February 2017
HOLMER
At our February meeting, Collette Mansell Gray, a local author and clothes designer, talked about Art Deco. Collette has become a firm favourite at Holmer over recent years , we eagerly anticipate her lively and informative talks. Using her vast array of artefacts to illustrate her presentation ,she told members that Art Deco originated in France and influenced the years 1925-1935 , in particular. Evolving in the aftermath of the First World War, Art Deco was visible in fashion, furniture, architecture, make-up, magazines, jewellery and home accessories. The overall effect was very stylish and streamlined, being based on geometric shapes. Collette showed us some glass items that had been made with the addition of a small quantity of uranium, not at dangerous levels but nevertheless the items were still glowing! With the advent of the Second World War, the impact of the Art Deco movement diminished and the beauty and gaiety which typified the style found its place in history. Norma Smith gave a vote of thanks to Collette which was followed by a hearty round of applause.
Our next meeting will be held in St. Marys Church , Grandstand Road, at 7.30pm on Wednesday 1st March. Matthew Stead will be entertaining us with some ukulele old time music. Although our membership is still continuing to grow, we can squeeze you in( just about!), so do please come along and join us. Look forward to seeing you there!
In the picture from left to right:- Collette, Norma and Margaret.
LEDBURY
The February meeting was well attended in spite of the cold weather and our President, Margaret Coulson, welcomed everyone.
The evening’s speaker was Adrian James, who gave a presentation about courtyard gardens, tracing their history, design and influence, and illustrating his talk with fascinating photographs. Adrian is a professional photographer and has travelled the world visiting gardens; he has made a particular study of Islamic ‘paradise gardens’ . Starting his talk with the early ‘chahar bagh’ at the Taj Mahal, he went on to show photographs of Moorish Andalucia, early and modern gardens in Morocco, and finally monastic courtyards and modern enclosed garden spaces In Britain. Beautiful photographs and a thought provoking commentary.
The evening’s competition challenged members to bring a Welsh item – this resulted in an imaginative and varied display including the winning entries – a Welsh dragon, a miner’s twist tin and two love spoons.
Our next meeting will be held on Wednesday 8 March at 7.30 p m at the Parish Room of the Catholic Church New Street Ledbury HR8 2EE.
The speaker will be Karen Van Hoff who designs and makes stunning millinery and wedding accessories for top designers. She will be bringing a display of artwork, beautiful embroidered textiles, a gorgeous selection of jewellery and a portfolio of images; it promises to be an outstanding evening.
Visitors are very welcome to join us.
SALTMARSHE & DISTRICT
It's always a great meeting to have our first of the year in February, after we've "rested" in January, to be able to meet and catch up with everyone.
After our Business section, with ladies taking up the offer of being introduced to the WI Moodle, and a number signing up for a visit to the Royal Mint at Llantrisant, our entertainer for the afternoon made his entrance.
What a sight he proved to be! It was none other than Sylvester the Jester from Leicester dressed in polyester striding into the Hall to the sound of many bells intermingled with his guitar playing. He kept up an amusing patter about his life, his costume, his experiences around the world and his love for Bromyard and its community spirit. There were mentions too of the part jesters played in medieval society and at the Court of the then Kings and Queens.
We were very taken with his footwear with its pointed toes and all hugely delighted that he survived having his hair set alight one night when his duvet caught fire from a candle!
His visit to us certainly meant we had smiles on our faces for the rest of our time together.
In March we meet again at 2pm on Wednesday March 8th in Saltmarshe & District Hall when we'll be regaled with the "Reminiscences of a Tour Operator". Sounds like fun.......... do come and join us.
BRAMPTON BRYAN
Our speaker this month was John Sawyer who delivered his talk on “Dowsing”, dispelling the myth that this refers simply to locating water. Using various types of ‘rod’ from twig to metal and two handed to pendulum, we were enlightened to the fact that dowsing can be used to search for many underground features, water, archaeological (such as Saxon remains underneath existing churches), oil, underground building services, missing items and even people. In addition to measuring someone’s aura, which he successfully demonstrated increases in radius when ‘happy’.
John discussed the more ‘magical’ elements of dowsing, how it works, that anyone can do it with a little belief and/or practice and that it suits any age. We were given the opportunity to take a set of simple rods along with a printed set of ideas.
We learnt that the pendulum method (only suitable for indoors) can also be utilised along with a map and a pointed finger; for sourcing an item…even if the area of interest is in another country.
UPTON BISHOP
Upton Bishop W.I. enjoyed a very interesting evening with a talk by Paul Brodrick, a scriptwriter for The Archers.
Paul has been a scriptwriter with The Archers on and off since 1999 to present day and gave plenty of background to the series but sadly no information on future plots.
The writing is run on a strict schedule, they have 2 days to write an episode.
Farming magazines are read to keep up with current trends, Paul having watched an oil filter being changed on a tractor so he could describe it being fitted correctly, as he said, if they get something wrong they are soon told by the listening public. Ideas for stories come from Newspapers, Village News Letters, Farmers, Vets and even the W.I. on occasions.
A question and answer session followed and Paul produced old scripts of The Archers which he signed and gave to members at the end of the evening.
Next months meeting is on March 14th, the topic, Windsor Castle Fire by Fraser Gunn
ASTON INGHAM
Kenneth Reeve a WW11 evacuee came to talk to us about his experiences. He was just 6 years old when he was evacuated from a children's home in Cricklewood London to Bedford. His experience of living in the children's home was so awful that life as an evacuee was much better. A little girl was also taken with him to the farmhouse at the village in Bedfordshire and he was later to discover that Pansy was actually his sister.
Mr Reeve gave us all a real flavour of how it was to live as an evacuee and he, in spite of his difficult start, is obviously someone who enjoys life.
DINEDOR & HOLME LACY
David Seeney gave an illustrated presentation entitled, ‘Dinedors’ Secret Army’ to members, husbands and friends of Dinedor and Holme Lacy WI at their February meeting. Emphasis was made on the important part played by women in the war and their lack of recognition for the dangerous work that was undertaken with such enthusiasm. Local Home Guard were pictured with family totally unaware of their commitment. Members had brought along items associated with the war including a father in laws army jacket complete with badges, VJ day newspaper and tank periscope.
BROMYARD
Bromyard welcomed local businesswoman Tracey Jones from TJ’s Candles to its February meeting. Tracey’s slide presentation included the development of her business and how she makes a wide range of candles for all occasions (including the surprising use of children’s wax crayons for colour). Members then had the opportunity to make a candle themselves under Tracey’s expert tuition.
LINTON
WI Linton members welcomed Mr. Fraser Gunn, retired fire fighter from the Royal Berkshire Fire and Rescue Service, who gave an interesting and entertaining talk about the Windsor Castle Fire in November 1992.
His talk was accompanied by slides and videos of news bulletins at the time. The Windsor Castle fire started as a result of a spotlight which was too close to the curtains. Since the fire, new safer procedures have been introduced to the fire and rescue services. Apart from the fire fighters many personnel from military, castle staff and contractors managed to salvage furniture, carpets and the works of art from the burning castle; it was a mammoth task.
Our next meeting will be Thursday 9 March at 2.30pm at Linton Village Hall. You will be most welcome to join us. Our speaker will be Fiona Morison and her talk will be entitled "Mary Queen of Scots - Was she framed?"
LEOMINSTER LASSES
In February Peter Ellis gave his talk "Salt, Soap and Soda". We learnt many interesting facts about these three commodities that are so important to our lives. We had some history - how it all started: some geography, primarily about the North West of England where all these commodities were (and still are) manufactured and some social history about living and working conditions. There was also some practical "kitchen chemistry", involving beetroot juice. The illustrated talk made us think about how these commodities we take for granted reach us and generated several questions and stirred up memories among the listeners. We were delighted to welcome members of Stoke Prior W.I and several visitors, some of whom we hope will choose to join us.
THE SPARKLING WYE
A large group of members and guests enjoyed Sparkling Wye WI's February speaker, local author M R Hall. Matthew has written 'The Coroner' along with 6 other books and a novella set in the West Country featuring Jenny Cooper, a female coroner and interesting character who seems to have more than her fair share of personal issues! He is a fabulous and very entertaining speaker who held everyone's attention as he spoke about his childhood, his previous life as a defence barrister and how he moved into writing screenplays and books.
BOSBURY
At the February open meeting, President Isabel, welcomed members and visitors. Members were reminded of the Pancake Lunch in the Parish Hall on Tuesday, 28th February. Two quiz teams have been entered in the County Quiz. The first round takes place on Friday 17th March in Ledbury.
We then came to the exciting part of the evening when Frank Seabright. Captain of the Bosbury Bell Tower, invited us all to have a go at bell ringing on their brand new mobile teaching bell. It is a large moveable frame with a dummy bell attached which is connected to a lap top computer. When the bell rope is pulled you hear a ring via the lap top.
This was the bell's first outing and they hope to take it to outside events, such as Ledbury Carnival for demonstrations. Most of us had a go and were surprised how easy it was. Frank told us bell ringing, as we know it today, started in the 14th century and spread throughout the empire. There are 5678 churches in the UK with bells.
The next meeting is on Thursday 9th March when Jill Salmon will talk about the “Cultures and Costumes of Peru”. Craft evenings are on 1st and 3rd Thursdays of the month in the Parish Hall. New members are always welcome and for further information please contact Sue Sharples on 01531 640029.
THE SUTTONS
At our February meeting, Mary Johns gave a talk entitled ‘ Five dogs, 2 cats and a couple of mugs’. Mary used to be a Travel reporter on ITV’s ‘Perfect Holiday’. She told us about five puppies that were dumped on her doorstep when she was staying on a Greek island, and the lengths that they went to to find them homes. She also had an amusing account of driving back to England with 2 stray cats! All accompanied by pictures of puppies, kittens and Greek islands!
At our next meeting on 15th March, Mary Watkins will be talking about ‘Bottletops and Banana Leaves – a year in Rwanda as a Volunteer.’