THE latest community news from Waunfawr

WI

MEMBERS of Waunfawr WI met on 4 March to celebrate St David’s Day together.

President Caroline Hodgekiss welcomed 22 members and guests and went on to introduce the speakers for the evening, Mercedes and Roger Mills, who gave us a very good talk on ‘Argentina, Patagonia and Wales’. Roger had travelled to Argentina to further his studies where he met and later married Mercedes.

They skilfully gave their talk in two parts. Mercedes gave an overall view of her native land and fascinating it was. With Wales being a small country, people often forget how vast other countries are. Argentina would stretch from Norway to Sicily in relation to Europe and of course its climate and vegetation reflect these encompassing deserts, forests, plains and mountains.

They also showed pictures of Argentina’s elegant capital Buenos Aires. Roger then gave an outline of the involvement of settlers from Wales in the story of Patagonia which started with 153 men, women and children setting sail from Liverpool on the Mimosa. They were inspired by Michael D Jones, a Congregationalist minister, who was hoping to set up an independent Welsh nation.

Roger outlined their story, their early difficulties and their determination which, 20 years later, saw a prosperous settlement being established. Aberystwyth is now twinned with Esquel in the far west of Patagonia though visits can hardly be easy! Caroline warmly thanked the speakers and after refreshment dealt with the WI business for the evening.

With spring approaching the number of events which members of a thriving WI can and want to be involved with is increasing. Thus meetings will be longer in future, and a calendar for the year has been produced to help members to keep track.

Members are planning to take part in a number of county events and to join Llanilar WI at their special April meeting. The April meeting of the Waunfawr WI will be on Monday, 1 April , at 7pm when they will welcome Jacinta and her team talking about ‘Food at M&S’. All ladies are very welcome .

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