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APRIL MEETING :

In the absence of President Gill Glover, the April meeting was conducted by Vice President Rosemary Lloyd. Gill Forster stood in for secretary Marion Hancock, who is recovering from her third replacement hip operation. Good wishes were sent to Marion for a speedy recovery.

A large number of members attended the Annual Federation meeting at Stoneleigh Park. The meeting opened with a hearty rendition of Jerusalem and was chaired by Jan Wade who was retiring after four years in office. The New Federation Chairman is Jeryl Stone, a resident of Barford, but a member of Hampton Lucy and Charlecote W.I. The morning speaker, Jane Dixon was unable to attend and was replaced by an official from the department responsible for awarding honours. Honours are awarded by nomination and a person can be nominated many times, supported by two letters of support. We were informed that far fewer women are nominated and that we should send nominations to www.direct.gov.uk/honours. The afternoon speaker was Adam Henson who was hugely popular and gave an interesting insight to his rural lifestyle as well as a behind the scenes glimpse of the TV programme Countryfile.

A raffle was arranged by Philippa Wilson to raise funds for ACWW – Associated Country Women of the World, working to improve the quality of life for all people through relief of poverty and sickness, protection and preservation of health and advancement of education. A project in India is currently being supported by Warwickshire WIs.

The speaker was Rod Quilter on the history of corsetry. He had a vast range of items, the oldest were so tiny it is hard to imagine how ladies survived wearing them. The original ones were of complicated construction, panels of boning – whale or steel together with hooks and laces or straps to hold it all in place – impossible to put on without assistance. The more modern examples, many members could remember, tight thick elastic even rubber and the dreaded roll-on! It was interesting, but thankfully we’ve moved on. Judith Coltman thanked Mr. Quilter for his presentation.

The next meeting will take place on Thursday 10th May at 7.45pm in the Memorial Hall. Resolutions will be discussed. A social time will follow with ploughman’s supper and wine. Visitors are always welcome

Rosemary Lloyd

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MARCH MEETING :

Bright spring flowers on the President’s table greeted members and guests at the March meeting. Two new members joined the WI, making the total membership now 58. A minute’s silence took place in memory of Pat Stapley who was a member of Barford WI for many years.

Our quiz team of Hilary Maynard, Ann Smith, Gill Jones and Diana Sinclair were congratulated for their success in coming third in the recent Warwickshire WI quiz.

The speaker was Jill Fraser who gave an entertaining talk about buying the vicarage in Aston Cantlow at auction and living in it and not being the vicar. She has maintained all the traditions associated with the vicarage, e.g. having the village fete in her garden, providing mulled wine and mince pies for up to 50 carol singers, tidying the graveyard, opening and closing the church every day, organising the Sunday school etc. Jill has also written a book - More Tea Less Vicar! - based on her experiences of living in a vicarage.

Jill’s hectic lifestyle also includes being a mother and in addition she has worked as a reporter for 'Woman's Hour' on Radio 4, and 'Newsround' and 'Breakfast Time' for BBC1.

Jill was trained as a nurse and has set up Kissing it Better - simple ideas that make the world of difference to health care.

Rosemary Lloyd

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FEBRUARY MEETING :

It was full house for the February meeting. President Gill Glover greeted members and visitors, remarking it was good to see so many people, in spite of the inclement weather.

The W.I. are holding their own Olympics this year, coinciding with the London event. There are to be several ‘heats’, the winners of each to then participate against other W.I.s. The first event was darts, captained by Hilary Maynard who outshone everyone and will represent Barford. The next event will be skittles.

The speaker was Sarah Gray whose topic was Colour with Confidence. She told us first impressions are visual, and if you’re looking good, you’ll feel good. Analysis in her studio can take two hours, assessing hair, eyes and skin tone.

The first two models were Maria Hickox – fair – bright colours were deemed better for her. Samantha Philips – dark – best suited to vibrant colours.

Then Angela Watkins – reddish – best with deep. Louise Cleife – ash – warm and cool. Cindy Cook, Gill Forster and Hilary Maynard then had the same treatment, colours applied and replaced, when pointed out, it was clear to see which flattered and which didn’t. Many felt they had been wearing the wrong colours for years. The vote of thanks was given by Judith Coltman.

Phil Derbyshire

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JANUARY MEETING :

The January meeting was opened by President Gill Glover, who greeted members and visitors and wished everyone a Happy New Year. Freda James, a member of long standing was celebrating a special birthday, was congratulated and presented with a beautiful flower arrangement.

The speaker for the evening was Alison Gadsden, her topic, Work of the Air Ambulance Service. Alison is a relatively new member of Barford WI and she works to promote awareness of the service together with raising funds. Warwickshire and Northampton Air Ambulance was established in 2003. They receive no government or lottery funding, depending on money raised in the community. 1.3 million people live in the area covered and five to fourteen missions per day are performed. The helicopter can be airborne in 45 seconds. Usual response in Warwickshire is five minutes, at most nine minutes. They will attend other parts of the country if required. It costs £1.7 million per year to operate and the cost per mission is £1400 plus. Jancis Magson proposed the vote of thanks.

Phil Derbyshire.

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BARFORD WOMEN'S INSTITUTE DINING CLUB :

The Club is now in full swing. We have dined twice in the Granville and once in the Joseph Arch.

At the first meeting it was decided to meet monthly for lunch for the time being and to vary the venues. Future dates will be towards the end of each month so members can sign up at the monthly meeting.

The next lunch will be at the end of January as December tends to be busy!

If you are not at a meeting, but would be interested in coming, please contact Sue Lusby on 624369 or Angela Watkins on 624758.

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DECEMBER MEETING :

The well attended December meeting opened with President Gill Glover commencing her second term in office. She welcomed several visitors and introduced the new secretary, Marion Hancock.

Ingrid Oliver whom she replaces did a marvellous job for two years, and has been putting Marion on the right tracks. It was pointed out that subs are now due. Members were asked to pay for their tickets for the New Year dinner on 13th January.

It was unanimously agreed by those who went, that the coach party who went to the Hall Green Greyhound Racing Stadium, had a marvellous time. One of the races was the Barford W.I. Stakes. The winning owner was presented with a trophy by our President and Barbara Cheshire.

We were delighted to hear that one of our members, Samantha Philips has given birth to a beautiful baby daughter – a future member?

The speaker was Andrew Wilson Jenner, who owns a business in Leamington Spa specialising in costumes for film and theatre. He told us he had been in the professional theatre for forty eight years, his main loves being ballet and opera. He was responsible for a huge production of Merrie England at Broughton Castle, to celebrate the Queen Mother’s one hundredth birthday. It took six years in the build up to it and the problems seemed insurmountable. However, the production was a triumph.

This was his second visit, previously he displayed his huge range of theatrical costumes. On this occasion, he produced only one dramatic outfit and enlisted Kate Rufus to model it. Trix Law thanked Mr Wilson Jenner for his fascinating presentation.

Phil Derbyshire.

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OCTOBER MEETING :

The October meeting was well attended and President Gill Glover greeted members, new members and visitors.

There was much business to be discussed, including outings, the now established and popular dining club and book club. Volunteers and nominations were requested for next year's committee.

The speaker, Pam Miller regaled with Pam Ayres style entertainment. She commenced by telling us she was born in 1948, auspiciously, also year of birth of Prince Charles, The National Health Service, the last time the Olympic Games were held in London, Velcro was invented, the first Land Rover was produced and Denman College became the headquarters of the WI.

Her stories and poems, interspersed with reminiscences of her life kept everyone amused. One of her offerings: the problem with getting older is that you start losing things, like your hair, your hearing, your eyesight, your teeth and your memory. I was chatting to the vicar the other day, and he asked me if I had ever thought about the hereafter. I said yes I think about it all the time. I go to the kitchen, I go to the bathroom, I go upstairs and think, what am I hereafter.

Phil Derbyshire.

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SEPTEMBER MEETING :

The first meeting after the summer break was well attended and the President, Gill Glover welcomed visitors and new members.

A newly formed lunch club has been well received and there is also interest in forming a book club.

The speaker was Jan Harrington who spoke of the rehabilitation of swans. What an exceptional lady, doing this work on a voluntary basis for thirty seven years she was awarded the M.B.E by Her Majesty the Queen.

She reminded us how when we were small we were warned to give swans a wide berth, they’ll break your arm – not true.

One of her rescues was a cob with a broken wing, which had to be amputated. A mate was found for him and they spent thirty years together at her sanctuary, raising a family every year. We were told that less than 25% ever find a partner.

The easiest way to tell male from female – male flat head – female rounded head.

Anglers cause endless trouble. Lead poisoning causes necks to swell, they eventually cannot be kept erect and a slow death ensues. Fishing lines and hooks cause much suffering. One case quoted was of a cygnet with a fishing hook through its eye – it killed him.

A pike will eat a cygnet. Overhead cables are also a hazard, they often crash into them, landing on motorways, breaking a wing. Motorway police are trained how to pick them up and bring them in for treatment. Pollution is another enemy, used engine oil disposed of in waterways causes problems. They can only be washed for short spells before becoming distressed. The talk was most fascinating,

Louise Cleife gave the vote of thanks.

Phil Derbyshire.

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JULY MEETING :

The regular monthly meeting did not take place in July. Instead the annual Member’s night party took place at the home of Angela Watkins. The weather was kind and we were able to spend the entire evening in her riverside garden. Members were greeted with a glass of wine on arrival. Two quizzes were masterminded by Hilary Maynard. A truly delicious supper was provided by Angela’s helpers, Helen Clay, Jill Jones, Lorraine Thorne and Philippa Wilson.

The corsage competition was won by Alycia Timmis. President Gill Glover presented her with the silver rose bowl - hers to keep for a year.

Phil Derbyshire.

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JUNE MEETING :

In the absence of the President, the meeting was conducted by Rosemary Lloyd.

She introduced the speaker Mr Andrew Lound, whose talk was The Titanic – Return of a Dream. This year is the centenary of the launch of the Titanic. The largest and most luxurious liner built by White Star Line. Fifteen workmen died during its construction, an astonishingly good safety record for the times. The ship was driven by steam, three shifts a day, constantly shovelling coal to provide power.

The ship’s captain for the maiden voyage was Edward J. Smith, on what ironically was to have been his final command. There were three classes of travel on Titanic, first, the ultimate in luxury, second and third. The third class fare from Southampton to New York was £7.9.0. Tragically, when the iceberg struck, only 700 of the 3000 passengers were saved.

In 1985 Titanic was discovered at 12,000 feet deep on the sea bed of the North Atlantic, many parts clearly discernable. Mr Lound, wearing a White Star Line First Officer’s uniform, gave a very dramatic presentation. Rosemary Lloyd gave the vote of thanks, and he was most interested to learn that one of her ancestors lost his life in the disaster.

The July meeting will be “Member’s Night.” This will take place at the home of Angela Watkins, 2 Carter Drive. Tickets to include a welcome drink, available from Angela – 624758. There will be a corsage competition. Bring your own wine and a garden chair!

Phil Derbyshire.

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MAY MEETING :

President Gill Glover welcomed visitors and quickly dispensed with the routine business matters. Then it was time for the 2011 Resolutions final short list to be discussed.

The first, presented by Rosemary Lloyd: This meeting abhors the practice of factory farming particularly large animals such as pigs and cows and urges H.M. Government to ensure planning permission is not granted for such projects.

The second, presented by Ingrid Oliver: This meeting urges H.M. Government to maintain support for local libraries as an essential local educational and information resource. After a general discussion, members voted for both resolutions, although there were some abstentions.

The meeting came to a very convivial conclusion with a towns and places quiz and a ploughman's supper with wine.

On a marvellous sunny day, twenty six members enjoyed a coach trip to Highgrove, the private gardens of their Royal Highnesses The Prince of Wales and the Duchess of Cornwall. The gardens were a delight to behold, quite informal and most inspirational. The carpet garden, recreated from the design of an oriental rug, wonderful walled vegetable garden, the stumpery, the Sanctuary built to mark the millennium – an area planted with many varieties of acer. The tour covered about two miles and lasted about two hours accompanied by a knowledgeable and entertaining guide.

The visit concluded with time for retail therapy at the Highgrove Shop and tea in the Orchard Room.

Phil Derbyshire.

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APRIL MEETING :

Several visitors were welcomed by President Gill Glover. The meeting took place in reverse order, beginning with the speaker, Sarah Falkland, senior broadcast journalist. Her first love was newspapers, having started out in journalism as a cub reporter with the Kenilworth Weekly News, before progressing to the Coventry Evening Telegraph, then joining the Midlands Today team.

Now living in Barford, Sarah gave an outline of a “typical” day, always unpredictable, she often leaves home at 4.30 am and returning at 5.30 pm. She usually works four ten hour shifts per week. When presenting the 6.30 am news bulletin, she is one of only two people in the studio, it was interesting to learn that the auto cue is operated by a foot pedal, quite a task to master. The standard length of a report is one and a half minutes, from probably forty minutes filming. Members had a questions and answer interlude before Sarah had to dash off.

The meeting then proceeded with the business section and coffee. The quiz, as usual was a success and the dance boogie day was enjoyed by those who attended.

Phil Derbyshire.

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MARCH MEETING :

The speaker at the March meeting was Mr John Clewes who described himself as a nature lover. His work on behalf of the RSPB, one of the largest wildlife organisations in the world, covers thirteen counties.

Originally known as the Plume and Feather Club, they campaigned against the plumage trade, when it was fashionable for ladies to wear elaborate feathered hats, leading to the decline of many species. Nine tenths of the workforce are volunteers and there are over two hundred reserves which can be visited by the public. Further details are available on their website.

The starling population has now declined by 75%. Birds have a tough time. Removal of hedgerows does not help and chemicals used by farmers kill insects and bugs which birds rely on. The RSPB liaise with farmers and advise on methods of conservation and improving habitat for birds. Farmers can now be subsidised to cut hedges only twice in five years. A great enemy of birds is the cat. Fifty five million birds are killed by cats each year. The most successful cat deterrent is lion dung! We were advised on feeding birds in the garden. This should be done throughout the year. They love all berries. Brown bread is best and should be soaked to aid digestion. Grated cheese is a great favourite, we were told they love it. Nesting boxes should be emptied each year and cleaned with boiling water, and most importantly should face north/north east to avoid direct sunlight. Mr Clewes was very impressed with members’ knowledge of birds, identifying every one, much to his amazement. Marion Hancock thanked him for his fascinating talk.

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NEWS FOR 2012:

Barford WI meets on the first Thursday of the month at 7:45pm in the Memorial Hall (except in July and August). New members and visitors are always welcome.

We look forward to seeing you.

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WELCOME TO BARFORD WI

What is the WI?

Barford Wl, together with others in Warwickshire, forms the County Federation (WFWI) which in turn integrates with other counties to form the National Federation (NFWI). Barford meets eleven times a year, on the first Thursday of the month from 7.45pm until around 10:00pm. At eight of these meetings we organise a speaker, from a wide range of interests, sometimes accompanied by slides or a demonstration. In May we have a meeting to discuss Resolutions usually with a social, health or rural theme. The result of our vote goes forward to the Annual National Meeting in June. In July we hold a social gathering hosted by a member in their garden, weather permitting. This a fun evening - maybe a quiz - with food and wine. The evening which is run by members allows the committee to relax.

Committee

In November we have our Annual Meeting when the President and committee are elected for the coming year. As the committee organise all the events and business of the Barford Wl, there are many other smaller roles available for the members to take on.

Meetings

The evening commences with a short business meeting foHowed by the speaker. Afterwards coffee and tea are served by members whose names are shown in the programme.

Activities

During the year we organise various events to raise money for the benefit of the local community. There is also the opportunity to attend lunches and suppers with other local WIs, as well as joining for example outings, holidays and lectures.

Publications

The National Federation publishes the Home and Country magazine. The Warwickshire Federation publishes a County News Sheet providing information on local events that you may wish to attend.

Denman College

NFWI has its own residential adult education college, Denman, a lovely Georgian mansion in Oxfordshire. Courses are held in a wide range of interests including sports, country pursuits, arts and crafts, drama, music, not forgetting the domestic subjects. Every alternate year Barford Wl offers a bursary for a member to attend a course at Denman College. Details and date of the next meeting will be found on the Village Notice Boards and this website.

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