Did you know that like-minded people from all over the globe can take part in Denman online courses, learning new skills, brushing up on their history or taking their hobby to the next level. It’s all there for every ability and every interest.

Since the launch of Denman at Home in May 2020, we’ve had over 90,000 different people join our online courses and events, will you be next to discover that hidden talent you never knew you had? You don’t have to join WI to access the courses but I must mention that BEWI offers fun and creative monthly craft classes.

With shorter days and perhaps spending more time in doors, you could access a huge number of talks and courses. Click on Home – Denman College.

We found out this week that our messaging system on the Join Us tab has not been working. Our sincere apologies if you have sent us a message recently and not received a reply. Bransgore Evening WI welcomes visitors to our monthly meetings and hope that after finding out more about us, that you would be interested in joining the WI. Our next meeting is on Tuesday 14th November at the Village Hall. Please contact us to say you are coming along.

We look forward to seeing you

Ann

Autumn meander

Members of BEWI Gardening Club meandered around the beautiful gardens of the Minstead Trust in Furzey. The Trust supports people with learning disabilities to fully develop their individual potential by providing opportunities, enhancing life skills, ensuring informed choice, and influencing society. They describe Furzey as a secret woodland garden and we were delighted to uncover some of the secrets. Around every corner there were stunning shrubs, flowers, sculptures, intriguing structures or views. On top of this, the weather although unseasonably warm added to the general feeling of wellbeing and enjoyment. The tearoom isn’t a secret but just a friendly place to discuss gardening (mainly compost this time!) whilst enjoying a drink. Definitely a place to visit again.

Training

This week several members of BEWI visited RNLI College Poole. It is the home of training for the charity’s lifesavers. Overlooking Poole Harbour on England’s south coast, the college welcomes lifeboat crew members and lifeguards from around the UK and Ireland, who visit for training courses and to make use of the training facilities – including a lifeboat bridge simulator and sea survival pool. During the visit, members watched a training exercise in the pool which involved capsizing and righting a rib. These are the brave volunteers who save lives at sea.

Members were also given the opportunity to experience a force 8 gale in the bridge simulator, apparently far too realistic for some. Some also tried to pilot the boat whilst others attempted to rescue people in the sea and not always successfully. It certainly was an excellent day out with everyone in awe of the RNLI crews.

Dancing queens

Sopley Silver Swans have been praised for their progress by ballet teacher Stephanie. We students are delighted with ballet teacher Stephanie’s patience, support and skill and Wednesday classes have become a highlight of the week. Silver Swans is not an ‘official’ WI group but at this class it is primarily made up of Bransgore Evening WI members. It was formed after Carole invited Stephanie to our July meeting where a large number of members were delighted with the entertaining mini dance class. The rest of BEWI are looking forward to a demonstration of arabesques. Well done everyone for learning something new.

Blooming good

The Gardening Group spent an extremely colourful morning admiring the wonderful selection of Dahlias at Gilbert’s Nursery near Romsey.

On arrival in true WI fashion an inspection of their tea rooms was required and we all enjoyed coffee and cake .

Surprisingly the noise level was at such a decibel that other visitors chose to sit outside , well away from us !

Dahlias have come on a long way and the variety of colours , sizes and types of petals was breath-taking.

The new seedlings they are developing are less structured and probably you wouldn’t recognise immediately as a dahlia .

A very lovely mornings outing if you haven’t been.

All the tubers can be ordered in January for general sale in February .

Thank you to Jacqui Bird, our group leader for organising such a successful trip.

Tuesday 12th September 2023

Tuesday 12th is the first meeting after the summer break and it seems a long time since we’ve all been together. During August there have been various BEWI get togethers, one a lovely sunny (yes the sun did shine on a few days in August) walk in Milford on Sea and the Gardening Club eventually had a great time exploring Jacqueline’s garden (the date had to change because of a heavy downpour). But generally August is quiet for WI which is why we look forward to getting together again in the Autumn. The September speaker is Steve Herra who was the Purser on QE2 and whose family has worked for Cunard for 3 generations. He has some stories to tell! With many of us having taken a cruise recently or planning one for the future, I’m sure we are in for an fascinating evening.

If you are interested in finding out more about the WI, we welcome visitors, just let us know you would like to come along by sending a message on our Join Us tab.

Virtual WI

No time to go along to meetings at the WI? You may be interested in this. In 2021 WI launched the first ever virtual WI. Two years on, there are now 15 virtual WIs! These WIs all came together recently for a virtual WI summer festival. There were all kinds of online activities such as recycled crafts, chair yoga, and even a murder mystery. Members joined from all over, tuning in from Canada, America and as far as Australia. Virtual WIs are a great way for women to join the WI movement from wherever they may be at any point in time. Want to find out more: Virtual WIs | National Federation of Women’s Institutes (thewi.org.uk)

WI Resolution – Clean Rivers for People and Wildlife

Make a splash for clean rivers in your community by taking part in the WI’s Week of River Action from 11-18 September! Join in with WIs and other local organisations in your area campaigning for clean rivers to sound the alarm about the ecological states of the UK’s rivers, and draw attention to the importance of clean rivers for people and wildlife by organising a campaign stunt in local communities across England, Wales and the Islands.

Invite your local MP to the upcoming parliamentary drop in event to launch the WI Week of River action on 12 September. The event will launch our new Clean Rivers campaign to MPs and will be a vital chance to make sure decision-makers know how strongly WI members and supporters feel about cleaning up our rivers.