Northallerton WI mark its first anniversary as a group

Northallerton WI was created in June 2023, as a group of ladies from the area joined WI advisors from the North Yorkshire East Federation to see if there was sufficient interest to set up a local WI group in the town.

A donation from Thirsk & Northallerton Lions helped launch the group, and, on September 25, the group celebrated its first anniversary with 35 members and still rising.

Over the year, the WI group launched a fundraising Fashion Show, which saw them raise and donate £350 to Hambleton Community Action and £50 donation to Bloodrun EVS.

Aside from the events, the WI meetings have seen a variety of speakers and demonstrations, which included a sing-along with Yorkshire Voices Choir, led by their conductor Steve Brown, the peaceful melodic sounds of the Northallerton Handbell Ringers and Sue Summers from Northallerton Flower Club with a collection of flower displays which she donated to the WI raffle prices.

This led to the WI's open meeting in July seeing fifty WI members from across the local area join the group for an entertaining talk by David H Grant on being a film extra, followed by cakes and biscuits.

Alongside the group's meetings, which are held on the fourth Wednesday of every month in the Lower Hall of Northallerton Town Hall at 7.30pm, Northallerton WI has established four new informal sub-groups of Book Club, Walking Group, Ladies Who Dine (Supper Club) and a Gardening Group.

Now it has celebrated its first anniversary, the group has promised "exceptional speakers, new extracurricular groups in the offering, adventurous outings planned and exciting fund-raising challenges."