A social evening to welcome members new and old. We’ll be donning some name badges, sharing savoury dishes and kicking off the fundraising for 2018 with a re-gifting auction.
Please bring along a savoury dish, along with the recipe if you’re happy to share that too, as well as unwanted items you’ve received as gifts to enter into the auction.
Photo Credit: Photo Designed by Freepik
We started the year by taking new memberships and membership renewals. After that flurry of activity we had the notices and vote on this year’s resolutions. Of the five choices, Stop FGM (Female Genital Mutilation) got the most votes and has been put forward as the vote from Gloucester Road WI.
We were also joined by Geoff Keogh, parkrun ambassador for the South West and one of the volunteers that started Ashton Court parkrun, who spoke about how parkrun has grown both locally and around the world since it’s beginnings back in 2004.
The actual run has been described as the plumbing of parkrun with it becoming much more than just a run as everyone is welcome to walk, jog, run or volunteer. After the meeting one lady told us how, whilst she no longer takes part in parkrun, she loves to read the weekly newsletter as it is full of inspirational stories from across the parkrun community.
Photo Credit: James Bushnell via Eastville parkrun
A flavour of the 2017 Christmas Party
It’s that time again: membership renewals and the chance for new members to sign-up to join.
We’ll also welcome Geoff Keogh, parkrun Ambassador for the South West, to tell us about the phenomenon that is parkrun which sees people of all ages walk, jog, run and volunteer in their local parks every weekend.
Review by Mary Sanderson
Our speaker, local writer Kerry Postle is a previous member of our WI so was doubly welcome. Kerry has successfully published her first novel and used her experience in researching, writing and finding a publisher to illustrate her presentation. Kerry gave us the fascinating story of her choice of subject matter, Wally Neuzil, and what inspired her to start her book. This was the result of two incidents, firstly, she was attacked by a teenage student in her classroom when she taught modern languages in a secondary school. This was distressing and caused Kerry to question her life.
We don’t have a meeting in December, although there is the Christmas Party on the 12th for members who have booked their place in advance.
We’ll meet in the January to welcome in the new year and let you know what is planned for 2018 as well as doing membership renewals and giving  new members the chance to sign-up to join.
A talk from former member and local author about her first novel: The Artist’s Muse.
Following a visit to the Tracey Emin-Egon Schiele exhibition in 2015, Kerry was left wanting to know more about one lady: Wally Neuzil. The work of fiction she has created explores the challenges and struggles in the life of the woman who modelled for Gustav Klimt and had a relationship with Egon Schiele.
It’s that time of year again when we review the year, check out our annual report, and say goodbye to some of the current committee.
We’ll kick the evening off with our usual WI business, followed by the report, maybe a traditional WI sing-song and then we’ll get onto our activity of the evening – button jewellery craft.
Gloucester Road WI 
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