2018 - The Archive
International Day Poland
16th November 2018
Janet attended the LFWI International Day, the aim of which is to give WI members an insight into women's life in another country and to learn more about its history.
Members from all over Lancashire attended the event. We enjoyed talks by three very different speakers, who were all entertaining and inspirational. We had the chance to look at traditional crafts, memorabilia and costumes, listened to some Chopin, nibbled Polish biscuits with our coffee, and gorged on an amazing buffet lunch. This is an annual LFWI event and is definitely one that is worth supporting. It was educational, yes, but not stuffy. |
Social Group
15th November 2018
Annual Meeting 2018
12th November 2018
Once the W.I. business was concluded, the members played a couple of lively games of bingo and the winners were Evelyn, Jeanette and Pam. A supper of quiche, warm sausage rolls and Prosecco was served and the members all enjoyed some well-earned social time.
The World of Glass, St Helens
18th October 2018
On a bright autumn morning a large group of our members went by coach to St Helens to explore The World of Glass.
We were warmly welcomed by friendly staff as we entered the building and we enjoyed a hot drink before being split into two groups and introduced to our guides.
Next we visited a gallery showing the history of the St Helens area, coal mining, glass making and the way the people lived. |
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And a second gallery had glass items from all over the world, including a fascinating collection of early Egyptian pieces.. |
After a delicious lunch our guide gathered us together for the second part of the tour. We crossed a modern glass and metal bridge to the Victorian Furnace and tunnels, pausing on the bridge to learn some of the history of the Sankey canal. Inside the furnace buildings, a series of short video clips explained how the new glass making process had revolutionised the glass making industry. It is the most complete Victorian glass furnace structure in existence.
We donned hard hats and entered the old tunnel system to examine the structure of the furnace and marvelled at the ingenuity of its construction.
Our guide had told us that the entrance to World of Glass is a reconstruction of a conical brick kiln, which has amazing acoustic properties. An opera singer had sung a single note in there which echoed around the walls for 8 seconds. So the final act of some of our ladies as we left the building through the kiln was a rousing chorus of Jerusalem!
At the end of the afternoon we all agreed that this had been a wonderful day out.
Thank you Pat for organising the event, and Dianne for assisting on the day.
At the end of the afternoon we all agreed that this had been a wonderful day out.
Thank you Pat for organising the event, and Dianne for assisting on the day.
LFWI - Crafting taster day
12th October 2018
We all enjoyed the day but it was quite intensive, especially the beading which we did at the end of the day when our eyes were struggling to focus!
Our 13th Birthday Meeting
8th October 2018
The speaker at our birthday meeting was Linda Sawley, who entertained us with a talk entitled 'Shoes – Their History and Mine'. A self-confessed 'shoe-aholic', she told us about the development of various kinds of footwear and then showed us some of her vast collection of interesting and colourful shoes. We had lots of laughs along the way, but not many of us thought we would be able to walk very far in her 6” stilettos.
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We were all delighted when Linda C's name was drawn from the hat for the £200 Denman bursary. The two £20 bursaries to be used for local courses were won by Julie and Pat.
Lancashire Federation Craft & Produce Show 2018
26th & 27th September 2018
The theme of this year's show was "Out of Africa".
For the first time, we decided to enter the Hawkshaw Trophy competition, in which groups must prepare a small display containing three items for judging, on the theme.
For the first time, we decided to enter the Hawkshaw Trophy competition, in which groups must prepare a small display containing three items for judging, on the theme.
In the main competition rooms, we were all delighted to find that Linda's beaded bee had won First place in the "A bee in any medium" class.
Here are more photos from the show...
So it's all over for another year. The Lancashire Federation Show Committee has announced that next year's theme will be "Into the Garden" and the schedule will be available by the end of the year. Hopefully it will inspire us all to enter!
LFWI County Show Preview Dinner
25th September 2018
Nine Ansdell and Fairhaven members attended the County Show preview dinner this year. We were joined by one of the LFWI Board of Trustees, Chris Stafford, who is also a member of Leyland WI.
After enjoying a really delicious meal we made a beeline for the display areas and were delighted to find that, once again, we've had a very successful year. Two firsts, twelve seconds and three third places were awarded to our entries. More details, and photos, will follow soon.
Meanwhile you can see photos of many of our items before they went to the show, on the Photo Gallery page.
Well done to all who entered!
After enjoying a really delicious meal we made a beeline for the display areas and were delighted to find that, once again, we've had a very successful year. Two firsts, twelve seconds and three third places were awarded to our entries. More details, and photos, will follow soon.
Meanwhile you can see photos of many of our items before they went to the show, on the Photo Gallery page.
Well done to all who entered!
Think, Believe, Dream, Dare
11th September 2018
We all need an aim in life, and who better to inspire us than athlete Helen Clitheroe, a Team Great Britain track and field champion.
In her talk, entitled “Think, Believe, Dream, Dare,” Preston born champion Helen recounted how she attended Goosnargh Primary School where inspirational teacher Frank Green encouraged her love of running. She was talent spotted by a coach from Preston Harriers, joined the group and trained with John Nuttall.
Hard work and dedication followed, and her athletic career went from strength to strength. She won numerous awards in European Championships, World Indoor Championships and the Commonwealth Games and represented Britain in the Olympic Games. Helen acknowledged her gratitude for lottery funding which allowed her to pursue her dream.
Particularly fascinating was learning of the benefits of her experiences in Kenya, where the high altitude training resulted in improved lung capacity and consequent better performance.
Her mantra, ‘Think’ (about your goal and how to achieve it.); ‘Believe’ (in yourself); ‘Dream’ (follow it); ‘Dare’ (aim high, take the risk and succeed) has motivated her throughout her career – and to us it sounds excellent advice which we could all follow.
Hard work and dedication followed, and her athletic career went from strength to strength. She won numerous awards in European Championships, World Indoor Championships and the Commonwealth Games and represented Britain in the Olympic Games. Helen acknowledged her gratitude for lottery funding which allowed her to pursue her dream.
Particularly fascinating was learning of the benefits of her experiences in Kenya, where the high altitude training resulted in improved lung capacity and consequent better performance.
Her mantra, ‘Think’ (about your goal and how to achieve it.); ‘Believe’ (in yourself); ‘Dream’ (follow it); ‘Dare’ (aim high, take the risk and succeed) has motivated her throughout her career – and to us it sounds excellent advice which we could all follow.
Lancaster Canal cruise
7th September 2018
In the week preceding our trip, the canal boat had been damaged below the water-line, and so, sadly, was unable to leave its mooring.
Did this deter our members from having a good time? Not at all! After our supper of delicious fish and chips, the singer kept us entertained with Michael Buble and 1960s songs. We danced in the aisle and thoroughly enjoyed our 'Cruise to Nowhere'. |
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Denman Goldwork
August 2018
Hot Ice Show
22nd August 2018
Thanks go to our wonderful Social Secretary Pat for initiating this outing and organising our group with her usual efficiency.
Beach Clean
20th August 2018
Another new event for members of Ansdell and Fairhaven WI –
We were met by Emma, a Keep Britain Tidy Beachcare officer, whose responsibilities include coordinating volunteer groups along the whole of the Fylde coast. She explained to us the ways in which various types of litter ends up in the ocean and how it is a constant challenge to try to keep our coastal waters in a healthy state. Our nearest neighbour, Blackpool South Beach, this year met the standards for water purity and is now a Blue Flag beach. Under the Love My Beach banner, local groups regularly scour our beaches, collecting other peoples' litter and preventing it from polluting our oceans.
We were met by Emma, a Keep Britain Tidy Beachcare officer, whose responsibilities include coordinating volunteer groups along the whole of the Fylde coast. She explained to us the ways in which various types of litter ends up in the ocean and how it is a constant challenge to try to keep our coastal waters in a healthy state. Our nearest neighbour, Blackpool South Beach, this year met the standards for water purity and is now a Blue Flag beach. Under the Love My Beach banner, local groups regularly scour our beaches, collecting other peoples' litter and preventing it from polluting our oceans.
Emma issued us all with grabbers, gloves and bags, we donned snazzy blue Love My Beach vests and we were ready to go. We wandered along the sandhills and the tide lines, searching for anything that ought not to be there. After a wet and windy weekend when most holidaymakers had wisely stayed at home there wasn't as much litter as normal, but we still managed to collect a large amount of rubbish. We picked up straws, bottle caps, sweet packets, cans and bottles – plus a few more unusual items!
Out on the most recent tide line, where the sand was still damp, there were other things to be found in addition to the usual plastics. Lots of samphire had been washed up by the tide – but none of our cooks took it home for their evening meal. On this part of the beach, lots of different types of shells and seaweed are stranded by the receding waters.
We saw dead crabs, several small jellyfish, some cuttlefish skeletons and something that none of us had ever seen before – a sea mouse. It's quite unusual to see one of these little creatures stranded on our beach. Ours measured about 4” long and was still alive, so Emma gently lifted it from the sand and placed it into a pool of water. If you want to know more about the sea mouse, have a look at this Youtube video.
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As we enjoyed a drink together at the end of our beach cleaning session, we reflected on the morning's activities and agreed that it had been most worthwhile.
Details of regular local beach cleans can be found on the Love My Beach website.
Details of regular local beach cleans can be found on the Love My Beach website.
Trek Croatia
13th August 2018
Our speaker this month was the wonderful Pat Ascroft, who told us of her latest challenge for Mencap, a 6 day trek in northern Croatia.
Over the last twenty years, Pat has completed fourteen challenges and had raised over £40,000 for Mencap. She had planned to do the Trek Croatia challenge with her grandson, Tom, but was astounded when two more of her grandchildren turned up at the airport to join the challenge group.
Pat told us about the daily routine, and the detours she had made to mix with the locals and learn more about their lives. Each day she started the hike with the youngsters, but as the day's trek became more arduous, she was given an 'easier' route and a rendezvous point from where she would be taken by a local driver to meet up with the others. Pat described in detail her solo adventures in the sparcely inhabited region. She attended a church service, where the only word she recognised was 'Hallelujah', drank grappa with the congregation, visited local markets and, from one of her drivers, learnt a lot about truffles (No, not the chocolate kind!)
Pat left us all smiling. She is a truly inspirational woman and we look forward to hearing all about her next challenge, whatever it may be.
Lytham Hall Tour, with Afternoon Tea
9th August 2018
On a glorious summer day, a large group of our members met at Lytham Hall to learn more about the building and the family that had lived there.
Our guides, Louise and Christine, told us the history of the hall, and related many amusing tales of the rather eccentric Clifton family who had lived there for several generations. We were impressed by the work that has been done in recent years to restore the buildings and to refurnish the public rooms in an appropriate manner. Most of the contents of the house were sold off by the last Squire, Harry Clifton, to fund his extravagent lifestyle.
Following the tour, we remained in one of the rooms of the Hall, where we enjoyed a really delicious afternoon tea. Each of us had an individual 3 tier stand, holding sandwiches, cakes and scones. Highly recommended - afternoon tea is available most days (book at least 24 hours ahead) at a cost of £10 per person. See details here.
A raffle was organised by the catering staff, and Rita was the lucky winner - she now has tickets to a 'Dolly Parton' evening at the hall next month.
Before leaving, most of us took the opportunity to browse the kitchen garden and the plant stalls which Greg Anderton (our speaker in June) has set up in the courtyard.
All in all, a super day out, and right on our doorstep!
Donation to Trinity Hospice
20th July 2018
Susan, Pat and Anne visited Trinity Hospice this week, to hand over a cheque for £100 which was raised from the recipe book sales and Easter Craft table.
Susan reports...
We met Michelle Lonican, their Community Fundraiser who gave us some background of the Hospice and why they need our donations.
Trinity is a homely place where loved ones will be welcomed and well cared for. From counselling to specialist nursing, Trinity offer a full range of compassionate palliative care. At Trinity they are proud of their much enhanced healing environment. Particularly significant has been the introduction of ‘dementia friendly’ elements to the adult In-Patient Unit, such as colour coded patient areas, more appropriate clocks and signage. Innovative ideas on care have also benefitted the families who want to stay close to their loved ones. Trinity’s overnight provision for relatives has been greatly improved to provide more comfortable surroundings, and shared ‘quiet’ areas in the Hospice have been made more private. They have stunning gardens, with access direct from patients rooms. Trinity patients come from all backgrounds, all faiths and from all parts of the Fylde Coast.
Sometimes Trinity Hospice gets mixed up with other charities, especially those funding cancer research and nursing support, and there are still people who think hospices are part of the NHS. Trinity’s services cost over £7 million a year to run in 2015-16 but an incredible £5 million of that came from local peoples’ voluntary donations.
We met Michelle Lonican, their Community Fundraiser who gave us some background of the Hospice and why they need our donations.
Trinity is a homely place where loved ones will be welcomed and well cared for. From counselling to specialist nursing, Trinity offer a full range of compassionate palliative care. At Trinity they are proud of their much enhanced healing environment. Particularly significant has been the introduction of ‘dementia friendly’ elements to the adult In-Patient Unit, such as colour coded patient areas, more appropriate clocks and signage. Innovative ideas on care have also benefitted the families who want to stay close to their loved ones. Trinity’s overnight provision for relatives has been greatly improved to provide more comfortable surroundings, and shared ‘quiet’ areas in the Hospice have been made more private. They have stunning gardens, with access direct from patients rooms. Trinity patients come from all backgrounds, all faiths and from all parts of the Fylde Coast.
Sometimes Trinity Hospice gets mixed up with other charities, especially those funding cancer research and nursing support, and there are still people who think hospices are part of the NHS. Trinity’s services cost over £7 million a year to run in 2015-16 but an incredible £5 million of that came from local peoples’ voluntary donations.
The Disappearance of Madeleine McCann
9th July 2018
This month's meeting saw the return of criminologist Neil Hendrie to talk about the tragic case of Madeleine McCann.
Neil gave us a skilled and well researched talk about the tragic circumstances which occurred during the McCann family holiday in Portugal. We all have vivid memories of when, in 2007, three year old Madeleine disappeared.
He explained that five years ago he decided to study the case for himself, using four key sources of evidence. He skilfully explained the different theories – was she accidentally killed by her parents or was she abducted by a possible paedophile group? And who was the mysterious man seen carrying a slumbering child in his arms?
The twists and turns that the evidence revealed was fascinating and Neil concluded that his personal view, based on the evidence, is that Madeleine had been abducted and murdered by paedophiles, and that the whole investigation had been handled badly by the police in Portugal.
Our next meeting is on Wednesday 13th August 2018 when the fabulous Pat Ascroft will tell us of her latest exploits - “A Surprise Adventure.”
He explained that five years ago he decided to study the case for himself, using four key sources of evidence. He skilfully explained the different theories – was she accidentally killed by her parents or was she abducted by a possible paedophile group? And who was the mysterious man seen carrying a slumbering child in his arms?
The twists and turns that the evidence revealed was fascinating and Neil concluded that his personal view, based on the evidence, is that Madeleine had been abducted and murdered by paedophiles, and that the whole investigation had been handled badly by the police in Portugal.
Our next meeting is on Wednesday 13th August 2018 when the fabulous Pat Ascroft will tell us of her latest exploits - “A Surprise Adventure.”
Little Women at Lytham Hall
17th June 2018
Several Ansdell and Fairhaven WI members enjoyed an excellent Chapterhouse Theatre outdoor production of Little Women in the grounds of Lytham Hall.
The choice of Little Women seems particularly apt as 2018 marks 100 years since the first women won the right to vote in the UK. It is a book that many of us remembered affectionately from our school days.
The choice of Little Women seems particularly apt as 2018 marks 100 years since the first women won the right to vote in the UK. It is a book that many of us remembered affectionately from our school days.
We arrived well wrapped up with coats, scarves, blankets and umbrellas against the rain but it didn’t dampen our sprits and the evening turned fine after the interval.
Our friendly group shared around the prosecco, crisps , nibbles, biscuits and sweets which all added to the fun of the evening.
Leafy Lytham
11th June 2018
Our hall was packed for tonight's meeting, with eleven visitors joining our members to listen to Greg Anderton talk about his horticultural business and his involvement in Lytham in Bloom.
Greg told us that he had organised his first plant sale at the age of eleven, at his school fair. He continued to expand his enterprise whilst a student at the high school and now returns there occasionally to talk to students and try to inspire them to follow their dreams. Now, at the ripe old age of 22, he has a thriving garden design business, sells unusual herbaceous plants at Lytham Hall, and designs and makes planters and baskets for businesses throughout the town. He is heavily involved in the Lytham in Bloom project and last year featured in a BBC televsison programme, which many of our ladies had seen.
It was a most interesting talk and even though many of us are old enough to be Greg's grandma, we learnt a lot from him. Of course, at the end of the talk there was a mad dash to the table at the front of the room, as everyone wanted to purchase something for their own garden.
Our next meeting is on Monday 9th July, when the ever popular Neil Hendrie will return to our group to discuss the disappearance of Madeleine McCann.
New Social Group formed
7th June 2018
Members are invited to come along to the Blackbird Tea & Coffee House on Woodlands Road, Ansdell, FY8 1DA, every third Thursday of the month for a cuppa and a chat.
No walking, no knitting, no crafting, no reading - just a social morning with W.I. friends.
The first get-together will be at 10:30am on Thursday 21st June.
No walking, no knitting, no crafting, no reading - just a social morning with W.I. friends.
The first get-together will be at 10:30am on Thursday 21st June.
Quiz and Quaff - our Royal Wedding celebration
14th May 2018
What a fun night! Instead of welcoming a speaker to this month's meeting, our committee had organised a very sociable evening to mark the occasion of Prince Harry's marriage to Meghan Markle. It was lovely to see so many members wearing hats or patriotic colours. The bunting, balloons and floral arrangements brightened our room and gave a real party atmosphere to the proceedings.
President Susan got through the formalities in a very speedy efficient way, reminding us of the Resolution process and then asking us to confirm that we wanted our Link Delegate, Shirley Thornton, to vote in favour of the 'Mental Health Matters' resolution which will be proposed at the 2018 Annual Meeting in Cardiff. Caroline and Janet gave a full report of their Denman experience and showed some of the items they had made. The sub group leaders reported their latest news... and then the quiz began.
Julie had worked very hard to compile a Royal Quiz to stretch our brains and she was an excellent and patient Quiz Master. Even if we didn't know all the answers, it was good fun trying to work them out. Round Two was a quiz about Britain with lots of guesswork in progress at most tables!
The evening concluded with a portion of 'wedding' cake and a glass of Prosecco for everyone, and lots more chat. Judging by the late hour at which we all left the room,
I think it's safe to say that a good time was had by all!
I think it's safe to say that a good time was had by all!
Sand Dunes guided walk
12th May 2018
Our walk was led by Dianne's husband Chris, who is a volunteer for the Sand Dunes project, and one of the full-time rangers, Andy, who oversees the conservation of this very special area.
After leaving the car park and pausing to look for sand lizards on a sunny bank, we climbed to the top of one of the high dunes from where we had glorious views of the beach and town.
We then walked through the dunes onto the beach, learning about the wildlife and plants - and why the dunes are so important in acting as a sea defence for the town. |
This was a really interesting and informative outing. The walks are organised regularly throughout the year and are totally free of charge. I would encourage all our members and their families and friends to join one. If you're lucky, you may even spot a lizard, or see the pyramidal orchids!
Giovanni at Lowther
9th May 2018
He danced his way through his life story with an incredibly talented group of dancers and great musical tracts , and we loved it . He went from Sicily , through Europe before ending up in London where’s he got his dream job on Strictly. We were thoroughly entertained by his storytelling in his wonderful Italian accent, and all the many different dances that he showed us including rumba, jive and waltz. The salsa that he originally danced on Strictly with Debbie McGee will stay long in our memories because of an rather unusual lift !
I think we will all be rooting for Giovanni to win the next series of Strictly.
Warton Hall
3rd May 2018
Some of our members enjoyed a visit to Warton Hall which is owned by local artist Nicola Thompson, who runs an art studio in the grounds.
The Georgian Manor House is set in 4 acres of garden which we were able to explore at our leisure At this time of year we were provided with a stunning display of bluebells on the woodland walk. The Sculpture Trail provided added interest as did the Japanese Water Garden and Gallery Courtyard.
We concluded our visit with a chat over a cuppa and freshly made cakes.
The garden is part of a national charity scheme and the money raised will support local charities.
The garden is part of a national charity scheme and the money raised will support local charities.
Knit & Natter Group's latest project
2nd May 2018
Lancashire Federation trip to Chester
18th April 2018
Lancashire Federation organises several trips each year, and all members are welcome to apply for tickets. Further details of all outings, workshops and other events can be found by clicking here.
"And the Beat Goes On"
9th April 2018
At our April meeting we enjoyed a most entertaining talk by Marjorie Holt, entitled “And the Beat Goes On.” Marjorie gave an amusing account of how, in 1965, she came to join the Wigan police force.
Initially she resisted all of her father’s efforts to persuade her to join the force. She tried nursing, clerical work in an artificial limb suppliers and later worked in the tax office. But these jobs were not to be and ultimately she joined the Wigan police force, which consisted of 170 men and only 8 women.
Initially she resisted all of her father’s efforts to persuade her to join the force. She tried nursing, clerical work in an artificial limb suppliers and later worked in the tax office. But these jobs were not to be and ultimately she joined the Wigan police force, which consisted of 170 men and only 8 women.
Her recruitment and training experience was not what you might expect – and the way Marjorie recounted it had us in fits of laughter. It including being interviewed by an incomprehensible chief inspector, being given a second hand uniform which didn’t fit, was faded and decidedly unfit for purpose, and the drill sergeant who despaired of her inability to master the art of marching!
Member Barbara thanked Marjorie and said, “This has been a really interesting and memorable evening. Thank you, Marjorie, for bringing back memories of learning to drive and having to follow the waving arms of police officers like yourself as they directed the traffic. A great evening.”
Ansdell & Fairhaven WI Bursary
April 2018
Some time ago twin sisters and members Tricia and Pauline shared a stroke of luck - they both won AFWI bursaries, and these they used to extend their experience of different crafts, which they showed to members during our April meeting.
Tricia showed some Christmas decorations and explained, “We attended a willow weaving course at Barton Grange, and enjoyed it immensely. Since it was just before Christmas we had the opportunity to make willow Christmas decorations which looked very festive when displayed in our homes.”
Pauline added, “I also attended a wet felting course at the Lancashire Federation offices in Leyland, which was well organised and hugely enjoyable. I am still adding the finishing touches to my work, but I enjoyed it so much that I would love to attend a wet felting course again – and to take Tricia along too as illness had prevented her attendance on this occasion.”
Both were grateful for the bursary awards and thanked members for their generosity which allowed them to gain new skills and experiences.
Pauline added, “I also attended a wet felting course at the Lancashire Federation offices in Leyland, which was well organised and hugely enjoyable. I am still adding the finishing touches to my work, but I enjoyed it so much that I would love to attend a wet felting course again – and to take Tricia along too as illness had prevented her attendance on this occasion.”
Both were grateful for the bursary awards and thanked members for their generosity which allowed them to gain new skills and experiences.
Denman College, Marcham, Oxfordshire
3rd to 6th April 2018
Last year, Ansdell & Fairhaven won the LFWI Annual Bursary and our committee decided it should be shared by Janet and Caroline. They have just returned from Denman, where they spent three days learning free motion embroidery.
They will tell members all about their trip at the May meeting, but meanwhile here are some photos from their stay. |
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Lunch at Tiggis
19th March 2018
Once again, a great turnout for our Spring lunch at Tiggis, where 35 of our ladies enjoyed a delicious meal together. The staff at Tiggis always look after us so well and today was no exception. Meals were served piping hot, drinks delivered without delay and everyone enjoyed the relaxed and friendly atmosphere.
Thanks once again go to Pat, who organised the event and made sure we all got the meal we'd requested!
Cowboy Country and Beyond
12th March 2018
A meeting with a difference this month!
We began with the usual notices etc, all skilfully delivered by our hard working committee and subgroup members.
We began with the usual notices etc, all skilfully delivered by our hard working committee and subgroup members.
They must have wondered what was happening! Unexpectedly, our speaker Melanie Doyle, who was scheduled to present “Movie Make Up-Special Effects,” failed to turn up!
It turns out that she had confused the day!
It turns out that she had confused the day!
But not to be deterred our ever efficient Speaker Secretary Julie had it all in hand. A quick phone call to her husband Dave, who gallantly gave up an evening watching football, and an alternative presentation was ready. Julie and Dave are members of the popular Travel Talks club, and on 11th April they will present “Cowboy Country and Beyond” to that group – so we were given a preview of the first half of their talk.
They make a great double act, are excellent speakers and skilled in audience participation. They soon had us trying to recall the names of old film and TV westerns and their actors - remember The Lone Ranger, Bonanza and The Magnificent Seven. It then became more challenging as we tried to identify, from photographs, such characters as Billy the Kid, Buffalo Bill and Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid. Even more demanding was attempting to identify Native Americans such as Sitting Bull, Crazy Horse, Geronimo and others.
All in all we made a valiant attempt, and the intrepid travellers went on to regale us with scenes of the Wild West, visits to towns such as Cheyenne City, Deadwood and Fort Laramie, and a visit to the battlefield and memorial at Little Big Horn. We learned about the Pony Express, rodeo and of Buffalo Bill and his Wild West Show.
It was a surprise to learn that in 1887 Wild Bill brought his show to Britain. In London he played to packed audiences of over 40,000, and in the same stadium gave a personal performance to just 26 people – one of whom was Queen Victoria who had requested a private performance. Who was Bill to disagree!
And we were both delighted and thrilled to learn that in September 1904 The Wild West Show came to Blackpool. What a sight that must have been to see cowboys, Indians, stagecoaches, sharpshooters and Pony Express riders paraded along the promenade.
All in all we made a valiant attempt, and the intrepid travellers went on to regale us with scenes of the Wild West, visits to towns such as Cheyenne City, Deadwood and Fort Laramie, and a visit to the battlefield and memorial at Little Big Horn. We learned about the Pony Express, rodeo and of Buffalo Bill and his Wild West Show.
It was a surprise to learn that in 1887 Wild Bill brought his show to Britain. In London he played to packed audiences of over 40,000, and in the same stadium gave a personal performance to just 26 people – one of whom was Queen Victoria who had requested a private performance. Who was Bill to disagree!
And we were both delighted and thrilled to learn that in September 1904 The Wild West Show came to Blackpool. What a sight that must have been to see cowboys, Indians, stagecoaches, sharpshooters and Pony Express riders paraded along the promenade.
If you would like to hear more of Cowboy Country and Beyond then join Julie and Dave at Travel Talks at 7.30 on Wednesday 11th April 2018, cost £4.
Visit www.fyldetravellers.org.uk for more information.
Visit www.fyldetravellers.org.uk for more information.
[Thanks go to Pauline for the report and photos]
Lancashire Federation Annual Council Meeting
7th March 2018
Eight of our members attended the Board of Trustees Annual Council Meeting at Southport, where they enjoyed inspirational speeches from gymnast Beth Tweddle and astronaut Helen Sharman OBE.
The Lancashire Federation Wall Hanging
February 2018
In 1990, to commemorate the 70th Anniversary of the Lancashire Federation, all groups within the county were invited to contribute to an embroidered wall-hanging, which now hangs in the Leyland headquarters of LFWI. Here are some photos which show parts of the completed hanging.
A new wall-hanging is to be produced later this year, to include newer groups that have formed since 1990 and, at very short notice, two of our members (Caroline & Janet) have submitted a panel to represent Ansdell & Fairhaven W.I.
We hope you all approve!
Cat on a Hot Tin Roof
22nd February 2018
A group of A&FWI members went to the Odeon in Blackpool to watch a live screening from the National Theatre of the Young Vic's production of Tennessee Williams' Pulitzer Prize winning play, Cat on a Hot Tin Roof.
Set in the plantation home in the Mississippi Delta of Big Daddy Pollitt, a wealthy cotton tycoon, the play examines the relationships among members of Big Daddy's family, primarily between his son Brick and Maggie the "Cat", Brick's wife.
We were both shocked and impressed with this version of the play. It is set in modern times, complete with mobile phones, iPads and surround sound systems. The stage contained only a large bed, a bag of ice with a number of bottles of whiskey and a working shower which was used on a number of occasions by the lead character Brick who said very little and often wore even less!! We felt that the production was thought provoking and often combined emotional intensity with humour.
[ Ed: Thanks Susan, for your report and photo.]
The Dick, Kerr Ladies football team
12th February 2018
What a busy meeting! Extra chairs had to be dragged out, as sixty-four members and visitors arrived to hear Gail Newsham tell us about the Dick, Kerr Ladies football team.
Formed in 1917 by munitions workers at the Preston factory of Dick, Kerr Co.Ltd., their first game was played to a crowd of 10,000 at Deepdale, raising a huge sum of money for wounded soldiers. Their popularity and charity fund raising continued in spite of a 1921 F.A. decision which banned women's teams from using league football grounds. The Dick, Kerr Ladies continued to play to huge crowds in England and occasionally overseas, only disbanding in 1965.
By the end of Gail's fascinating and well-illustrated talk, we were full of admiration for these working class Lancashire lasses, the most successful team in the history of women's football.
Gail has an excellent website, which has lots of great photos and much more information:-
http://www.dickkerrladies.com/
President Susan welcomed nine new members to our branch this evening.
We hope you will all enjoy our 2018 Programme and may join some of our sub-groups. Susan presented Lynda with birthday flowers, as it is a 'special' one for her this year! |
Lancashire Federation Fun Quiz 2018
29th January 2018
The Lancashire Federation Fun Quiz is held in late January each year. Branches from throughout the county provide teams of four to answer the same quiz questions at various venues throughout Lancashire. In the past, we have had to travel to Staining to compete, but this year we stayed nearer to home, as St. Anne's on Sea W.I. had been asked to host the event.
Our three teams acquitted themselves well, all scoring over 30 points and being placed mid-table. The questions were much harder than in previous years, and Federation Chairman Shirley Thornton apologised for this and promised that next year's will be less obscure!
Wet Felting at Leyland
26th January 2018
Pauline, Caroline and Janet enjoyed a day at the LFWI headquarters in Leyland, learning the basics of wet felting. None of us had tried this craft before, but arrived with open minds and keen anticipation for the day ahead.
We joined eight other WI members from various branches throughout Lancashire, and were introduced to our tutor, Bev Elliott who had brought several of her own pieces in the hope of inspiring us to great things. (The images are below are her work.)
The aim of the craft is to produce a piece of flat felted fabric using layers of carded wool. The layers of wool are built up on top of a piece of netting, and soaked with a solution of warm soapy water, then rolled up using a sushi mat and squished for some time, until the fibres mat together. Once a fairly stable piece of 'felt' is obtained, it is washed in very hot water to make it shrink, and generally banged and thumped to finish the felting process.
The piece can then be tumble dried and finally enhanced by embroidery, beading or needle felting.
The piece can then be tumble dried and finally enhanced by embroidery, beading or needle felting.
The rolling, squishing and thumping of the fabric was energetically undertaken, especially once two of us realised that each movement of our arms made our Fitbits think that we were walking. We managed 6000 steps without leaving our seats!
Our felted art works aren't quite complete yet, but you can see from the photos above that we each managed to produce something worthwhile during the day, and I hope that pretty soon I'll be able to add photos of the finished items to the website.
The LFWI day classes are a wonderful opportunity to try something new. Upcoming classes are listed on our website here and you can get full details of each class at our meetings or from the Lancashire Federation website.
The LFWI day classes are a wonderful opportunity to try something new. Upcoming classes are listed on our website here and you can get full details of each class at our meetings or from the Lancashire Federation website.
Knit & Natter News
22nd January 2018
Maureen, K&N group leader, has received this letter, thanking us for all the teeny teddies we knitted recently. |
Walking Group
22nd January 2018
Sheila has published the list of walks for the coming months.
We hope to welcome lots of new members to our sub-group - it's a great way to get to know us!
Full details (and lots of photos from previous walks) are on the Walking Group page.
We hope to welcome lots of new members to our sub-group - it's a great way to get to know us!
Full details (and lots of photos from previous walks) are on the Walking Group page.
In the News
January 2018
Call My Bluff
8th January 2018
Our first meeting of 2018 saw the return of our favourite straight-faced fibbers; June, Anne and Jeanette, who presented their version of 'Call My Bluff', baffling us with their all too plausible word definitions. Julie was a wonderful compere for the evening, introducing each word and invariably mis-pronouncing it. The ladies did a great job - we members didn't have a clue which one of them was being truthful...Who knew that a takin was the national animal of Bhutan! Not many of us - but we'll all remember it now.
The word descriptions led to lots of discussion amongst members and the chatter continued long after the entertainment had concluded. It was a very sociable evening, and our sincere thanks must go to the panelists and Julie, for organising the evening.
The word descriptions led to lots of discussion amongst members and the chatter continued long after the entertainment had concluded. It was a very sociable evening, and our sincere thanks must go to the panelists and Julie, for organising the evening.
Archives - all the Old News
Click HERE to go to the 2017 archived news, HERE to go to the 2016 archives , or HERE to go to 2015 reports.