Caroline, president of Bransgore Evening WI had announced at last year’s Annual Meeting that she would be leaving at the end of the year.  What a year it has been!  Caroline’s vision, energy and enthusiasm has invigorated the committee. She’s been a tremendous influence on encouraging BEWI to be successful, progressive and innovative.  She reminded us in her farewell speech that the combined efforts of all the committee plus the many members who volunteer, assist and run the small groups all help to make our WI a huge successful.  Caroline thanked everyone and we also thank her for her time, leadership and friendship.  In coming president Ann presented Caroline with flowers.

 

 

It was a lovely day when several members of the gardening club visited Sandie’s beautiful garden.

It has taken 16 years of enjoyable but hard work for Sandie and her husband to create their child friendly garden.  Learning how to develop a mostly dry shady back garden has been challenging especially as all the trees have TPO’s.  Mostly consisting of rhododendrons, azaleas, camellias, ferns and one of Sandie’s favourites, hellebores, the garden is at its most colourful in the spring, with colourful evergreen foliage also playing an important role. There is a bark covered play area with swings, climbing frame and monkey bars for their nine grandchildren to enjoy, as well as a tree house, garden gnomes and tiny animals to find amongst the undergrowth.

Dotted around are Pieris, Heuchera (lemon coloured to stand out in the shade), ornamental grasses, Brunnera ‘Jack Frost’, hydrangea, climbers and two herbaceous borders which get full sun most of the afternoon and evening.  The back and front lawns are Sandie’s husband’s domain!!

With several members sitting around the kitchen table, the discussion was, what is the next project?  We heard a local group were supporting Ukrainian refugees and giving

young children a knitted teddy made in blue and yellow wool.  No more discussion needed, we started knitting.

May Bank Holiday arrived.  BEWI committee members arrived too at 9am with car boots full of cakes and crafts, tables and bunting, pegs and string plus anything else we thought would be useful.  It was great to be back after 2 years.  As well as our traditional and much loved cake stall we had booked a second pitch to sell handicrafts made by our talented members.  With everyone working together the 2 stalls were set up and looked attractive.  Fortunately the public thought this too and the magnificent cakes sold out in record time.   Knitted owls and colourful teddy bears were a great attraction as well as the individually designed and made cushions.  President of BEWI Caroline said “A huge thank you to everyone for all your help and efforts, today and in all the weeks leading up to the Fun Day. Thank you for the baking, the sewing, the knitting, the crocheting, the cutting out , ironing and your fabulous skills in creating wonderful articles. Thank you once again, a huge team effort,”

Not just one Fun Day but lots of fun times.