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When I last wrote, three months ago, we were looking forward to summer, but now it feels already rather autumnal, and Christmas seems not so far away on the horizon.
Over the summer months, we had an amusing talk by Chris Knight on changes in the entertainment industry, and Cathie Fernie told us about the benefits of Holistic Therapies, especially Aromatherapy and deep tissue massage. John Butterworth delivered a talk on “The Trek over Land to Nepal”, a fascinating trip that changed his life.
A treasure hunt at Carsington Water got the grey brain cells into gear, before stopping for a leisurely lunch in Ashbourne. Some of us thoroughly enjoyed a tour around Linton vineyard, which included tasting lots of delicious wines and yet another scrumptious lunch.
In August, it has always been the custom that we don’t hold a ‘traditional’ meeting, as too many members are on a summer break. Since last year however, we had much demand for a get together, and decided to hold a companionable and fun social meeting. With much laughter and enjoyment we played Bingo, darts, Jenga and competed in answering quizzes. Prizes were given out to individual or group winners, and a glass of bucks fizz (or two) rounded of our morning.
Our craft projects, on the second Thursdays of each month, have included presentable boxes, and peg dolls for the competition at the Gala. Elsie Hood won 1st prize, with an extraordinary ‘Edwardian’ peg doll. Some of us had enjoyable, non-competitive (as if) games of Scrabble and Rummikub.
As a WI we have supported many village events, especially the Rolleston Gala, where we helped set up the exhibits from cakes to cards, from carrots to cucumbers. The judges then had the difficult tasks to determine the prizes. Thank you to all the ladies who gave up their time.
We have lots of brilliant outings coming up including a visit to Crich Tram Museum with lunch, and shopping trips to Leekes in Coventry and Boundary Mills in Grantham. We will be attending the market day held at the Staffordshire show ground; speakers this year will be Toyah Wilcox and Neil Hurst . As Christmas is approaching fast, we are also joining other Staffordshire WIs at Lichfield Cathedral for carols and a Christmas meal is booked.
Reading this back, we do seem to eat a lot….
If you want to join us or just have a look at what we get up to, our next meeting is on Friday 21st October, with a demonstration on cake decorating.
You can contact me by calling: 07943440222, or e-mailing at: imnn.waller@sky.com.
Michaela Waller
Vice President
Another three months have gone by and we have had a very busy time.
Meeting, as we always do, on the 3rd Friday of each month at Rolleston Club at 9.45am, we have had a mouth- watering talk on chocolate by Wendy Thompson in April, which included the tasting of some unusual flavours.
In May, Dave Hollis entertained us with a very knowledgeable discourse about the flora and fauna of the Spanish region ‘Picos de Europe’. It was a fascinating inside into the area in northern Spain within the Cartabrian mountain range, and left many of us wanting to set off on holiday immediately.
Our new president, Elspeth Dickenson, had to be quick of the mark, as her first task was to chair our Group Murder Mystery Event. We were hosts to the W.I.s from Rolleston, Hanbury & Draycott, Anslow and Stretton & Claymills. To identify the ‘murderer’ proved tricky, as all the characters portrayed by the actors showed plenty of curious behaviour traits. A Chinese raffle, cakes, nibbles and drinks rounded up a very enjoyable evening. With a hard working committee to support her, Elspeth has settled into her new role with gusto and enthusiasm.
Among our outings on offer have been a shopping trip to MacArthur Glen, a walk with a very tasty lunch at Willington Marina, a film & strawberry tea afternoon, and a fabulous ’Pamper Day’ at Burton College.
At the ‘Pamper Day’, our ladies could choose three or four treatments from a
variety of options, including pedicures, manicures, massages and wash & blow
dries. These pleasures were ‘interrupted’ by a delicious lunch at the college’s
own restaurant ‘The Mulberry’. The day was a great success, and will be repeated
in the autumn, when the students will have returned after their summer break.
Our games & crafts afternoons (2nd Thursday of every month at 2pm at the Rolleston Club) are going from strength to strength. One side of the room is full of concentrated silence, with the aim to find the highest scoring scrabble word. In the other half tea-folding cards, felted birds, necklaces and presentation boxes are produced, under the cheerful instructions of one of our own ladies.
Our outings sub-committee has many more brilliant ideas for the coming months; why don’t you join us and find out for yourself. You can contact me for information on 07943440222 or at imnn.waller@sky.com
Michaela Waller
Vice President
We have had three very busy months, with interesting meetings and talks, craft and games afternoons and lots of varied outings.
Our craft and games afternoons on the 2nd Thursday of every month at 2 pm are becoming more and more popular with our members. Some of us play scrabble, dominoes or rummikub, while others are having fun making paper daffodils, felt animals, necklaces and many more projects.
Our monthly meetings take place at the Rolleston Club, every 3rd Friday of each month at 9.45 am. So far we have competed against each other to win our January quiz, and had a talk on ‘How to get away with it’ – about crime and punishment throughout the ages – and, surprise, surprise, if you had money, you could ‘buy’ yourself out of most situations.
In March Ian Hingley gave us a fascinating insight into the difference between a servant girl and the daughter of a ‘well to do’ house in his talk ‘Girls in the big house’; our own little slice of Downton Abbey.
Our outings so far included a visit to the Kandy factory, with plenty of chocolate tasting, a social evening at the Spread Eagle, an afternoon playing skittles, a zip brooch workshop and many more.
We arranged an afternoon screening of ‘The second Best Marigold Hotel’ at the club with a lunch of jacket potatoes and fillings.
At the March meeting we also held our AGM. Diane Marriot bowed out as president, after having done a fantastic job stepping up to the plate, after Kate Goldsmith’s far too early passing last year.
Diane has brought her extraordinary sense of humour, and lots of unique ideas to Doveside and has been an inspiration to us all. Thankfully she will stay on the committee and continue to share her valuable ideas with us.
A new president was duly elected; Elspeth Dickinson has agreed to take on the role and her first task will be to chair the April meeting and represent Doveside at the Group meeting we are hosting as a Murder Mystery event.
We have fantastic talks and activities lined up for the next few months and if you would like to come and have a look at what we do, find out more about Doveside WI, or join us, you can contact me by calling 07943440222 or emailing at imnn.waller@sky.com
Michaela Waller
Vice president
What a busy few months we have had at Doveside W.I. The programme, the outings and the games and crafts afternoon have been well supported by members. We have continued to undertake our 100 challenges, raise monies for a variety of charities and generally have a good time. Patsy Raynor has told us about Japan (traditional and modern), Ken Heathcote has talked very frankly to us about his able bodied life and his wonderful disability dog Petra and in December George Philliskirk bought along beer, cheese and chocolate and explained to us all about how beer is brewed.
These meetings happen on 3rd Friday of each month at 9.45a.m. Our games and craft afternoon on 2nd Thursday at 2 p.m. at Rolleston Club but in between meetings we have done so much more.
We have been swimming and ten-pin bowling. We have visited Trentham Gardens for Christmas shopping and Chatsworth House to see the winter decorations in the house and a shop at the outdoor market. December saw a coach full of members go to Leekes Store in Coventry to enjoy a day of shopping, morning coffee and lunch plus raffle and interior design competitions all completely free of charge. Over 30 members had a wonderful Christmas lunch at the Winery and in January a group went to see Aladdin at Birmingham Hippodrome.
Members have done their own fundraising for their nominated charities, several raising over £100, at our monthly meetings. As a group we donated Christmas presents to the residents of the YMCA and contributed to both the Feed Our Families Campaign and the Burton Soup Kitchen Appeals. In November we filled shoe boxes for the Samaritan Christmas Purse Appeal.
This year our December meeting was a bit different, not only did we have a fantastic shared lunch a free raffle, bucks fizz and a poignant poem but we were also entertained by a small group of members performing a take on Pride and Prejudice to the tune of Twas the Night before Christmas! The star of the show was, of course, Miss Elizabeth Bennett, aka Len Torr from the Rolleston Club Committee complete with Period dress and army boots!
The coming months will see Doveside WI hosting a lunch and film screening, undertaking a truffle making workshop with afternoon tea, going on a night out for a drink at The Spread Eagle, having a go at indoor skittles and two different craft workshops.
If you would like to join us then please call me on 07968237127 or email me at bensmam@hotmail.com.
Diane Marriott
Last updated: 1 December 2016