Under New Management

Our new President, Caroline Smith, chaired her first meeting, welcomed a number of new members and introduced our new committee, an inspiring mix of fresh faces and experienced heads, which characterises our institute so well.

 Caroline introduced Katy Groenewald, who spoke on ‘Decluttering your Home’ making the distinction between a clutter and a hoard, the latter of which may benefit from professional analysis to resolve the hoarding habit.  

Katy focused on the need for a change in mind set to understand how to reject clutter and streamline our homes. She summarised a number of current approaches to decluttering and organising from Mari Kondo to Tommy Knowles and explained how to justify whether goods should be kept or removed from the home. An additional process sends ‘uncertain’ items into a sealed box, from which they should not emerge if they cannot make their case, unseen.

 Gloria Mitchell thanked Katy for her empowering advice, recounted her own decluttering of glamorous gowns and thanked tea hostesses, Hazel Hood, Ruth Simpson and Tiffaine Speirs for a very tempting supper.

Competitions

Pumpkin Soup – 1, Michaela Rodgers; 2, Sandra Boath; 3, Susan McLaren;

Most Useless Kitchen Gadget - 1, Hazel Hood; 2, Sarah Mather; 3, Caroline Smith;

Flower of the Month – 1, Diane Karcher; 2, Hazel Hood; 3, Lyndsay Burnett;

December Christmas party – please bring a plate of food and a Secret Santa gift.

Competitions – Christmas decoration; Spiced Virginia Punch (non alcoholic), Flower of the Month.