Gloucester Road WI

It was Mental Health Awareness Month

We enjoyed a calming and informative session with Bridget Tyrell from Osna Therapy, a fellow businesswoman right here on Gloucester Road. She shared the many benefits of massage and showed us some easy self-massage techniques we can use anytime we need a little reset. 

We also had a small, but successful, plant sale to raise funds for our WI group.

We were treated to a collage workshop with Bristol’s very own art junkie, Adele Lippiatt — the queen of collage and recycled materials. Adele guided us through a hands-on journey of cutting, layering, and creating art.
We were a good mix of seasoned makers and those who were just collage-curious. This workshop provided a wonderful opportunity to dive into a world of colour, texture, and creativity. And did we get inspired, letting our inner artist run wild! Everyone got to take home a framed collage they had made, and some at least have proudly hung them up at home, on display for all to admire.  
Find Adele on Instagram @bristolartjunkie.

We had a great evening with the Bristol Rum Company. The founders, all from Bristol, shared how the city’s spirit of freedom and creativity is reflected in both their business principles and the rum they’ve chosen. They also talked about Sofia, the Colombian goddess of Free Thinking, who inspired their golden Colombian rum. Best of all, we got to taste it — and it didn’t disappoint!  https://www.thebristolrumcompany.co.uk/

From the jungles of India to the mountains of British Columbia and the cliffs of Pembrokeshire to the urban streets of Bristol, his home city, Toby Packard is a wildlife photographer and filmmaker who has spent the past 13 years working on his craft and as well as for himself has worked for the BBC, National Geographic and Netflix.

To an enthusiastic crowd, he presented his photographic and filmmaking portfolio from his journeys over the years. He explained what he’s learnt along the way through both handheld and camera trap photography. And, he shared some advice on how we can improve our own wildlife photography.

For December, in place of our usual meeting, we booked a table at a local restaurant.

This was member only event.

 For those members who wanted to join us for a festive meal a non-refundable cash deposit of £10 was required to secure your place.

Some members who could not join us for a meal joined us for a drink and socialise.

We held our usual Christmas raffle and four lucky ladies went home with great prizes.

The Wreath making workshop was. on Tuesday 26th November as advertised on the website which was not the third Tuesday this month! 

In our November meeting we made Christmas wreaths. 

This highly popular event sold out. Wreath making spaces needed to be rebooked to ensure we could provide sufficient materials for attendees on the evening. However, members who had not booked onto the workshop, were still welcome to attend in a social capacity and learn the skills needed to make their own at home. The bar and raffle was open as usual.

We used mainly locally sourced and compostable materials, including cinnamon sticks and orange slices. We encouraged people to bring along fir cones, rosemary sprigs, bay leaves, holly etc that they may have had in their garden, to share or add to their own wreaths. Some ribbons were provided but some individuals had one that they preferred to add so brought that along instead.

There was be a raffle prize at this event.

The cost for visitors was £25, payable in advance only by emailing info@gloucesterroadwi.org

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.