Kirkmahoe SWI members mark the institute's centenary with a special celebration

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Members of Kirkmahoe SWI gathered to mark a special milestone recently.

President Doreen Martin welcomed everyone to the Woodlands House Hotel to celebrate the institute’s 100th birthday and joining them for the special occasion was Mary Burney, SWI national chairman; Mima Telfer, Dumfriesshire president, and Jane Chalmers the Cairn Valley president helped to cut the cake and unveil the Kirkmahoe Parish Collage.

The collage is a representation of the Parish of Kirkmahoe, with all the important landmarks included, and was worked on by all the members over the summer. Margaret Wilson gave members the benefit of her expertise, and the use of her large work table, and she and Doreen unveiled the finished article.

Doreen, and Fiona Sweeney gave us a brief history of the institute with anecdotes which they had gathered from the old minutes. While times were hard, the ladies made the most of their night at the Rural, and had some entertaining activities, eg a potato peeling competition, or a demonstration of butchering half a bullock or half a lamb, and the evening often ended with singing or a dance. Then they would head home at about 11pm.

The cake was cut by the youngest member Emma Johnstone, watched by Jane, Mary, Doreen and Mima.

Mary Burney congratulated the institute on its centenary, and raised a toast to the SWI, and to Kirkmahoe.

Joan Stroud, one of the longest serving members, recited a poem which she had written, and then the members, past and present, enjoyed a lovely meal.

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