Gloucester Road WI

Our well attended Annual General Meeting took place at our October meeting. Using our Annual Report and Financial Statement, members and guests were updated on our performance and finances.  

After our business had concluded Tweed and Bird helped us build our stitching skills with a fun and sustainable sewing workshop.
We made reusable face wipes. These easy to make wipes are great for the environment, great for gifting and lovely to use.

Guided step-by-step through the process, this project was suitable for all – from novice to expert sewists. Everything needed to make these cute reusable facewipes was provided and the hall was a real hive of chatter and laughter whilst we did.

Doors opened at 7.45pm for an 8pm start.

Septembers meeting was an energetic evening of line dancing with Ashley Syms-Rees.

A partner is not needed for line dancing and it is what you make it – as energetic or low impact as you want. We had a lot of fun and bonded over a bungled dance step or two!

The class was suitable for everyone.
Trainers were recommended.

This month’s meeting was a delightful walk and talk along the river Frome with Amy Wade, Education and Engagement Officer for the Bristol Avon River Trust, where we learned about river life.

We met at Snuffmills carpark at the earlier time of 7pm. The well attended event lasted around 1.5 hours and finished before dark.

We met at Castle Park 7.15pm.

July’s meeting was an Alice in Wonderland themed treasure hunt using the Cluedupp Games app.    Participants needed to download the app from www.clueddupp.com and set up an account before the meeting.

We met at 7.15pm for a 7.30pm start in Castle Park, near the rainbow pedestrian crossing, at the top of Union Street.

Participants were divided into teams when they arrived – we wanted to mix people up so that we all get to meet other members.  Each team was led by a committee member, and they joined team members to the team group using a QR code.  From there, we used the app to solve clues which got curiouser and curiouser, took on mad and mischievous challenges, and uncovered a dark conspiracy at the heart of Wonderland!  There was a fair bit of walking involved and people needed their comfortable shoes! We had decided to hold the event regardless of the weather but we were lucky.

We then reconvened at the Old Vic theatre bar for a celebratory drink!   It took around 2 hours to complete the treasure hunt. 

How to talk about death and dying, and why women are reclaiming the conversation

This fascinating and informative talk by Delia Ryding from Divine Ceremony, charted Queen Victoria’s creation of the high street Funeral Parlour, and the rise of the men in their black suits, to the progressive female pioneers who are currently leading the way in Funeral care in the 21st Century, including Delia’s personal journey. 

Many attendees took the opportunity to ask questions they had around death and dying.

Doors will opened at 7.45pm

Mental Health Awareness Week ran from 13 to 19 May 2024.
Every year 1 in 4 of us will experience a mental health problem (MIND).

We all know how it feels to be stressed or anxious, but what’s happening in our brain at those times? We joined Sally to learn about how the brain works and how we can ‘hack’ its quirks to feel better.

This was followed by a 20-minute guided meditation destress. We got comfortable and let soothing music and visualisations take us on a journey to deep calm and inner peace. Sally was also be available to answer questions on wellbeing, self care, and mental health.

Sally Hare is a local Solution Focused Hypnotherapist and facilitator, and is Head of Communications for the Association for Solution Focused Hypnotherapy. www.sallyharehypno.co.uk

We indulged in some self care under the guidance of Rob Mackay.

To aid our appreciation ancient martial art Rob provided an inspiring over view of the history of Tai Chi and why he has so passionately practiced it for the past 30 years.

He then led us through some gentle warm-up exercises and into some of the sequence which took us about 40 minutes. There were some fine flying geese on display!

The system Rob teaches is called TMW (Tai Chi Movement for Wellbeing). Whilst traditional Tai Chi takes many years to learn, TMW was developed to make the benefits of Tai Chi accessible to all in a simplified form.  It can help anyone, of any age, regain and maintain some flexibility of the body and it promotes a state of well-being in both body and mind.

Above all, the movements were beautiful, wholesome and made one feel relaxed, enlivened and able to face life anew. A refreshing night!

Cash was required for drinks and the raffle. 
The cost to visitors was £6.50 cash for this event.

Doors opened at 7:45 pm

This March, we immersed ourselves in a captivating talk by our guest speaker, Geoff King as he vividly brought to life the stark realities of Victorian-era surgeries, in all its gory glory !  
 
As promised this was an entertaining and informative evening.

Doors open at 7:45 pm

In February our meeting was a Quiz with a difference.

Karina, one of our members will organised the quiz and there were some great prizes too. 

This quiz with a difference was really fun night … no boring sports round, no need to swot up on the news, no advantage for hardened quizzers.

Some fun rounds, some random rounds and some just weird – such a good nose needed for the Herbs and Spice Round.

Teams varied in size between 3 and 5 members and it was a great opportunity to make new friends by getting to know some members who you don’t normally speak to.

Doors opened at 7:45pm with a prompt start at 8:00pm and still we over ran slightly with the head scratching, laughter and chatter.

A terrific evening.