Dear All,
Thank you all for waiting an extra week. We have exciting news from our AGM and a committee which will take us into the rest of the year.
Three main points of interest from the AGM. Firstly, Toni Olivier came and spoke to us about the progress of Ighali. She is waiting for the final details from some of the teachers, then we will have a firm agenda and we can open it up to registration. The only slight concern at the moment is money! If we get all 120 places taken up, we’ll break even, but there is very little slack, and any donations, fund-raising efforts on your part or other forms of getting in funds will be most welcome (and please don’t come with any more ideas unless you are prepared to carry them out. We have had a plethora of ideas, suggestions, advice and instructions. We need people to DO things.) Any amount is welcome.
Secondly, you will be glad to know that the charge for tea will not be raised. It is still R2.50 per day – R10.00 per month for Tuesdays, R5.00 per month for Saturdays, and you have the option of paying in advance for the whole year.
Thirdly, there will be NO exhibition this year. All our extra efforts will go into supporting Ighali and encouraging people to attend that instead.
We are VERY grateful that the Guild has always had a committee of dedicated hard-working people who have carried our interests forward. We welcome the committee of 2020 and assure them of our love and support, and look forward to an interesting year.
Our committee for this year is as follows:
- Chair: Danny Wimpey (new on the committee)
- Secretary: Hettie Moller
- Treasurer: Helen O’Hanrahan (back on the committee after some years)
- Tea: Sue Sylvester
- Library: Agness Janse van Rensburg, with Diane Walker helping on Saturdays
- Sales Table: Jenny Henning (new on the committee)
- Saturday Rep: Fatima Bhaba (back on the committee after a few years)
- Workshops: Carol Robinson, with Jenni Langford on Saturdays as before.
Danny, our Chair, has asked me to send a brief biography since she is relatively new to the Guild, and has probably not met most of the Saturday members. I think you’ll agree she has a most impressive background, and will serve us well. Welcome Danny!
All the best for 2020, and Happy Sewing!
FROM DANNY:
As you may know by now, I was elected Chairperson of the Guild at the 2020 AGM. Many of you do not know me so to make things easier here is a brief bio.
I have just turned 60 and am semi-retired, although as often is the case, am busier now rather than less so. I live with my husband, 2 of my children and several cats, dogs, and parrots, in Parktown North. I am Jhb born and bred, grew up in Parkview, and attended Parkview Senior and Parktown Girls. I studied law at Wits and was admitted as an attorney in 1985. After practicing privately as a lawyer for 9 years I was headhunted to UJ to run the UJ/Alexandra Law Clinic, which I did for 14 years. After leaving UJ in 2007, I worked at FNB for some years before resigning to start working in another direction: writing and fundraising. I have been doing that since 2011. I work part time for several NGOs as a fundraiser as well as writing for PR clients and doing some editing and proofreading.
I love to exercise, walk and do Pilates regularly. I am also a member of a knitting group: St Francis Knitters. We knit baby things for The Baby Box, a project which delivers to new mums in several government hospitals in South Africa. I am a keen cook, reader and gardener. I also do a bit of machine sewing but not as much as I would like.
I am looking forward to this year and hope to serve you all to the best of my ability. Please feel free to contact me, or chat to me about anything.
Best wishes, Danny Wimpey