Mangatoki Women's Institute: Members enjoy hearing about sourdough business

The Mangatoki WI members enjoy their monthly meetings. Photo / Supplied

The August meeting took place at Mangatoki Hall with 17 members in attendance.

Riverlea Women's Institute members were invited as well and 11 members attended the meeting.

The members took part in a flower and shrub competition and the raffle was won by Denise Carter.

After the formal meeting, Andrew Blanche, the head baker from Baked by Blanche, spoke to the members.

Andrew has previously worked in cafés and restaurants, mainly in Wellington, and even as a funeral director, before deciding to make his own bread and buying a shop in Hāwera.

Members enjoyed the time together, the first time for a number of members since calving started.

For the September meeting, members drove to Moonacre Alpaca, a shop on Rawhitiroa Rd.

The owner told us a little about how she started the shop, and how long she had been running it.

The funds were collected from the "Donate the price of a cake" fundraiser, with the money going towards medical research.

For sustainability month, it was decided to clean up the bus shelter, outside of Mangatoki Hall. The raffle was won by Anneleasa Evans.