monday 28 April 2025
Doors open 6.15pm for 7pm start
This is our formal meeting where we reflect on the activities of 2024/25 and you approve the standing orders for the Federation and the Financial Statement for 2024.
Our speaker this year will be Lucy Lewis. Some of you may have had the pleasure of hearing her inspirational talk about her career as the UK’s first female bomb disposal expert. However she now has her hands full with a new challenge – she is Cambridge University’s first woman marshal and we are delighted that she is going to include some of her experiences in this role in her talk.
There will be stalls, displays, a raffle and refreshments available to purchase in the break.
All WIs are invited to send a delegate to the meeting, to vote on the constitutional items on the agenda.
Delegate tickets should be paid for by their WI.
All members are welcome.
All tickets (delegates and members) are £10.00
Booking closes: Tickets still available, please call the office
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Voulez Vous ABBA Lunch and Show
The Tereza Joanne, King George V Dock, Royal Docks, London
Wednesday 30 April 2025
Dress up and put on your dancing shoes!
You are invited to a very sociable afternoon with good food and top notch live entertainment with space and opportunity to dance to the music.
The Tereza Joanne is permanently moored and fully accessible with seating at round tables
for 8 or 9 people. Sitting with friendship groups is achievable, if desired.
After arrival at 11.30am, lunch is served at 12 noon
Chicken, Mashed potato, Green Beans and Gravy OR Vegetarian Wellington with same veg.
First half of the show is at 1pm
Dessert,
Cheesecake OR Fruit Salad, with tea/coffee at 2pm
Second half of the show is at 2.30pm and ends at 3.15pm
The bar is open throughout the afternoon.
Coach pick up points: Lode Depot 8.45am and Trumpington Park and Ride 9.30am
Coach departs at 3.30pm
Cost: WI Member £80.00 and Non Member £85.00
Booking closes: Tuesday 1 April 2025
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Impressive Women in Art
A Talk by art historian Deborah Monteiro
CFWI Office
Saturday 10 May 2025, 10am-2pm
Includes a light lunch
Deborah Monteiro is an experienced art historian based in Cambridge. She has worked in the National Gallery in London and lectured in galleries around the country. She currently teaches at Fitzwilliam Museum and is a lively, enthusiastic and entertaining lecturer.
Impressionism, traditionally seen as the heroic breakaway achievement of men like Monet, Renoir and Pissarro, was also the creation of women. Today, paintings by Women Impressionists are being rediscovered worldwide for the quality and vitality of their contribution to this ground breaking movement.
Deborah will demonstrate this with pictures and her expansive knowledge.
There will be a short break for refreshments of coffee and biscuits.
Soup will be served at the end of the talk, with a choice of a bowl of either Butternut Squash and Bacon soup or Broccoli and Stilton soup and a roll. (Please state your preference)
Cost £25.00 members and Non WI £28.00
Booking starts: Monday 3 March 2025
Booking closes: Thursday 17 April 2025
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New Treasurer Training
Saturday 17 May 2025
10am-1pm
CFWI Office
This FREE session will help you understand your new role.
Booking starts: Monday 3 March 2025
Booking closes: Thursday 1 May 2025
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River Cam and Old Chesterton Walk
Thursday 22 May 2025, 2pm
Join us for our fascinating walk along both banks of the River Cam based on the historic village of Chesterton. The guided walk will focus mainly on rivers and water, but we will also look at many historical aspects of Chesterton.
Meeting outside the Museum of Technology on Riverside we will cross the Olaudah Equiano bridge named after this celebrated abolitionist and author. We will walk along the river on Stourbridge Common, the site of the largest medieval fair in Europe and then after reaching the Green Dragon Bridge site of a River Cam ferry we will continue along the Chisholm Trail Walking and Cycling Bridge before crossing the river and returning to the Inn. Interestingly Cromwell is alleged to have stayed here the night before he attacked Cambridge in the Civil War.
Walking back through Old Chesterton we will see the famous gas lamp in Thrifts Walk, pass the medieval Chesterton Towers and then see the Grade 1 Listed St Andrews church. We will then cross the Equiano Bridge overlooking Logan’s Meadow, a local nature reserve and flood meadow.
This is going to be a gentle guided riverside walk of approx. 3k along tarmacked paths and is suitable for wheelchair users. It should take no longer than two hours, but you may choose to curtail the walk at various points. We would advise you wear suitable footwear.
Details including meeting point, bus routes, parking and refreshment options will be sent on booking. All participants will receive a handout with a map and descriptions of the many features of interest.
Cost: £5.00 (Members only)
Sold Out
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A Morning With: 100 Years of Hat Making
CFWI Office
Thursday 29 May 2025
10.30am
Hats have been around for a long time and have definitely enhanced style and made a mark in fashion throughout the years. Milliner Susan Widlake will talk about “100 Years of Hat Making” and will show the tools, materials and hats dating from 1920s to the present day as well as her own hat creations
Tea and Coffee included
Cost £12.00 members and Non WI £15.00
Booking Closes: Thursday 29 May 2025
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Agatha Christie
The Mirror Crack'd
Tolethorpe Open Air Theatre, Near Stamford
Saturday 14 June 2025
Following a successful trip to Tolethorpe last year, we will be offering another chance to visit and enjoy a slightly different play this time. This year, it is the chance to see a fresh and witty adaptation of the Queen of Crime’s famous novel. It brings real emotional depth and psychological insight to a thrilling story of revenge and dark secrets. A real whodunnit!
Hollywood descends on the sleepy village of St Mary Mead when a glamorous American film star buys Gossington Hall. However, the real drama unfolds off-screen, when an unexpected and ruthless murder is committed during a party filled with suspects. It’s up to Miss Jane Marple to unravel a web of lies, tragedy and danger.
As with last year, we are aiming to arrive in the grounds of Tolethorpe Hall at approximately
12 noon for your homemade picnics (weather permitting). Hopefully we won’t have to eat our sandwiches on the coach!
We will leave for home once the performance has finished. At the moment, exact timings for the show are not known.
Coach pick up points: Lode Depot 10am Trumpington Park & Ride 10.30am
Cost: £52.00 Members £55.00 Non-Members
Booking closes: Friday 25 April 2025
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A Morning With Kay Goddard
CFWI Office
Wednesday 18 June 2025
10.30am
The Underground Railroad "Patterned Path to Freedom"
Steeped in myth and legend, these quilts and block patterns helped guide fleeing slaves to Canada. Brave, indomitable souls risking life and limb in their quest for freedom.
Come and listen to this amazing story!
Tea and Coffee Included
Cost: Members: £12.00 Non WI Members: £15.00
Booking starts: Monday 7 April 2025
Booking closes: Monday 26 May 2025
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The 8 Most Wasted Foods & What We Can Do With Them Instead
An Afternoon Talk with Tasting
At CFWI Office
Friday 13 June 2025, 2pm – 4pm
Come and join us for an interesting talk on what we can do to prevent food waste, save the planet and our pocket!
The talk will include lots of hints, tips and ideas with some examples of recipes to taste!
There will also be an opportunity for you to share your ideas to prevent food waste.
Tea and Coffee included
Cost: Members: £8.00 Non WI: £10.00
Booking starts: Monday 7 April 2025
Booking closes: Thursday 29 May 2025
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Coffee Morning with Bingo
CFWI Office
Monday 23 June 2025
10.30am
A fun morning not to be missed
Tea, Coffee and Cake included
Cost: Members: £7.00 Non WI Members: £9.00
Booking starts: Monday 7 April 2025
Booking closes: Monday 9 June 2025
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Machine Patchwork for Beginners
Log Cabin Cushion Day School
CFWI Office
Monday 30 June 2025, 10am to 4pm
and Tuesday 1 July 2025, 10am to 1pm
We are running a machine patchwork day school specifically for beginners, making a cushion from a log cabin design which will give a good introduction into the world of patchwork
A sewing machine in good working order, thread and material will be required all other equipment will be provided.
This is aimed at total Beginners to introduce you into the joys of patchwork
so do come along and join us
Members £60.00
Tea and Coffee will be provided but please bring a packed lunch
Booking starts: Monday 7 April 2025
Booking closes: Monday 9 June 2025
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A Day at the Races
Cottenham Village Hall
Saturday 5 July 2025, 2pm – 5pm
Come and join us for a CFWI “Race Day”
We will be watching 8 races on the big screen, from the comfort of Cottenham Village Hall. Tickets will include a light afternoon tea (sandwiches, scone and cake) and a glass of bubbly or non-alcoholic drink upon arrival.
There will be a tote on the day to bet on the races, so please bring along lots of loose change
if you want to have a “flutter”.
There will be 6 horses running in each race – and you have the opportunity to purchase and name a horse for just £2.00. The owner of the first horse across the line will win £5.00. You can buy and name your first horse with your booking. Additional horses may be available to buy on the day.
Bring along friends and family to enjoy this fun event and take the opportunity to dress up in your finery so we can all pretend we are at Ascot.
Cost: Members £20.00 or £22.00 for event and horse
Non WI £22.00 or £24.00 for event and horse
Booking starts: Monday 7 April 2025
Booking closes: Thursday 19 June 2025
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Mary Poppins
Milton Keynes Theatre
Wednesday 19 November 2025
Matinee performance
A Guaranteed Jolly Holiday with Mary
Starring Stefanie Jones and Jack Chambers!
Everyone's favourite governess returns to the stage to bring us a spoonful of sugar! Join Mary Poppins, Bert, Jane and Michael as the wonderful story of Mary Poppins comes to life on stage in this spectacular production from Cameron Mackintosh and Disney, with choreography by Matthew Bourne!
Based on P.L. Travers' cherished stories and the classic 1964 Walt Disney film Mary Poppins first appeared on the London stage back in the early noughties where it ran for three years before it headed over to Broadway where it won a Tony Award for best musical and ran for almost six years. Full of beloved songs including, 'Jolly Holiday', 'Step In Time' and 'Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious', as well as featuring brand new songs that will keep you toe-tapping and singing along all the way home.
We will be arriving at Milton Keynes with time for lunch/coffee
Pick up points: Lode (9.45am) and Trumpington Park & Ride (10.30am)
We have been able to negotiate a small reduction in the ticket price but unfortunately this means early payment to the theatre. The actual face value of the ticket is £79.00.
Cost: WI Members £100.00 and Non-Members £103.00
Booking Closes: Friday 9 May 2025
T&C’s
Please note that participants will not be required to show a ticket at the event. No refunds will be given after the closing date, but if you are unable to attend we may have a waiting list.
In the event of a refund - this will not include the booking fee of 6.5% plus VAT.