WI County News April 2021 8pp for flip book

April 2021 FREE

Gardeners’ Helping our Community
Question Time Through the WI

Ladies, in a recent Zoom talk we were fortunate to hear from Lucy
Richards of the YMCA branch covering Bridgwater and surrounding
areas. Lucy thanked us for the shoeboxes we had donated at Christmas
and explained how these were distributed to the 17-24 year-olds resident
at the centre. She told us how the boxes were greatly appreciated by the
residents, some of whom had never even had a birthday cake in their
entire life!

This started members thinking and they asked if and how they could help these
young people further.

After a meeting with Lucy, who was delighted that the WI wanted to help, a few ideas
were given to us – and that, ladies, is where YOU come in.

This is a great opportunity for members to help these young people, so we are looking
for volunteers who would be willing to join a rota in a Pilot Scheme to:

Provide
bath towels

(not necessarily new
but in good condition)

btiyoEnmCFyaraosiiuledryoaqriynupe2htsh3oteirnodoenffsAicperil Bake Make simple
Simple personalised
Cakes
cushions

For more information on sizes of items
etc please contact the co-ordinators:

Cake rota
Gail Wainwright, Spaxton WI [email protected]
Cushion and towel rota
Jo Stewart, Lydeard St Lawrence WI [email protected]
I do hope you will consider this as it’s very important that these
youngsters know there are those outside of their environment
who think and care about them. Please contact the above no later
than 14th April 2021 to put your name on the rota.
Let’s make a difference to a young life!

April 2021 1

Trustee Topics

FEDERATION OFFICE The sun is shining, the daffodils are standing proud in the
garden and the days are getting longer. It certainly feels that
SCFWI, 344 Bristol Road, spring has sprung. The start of 2021 wasn’t one we had hoped
Bridgwater TA6 4BU for – back in lockdown and home schooling. Like many this
time, I have found it hard, with shorter days, dull weather and
Please continue to use temporary only allowed to travel for essentials. It has been a challenge to
phone number for the time being keep the family entertained and positive. As ever, I am proud
of them and how they have embraced the situation.
01278 287034
For me, the weekly SCFWI weekly Zoom meetings have kept me going over the
Don’t worry of you have already sent mail to last 4 months. It has been wonderful to see 100 plus WI members (and husbands)
Wilton Lodge as this will be automatically every week. The joy it brings to me fills my heart. Not only have I learnt and heard
forwarded to the new address. from some amazing and inspirational people, but I have made new friendships
from around the county. The last year has been very difficult not seeing family and
Email: [email protected] friends face to face but, at the same time I feel blessed – blessed with health and
www.womens-institute.org.uk/somerset blessed with the new friendships I have made across the County; I certainly feel a
lot closer to you all and our WI family. I am looking forward to seeing you all in
PL9.EC30lAoasmSedE-F3r.Ni3d0aOpymTE real life and giving you all a hug. Until then, stay safe.

During the Office Lockdown Jen Whitworth – Vice Chair [email protected]

FeThdeeTrEaMtiPoOnRSAeRcYrOeftfaicrey THANKS TO COUNTY COMMITTEE MEMBERS
TelepChoanseeNyuWmboerrrtaolclall is:
Now that it seems we may soon Our thanks go out as well to committee
C0le1ri2ca7l 8Ad2m8ini7st0ra3to4rs be gradually moving on from the members who have stepped down of late
restrictions of the past year, it’s time after years of unstinted service. Your
FederaJtioundSietchreLtaaruy:gChasteoynWorrall to give a huge ‘Thank you’ to all those past efforts are very much appreciated.
OfficAe hnonuersCrehmaadinwthiceksame: intrepid ladies serving on our county
committees – Events & Fundraising, If anyone has a particular interest in any
9:30am - 3:30pm Mon - Thurs Creative Arts, Food & Garden, Sport & of these committees, please get in touch
Healthy Living and Education. You have with Casey to pass to the relevant Chair,
COUCNlosTedYFriNdayEWS all been amazing during these trying and who will contact you should there be a
harrowing times. vacancy on that committee.
Editor
Laura Balkwill Fly the Flag for

Email Somerset Day 2021
[email protected]
We want to turn Somerset into a sea of yellow bunting, decorating community buildings,
Tel: 07860 531998 village halls, houses, garden walls, windows, cars etc over the weekend of 8th and 9th
May through to 11th May, Somerset Day.
Editorial for
COUNTY NEWS We hope that Somerset WI ladies will enter into the spirit of this event by making and
displaying yellow bunting to show how much we value this beautiful county of ours.
should be received by the 1st of Let’s pull together in positivity and hope that better times are coming! Send us your snaps!
the month preceding each issue,
by Email if possible to the Editor Sadly, it has been decided that our the Bath & West Country Festival. It is
Somerset Federation will not take part in felt that, given the continuing uncertainty
or typewritten copy and printed the Bath & West Show this year with our regarding social distancing etc, it would
photographs to the Office at the usual hugely popular refreshment tent. be better to cancel our involvement
for this year and go back in 2022 with
address at top of the page The show will be greatly reduced this renewed vigour!
year, with no livestock, and will be called
THERE IS NO ISSUE IN AUGUST Our thanks go to all those who have
already volunteered – many of whom
Advertising for have helped us in previous years. We will
COUNTY NEWS retain your names and contact you again
early next year.
should be received by the 1st of
the month preceding each issue,
by Email if possible to the Editor

Lineage: Cost per word
18p for WI members
30p for non-members

(or advertisements placed on behalf
of non-members.)

Display: Rates and sizes upon
application to the Editor

SCFWI does not accept responsibility
for goods or services advertised in

COUNTY NEWS

2 April 2021

Food & Garden Dear members, I am sure you are all Bath & West Show again when all Covid
pleased that the first doses of vaccine Virus-19 restrictions will hopefully have
Chair: Annie Makepeace have been rolled out throughout the been lifted and all may again enjoy WI
country to all who wanted them. hospitality. We feel that this year will be
ADVANCE WARNING! The speedy process should ensure too soon to be amongst large gatherings of
that everyone will be covered by people. Look out for details of volunteering
Rescheduled this year the Autumn. A lot of us will get our early next year.
for August 25th second jab shortly, mine is in April.
Another positive initiative is underway with
Hauser & Wirth I hope you have been keeping well and our Membership Team to forge stronger
managing the different issues encountered links with the community in Bridgwater
Our cancelled meeting of last year throughout this challenging time. Now we and surrounding areas. See the story on the
to this wonderful Garden and Art are in sight of an end to this long journey front page this month.
Gallery has been rescheduled for this and our sacrifices and patience will have
been worthwhile. It will be wonderful when I have met up with lots of members via
year, Covid allowing of course! we have the opportunity to meet up with Zoom and am so looking forward to seeing
Details in future issues of County News WI friends outdoors when restrictions ease. you all face-to-face as soon as we can.
Please feel free to invite me to all your
‘Sowing Hope’ in the spring is I’m sure most of you will be seeing your celebrations.
particularly uplifting and spring is hairdressers once again this month. Have
now definitely with us! you already booked your appointment? A Best wishes and keep smiling! Stay safe
Peas, mangetout and quick-growing hardy staycation in the UK will soon be possible and well.
herbs such as parsley and chives can too and face-to-face meetings of your
now be sown outdoors. Indoors or in the WI’s will hopefully not be too far ahead.
greenhouse, sow courgettes, so versatile for Meanwhile, Jen is still providing members
cooking, plus cucumbers and tomatoes for who wish to join in with some great Zoom
summer salads. talks, along with NFWI Denman Courses
Flower seeds which can be sown outdoors where members may access a wonderful
now include cosmos, nasturtiums and variety of activities.
marigolds and still time to sow some
glorious sunflowers! Work at 344 Bristol Road, our new
SCFWI Headquarters, is moving along
You will probably and groundwork on the property will take
now be harvesting approximately 4-6 weeks. Look out for
rhubarb – such a ‘before’ and ‘after’ photographs! Internal
useful crop to have work will follow, with Casey’s new office
in the garden and etc. probably completed around May.
one that needs
little attention. If Members who have ponds may be interested
any reader has a favourite recipe to make a in the photographs of the pond’s drainage
change from pies and crumbles, I’d be happy in the March issue of County News, when
to publish it! I freeze it, ready cooked and Sandra Matthews and Anne Chadwick took
sweetened, in jam jars (no, they don’t break, out the smaller fish. Above is a photograph
I promise!), just enough for a crumble or pie of the enormous Koi Carp being fished
for 3 to 4 people. from the pond –what a whopper he is! All
the fish were re-homed and the Koi Carp is
now in his new pond.

The pond site will be filled in with rubble
and grassed over.

Bath & West Country Festival organisers are
planning to go ahead at the end of August
2021 but SCFWI has made the decision to
wait until 2022 to have a presence at The

Also re-booked for Sept 18th 200+ CLUB
our own, re-named WINNERS
March 2021
FLOWER, FOOD
& CRAFT SHOW! 46, Sue Coles
Wiveliscombe WI £15
Our show, such a success in 2019,
was sadly cancelled last year. 7, Gill Holt
The schedule for 2021 will be Alcombers WI £10

circulated to all secretaries very April 2021 3
soon, so you can be planning what
to sow, grow, cook and craft ready
for a bumper show in September!

We need pictures to fill our gallery - please send digital pictures to the Editor at [email protected]

Henstridge Flyers WI delivered heart shaped Cheddar WI has been knitting blankets for
chocolate cakes to all our members for dementia patients at Musgrove Hospital but
Valentines Day, and here are Mary and Phil sadly they could not take them recently due
about to tuck in! to the virus. Hazel Hillman suggested we
should try a nursing home close to us and so
Greenhill House in Cheddar took delivery of
5 knee blankets for their residents who were
delighted with them. So we are still knitting!

Several members of Alcombers WI took on an
allotment late in 2019 which has proved a life
saver over the pandemic. As well as providing
comfort and exercise, we have gained useful
information and free plants from fellow
allotmenteers plus enjoying the attentions of
extremely tame robins and blackbirds.

Rodney Stoke & Draycott WI have been holding virtual zoom monthly meetings since the
restrictions were imposed last March. At the February meeting 22 members came on line. Many
are very new to Zoom and are delighting in being able to “see” and chat to other members.

Anstey WI kicked off 2021 by providing Standerwick, Berkley and Beckington WI committee collecting some spring flowers from our
our members with a meeting in a bag. The President before distributing them (socially distanced of course) to our members for a bit of
contents included a newsletter, information Spring cheer.
on the Show the Love campaign, sunflower
seeds to plant for a competition, a tea bag,
a coffee bag, a choccie biscuit, and their
membership booklet.

4 April 2021

om or prints to SCFWI, 344 Bristol Road, Bridgwater TA6 4BU. We will print as many as we can each month!

A friend of ours sadly died before she could build the dolls house that she had bought.
I am a miniaturist and so her husband asked if we could build and finish the house.
He wished to donate it to a Charity. My husband was construction, glazing and lighting
expert and I was a painter, decorator and interior designer. Members of my miniature
club helped with wallpaper, fabrics and furniture. Whilst not a WI project the ladies of
Wookey Hole WI have watched progress with the aid of photographs in their monthly
‘keeping in touch’ letter.
Where should it go? Suggestions so far have been Childrens Hospice South West or a
National Trust property. Any brilliant ideas would be gratefully received. The house is
called ‘Gillian House’ in her memory. I hope she would approve.
Jill Deane Wookey Hole WI

April 2021 5

Community Projects

Ambassadors: Hazel Hillman, Mendip and Margaret Lomax, Taunton

Hello ladies, I am keeping amused by designing and READER AUDITIONS
putting together a Centenary Collage for FOR OUR CAROL
The sun is shining, Spring is on its way my own WI, getting members to make FESTIVAL
as the daffs, catkins and pussy willow are and colour images. I will put it in County
coming out News when it is completed. If you’d like to be a reader at this
year’s Carol Festival in Wells
It has been a very quiet lockdown month Just a chat this month girls, but I thought Cathedral, now is your chance!
as we have all been mostly in our homes. I would attach a lovely painting on fabric
which one of my WI mates, Ann Eustace,
Margaret in Taunton has received a few has done recently for a family member.
blankets and is dropping them off at a
nearby care home, to be named next It is rather beautiful and I thought it
month. would be nice to share it with you.

I have had contact from one of the Will be in touch before too long - keep
Special Schools and they are wanting creatively busy, and take care.
some twiddle muffs. I will take some to
them as soon as they are open. My very best wishes

If all goes according to ‘Boris’ plan, we Hazel
will soon have a little more freedom,
so collections and deliveries can be 01761 241732
organised.
[email protected]

Painting on fabric, by Ann Eustace Auditions will be arranged at a later date
and hopefully held in St. Cuthbert’s Church
Wells as previously, but this will depend on
any restrictions in place nearer the time.

Please send in your name, WI and email
address if possible, otherwise enclose a
stamped, addressed envelope so that your
audition readings can be sent out to you in
good time to practice!

Please apply to Casey, our Federation
Secretary, no later than Monday 28th
June.

Forthcoming Events for your Diary

EVENT DATES VENUE CLOSING CN ISSUE
Zoom 23 Apr March
Gardeners’ Question Time 28 Apr Durslade Farm, Bruton BA10 0NL TBA March
TBA TBA March
Hauser and Wirth 25 Aug Now held over to March 2022
Possible new date later in the year
Flower, Food & Craft Show 18 Sep

Edwardian Tea and Talk

World of Wedgwood Trip 2021

6 April 2021

Gardening at Minehead Station

Since 2019 Caroline Burgess, Julie it. The flower beds so we made a plan to give it a makeover
Sims and myself, all members of had to take care of with the help of Judith Heaphy who kindly
Alcombers WI, have been meeting themselves for a few donated plants and some lovely white
weekly, weather permitting, to keep months. Roses were stone.
the platform flower beds at Minehead in full bloom and
Station tidy following a request from the cheery faces of As I write this we are in our third lockdown
FOMS (The Friends of Minehead self-seeded poppies and vaccination is at full pace. We hope to
Station) for some extra help. We’d greeted me when I get back to the station as soon as possible
garden for an hour and then have a returned and made a and see how the beds have fared over
coffee break before resuming our tentative assessment winter. One thing I do know is that there
work. We have a lovely boss Gordon of the work that will be plenty to do but hopefully we’ll be
who keeps a friendly eye on us but would be needed. Lots of weeds were able to have a coffee break!
can never manage to reduce our making themselves very much at home and
coffee breaks as we love to chat! had to go.

Of course, all We resumed gardening singly or in twos
was to change in and threes as Covid rules permitted. As
March 2020. The the station largely remained closed, we
work we put in widened our remit to tidy a bed next to
over the winter, the car park, adding flowers grown by our
weeding, pruning friend Pat Broome on our WI allotment.
and feeding the
beds all came Of course, one thing led to another and our
to fruition in attention focused on the raised sleeper bed
the spring and next to the turntable, accessed only from
summer with the track. Only those with a track safety
no-one to see certificate could work there. Luckily Julie
and myself had completed the training

Are you a family
member or friend
caring for someone
with dementia?

Dementia Carers Count (DCC) is a national Live Online Learning topics include: Resources include:
charity dedicated to supporting family and
friends caring for someone with dementia. • Carers’ rights and benefits • Strategies from DCC’s healthcare
professionals on managing stress;
DCC runs free, professionally developed and • Understanding the Mental Capacity Act building resilience; and overcoming
led one- and three-day courses for carers, everyday challenges, such as eating,
as well as a range of Live Online Learning • Attachment issues and making the person drinking and communication difficulties.
sessions to support family members and with dementia feel secure
friends caring for someone with dementia. • Practical guides on issues like continence,
• Understanding your unique experience as delirium and seizures.
All of DCC’s services are designed and a carer
delivered by expert health and care • A ‘carer to carer’ section, where family
professionals who have experience • Visual changes in dementia carers share their experiences, tips and
supporting people with dementia and their supportive messages
families. Sessions and courses cover a wide • Sundowning
range of topics, with time built in to reflect, To visit the Virtual Carers Centre, see DCC’s
ask questions and relate the information to • Communication support full range of topics and register for courses
carers’ own circumstances. and Live Online Learning, please see
• Music and dementia DCC’s website dementiacarers.org.uk.
Please feel free to contact DCC for more
DCC’s Virtual Carers Centre contains a wide information or follow the charity on social
range of videos, audio recordings and articles. media.
Here, carers can access guidance and support
from healthcare professionals and listen to
the stories of family dementia carers.

Email: [email protected] Telephone: 020 3096 7895
" DemCarersCount ! DemCarersCount

April 2021 7

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Keinton Mandeville WI K

Keinton Mandeville WI has been having life’ and a very entertaining talk by Judy 2023 Photographic
online meetings during lockdown, Theobald called ‘Life and Other Problems’. Calendar
sometimes joining with Wells WI and We’ve kept up with those that aren’t keen
Long Sutton WI, creating a more lively on Zoom by giving out little Christmas trees Competition
atmosphere.   and, more recently, sunflower seeds as part
of the 2021 ‘Share the Love’ campaign.   The subject for the WI 2023 Somerset
On Shrove Tuesday we had a pancake County Calendar Photographic
challenge on Zoom! It was great fun and Before Christmas we had ‘Call my Bluff’ Competition is
we had some experts in the area! Frances and quizzes along with other speakers.
Underwood produced the below picture of Until the latest restrictions we enjoyed ‘Somerset Towns & Villages’
our efforts. fortnightly country walks in groups of 6
people. Let’s hope that we are able to start Send to SCFWI, 344 Bristol Road,
Over the past couple of months we have had those up again soon. Bridgwater TA6 4BU
cookery demos, fortnightly informal coffee
mornings, a speaker on ‘The Druid way of Vega – Secretary by the end of January 2022

A letter to our front-line nurses and doctors ‘LET ME SHOW YOU
WHAT A WOMAN
To our front line nurses and doctors, thank With spring close and distressing times CAN DO!’
you and well done. coming to an end, I hope you find a new
beginning for yourselves, with hope The NFWI is pleased to
Such feeble, almost disparaging words restored, restful sleep and good dreams; announce that the Lady Denman
when you are going through so much that waking with the confidence of a promising Cup Competition 2021 will be
defies description. day, not anxiety for the shift ahead. I hope held in partnership with the
you give yourselves time, time to mend, National Gallery. Using no more
I have seen TV footage; heartbreaking time with your family, time to be happy. than 500 words, WI members
scenes and heartbroken nurses; despair are invited to submit a piece of
and fear; tenacity and compassion. And when your thoughts turn back to dark writing, fact or fiction, in any
times, I hope you remember those whose style (story, poem etc.) based on
I have heard of the astonishingly long hours lives you saved, whose families can’t thank the below painting by Artemisia
worked; the exhaustion and the shredded you enough, and don’t dwell too long on Gentileschi.
emotions. A relentless fight for each and those whose lives you couldn’t save, those
every patient in your care – harrowing and too ill to recover. There was nothing left Entrants must submit
brave. you could have done. 4 copies of their entry,
typed if possible,
There isn’t a day goes by when I don’t think I’m grateful that you are in our lives. We are on A4 paper to the
of you and wonder how you get through, lucky to have you. Federation Secretary
how you cope – such immeasurable at 344 Bristol Road.
courage and focus. And who cares for Chris Wadsworth, Your entry should have an official
you? Is there someone wanting you home, Yeovil Bucklers Mead WI entry form attached to the top
wanting you safe? copy with your name, your WI and
Federation clearly written in the top
left hand corner. DO NOT put your
name on the remaining copies. Each
entry must include a total word count;
entries over 500 words will not be
accepted.

Entry forms will be available from your
WI secretary, from your Federation
Secretary or can be downloaded from
the My WI website.

Entries can be submitted
either via email or by
hard copy.

8 April 2021