THINGS WE LIKE TO REMEMBER
Links with Other WI groups
We used to have a connection with Hardwicke WI, sharing meetings and outings on a regular basis but, sadly, their group closed as a direct result of the pandemic. We missed having a link with another WI, but we didn't have to wait long until another opportunity arose to form an association with Avening WI. The first two get togethers were organized by them; in August 2021 we had a guided walk around the pretty village of Avening, followed by tea & cake and then in May 2022 we received an invite to take part in a friendly skittles match in Avening Social club (we won, but they were very gracious about it).
They have a much bigger membership than ourselves which meant we couldn't invite them to share a meeting with us as, with the best will in the world, we wouldn't be able to fit everybody into the Lounge at the Community Centre, so we made plans to host them on a history walk of the High Street in Stonehouse, led by Shirley who also happens to be on the committee of Stonehouse History Group - what Shirley doesn't know about the buildings in the High Street is not worth knowing!
To make the occasion more special still, Wendy put forward her garden as a venue for refreshments after the walk. An offer we couldn't refuse as everyone in the group is aware of (a) her beautiful garden and (b) she is an absolute whizz at baking. Her husband, Colin is a member of SARA (Severn Area Rescue Association) so a decision was made that on the day we would hold a raffle, have a bring & buy stall and sell plants to raise funds to cover the cost of the refreshments and any excess would be donated to SARA.
We all had high hopes that it wouldn't rain, but what we hadn't bargained for was the heatwave that had hit Britain this summer. The temperature on the 8th August 2022, the day we arranged our event, reached 29 degrees in the shade. Phew it was hot! Nevertheless the garden party was a huge success. Thanks to Wendy, Colin and a couple more of her family members, we were served drinks, scones & cream and there were 11 different varieties of cake to choose from too.
A memorable occasion indeed and the photos in the gallery are a lovely reminder of this very special afternoon.
They have a much bigger membership than ourselves which meant we couldn't invite them to share a meeting with us as, with the best will in the world, we wouldn't be able to fit everybody into the Lounge at the Community Centre, so we made plans to host them on a history walk of the High Street in Stonehouse, led by Shirley who also happens to be on the committee of Stonehouse History Group - what Shirley doesn't know about the buildings in the High Street is not worth knowing!
To make the occasion more special still, Wendy put forward her garden as a venue for refreshments after the walk. An offer we couldn't refuse as everyone in the group is aware of (a) her beautiful garden and (b) she is an absolute whizz at baking. Her husband, Colin is a member of SARA (Severn Area Rescue Association) so a decision was made that on the day we would hold a raffle, have a bring & buy stall and sell plants to raise funds to cover the cost of the refreshments and any excess would be donated to SARA.
We all had high hopes that it wouldn't rain, but what we hadn't bargained for was the heatwave that had hit Britain this summer. The temperature on the 8th August 2022, the day we arranged our event, reached 29 degrees in the shade. Phew it was hot! Nevertheless the garden party was a huge success. Thanks to Wendy, Colin and a couple more of her family members, we were served drinks, scones & cream and there were 11 different varieties of cake to choose from too.
A memorable occasion indeed and the photos in the gallery are a lovely reminder of this very special afternoon.
2021 SUMMER OUTING
Chavenage House was the destination for our summer outing 2021. Because of all the uncertainties attached to Covid, the committee agreed we should stay reasonably local, which we hoped would reduce any anxieties of being among crowds of tourists as well as us not having to depend on a coach to get us there.
Chavenage, near Tetbury fitted the bill for location and on arrival we knew straight away that we had chosen well for our trip by the genuine welcome we received from Caroline and George Lowsley-Williams. However, the good vibes didn’t stop there as the experience just got better and better as the hours went by.
Using our own cars – lift sharing where possible - we all met up at Chavenage for 2.30 pm when our visit started with a talk from Caroline about the history of the house and grounds. This talk was not only informative but imparted with great humour along with an obvious affection of the place. She told us of the ups and downs of living in such an old building, including some amusing childhood memories which had us laughing out loud.
George then took over and gave us a guided tour of the rooms of special interest that are open to the public. George had the same lively and engaging manner and kept us very much entertained whilst we were in his charge. He took us to see two bedrooms where Oliver Cromwell and his henchman had actually slept in the 17th century, which featured some amazing tapestries and beautifully preserved furniture of that period.
The downstairs rooms were of similar character so it is no surprise that the house has been used as a film location for many period dramas, such as Poldark; Wolf Hall and, more recently, New Worlds (to name but a few).
Our final destination was the family chapel before being led back into the ballroom, which had been magically transformed while we were on the tour. There before us had been placed a wonderful spread of refreshments, presented on grand, 8-seater circular tables, all laid out beautifully with copious amounts of cake and as much tea or coffee as we wanted.
All in all we had a wonderful time and the added bonus to being so close to home was that we were back by 6 pm!
Chavenage, near Tetbury fitted the bill for location and on arrival we knew straight away that we had chosen well for our trip by the genuine welcome we received from Caroline and George Lowsley-Williams. However, the good vibes didn’t stop there as the experience just got better and better as the hours went by.
Using our own cars – lift sharing where possible - we all met up at Chavenage for 2.30 pm when our visit started with a talk from Caroline about the history of the house and grounds. This talk was not only informative but imparted with great humour along with an obvious affection of the place. She told us of the ups and downs of living in such an old building, including some amusing childhood memories which had us laughing out loud.
George then took over and gave us a guided tour of the rooms of special interest that are open to the public. George had the same lively and engaging manner and kept us very much entertained whilst we were in his charge. He took us to see two bedrooms where Oliver Cromwell and his henchman had actually slept in the 17th century, which featured some amazing tapestries and beautifully preserved furniture of that period.
The downstairs rooms were of similar character so it is no surprise that the house has been used as a film location for many period dramas, such as Poldark; Wolf Hall and, more recently, New Worlds (to name but a few).
Our final destination was the family chapel before being led back into the ballroom, which had been magically transformed while we were on the tour. There before us had been placed a wonderful spread of refreshments, presented on grand, 8-seater circular tables, all laid out beautifully with copious amounts of cake and as much tea or coffee as we wanted.
All in all we had a wonderful time and the added bonus to being so close to home was that we were back by 6 pm!
STONEHOUSE WI AFLOAT!
On the last day of June 2021 we managed to have an outing, albeit very local - a boating evening on the canal in fact. What a lark! Once on the water and after a few rowing mishaps into the flora and fauna at the sides, we did have a great time.
Thank you to Cotswold Boatmobility for allowing us the use of their Katakanus (like a canoe catamaran) and for their patience in getting us on and off (the hard bit). A walker on the towpath kindly took photos of each of the three katakanus that were launched on the night for us to remember this fun evening. Highly recommended activity by all who took part.
Thank you to Cotswold Boatmobility for allowing us the use of their Katakanus (like a canoe catamaran) and for their patience in getting us on and off (the hard bit). A walker on the towpath kindly took photos of each of the three katakanus that were launched on the night for us to remember this fun evening. Highly recommended activity by all who took part.
Virtual competitions during Covid-19 restrictions
We didn't let the pandemic stop us from staying in touch and, one way, was to hold virtual competitions. Here are some of the many entries we had during the restrictions.
The competition for members to show off the blooms in their Summer Gardens will be the last virtual one and we can now all look forward to sharing the results of our green fingers in the traditional way at future meetings. However, before we leave these virtual competitions behind, it must be announced that Fran was the judge's favourite on this occasion. The blossom on her tree was simply fantastic and she will be the holder of the Whitminster Cup as a result.
A pot of vivid tulips was chosen as the best entry in our March/April 2021 competition.
Ann W. confessed the bulbs were a late buy from the bargain basement of a local store and even the actual planting was almost an afterthought. No matter - the end result was a winner.
What an inspiration to keep an eye out for items on the reduced counter for the future!
Vegetables made into characters is a favourite for many of us and it was obvious it would soon make it as a theme for one of our virtual comps - which is did for January & February. The carrot family that won (created by Marlene) one just one of many entries, some a bit scary and some a bit bonkers, but all deserving of a place in the gallery - Feast your eyes!
It seemed the natural thing to do to encourage members to put forward pics of them wearing their Jovial Jumpers in December 2020. The winning entry was Marlene's very festive number. She only gets to keep hold of the Rose Bowl for a year as a result.
Our November competition had the title "Show us your Bakes" and members did just that! Sweet and savoury delights were put forward but the judge could not resist choosing Shirley's dundee cakes to take the prize. We certainly like the fact that she bakes in multiples! (why not). No physical award to give her, but she received a virtual Star Baker magnet instead.
Our summer flower competition was judged in October 2020. Lin was a very deserving winner by capturing a very pretty dahlia growing in her garden - complete with wildlife. Lin wins the honour of being the holder of the Whitminster Cup for a year.
Celebrating 100 years of Gloucestershire Federation
Between the 11th & 13th October 2019 there was an exhibition within Gloucester Cathedral to mark the centenary of the Gloucestershire Federation. This brought together all the crafts and skills of members of many WI groups and a glimpse of the talent, enthusiasm and sense of humour there is within our county's membership. Embroidery, knitting, quilting, photography to name but a few of the beautiful creations that were on show. We are proud of the tableau we helped to produce, along with the other WI's making up The Weavers Group. We also had an individual winner too - our very own Mel G. won 1st prize for one of her paintings exhibited in the cloisters. Alongside the exhibition was a special service to mark this 100 years milestone which was a real uplifting experience; to have "Jerusalem" sang by so many and hear the women speaking on their personal involvement in the WI was inspiring.
St Fagans National Museum of History
We like to have an annual outing and this year it was decided we should go to the St.Fagans, an open air museum located just outside of Cardiff. The weather was kind to us - not too hot, not too cold with just the odd one or two showers of rain that blew quickly through. The feedback from everyone was that they had enjoyed the visit immensely and some mentioned they would be returning under their own steam, which surely meant they had a good time. A fascinating place exhibiting heritage buildings rescued and rebuilt from all over Wales, from chapels to prefabs and the gardens of St. Fagans castle itself were beautiful. Along with the high wire installation aimed at the younger and more adventurous visitor, there was something for everyone, of any age.
GFWI Centenary Village Fair - July 6th 2019
Celebrating 100 years of GFWI the whole county came together in Cirencester Park, courtesy of The Earl & Countess Bathurst and we didn't pass up the opportunity of representing Stonehouse WI and to boost our funds, so we set up our gazebo and sold cakes, jams, plants and haberdashery all proving very popular, as usual (Note: even Countess Bathurst and our County Chairman Jan Turner bought something from us, as the photos show). All the behind the scenes pre-planning and hard work was worth it in the end because it was a huge success and enjoyed by everyone involved.
Christmas Party 2018:
As in previous years there was wonderful food and wonderful company to be had during our December meeting. Here are some images from that evening, The decorated bag competition was won by Mel G. (freehand, water colour - such talent)
Our 50th birthday:
April 2018 marked our 50th birthday and this milestone was properly celebrated. On the night of our monthly meeting our friends from Hardwicke WI joined us and we had cake, bubbly, bunting and balloons; we planted a tree in the Community Centre's garden and we were presented with certificates from NFWI & GFWI.
Fundraising:
Twice a year we run a stall on The Green in Stonehouse; one in the Spring and the other in the Autumn when we sell cakes, preserves & plants and, when the whole town comes together and we've taken part in their Celebration days and Christmas Goodwill Fests. They're always lovely, social occasions and we boost our funds too. A win, win situation.
Winners:
There have been occasions when a Stonehouse WI has received a prize, sometimes as a group and sometimes as individual members. We have entered in Stroud Show; been part of a team in the County skittles competition and the County Quiz is always hotly contended by us. Veronica has been the winner of the County Scrabble tournament; Marlene came first in the Weaver's Group photo competition and lucky Mel T. won vouchers to spend at Denman.
Getting Crafty:
We like to experiment with a new craft. There has been paperfolding; flower arranging, mosaics, stenciling & dyeing to name a few things we've tried.
Stroud Community Christmas tree festival:
We have been so creative in the past with our entries, our decorations are all handmade and everyone gets involved. We've utilised pompoms; had a Jam & Jerusalem theme; used cupcake paper cases and curtain rings to produce some quirky and unique creations. We love taking part in this event and it gives us a shout out too.
Social Outings:
We are always looking for an opportunity to have a group outing. We've had trips to the theatre; visited gardens (including HRH Prince Charles') and even sailed on the canal and, if funds allow, we hire a coach and travel a little bit further afield which is always a treat. However, we travel, we have enjoyed some lovely, social trips together that not only take in a bit of learning, but and lot of laughing too!
Holburne Museum & Bath Fashion Museum - August 2018:
Behind the scenes at BBC Studios, Bristol - March 2014
Wendy's Garden Parties:
Our lovely member, Wendy (who can always be found in the kitchen at meetings) regularly and generously opens up her home to help fundraise. In the past she has not only helped boost our own funds but has raised awareness and money for ACWW. While the rest of us are taken on a circular walk around the locality (we do have some lovely, local footpaths in Stonehouse), Wendy and her hubbie are busy behind the scenes organising a cream tea, raffle, or bring and buy stall in her beautiful garden for us to enjoy on our return. She is such an asset to our group and her baking skills match her personality, which is terrific!
There's no business like Snow Business:
In 2017 we had our local celebrity company, Snow Business come to our meeting as our Speaker. Not only did we have a brilliant talk, we were also invited to be extras in one of their commissions! The BBC programme Points West were closing their final show before Christmas 2017 with a short film of a snowball fight, backed by the Shakin' Stevens hit song "Merry Christmas Everyone". It was an offer we couldn't refuse so a few of us went along to the Snow Business studio based in Ebley and joined in the the fun. What a blast - we were even mentioned in the credits on Points West. Fame at last.
Yarn Bombing to celebrate the 90th birthday of Queen Elizabeth II, July 2016:
This was a Gloucestershire initiative which were were very happy to support, so members got out their knitting and crochet needles and started to get busy. The day of the "bombing" was good fun and the "fall out" was spectacular. We believe we marked the occasion very well indeed.
Competition entries:
We don't have a regular, monthly competition but we do have trophies to award during the year - namely The Rose Bowl and The Bud Vase - and sometimes we throw in a Summer Posy competition too. Also we have in the past, just for fun, had a couple of food sculpture contest (who says you can't play with your food).
Getting involved in our Community:
Stonehouse has a strong, friendly community and we try and join in and make ourselves known within the locality. As well as our fundraising events - for example our Stall on the Green, or our Goodwill Festival table - we have taken part in the Remembrance Parade for many years (and received a thank you letter in 2019); the flowerpot person trail for Stonehouse in Bloom; we helped raise awareness for breast cancer by "Painting Stonehouse Pink" and our town planter is continually being cared for and looking good on the High Street (thank you Marlene) in all seasons and sometimes gets an extra bit of vamping up if there is a theme to work to.
HOSTING THE WEAVERS GROUP ANNUAL MEETING:
In April 2016 we took a to host the annual social gathering of the Weavers Group, made up of members from Frocester, Leonard Stanley, Stroud Shambles, Randwick and Cainscross WIs. The competition was to knit a beanie hat and a total of 57 were entered. Lesley Williams judged and was delighted to take away so many to donate to the Seaman’s Mission, a charity she supports.
Centenary Baton Exchange - 23rd March 2015:
In 2015 the WI celebrated the landmark achievement of 100 years of inspiring women and a specially made baton was passed between all the 69 Federations in Wales, England & the Channel Islands. It started its journey in Anglesey on 1st January 2014 in Llanfawrpwll, where the first WI was formed and finished travelling on 4th June 2015 at the AGM held in the Royal Albert Hall, London. It entered Gloucestershire on 17th March 2015 and the Weavers Group took part in the handover on 23rd March at Ebley Mill. It arrived on a trailer pulled by a vintage tractor, passed between us all and we saw it off to continue its journey, by motorbike, with a rendition of “Jerusalem”.
Links with Hardwicke WI:
In March 2014 we doubled up with Hardwicke WI to fund a coach to visit the BBC studios in Bristol and since then we have cemented the friendship by sharing meetings twice yearly; one held in Stonehouse and, on the other occasion we visit them on their home turf. Both groups get a lot out of this relationship and we also make it an excuse to have cake included at refreshment time too!
The Diamond Jubilee of H.M. Queen Elizabeth II:
In 2012 we planted a weeping cherry tree in the Community Centre's garden to celebrate this auspicious occasion, where it still
flourishes today: