We met in August to hear BBC radio journalist, Alan Jones, give a talk entitled Tales of a Roving Reporter. He lives in the New Forest and covered a wide area with his mobile studio. This van with its movable masts, was sometimes thought to be something else, as people came up to it and said I haven’t got a licence! He really was an amusing speaker as he had our president dressed up as the Queen for an interview and putting her arm in a container to have a toy snake jump out. He was demonstrating how he interviewed a man who was milking snakes for their venom.
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Rev Ben Krautzer was the guest speaker at our July meeting. He spoke about his journey from California to becoming the vicar of Oakley and Wootton St. Lawrence in 2019. Just 11 months later Covid struck changing life for everyone with the enforced lockdown. He was instrumental in setting up organisations within the church family to help people at this difficult time and was much inspired by the village community. As all parish churches were closed Ben recorded services and relayed them online.
Members had been asked to wear something to the meeting which they had bought at a charity shop and obviously some good bargains had been purchased so no doubt local charity shops will see more WI customers. Recent activities were mentioned including a curry night at the Barley Mow, a coffee morning at the Beach Arms and a very successful day at the Oakley Village garden stalls event. Future events include a walk around Salisbury with lunch, a coach trip to Wells, Somerset and of course the Oakley Village show on August 13th at which the WI will have a cake stall. The next coffee morning at the Beach Arms will be on 23rd August. Do note that there is a change to the advertised speaker at the meeting on the 9th August, Alan Jones will be presenting The Tales of a Roving Reporter. June was busy, the walks group walked in Rooksdown to the hospice coffee morning. We had a fundraising stall at Oakley front garden stalls event and a meal out at the Barley Mow pub. Some pictures from these events are below. Our WI certainly celebrated the Platinum Jubilee by raising a toast to our member, Her Majesty, on 2 occasions. The first occasion was at a celebration tea at Test Valley Golf Club and the second was at the June meeting when we were entertained by our favourite cruise Director. Ryan Bishop has a lovely voice and sang songs from the shows interspersed with jokes. A report was given of the WI National Annual Meeting at Liverpool which our President had attended and the motion was carried that women and girls with ASD and ADHD are under-identified, under-diagnosed, misdiagnosed and under-supported.
May is the time for our Annual Meeting. A WI advisor came and thanked the Committee for their hard work in holding everything together through the last couple of years. Most of the committee are prepared to continue but extra help is needed and Lynn M was voted President for the new year. Helen from Heart and Compass shop at Viables came to inspire us to shop sustainably. They refill containers so there is no single use plastic, less carbon and no harmful chemicals. She told us that most toxins are found under your sink, and that cleaning vinegar and bicarbonate are sufficient for most jobs. She then produced a quiz on the subject and one member managed to get full marks although most found it hard. There were 2 presentations made, one to our resigning treasurer, Cath who has been our treasurer for over 4 years and one to Sally W to commemorate her 40th anniversary of her membership of our WI.
Oakley and Deane WI celebrated their 104th Birthday at the April meeting. Members brought food for the buffet and Sally Day made a fruit cake for our longest serving member, Carol, to cut. There was a cheery speaker, Susan Howe, who told of her days as a cook on yachts chartered for very rich people and later details of her years running a hotel with her husband. The Nancy Kirby plate for the floral competition was won by Cynthia. Traditional Houses of the Worthy Villages was the subject of the talk and slide show by Bill Fergie for our meeting in March. Houses can be dated by the ring dating of the tree wood and carbon dating. The tree is chopped down and used in house building while the wood is pliable and so this helps to date the house. There are about 25 houses between 1250 and 1700 in the Worthies by the river, now kept in good condition. The oldest is Headbourne Rectory from 1400.
Some of the activities which were mentioned were the coffee mornings at the Beach Arms on 22nd March and 26th April at 10.30am. What the bride wore is an exhibition at Viables on 8th May. Theatre trip to see Sister Act on 21st May, and the Group round of the Quiz is on 25th May at Kempshott Village Hall. Our Burns Night Celebration with a talk by Jonathan Jones was slightly belated but nevertheless interesting and enjoyable. Robert Burns was born on 25th January 1759 and that is the day when the celebration takes place. It involves an address to the haggis on a grand silver plate midst bagpipes and a great deal of whisky. Then there follows the Immortal Memory Speech which may be serious. Burns was born to a very poor crofter but received an education. He was a great charmer and fathered 12 children by 4 different women. His poems were mostly lyrics in the local dialect. He was a man of great compassion with humour ,wit and saw the goodness in everyone. When he died in 1796 there were 10,000 mourners at his funeral.
Several of our members wore something tartan and there was a competition for homemade shortbread which we could then eat with our coffee. At last there are some events to sign up for. The spring Council Meeting at Portsmouth when Kate Botley is speaking is on March 22nd. An exhibition of wedding dresses takes place in May. There is a theatre visit on 21st May to see Sister Act by BATS. Oakley Afternoon WI are going to a garden near Devizes on June 1st. Our celebration of the Jubilee is a tea party on June 10th. The Friday walking group has been to Hannington, the Town centre and Basing in January. The next coffee mornings at the Beach Arms are on Feb 22nd and March 22nd. On March 8th at 7.30pm, Bill Fergie will be talking about Traditional Houses in the Worthy Villages. See you there! The walks group started 2022 with several walks in the area. If you wish to find out about walks please email [email protected] to be put on the distribution list. Below are pictures of the walks.
This month we had a visit from Caroline of Oakley Stitchers. They started nearly 2 years ago making scrubs after a call for materials. They have diversified into products for neo natal units making hats, blankets, canula covers, bonding squares which give one to the mother and one to the baby to pass across the smell.
Knitted knockers started in the US but they have taken this on too for comfort after operations. They need about one thousand pounds each year to provide their great variety of products eg small bags for zimmer frames, twiddle muffs for dementia patients and even masks for beards. Members enjoyed cake and coffee, a book stall and a raffle. Then it was time to discuss the 5 Resolutions to be selected for the yearly meeting. We voted for our individual choice and this will be sent up to Hampshire Federation. |
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