To celebrate International Women’s Day, the Asda Trolley Dollies donned their best frocks and took off for Afternoon tea at Anthony’s Piazza in the Corn Exchange, Leeds.

Following a fantastic day of informative workshops and keynote speakers in Asda House, which covered everything from flexible working, career progression and mentoring and how to get ahead in business, the ladies were in need of some refreshments and of course a good debate!

President Daniela Hardy said “Nothing helps create inspiration for a debate quite like the word scone, how do you pronounce it again?”

Anthony’s was a great setting, the historic Corn Exchange lends itself to some fairly upmarket restaurants these days and Anthony’s is no exception. We opted for full afternoon tea and our eyes and bellies were treated to a selection of warm scones and preserves, delectable cakes and lush sandwiches. You only need to look at the pictures to see it was a mouth-watering affair and some classic W.I fodder!

Once the sugar and carb overload had worked its magic we discussed some of the things at Asda that we’d like to see continue or change. We believe that being a woman in any business should make no difference to how you’re treated professionally and we looked around us and found that it’s great to belong to an organisation that believes in the same principles.

Some of the great things about being female and working at Asda are:

• Flexible working
• Mum2Mum mentoring
• Opportunity to get involved with anything you like no matter what your lifestyle or background
• Keynote speakers and inspirational talks from women that have been in the same boat
• Development opportunities and training
• Support network of over 170,000 colleagues who are all striving for the same thing
• Sharesave scheme/ Colleague Bonus and Christmas thank you days
• Great social life
  
  

Member, Keri Flyn said, “kick starting the day with the International Women’s Day breakfast and ending it with tea and cake, provided a well rounded opportunity to learn and reflect. Having the chance to understand how Asda’s women in leadership have developed their careers brought an encouraging new light to development possibilities for women in business.”

Once we’d discussed some of the things we appreciate in our workplace and offered our opinions, suggestions and had a good giggle, we decided that next month we’re going to look at creating a ‘grow your own’ veg patch at the Asda HQ site and see if we can encourage a ‘gardening swap shop’ and skills sharing session.

Emily Brewster, our Treasurer said, “It was great to share thoughts on our careers with friends and colleagues from different parts of the business in a completely different environment to anything you might do ‘at work’. As the tea continued to flow, so did the conversation, and it turned to other things, including food provenance and even gardening. I’m looking forward to finding out more next month.”

With a wealth of knowledge and expertise in the business it’s easy for anyone to get involved, so please get in touch if you’re interested in joining the W.I.

The Trolley Dollies are Asda’s very own Women’s Institute and we’re looking for new members. Want to join?

Last year we did loads of fun activities. We:

• learnt how to make sushi
• made our own fascinators with a local milliner
• cooked curry, onion bahjis and chapattis under the expert instruction of Asda buyer Noor Ali – then ate it all!
• made jewellery at local craft centre Fabrication
• danced the Lindyhop in the Tomato Room under expert instruction
• made Christmas cards guided by one of our clever crafty members
  
  

We sometimes do slightly more serious things – last month we learnt all about the valuable work done in Leeds by the charity Genesis. Find out more about our activities so far here.

This year we’re planning more of the same fun activities – and some different things too.

On Thursday 8th March we’re going to Piazza at Anthony’s for a late afternoon tea. If you want to join us there, why not become a member?

Membership for the year is £31.50 – this pays for visiting speakers, materials and more. Or, if you’re already in another WI, you can become a dual member for just £13.80. If you’d like to join, please contact me.

Men are welcome to attend meetings and pay guest rates.

We’re also on the lookout for extra committee members so if you’d like to get involved in the organisation of the WI then let us know. Or if you have an interesting skill you’d like to share with us in one of our meetings – email me and tell me all about it.

Thanks

Emily Brewster.

• Learn more about the WI here.
  
  
  
  

Last Thursday Asda colleague Marian Stanley ran a Christmas card-making workshop to get the ladies in the Christmas mood and help tackle that ever growing Christmas card list with a more personal touch.

With background music of Christmas carols and chatter about Christmas markets and mince pies, the crafting began and the ladies learnt three styles of card making.

Marian gave a demonstration of how to make an origami-style Christmas tree card, which involved learning how to fold square paper in to Christmas tree parts. We were also given a short demonstration on Decoupage and Irish Folding which was surprisingly easy to do – albeit a few notches up the scale compared to the cut out and stick days.

Some of us decided to go with the origami design and there were several variations of cards produced using squares of old Christmas wrapping paper. Others in the group decided to go ‘free hand’ and make up their own design, either using the card toppers provided or just going out on their own.

The evening was a rip roaring fun-fest and marks the continued success of the Asda Women’s Institute.

President, Daniela Hardy said: “Being part of a WI isn’t just for Christmas, it’s about celebrating community and sharing skills in a safe environment all year round.”

“The Asda Trolley Dollies are only eight months old and still developing a style of our own. We’ve had an interesting start with everything from fascinator making and beading to curry tasting and Lindyhop. We’re looking forward to getting even more involved in the Leeds community in 2012 so if you’ve any ideas give us a shout.”

Imagine a world where the film Strictly Ballroom joins forces with a fast paced Leeds based retailer. The Asda Trolley Dollies did – and Strictly Boardroom was born.

Last Thursday, glamorous ladies and even a gent were treated to a customised beginners’ dance workshop on how to Lindy Hop.

Even though some of us were completely new to the art – and some of us might never master the rhythm or the courage to try it again – the master of all dance trades Rob Shield was patient enough with us to teach us how to rock step with the best.

Rob is a teacher and choreographer for Leeds-based not-for-profit organisation Lindy Fridays – have a look at some of the simple moves he was teaching us in the video above.

“Playing ragdoll” to Rob’s expert dancing (in her own words) was the talented Tessa Smith. Not only can Tessa shake, rattle and roll, she’s also a fantastic singer with her very own jazz quartet.

Kim Vaughn from our ISD team said: “What a fantastic workshop giving us a view into the world of dance! The instructors were extremely talented and definitely made the workshop a fun event for all.”

“The music was great, the moves were easy to learn and it’s quite energetic so definitely a good calorie burner… anything that is heaps of fun and burns calories has me sold! Looks like I’ve just found a new hobby!”

There was a great atmosphere, some fab music and a ton of laughter, so a huge thank you to those that made it, and to Rob and Tessa for their skill swap. Check out photos from the evening below and look out for a “Sexy Salsa” class coming soon…

Imagine every colour, shape and size of bead you can – this was the scene we were greeted by at our fantastic bead jewellery workshop.

The Asda Women’s Institute organised a trip to a little boutique workshop in the heart of Leeds at Fabrication – owned and founded by Dawn. This was a very popular workshop – we had a full house of people with differing skills and proficiency levels.

Dawn is a very creative and wise lady – her motto, “eating cake gets the creative juices flowing”, sat very well with us! She intrigued us all with her stories of the many catwalks she has designed and created clothes for. Not only was this lady knowledgeable, she was also great fun to have as a tutor.

Kim Vaughan who describes the event as a ‘Mad Hatter tea party with beads’ says: “This was a really fun workshop, allowing us all to tap into our creative sides! Dawn is a real eccentric with a great talent and ensured we had a fun evening with lots of tea and cake… can’t really go wrong with tea and cake!”

“We were given a large variety of beads of different colours, shapes and sizes and the challenge was to turn them into necklaces, bracelets and earrings. It was interesting to see all the wonderful designs the WI members came up with and I really impressed myself with how my necklace turned out… would definitely buy it in a shop!”

At the end of the workshop we were thrilled with the delights we had made. From chunky bracelets to delicate necklaces, everybody was amazed at what a little patience and time could do.

On 21st September we were very lucky to have Noor Ali amaze us with her Spice Sensation Workshop. The class turned out to be very popular with noses at the ready for the wonderful spices coming from the kitchen.

Noor engaged the group by teaching us how to perfect the onion bhaji, mix the essential brown rice and bubble the delicate chappati. But most of all – how to make the perfect masala sauce! The class listened intently as Noor stirred up a sensation in the kitchen – the tastes were unbelievably mouthwatering.

During the class we were shown what ingredients were needed, how to cook them traditionally and of course got to taste each of the delights. We all had a go at making our very own chapattis which turned into a spinning sensation within the class – most even fit for the mother-in-law!

Noor said: “Indian food is one of the favourite cuisines in the UK. Being able to share my culture and cooking knowledge with others is just a fantastic experience and it’s great fun. Not only does it help me network with colleagues around the business, it help me develop and through this I develop others!”

After two hours the immaculate feast was ready to tuck in to and enjoy – and not a tiny grain of rice was left!

Sign up for the Asda Women’s Institute now!

If you’re interested in joining us October is definitely the month to do it – you’ll get 15 months membership for the price of 12 at just £31.50 for the year. Both men and women are welcome!

And we’ve got an amazing line-up of activities coming up in the next few months:

Just Bead It workshop

On Thursday 6th October from 5pm – 7.30pm, we’re working with Fabrication, a really cool little boutique above Blue Rinse in Leeds City Centre, for the first in a long line of craft-based workshops that we plan to hold.

Led by Dawn Wood, the experience will be creative, inspiring and perhaps a little bit wild – you can check out her website here.

We’ll be learning to make beaded jewellery and will each have a pretty piece of jewellery to take home at the end as well as some nice cake and cups of tea throughout.

We’ll meet in the atrium and leave at 5pm on the dot to then head to Leeds Kirkgate Market or Samuel Taylors to pick out beads before the workshop starts. Please note you will need to pay for these beads. If you can’t make that then be ready to arrive at Fabrication for 5.30pm sharp. Fabrication is literally around the corner from Blue Rinse in an alleyway and has the words Fabrication written above the door. Beads will also be provided at the venue.

For members the cost will be £4.50 and for non-members this will be £7.00 each. There are only 15 places available and as always is on a first come, first serve basis and when full payment has been received.

Strictly Boardroom

On Thursday 3rd November from 6.30pm to 7.30pm, you’re invited to swing your hips and move those feet for our first Asda Trolley Dollies Lindyhop swing dance workshop! Learn to jive and swing like a pro in the Tomato Room with our two professional tutors Tessa and Rob, followed by drinks in Smokestack and a boogie in Hifi Club where we get to practise our new moves at ‘Silver Hips’ in the Hifi Club.

This is free for WI members and only £5 for non-members. Drinks and entry to Hifi are not included. Bring your partners or friends as everyone is welcome!

To find out more or book please contact Daniela Hardy or Rosie Battye.

Noor Ali is our resident Ethnics Frozen and Non Food buyer here at Asda. She’s also recently won Business Woman of the Year at the Asian Women of Achievement Awards 2011.

Hearing about her legendary Asian cooking workshops, the Asda Trolley Dollies only thought it right to invite her to do one just for the ladies, and quite frankly, we can’t wait.

Held on 21st September from 5.30 – 7.30pm in Chef’s Kitchen, the workshop will include a 10 minute update from your WI Committee before Noor gives us a quick intro to Asian cooking and spices, teaches us to fry off the perfect onion bhaji, gives us the theory and practice of making a chicken massala curry from scratch, and coaches us on cooking chapatis and rice to accompany the dish. Everyone will then get the chance to try their homemade curry meals!

For WI members this workshop is free and for non-members it’s £3.50. There should be opportunity for everyone to get some hands-on experience!

There are only 15 places available on a first come, first served basis. You will only have a place once you have confirmed it by paying Asda House colleagues Daniela Hardy or Lauren Brundell. We look forward to seeing you there!

Well what a busy month July was! Not only did we have our fascinator-making workshop, we also had our own Asda House atrium event. Well best to start from the beginning.

On 20th August we were very lucky to have two talented members of our neighbouring WI, Buns and Roses, to provide a fascinator making workshop. This was a very popular workshop and we had a full house of women all ready to create and craft their very own fascinators.

After learning about the materials that are used to create the fascinators the fun began. The room went silent as we all sewed around our templates and attached our combs. When this was done the room became a multitude of colours as women began grabbing chiffon, feathers, buttons, beads and anything else that was available and our creations truly began to take shape.There was a variety of skill levels at the workshop with one member telling us that she has never sewn before!

After two hours our creations were complete and the results were amazing, we had some very 1930’s styled fascinators with cameo’s and pearls attached and some that Lady Gaga would be envious of.

Keri Flynn, one of our members, said: “This event was well supported, really productive, and really accessible; it was well worth the time and money. I would encourage anyone who is interested in bring out their creative side to get involved, join in the fun because you never know what you might learn! Thanks Trolley Dollies!”

I hope that you like our fascinators, and if you are lucky you may just well recognise the wearers.

The second event we held was our exciting Asda House atrium event.

We were lucky to have Daniela Hardy, Shelley Cardis and Joanne Benson from our own Asda Trolley Dollies committee and also Liz, Hayley, Gemma and Helena from the West Yorkshire Federation.

The atrium event gave us the chance to introduce the Asda Trolley Dollies to our colleagues here at Asda House and showcase our wonderful talents. We received many compliments on our fascinators and were more than happy to discuss our plans for future meetings and workshops and also take suggestions from potential members about what they would like to do, all in all it was a great event and thank you to those of you who stopped by for a chat.

Our next meeting is on 1st September at 5.30pm – we hope to see you there.

At our last meeting we were lucky to meet Christine Lelliott who has done some inspirational work with Rug Aid, a charity that was founded by the internationally renowned rug maker and teacher, Heather Ritchie.

Heather visited Zanzibar, East Africa in 2004 and has continued her work there ever since.

In order to give us a true account of Heather’s work Christine brought rugs that the blind and visually impaired people that they work with in Africa had handsewn. It was amazing to see their interpretation of colours and the land around them.

Following this creativity struck and we began making our own material flower corsages. We cut strips of material and made the corsage using the material strips and a square of hessian. We had various levels of experience but we all enjoyed making the corsages.

Our next meeting is going to be a frock swap, so any clothes, shoes, bags and accessories that the ladies don’t want can be brought and swapped for something that they do. This will be on 4th August from 5.30pm till 7.30pm – as always all meetings are £3 for non-members and £30 if you would like to join and become a full-time member.

We also had a stand alone event to learn how to make fascinators – we were very lucky to have Hayley from our neighbours the Buns and Roses Women’s Institute who will be making the fascinators with us just in time for wedding season. This was very popular and is fully booked – though we may look to add another workshop at a later date.

We need your help!

At our atrium event on Thursday 28th July we are having a vote for our logo. We have been tasked with coming up with a logo that will become part of the WI patchwork banner. We have asked for designs and the colleagues at Asda House are going to help us vote and decide what the Asda Trolley Dollies logo should be.

Our committee members will be dressed in our pearls and we’ll also have our corsages and fascinators and a newsletter on display – so come down and help us decide on our logo then!

Ever wanted to learn a new skill like rug making, sign language, or even how to make sushi? Maybe you’re a keen baker, avid singer or enjoy customising clothes? Whatever your hobbies or ambitions you might want to take a look at some of the fun we’re having bringing this all together at Asda’s very own Women’s Institute.

The Asda Trolley Dollies were formed back in April with colleagues Daniela Hardy, Shelley Cardis, Joanne Benson, Jenny Findley, Lauren Brundell and Rosie Battye at the helm.

We are the first work based WI in West Yorkshire and the first head office WI of any supermarket in the UK, welcoming new members from store, depot or the home office as long as you’re an Asda Colleague.

We meet on the first Thursday of every month here at Asda House (unless specified) and so far we’ve been joined by fantastic guest speakers from the WI, from local entrepreneur Emma Bearman, known as The Culture Vulture to her friends, as well as local suppliers for a Sushi Making workshop and our Leeds city centre neighbours from the Buns ‘n’ Roses WI.

It costs £30 to join, giving you access to free meetings, a network of lovely ladies across the business to bounce ideas off, a subscription to the WI ‘Life’ Magazine as well as discounted workshops and a continuous supply of cake and tea!

We recently held a Sushi making workshop in the Chef’s Kitchen where we learnt the difference between a Futomaki and a California Roll, as well as how to perfectly roll both. We learnt how to make Nigiri and cook technically perfect rice and we got to try a wide variety of sauces and side dishes to whet the taste buds.

Our next workshop will show us how to make fascinators ahead of the wedding season, and costs £7 for non members and £4 for members.

If you’re interested in attending please contact Jenny Findley or Daniela Hardy.