WI Newsletter

August 2019

What a summer we have had?  We seem to have been having either far too much rain or far too much sun, but this has not deterred our Summer Plans.

In June we had a very entertaining evening trying out Henna Art.  We had lots of guests join us for the evening.  We all had great fun, with some of the results being more successful than others.

Our July meeting saw us at one of Dorchester’s hidden gems.  The weather was kind to us, so we were able to enjoy a wonderful evening just taking in the calm atmosphere, chatting and enjoying a few Strawberries and a bit of bubbly (not all alcoholic!).

We were not quite as lucky with the date for our Charity Afternoon Tea as it coincided with the hottest day of the year!  But that did not daunt us and about thirty people braved the heat to support us.  We managed to keep butter icing from running off cupcakes.  We are still receiving some donations for our chosen charity, Against Breast Cancer, but at the time of writing, our total is well in excess of £175.  Thank you everyone who helped us reach this amazing total.  Whether you donated to the raffle, baked cakes or biscuits, helped on the day, or simply came to enjoy the event, thank you all.

Members are looking forward to our summer excursion to the Sunnyhill Vineyard in Horspath on Monday 12th August.  This is a fairly new, family run, vineyard.  The first vines were planted in 2014, with the first harvest being in 2016.  The vineyard opened to the public last year.  More vines were planted this year, so we hope that this small enterprise is going from strength to strength.  The vineyard holds regular tours and tastings of both wine and cider, so if you would like to visit and have a tasting, keep an eye on their website for tour dates, or book a private tour: www.sunnyhillvineyard.co.uk.

We are holding a Coffee Morning on Tuesday 3rd September, kindly hosted by Ann Tomline, at Sandalwood.  This is always a really enjoyable event, so please do join us between 10.30am and 12.30pm.

The 10th September sees us back to our usual routine of meetings.  We will be hearing from Gilly Pusey who has been spinning and dyeing yarn for over thirty years.  Gilly’s interest in dyeing started as a hobby that would easily fit in around looking after young children. Gilly is now a member of the Bucks Guild of Weavers Spinners and Dyers.

We are looking forward to celebrating our 70th Anniversary later in the year. We are planning a dinner in village hall, so if you are a current or past member, keep your eyes peeled for more information soon.

New members are always welcome. If you would like to join us at one of our regular meetings, guests are welcome at most meetings for just £4, so why not give us a test drive.  Our Forthcoming Events can be found on the WI page of the Long Wittenham website – www.longwittenham.com/wi

If you have any questions, please contact me, Liz Yuille, by email (liz.yuille@mail.com) or phone (01865 407110).