Dates in December

6th December - lunch club - Christmas dinner at the Golf Club
7th December - Carol Festival at Wells Cathedral
16th December - Christmas Party - caterers plus after dinner speaker.

Ready, Steady Christmas - some pictures

Somerset member collects her floral raffle prize!

White chocolate home made custard with raspberry and brandy or sherry trifles!

Sue Bridger cooking treats before Lunch at the 'Ready, Steady Christmas' event at Street on 23.11.11. Lovely roast turkey lunch.

Ready, Steady Christmas - 23.11.11

Well if you didn't get to this day - you missed a treat. Sue Bridger did an excellent cookery demonstration and Carole Moulding did lovely flower arrangements. Also good lunch was a definite bonus. A lady wanted to have my seat on Table 14 so I got to move to Table 8 with a much better view AND I won the flower display on my table. Lots of jolly ladies from 'The Polden Hills Group' plus Marston Magna and Yeovil Wraxhill WIs on my table. We were regaled with stories of some funny tricks the ladies from Ashcott had played on each other - very entertaining!!

Village Hall Xmas Fayre - 19th November

Helen, Iris and Anne were busy with the stall in the hall. I hope the day went well - I've never seen so many stalls - bought some lovely cards from Ruth, a scarf from the Vicar and pasties {not the WI stall} - (which smelt lovely BUT were agreed to be OK but a bit bland when we had them for dinner - so that was a bit disappointing! Shame - they did look nice - perhaps a bit of pepper would have helped!!). Took down a chocolate loaf cake (should have been OK as I made 2 and the other one tasted good - Angela bought it) and then bought a necklace, and some marmalade from the WI. Saw lots of people - glad it was well supported. I had to run away before I spent too much!! I guess after paying the £5 for the table we got to keep any sales money - wonder how the stall did - still at least we were there!!

Village Hall Xmas Fayre

WI have a table at this - profits from the event to the Hall / Air Ambulance. I think it's £5 a table. Got to bake a cake ..............................

WI Little Black dress competition

Angela has entered this competition and brought her re-designed dress to show us at the AGM - and after some persuasion even modelled it for us. She needs it to go to London for early December - I don't think she got any volunteers to take it - so she will post it. We all thought she'd done an excellent job. Cheers Angela and good luck.

Sorry no picture BUT the design includes an 'addition of multi-colour material for the very top and sleeves and an extra portion at the hem - it looks good - just shows what can be done by a clever needlewoman!!

(Went to Cheddar WI where member Trish Williams had made a dress of cut up plastic 'black' meat trays - in small pieces - fantastic!! It was like a Charleston dress she wore high heels and a pearly necklace with a feather in her hair - looked very stylish - she is going to model it in London on 1st December. Trish says it's not very comfortable but it looks brilliant. Angela's dress will be there as well).

AGM Chocolate break!!

Ruth brought the fountain and tempted us with a lovely variety of fruit - quite a queue formed and many of us were tempted back for 2nds. Thanks Ruth - glad you brought it along!!
NB: Wendy E came to ask about the WI umbrellas from the carnival - she'd like to buy one - must mention (again) to county that it could be a good seller - why don't we take orders!! Umbrellas all around the county would be an excellent WI advert!!

That chocolate kept up until 1.30am - obviously a hyper effect!!

November AGM - text version!!

Interesting reports - good to hear just how much has been accomplished this year AND finances OK - hurrah!! 10 on committee for next year!! Another excellent poem by Ruth about the Somerset Annual Meeting AND she managed to visit the bar (said she had a bad cough - she did, but a drink soon soothed it!!). (Shame she missed the talk by the 69 year old from Kilmersdon who went to Denman on a 'fitcamp' - goodness that was amazing - but she did hear about Helen, hat designer from Litton). Next we had a play - an alternative version of Snow White and the Seven Dwarves (Seven Dwarves played by Chris) - well received!! (Drama Team: Wendy E, Wendy B, Cynthia, Ann, Chris, Angela & Eileen) Glad members enjoyed it - we certainly enjoyed the rehearsals!! Well done to Ann our drama organiser.

Then it was time for a chocolate fountain break with strawberries, pineapple, marshmallows - hmmm ....... yummy!! Ruth borrowed the fountain from her daughter - good one Ruth!! Certainly very popular. Evening ended with another skit - The Carol Singers - with a final carol chorus which everyone joined in!!. Lots of chatter and a very relaxed finish to a great evening. Congrats to Helen and the committee - Helen returned for her third year as President.

AGM tomorrow

Gosh better read the play - I'm sure I can't remember what we've decided to do - we had the rehearsal 10 days ago ................... mind a blank ............ what's new!!

Wells Carnival 11.11.11

Well, at the last minute I decided to go to Wells and join the walk!! Thank goodness for our umbrellas talk about 'cats and dogs' the rain was torrential. One of the group was a teacher and so many children recognised her as we walked around. We were just in front of a cart 'The Wild West' - so couldn't hear our music when they got too close. Picked up lots of money for the charity collection.
Walked up Strawberry Way afterwards with members from Rodney Stoke & Draycott WI and we were able to see some of the carts. (they're called 'carts' because originally they were 'farm carts' pulled by tractors). Gave up about 10.00pm with carts still coming - well worth coming to take part - but those umbrellas were certainly 'star of the day'. Would love to order one for our WI events - have to work on that idea! Different group of people this evening from: Coxley, Croscombe, Rodney Stoke & Draycott, Westonzoyland, Binegar and W. Buckland WIs. Carole, our Chair arrived late so missed our driver 'Phil' who took this photo. Not much twirling of brollies tonight hands just too wet!! Still kept warm thanks to waterproof gear BUT wet shoes after walk to the car!!

Wells Carnival tonight

Different route - wonder how many will walk tonight - we'll know when we get to Lidl's car park.

11.00am on 11.11.11

Time to remember and be grateful.

Thanks for these wigs!!

Angela borrowed the green wigs - which certainly kept us warm and dry!! Thanks Angela - much appreciated. Notice our slappits they were very effective - Somerset sold them as part of a Keep Safe on the Roads Campaign and they are certainly very fluorescent!!

NB: There are still some slappits for sale at Wilton Lodge - ring to ask about them. They're 70p each.

Group fun at Shepton Mallet

Well - despite original reservations - this was an absolutely FUN evening. Three of us drove in and parked at Helen's home. Sat in comfort and enjoyed a nice warm cuppa and then walked down to join everyone else. Left my heavy coat in the car - whoops - no mobile phone, camera, money - howzat for being organised. Thanks to Anne for the photo and Helen for her hospitality and the cuppa - just set us up for the evening (oh and I forgot the stamina from the fruit cake).

Wednesday, 9th November - Carnival night

hmmm......just looked out of the window - yuck its raining cats and dogs - ah!! Out with the wellies and waterproofs - carnival tonight!!

Some rain at the start BUT we had our huge WI umbrellas to keep us dry - also the fab green wigs Angela borrowed - certainly a different look!! We got the following: smiles, claps, waves and 'what the hell are you doing here' BUT we did it and it was fun and there were nine of us. 3 from Binegar, 4 from Leigh on Mendip and 2 from Milborne Port. Thanks to all who joined in and made it a fun evening.

Ears still ringing the music was so loud - but we sang along - danced a bit - twirled our brollies - shook our colour sticks and it was fun!! The evening was full of some fantastic outfits and magnificent carts - well done to the 'real competitors' - we were just visiting - maybe if we do it again we'll get more ambitious - novice entry this year!!

Tuesday, 8th November

Lunch Club were out today - no comments yet! Heard that the Priddy visit was not a great success - ah well - you can't win them all - only as good as the chef on the day!!

Farm Visit

4 members (Ruth, Ann, Kath & Eileen) went on a visit to a 'large' farm. A tour with wellies was extensive and we visited practically every area of the farm. Drinks/cakes and question/answer was followed by a visit to the 80 rotary milking parlour. All members found it very interesting, however, some are still not necessarily happy about these large farms - but they have at least been to see them and can make up their own minds.

Interestingly, it was our 2nd farm visit and they tend to practice snatch calving at this farm - which, of course, some members didn't like. However, our President who lived near a farm with young calves for years says it's probably kinder - they used to have cows bellowing for days when the calves were taken away after 3/4 days and that was really upsetting. As usual there are several sides to any problem - who can say what is RIGHT!!

18th October Meeting

Well, our replacement speaker was very amusing. A very slick 'chat' which was fairly long but interesting all the way through. We had news of our Australian link and some good photos which Doreen will look after for our archives. Short business info and after the tea break a few further items plus members collected names for next years committee - finishing with the raffle. No poem this month Ann and Ruth had been on a trip to Stratford on Avon and weren't home in time - however, spoke to Ruth this am and she has one lined up for November.

November meeting - AGM plus a cookery dem - mysterious info from Helen - we're all involved and it's NICE .... hmm ..... also a few items by the drama group - so a busy evening is planned. Drama Group going to rehearse in the hall before the meeting.

PS: New heating seems good and refurbished ceiling very smart!

Newspaper Article plus Drama News

A really interesting article in the paper about our WI with a picture of our last speaker John Dando. Our next meeting will be on 18th October and our speaker will talk about: ' Living out of skips'. As the report said - the mind boggles - wonder what he will say!! Immediate thoughts - Yuk - however I expect he finds and repairs furniture that sort of thing!! More after the meeting!!

The Drama Group met last Monday and a couple of playlets have been chosen which will be practised at a couple of meetings and acted on at the November Meeting.

Subscription for next year will be £31.50 - haven't heard too many moans about this. For new members if they join now they will get 15 months for the price of 12.

Lunch Club - 4th October

Lunch Club visited The Court - they've been before and appreciated the special offer available mid-week.

Next meeting - Magic of Carnivals

Should be really interesting - evidently our speaker brings costumes as well!! Update later.

Stories attached to costumes and history of long carnival involvement. Members enjoyed learning about all of this. Had to do raffle early as he wanted to know if he'd won the chocolates for his wife - shame - sorry John - unfortunately a member won them. Interestingly once the raffle had been drawn the troups became restless and Ruth's great poem about Ollie the cria was the only thing that kept them hovering by the door!! Ah well that's a good lesson learnt - keep the raffle results right until the end - we should have known!!

Prior notice - September Lunch Club

Lunch Club - 6th September - The George at Nettlebridge - contact Iris if you want to go. Special offer weekdays £6.95 for 2 courses!

Tuesday 16th August

Lot of visitors - speaker talked about 'The Gurka's". I found it very interesting and we all feel we want to support them - a bit shocked over speaker's charge -we thought it was a donation for the original booking - (discovered this at the end). Our speaker was a Brigadier of a Gurka troupe and very involved in the support network for Gurkas now he has retired - he has the upmost regard for them and their role as soldiers. No one, can deny the loyalty, honesty and sheer hardwork shown within their regiments - their loyalty and enthusiasm to join puts some of our lads to shame - especially after the recent riots in our larger cities. Although Joanna Lumley supported their right to settle in England - this has not been a great success as people in Aldershot will report - many sold all their possessions to come here and now live in hardship (value of their pensions in comparison to prices here) - they would have been very comfortable if they had stayed in Nepal - many especially the women want to return home where there are no language problems and they understand the way of life. So despite a great campaign the general public were misled they thought it was a great idea - but generally it has backfired on the gurkha's themselves.

However, in their homeland they still they get thousands of applications for every position when new soldiers are recruited! When a man is accepted into the Gurka's not only his own family but his whole village benefit - hence the desire to become a Gurka.

After refreshments, Iris told us about a Craft Day to be held in the autumn and a lovely wooden bowl was shown - cost to members £10 for materials but hall/craft expert to be funded from a bursary. She also showed us the results of decoupage on a shoe box - an excellent way to recycle - congrats to Iris who is a very talented craftswoman - certainly a great idea.

The Drama Group entertained - a monologue written by our member Moira was brilliantly portrayed by Angela . Wendy E and Wendy Wells and Eileen read, 'Three Old Maids' which seemed to amuse most people and our 'resident poet' completed the drama session with poems about trips to the Cotswolds and Suddely Castle - Ruth as usual was excellent. Raffle results concluded the evening. Next month - September 20th 7.45pm - Mr Dando talking about Somerset Carnivals.

2nd August 2011

Drama at Ann's home on 2nd at 10.00am - followed by Lunch Club at the Old Down. Moira to give me a lift - lovely treat! (for a chuckle - scroll down to entry for World Book Day for a jolly picture of two members!!)

At the meal met Jean from Canada (Iris's cousin) interesting to hear about WIs and life in Ontaria. Huge meals - goodness - but had a treat apple crumble and custard - I do cook it at home - but it was very nice. Very efficient service - home before 2.30pm!!

The photos are very dark - they'd just re-decorated with bottle greenwalls and black curtains and chairs - it actually looked very good - but the pics suffered!!

Coach Trip to Cotswold Perfumery

Despite the poor forecast the WI trip was fairly lucky if the weather home in Binegar was anything to go by - just one little shower at lunchtime back here. They were going for a WI tea at Little Sodbury - guess they enjoyed that too! I have to say it's not one of my favourite meals - but very popular with coach trips!!

Evidently the trip went really well - 'fascinating' was the description and yes, they were lucky with the weather and despite the distance away also only had one shower at lunchtime!

Pub Quiz - before and result

We have 7 teams entered in the County Pub Quiz at the Poachers Pocket, Chelynch. All the teams at 20+ pubs will have the same questions prepared earlier but kept in secrecy by the organisers for the 27th July.

Rang the pub tonight and booked supper - choice a bit weird - sausage & chips OR Jacket potato, cheese and beans - evidently we couldn't have sandwiches (too labour intensive - I found that a fascinating fact). The pub were very helpful and are going to arrange the room for us with 3x5 and 4x4 tables - must remember to run off some jokers!

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27th July - the actual evening - the tables were arranged well and we had 31 players and 3 to deal with questions, runners/marking (Eileen, Anne and Iris) and our 3 Binegar teams.

Questions hurtled along - supper a bit delayed BUT very good when it came - excellent Jkt potatioes. The winners of the quiz were 'Nunney Nuns' and they were delighted a. by winning b. with their prize of enough Somerset mugs for all their team. So yet another successful quiz evening arranged by County.

CWA Visit - ACWW link

Pic of Margaret and Rex from Happy Valley CWA nr Adelaide, Australia.

Margaret and her husband from Happy Valley near Adelaide, Australia, stayed in our village from Monday 'til Friday, they enjoyed visiting 'local' places, Shepton Mallet proved very cold but the travel information office was helpful - then in the afternoon Margaret and I visited an archive exhibition at Leigh on Mendip WI, we saw Doreen there - their displays were much admired. Margaret and I then had a quick walk in Mells (home of Little Jack Horner). After tea it was time for Binegar WI meeting - Margaret did a great talk about Australia.

Interestingly Margaret 's paternal great grandfather's surname was Bunting - he came from London!! (she said she always hated the rhyme Little Baby Bunting when she was small!!) Rang Alban the next day - he didn't know anything but said his family came from Norfolk, then Heathrow, then Hertford!! Wonder if there is any link? When we walked 'the block' Margaret took pics of Alban's home to show when she got home.

(We also visited Jack & Jills Hill, Ring of Roses, Holcombe - Margaret found that all fascinating!!) Wells, of course, was much appreciated plus green leafy lane walks - so different from hot arid southern Australia!!

A member of our link CWA will be visting us

Margaret from Happy Valley, nr Adelaide is coming to our WI on Tuesday eve. It's members night so a great supper will be available. Entertainment will be 2 plays from the drama group, 2 poems from our resident poet (one about the Royal Wedding) and a craft display (all made by members). Margaret has been asked to tell us about a cruise she went on last year around the whole of Australia - an amazing experience. We're all looking forward to the evening. NB: CWA means Country Women's Association.

Drama meeting

Betty, Cynthia, Wendy E, Wendy B and Eileen met at Ann's home to read some plays for our next meeting. Some adjustments were made to wording - Ann advising to benefit understanding and hopefully humour!!

Ollie, the Cria, explores the hall

Binegar WI June Meeting

We welcomed our twin WI - Dilton Marsh from Wiltshire to our June meeting. What a delightful meeting - our speaker was Caroline Pembro with her Cria (baby Llama) Ollie. Well he was very well behaved and walked about the hall investigating members, - he had his milk (goats milk), unfortunately his mother had died when he was born. Goodness that bottle of milk soon disappeared and then he was off around the hall again. Caroline told us lots about her llama's and finished with Q&A.

After a tasty supper supplied by the committee, Angela showed us her paintings from a recent Somerset County visit to Denman. She had a good display and had achieved a lot during her visit. Then Ruth read us two poems one about a bee sting and the last about her fight with 'a large spider' - lots of laughter here. Angela remembered a monologue from her Denman visit which had everyone in stitches. The raffle concluded the evening. Priscilla (President, Dilton Marsh) gave a vote of thanks.

Liverpool AGM

Our dual member Pauline West was a delegate at the AGM in Liverpool. Only one coach went up from Somerset - in the evening a quick visit to the Roman Catholic Cathedral was very inspiring and then a mean out at 'The Clove Hitch' in Hope Street. (Members outside the The Feathers hotel). View as we walked around the Albert Dock before the conference.

The AGM itself was very inspiring especially the motion to 'move to next business' - something which was whole-heartedly endorsed by the vast majority of members present. Wonderful geography lecturer - Director of the Royal Geographical Society - Dr Rita Gardener. The Harmonies complete the afternoon which ended 20 mins overtime (first time it's ever happened when I've been at an AGM!!). Fascinating meeting!

24th May - Empire Day - Queen Victoria's birthday

Our Empire Day was very well received by visitors from N. Curry, Yeovil, Puriton and Wincanton WIs and three local WIs also supported us Leigh-on-Mendip, Chewton Mendip and Ashwick and Oakhill. In total over 60 members were present - including of course, many of our own members. The hall was decorated with Union Jacks plus varied bunting, our red gingham tablecloths and mini Union Jacks for each table added to the jolly hall.
(our dual member Pauline in green).

There was a Queen Victoria quiz / well known songs quiz sheet and stalls with ACWW display, bridges abroad (to guess) a bring & buy and also the inevitable raffle. Valerie Stevens from Dorset gave us an enthusiastic insight into ACWW at work in projects in Eastern Europe. This was followed by a yummy cream tea. Results of quizzes (2 prizes) and the raffle results completed a very successful afternoon. £361.20 was raised towards our Somerset Project in Uganda.

May Meeting

Resolution evening - was very well attended. Ruth then shared a very poignant poem about her daughters fight with cancer - everyone was very moved - too moved to applaud - and the silence spoke for itself about the emotion displayed in this poem. Helen surprised Eileen by deciding that after this the speaker came first!! Eileen and Kath told members about life nr Adelaide in Australia where our pen friends from Happy Valley live. Kath made two recipes from the Happy Valley cookbook and read out Lotus's recipe for elephant stew!! Margaret and her husband from Happy Valley are due to spend 4 nights with Eileen in July and so the July meeting has been re-arranged (it's Members night) and is brought forward by one week to 12th July.

Margaret is going to talk about her cruise around Australia and we are hoping to have a craft display, maybe some drama and definitely a poem or two from Ruth to entertain our Australian guest.

Back to the May meeting - after refreshments - both resolutions were discussed and after fairly heated discussion it was decided to support the Mega Farm resolution proposed by our twin WI from Wiltshire - Dilton Marsh (although if you added up the abstentions and the no votes they equalled the supporters!!) and abstain from the libraries resolution because the wording is suspect.

Another varied evening from Binegar WI.

World Book Night

Angela brought a book from the World Book night (her sister had registered to take part it this) - it was to pass on to a member at our April meeting - she'd found it rather harrowing - it was about the caste system in India. Eileen has borrowed it - and they can have a chat about it after she's read it.

Oh! extra item - Drama Group to meet at Ann's at 10.00am on Wed 27th April.

On the 29th April the wedding day of Will and Kate, two members - Ann and Eileen went to a party held on the Recreation Ground, (the Rec) Oakhill with their daughters and friends - a good time was had by all according to the picture!!!

WI in April

The meeting was well attended. After 'news' our speaker told us about her exploits as a house-sitter. She had really encountered some varied and mostly 'amusing' (for us) anecdotes. These included a talking parrot, a granny, horses, cows, chickens mostly in clean houses, but some she had to use from her stock of clean linen (advised to take a full set of bed linens , clean china when she took on the job!!).

An enjoyable talk and only a few really hair-raising experiences. After refreshments - the committee disappeared to the kitchen whilst Sue told members about the proposals for the Members Night on 12th July. Oh! we also had an amusing poem from Ruth about alterations to her old AGA which left her with fewer pennies in the kitty for the Lunch Club outing.

The evening ended with the raffle.

Paint Team at Shipham

Clarissa, Mission Milk, Eileen ACWW/WRW, Jean, Environment

Roadshows

Eileen went to West Camel, Iris, Anne & Ruth went to Wheddon Cross and Kath, Ruth, Angela & Eileen are booked to go to Shipham, Not heard any comments from others yet. Lunch club also went out on first Tuesday, I think! Not seen anyone this month so far! Very good speaker in the afternoon at Shipham - Catherine Crouch - Gardner of the Decade. Not a lot of gardening but lots of anecdotes re: filming and plenty of humour.

16th March Meeting

Subject this month - Shiatsu - sounds fascinating!! Couldn't go but understand it was interesting -they also did a few exercises, Angela gave the Vote of thanks.

Resolutions for 2011

Abbreviated view of resolutions - more details to follow from NFWI:

1. Mega Farms

2. Closure of libraries

News from members/ International Women's Day

No news about the lunch on 1st March - many members went to Beryl's funeral on 8th March.

Some members were able to join the International Day at lunchtime. Kath rang to say she'd really enjoyed it. Betty and Ruth were there all day and thought it went well. It was good to see them and also to welcome Angela, Kath and Moira when they arrived at lunchtime and luckily they got seats at the front for the afternoon dem!! Pics show Oxfam table, Fairtrade table and WRW banner with Rosie Martin from African Initiative, Demi Ladwa our Indian speaker plus cookery demonstrator and myself (simply because I did all the bookings!!).

Very sad news

One of our members died on Thursday - a very sad piece of news. The funeral will be 8th March. International Women's Day. 9 members had booked to attend a WI event in Draycott BUT obviously many will be at the funeral.

Committee meeting and monthly meeting

Committee meet this week.

Monthly meeting very good - our speaker told us about her gap year activity of running the marathon. We were all overwhelmed by her strength of character and determination - she was very funny too!! I think everyone enjoyed it.

Monthly Lunch Club

17 members visited 'The Court' for lunch on 1st February. Another enjoyable outing.

January WI Meeting

30+ members had a very crafty evening. Craft Addix brought champagne glass iris-folding kits for us to try. Almost everyone enjoyed the evening - it was fun. We had lovely combinations of coloured papers to work with and the results were very pleasing. I'm sure some of us will be visiting them to buy kits - we saw samples of bags, owls and wedding shoes - all very tempting.

News and minutes were kept to a minimum, the raffle and stall were active during the tea break. It was help-yourself for coffee and tea as we all finished at different times!! Our evening concluded with a marvellous poem from Ruth about her Christmas meal at Leigh on Mendip followed by an evening at Ashwick and Oakhill's birthday party!! A most successful and relaxing evening amongst friends - truly enjoyable. Our new members seemed to enjoy it and it was good to welcome them - Anne gave out 2011 programmes.

PS: 19 members and friends joined the WI lunch at 'The Horse and Jockey' on 1st Tuesday of the month!!

Belated Happy New Year

Good wishes to all - unbelievable another year is upon us - where did 2010 go?

Lunch club meet Tuesday 11th January - at the Horse & Jockey, Binegar.