July Meeting - Mysterious Girl

Friday, 31 July 2015 § 0


The July meeting was really popular and saw lots of new faces and four new members! Welcome Ladies we’re all so glad you have decided to join us! This meeting was ‘Mysterious Girl’ and it was truly inspirational. The session was led by the fabulous Tilla Brook and it was a moving and inspiring meeting.               
 
The meeting was kicked off by our wonderful President Lucy, the finance update was skilfully delivered by our glamourous Treasurer Grace-Ann and Secretary Amanda told us all about the exciting activities offered in this month’s WYN leaflet - which will soon be available to members online.   Amanda read out a lovely email from former member Paulette Clements who has relocated to Cheshire with her husband’s job. Thanking us for the friendliness, acceptance and the laughs.
 
Sam told us about the next workshop ‘You’re Sew Vain’ in which you will learn how to sew a zip into a purse. You can buy your ticket here
 
Shameless plugs came from Mencap via email where they told us that they hold a number of community and challenge fundraising events over the year – including Trek Ben Nevis 14th -16th Aug, Great Yorkshire Run 27th Sept. More info via www.leedsmencap.org.uk  - if you want to volunteer, take part or donate. Girl guiding District Commissioner Claire put a shout out for all helper/leaders, go to www.girlguiding.org.uk to find out more.
Tilla introduced the session by telling us a bit about her own recovery from derailment. Three ladies very generously shared their stories; each followed by some questions from Tilla which highlighted their strength and courage; and what they have learnt about themselves and others.
Tilla then shared her excellent 6-point strategy to being stronger (Including some POWER POSES - see below!) and more able to handle that life-changing event. Some hand-outs elaborating on this and on building self-esteem were available. Next Tilla told us that she will generously give our attendees a ‘Know your values’ session at a reduced price of £50 for 1.5 hours. If anyone would like to take advantage of this amazing offer, please see the website for details or email: tilla@tillabrookcoaching.com
 
 
Next it was the competition time and names went into a box for selection to win a copy of Tilla’s ‘The Magnificent Castle – How to become who you are’ - Julia Bilby was the lucky winner and took the opportunity to introduce herself to everyone as this was her first meeting. 
Phew with all of that going on we can’t wait to see you at the next meeting on 20 August - 21st Century Girl - A meeting to celebrate 100 years of the WI in their centenary year. Will include a craft challenge – 100 Suffolk Puffs which we think should be achievable in the time. There will be a quiz and attendees were asked to being some food items to share. Cake cake cake!
 





Paper Cranes and lots of new names with “A Kiss From a Paper Rose”

Saturday, 11 July 2015 § 0

June saw another one of our incredibly popular general meet evenings, giving all you lovely ladies a chance to meet and chat with each other with a side order of Origami making hosted by the lovely Lucy and Lauren. It was a fabulous day for new faces with lots of bouncy new characters joining us, hello to you all and how very nice to see you it was!

The meeting kicked off with a branch update from President the lovely Lucy, Finance update from our glamorous treasurer Grace and committee rep’ fantistique Lauren. These three wise women talked us though what has been going on in the branch, inc the recent trip to Whitby, future events such as next months bell ringing evening at Leeds Cathedral, Laurens hobnobbing with the royals at the WI garden party at Buckingham Palace and Graces experiences at the WI AGM at the Albert Hall.

Shameless plugs came from Gemma calling for sponsors for her charity fast to raise money to feed starving children with Pennyappeal and Lucy for any runners wanting to join her at Hyde Park Harriers Runners Club in view of the recent attacks in Leeds on lone female joggers - anyone can try it out and the beginner group runs to the pace of the slowest runner and won't let anyone feel left behind!






As the evening progressed the instagram and Facebook hash tags were flying as our crafting gurus helped guide our ladies into origami excellence with a veritable flock of paper cranes, a bouquet worth of origami roses as well as a selection of craft-stash storing boxes and paper hearts..very impressive ladies! I see 3d Christmas cards in your near future!

We would love to see you all again next month for more fun, friends and fantastical craft fabrications. Remember, Buns & Roses meets on the third Thursday of Every Month, and is a great place to meet new people from a diverse background in Leeds City Centre with monthly workshops and regular social events.

Cake Me Out - June Workshop - Cupcake Decorating

Tuesday, 9 June 2015 § 0

This months workshop "Cake Me Out" took an ultra sociable turn when branch president Lucy Rider stepped in with her best girl guide leading skills at short notice to cover when the workshop host had to cancel on the day (Aaaaaaaaaargh) …but in the face of adversity we did indeed eat cake...and on the day of the WI AGM and celebrating 100 years, we could hardly cancel that wouldn't be in any sort of WI spirit!


A team effort of  butter ice mixing and a good helping of woofle dust (edible glitter) soon had the Muppet cupcake decorating class on the go and all of our lovely ladies were surprised at how simple it really is once you know how and have the right equipment (and remember, mistakes are edible!!!!! EDIBLE!!!! What's not to like?)
 



 Everyone had a jolly good time making our "Muppet baby" cakes and we even managed a bonus free styling session at the end which gave the participants a chance experiment  and compare with their new found skills and creativity.



No girlie party will be safe from our creations in the future and we heartily expect to see these adorable cupcake designs turning up at future general meets for team tasting!

 

Roses go to Bollywood - May Meeting

Tuesday, 26 May 2015 § 0

Dancing the Mandala

Mays’ Buns and Roses meeting took us a little deeper behind the glitzy showbiz face of Bollywood chorus lines into the deeply spiritual world of Bharatnatyam dance with our expert with bells on (and then some!) Shrikant.
Shrikant trained in India and now travels the world teaching and educating people on the cultural routes, symbolism and spirituality of this art form which could be loosely compared to the Indian form of ballet with a heavy mystic influence! 


Bharatnatyam dance was originally founded within the Hindu temples of Southern India performed by women but found a popular revival and explosion post independence in India in 1947 with many men taking up the practice.
For his first presentation Shrikant performed a purely technical piece introducing all of the lovely Rosee’s assembled to the movements of 



Bharatnatyam set to traditional Indian music, including movements that represent elements and forms in nature whilst drawing on and transliterating the spiritual energy of the world. 


In his second recital, Shrikant introduced us to the emotive interpretative dance form of Bharatnatyam, giving his own presentation of a modern story of one woman’s connection with nature and the purpose in life this has presented her.


For his finale we were given a glimpse of the art as it would have originally been performed as a spiritual piece combining the emotive and technical as a means of telling a story and expressing associated emotions to an audience within a temple setting, in his homage to Krishna, the Beautiful One.

All of us left feeling a little happier in the world with Shrikants’ beautiful movement and talk having brought a touch more joy to our inner selves.

Book Club - How to Build a Girl - Caitlin Moran

Monday, 18 May 2015 § 0




 
We've had a book club offshoot of Buns and Roses WI for a few years now and we've done all sorts of books over the last few years but the focus over the last 18 months has been either books by women or about inspirational female characters. We are a very free and easy book club in that we only have a couple of rules - namely you don't have to have finished the book (and not mind finding out what happens) and it has to be available from the library so that people don't have to buy it - though of course it is up to each attendee whether they purchase the book or not and some of the fun each meeting is looking at our various copies and seeing what kind of market the bookseller is trying to appeal to over the years - a book like Gone With The Wind by Margaret Mitchell which we read (or in the majority of cases started and didn't finish) has had many different cover incarnations over the years, as had Charlotte Bronte's gothic masterpiece Jane Eyre.

We meet roughly every 6 weeks or so (exact date determined amongst those at the meeting) at 2.30pm on a Sunday afternoon in the Tiled Hall Cafe just inside the Art Gallery on the Headrow and the next one is Sunday June 28th when we'll be discussing Caitlin Moran's funny and frank latest How To Build A Girl. And it's also at the meeting that we decide what book we're going to read next - we all bring suggestions and sometime we reach a decision by consensus and sometimes by writing the titles on bits of paper and pulling them out of a bag.

So come along chat, eat cake, and meet other book loving ladies. Hope to see some of you there. 

Sunday, 19 April 2015 § 0

We’re Sixy and we know it!
 
We all love a natter and munch at the fabulous Buns and Roses and our 6th birthday/AGM "I'm too Sixy" combined did not disappoint.

 
Branch annual reports were lightened up with laughter, a good sprinkling of craft, cake and cracking presents in our bring a gift take a gift present swap.
L
ucy (Ms Branch President) and her team talked us through the year in review and what she and her lovely ladies have been planning and arranging for us. Helen, our exiting treasurer and future cocktail tester made finance fun running through the accounts to let us all know where our money was going, and the best thing was, it all came back to us in trips and events. Go girls!

 
Founding member and departing Vice President Gloria gave one last plug for the WI raffle to lighten our woes at facing a committee without her….although we think she should keep making guest appearances just to give us the annual “saga” of prizes available (badoom-chink) whilst Sam showed the ongoing team spirit in her last day as secretary by combining her birthday celebrations with her fellow roses, and a very happy birthday to you from us all!

 
Thanks and flowers are never enough to express our gratitude to the ladies stepping down from the committee this year for all their hard work and enthusiasm and they have undoubtedly set the bar very high for the new committee picking up the baton going forward.
 
 
 
In the calendar for 2015 we have the exciting up and coming Whitby Trip on May 30th (tickets here), Siobhan guiding us through the dark side of our cities heritage with her plague pits and Victorian death sites a photographic and historical tour on May 14th, June is our rescheduled Cake Decorating Workshop, and don’t forget the GIN tasting event for the autumn (We’re all very enthusiastic about that one).
 
Thanks to all who contributed food, gifts and general goodness. We will see you again next month!

 

Next meeting is 21 May - Roses go to Bollywood - A general meeting with a demonstration by Bollywood dancers and the opportunity to try out a few moves!

March Meeting: A Good Heart (or other Organs) is Hard to Find

Wednesday, 1 April 2015 § 0

This month we were joined by the lovely Jo Cheetham, Specialist Nurse in Organ Donation from the Yorkshire Organ Donation Services Team who was speaking to us with tear jerking honesty about organ donation in view of the WI’s 2014 Resolution to promote this worthy cause.



Jo told us how that final shared action between yourself and your family in donating your organs after death can go on to change and save many lives, whether they be corneal transplants to stop a teenager going blind or the mother of three and toddler who shared your liver both being given a future to look forward to. One donor can save 8 lives and change many many more!


She shared with us heart-breaking true stories of something positive coming out of tragedy where families have donated lost loved ones organs and emphasized the importance of making sure your family knows you wish to donate your organs and of adding your name to the donors register. 



Furthermore, standard myths about donation were dissolved -a diabetic can donate organs, and so can a smoker, the only religion that expressly forbids organ donation is Rastafarianism-who would have thought it!  

Thanks to Jo from all of us here!

You can add your name to the organ donors register here:







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