Fibromyalgia Support Group for Surrey and Sussex

Mary Tomsett's WI Success

I belong to the village WI called Jevington & Filching. Each year the County of Sussex Federation holds a County Competition and I decided to enter on behalf of my institute. The subject was "Our WI in a Shoebox".

It took me a long time to cover the inside and outside of the box as the old hands are bad at the moment. I used the ordnance survey map on the outside and took photos of the vlilage signs, meeting places etc. and reduced them in size and fixed them along with a little car to the map. The inside lid took ages as I cut out our members names and fixed them along with a photograph. The box contained many many things to do with our activities including tiny dolls house treasures, photos, crafts, recipes, poems, pressed flowers, newspaper cuttings, and even a tiny grand piano with a minute piece of paper with the music of Jerusalem. I was very pleased with it.

Yesterday (28th March) was the Annual Meeting at the Congress Theatre Eastbourne where about 1,000 members attended and the competition entries were all on display. They were absolutely beautiful. Guess who was announced as the 2007 winner of the County Cup? Mary Tomsett!

Walking across the stage and hanging on to the large cup was more difficult than making the box but I made it! My friend took a photo but she was shaking so much that it did not come out. Afterwards, outside the theatre, I asked a passing gentleman to take a photo and it is shown at the top of the page. I am the one holding the cup.

Not only that but . . .

I am going to try and have a quieter week this week (Easter Week). My husband says he'll believe it when he sees it! Holy week was very busy as I sing in S Saviour's church choir and there was  something on every day of the week. Wonderful sung services on Thursday, Friday, Saturday and Easter Day but very tiring as three were in the evening with Saturday's lasting about 2 hours and I'm never too bright at that time of the day. I also sang in Stainer's Crucifixion on Good Friday which was great but have suffered with pains in my arms since as holding the music for an hour was difficult. It was all worth it though and I hope to be there again next year. I just have to finish off my Easter chocolate now - which wont be difficult - and then it's onward and upward with the diet!

  Our choir of 16 choristers has been asked to sing Choral Evensong in Chichester Cathedral in a couple of weeks time when the cathedral choir is singing away. This is a great honour and also a challenge as the set psalm has 46 verses and 7 chants!

St Francis' Service for Animals

This shows Mary and 13 years old labrador retriever Polly reading the first lesson at the Blessing of the Animals Service on the Feast of Francis of Assisi in St Saviour's church Eastbourne, 2008

Go to Members' Interests, Hobbies and Achievements Menu