It’s a bit late for “Happy New Year”, but this is the first letter of 2022. I hope you all have had a wonderful summer and festive season, and that this year brings a bit more normality to our lives.
Firstly, we had to say goodbye to Carol Walker on the 26th January. She died very unexpectedly, and it must have been a great shock to Diane and her father. Carol was a very loyal and devoted member of the Guild, and didn’t let her own physical difficulties stop her, with the support of Diane, from running the Sales Table and she was also a very vocal member of the committee. She had a strong sense of what was right and fitting, and could always be relied on the turn up and do her bit. During a long association with the Guild, she did some wonderful embroidery too. Meetings won’t be the same without her. We will miss her.
The committee has decided, after some deliberation, that Ighali will be postponed to next year. While it seems that the pandemic is losing some of its fire, authorities, including the World Health Organisation have warned us that it is not over yet. If, as has been predicted, we get another spike in infections during winter, it will be very difficult to put such a big event together in the limited time we have available. We’ll see how things go and make a decision later in the year or early next year, when the best time will be to hold it. It WILL HAPPEN, but not just yet.
Renovations at Roosevelt Park are under way, and it seems we will be able to meet there this year. April/May has been mooted as a possible starting date, but we all know builders! Let’s not be too fixed in our hopes, but we are optimistic it will happen sometime soon. However, we have noted how we are longing to see one another and get back to doing our lovely work at a meeting, so we have made provision for a Guild Social Event. This coming Tuesday, the 8th February, at 09h30, we have arranged for those of us who want to, to meet in the garden at Paputzis (a restaurant in the same street as Arthur Bales, 4th Avenue Linden, near 6thStreet, next to the Library). It is NOT an official Guild meeting. You come as an individual, and meet other members of the Guild, have a cup of tea and something to eat (which you will pay for yourselves) and do some embroidery until about 11h45 when the staff need to sanitise and get ready for their lunchtime customers. They did ask that we have something to eat (come early and have breakfast!) because serving a bigger group does mean greater demands on the staff, and more sanitising of tables, toilets and so on, and we must remember that restaurants have been very hard hit by the pandemic. If it goes well, we can meet again. It may be too expensive to meet weekly, so fortnightly or monthly may suit most people – we’ll decide that on the day. This IS Guild initiated, but not run by the Guild. The management did ask that, for the first meeting, we phone and book, so they have some idea of what will be demanded of them. Most businesses are low on stock as a result of the pandemic, and do not have the bandwidth to buy in extra “in case.” It will be a few months before small businesses will feel financially secure, so we can help them in this way. The number is (011) 782 9393. I know some people have already booked. Do come if you can. It will be great to see everyone again.
Before I end, I’m sure we all wish Helen O’Hanrahan well. She fell and broke her hip and went through a hip replacement. Some of you know what that means, and I’m sure we will all send her our good wishes and prayers, and we look forward to seeing her back with us again.
It’s time to dig out a favourite piece of embroidery, and we’ll see you on Tuesday!