Two female members of the team at Bristol Beer Factory came and gave us a really engaging talk about Women in Brewing. Beer, and particularly brewing, can still be seen as a male-dominated area, so it was great to hear that 50% of BBF brew staff are female, and this high percentage is sustained through large parts of the company. We heard about their Cowgirl Supernova beer, brewed by an all-female team for this year’s International Women’s Day, and also BBF’s role as an official sponsor for Bristol Pride 2026, marked by the launch of a limited-edition Bristol Pride IPA. And we were lucky enough to have some tasters too, which some non-beer-drinking members admitted to liking!
Programme 2026
Meetings are free to members and we accept visitors with a requested donation of £7.50 cash or contactless.
Programme is subject to change but will be updated regularly on this site. Sign up to our monthly newsletter to receive updates.
20 January
Fermentation Demonstration with https://www.eatmuti.com/and https://naniasvineyard.co.uk/
17 February
Window Wanderland Workshop – come and get ready for our local Window Wonderland weekend.
This is a Community Event. There is a cost of £3 for visitors, £5 for a family group. Resources provided.
17 March
Decluttering Talk
21 April
Laughter Yoga
19 May
A talk from the Head Gardener at Tyntesfield and a plant, seedling and seed swap.
16 June (please note location change; Time TBC)
Sauna and nutrition talk at The Ardagh. Visitors £9.
21 July
Bristol Beer Factory – women in brewing.
18 August (location/time tbc)
Point to Point pub walk. A summer social get together learning interesting facts as we stroll along. This will be off site and a little earlier than usual.
15 September
Craft activity decorating bowls using modge podge
20 October
AGM & Egyptology Talk
17 November
Christmas Craft Carousel
15 December*
Festive Gathering
Additional charges may apply for extra events or activities.
Programme may be subject to change at short notice
*In addition to the WI meeting in December there will be a separate Wreath Making Workshop Community Event (not included in membership) to raise money for charity. This will be held in early December.
We meet at 8pm on the third Tuesday of every month in the:
St Bonaventure’s Parish Hall
Friary Lane
Bristol
BS7 8AF
https://stbonsbristol.com/hall-hire/
Plenty of parking. Find us upstairs.
Guests (women aged 18+) are welcome for a cash or contactless donation of £7.50
The Gloucester Road WI is a diverse group of women with some amazing skills and experience.
We formed in 2011, and currently have over 50 members who meet monthly and engage in an activity or listen to a speaker. We also fundraise for local charities and participate in the national WI campaigns and initiatives.
Membership for 2026/267
The WI membership year runs from 1st April to 31st March and we accept members throughout the year.
A new member joining the WI for the first time (or who has not been a member of any WI in the 12 months before their joining the WI) pays a pro-rata subscription.
Please note that there is no pro-rata membership option if you were a member in the past 12 months. The full annual fee of £ 54 for 2026 will be due April 1st.
More detail on how to renew will follow shortly. Meanwhile, for any new or renewal membership queries email info@gloucesterroadwi.org
Visitors
Women are welcome to try out our WI, attending up to 3 times a year before they are required to join. The visitor donation is £7.50 per meeting. We accept cash or card for visitor entry.
If you have any further questions about joining our vibrant and active WI please get in touch.
Point to Point Pub Walk
Tuesday 18 August
DIFFERENT LOCATION:
Bacco (cafe-wine bar @ 44 Gloucester Road)
DIFFERENT START TIME:
7:30pm
Join us for a few drinks and a bit of a stroll along the Gloucester Road, combined with some interesting facts, which will be imparted to you by various committee members. We are very much hoping that you will also bring any snippets of knowledge and anecdotes about the Gloucester Road to this summer social.
7:30 Meet at Bacco for a drink and general catch-up
8:30 Start walk from Bacco
8:30 Drink at The Bristol Flyer
9:30 Drink at Sidney and Eden
Review of Talk on Women in Brewing from Bristol Beer Factory (July 2026) - Two female members of the team at Bristol Beer Factory came and gave us a really engaging talk about Women in Brewing. Beer, and particularly brewing, can still be seen as a male-dominated area, so it was great to hear that 50%... Continue Reading →
This super event included a relaxing sauna session and an interesting talk from nutritionist, Alia Swann, who specialises in Women’s Health and Fertility. We are so lucky to have the Ardagh Centre on our doorstep – such a great setting for a lovely evening together.
A Talk and Tasting from Bristol Beer Factory
This month we are excited to be inviting Bristol Beer Factory (BBF) to come and to talk to us about Women in Brewing. 50% of BBF brew staff are female, and this high percentage is sustained through large parts of the company. Beer, and particularly brewing, can still be seen as a male-dominated area, so we’re getting the girls in to prove otherwise! BBF launched a special limited-edition beer for International Women’s Day called Cowgirl Supernova, which was brewed by an all-female team and used hops from The Pink Boots Society, which aims to help support women and non-binary individuals in brewing.
Why not come along for a tasting session and to find out more about beer, and the women who make it and drink it.
Visitors are welcome at a cost of £7.
If you are interested in any of our events, please email us for more information on info@gloucesterroadwi.org. You can also check our out website www.gloucesterroadwi.org.
Tuesday 21 July
Doors open 7:45
St Bonaventure’s Parish Hall
TRIP TO THE ARDARGH CENTRE FOR A WELLBEING EVENING COMMUNITY SAUNA AND A TALK ON NUTRITION
This exciting event includes a lovely sauna session and an informative talk on nutrition. It is free for members (guests £9.00). Spaces still available at the time of publishing this post, but please email info@gloucesterroadwi.org to check availability and for further details. Please note we are unable to accept cash on the site on the night (card only, please).
Tuesday 16th June at the earlier time of 7-9pm
The Ardargh, Kellaway Avenue, Horfield Common, BS6 7YL
We were excited to welcome Paul Evans, the Head Gardener of National Trust Tyntesfield, to our May meeting. He talked us through the ‘potted’ history of the garden, what they have discovered over the last 20 years and plans for the future.
In addition to our talk, members brought along any spare plants, seedlings or seeds for a swap which was great now that the evenings are longer and we look to spend more time outside.
For our April meeting we were lead by Joe Hoare in an uplifting Laughter Yoga session, which involved a blend of playful laughter exercises and gentle breathing techniques designed to improve both mental and physical health. Laughter quickly became contagious, connecting attendees with each other. We really did discover how a little laughter can go a long way, leaving feeling energised and less stressed. What a joyful way to boost wellbeing!
Programme 2025
16 January
Swishing! Start the year in style with a clothes swap – clear out the old and herald in the new.
And a talk on Sustainable Fashion by personal stylist Becky Barnes https://www.beckybarnesstyle.com
20 February
Quiz night
Quiz night with a difference!
19 March
A fascinating, gory and glorious, insight into the life of a Victorian Surgeon with Geoff King
16 April
Tai Chi with Rob McKay https://nextdoor.co.uk/pages/rob-mackay-bristol-england-2
21 May
Mental Health Awareness – Anxiety causes and solutions, including hypnotherapy with Sally Hare https://healingroomsbristol.co.uk/amo-team/sally-hare/
18 June
A talk about Death and how women lead the way with Delia Ryding. https://www.divineceremony.co.uk
16 July, 7:15pm – at Castle Park (please note venue and time change)
Alice in Wonderland themed Treasure Hunt
20 August
Walk around the Neighbourhood
17 September
Line Dancing with Ashley Syms-Rees Dance
22 October
AGM & Sewing Workshop with Tweed & Bird
26 November
Christmas Wreaths. Pre-booking essential.
17 December
Festive Gathering at Bombas Tapas and Cocktails.
Additional charges may apply for extra events or activities.
Programme may be subject to change at short notice
TALK FROM HEAD GARDENER OF TYNTESFIELD
As the evenings get longer and we look to spend more time outside, we are excited to welcome Paul Evans, the Head Gardener of National Trust Tyntesfield, to our May meeting. He will be talking to us about the ‘potted’ history of the garden, what they have discovered over the last 20 years and plans for the future.
Plant and Seed Swap
In addition to our talk, please bring along with you any spare plants, seedlings or seeds for a swap with other members at the meeting.
Tuesday 19th May,
Doors open 7:45pm,
St Bonaventure’s Parish Hall,
Visitors welcome.
We were delighted to welcome Becky Purchas, Declutter Coach and Pro Organiser, from White Space.
Becky shared practical ways to bring calm into our homes.
She also covered her personal journey from the corporate world to registered decluttering and home organisation expert.
There was plenty of time for questions too so people left with simple ideas and gentle approaches to sorting, organising and letting go of things no longer needed, or at least the motivation to tackle that corner we’ve all been meaning to get to.
Gloucester Road WI 
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