The following is a news update from Maldon Wycke Women's Institute (WI):

As for many groups, the last year has been a challenge for us at Maldon Wycke Women's Institute WI), but our members have thankfully stuck by our group and we go into the new WI year with all members re-joining and even some new members signing up.

Our members have rallied together throughout the year and sewed scrubs,baked cakes, donated toiletries and made up treat bags for NHS staff and care homes.

In November we donated over 40 individual Christmas Hampers to The Café at St Peters for elderly and vulnerable members of the community and, most importantly, members have continually supported each other.

We did manage an outdoor meeting in September, during which we held our AGM. All members of the committee agreed to continue in the roles for a further year. This was a lovely afternoon of catching up, tea and cakes, a Maldon quiz and a 'Covid-19/lockdown' themed raffle.

We have kept our members constantly updated with National and County WI news and have provided quizzes and local information via email and social media.

We have now fully embraced Zoom meetings which have proven a great success. Our March meeting was an Easter themed one, run by one of our committee.

Members were all delivered an Easter-themed bag before the meeting. Great fun was had on the night of the meeting with Easter-themed quizzes, all members making a rice sock Easter bunny, guessing how many eggs in a jar and an Easter raffle. At our April meeting we have a talk from an Essex author – A J Campbell and many members have been reading her book 'Leave Well Alone'.

As the vaccination programme continues to be rolled out, we now look forward to when we can get back to face-to-face meetings and I'm sure there will be lots of stories to be told from the last year. Members will also get a chance to look