The Federation gathers twice a year. drawing members from all the Northern and Hawke's Bay W.I.'s, the Federation also runs events throughout the year, some of which are featured on this page.
There were lots of competition entries.
The speaker was Glenys Mulligan talking about Phillip Lamason and his story of being a pilot in WW2.
On Friday 23 May 2025, 12 ladies met at Anderson Park in Napier and boarded a HUGE Maxwell's Coach to take them to Hamilton. Ann Webster was driving there with her partner Bob and dog Harry. We all stayed at the Distinction Hotel in Te Rapa. We went out to Good George for dinner on Friday night.
The ladies meeting at Anderson Park.
We went to Good George for dinner and my meal was fish and chips. The meals were all really nice.
The conference started at 9am and was full on until we broke for lunch. June had reserved us a table at a cafe next door which was really good. Also Spotlight was there too so several of us popped in for some shopping.
First morning and Loraine is getting breakfast ready. As it was a hotel not a motel there was not a microwave or dishes so we had to take a few things with us.
Rachel, Maddie, Mary and Ann all won raffle prizes.
Our table of competition entries.
Saturday night four of us had a disappointing dinner in the hotel restaurant. $45 for a buffet. Only 1 choice of meat - tough steak without a steak knife!! The others all had cup a soup and rolls. We went to the evening entertainment then afterwards we all got in our pj's and congregated in June, Pam and Ann Cook's room for story time, drinks and nibbles.
There was prizegiving on day 2 and then a great speaker Dame Julie Chapman who started Pet Refuge and KidsCan. She was the highlight of the conference. We didn't stay for the workshops and left at lunchtime and went to Hamilton Gardens.
Marilyn and Loraine on the Camelia Walk
Carolyn, Marilyn and Loraine at the Cloud Court
Carolyn, Ann (me), Loraine and Marilyn in the Japanese Garden of Contemplation
Marilyn, Loraine and Carolyn on a bridge in the Japanese Garden. The pond was full of big fish.
Ann Cook by the She Wolf and Romulus and Remus
Northern & Hawke's Bay Federation held their mini A&P show with a variety of different classes in which the members participated enthusiastically. The schedule included handcraft, flowers, plants, baking and marmalade. The judges were Molly Wylie and Marie Brown. Pauline Powell and Loraine Gosse organised the items and recorded the results.
The speaker was Yvonne Monk. Competitions were knitted dishcloth, 3 YoYo Biscuits, Greenery on Driftwood.
Ladies went to the Charity shops and picked our outfits and presented a fashion parade. Fine Feathers Op Shop in Greenmeadows was very accommodating . Below are the models.
Our Federation are hoping to have regular events and in March they hosted a funday. As you can see in the photos, tables/areas were set up with different games to play. These included Dominoes, Jenga, Cornhole, Connect4 and more. The afternoon concluded with afternoon tea and cake.
Founders Day 21 February 2024
This was celebrated at Anderson Park. Looks like a lovely time was had by all.
President Marilyn Thorp welcomed 27 members (Taradale 4; Wharerangi 4 and Tamatea 19) and 4 guests (3 from Central HB) to the AGM. Betty McDonald and Inez Rudd, Gold Honours ladies attended. Ann Webster stood in as minute secretary for the meeting. Mary Young ran through the housekeeping for us. Jenny Ziebe was the steward. Thanks also to Jenny for the photos.
Ann Webster, President Marilyn Thorp and Treasurer June Fraser.
June Fraser was elected as the new President. Angela Maxwell, Varna Day, Loraine Gosse and Ann Cook were all nominated onto the committee. Pam retired from the committee along with Annette Elkins and Tui Franklin.
The new committee - Ann Cook, Pam Taylor (retired), Mary Young, Pauline Powell, Angela Maxwell, Varna Day, Loraine Gosse, Molly Wylie, Marilyn Thorp and June Fraser.
Retiring committee member Pam Taylor with Marilyn.
Our speaker was MJ Bloem from the Mobility Centre in Hastings. They have all manner of things available to help make things easier for us around the house. Everyone was very interested and asked quite a few questions.
Ann Webster, Frances McLay and Marilyn with others in the background.
Inez Rudd, Joan Curtis, Peggy Flack with others in the background listen to MJ Bloem.
Some of the items to help us.
Challenge Cup - Cooking 3 Savoury Muffins
1st Marilyn Thorp 2nd Jenny Ziebe 3rd Rachel Wickham
All placegett ers were from Tamatea.
Jubilee Cup - Craft Soft Toy, Knitted to be donated if wished
1st Molly Wylie 2nd Varna Day 3rd Pauline Powell
All placegetters were from Tamatea.
McAuley Silver Vase - Floral Fresh Flower Arrangement in an aerosol lid, embellishments allowed.
1st Molly Wylie 2nd Marilyn Thorp 3rd Varna Day
All placegetters were from Tamatea.
Marilyn presenting Gaylene Bailey with her Good Service Badge (GSB)
Federation hosted a Christmas Craft Day where ladies were helped to make a variety of Christmassy items. Certainly looked like a fun time and I was sad to miss it.
A good number of ladies attended the Fun Day at Tamatea Community Church. We weren't sure what to expect as all we had been told was to wear comfortable flat shoes. The afternoon was fun and games...literally. We started off with a couple of rounds of Bingo. Then we moved around the different tables and played things such as Jenga, card games, knucklebones, Ping Pong into cups, quoits and minigolf and more.
We finished up with a relay team game where we had to hold a balloon between our knees and waddle to the other end of the room and drop it into a bucket. That game was very funny.
Marilyn watches as Ann W is unsure which block to take in a game of Jenga.
Ann W, Ann C and Brenda enjoy a card game.
Mary and Marilyn are about to play a card game.
Molly watches Rhose and Annette play a game. I didn't play this so am not sure what it is called.
Rachel, Yvonne and Diane watch as Lois is about to throw a quoit.
Inez and Pam with the ping pong into a cup.
Brenda, Varna, Ann W and Ann C playing cards.
Yvonne, Diane, Lois and Rachel are playing dominoes.
Oh noooo, Jenga has collapsed. Did June F collapse it?
Daffodils
Peggy and Marilyn about to start Jenga.
The entry for the National Competitions.
Balloon game, Molly and Annette headed to the buckets.
A lovely lunch was had at The Duke for past and present members of the Federation.
Prince Charles became King Charles on 6 May 2023. Federation felt it was deserving of an event soooo plans were made...
We started with a lovely invitation and ticket -
We were greeted by the King on arrival and were able to buy raffles -
Alan Cramond was our King
June Fraser, Molly Wylie and Pauline Powell from Federation were selling raffle tickets.
Orb, Glove, Sceptre and Crown for the Coronation
Bunting and balloons.
Pauline Powell being escorted in.
Bunting and decorations.
We were given a lovely service booklet. Everything was still a bit of a mystery as to what was going to be happening for the afternoon.
Wendy, Judy and Adrienne.
June Finlayson, Anne and Mary
Jenny, Peggy and Lesley.
Annette, Rachel and Lois.
Tui, Sherilyn and Joan.
Barbara and Audrey.
Mary, Yvonne and Ann C.
Annabel and Robyn.
Diane, Loraine and
Inez and Bryan and
Elaine and Tui.
Angela, Janis and Molly on the right.
Ann W, Lynn and Berry.
Northern and Hawke's Bay Federation President, Marilyn Thorp, warmly welcomed us all and we began the afternoon The Aspirations. We were then entertained by Alan Cramond, Rita Carswell and Roger Willis. They sang songs which many ladies knew and were able to sing along.
Alan Cramond, Roger Wallis and Rita Carswell entertained us with lovely renditions of many older songs including 'I'm Getting Married in the Morning' and 'White Cliffs of Dover'.
Our MC was John Cocking. Many know him as 'Bertie' from Art Deco. He also read a poem later in the afternoon.
When we sat down at our tables, there was a crown for each of us. We were then set the task of decorating our crowns and orbs with sequins, jewels etc. That was a huge amount of fun. Everyone did their own thing and there were some lovely masterpieces which, from a distance, would have rivalled the real crown! As you can see from the photos below, it takes a lot of concentration to create a masterpiece.
Margaret H, Barbara C and Audrey.
Our tables were then cleared of all of the crown and orb decorating materials and the top table cover was removed. We were then each given a cupcake on a side plate. Then a tray was brought out which had icing ready to go and lots of cake decorations and sprinkles. We then proceeded to decorate our little cupcakes.
Yvonne with her cupcake.
Wendy, Judy and Adrienne show off their cupcakes.
Next we had the Crowning of the King. He was first taken away and annointed by Pauline Powell, then presented with a Sceptre by Molly Wylie. Annette Elkins gave him an Orb and Marilyn Thorp placed the crown. We then sung God Save the King and Jeruselum. The cake was cut by the King after that.
Molly presenting the sceptre.
Annette presenting the orb.
Marilyn has placed the crown.
Our King looking resplendent.
Our King cutting the Coronation Cake.
We were then treated to a delicious afternoon tea which included sausage rolls, cheese rolls, asparagus rolls, club sandwiches and a lovely selection of delectable sweet treats.
President, Marilyn then thanked several people for their great efforts in making the afternoon such a success.
Michelle Dunstall was presented with a gift. Michelle was instrumental in the event's success. She did a lot of work and it wouldn't have been the wonderful afternoon that it was withour her.
John Cocking was presented with a gift.
Alan Cramond received a gift.
Roger Wallis and Rita Carswell received a gift.
I (Ann Webster) was lucky enough to win one of the raffles. I knew straight away which prize I would choose. A lovely jigsaw of the late Queen.
A lovely photo of Bryan and Inez Rudd with our King.
The mystery bus trip that had been delayed due to Cyclone Gabrielle finally took place on Tuesday 18 April 2023. The bus firstly headed to the Red Barn Museum where they had morning tea and were treated to a display of spinning and weaving. Next stop was Birdwoods and then onto Havelock North for lunch. They then visited The Figgery where they were told the history of figs and learnt a lot about fig growing in NZ. The last stop was Telegraph Hill. Then home for a quick photo shoot before dispersing for dinner.
Sounds like a lovely day out.
Thank you to Molly Wylie who supplied the photos and the rundown of the day.
A happy bunch of ladies enjoyed the Mystery Bus Trip
Luckily it's not a real one the Molly Wylie is sitting on.
The Federation AGM was held at Tamatea Community Church on 23 March 2023. Our very special guest was Jude Vaughan NZ National President.
Secretary Annette Elkins, President Marilyn Thorp and Treasurer June Fraser.
Berry Rangi (Tamatea WI) wearing a beautiful ei katu.
Berry presents National President Jude Vaughan with an ei katu.
Jude is overwhelmed.
Jude Vaughan presenting Mary Ellen Warren (Taradale WI) with her Good Service Badge.
Jude with some regifted items.
This was celebrated at Anderson Park. Members gathered for a BYO lunch. Looks like they enjoyed themselves!
June Fraser was the driver behind a wonderful afternoon had by members. There were 6 different items to make - a folder to hold a cake of chocolate, a wee box for lollies, a Xmas box, a voucher holder, a tissue holder and an angel. Each one was at a different table so we moved around the tables.
June Dalton, Yvonne Hirst and Inez Rudd choosing papers to make a Xmas Box.
Busy making a folder for a cake of chocolate.
Making a voucher holder.
Making a wee box for lollies.
Making a Xmas Box.
Making a folder for a cake of chocolate.
Making a folder for a cake of chocolate.
Molly, Pam and Annette were on the radio participating in the first podcast. They spoke for about 30 minutes and did a wonderful job telling listeners about what happens at WI.
Pam, Kelly, Natalie, Molly and Annette.
Annette and Pam
Instead of having a stall with goodies for sale, Federation decided to let the community be aware of WI by taking baked goods to our First Responders to let them know how important they are to all of us. 84 lots were made by our members. Below, Pam Taylor and Molly Wylie dropped goodies off to the Fore Service and the ED Department at the hospital.
The meeting was changed from a 9.30am start to a 1.30pm start as some members had difficulty getting to a 9.30 meeting with home help etc. The venue was also moved from St Columbas to the Missionview Hall at the Masonic Village in Avondale Road. Both changes seem to have gone down well.
An afternoon tea was hosted by our Federation to celebrate our four golden girls, Catherine Downs, Betty McDonald, Inez Rudd and Elaine Williams. They are all recipients of the Gold Service Badge. Here are a selection of photos taken by Jenny Ziebe.
There was a luncheon for past and present members of the Federation held at Jarks in Hastings.
Half-yearly Meeting,22nd September 2017, Fish Hall, St Columbas Church Taradale
President Pauline Powell welcome members and guests for the meeting.
Notices
Catherine Downes -monologue.
Dorothy Finlayson-craft demostration
Presentation to Dorothy Morris
The Andrews Sisters
The competition were Floral an Open Dish of succulents Cooking Individual Christmas Pudding.
Handcraft Christmas Door Hanger and Half Apron Coloring Competition Two drawings supplied.
Pauline present Jenny Ziebe Tamatea WI with her 1st prize for cooking./ Peggy Flack 1st with Door Hanger Tamatea WI
Pauline presenting Mary Young with her first prize with her half apron Taradale./Pauline giving Jenny 1st prize for the coloring drawing Tamatea
Annette Elkins President Tamatea WI accepting the Smiley cup for the most points./Catherine Downes reciting 3 monologues in dialect
Dorothy Finlayson doing her demonstration putting a chocolate in a paper flower./ Pauline pinning a 50 year
services badge on the lapel of Dorothy Morris 102 years young Tradale WI
Pauline and Dorothy together. Margarett Roche in red jacket Tamatea WI talking to members of Tamatea
Judges and Stewards waiting for lunch, The Andrew sisters entertaining us after our lunch
Jenny Ziebe came first in the Butterfly drawing. Liz Nelson came first in the succulent both from TamateaWI
Christmas Door Hangers Peggy Flack first Tamatea WI Christmas puddings first Jenny Ziebe Tamatea
Some of the members having a natter before we started./ Inez Rudd and Jenny Ziebe with their 1st prize in National this year
Northern HB Tamatea WI
Food Food Food we are getting spoiled again this lunch time