Reports of meetings in 2024
17th April 2024
April is our birthday month and this is our 56th year of being a WI in the town and, as tradition dictates, we celebrated by having a choice of three yummy cakes during refreshments, which were all delicious and very well received.
To mark the event and make the evening extra special, we had a visit from members of “Ragged & Old Morris” (one playing squeezebox) who are based in Bussage, and they performed admirably in the limited space we could give them.
In between dances we were given insights into the background of Morris Dancing. Generally believed to have ancient origins, possibly connected with fertility & harvest, although there is no factual evidence to back this up. Currently, the earliest reference is in a book held at the Bodleian Library in Oxford in an illustration from 1344.
Morris Dancers have been referenced in every century since then, even William Shakespeare gave them a mention, but ultimately, the quintessentially English custom of Morris Dancing has survived until the present day. The whys & wherefores remain a mystery, but thankfully there are still passionate men & women keeping it alive and literally kicking.
The evening ended with audience participation when a few brave members took up the invitation to join in for a final stick dance (rolled paper sticks being utilised, therefore avoiding health & safety issues). Hilarity ensued! A fun evening for everyone, participants and observers, with smiles all round. 😊
To mark the event and make the evening extra special, we had a visit from members of “Ragged & Old Morris” (one playing squeezebox) who are based in Bussage, and they performed admirably in the limited space we could give them.
In between dances we were given insights into the background of Morris Dancing. Generally believed to have ancient origins, possibly connected with fertility & harvest, although there is no factual evidence to back this up. Currently, the earliest reference is in a book held at the Bodleian Library in Oxford in an illustration from 1344.
Morris Dancers have been referenced in every century since then, even William Shakespeare gave them a mention, but ultimately, the quintessentially English custom of Morris Dancing has survived until the present day. The whys & wherefores remain a mystery, but thankfully there are still passionate men & women keeping it alive and literally kicking.
The evening ended with audience participation when a few brave members took up the invitation to join in for a final stick dance (rolled paper sticks being utilised, therefore avoiding health & safety issues). Hilarity ensued! A fun evening for everyone, participants and observers, with smiles all round. 😊
20th March 2024
Our meeting was thoroughly enjoyed by all this month. Kate Peake, from Tewkesbury Movie Makers was our speaker, but her presentation is most definitely more than just a talk. Kate is a licensed drone pilot and makes short films using it. Firstly, she gave us an insight on the rules and regulations surrounding the use of a drone before demonstrating how she puts it to use. She has produced many films by this method, but this evening we were treated to a beautiful, aerial journey along the Cotswold Way.
Not only did the footage remind us that we live in truly beautiful part of the UK, but also that we so lucky to have the Cotswold Way on our doorstep. Although we might take it for granted, people travel from far and beyond just to spend a short time in our locality.
An extra special, unexpected treat was that Kate's film featured Stanway House; its gardens and of course the spectacular jet fountain sited in the grounds, the highest gravity fed fountain in the world. We plan to visit this place for our Summer Outing and Kate’s images gave us a foretaste of what was to come. It is fair to say we are now very excited to see it for real. No doubt we shall be posting some images of our own documenting our visit there, especially now Kate has whetted our appetite!
Not only did the footage remind us that we live in truly beautiful part of the UK, but also that we so lucky to have the Cotswold Way on our doorstep. Although we might take it for granted, people travel from far and beyond just to spend a short time in our locality.
An extra special, unexpected treat was that Kate's film featured Stanway House; its gardens and of course the spectacular jet fountain sited in the grounds, the highest gravity fed fountain in the world. We plan to visit this place for our Summer Outing and Kate’s images gave us a foretaste of what was to come. It is fair to say we are now very excited to see it for real. No doubt we shall be posting some images of our own documenting our visit there, especially now Kate has whetted our appetite!
21st February 2024
Ellen, the Service Manager of Stroud Women’s Refuge was our speaker this month and gave us an insight into how her team works with women & children, supporting them to take the next steps in their lives after living in an abusive relationship.
Based in Stroud - and the only one in Gloucestershire - the charity has just two safe houses to offer shelter to those who have left their homes to escape, although they also work with families who choose not to remain with their partners, where supporters help them manage their situations within their home environment.
The refuge has been in existence for nearly 50 years and have helped hundreds of women and children in that period. Their aim is to give encouragement and empower each woman they work with and offer information & support to help them choose the options to eventually gain them independence and free from the risk of harm.
The children of abused women are also given huge support and their wellbeing and happiness is paramount. They are encouraged to take part in activities to allow them to play and make friends, so their ongoing lives are filled with positivity.
There are some awful statistics on domestic abuse and Ellen highlighted that it is not only physical abuse that can wreak lives. Any individual who controls how their partner behaves, or dictates who they can, or cannot see is viewed as an abuser emotionally, which is also intolerable.
When asked how anyone suffering from domestic abuse, or suspicions that another woman needs help, the first point of contact should be to phone 01453 764385.
There is a website for more information, where you can also find out how you can help them continue their work. Just follow this link: https://www.stroudwomensrefuge.org
Based in Stroud - and the only one in Gloucestershire - the charity has just two safe houses to offer shelter to those who have left their homes to escape, although they also work with families who choose not to remain with their partners, where supporters help them manage their situations within their home environment.
The refuge has been in existence for nearly 50 years and have helped hundreds of women and children in that period. Their aim is to give encouragement and empower each woman they work with and offer information & support to help them choose the options to eventually gain them independence and free from the risk of harm.
The children of abused women are also given huge support and their wellbeing and happiness is paramount. They are encouraged to take part in activities to allow them to play and make friends, so their ongoing lives are filled with positivity.
There are some awful statistics on domestic abuse and Ellen highlighted that it is not only physical abuse that can wreak lives. Any individual who controls how their partner behaves, or dictates who they can, or cannot see is viewed as an abuser emotionally, which is also intolerable.
When asked how anyone suffering from domestic abuse, or suspicions that another woman needs help, the first point of contact should be to phone 01453 764385.
There is a website for more information, where you can also find out how you can help them continue their work. Just follow this link: https://www.stroudwomensrefuge.org
17th JANUARY 2024
The first meeting of the New Year means that we have to turn our minds to the National WI Resolutions (that translates as recommendations in lay terms) that have been short listed to go forward to the Annual Meeting for potential adoption as Campaigns. There are always worthy contenders and this year is no different. Choosing the one to go forward on an individual basis can be quite thought provoking. The 2024 choices are:
Our speaker for the evening was Sally Church, who is known as the Painswick Beekeeper. She was obviously passionate about keeping and caring for her bees and gave a great talk, which educated us in lots of ways. She gave us hints on how to spot a honeybee and to spot the differences between it and a solitary bee; a bumblebee and a wasp, which was a good start and then shared lots of fun facts on the diversity of bees; the way they behave and the sheer numbers that occupy a typical hive was amazing. The phrase “as busy as a bee” was put into perspective when we learnt about their hectic and demanding little lives. Sally was a great ambassador for beekeeping for anyone thinking of taking up the pastime themselves – although she did warn that it might turn into more of an obsession.
- Resolution 1: Dental Health matters
- Resolution 2: Impacts of poor housing conditions
- Resolution 3: Say ’no’ to gambling advertising
- Resolution 4: Improving outcomes for women in the criminal justice system
Our speaker for the evening was Sally Church, who is known as the Painswick Beekeeper. She was obviously passionate about keeping and caring for her bees and gave a great talk, which educated us in lots of ways. She gave us hints on how to spot a honeybee and to spot the differences between it and a solitary bee; a bumblebee and a wasp, which was a good start and then shared lots of fun facts on the diversity of bees; the way they behave and the sheer numbers that occupy a typical hive was amazing. The phrase “as busy as a bee” was put into perspective when we learnt about their hectic and demanding little lives. Sally was a great ambassador for beekeeping for anyone thinking of taking up the pastime themselves – although she did warn that it might turn into more of an obsession.