Tuesday 10th January: 'Life and Crimes of Agatha Christie' David McCaddon

Tuesday 14th February: 'Nell Gwynne' Peter Cotton

Tuesday 14th March: 'Bringing Law to Life with Laughter' Sue Holden

Tuesday 11th April: 'WI's Role During World War II'

Hen Johnson

Tuesday 8th May: 'Bringing Up Baby in 1950/60'

Kath Reynolds

Tuesday 13th June: 'History of Nursery Rhymes Part 2' Jean Finney

Tuesday 11th July: Members Night

Tuesday 8th August: 'The Cheese Shop Nantwich'

Nick Birchall

Tuesday 12th September: 'Sign Language in the Theatre' Janet Guest

Tuesday 10th October: To Be Decided

Tuesday 14th November: AGM & Quiz

Tuesday 12th December: Christmas Party

News: The February Jumble Sale. A special vote of thanks was given to Jose Sykes for her hard work organising the event. However, despite a big effort by all concerned this will be the last. The rising costs in just putting on the jumble sale have made it uneconomical but other fund-raising events will be needed. Annual fees are due in April and this can now be made by bank transfer or cheque.

Tuesday 14th February

'Nell Gwynne' Peter Cotton

Eleanor Gwynne was a celebrity figure of the Restoration period. Praised by Samuel Pepys for her comic performances as one of the first actresses on the English stage, she became best known for being a long-time mistress of King Charles II of England.

No report this month

Sue Holden: Past lawyer, present entertainer and (aspirational) future public speaker

News: Shirley Collins was our ‘Show and Tell’ speaker. She explained how 20 years ago she had purchased a very battered wooden Chinese carving in an antique shop and had waited many years for her son to restore it. Finally repaired it is proudly displayed in her hall, warding off evil spirits!

Tuesday 14th March

'Bringing Law to Life with Laughter' Sue Holden

On March 14th our Vice President, Pat Alston opened the meeting in Jeans absence. Six visitors were welcomed and hopefully they will become members. Our evening’s speaker was Sue Holden, Bringing Law to Life with Laughter. What followed was a very witty and amusing hour. Her talk was full of interesting as well as funny anecdotes managing to tie the audience in knots with descriptions of what ‘the law’ actually means and how it is interpreted. Refreshments followed before the business report.



Report by Judy Blamey

Competition: This was a bumper night for amazing World War 11 photos. Jackie Sutton won with a family photo and note written by Daddy in 1943. A menu from an RAF dinner in Lydda, Palestine, 1943 made interesting reading. Well done to everyone who contributed. The evening finished with another ‘Show and Tell’. Dagmar Barnes had us in stitches recounting stories of her experiences in 1965 Australia. Camping on an ant hill, searching for opals and sapphires and close encounters with snakes and huge spiders!

Tuesday 11th April

'WI's Role During World War II' Hen Johnson

April 11th was another successful meeting, welcoming one more new member. Our group continues to grow. The speaker for the evening was Hen Johnson with her excellent and appropriate talk on the WI’s Role During World War 11. She explained that at the beginning of the war the WI had a huge membership, mainly in rural areas. By continuing during very difficult times for the country women were still given a chance to meet and support each other. They had to be resourceful in finding places to meet. As preparations for war gathered pace 2 million people left London for safer areas of the country. The WI played an integral part in the organisation needed to place evacuated children and often their mothers. As you might expect the WI also made huge amounts of jam! Lady Denman, a women of action, requisitioned 430tons of sugar just before war broke out. 12 million pounds of jam were made. Bottling, canning, making pies were just a few of the activities taken on by WI members. Wool was distributed to knit gloves, socks and balaclavas for the soldiers. They also had fun, meetings continued with quizzes, competitions and entertainment.

Report by Judy Blamey

Show and Tell has now become a regular feature of our monthly meetings, it is amazing to  learn more about our members lives. Tonight, Pat Alston recounted an exciting visit to Manila some years ago. During her stay she visited the Peace Garden and there before returning home she bought some blank souvenir bullets. However, as you might expect she was stopped at the airport for carrying ammunition! The bullets were confiscated!

Tuesday 9th May

'Bringing Up Baby in 1950/60's - Kath Reynolds

Our recent meeting was held on Tuesday 9^th May in the village hall as usual. Jean Webb our President opened the meeting followed by our much improved, rendition of Jerusalem. Well done everyone.

Kath Reynolds was the speaker for the evening. She comes from a very talented family having enjoyed talks from her husband on birds and bats plus being entertained by her daughter at our Christmas party. The topic for the evening was “Bringing up Baby in 1950/60’s”. This was a trip down memory lane for many of us.

It was amazing to realise how much has changed from the knitting of matinee jackets and tiny bootees to the choice of names for baby. Dr Spock, whose book Baby and Child Care was the essential reading for all new Mums has long since passed into history. Kath’s talk was illustrated with familiar products from the past and the audience added amusing anecdotes from their own experiences.

Competition: The competition for the evening was appropriately a teddy bear and we had a superb display of much-loved bears! 1st Judith Blamey, 2nd Jean Alcock, 3rd Jackie Sutton. 

Report by Judy Blamey

Show and Tell has produced some amazing stories. Beryl Swash described a camping holiday in Iceland in 1971. A hair-raising experience in which the bus broke down, a Land Rover was rescued from a river and they walked up the side of a volcano. Beryl’s souvenir from this trip was a small piece of lava with a knitted lady perched on top.

Competition: A Souvenir from Any Coronation; was won by Aileen Jarvis, second, Jean Webb and third, Jacky Sutton.

Tuesday 13th June

Guide Dogs for the Blind - David and Julie Oliver

On Tuesday 13th June 2023 we held our 558th meeting in Goostrey Village Hall! It is amazing how long the W.I. in Goostrey has been running for despite covid and other interruptions over many years. 

Our speakers for the evening were an inspirational couple, David and Julie Oliver from Guide Dogs for the Blind. Sadly, they didn’t bring a dog as Julie was waiting for the arrival of her new dog, her last having recently retired. She did however pass round pictures of her previous dog to much ooh and aahs from the audience. David continued with a description of the working life of a guide dog from birth to retirement. All working dogs are bred by GDB, taking 2 years to train. Eventually the trainer gradually separates from the dog and the blind person takes over after two and a half weeks at a hotel for the pair to bond. This seemed a fun time for Julie and her new dog. Weight is carefully controlled, no overweight guide dogs!

Julie, who is deaf as well as being registered blind continued the talk, explaining her life before her sight failed and how receiving her first guide dog improved her quality of life immensely as well as giving her the love of her life.

Following refreshments details were given of future events for the Autumn.

By the time of printing Rose Day will be over at which the W.I. will provide tea for the many visiting Rose Queens and their entourage. No doubt a very busy day.

Report by Judy Blamey

Show and Tell Pat Howitt closed the meeting with a unique tale of visiting China during the SARS virus outbreak. As the last tourist group allowed to enter China, they had the Great Wall and the Terracotta Warriors all to themselves.

Competition: A cheese knife – a really beautiful and varied selection was won by Aly Ayre, second - Ros Gunary, third –Aileen Jarvis

Tuesday 11th July & Tuesday 8th August

Members Evening &  The Cheese Shop, Nantwich

Before my usual W.I. report Jodrell Side W.I. would like to thank The Crown, Goostrey for allowing us space not only for our Craft and Chat afternoons but also for the wider community to come and work on the ‘Goostrey Wall Hanging’. They have made us very welcome.

Another busy two months for our W.I. starting with our annual members night on 11^th July when non committee members take over for the evening. Hopefully it might encourage some new committee members for next year?

Shirley Collins acted as President, ably assisted by May Ainsworth, Jean Alcock, Anne Blair, Joyce Cook, Chris Hall, Stella Potts and Maud Ross. Chris Hall entertained us recounting her experience as a primary head teacher in Stockport. Chris demonstrated a genuine warmth and love for her rewarding job. After the talk and questions, she played a recording of the children singing the song they had written, ‘St Paul’s Recipe for Love’ and by the end there was hardly a dry eye in the house!

August 8^th brought another very enjoyable evening, greatly enhanced by tasting some superb cheeses. Our speaker, Nick Birchell, from The Cheese Shop, Nantwich also explained the history of cheese. Did you know the Romans loved Cheshire cheese? The presence of ample milk, rennet and salt, essentials for cheese making helped establish the Cheshire cheese industry pre the Roman invasion. Cheese making declined after World War 2 but the industry has rebounded. The UK now produces more cheese varieties than the French, including 20-30 different Cheshire cheeses alone.              

 Report by Judy Blamey

Show and Tell

Competition: The competition for the night was a cup and saucer, won by Sheila Wood, second Pat Hurdle & third Karen Clark.

The competition, an item of musical memorabilia was won by Sheila Wood.

Tuesday 12th September & Tuesday 10th October

Greater Manchester Blood Bikes - James Cretney

Jodrell Side WI Open Evening

Again because of magazine deadline dates I have had to report on our last two monthly meetings. September 12^th was a very informative evening with our speaker James Cretney from Greater Manchester Blood Bikes explaining their history and present-day activities. This is an entirely voluntary emergency service. They operate 24 hours a day, every day of the year (including Christmas Day). They have been running for 60 years giving a free service to the NHS. Blood represents 30% of their deliveries along with organs, organ samples, medical equipment, stem cells and breast milk. If you want to volunteer you will have to have an advanced bike riding certificate, plus three years riding experience!

Refreshments followed before concluding the evening with an amusing tale of two grey rabbits. Jose Sykes told a cautionary tale for anyone thinking of having two rabbits as pets, check what sex they are! Jose thought she had two boys, Bill and Rex but when Bill, now named Billy Jo gave birth to six babies her suspicions where confirmed.

This month on October 10^th we held our Open Evening, welcoming guests from other WI’s. We were entertained by a ukulele band and joined in singing familiar songs from the past, a trip down memory lane. Supper of cheese and wine followed.

Report by Judy Blamey

Tuesday 7th November

AGM

Our last meeting was our AGM and what a fun night. Jean Webb our President opened the meeting and welcomed two tellers from Goostrey W.I., there to verify our voting for next years President was in order.

As it was the AGM there was business to deal with. The treasurer’s annual report was adopted and Pat Ingram recapped on a successful year of activities and some excellent guest speakers. We now have 67 members, and more are always welcome. Our book club is well supported, the walking group has struggled with frequent poor weather but the bowls club finished 4^th in the league. Craft and Chat at the Crown continues although sometimes there is more chat than craft! The wall hanging is nearing completion and has been the main project for the year, including all the village and especially the school. Great fun for all the stitchers involved.

Jean gave her yearly report, thanking committee members for their hard work. Unfortunately, two of our very active members are stepping down this year after many years. Gina Hoghton, responsible for catering (lovely cakes) and Pat Alston a past President and Vice President.

Nominations for next years committee followed and Jean Webb was re-elected as President.
After refreshments, super cake as usual and a reminder of future activities we settled down to play bingo. Gill Monk was the caller and had learnt all the lingo with a little help from Google I suspect. We have never laughed so much and we might do it again soon! This must have been one of the best AGM’s I have attended.

Report by Judy Blamey