Important – Please note this information and registration forms for Federation Representatives and Visiting Members have been sent to all Federation Secretaries – please contact your Federation for more information.
Visiting Members forms are also available to download here: Visiting Member Form
The Theme is ‘Stepping Out’
This will be held at the Beach Ballroom in Aberdeenshire.
Exhibition - The dates for the Exhibition are the afternoon of Tuesday 10th September 2019 2 – 5pm and all day Wednesday11th September – 9 – 5pm.
It would be greatly appreciated, if you are able to steward for the exhibition or the Conference the forms are available to download here.
Or contact the H&H Secretary: hand.house@theswi.org.uk or 0131 225 1724
Conference - The conference itself will be held on the Wednesday 11th and Thursday 12th September. The Conference will be opened on Wednesday 11th September by Mr Barney Crockett, the Lord Provost of Aberdeen.
Speakers
Information regarding this will be published on the website and in the April magazine.
Members should note that the Conference will open at 10.30 a.m. and close between 3 and 4 p.m. on the Wednesday and on the Thursday will open at 10.30 am and close at 1.00 p.m. The Prize giving of trophies will be held on Wednesday 11th September at 2.00 p.m. Further information will be given when available.
Evening Entertainment
Tuesday evening, Education & International National Competition winners.
Wednesday evening, Aberdeenshire Federation will provide the entertainment, this will be the ‘Longside Singers & Friends’.
Both evening’s entertainment will commence at 7.30pm. Tickets will be sold to members first who have registered for the conference, thereafter tickets can be purchased by contacting SWI headquarters.
Accommodation: We have sourced a preferential rate for a nearby hotel. For details of how to book, please login to the member’s area of the website (and then Committees/Handcrafts and Housewives Committee/H&H Conference) to find the link to book online, alternatively there is also a telephone number and booking code if you prefer to book by telephone.
Competitions - Notifications and application forms – information
The entry forms are now available please click on the links below to download.
Evelyn Baxter Trophy – please check your form has the specifications noted on this. For the Vaughan Nash – please check your form the deadline for the entry forms is 21st June . If not please download the form below or contact the H & H Secretary at Headquarters.
Please note due to a recent enquiry – The Vaughan Nash Competition – Theme – Oranges & Lemons – This is a general theme but other colours can be added if necessary. This is a Handcrafts competition.
Morgan Trophy – ‘A Recipe for a Starter for Food Intolerance’ as contained in the information link above. There is no entry form for this, recipes to be submitted to headquarters for the attention of the H&H Secretary. Email: hand.house@theswi.org.uk
2019 Playfair-Hannay Competition
The Blackwood Trophy for Embroidery 2019
Isobel Mackenzie Trophy for Flower Arrangement 2019 - A
Isobel Mackenzie Trophy for Flower Arrangement 2019 - B
The Lena Meiklejohn Trophy Competition 2019
The Mary Aitken Trophy for Preserving 2019
The North East Trophy Competition 2019
Vaughan Nash Community Competition 2019
The Whitecross Trophy for Knitting Competition 2019
The Whitecross Trophy for Sewing Competition 2019
Anne Wallace Sugar Sifter Trophy 2019
Aberdeenshire Host Federation Competition 2019 - This competition is restricted to Instiitutes in the Aberdeenshire Federation
Summer School 2019 will be held at Anderson High School, Lerwick, Shetland from Monday 22nd to Thursday 25th July. For those of you who have not been before, it is an excellent opportunity to meet other SWI members from all over Scotland as well as learning a new skill or perfecting one you have tried before. After welcome on the Monday evening, members spend a couple of hours becoming familiar with their chosen subject and classes continue on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday. The accommodation will be in the Halls of Residence on site of the school.
Whilst the closing date has passed for Summer School, we still have a limited number of places left on the Art, Beadwork and Shawls/Lace Knitting Classes. Please note that any further applications will be on a first come, first served basis. Summer School application forms are available from the Education & International Committee Secretary at educ.int@theswi.org.uk
Gardening Scotland will be held at Ingliston on the 31st May 1st & 2nd of June 2019. Once again SWI has been offered an opportunity to have a stand at this event. Throughout the weekend a variety of crafts will be demonstrated.
Applications have now closed for the competitions.
The Federation competition is for A Decorated Flower Pot (max 8”). Federations organise their own eliminations.
The individual competition is for ‘3 Decorated Cupcakes’ and is open to all members of institutes.
Window Boxes – for this competition they can be any size up to 60 cm in length – generally 20cm wide – plastic containers can be used for ease of transport. These can feature either ornamental or culinary plants. Window boxes will be judged from the front only.
If you require any further information, please email hand.house@theswi.org.uk.
The Royal Highland Show is from 20 - 23 June 2019.
SWI is responsible for managing the Handcrafts Pavilion. In order to cover the pavilion, volunteer stewards are required for 2 hour shifts during the event. Further information and the stewards form are available in the members' area (Event Information section).
Study Tour – North Wales - 18th – 22nd October 2019
Departing by coach on 18th October 2018 from pick-up points in Edinburgh and Glasgow, you will head to North Wales, stopping en-route at Sizergh Castle near Kendal.
After lunch you will continue your journey onto to the Celtic Royal Hotel in Caernarfon and check in for the next four nights, all bedrooms have en-suite facilities.
Over the next few days you will travel to Colwyn Bay, visit Bodnant Gardens, Conwy Castle, Portmeirion Village and Gardens. There will be a scenic drive south through the Vale of Conwy to Porthmadog. Once you arrive at Porthmadog train station, you will take a journey on the Welsh Highland Railway to Caernarfon. The study tour will continue with a visit to Caernarfon Castle.
On the journey home, you will stop at Dalemain House, Penrith.
Included in the price:
There are still a limited amount of space left for the Study Tour and, as with previous years, we can open up this tour to non-SWI members. If you would like to book a space further details are available from the Education & International Committee Secretary at educ.int@theswi.org.uk
TOUR BY EVELYN BAXTER SCHOLARS – JANUARY to DECEMBER 2019
Subject – Basic Embroidery
(All correspondence has been sent to the Federations)
The 2019 tutors are Susan Finlayson – Roxburghshire and Anne Rodgie - Fife. Evelyn Baxter Scholars - having attended the course held at headquarters this spring – are both willing to give 2 day classes on this subject at federation level anywhere in Scotland between January and December 2019.
A school will last two consecutive days (four hours each day) and a maximum of 12 members can be accepted. Once classes are confirmed – information will be sent to the Federations regarding materials. i.e a pack may be provided with a note of the cost and/or a requirements list *In response to enquiries received – Please note the following: The federation does not pay any fees for pupils attending these classes to SWI headquarters. Evelyn Baxter classes are different to the handcrafts - two day school and craft classes.
H & H Secretaries are reminded that all arrangements for these classes (dates and times) should be made through headquarters. In the event of a Federation having to cancel the class, Headquarters and the Scholar must be notified, at least four weeks in advance.
Please can you submit the application form as soon as possible if you wish your class in the early part of 2019, please contact the H&H Secretary (hand.house@theswi.org.uk) for further information.
SWI organises national competitions in curling, stadium bowling, outdoor bowling and golf. Federations select a team(s), usually by competition, to represent them in the competition. Further information can be obtained from the Education and International Secretary - educ.int@theswi.org.uk
Due to issues with catering at previous sports competitions, all refreshments must be ordered and paid for in advance for players and spectators. Refreshment vouchers will be distributed on the day and these should be handed over for refreshments.
The dates of the next National Competitions are:
Outdoor Bowling Competition
5th August, Outdoor Bowling Competition, Maxwelltown Bowling Club. The deadline for entries was 28 February.
Golf Competition 2019
27 August 2019, Shiskine Golf & Tennis Club, Arran Federation. The deadline for entries was 28 February.
Curling Bonspiel
Details on the next Curling Bonspiel will follow once available.
Stadium Bowling Competition
Details on the next Stadium Bowling competition will follow once available.
*Please click the side arrow to access the Guidelines relating to these events.
For federations who are hosting, or interested in hosting, SWI Sports Competitions, you can view our Guidelines for the following:
Proficiency Certificate Schedule
Welcome to our Education & International Committee Proficiency Certificate Programme.
We are delighted that you are considering sitting a certificate.
The downloadable booklet will give you all the answers to any queries you may have.
The schedules are currently under review. Please contact Headquarters for further information. For the federations eligible to sit their certificates in 2020. They will be contacted with the updated information as soon as possible.
SWI offers members the opportunity to attend weekend schools, particularly in handcrafts and Scottish Country Dancing. These are held in suitable venues in various parts of the Scotland.
The 2020 Scottish Country Dance Weekend for SWI members will be held in Fisher’s Hotel, Pitlochry on 6-8 March 2020. Details will follow nearer this time.
The next handcrafts weekend school is scheduled to take place in the Spring of 2020. Details will follow nearer this time.
SWI organises Study Tours, both abroad and to other parts of the UK, which include programmes of educational visits and meetings with members of our sister organisations.
For further information, please contact the Education and International Secretary email: educ.int@theswi.org.uk.