Queen's Platinum Jubilee Celebrations ~ 2nd to 5th June 2022
Members have been busy preparing for and celebrating the Platinum Jubilee of Her Majesty, Queen Elizabeth II. They made and displayed the regal purple poppies decorating the church railings and the planters on the green. On Saturday our WI refreshment tent on the village green was busy all day serving refreshments. The delicious cakes, biscuits, tray bakes and sausage rolls were made by our very talented members. It was a really enjoyable jubilee celebration.
Great War Exhibition in Haslington - November 2021
A Bench For The Village Green to celebrate our 10th Birthday
10th Birthday - a bench for Haslington village
To celebrate our tenth birthday we secured a grant from the TESCO bag scheme to provide a bench for the village. This was dedicated on 2 March 2019 when members of the WI were joined by the parish councillors, Dave from Tesco and a representative of Groundworks. A crab apple tree and Hazel Tree were planted for the CFWI chairman's challenge to celebrate the centenary of the Cheshire Federation of WIs
Bring Home The Harvest - Won by Haslington WI for Haslington Village in 2018
The Haslington Festival of Food and Farming has scooped first place in the competition to find the best harvest celebration. The weekend of events held over the first weekend in October was organised by the President and Secretary of Haslington WI together with the vicar, the local baker and group leader of the Mothers Union. An example of what you can achieve when a community works together. The Haslington WI secretary Rachel Hughes, who farms with her husband Dennis, organised a display of animals on the village green and a local agricultural merchant provided the pens and a vintage tractor. Members of Haslington WI committee decorated the church with sunflowers, fresh fruit and vegetables. The event was sponsored by a local haulage company, the Co-op and the Parish Council. The Great Food debate formed the focus for the event giving local people a chance to meet farmers, buy locally produced food and learn about the future of our food. The tractor and animal display and the farmer's market of local produce secured victory for the Haslington Festival of Food and Farming in the Telegraph and Love British Food's first ‘Bring Home The Harvest Competition’.
A family-friendly focus and the debate about food security led by the Haslington WI and their county resolutions officer, Sybil Graham on the panel of speakers, impressed the judging panel. The Environment Secretary Owen Paterson, Philip Clarke, chief executive of Tesco, broadcaster and Telegraph columnist Alan Titchmarsh, and the chef Raymond Blanc agreed that Haslington's entry had the edge. "Haslington Festival of Food and Farming really stood out for me," said Philip Clarke. "What tipped it was the fact that it featured debate about food security. Imagine if this sort of principled debate was being held in 5,000 other communities in Britain. That would really make a difference."
Raymond Blanc said Haslington's festival highlighted the importance of encouraging children to learn about food growing. "It shows that they had a serious intent to make a difference. The whole spectrum of food was included, from patisseries to vegetables and meat. If children can learn to cook healthily, this will lead to family cohesion and social cohesion, because people will eat together a lot more." Five members of Haslington WI's committee, along with local farmers and villagers were presented with their trophy by Owen Paterson at the Department of the Environment, Food and Agriculture offices in Westminster. "Haslington Festival of Food is a worthy winner of The Telegraph's 'Bringing home the harvest' award," he said. "They managed to combine a celebration of great British food with serious discussions about food security in "The Great Food Debate" as well as educating parents and children about food and food waste. I hope it inspires other villages to follow their lead."
This photograph shows the craftsman who made the award, Annie Roberts, Chris Moulson, Sue Brown, Amanda Bishop and Rachel Hughes from Haslington WI with other members of the organising committee and the Rt Hon Owen Paterson, Alexia Robinson of 'Love British Food' and Anne Cuthbertson, editor of The Telegraph Life. The photograph was taken by Geoff Pugh, Telegraph photographer. The Award is on display in the Village Bakery
The Haslington festival began with a farmer's market on the village green, with stalls selling out quickly of locally produced meat, cheeses, vegetables and eggs, breads and cakes. Local farmers staged displays of tractors old and new, sheep, goats and cattle. The church provided the setting for the 'Great Food Debate', which included the local MP Edward Timpson and Jim Begg, the former Chief Executive of Dairy UK. Other members of the panel were a local farmer, Ian Scarisbrick and the Cheshire Agricultural Chaplain, Keith Ineson. Some 259 members of the local community took part in the survey, which asked questions about cutting food waste and the need to advertise leading farming practices. The judges described the Festival as 'This extraordinary and meaningful festival' which featured a range of stalls of locally-produced food, tractor displays, up-close sessions with farm animals, and English and Welsh wine tastings in the local church. The centrepiece, however, was The Great Food Debate, where the topic of food security was discussed by local businesspeople, clergymen and politicians. The festivities closed with a Harvest Festival service in the church, which was "packed with local people". Haslington WI made the refreshments enjoyed by everyone after the service.